Year 628. Zhenguan three years.
Jingzhou. Jiangling County.
A group of scholars was lining up at the entrance of the county examination hall.
Today was the Great Tang's annual tribute examination (county examination, held once a year), and they had come to take it as a reference.
In this dynasty, there are only two ways to become an official: First, there was a recommendation from a powerful person, and second, it was the imperial examination.
The scholars were just ordinary people and could not know any dignitaries. They could only rely on their own abilities to fight.
Of course.
The so-called "ordinary people" here were compared to the nobles.
After all, in this dynasty, those who could afford to study were not simple.
At the very least, they had to be well-off to be able to study and buy ink.
At this moment, two scribes stood at the entrance of the examination hall, checking the bags of these scholars one by one to see if they were carrying any items that could be used to cheat in the exam.
Only those who passed could enter the examination hall.
In the surroundings.
The relatives and friends of these scholars gathered not far away and looked at them with blessings.
"The heavens bless my son, you have to get in.”
"Bodhisattva, please don't fail this time!”
"Buddha, please bless us…"
"Ancestors, please bless us
…"
A little guy jumped out of the crowd.
The little fellow was very small, not even a meter tall.
He was wearing a tattered gray cloth shirt and carrying a bundle in his arms as he hurried to the entrance of the examination hall.
Everyone was shocked and dumbfounded.
What was going on?
What happened?
Whose child was that? Why was he here?
This was the examination hall, and today was the county's annual tribute examination!
Under everyone's astonished gazes, the little fellow hugged her bundle and stood at the back of the line of scholars.
The scholars were stunned.
The officials were stunned.
At this moment, the entire place was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
A moment later, the crowd was in an uproar.
"Little child, quickly leave this place. This is the tribute examination hosted by the county magistrate, you can't go!”
"Little child, come out quickly and come to this old man!”
"Where are the adults in Little Baby's family? Hurry up and take him away. This is a serious crime that requires beheading!”
In the surroundings.
The kind-hearted people began to shout loudly.
"Silence! Silence!"
"What are you arguing about? Do you want to rebel?"
The county clerk who was checking the scholar's bag stopped and walked angrily to the end of the line.
He wanted to see who would dare to cause trouble in the court's annual tribute examination, when the county magistrate was the examiner.
One step, five steps, ten steps...
With a furious heart, the scribe finally reached the end of the line.
"Uh…"
Looking at the little fellow at the end of the line, the scribe was stunned. He was dumbfounded on the spot.
What…what was going on?
A seven or eight-year-old child actually came to the entrance of the examination hall to line up?
Didn't his lord know what day it was today? Don't you know where this is?
At this moment.
While the scribe was in a state of confusion, the little fellow in front of him suddenly put down the bag in his hand. Then, he imitated the scholars and bowed to the scribe.
It looked a little comical, but also had an indescribable solemnity.
"My name is Chen An. I'm here today to participate in the imperial examination.”
What was that? You're here to participate in the imperial examination?
The scribe was even more confused.
"Yes, this is my recommendation letter for the tribute examination!”
The little fellow squatted down and took out a piece of paper from the bundle on the ground. Then, she stood on her tiptoes and handed it to the county clerk.
The scribe took the paper and looked at it. It was indeed a recommendation letter for the tribute examination.
At the end of the letter was the name of the person who recommended him,
Zhang Chuannan.
This person was Jiangling County's 'Great Confucian'. Not only did he guide the Zhang Clan's clan studies, he also frequently went to the county government and was a distinguished guest of the county magistrate.
But…
this little doll was too small, wasn't it?
Looking at his height, he was probably not even seven years old. As the great scholar of Jiangling County, how could Teacher Zhang write a recommendation letter for such a child?
Did he make a mistake?
"Little child, how old are you?"
"I'm seven years old this year, and I live in Xishan Village outside Jiangling County.”
The little guy said honestly.
Hearing this, the scribe felt a headache.
"Little child, wait! I'll report this to the county magistrate.”
With that, the scribe rushed into the examination hall with the letter of recommendation.
In the hall of the examination hall.
"What is it? What did you say? A seven-year-old child participating in the tribute examination? Did you get it wrong?"
The county magistrate asked in shock.
"Reporting to the county magistrate, that child really said so. This is his letter of recommendation. Please take a look!"
The scribe respectfully handed the recommendation letter to the Jiangling County Magistrate.
The county magistrate took the letter of recommendation and looked at it carefully
. Could it be that Zhang Chuannan recently accepted a new disciple, but I've never heard him mention it before? What's going on?"
The county magistrate was very puzzled.
"Magistrate, let me take a look.”
The county magistrate heard the noise and quickly came over.
"Chen An…seven years old…from Jing State…lives in Xishan Village outside Jiangling County
…"
At this moment, the county magistrate gasped.
He was really a seven-year-old child!
This was too unbelievable!
Thinking back to the Qin and Han Dynasties, Gan Luo was a prime minister at the age of twelve, Cao Zhi wrote poetry at the age of seven, Wenji composed music at the age of six, and Kong Rong gave up on his studies at the age of three
…”The county magistrate exclaimed.
As soon as he said this, the county magistrate suddenly stood up.
Child prodigy?
Jiangling County?
If that was really the case, it would be an incomparably dazzling political achievement!
Since the new emperor ascended the throne, he had issued three edicts to recruit talents and recommend talents.
Not only that, but he also heard news from Chang 'an that
the new emperor had begged the ministers in the court to recommend more talents to the court in the past two years.
He was really "begging" and almost crying on the spot!
However, how could talent be so easy to find?
At the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the Central Plains had been at war for decades. The population was extremely scarce, let alone talents.
In this era, even studying was not an easy thing.
A seven-year-old child actually dared to bring a recommendation letter from the county's "Great Scholar" to participate in the tribute examination.
This kid was so terrifying!
"Quickly bring him in and let this county magistrate take a look!”The county magistrate ordered loudly.
"Wait, County Magistrate!" The county magistrate quickly stopped him and said,"Sir, you are this year's chief examiner. I'm afraid it's inappropriate for you to meet with a scholar before the exam.”
The county magistrate was stunned for a moment before nodding.
"Then I won't see you for now. I'll see you after the exam. Go, bring that little child in for the exam.”
"Yes!"
The scribe obeyed the order and quickly left…At
this moment, no one knew what would happen next.
It was an extremely magical seven-year-old youth. He was about to show off his brilliance in the Central Plains.
Tremble, Great Tang Empire!
The baby is here!
…
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