Unlike the prefectural examination, the tropolitan examination lasted for three days at a ti, with a total duration of nine days over three sessions. One month later, the results of the tropolitan examination would be posted at the entrance of the Examination Institute, and the top one hundred candidates would be recognized as "Tribute Scholars." Barring any unforeseen circumstances, these one hundred Tribute Scholars would participate in the palace examination seven days after the posting of the results. The palace examination was personally presided over by the Emperor in the court and was regarded as the "Grand Ceremony of Selecting Talents."
At that ti, based on the performance in the palace examination, the Emperor would determine the final rankings and decide the top three levels. From the first level, three people would be distinguished as Champion Scholar, Second Top Scholar, and Top Third Scholar, and would be granted the title of Jin Shi. Seventeen from the second level would be awarded the degree of Jin Shi, and eighty from the third level would receive the sa designation.
Those from the first and second levels could be directly appointed to official positions and were very likely to stay in Jing City for their appointnts. Those from the third level, however, would need to undergo further assessnt. Once they passed the assessnt, they would be granted official positions. With good fortune or connections, they might start as magistrates in wealthy areas. Unlucky ones could end up in remote and impoverished areas or start from the lowest official ranks, with slim chances of advancent.
Therefore, so ambitious scholars who held themselves in high regard would rather fail the examination and wait three years to try again than to pass as a Tribute Scholar. Otherwise, without powerful support at ho, the vast majority could only achieve a Fourth-Rank Middle-Class Official Position by the end of their careers and would have no further significant accomplishnts.
Although Mo Yan had great confidence in her father and believed he could at least achieve second level, examinations were unpredictable, and she could only make thorough preparations to minimize any negative factors that might affect her father’s performance.
The pills stored in wooden boxes were very practical; they were made by her master, Doctor Du, with dicinal herbs from the Space mixed with Spirit Spring Water, making their effects more than ten tis stronger than those made from ordinary herbs.
After sending her father off, Mo Yan didn’t idle away her ti. With Xue tuanzi applying the Dream Entering Technique to the villagers, she transported bundles of fruit seedlings from the Space and gathered enough hands to plant tens of thousands of seedlings on more than twenty mountains.
These seedlings weren’t simply planted in random holes but were divided into several large sections based on the terrain of each mountain. Each section would resemble flower petals, animal shapes, or human faces. When these different varieties of fruit seedlings blood in spring, one could see from above that each mountain would form a sea of flowers with different patterns—perhaps children chasing dogs or young won picking flowers with their baskets... In summary, when observed as a whole, each of the more than twenty mountains had its unique features and beauty. One could imagine how beautiful the scene would be in two years when the trees had grown and the flowers blood in spring!
Mo Yan had put a lot of thought into digging those holes; each was carefully positioned according to her drawings. Otherwise, such an effect would not have been possible.
Expending such great effort was naturally not just for fun. With an orchard stretching for miles, Mo Yan wasn’t certain about other places, but in Jing City, there was definitely no orchard larger than her family’s. If she did not take advantage of it to make a substantial profit, it would be a disservice to all the hard work and thought she had invested.
Looking at the more than twenty design renderings on the table, Lixiu exclaid in admiration, "Yanyan, it’s so beautiful! These drawings are really beautiful. Next year when the seedlings bloom, it will surely be even more gorgeous. I can’t wait to see it now!"
Mo Yan said gleefully, "It will be soon; the fruit trees will blossom next spring! By the year after next, we’ll find a way to promote this thousand-acre orchard. It should attract many people to co and enjoy the scenery and stroll through the garden. Anyone who wants to enter will pay a Garden Entry Fee. We can earn silver just by sitting at ho, and when the fruit matures, we’ll also let those young ladies and masters who can’t tell grains apart experience the joy of fruit-picking, earning us another sum."
"That’s a good idea! Yanyan, you have such a sharp mind. Earning a bit from flower viewing and fruit picking, and a large sum from selling fruit and brewing wine, is truly wonderful! With such beautiful flower-covered mountains, those wealthy families will certainly enjoy the sight," Lixiu agreed, nodding in affirmation. Then she suggested, "Yanyan, having previously stayed in a great household, I know many ladies and young misses like to go out in the spring. I think we could build little courtyards at the base of each mountain and sell them to these ladies and misses who appreciate elegance. When the flower season cos, they might even host flower-viewing parties and bring friends to recite poetry and match couplets. This could also bring in quite a bit of silver."
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