After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

The imperial examination was held every three years, usually in March, when the capital was in spring, hence the origin of the term "spring examination".

The imperial examination was held in the Gongyuan (Examination Hall) in the capital, and was overseen by the Ministry of Rites.

The candidates who participated in the metropolitan examination were mainly those who had passed the provincial examination and obtained the title of Juren.

The subjects and content of the metropolitan examination were similar to those of the provincial examination, mainly testing knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics, policy questions, and poetry.

However, the imperial examination was more difficult and had stricter requirements. For many people, political sensitivity and academic talent were equally important at this time.

The examination questions were personally reviewed by the emperor to ensure fairness and authority. Of course, the appointment of the chief examiner and deputy chief examiner was also decided by the emperor.

After all, the next step after the provincial examination is the palace examination, and those who pass the provincial examination are basically guaranteed the title of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

Once you reach the palace examination, unless you curse the emperor in the palace or openly defecate in the palace, as long as your essay doesn't violate any taboos, you will basically become a Jinshi or Tongjinshi.

The provincial examination was conducted in three sessions, lasting nine days, just like the provincial examination, with one session every three days.

The first exam tested knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics; the second exam tested policy questions; and the third exam tested poetry and prose.

After each exam, the papers are sealed and numbered by the examiners, and then reviewed by another group of examiners to ensure that favoritism and cheating are eliminated as much as possible.

In reality, most of the time, very few people dare to do anything under the emperor's nose, unless they are more powerful than the emperor.

However, the Empress Dowager did not interfere in politics, nor would she extend her influence from the inner palace to the front court to cause trouble for her own son.

That's right, the current emperor and empress dowager of the Great Zhou Dynasty are mother and son, and there is no melodramatic plot of a prince from a concubine being raised by his legitimate mother.

After all, the current Emperor Zhao Yong of the Great Zhou Dynasty was the founding emperor, and before becoming emperor, he was just an ordinary merchant's son.

The Empress Dowager married down, after all, the Ouyang family had produced many scholars, and the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants was quite different.

It was only after Emperor Zhao Yong of the Great Zhou Dynasty came to power that the sons of merchants had the opportunity to participate in the imperial examinations. Of course, not all merchants were eligible.

There are also requirements regarding the amount of family wealth and the specific type of business one engages in.

However, Jiang Xiaoqi's family belonged to the landlord and gentry class and had never actually run a business. Their shop was only rented out and they had never been involved in actual management.

Although a landlord may be incredibly wealthy, he is still a landlord; if he didn't engage in business, he didn't engage in business.

After a family produced a scholar who passed the imperial examination, they became a family of farmers and scholars, thoroughly "farmers," and remained true to their roots.

It's allowed now, but who knows when the policy will change? That's why no one in the Chiang family is thinking about doing business.

It's always good to be cautious. Even if their family isn't completely "proletarian," they're definitely not "merchant class" or "big capitalist" class!

Ahem, that’s too far off topic.

Next, let's talk about the imperial examination.

Those who frequently read historical novels about the imperial examinations will know that the first place in the provincial examination was called the Huiyuan, and the second place was called the Yayuan.

And what about third place?

Few people mention the third place, but the third place is actually called "Sanyuan", not the Sanyuan milk!

However, the "three-yuan" in "three-yuan in a row" is sometimes confused with the "three-yuan in a row", so gradually, many people only mention the first and second place, and gradually ignore the "three-yuan" in the third place.

Those who passed the provincial examination after the third place were called tribute students and were qualified to participate in the final palace examination, in which the emperor himself set the questions.

The pass rate for the metropolitan examination was also very low, and candidates from all over the country had to compete for a limited number of places as tribute students during these nine days.

The imperial examination was a national examination held only once every three years, producing 300 successful candidates each time, averaging 100 per year.

Although the provincial examination was held every three years, it was conducted at the provincial level, and the Great Zhou Dynasty had more than a dozen provincial levels of varying sizes.

Every three years, these dozen or so provincial governments would add several thousand new candidates for the imperial examinations. Three years after three years, the number of candidates for the imperial examinations in the Great Zhou Dynasty had accumulated to more than ten thousand.

Leaving aside those who were too old, had no desire to continue the scientific expeditions, and felt that their knowledge was not yet sufficient, they did not come to the capital.

There are at least nine thousand, if not ten thousand, people who can come to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examination. This is the accumulation of those who have participated in the provincial examinations over the years.

Some of these people were visiting Beijing for the first time, as evidenced by how easily they found the small courtyard they had rented three years ago.

A considerable number of people have been imprisoned twice or even three times, which is quite normal.

Otherwise, how could there be a saying that "a fifty-year-old is a young scholar who has passed the imperial examination, and a thirty-year-old is an old scholar who has passed the imperial examination"?

This means that it is very difficult for someone to pass the imperial examination at the age of fifty; such a person is considered a "young scholar".

There were also elderly people like Landlord Jiang, who were nearing sixty.

If you spend your whole life taking exams and studying, but never reach the summit, there will always be some regrets.

However, with the number of successful candidates in the provincial examinations only increasing, the competition for the metropolitan examinations will only become more intense.

As February turned into March, the atmosphere in the Chiang family gradually eased from tense to relaxed.

This was Jiang Xiaoqi's intention; a string stretched too tight will eventually break.

It's good to relax when you need to, especially since you're a person with "five strings" (meaning you're very focused and at ease).

After consulting with Madam Xue, Xue Xu packed his bags and moved back to the Jiang family home.

The Chiang family naturally welcomed this; in these extraordinary times, it's more reassuring for everyone to stay together.

Since none of them were outsiders, Jiang Xiaoqi didn't have many reservations and gave the five people a brain-boosting pill in the end.

Of course, each of the five people still gets one-fifth, but this time it's wrapped in dumplings.

Jiang Xiaoqi made the dumplings herself and watched as everyone ate all five dumplings before she was satisfied and put away the bowls and chopsticks.

Li Haisheng and Jiang Xiyue are only one step away from getting married, and Xue Xu is also preparing to go through the betrothal ceremony after the imperial examination.

Jiang Xiaoqi couldn't help but smile as he watched his auxiliary systems increase from four to five.

He didn't force a cow to drink water; everything was voluntary on both sides, arranged by elders and matchmakers.

Hahaha, hahahahahaha~~~

Even the system, which had been feigning death, started to flatter: "Host is truly wise and powerful; what a happy accident!"

Isn't immense wealth about to befall you, my lord? As your loyal ally, I cannot be stingy with it.

Here's a complete exam preparation package, essential for the imperial examinations, given to the host for free. Consider it an initial investment from the system for the five candidates!

Jiang Xiaoqi lay on the bed with her eyes closed, looking at the pen and ink set that the system had given her for free in her study space.

Based on the experience of the previous items provided by the system, although it cannot be called the best, it is definitely a rare and excellent item.

Even if it can't be as powerful as his Worry-Free Pen, it certainly can't compare to the mass-produced ones bought from bookstores.

I tried it out, and sure enough, the brushstrokes are simply—incredibly smooth!

To do something well, you must first have the right tools. These five sets of brushes and inkstones are a helpful tool.

Opening her eyes, she found the five sets of writing brushes and inkstones had indeed been placed directly into her exquisite space. Jiang Xiaoqi took everything out and headed straight for the study.

On the eighth day of the third month, the imperial examination began.

None of the Jiang, Xue, Dong, or Li families prepared carriages, since their homes were only two miles from the examination hall.

People can stroll over without any risk of getting stuck in traffic.

However, on the day of the imperial examination, Jiang Xiaoqi saw someone who was unexpected to him and the Jiang family.

How could this person participate in the imperial examination?!