The Academy Examination

The mistress and her servants had set out fairly early, but the streets were already packed with people. Many were dressed as scholars, and carriages from various households streamed toward the examination compound. They were presumably students on their way to take the exam.

The Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State was not far from the examination compound, and they arrived in about half an hour.

As soon as Bai Mo stepped down from the carriage, she felt a faint stirring in her heart. She was about to look around when she saw someone coming toward her party.

It was Xiaojing, Shen Qing's personal attendant.

"Young mistress, this is tea my young master prepared for you. The weather is hot, and he said many people suffered heatstroke during the exams in previous years. Please take care of yourself."

Xiaojing bowed properly and handed Bai Mo the flask he was holding.

Bai Mo followed his gaze and saw Shen Qing's carriage.

Had he come here first thing this morning?

Shen Qing lifted the carriage curtain slightly. Their eyes met, and they smiled at each other.

That faint sense of connection was beyond words, and it felt wonderful!

"All right, I'm going in. Take good care of your young master."

Bai Mo took the flask, shouldered her examination basket, and headed toward the compound.

The examination compound was extremely strict about verifying candidates' identities. The information on their admission slips was highly detailed, even describing their appearances clearly.

The brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones each candidate brought were also inspected with particular care.

Each person was permitted to bring only a little food.

Since the exam lasted only one day, no fires or raw food were allowed.

After the inspection, Bai Mo followed a yamen runner to her place.

Her place was in the northern section. The cubicle was not very large and contained only a simple desk and chair, but the light was adequate. It was also far from the privy, with no unpleasant smells or other discomforts. It was right at the end, with a wall on the left and a candidate already seated in the cubicle on the right.

The two nodded to each other by way of greeting.

Bai Mo sat down and laid out everything she had prepared for the exam. She had never been able to write well with a brush, so, to make her handwriting look nice, she had dug a brush pen that closely resembled a writing brush out of her space. Her inkstone and ink could only sit there for show.

Bai Mo was a little nervous. This was her first time taking an ancient examination, after all. People always spoke of ten bitter years of study before one's name appeared on the golden list, and the atmosphere really did make him a little excited.

Dong! A gong sounded.

The academy examination officially began, and the examination hall fell silent.

A middle-aged woman in a blue official robe carried the exam papers, accompanied by ten yamen runners, and distributed the questions to each section.

Once Bai Mo had her paper, she carefully read through the questions and found them all very simple. They were mostly on the Four Books and Five Classics.

Dong! The gong sounded again.

Bai Mo spread out her paper and began writing without hesitation. In less than half an hour, she had finished everything.

She checked her paper.

Her handwriting was fairly neat, and her answers were orderly.

Now Bai Mo was bored. There was another session in the afternoon, and candidates were not allowed to leave the compound.

It was quiet all around, with only the soft rustling of paper and the sound of ink being ground. Bai Mo became cautious and did not dare make much noise herself.

Utterly bored, Bai Mo carefully put away her paper, laid her head on the desk, and fell asleep...

A patrolling official saw Bai Mo sleeping soundly and could not help shaking her head. She glanced at the candidate's name and walked away without a word.

Dong, dong! The gong sounded again.

Bai Mo jolted awake in fright.

The morning session was over. The same official came with the yamen runners to collect the papers, and Bai Mo rubbed her eyes before politely handing hers over.

After the official and runners left, the candidates began making some noise, though they did not dare greet one another, much less talk too much.

Bai Mo felt relaxed, without a trace of nervousness. She took out a flatbread and began to eat.

She took a few sips of the cooling tea Shen Qing had prepared. It tasted cool and refreshing. Did he add a little mint? It was quite good.

She was in a very good mood~

After about three-quarters of an hour, the candidates around her had finished their midday meals one after another and began to rest, building up their energy.

Bai Mo was bored again. She had slept too much and could not fall asleep...

Looking back on the month or so since she had arrived in this other world, she had lived a fulfilling life. She had met understanding family members and had a very nice young man too~

Heaven has been far too good to me!!

Remembering that she was going to marry Shen Qing, Bai Mo sent her spiritual sense into her space and began sorting through her possessions. She had to provide a generous betrothal gift, and she had stockpiled plenty of valuables in her space.

Outsiders could not see the extent of Bai Mo's wealth. If they knew, it would not be an exaggeration to say her riches could rival a nation's, but many of the things could not be used!

As for Bai Mo, she was rich without knowing it...

After many years in the apocalypse, she regarded these things as nothing but lifeless objects that could not fill her stomach. They had always been piled in a corner, and her way of thinking had yet to change.

In the early days of the apocalypse, she had casually collected a great many antiques, jade objects, pearls, and gemstones. There were so many that Bai Mo sorted them into chest after chest.

Dong! The gong sounded.

The sound brought Bai Mo back to reality. The afternoon session was about to begin.

Bai Mo hurriedly gathered her thoughts, took the questions handed to her by a yamen runner, and settled down to take the exam.

The afternoon questions were also mostly on the Four Books and Five Classics, with some on poetry. Bai Mo studied them carefully and found them extremely simple once again. Her brush flew as though guided by a god.

Before long, she had finished again...

Bai Mo took her paper and looked it over twice, back and forth, dawdling for a long while. Candidates here were allowed to leave the examination early, so she packed her things and was the first to get up and go.

Many people cast her strange looks, but they paid her no further attention.

Bai Mo handed her paper to the proctor, then swaggered out of the examination compound.

Watching her act like a young wastrel, the proctor merely chuckled and shook her head. Isn't that the young lady who was sleeping? She's leaving so early?

She put the paper away without giving it much thought, assuming Bai Mo was just a young lady from an established family who had come to experience the atmosphere of an examination.

As soon as Bai Mo left the compound, she looked left and right. Only after searching around did she spot her family's carriage.

When Bai Mo reached the carriage, Lichun jumped in surprise.

"Eldest miss, why are you out already? Isn't there more than two hours left before the exam ends?"

"Momo, you're out?" Bai Peilan leaned out of the carriage.

"Mother, why did you come here? I'm grown up; you don't need to come and fetch me." Bai Mo smiled brightly.

Seeing that no one was behind her daughter and that she had come out of the compound alone, Bai Peilan could not help asking worriedly, "Why did you come out so early, Momo? Did something go wrong?"

Bai Mo looked at Bai Peilan and the two maids in confusion. "I finished the exam, so I came out. It was very boring sitting there."

Bai Peilan and Lichun exchanged a glance, feeling they had seen through it. Did this girl just go in and go through the motions?

Neither had the heart to say it outright.

"Come, come, come. You've worked hard, my child. Let's go home first. Your father is holding a feast in his courtyard today, and I've invited your uncle and aunt to celebrate for you."

Hearing that they were going to Madam Chen's courtyard, Bai Mo raised an eyebrow. Perhaps it's time to go see the little results?

The carriage made its lively way to the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State.

Just as they reached the gates, Bai Jingyao's carriage happened to pull up as well.

"Uncle, Aunt!"

Bai Mo called out through the carriage window, then nimbly climbed down and hurried over to Bai Jingyao.