Farming and reading lady

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Nothing happened to Gu Xihao during the first exam until the papers were handed in. He packed up his exam basket and walked out of the exam room with steady steps. As soon as he left the exam room, he found Mo Bai standing on tiptoe and looking inside. Compared to the last time, this time, except for sitting next to the stinky seat and having a little smell on his clothes, everything else was fine, and even his spirits could be considered full.

Mo Bai also spotted him immediately and quickly stepped forward to take the exam basket from his hand. His attentive look made him think that he was a person who had not been back for a long time. Mo Bai didn't think so in his heart. When he was sent to take the exam, he was excluded by Ning Yi and others because of his lack of ability. He must not be left behind in this exam, otherwise how could he be called the first person in front of the young master?

Gu Liqi and his wife, who were waiting in the carriage, were so excited to see their son return safe and sound that they cried. Du Xianniang even pulled him to look left and right, checking him several times before letting go.

Gu Xihao felt a little confused. Logically speaking, this enthusiasm was too good. What happened? He was perceptive, but when he looked at the teacher and his wife, they only had a faint smile on their faces, no different from before. He suppressed his doubts and thought that it might be the first time for his parents to see such a big send-off scene and be scared.

"Hey, why didn't my sister come?" His heart, which had just settled down, was suddenly lifted up again. Sometimes he felt that his sister valued him more than he did himself. It seemed a little strange that she didn't come to take the exam.

Tong Mingyan explained, "Your sister received news that there was something going on in the border town and she had already left two days ago. Before she left, she asked me to tell you to do well in the exam. She wanted to get the good news that her brother had passed the high school entrance exam when she returned."

Seeing that he wanted to ask something else, Tong Mingyan continued, "Don't worry, your cousin Gu Di and Ning Yi'an went together, they are safe."

"(⊙o⊙)Oh." Although Gu Xihao was a little disappointed, he became more determined to get good grades.

After returning to the Tong Mansion, Tong Mingyan was afraid that Gu Lieqi and his wife would be exposed and affect Gu Xihao's subsequent exams, so he asked Gu Lieqi and his wife to return to their own house in the capital on the grounds that he needed more careful tutoring.

Gu Lieqi and Du Xianniang looked back every few steps, hesitant to speak, and left. Gu Xihao felt extremely strange with their expressions, but he couldn't tell what was wrong. He shook his head and followed the teacher to the study.

Yin Xueruo sent the two to the door and comforted them, "Don't blame Lao Tong. Xian'er is far away and we can't help him for the time being. The most important thing right now is Hao'er's scientific research. We can't let him be distracted."

"Sister-in-law, we know. We'll come again tomorrow." Gu Lieqi waved his hand. Tong Mingyan and his wife valued their two children no less than they did. He appreciated this kindness.

Yin Xueruo didn't say much. Even if they didn't understand, she didn't care. Children's affairs were more important than anything else.

The second test was about poetry and prose, and he wrote as if he was assisted by God. After all, his sister had memorized thousands of poems that were said to be famous poems of the past, and asked him to memorize them. The second test went smoothly, without any trouble, but everyone was still on guard. He didn't talk about Gu Xixian, but Tong Mingyan didn't hide the matter of Gu Xihao, but carefully analyzed the possible situations and coping strategies with him.

Gu Xihao listened very carefully, but secretly complained in his heart. In fact, it was nothing more than what his sister mentioned, and he had already made a perfect countermeasure, but he did not take it lightly. On the second day of the last exam, after he finished writing and checking the answer sheet, he carefully wrapped it with kraft paper on both sides, rolled it up and placed it in the examination basket, and then wrapped the entire examination basket tightly with wet cotton, so that the test paper would not be wet, and it would also have a waterproof and fireproof effect. Then he lay down on the small couch in the room with his clothes on to rest. In the middle of the night, he heard a rustling sound in his ears, and he suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the source of the sound.

I saw that the wall next to the left had a hole dug out at some point, and at this moment, a hand holding a lit tinder was reaching in, obviously wanting to set fire. Gu Xihao was laughed at by the other party. What on earth did he want to burn with just a tinder, which was a million miles away? Was this a monkey sent to make fun of him? But he didn't intend to let it go. He quietly turned over and got out of bed, rushed over, clamped the other party's hand, and then rang the bell of the cell.

The inspector came over quickly. Before he could ask, he heard the examinee inside say something that almost made him bite his tongue off: "Sir, someone is chiseling the wall to set fire. I caught the hand that stretched out to him. Please call a few more people over."

The inspector staggered away in panic. Soon, many lights were turned on in the examination room, as bright as day. Then a series of footsteps were heard, and Gu Xihao's cell was quickly opened. The people who came looked at each other in bewilderment... How stupid could this person be to do such a thing?

The chief invigilator this time was Fu Yujing's father, Fu Shangshu. He signaled to someone nearby to go to the next room to restrain the examinee, and watched as the hand with the fire stick was pulled over. Then he looked at Gu Xihao with complicated eyes. He was Tong Mingyan's favorite disciple and the brother of his daughter's best friend. He was not familiar with him, but he had known him. I don't know whether to say he is lucky or unlucky. If you say he is unlucky, it is really unlucky. The provincial examination was splashed with water and the imperial examination was set on fire. If you say he is lucky, it is really lucky. Whether it was splashed with water before or set on fire now, it had no effect on his exam. I really don't know whether I should sympathize with the one or two people who took action. Is this to embarrass him or to embarrass the examiners?

He asked dryly, "Are you hurt?"

This was purely a polite remark. The handsome young man stood there without getting hurt. He bowed to him and said, "Thank you for your concern, sir. I am fine."

Minister Fu nodded, said a few words of comfort, had the hole in the wall blocked, and was about to leave. He accidentally found that his desk was empty. He was startled: "Where is your paper?"

It can’t be that unlucky, right?

Gu Xihao took out the examination basket, lifted the wet cotton cloth on it, took out the rolled kraft paper inside, opened it, and spread the examination paper flat on the table.

Minister Fu felt relieved and asked, "Have you finished answering?"

Gu Xihao nodded: "Yes, sir."

"Checked?" This speed... Minister Fu was curious. He had never heard of any candidate who could finish answering the questions one day in advance. You know, this is a strategy question. Who wouldn't review it again and again, think about it again and again, and think it over and over again before writing it down.

Gu Xihao nodded again. Minister Fu was silent for a few seconds, then called the examiner to seal his paper and bring it up.

"Leave after daybreak." He said this to Gu Xihao, and then he turned and left without even glancing at the contents of the scroll, in order to avoid suspicion.