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

One of the middle-aged candidates, beaming with joy, ran briskly out of the examination hall, waving his examination basket as if to announce his victory to the world.

His eyes gleamed with excitement, and he couldn't help but smile as he shouted, "I can do it! I can do it!"

The voice echoed in the air, filled with boundless anticipation and confidence for the future.

Although his clothes were somewhat disheveled and his hair was slightly loose, he exuded a vibrant energy, as if the fatigue of the past nine days had been cast aside.

Not far away, another candidate, even older than him, squatted on the ground, holding his head in his hands and wailing loudly.

His cries were heart-wrenching, his shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and tears streamed freely down his face.

His clothes were wrinkled and stained with ink in some places.

His hair was disheveled and plastered to his forehead, sweat and tears mingling together: "Nineteen years of hard study, six imperial examinations, and I still failed this time..."

He cried and muttered to himself, his voice filled with resentment and grievance, feeling that all his efforts had vanished in this moment.

Those around him looked at him and couldn't help but feel pity and empathy, yet they didn't know how to comfort him.

Suddenly, a gasp of surprise came from the crowd.

One of the examinees staggered a few steps before his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground.

His face was as pale as paper, his eyes were closed, his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and his lips were bloodless.

His clothes hung loosely on his body, as if the nine days and nine nights had made him lose a lot of weight.

His exam basket fell to the side, the papers inside scattered out, and his carefully written handwriting was still faintly visible on them.

People around immediately crowded around him in a tense manner.

Some people called his name anxiously, while others tried to pinch his philtrum.

His family rushed over, their eyes filled with worry and heartache, and carefully helped him up, saying, "Son, what happened to you? Don't scare your mother."

The family members' voices were choked with sobs, sounding especially heartbreaking in the noisy environment.

Amidst this chaos, some candidates were either silently shedding tears, sighing deeply, or standing there dumbfounded, unsure of what to do.

Some candidates bit their lips so hard that deep marks appeared on them, and gripped the hem of their clothes tightly, as if suppressing complex emotions.

Some test takers kept shaking their heads and muttering to themselves, seemingly reflecting on their mistakes during the exam.

Some candidates stared blankly into the distance, as if their souls had already left their bodies.

By this time, the streets were already crowded with family and friends who had come to welcome the examinees.

Shouts erupted from the crowd; parents anxiously called out their sons' names, and wives searched for their husbands with tears in their eyes.

The candidates searched for familiar faces in the crowd, and when their eyes met, a mix of complex emotions welled up inside them.

A young student's eyes instantly welled up with tears upon seeing his parents.

He strode forward, and his parents came up to him and hugged him tightly.

His mother gently stroked his face, her voice trembling as she said, "My child, you've suffered so much. Let's go home."

The candidate nodded slightly and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Yes, I'm going home."

Some candidates exchanged smiles with their friends who came to greet them.

His friend stepped forward to take the box of books from him, gently patted him on the shoulder and said, "Brother, these nine days have been tough. Come on, let's go have a good meal and relax."

The candidate said with a wry smile, "Okay, let's go have a big meal first."

The streets outside the examination hall seemed to have become a melting pot of emotions, where all kinds of feelings intertwined and collided.

All of this stemmed from the long and arduous imperial examination that had just ended, lasting nine days and nine nights.

It is like a watershed moment in life, causing every candidate to experience a tremendous shock and baptism of the soul.

Lingyan was sitting in a teahouse across the street, observing the myriad aspects of human life and the various aspects of human existence.

She leisurely picked up her teacup, took a sip of the fragrant tea, and the rising aroma slowly spread between her lips and teeth.

She couldn't help but sigh: Fate is so unpredictable and leaves us helpless.

The world is bustling with people seeking profit, and the world is bustling with people seeking profit.

In this noisy and chaotic world, everyone is like a chess piece on the chessboard of fate, helplessly pushed forward by an invisible force, trudging along a path that may be clear or blurry.

The imperial examination system was supposed to be a fair and impartial ladder to success, allowing learned and talented individuals to distinguish themselves through their exceptional abilities.

However, the sight of all living beings before her made her deeply realize that fairness in this world is always relative.

There will be times when the wind and waves will be strong, and we will set sail to cross the vast ocean.

But has fate ever easily yielded to people's fervent expectations?

Some people may rise to prominence because of this exam and embark on a bright future.

However, some people may become discouraged and unable to extricate themselves from the quagmire of fate.

But who can be blamed for all this? Is it because they didn't try hard enough, or is it because fate simply loves to play tricks on people?

Everything in the world follows its own unique way of operating.

Amidst the turbulent waves of fate, everyone struggles and perseveres, desperately searching for their own path forward.

All living beings are simply trying their best to find their own unique meaning and value in this bustling world.

And what is the meaning of her life?

In their past life, they probably inherited a fortune and lived a carefree life.

I spent the first half of my life enjoying a carefree, leisurely existence.

He continued to enjoy life to the fullest in his later years.

But it also brings with it a greater sense of responsibility and mission towards women everywhere.

This is probably the meaning and value of her existence in this life.

………………

After the scientific expedition concluded, the marking process, which lasted for half a month, began.

A dozen or so officials, dressed in neat official robes, walked into the room one by one with solemn expressions.

They first washed their hands and burned incense, expressing to heaven and the gods their determination to uphold justice and fulfill their mission.

Then I sat down, picked up the first exam paper, and carefully used a paper cutter to gently cut along the sealed edge. The slight "ripping" sound was particularly clear in the quiet room.

As the seal was broken, the exam papers were slowly unfolded. The handwriting on them was either neat and beautiful or bold and unrestrained. Every stroke carried the hard work and expectations of the candidates.

After reading an exam paper, they would pause to reflect for a moment, then silently weigh its merits and demerits.

Then, carefully pick up the red pen and write the corresponding comments and score at the end of the exam paper.

The moment the vermilion brush touches the paper, it seems to carry immense power, for each stroke will determine the candidate's future.

Their eyes were sharp, darting between the lines to capture every key point and idea.

When they encounter a brilliant argument, they will nod slightly, a hint of appreciation in their eyes.

If he found any illogical or incoherent passages, he would furrow his brow and make a mark with a red pen.

When faced with a controversial exam paper, several examiners would gather together and discuss it in hushed tones.