Madam, protect me!

Song Mansion.

Inside the courtyard.

Li Nuo sat at the stone table, and an old man with white hair and beard stood beside him, bowing respectfully, occasionally asking him something.

Li Anning sat in a small pavilion not far away, supporting her chin with one hand, watching this scene without blinking.

Painter Chen had been a court painter for decades, and even once sat in the position of chief painter in the palace. When he was young, he was a famous painter in Chang'an, but he actually asked Li Nuo for painting like a student...

Could it be that Li Nuo was good at flower and bird painting, and the spring exam happened to test him in areas he was not good at?

What if the imperial examination really tested flower and bird painting..., thinking of a certain possibility, she couldn't help but smile on her face.

Painter Chen clasped his hands together, bowed to Li Nuo as a disciple, and said gratefully: "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I never thought that I could see such a masterpiece in my lifetime. I will die with peace of mind..."

Li Nuo touched his nose embarrassedly. He had captured all the existing masters of painting in Daxia. The portraits of all of them were integrated into one. Isn't it a masterpiece?

Painter Chen asked again: "May I ask, Master, do you know Zhao Yuan, Liu Qian, Shen Nian... and other masters?"

Li Nuo didn't even know the names of several people. Hearing this, he said: "I don't know them, but I have studied their works."

Painter Chen sighed secretly.

He lived for a whole sixty years in vain, and today he knows the vastness of the world.

How many people in the art of painting have spent their entire lives pursuing a realm that others can easily obtain.

Painter Chen left the Song Mansion.

Before leaving, he left a stack of silver bills.

He originally came to instruct others.

Unexpectedly, he was the one being instructed in the end.

He didn't deserve the money.

Li Nuo picked up the banknotes and counted them, then looked at Li An Ning and asked, "For this trip, you gave me three thousand taels of silver?"

Li An Ning snatched the banknotes from him and said, "This is what I saved myself. I can spend it however I want."

Although she was a princess, her only income was the salary from the royal family.

Three thousand taels of silver was not a small amount for her.

She just thought it was worth spending.

Li An Ning glanced at Li Nuo and asked, "Where's your wife?"

Li Nuo said, "She went out with Mu'er and should be back soon."

Li An Ning put away the banknotes and said, "Then I'm leaving. You should study hard and don't be lazy..."

She had already walked out of the door, but she stopped again, turned around, and reminded again, "Don't be lazy!"

Not long after Li An Ning left, several figures walked into the courtyard.

Li Nuo turned his head and took a look, and said: "President Tang, gentlemen, long time no see..."

The people who came were Tang Xian, the president of Qingfeng Academy, and several old gentlemen. They came to give Li Nuo a college uniform and a student ID card.

When registering for the spring exam, candidates need to fill in a favorite academy.

Most people will choose the four major academies. If they can get into the top 100 in the spring exam, they can enter the academy directly.

Even if they rank after 100 and cannot enter the four major academies, it will not affect their entry into other small academies.

Li Nuo filled in Qingfeng Academy at that time. Usually, after the spring exam, candidates need to go to the academy to register.

Li Nuo accepted the admission stuff and said with a smile: "I'm sorry, I was busy these two days, so I didn't go to the academy. I have to trouble you and President Tang to make a trip..."

Tang Xian smiled and said: "Mr. Li, don't say that. It's our honor that you can enter Qingfeng Academy."

Mr. Chen clasped his fists and said: "Congratulations to Mr. Li for ranking first in the spring exam."

After congratulating, the other three old men looked at Li Nuo with incredible eyes.

The first place in the spring exam is nothing, but the first place in the spring exam among the six subjects is only Li Xuanjing in that year.

They are indeed father and son.

After a brief greeting, Tang Xian looked at Li Nuo and asked, "Mr. Li, are you going to participate in this year's imperial examination?"

Li Nuo nodded.

Tang Xian came to the Song Mansion today to confirm this matter.

In previous imperial examinations, the registration deadline was one month in advance. This year, because the rules have changed, the spring exam was moved to before the imperial examination, and the registration deadline for the imperial examination was also postponed a lot.

All major academies should submit the list of candidates participating in this imperial examination before February 20th at the latest.

In fact, most of the candidates who passed the spring exam will not participate in the imperial examination.

Every student has three opportunities to participate in the imperial examination in his life, and the age cannot exceed 40 years old.

Candidates who have just passed the spring exam and entered the academy are far inferior to those who have been studying in the academy for many years in terms of ability. Even if they participate in the imperial examination, it is a waste of opportunity.

He was the top scorer in the spring exam. If he postponed the exam, he would have four more years to study, which would allow him to strive for a higher ranking and a higher starting point for his career.

Moreover, the competition in this imperial examination was extremely fierce. Many students in the academy chose to avoid it and would rather wait for another four years than compete with the geniuses of this year.

After listening to Tang Xian, Li Nuo smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. Dean Tang can help me sign up. At most, I can come back four years later."

After hearing this, Tang Xian did not persuade him anymore and told him some things related to the imperial examination.

The new batch of students were supposed to be officially enrolled after the imperial examination.

But Li Nuo wanted to participate in this imperial examination, and the academy would arrange early admission for him.

During this period, he could go to the academy or not. After the imperial examination was completed, Tang Xianhui would personally deliver it to him.

The imperial examination was approaching, and knowing that Li Nuo had to concentrate on preparing for the exam, the few people did not disturb Li Nuo and quickly left.

After walking out of the Song Dynasty and on the carriage back to the academy, Mr. Lu murmured: "Do you think Mr. Li will be able to pass the imperial examination for the first time?"

Mr. Chen said: "Although ranking first in the spring exam is nothing, there has never been one in history that ranked first in the five subjects. In my opinion, Mr. Li will have no problem in high school. It's just a pity that if he If you wait another four or eight years, the number one scholar will definitely be from our Qingfeng Academy..."

In fact, the number one scholar in each imperial examination will probably be produced in the four major academies.

To be precise, they are the three major academies: Qingfeng, Dongshan, and Beixi.

Because Yunmeng Academy focuses on cultivating generals, it almost always wins the top prizes in archery and imperial examinations every year, while the top picks in the imperial examinations will be produced in the other three major academies.

The situation of this imperial examination is different. It coincides with the coming of age of the younger generation of geniuses from the major wealthy families. It can be said that the stars are shining. And those wealthy families have their own academies. It is undoubtedly difficult for the four major academies to get the top prize. matter.

If you can get one of the top scorers in six subjects, you are considered lucky.

Those top wealthy families can hire calligraphers to teach calligraphy to their children on a one-to-one basis. Painting masters teach painting, music, archery, and imperial studies. They have also carefully cultivated them since childhood. How can the students in the academy pass them...

Song Mansion.

Li Nuo sat in the room and wrote a few lines on the paper.

Gu Yanran's portrait is not illuminated. Although his handwriting is not ugly, it cannot be said to be very beautiful.

Great calligraphers are not necessarily painters, but masters of painting can generally write good calligraphy.

Li Nuo had originally hoped that this time he could light up calligraphy as a permanent skill, but he was a little disappointed.

Logically speaking, even if the calligraphy of these masters of painting is not up to the top level, it is at least first-class and should be able to meet the requirements of the code.

Could it be that their combined calligraphy abilities did not meet the requirements for fusion to become a permanent skill, but they were forcibly fused, so they did not show up...

This is just Li Nuo's guess based on experience. Whether it is true or not needs further verification.

The reason why he wants to make calligraphy permanent is not that he is reluctant to live that day, but he always feels unsure in his heart. He only knows Xiaogu's hairpin and small regular script. If the imperial examination bans hairpin and small regular script, wouldn't he Finished?

Although this possibility is very small.

But it’s not like nothing.

It's not like those people have never done it before to directly change the rules in order to target him.

Yongshouhou Mansion.

Marquis Yongshou sat on a chair, looked at the people beside him, and asked: "What should I do? Do you have any good ideas? I have already asked several examiners of the six subjects. Based on his spring examination results, if there is no Unexpectedly, the imperial examination must lead to high school...

Without an official position, he would have been lawless. With an official position and Li Xuanjing protecting him, how could he still do it? "

Lan Tianhou said: "What can we do? Those palace painters have been warned, and we can't prevent them from taking part in the imperial examination..."

At this time, another person said: "Although I can't stop him from taking the imperial examination, I can stop him from going to high school..."

Marquis Yongshou looked at him and immediately said: "Marquis Fengyang has any good ideas, please tell me!"

A man in rich clothes stroked the beard on his chin and said: "I have investigated and found out that Li Xuanjing's son wrote in hairpin-shaped regular script that even a woman would be ashamed of. But except for hairpin-shaped regular script, his other writing skills It can be said that his character is unsightly. As long as we put some effort into his handwriting, are we still afraid that he will pass the exam? "

Marquis Yongshou said: "Please be more detailed."

Fengyang Hou stood up and said: "As far as I know, there are very few men who practice hairpin and small regular script. They are unable to do hands and feet in the three subjects of Le Yu She. But calligraphy, articles, mathematics, and etiquette all require writing. Yes, as long as he can bribe the examiners of the examination hall where he is, he will get higher marks when he sees hairpins in small regular script, and he would rather kill his mistakes than let them go. Even if he can still pass the calligraphy department, he will never be able to get on the Jinshi list..."

Marquis Lantian thought for a while and said: "It is difficult to score points in math subjects, and it is not likely to be scored in etiquette subjects. There is really something to write about in calligraphy subjects. The easiest thing to start with is calligraphy. If calligraphy is a subject, It would be great if the use of small regular script with hairpin flowers could be banned..."

Marquis Yongshou shook his head and said, "This is not something we can decide."

Fengyang Hou smiled and said: "But someone can decide..."

The examination questions for each imperial examination are set and reviewed by a dedicated person.

The test takers and examiners of the calligraphy category must all be proficient in calligraphy. They may be officials from the DPRK or Central Government, or they may be academy gentlemen, or they may be famous calligraphers.

For the three subjects of Le Yu She, the examination format is fixed.

However, in the three subjects of book, mathematics and etiquette, the question makers and examiners have a certain degree of autonomy.

Fengyang Hou looked at everyone and said: "The question makers and examiners of this imperial calligraphy examination are the Wei family. Don't forget, whose son died in the hands of the Wei family..."

Dali Temple.

A young man walked into Dali Temple, bowed and said to the elegant man behind the desk: "Sir, through the Mirror Department, the young master has arrested many painting masters and asked them to write down their painting experience. Come out, just now, Butler Wu started asking about the calligraphy masters in Chang'an again..."

Li Xuanjing said calmly: "It doesn't matter, you can just help the young master catch whoever he wants to catch."

After a while, the young man left the yamen.

He felt sad in his heart that the young master was making trouble, but the adults let him do it. Now, no one dared to pass by the door of Mingjingsi.

After the young man left, Li Xuanjing looked at the list in front of him.

Gu Yanran, daughter of Gu Wenhan.

Han Zhuo of Qingfeng Academy.

Liu Shang, the top scorer in the music exam.

Zhou Ting, the doctor of the Ministry of Driving.

Lu Sheng, the doctor of the Ministry of Rites.

In addition to these, there are many other names on this piece of paper, such as Zhao Yuan, Liu Qian, Shen Nian...

...

A meaningful smile appeared on his face, and he raised his head and looked at the void in front of him, his eyes lingering for a long time.

But there was nothing there.