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Although each round lasted three days, the real test was only a day in between, with the first and last days being for checking in and out respectively.

Early in the morning, a long line had already formed outside of the Imperial College.

Xiao Liulang and the other two arrived neither early nor late, placing them around the hundredth spot in line.

They were not in a hurry, but it was driving Mr. Zhou, the Lin Family’s manager, insane.

The provincial examination did not allow others to queue on behalf of the candidates; otherwise, the Lin Family would have booked all the slots outside the Imperial College!

“Did you bring your water?” Manager Zhou asked Lin Chengye.

Lin Chengye nodded, “Hmm.”

Manager Zhou continued: “Did you bring your food?”

Lin Chengye nodded again, “Yes.”

He could still utter a couple of words without stuttering.

Still, Manager Zhou was not at ease: “And… are your clothes thick enough? In case it gets too chilly at night.”

“It’s hot.” Lin Chengye said.

Manager Zhou sighed. The weather had been unusual this year. It was not hot when it was supposed to be, and it was not chilly when it was supposed to be. He heard that the crops growing in the countryside were not doing well because of it.

Just as Manager Zhou was about to give more instructions, Lin Chengye frowned, “Go away, you are annoying.”

Manager Zhou: “…”

“Oh my!”

Manager Zhou had only just taken a few steps when Fen Lin scared him so much that he almost tripped over.

“What’s wrong?” He turned back to ask.

Fen Lin said, “I forgot to give you this! Gu Jiao said if the weather was hot, we should bring this into the exam site. It can refresh the mind and also stop the itching from mosquitos.”

It was three bottles of menthol.

However, Gu Jiao had changed the glass bottles to jade bottles. After adding the stopper, she had sealed the opening with wax.

“Can we take this in?” Manager Zhou asked. Apart from water and food, nothing else was allowed in the provincial exams.

Fen Lin explained, “This can be used externally and can be consumed as well. Gu Jiao said, if anyone asks, just drink some to show them.”

Xiao Liulang’s eyes held a hint of suspicion: “You two seem to be close now…”

Fen Lin, oblivious to his companion’s dangerous gaze, chuckled. “I misunderstood Gu Jiao before because I was naive. She’s actually very nice! Liulang, honestly, it’s a man’s luck spanning several lifetimes to get a wife like her! I also want…”

Xiao Liulang’s eyes became as sharp as a knife, finally making Fen Lin take notice.

Fen Lin cowered guiltily, “Alright, I don’t want her.”

Xiao Liulang took the bottles of menthol.

Was it one of those strange things from the box?

He had seen these kinds of symbols before, with most of them appearing on the objects that rolled out of the box that night.

However, that night he hadn’t seen these green bottles.

So he wasn’t seeing things. The small box really could produce strange things, and always different ones?

Did it use some kind of blinding technique or mechanism?

Since these bottles contained medicine, did that mean the other things he’d seen could also be medicines?

Was it a little first aid kit?

Even someone as smart as Xiao Liulang couldn’t figure out Gu Jiao’s little box right away. Shortly afterward, it was his turn, along with Fen Ling and Lin Chengye, to be frisked by the guards.

Fen Lin, in order to prove that what they brought was water, opened the bottle cap and drank a drop. The taste nearly knocked him out!

Heavens, that sure was refreshing!

After entering the exam site, the candidates were sorted into their respective examination rooms, also called exam rooms.

The exam room was simple, with only two planks of wood. One served as a table and the other as a chair, inserted into notches on either side of the room. At night, the candidates would put the two boards together to make a bed and make do for the night.

During these three days, candidates were not allowed to leave their exam rooms, taking care of all their needs inside.

The first round of examination involved writing essays and poetry. In theory, it was one essay on either “Analects of Confucius” or “Doctrine of the Mean”, or “University” or “Mencius”, along with a self-made eight-line quintain.

However, this year’s provincial examination added an unconventional twist— it included the “Classic of Filial Piety”.

Strictly speaking, the “Classic of Filial Piety” was not long, being less than two thousand words in total, but the problem was… it was not in the syllabus!

Who would memorize it if it wasn’t going to be tested, right?

When Lin Chengye saw that he had to write the “Classic of Filial Piety” from memory, all his hair stood on end!

Not out of fear, but excitement!

Because Xiao Liulang… had… tested… him… on it!

Xiao Liulang was a very strict teacher. Everything that Lin Chengye couldn’t answer would be retested a second, third, or even a fourth time until he could.

Not only had Lin Chengye lost weight, but he had also developed premature baldness, all thanks to Xiao Liulang’s torment.

But at this moment, Lin Chengye was sincerely grateful for Xiao Liulang’s torment!

Lin Chengye knew not many candidates would know “Classic of Filial Piety”. Just with this first round, he might already be ahead of many other examinees!