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

On the fifteenth of April, the results of the imperial examination were released.

At this time, the apricot blossoms are in full bloom, which is why the results of the imperial examinations are called the "Apricot List".

Those who passed the provincial examination were called "Gongshi" or "Gongsheng". At this point, Gongsheng were only one step away from becoming "Jinshi".

After the results of the imperial examinations were announced, people did not celebrate wildly.

After all, the more important palace examination was right afterward.

The palace examination was the final step in the imperial examination system and was presided over by the emperor himself.

Because the examination was held in the palace, it was called the "Palace Examination".

The palace examination mainly tested candidates' policy questions, which were based on topics related to national affairs at that time, and tested their insights and policy-making abilities.

Because the imperial examination was presided over by the emperor himself, the examination focused more on assessing the candidates' political views and their ability to govern the country.

The palace examination consisted of only one round, and candidates were ranked according to their ranking in the provincial examination, answering the questions directly in the palace.

The emperor would sit in the palace, sometimes supervising the entire examination, and sometimes only symbolically staying for an hour.

Students were not allowed to leave the examination hall during the palace examination. Water and a meal would be provided once during the examination.

However, most candidates would choose not to eat or drink during the palace examination to avoid disrespecting the emperor.

Not only did they not eat or drink in the hall, but they also did not drink water before entering the hall in order to avoid having to use the restroom. They only ate some dried snacks.

Most people stayed in their seats throughout the entire palace examination until they handed in their papers.

After the examination, the palace examination no longer sealed the numbers, and the candidates' identities were made public.

This is more advantageous for candidates with connections, and the palace examination is the only stage in the exam where things work out most smoothly.

In principle, the emperor himself was responsible for reviewing and evaluating the examination papers in the palace examination. However, with hundreds of papers to be reviewed and the emperor busy with state affairs, it was impossible for him to review them all personally.

There would be subordinate officials, usually a few people selected from the Hanlin Academy and a few people selected from the Six Ministries, who would work together to identify the best exam papers.

Then, from among the best, ten of the best were selected and presented to His Majesty the Emperor, who then named the top three in the first class.

The first place winner is Zhuangyuan, the second place winner is Bangyan, and the third place winner is Tanhua.

The remaining rankings, except for the first place in the second class, who was also the fourth overall, were called Chuanlu, while the rest of the second class were called Jinshi.

The third-ranked scholar was a "Tongjinshi" (同进士) who had passed the imperial examination. There was a saying that "Tongjinshi" was like a concubine, implying that the academic achievement of a Tongjinshi was worthless.

The ranking of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) not only affected the level of their official position, but also their personal honor and future prospects.

The top three in the first-class examination could directly enter the Hanlin Academy. The top scholar was a compiler of the sixth rank, while the second and third scholars were compilers of the seventh rank.

Other Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) who wanted to enter the Hanlin Academy had to take another exam, namely, to become Shujishi (probationary officials).

Equivalent to "intern" in later times, they did not hold specific positions. They could study at the Hanlin Academy or intern at the Six Ministries, so their choices were quite flexible.

Those who didn't pass the exam could use connections to stay in Beijing to fill vacancies or find a job as a local official in a wealthier county.

Of course, what everyone is most concerned about now is the release of the exam results. If they are not on the list, all these wonderful dreams and future plans will have nothing to do with them.

All I could do was pack my bags and leave the capital as soon as possible, save on food and lodging expenses, return to my hometown and wait another three years before fighting again.

On April 15th, everyone in the Jiang family changed into brand new clothes.

Regardless of age or gender, everyone was dressed like a peacock with its tail feathers spread wide.

The peacocks lined up and set off from the Jiang family mansion, still not taking a carriage.

It's just a short walk; why put more pressure on the traffic in front of the examination hall?

When the Jiang family's peacocks arrived at the entrance of the examination hall, all that could be seen was a sea of ​​black heads, occasionally interspersed with a few mottled black and white heads.

After years or even decades of hard study, this is the moment they've been waiting for.

After all, the 300 people who passed the provincial examination would not be eliminated again in the palace examination.

In other words, if you pass the provincial examination, at the very least you will become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

Passing the imperial examination is like pre-booking a Jinshi degree.

This is also why it's easier for someone ranked below the apricot list to find a husband from another person on the list.

Compared to the imperial examination where successful candidates rode through the streets on horseback, the success rate of finding a husband at the time of the examination was higher, but the competition was also extremely fierce.

A scholar who is still unmarried when he reaches the provincial examination is more precious than a dinosaur.

Otherwise, how could the story of "Chen Shimei" be so well-known?

Many scholars who had families, careers, wives, and children, sent themselves back to their hometowns with a divorce in order to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy.

Not everyone had the courage to go to the capital to appeal to the emperor; many suffered in silence, received a letter of divorce, and settled the matter quietly.

Even if the Jiang family members craned their necks to look at the list, all they could see were heads packed together.

"No, we can't leave Zhang Hu and the others here to wait for the results. Let's go somewhere less crowded and wait."

Landlord Jiang was afraid that his grandson would get hurt in the crowd. His family had worked so hard to get to this point, and he couldn't afford to have any mishaps because of looking at the list.

There are no teahouses outside the Imperial Examination Hall in Beijing, probably because land there is extremely valuable, and all the available space for building houses nearby has been taken up by school district properties.

The noisy establishments like teahouses and restaurants were all on the next street, which was the only time the Chiang family didn't wait for news at a teahouse.

"Let's listen to Grandfather! We came out early, but look, there are more and more people!"

Jiang Xiwen protected Dong Jin, Jiang Xiyue protected her two half-sisters, Li Haisheng and Jiang Xiaoqi protected Landlord Jiang, and Jiang Wenqing was accompanied by Xue Xu.

In addition, Wenbin, Li Mo, and A Niu, along with eight guards, formed an outer ring to ensure the safety of their masters.

As soon as they retreated, someone immediately filled the gap that had been created.

The Jiang family members retreated almost to the outside of the main street of the examination hall before finding a slightly open space to the side.

Finally, the sound of a gong could be heard in the distance, and the gates of the examination hall opened.

"The results are out! The results are out!"

Someone shouted first, and then a chorus of "The results are out!" followed.

"Finally, finally the results are out! Zhang Huyuan and the others are still too far back in the list, they probably can't even see them, right?"

Landlord Jiang's voice trembled slightly. He looked ahead at the crowded area. Although he appeared calm, the sweat on his palms betrayed him.

His family had prepared for this imperial examination for a long time, and success or failure depended on this moment. It would be strange if they could remain calm!

With a shout, the list slowly unfolded.

Some of the quick-tongued ones started loudly reading out the names on the list before it was even fully unfolded.

This also made it easier for those who couldn't squeeze in; everyone listened carefully through the human wall and tacitly stopped shouting.

As names were announced one by one, in no time, laughter, cheers, cries, sighs, and curses mingled together, creating a chaotic scene in front of the list.

This is the most captivating moment, and also the most heartbreaking.

Those who passed the exam rode off excitedly; those who failed were dejected, as if they had lost their parents, and were helped back home in a dejected state.

After the entire list was laid out, there were already quite a few gaps in front of it.

Those were people who had just learned their ranking, leaving the empty space with their servants and guards.

Once the number of people in front of the list had decreased, the guards of the Jiang family squeezed to the front and checked the rankings of the five candidates from the Jiang family from beginning to end.

Another half hour passed, and most people left the area in front of the notice board and gradually dispersed.

Some people returned to their lodgings to wait for the good news team, while others prepared to pack their bags and head home.

Some, unwilling to give up, continued to wail outside the examination hall, but before they could waile for more than a few moments, the guards gagged them and led them away from the examination hall.

A seventh-rank official with only the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) in front of the prime minister's gate—in a place like the capital where a single brick could knock down three fifth-rank officials—nobody would tolerate him!

"Master! Old Master! It's a success! It's a success!"

Jiang Wenqing thought to himself with smug satisfaction: Haha! He knew he was in a very good position this time!

Landlord Jiang took two steps forward and grabbed Zhang the guard: "Explain yourself! There were five people! Who won?"