kvmb Chapter 113, Item 3 of the Examination
Chapter 113, Item 3 of the Examination
Dong Nanxi was asleep in his warm sleeping bag, while the examiners and soldiers patrolled outside. When the smell of his instant noodles wafted out, everyone thought he had brought a food box into the examination room, but when they went over to check, they found he was just soaking noodles in hot water, which wasn't against the rules. All the other candidates had only taken a short nap because of the cold before getting up to continue writing, leaving Dong Nanxi as the only one sleeping soundly in the entire examination room.
At dawn, the golden sun, like a lazy child, slowly climbed to the top of a tall pole, casting its soft and warm rays upon the earth. At this time, the students striving for their retake exams were already seated at their desks, writing furiously with complete concentration. However, their attention seemed to be focused entirely on the second exam question; their brows were furrowed, and they were deep in thought.
Just then, Dong Nanxi slowly woke up. He first stretched lazily, and then slowly crawled out of the soft, comfortable down comforter. Feeling the warmth brought by the sunlight streaming through the window, Dong Nanxi thought, "With such warm weather, everyone must have slept very well yesterday." At least for him, he didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
After getting up, Dong Nanxi strolled to the kitchen, skillfully took out a bag of fried noodles, and started cooking them in boiling water. Soon, an enticing aroma filled the air. Today's fried noodles were different from yesterday's; yesterday's were fragrant beef, while today's were delicious shrimp. After the noodles were cooked, Dong Nanxi added a braised egg and a sausage. Looking at the hearty breakfast before him, he nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself, "What a wonderful day!" After slowly finishing his hearty noodles, Dong Nanxi, just like yesterday, picked up the bowl and drank the remaining broth in one gulp. After all, in such a cold and dry season, being able to drink a sip of hot soup was truly a rare treat.
Then, he took a deep breath, his gaze slowly settling on the third question, which exuded an ancient aura. This question concerned the Five Classics; the question itself wasn't difficult, as he was very familiar with the content from years of copying books. However, the question itself was still challenging, testing the scholars' extensive reading, covering many classic works such as the *Classic of Poetry*, *Classic of History*, *Classic of Rites*, *Classic of Changes*, and *Spring and Autumn Annals*! Each one was like a treasure trove containing endless wisdom.
Among them, the *Classic of Poetry* is like a beautiful musical movement, depicting the details of ancient people's lives with its simple and sincere emotions; the *Classic of History* is like a solemn and dignified historical record, documenting the political upheavals of ancient times and the strategies and decisions of emperors and generals; the *Book of Rites* is like a classic text regulating etiquette, detailing the principles of social order and human morality. The *Book of Changes*, through its mysterious and unpredictable eight trigrams, cleverly interprets the intricate connection between nature and humanity, like a key unlocking people's understanding of the universe's operation and the laws governing the changes of all things. Those intertwined yin and yang trigrams are like a profound and magnificent scroll, revealing the infinite mysteries of the world. The *Spring and Autumn Annals* is an invaluable historical record, truthfully documenting the magnificent historical process of the Spring and Autumn Period. Whether it was the fierce competition among the feudal lords for hegemony or the brilliant exchange of ideas among the hundred schools of thought, all left a rich and colorful mark in this historical record. This place is not only filled with the smoke of war, but also with the flourishing of culture, and the legendary stories of countless heroes have been passed down through the ages.
If the first two questions tested the candidate's ability to command language and demonstrate talent on specific topics, then this question about the Five Classics is undoubtedly a comprehensive review of their overall literary literacy. The breadth of knowledge it covers almost encompasses the entire essence of a scholar's lifelong learning. To handle such a vast amount of content with ease is by no means easy.
At that moment, most candidates, even those who had seen the question, were scratching their heads, racking their brains, unable to put pen to paper. Dong Nanxi, however, felt that the question wasn't that difficult. After only a moment's thought, a clear solution quickly formed in his mind. So, without hesitation, he picked up his pen and began writing furiously on the exam paper.
It's important to know that all exams have strict requirements regarding handwriting; it must be written in regular script and cannot be too sloppy. However, a slight touch of semi-cursive script is acceptable. Through long-term, persistent practice of copying books, Dong Nanxi's small regular script skills have reached a level of consummate mastery. At this point, he no longer needs to use grids to regulate the position of the characters, nor does he need to copy from a model. He can simply write freely, producing neat rows and columns of characters without interfering with his smooth thought process.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and Dong Nanxi was completely absorbed in answering the questions, oblivious to the approaching dusk. Only when he finished the last stroke did he realize it was already dinnertime. Looking back, he had been incredibly focused, only getting up once to fetch hot water; otherwise, he hadn't stopped writing. Of course, perhaps he wasn't really hungry—he'd eaten too late and too much for breakfast!
Just then, he leisurely pulled out the third piece of golden-brown fried noodles from his bag, next to several delicate pastries left over from yesterday that he hadn't had the appetite for. He first picked up a pastry and put it in his mouth, chewing gently, savoring the sweet, soft, and delicate texture and flavor spreading on his tongue. At the same time, he patiently waited for the fried noodles to gradually cook in the hot water. In no time, he had swallowed all the pastries. Then, he turned his gaze to the steaming, bubbling fried noodles, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips. When the noodles were cooked to perfection, he skillfully picked up a pinch with his chopsticks and slowly savored them.
This time, Ye Qingchen went to great lengths to ensure Dong Nanxi enjoyed the meal and didn't get bored. She had spent the past few days carefully preparing various different seasonings. Today's meal was a delicious tomato and beef brisket noodle soup. The rich, fragrant broth coated every strand of noodle, paired with tender, juicy chunks of beef brisket—the aroma alone was enough to make one's mouth water.
Due to strict examination rules, examiners were not allowed to talk to candidates casually. Although the examiner watched him enjoy his meal and felt a surge of craving, he ultimately resisted the urge to ask or request a bite. He just wanted the exam to end quickly; they couldn't stand it anymore. After the exam, they would definitely ask him where he could buy such delicious food.