A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Nie Qianqian said, "The exam is just around the corner the day after tomorrow, so everyone's schedule won't be too tight tomorrow. The main thing is to read some books, get a good night's sleep, and relax."

Gu Xiao then spoke up, "This exam is divided into three sessions. The questions for the first session will often incorporate current political events in addition to the traditional eight-legged essay style."

He paused, then continued, "Right now, a major event is happening in the north—an extremely cold weather has occurred in a certain area, with temperatures plummeting and a severe shortage of charcoal, causing the price of charcoal to skyrocket, even reaching one tael of silver per pound."

"Everyone can think about how to answer such a question if it were actually asked."

If someone else had said this, the students might not have taken it to heart, but since it came from Gu Xiao, everyone immediately fell into deep thought.

Jiang Lingyang also looked up and gave Gu Xiao a serious look.

Gu Xiao spends his days preparing for the exams in his study, rarely leaving the house. It's unexpected that he's so concerned about politics. The matter he mentioned is indeed a recent key event, even reaching the Emperor's ears. Many court officials have submitted memorials reporting on it, but although the Emperor has arranged for relief efforts, the level of attention given to it is insufficient, and the disaster relief results are not ideal.

After thinking it over, everyone discussed it further and gained a deeper understanding of the problem.

After the discussion, we had almost finished eating.

Everyone then turned their concern to Gu Xiao's hand: "Brother Gu, does your hand still hurt? Will you be able to handle the exam tomorrow?"

Gu Xiao shook his head, then nodded: "It's alright. Qianqian has prepared medicine for me. I'll take the painkiller and I'll be fine as usual. It won't affect the exam."

The painkillers were indeed quite effective, able to block out the pain for several hours. But the pain would gradually subside after the effects wore off, though he didn't tell anyone this.

He didn't want anyone to worry, especially Nie Qianqian.

The long-awaited provincial examination finally arrived as scheduled.

On this day, before dawn, the lights in Haitang Lane began to illuminate one by one.

With everyone preoccupied with the scientific expedition, no one could sleep soundly, let alone have the mind to sleep in.

Liu Yan, Huang Zhenzhu, and Sun Shi got up early to cook for the three children.

Breakfast should not be too oily, but rather light, palatable, and easy to digest.

Gu Xiao and the other two then got up and stepped out of the room. The air of the winter morning was fresh and crisp, with a hint of chill. Inhaling it invigorated everyone.

At the same time, the students at the provincial capital's inn had also finished breakfast and left the inn, heading towards the examination hall.

Each candidate seemed to have their own thoughts.

Some people are full of pride and ambition, their eyes filled with a determined spirit;

Some people were filled with unease, their steps faltering.

Some people looked hesitant, gazing in the direction of the examination hall, and even felt a bit timid, not daring to step inside.

With a variety of expressions and a myriad of emotions, each candidate's mindset is different, yet they all carry the same expectation of ten years of hard work.

The provincial examination consisted of three sessions, each lasting a full day.

The first exam, which tests the understanding of the classics, establishes a solid foundation of knowledge and tests whether one has truly mastered and thoroughly understood the classics after ten years of hard study.

The second exam, which tests one's knowledge and wit, examines whether one can integrate the principles in the book to criticize current affairs and plan for the future.

The third exam, which tested poetry and calligraphy, assessed the candidate's talent and attention to detail, revealing their innate literary and intellectual qualities.

The examination lasted for three days, progressing step by step, to verify the students' knowledge, talents, and character.

Three days later, a decision will be made on whether they can shed their status as students and formally embark on their official careers, becoming scholars.

Of these three sessions, the first session on classical texts and the second session on policy discussions are the most crucial, almost determining life and death.

The first session of the prefectural examination usually consisted of three major questions: two on the Four Books and one on the Five Classics.

Each question required a well-structured essay, with every word and sentence following strict rules, including tonal patterns, parallelism, and the structure of introduction, development, transition, and conclusion. No carelessness was allowed.

Many test takers felt their scalp tingle just from reading the questions—they had to write three such meticulous essays in one day, which had to conform to the classics and also be literary. If they were not careful, they might fail the exam.

Unlike the prefectural examination, the provincial examination was no longer presided over by the prefect, but was personally presided over by the provincial education commissioner. It was of a higher standard, and the search and supervision were more rigorous.

When the appointed time arrived, the students of Tiande Academy, led by Dean Qiu, arrived at the examination hall on time.

Gu Xiao, Jiang Wenxuan, and Tang Yu also arrived shortly afterward.

A careful observer will notice that every student at Tiande Academy has the same style of exam basket, with the words "Tiande" engraved in the lower right corner—this was specially prepared by Nie Qianqian for them, serving as both a symbol and a morale booster.

Besides the special versions for Gu Xiao and his two companions, the examination baskets also provided basic study materials for other students, all practical items to fill their stomachs and keep their minds sharp while in the examination hall. For this, every examinee was extremely grateful to Nie Qianqian; after spending this time together, her status in their hearts was subtly surpassing that of Gu Xiao.

Xiao Jiu, the youngest student in the academy, was taking a deep breath, his face pale.

Although he was quite talented, this was his first time taking the academy exam, and he was inevitably nervous about this important test that would determine his future.

The thought of taking exams for three consecutive days, each with a different focus and progressively increasing difficulty, made him even more uneasy.

Before the headcount even began, he suddenly clutched his chest, his face growing increasingly pale. He stammered to Dean Qiu, "Dean Qiu, I... I'm having trouble breathing, I feel nauseous... Am I sick? Will this affect my exam? It's all over, all over..."

He became increasingly flustered as he spoke, and in the end, he actually bent over and started gagging.

Upon seeing this, Dean Qiu immediately became anxious and rushed forward to support him: "Xiao Jiu, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? What did you eat yesterday?"

Without hesitation, Nie Qianqian stepped forward and asked softly, "Xiao Jiu, may I take your pulse?"

Having spent this time together, Xiao Jiu trusted Nie Qianqian completely, and upon hearing this, he instinctively reached out his hand. Nie Qianqian's fingertips touched his wrist, and in an instant, she understood.

"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you," she reassured gently. "It's just that you're too nervous, which is causing your restlessness and nausea. Follow me and take a deep breath—inhale deeply into your lower abdomen, and exhale slowly. Let's do three breaths together, follow me."

Xiao Jiu trusted Nie Qianqian completely and, without thinking much, followed her rhythm, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly.

However, after just a few breaths, the effect was immediate, and his nausea was relieved considerably.

Nie Qianqian then took out a small box of cooling balm from her purse, dabbed a little with her fingertip, and gently rubbed it on his temples:

"This can refresh your mind and make you more alert."

The pungent, cooling scent of the cooling oil instantly dispelled his drowsiness, clearing Xiao Jiu's mind and reducing his nausea significantly. He looked at Nie Qianqian gratefully.

"Thank you, Sister Qianqian."

"What are you thanking me for? We're all from the same hometown." Nie Qianqian shook her head, her tone solemn. "At this time, it's all about who can keep their composure."

Jiang Wenxuan also comforted him from the side:

"Yeah, Xiao Jiu. Look at Gu Xiao, his left hand is still bandaged up so tightly, yet he still came to take the exam. He looks so calm and composed. What are you panicking about?"

Xiao Jiu followed his gaze and saw Gu Xiao standing to the side, his expression calm and composed, but his left hand was wrapped tightly in thick bandages and held in front of his chest, looking quite pitiful.

He had heard that Gu Xiao's left hand still ached terribly every day, and that he needed to take painkillers specially prepared by Nie Qianqian to continue answering questions during the exam.

Gu Xiao was able to go to the exam calmly despite his injuries. How could he lack the courage if he had all his limbs intact?

Looking at Gu Xiao, Xiao Jiu felt that Gu Xiao standing there was a living inspirational book. He took a deep breath and said firmly to Gu Xiao and Jiang Wenxuan, "That's right! Brother Gu can take the exam with injuries, and we are all healthy, so we must be even more courageous!"

"That's right!" Jiang Wenxuan lowered his voice, his tone full of certainty. "What are we afraid of? With the academic genius Gu Xiao in charge, he's going to be the top scorer in the provincial examination! Besides, we also have Lord Jiang giving us extra tutoring. This exam will definitely be no problem. Everyone can take the exam with confidence, we'll definitely pass!"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, their confidence immediately boosted, and their morale soared.

There were unfamiliar candidates nearby. Hearing them dare to openly declare that they wanted to be the top scorer in the provincial examination, and noticing the words "Tiande Academy" on their examination baskets, they couldn't help but show disdain: "Who are they? Tiande Academy? Never heard of it! People from the countryside dare to dream of being the top scorer in the provincial examination?"

He thought he would get everyone's approval, but to his surprise, the students around him looked at him like he was a fool.

"Brother, you've just arrived in town, haven't you?" someone couldn't help but ask. "Don't you know who this is?"

"Who is it? I really don't know them."

"Who else could be able to take the exam with injuries? It's none other than Gu Xiao, the top scorer in the prefectural examination who was recently assassinated!"

"My God! It's Brother Gu? He's really pushing himself too hard! He's so badly injured and still came to take the exam, is he sure he can do it?"

"Regardless of whether or not they achieve the top score in the provincial examination, this spirit is something we should all learn from!"

"Yes, their fighting spirit alone makes them role models for us all!"

The crowd was abuzz with discussion. Some people hadn't known that the man before them was Gu Xiao, who had been attacked and injured. Now that they heard the truth, they all looked at him with admiration.

Despite the perilous assassination attempt and the serious injuries, his determination to prepare for the imperial examinations remained unwavering. Such a spirit is truly admirable.

Just then, a gong sounded from the direction of the examination hall, signaling the time to count the number of people and prepare for entry.

Nie Qianqian gave everyone an encouraging smile, clenched her fists, and made a cheering gesture.

Upon seeing this, the students of Tiande Academy also followed suit and made the same gesture.

"come on!"

Believe in yourself!

In their hearts, Nie Qianqian was simply a woman of great fortune—she casually met a neighbor who turned out to be a noblewoman, and that lady's husband was none other than the Grand Tutor of the court! With such good luck, learning gestures from her couldn't possibly be a bad thing.

Nie Qianqian found it somewhat amusing to see everyone moving in unison, but she still earnestly encouraged them, "You can definitely do it!"

Gu Xiao led the group toward the queue number area at the entrance of the examination hall.

Dean Qiu was actually more nervous than anyone else. Every time he escorted someone to the exam, it was an ordeal for him—his heart was pounding like he was on steroids, and his mind was in turmoil like he was being tortured.

But he remained calm and said to the crowd in a deep voice, "After decades of hard study, you must believe that everything you have put in will surely be rewarded. There will be times when you ride the wind and break the waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean. Keep going!"

Led by Gu Xiao, the students of Tiande Academy strode confidently toward the entrance of the examination hall.

Upon seeing the injured Gu Xiao, the surrounding examinees and their companions, who had been standing idly, silently split into two lines, making way for him. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Gu Xiao steadily walked forward.

The students of Tiande Academy followed behind, enjoying the privilege of being given way, and a strong sense of honor welled up in their hearts. They couldn't help but hold their heads high and puff out their chests, feeling triumphant.

They knew in their hearts that if it weren't for Gu Xiao and Nie Qianqian, how could they, students from a rural academy, have achieved such glory today? With such good fortune, they were sure to do well in this exam!