Chapter 740 Shocking Four Seats (1)_1
Time flew by, and soon the day of the palace examination arrived.
The exam began at the third quarter of 7am. Those who had been part of the public trial two days earlier were already eagerly waiting at the palace gate early on. Many who had no chance to participate in the public trial crowded outside, trying to get into the palace, only to be stopped by the guards at the entrance, watching enviously as groups of students were let in.
Mo Yan also arrived early. Compared to the last time, she was no longer as nervous. As soon as she disembarked from her carriage, she saw Xiao Ruiyuan standing out conspicuously by the palace gate.
Xiao Ruiyuan had come alone, leaving Chu Heng behind, and had arrived even earlier than last time. He kept an eye on the passing carriages and spotted Mo Yan immediately.
Separated by a long queue, they exchanged smiles. Mo Yan was directly allowed in by the guards at the gate, and Xiao Ruiyuan followed closely behind, talking with her at a discreet distance which did not attract much attention from onlookers.
The palace exam took place in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The questions were jointly devised by the Grand Scholar of the current dynasty and more than ten scholars of the Hanlin Academy, mirroring the difficulty and scope of the autumn exams.
However, the palace exam couldn’t possibly last seven days like the autumn exams—such a duration would be too time-consuming. Thus, the exam papers were condensed into a single volume, which had to be completed within six hours.
As a result, even if the difficulty level was comparable to that of the autumn exams, the time pressure made it much more intense. Within six hours, it wasn’t just about the quality of one’s answers but also managing to finish them all, which was no easy task.