After finishing the poetry and prose, Jiang Hao found the later sections—the essay questions, policy questions, and classical text interpretation—even less challenging. After only a brief thought, complete essays formed in his mind.
"Poetry and books lend natural grace; only after reading ten thousand volumes can one comprehend the divine." Having knowledge in his belly gave him every right to be so confident.
Over the two-day examination, Jiang Hao did not hand in his paper early. Once he had finished, he sat cross-legged in the examination cell and meditated, waiting until the cloud board sounded before submitting his paper with the others and leaving the examination compound.
Outside the examination compound was a sea of people. With his sharp eyesight, Jiang Hao immediately spotted the pregnant Xu Jiaorong and Li Gongfu standing in the distance. Beside them were Bai Suzhen in white and Xiao Qing in green.
Xu Jiaorong was holding Bai Suzhen's hand as they kept looking toward the crowd of examinees emerging from the compound.
"Hanwen, over here!"
Li Gongfu waved and shouted loudly.
Jiang Hao carried his food box over. Xu Jiaorong looked him over and said, "In this summer heat, you were cooped up in that examination cell for two days and a night. What suffering! Come on, hurry home and take a bath to freshen up."
Jiang Hao nodded with a smile.
"Master Xu, how did the examination go?" Xiao Qing quickly asked.
"The results will be announced in three days. I will definitely be on the list," Jiang Hao said confidently.
"Then congratulations in advance on passing with flying colors, Master Xu. Sister, Suzhen will take her leave now," Bai Suzhen said to Xu Jiaorong.
"Why not come home and eat with us?" Xu Jiaorong warmly invited.
"Not today. Another time."
Bai Suzhen left