I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1461 Sun Shan directly blocked Magistrate Shen and never replied to his messages again.

Sun Shan, being of a good temper, listened for half an hour as Wang Jiaxing recounted how arduous and difficult the provincial examination was.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, that's enough. No matter how tough it is, you still have to go to the exam."

Wang Jiaxing: ...

Even without Sun Shan saying anything, he knew he had to keep going.

But if I don't say it out loud, the frustration in my heart is hard to dispel.

If you tell your classmates, they'll complain even more than you do. If you tell your parents, it's pointless; they don't need to take the exam, so they won't understand your suffering.

After searching high and low, only Sun Shan could truly empathize with me.

Wang Jiaxing said with a mournful face, "Sir, what should I do? The provincial examination is so difficult, will I keep failing?"

After experiencing the provincial examination, Wang Jiaxing truly understood the cruelty of the examination and his own shallowness.

I was eager to rank in the top ten in the preliminary examination, thinking I would definitely pass the provincial examination.

And what was the result? He did terribly on the test, suffered terribly inside, and came out barely alive.

Fortunately, my great-aunt was very helpful and managed to get a renowned doctor to save my life.

Wang Jiaxing suffered greatly in the examination hall, enduring endless hardship until he finally emerged from it and fell seriously ill.

He didn't dare to go home until he recovered from his illness.

I should have laughed out loud when I saw Wang Jiaxing looking so bewildered.

The more arrogant they were back then, the more destitute they are now.

My heart softened just seeing the innocent naiveté in his eyes, like that of a college student.

Sun Shan liked all students, as long as they weren't utterly wicked.

It's because he's always liked to be a teacher.

Sun Shan patted Wang Jiaxing on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't panic, don't be anxious. It's normal to fail the exam; not passing is a normal part of life. You need to have confidence in yourself. Your greatest asset is that you're still young and can take the exam many more times."

Wang Jiaxing's face fell. What kind of comfort was Sun Shan's?

That's so well said, please don't say it again next time.

Is Sun Shan cursing himself to keep taking the exam? Although he's still young, he wants to pass it on his first try.

Taking exams isn't inherently difficult; what's difficult is the exam environment and atmosphere, which can drive you crazy in an instant.

Wang Jiaxing didn't appreciate Sun Shan's goodwill at all. Instead, he looked miserable and said, "Sir, I'm afraid I might be so bold as to ask if you could share a secret to passing the provincial examination? The provincial examination is so difficult and arduous."

Sun Shan rolled his eyes, then glared at Wang Jiaxing, his high-set triangular eyes radiating a fierce look.

He snorted coldly: "There is no shortcut to the imperial examinations. If there is, it is only through diligence. As the saying goes, 'There is a path to the mountain of books, and diligence is the way; the sea of ​​learning is boundless, and hard work is the boat.' Diligence can lead to the path, and only through diligence can one pass the exams. You should go back and study hard. In three years, you will be a hero again and can enter the examination hall once more."

Wang Jiaxing didn't believe it and pleaded desperately, "Lord Sun, please tell me how I can pass the exam. I'm at my wit's end. If I keep taking the exam like this, whether I pass or not is another matter, but I'll die in the exam hall at any moment."

Wang Jiaxing recounted how he nearly lost his life in the imperial examinations.

Even now, thinking back on it still makes my heart pound: "My lord, I almost didn't get to see you again. Thank God, thank my ancestors, that I was able to make it through and see the sun rise tomorrow."

Sun Shan already knew about Wang Jiaxing's serious illness.

It wasn't that he was particularly concerned; rather, it was Wang Jiaxing's father and grandfather who came to him with the information.

He brought a lot of lavish gifts when he came to the door, which is why Wang Jiaxing was able to enter the yamen so smoothly today, and why Sun Shan had the patience to listen to Wang Jiaxing's nonsense.

As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to be grateful, and he who takes another's gifts is bound to be obliging." Hehe, having received so many gifts from Grandpa Wang and Father Wang, comforting the broker is a way of repaying them.

Wang Jiaxing rambled on for another half an hour, continuing even when his mouth was dry.

They kept asking about the secret to Sun Shan's success on the list.

Sun Shan, growing impatient, bluntly stated, "What secret could there be? It's simply that I'm intelligent and diligent, which is why I made the list."

Looking at Wang Jiaxing, she said bluntly, "You're neither smart nor hardworking, no wonder you're not on the list."

Wang Jiaxing: ...

She stared at Sun Shan in shock, completely unable to accept the fact that he was neither smart nor hardworking.

In his grandfather's and father's eyes, he was the smartest boy in the Wang family.

Sun Shan continued venomously, "You need to understand your own situation and have self-awareness. Passing the imperial examination at the lowest level is already a miracle your father and grandfather have been working tirelessly to achieve."

Going a step further, your ancestors' graves haven't even emitted smoke of good fortune yet. You should calm down, face your shortcomings honestly, and stop walking on shaky ground, otherwise you'll fall even harder.

Wang Jiaxing retorted, "Sir, I am not as incompetent as you say. I am intelligent, studious, and hardworking. Otherwise, how could I have passed the imperial examination? Sir, do you remember when I accompanied you to search for bird droppings over mountains and valleys? This shows that I can endure hardship."

It would have been better if they hadn't mentioned patrolling together, but the moment they did, Sun Shan got angry.

A delicate, fair-skinned scholar, if it weren't for the language barrier, would have abandoned Wang Jiaxing long ago.

He said impatiently, "What's the use of saying so much? Failing the exam is failing the exam, and no amount of talking will change that fact."

He paused, then continued, "You need to do the following for the next few days. First, take good care of your health, as the provincial examination is extremely demanding on your physical condition. Second, continue your studies at the prefectural school; ask your professors questions if you don't understand anything, and be diligent."

Third, face up to your own shortcomings, be humble in your conduct, work, and studies, and avoid arrogance and complacency. Make friends with classmates who are knowledgeable, learn from each other, and make up for each other's weaknesses.

Fourth, and most importantly, go back and write down your essay from memory for the provincial examination, then submit it to me for review.

Thinking of the gold hairpin that the chubby girl was wearing on her head, Sun Shan held back.

I don't know where Grandpa Wang and Grandpa Wang found out that Little Fatty really liked the hair ornaments on the head of the Wang family's little girl, and her eyes would light up every time she looked at them.

Sure enough, when giving gifts, a golden hairpin exactly like the one worn by Miss Wang appeared.

The chubby girl loved it when she saw it.

She immediately stuck it into her little braid, and Sun Shan couldn't help but laugh at her vain appearance.

As a father, Sun Shan naturally understood what Grandpa Wang and Grandpa Wang meant.

It's simply a matter of asking him to give Wang Jiaxing more pointers.

Oh, the hearts of parents are both pitiful and admirable.

Wang Jiaxing blinked, then asked, puzzled, "Sir, do you want to review my article?"

He then added, "But I forgot, my mind was completely blank at the time, I couldn't remember anything."

Sun Shan glared at him: "You have to remember it even if you can't. Write it down from memory and send it over. Hmph, if it weren't for the fact that you're a candidate from Yuanlu County, I wouldn't be interested in reading your essay for you."

Wang Jiaxing wore a bitter expression.

Sun Shan then said, "Go to the county school and tell Instructor Deng that if any candidates for the provincial examination need me to review their essays, send them over."

Since everyone's already reading Wang Jiaxing's articles, there's no difference what other test takers might do.

Alas, the provincial examination was also a source of great pain for Sun Shan; how come not a single one of them made it onto the list?

Not long ago, Sun Shan received another letter from Magistrate Shen of Mayang County.

This time, he not only wrote poems and songs to exchange ideas with Sun Shan, but also rubbed salt into Sun Shan's wounds.

He blatantly boasted that his candidate had passed the imperial examination, and even asked a question he already knew the answer to, asking if any candidates from Yuanlu County had passed the examination.

If not, I can share my work experience in education and moral education.

Sun Shan: .......

Damn it! I blocked Magistrate Shen and never replied to his messages again!