"The Child Scholar Examination?"
Lin Ke froze for a moment.
He had perhaps only been here a few months, yet it felt like a very, very long time.
Winter was short. As soon as spring arrived, it would be time for the Child Scholar Examination, followed immediately by the Literary Examination, the Scholar Examination, and the Bookman Examination.
Then, countless people would take the Child Scholar Examination to earn the identity and standing of a Confucian Scholar, while the Imperial Court infused literary qi into the bodies of those who had earned their qualifications.
Put simply, it turned an ordinary person into a Confucian Scholar of the Confucian Path's First Realm-the Confucian Scholar Realm.
Those who passed the Literary Examination would receive an infusion of literary qi that took them straight from the First Realm to the Second Realm, the Scholar Realm.
The Scholar Examination granted an infusion up to the Third Realm, the Confucian Scholar Realm.
The Bookman Examination granted an infusion up to the Bookman Realm.
The outstanding candidates in the Bookman Examination were called Zhuangyuan.
Of course, even passing an examination only granted candidates literary qi, qualifications, and the associated rank and rewards.
An increase in cultivation realm did not mean an increase in strength.
Thus, although the Child Scholar Examination was held at the beginning of every year, the Literary Examination, Scholar Examination, and Bookman Examination were held once every two, three, and four years respectively.
This allowed scholars to digest what they had gained and consolidate their learning.
Every two, six, and twelve years, some of the examinations would coincide.
Next year, however, happened to be a grand examination year.
The Child Scholar Examination, Literary Examination, Scholar Examination, and Bookman Examination would all happen to be held within the same year.
"Yes, the Child Scholar