Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Upon entering the examination hall, the densely packed examination cells came into view.

The examination cells are arranged in regular rows, like squares on a chessboard, forming narrow alleyways.

At the entrance of each row of cells, there are characters arranged in the Thousand Character Classic, such as "Heaven", "Earth", "Mysterious", and "Yellow", which seem to be mysterious codes.

The cells are rather simple in appearance, with three walls on each side and an open south side without a door.

Its space is extremely small, no more than three feet wide and about four feet deep, with the back wall eight feet high and the front eaves about six feet high.

In terms of floor space, each cell had a floor area of ​​only about 1.16 square meters, truly a case of "making a temple in a snail shell".

Stepping into the cell, the layout, though simple, is full of ingenuity.

On the brick walls on both sides, at a height of one foot and five inches and two feet and five inches from the ground, there is a brick joint, or brick support, which is used to place the numbering board.

There are two number plates, each one inch and eight-tenths thick.

When a rest is needed, both number plates can be placed in the lower brick support. Together, they can cover the entire cell, instantly turning it into a narrow bed.

During the exam, the examinee would move the outermost number board onto the brick support above, while leaving the inner number board unchanged. In this way, a simple table and chair set was formed.

These cells were arranged very close together, with almost no extra space between adjacent cells.

After the candidates entered the examination cells, "upon entering the cells, heads were poked out of every hole and feet were exposed in every room, like cold bees in autumn," a very apt description.

In this cramped space, some sat upright, while others huddled together, each with only a very limited range of movement.

The conditions of the examination cells also vary in quality.

Some cells were in better locations, with good ventilation and relatively ample light.

However, some are different; they may be near the latrine, filled with an unpleasant odor that is unbearable for the test takers—these are the unfortunate "stinky numbers."

Some cells may be even smaller due to construction issues, so small that it's impossible for a person to lie down inside.

Even worse, the cells were dilapidated, exposed to rain and wind, with a tangled structure that offered little protection from the elements.

At the end of each row of examination cells, there is a latrine to meet the physiological needs of the examinees.

At the entrance of the alley, there were also signal lights and water tanks, providing basic lighting and water for the candidates.

In each alley, several guards were stationed to provide logistical support to the examinees, such as delivering tea and hot meals.

This is the battlefield where all students pursue fame and fortune.

They will spend a long and intense exam period in these small cells, using their pens and talents to write their future destiny.

At this moment, the candidates stepped into the examination room with steps that were either steady or slightly nervous.

After entering their cells, they first gently put down their examination baskets and book boxes.

He then took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.

Then, he carefully took out the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the examination basket and neatly placed them on the narrow wooden board in front of him.

Then he gently picked up the brush and twirled it in his hand, carefully checking the tip to make sure it was intact.

Next, place the ink stick on the inkstone, slowly pour in a little water, and then pick up the ink stick and grind it in circles.

The ink gradually spread in the inkstone, emitting a faint fragrance.

Once everything was ready, the candidates slowly unfolded their exam papers.

He then stared intently at the questions on the exam paper, his eyes gleaming with focus and contemplation.

Their brains raced as they recalled the knowledge they had painstakingly acquired over the years.

Some candidates frowned slightly, lost in thought, their calligraphy brushes tapping rhythmically on the table.

A moment later, as if inspired, his eyes lit up, and he quickly picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write on the paper.

The pen tip glides smoothly across the paper, making a soft "shush" sound, and neat characters appear on the paper.

Some candidates were confident from the start, and began to write without hesitation. Their writing was like magic, with strong and powerful characters, as if every stroke was full of confidence.

Their expressions were focused and serious, as if the whole world had shrunk to just themselves and the exam paper in front of them.

As time went by, only the sound of pens scratching across paper and the occasional soft sighs of the examinees remained in the examination room.

Fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on the foreheads of some test takers.

They felt anxious because of the difficulties they encountered, but they refused to give up and continued to rack their brains to think.

Sunlight streamed in through the small windows of the cells, creating dappled light and shadow on the ground.

In this small space, the candidates are writing their own future with their wisdom and hard work.

They would sometimes write furiously, and sometimes pause to ponder, immersing themselves in the ocean of knowledge and the atmosphere of the exam, forgetting all the noise and disturbances of the outside world.

It was noon, lunchtime, and the candidates had no time to rest. They could only eat the dry food they had brought in their examination rooms.

Some were cold, hard steamed buns, others were a few pieces of pastry, which were quickly swallowed with the water from the kettle.

After finishing their meal, they immediately immersed themselves in the intense task of answering the questions.

As the sun gradually set in the west in the afternoon, the light inside the examination room became dim.

Night had fallen, and the examination hall was brightly lit.

Exhaustion began to take hold of everyone, but they still mustered their spirits and dared not slack off in the slightest.

They also had to endure mosquito bites and the cold of the night in the dormitory.

Some of the candidates lit candles and continued writing by their dim light.

They wrapped themselves tightly in their clothes and worked intently through the night.

Some test takers, in order to conserve their energy, decided to give their brains a good rest before fighting again during the day.

In the stillness of the night, only the occasional sound of turning pages and some snoring could be heard.

And so, every day of life repeated itself as if it were the first day.

The mornings begin with tension, the days are spent writing furiously, and the nights are spent enduring exhaustion and perseverance.

The candidates were under tremendous mental and physical pressure, but they all harbored a strong desire for success and persevered through gritted teeth.

During this period, some candidates fell ill due to physical discomfort, but as long as they could persevere, they would not give up easily.

The smells inside the examination room became increasingly complex, including the smells of sweat, ink, and rotting food.

When the nine-day, nine-night imperial examination finally came to an end, the gates of the examination hall slowly opened, as if a barrier separating two worlds had been opened.

The candidates, dragging their exhausted bodies, emerged one after another from the examination hall. Their steps were unsteady, some staggering, as if they might collapse at any moment.

His clothes had become wrinkled and dusty after nine days and nine nights, his hair was disheveled, and his face was full of fatigue and vicissitudes.

Some candidates had vacant, lifeless eyes, seemingly still immersed in the afterglow of the intense nine days of exams.

They moved mechanically, clutching their exam baskets and books tightly in their hands, as if they were their only support for the past nine days.

Some people stopped after walking out of the examination hall gate, looked up at the sky, and found the sunlight a bit dazzling.

But they greedily savored this long-lost natural light, as if trying to make up for all the sunlight they had missed during those nine days.