…
"Dong!" A gong sounded, signifying the official start of the theory examination.
The examination papers were distributed very quickly. A group of scholars instantly scanned through them. When they finished, instantly, a bitter smile appeared on their faces.
Difficult …
Too difficult!
They also didn't know who set the paper for this theory examination. It actually involved the theory of divination and the "Zhou Yi". This was a notoriously difficult chapter in the "Law of Dao".
Furthermore, the vocabulary used to read it was incomparably choppy. Many scholars basically chose to skip this chapter. Even if there were people who could finish reading it, they could only read it …
At this moment, Fang Zhengzhi also saw the contents of the "Zhou Yi". If not for the countless annotations and translations from later generations in his previous life, it would really be very difficult to understand.
Just the Qian hexagram, Kun hexagram, Tun hexagram, Meng hexagram, Need hexagram, Ying hexagram, Shi hexagram, Bi hexagram, Xiao Shou hexagram, Lu hexagram, Tai hexagram, Wu hexagram …
These things were enough to make people dizzy.
However, this evidently didn't stump him. After all, the efforts of later generations were great. They had already used very simple words to express the deep meaning within. Furthermore, the summaries were also very rich.
Other than the "Zhou Yi", the theory examination also tested the contents of the "Thirty-Six Stratagems". It mainly tested on how to make decisions in different situations and the like.
From the examination papers, the theory examination papers of the capital examination were indeed much more difficult than the county examination. Furthermore, the questions were extremely flexible, and the possibility of cheating and copying the answers was much lower.
When Fang Zhengzhi saw this, he couldn't help but sigh. Perhaps, even if Li Zhuangshi really set him up, Cai Yongfeng wouldn't be able to take care of him?
After all, logically speaking, it was impossible for the answers on the paper to be exactly the same.
Then, why would Cai Yongfeng take the risk of telling his answers to Li Zhuangshi?
Without thinking any further, Fang Zhengzhi very quickly began to answer. The summaries of the "Thirty-Six Stratagems" had long been determined and categorized by later generations. Strategies for winning battles, strategies for losing battles, strategies for fighting against enemies, strategies for attacking battles etc. Just from the theory alone, Fang Zhengzhi had long memorized these things by heart.
As the surrounding scholars scratched their heads and racked their brains, Fang Zhengzhi had already begun scribbling away. With a smiling expression on his face, he looked as if he was copying out a textbook.
"It's that powerful?!"
"Such a difficult question, he only took one look and he started writing?"
"Isn't this a little too exaggerated?"
All of the surrounding candidates were in disbelief. However, Fang Zhengzhi had topped the Huai An County Examinations. It was unlikely that he would fail the theory examination.
Although they were suspicious, they did not think that Fang Zhengzhi was writing nonsense.
In this way …
The pressure on the surrounding scholars was somewhat greater. They were already nervous, and upon seeing Fang Zhengzhi's swift strokes, and thinking about the limited number of slots for the capital examination, sweat instantly beaded on their foreheads.
"I must pass!"
"The rewards for this capital examination are one of a kind!"
When the surrounding scholars thought of the special reward in this capital examination, they were all somewhat unwilling to give up. One by one, they calmed their hearts and thought about it calmly.
But …
The capital examination's questions were really too difficult!
…
Fang Zhengzhi wrote very quickly, always so quickly. He only needed to glance at the question to know the answer in his heart. This feeling was very comfortable, just like a liberal arts university student competing with a junior high student in writing an essay.
It was a little bullying.
But, what did it matter if he bullied them once in a while?
As he wrote, Fang Zhengzhi discovered a strange question. Writing from memory the twenty-seventh chapter of the Law of Dao's Six Secret Teachings ". This question wasn't too unusual.
After all, even in the world of his previous life, the "Six Secret Teachings" was a classic book that all generals had to read.
It was understandable that the prefectural examination focused on the military arts.
But, when Fang Zhengzhi read, he habitually noted it by name and title. When he read the "Six Secret Teachings", he would divide it into six parts, then, he would label each part with a title.
For example: Civil Teacher, Ying Xu, State Affairs, Great Ceremony, Ming Chuan, Six Protectors etc. This didn't mean that he didn't follow the order in the "Law of Dao", but it was a long-standing habit.
Then …
The problem was.
Which chapter was this twenty-seventh chapter?!
Fang Zhengzhi stopped writing, and tried hard to recall the scene when he read the "Six Secret Teachings". After thinking for a full fifteen minutes, he still couldn't remember when the words "twenty-seventh chapter" flashed past his mind.
Was he going to lose points?
Fang Zhengzhi looked at the back. There were still a few more questions, but none of them were the type that gave him a headache like writing chapters from memory.
When he was studying, his teacher had taught him how to take examinations.
If he met a question that he didn't know, or didn't have much confidence in, then leave it blank!
Fang Zhengzhi decided to write the later ones first.
The sound of scribbling rang out once again. Not long after, he had finished answering all the questions at the back. Then, he had no choice but to return to the question of this twenty-seventh chapter.
"Leave it blank! This is an act of not respecting my own efforts! "
Fang Zhengzhi naturally couldn't leave this question blank. Regardless of how many points he would get, just this attitude alone wasn't very good.
Then …
He couldn't possibly write down the entire Six Secret Teachings from memory?
Even if he did that, he might not get any points. The question was to write down the twenty-seventh chapter from memory. If he wrote out the entire chapter, he would obviously be going off-topic!
What to do?
Fang Zhengzhi felt that he should go and sneak a peek.
After all, the entire examination hall was so big, surely someone would know which chapter this twenty-seventh chapter was? He didn't ask for much, as long as he could glance at one sentence, everything would be fine.
A very pleasant thought. Fang Zhengzhi did as he was told.
Widening his eyes, using all his vision, his neck stretched out …
Unfortunately, the back and the left and right sides were all separated by wooden railings. Even though there was a fist-sized gap between every wooden railing, but, to see through these gaps was still somewhat difficult.
And in front, there was even less of a need to think. Everyone knew how difficult it was to see the answers written on the front of an examinee from the back.
Other than a sweaty back, there probably wasn't even a piece of paper to be seen.
Alright …
Give up!
Fang Zhengzhi wasn't a person who pursued perfectionism. Sometimes, leaving behind some regrets and playing with some incomplete beauty was still acceptable.
However, accepting it was one thing, but he wasn't willing to give up before the time was up. So, even though he knew that he wouldn't be able to catch a glimpse of anything, he still looked around the exam hall with hatred. Looking around …
Then, he discovered a examinee who had the same experience as him.
That was a little fatty wearing a brocade robe. At this moment, the little fatty's expression seemed somewhat flustered, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. His pair of small eyes stared with all his might, looking left and right.
And the examinee on his right, lightly lifted the examination paper towards the direction of the little fatty.
"Cheating?" The edges of Fang Zhengzhi's mouth curved into a smile.
Towards a person like the little fatty, who he had no grudges against, he didn't have any interest in reporting him. Ten years of hard work, one capital examination, how could that be a joke?
Forget it, let him be.
Just as he thought about this, Fang Zhengzhi's gaze very quickly saw an examiner who was patrolling. At this moment, this examiner's gaze was tightly locked onto the little fatty.
And the little fatty continued to stretch his neck with all his might, and simply didn't notice at all.
"Looks like they are going to be caught together …" Fang Zhengzhi somewhat sighed and shook his head. Just as he was lamenting that the little fatty and the examinee on his right were about to be escorted out of the examination hall, his eyes suddenly lit up.
Wait a minute …
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