Traveling back to ancient times to get rich

Chapter 114 Successfully Completed the Exam

Night fell, and all was quiet. Dong Nanxi sat at his desk, feeling no sign of sleepiness despite the late hour. After a long and tense exam, he finally faced the last question—a policy essay. His eyes lit up when he saw the question: "Applying Knowledge to Practice." At first glance, it seemed like a simple topic about learning methods and goals, but upon closer examination, it became clear that the question setter wanted the candidate to elevate it to the level of governance and political science for in-depth discussion.

However, faced with such a challenging question, Dong Nanxi did not immediately bury himself in thought and write furiously like the other candidates. Instead, he merely glanced at the question before getting up from his desk without hesitation and heading straight to his bed to rest. This unexpected action instantly attracted the attention of many examiners. They all became very interested in this candidate who had an extremely regular schedule, paid special attention to sleep, and loved good food and enjoying life.

Everyone began to wonder: what kind of exam would this handsome, refined young man, seemingly cowardly yet also pleasure-seeking, deliver? After all, in such an important imperial examination, most people would go all out and rack their brains to achieve excellent results. But Dong Nanxi appeared so calm and composed, as if the exam had nothing to do with him.

Then he started to sleep, sleeping soundly without any pressure whatsoever. The examinee opposite him watched him sleep and didn't know what to say to him. Meanwhile, he was writing furiously. The third exam paper was a bit difficult, but he had to finish it today so he could take the last exam as soon as possible.

The next morning, as the blazing sun shone through the window and fell directly on Dong Nanxi's slightly tired face, he finally woke up. He slowly sat up, stretched, and then casually picked up the few pastries and a piece of candy on the table, quickly stuffed them into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed them whole. Without even taking a sip of water, he eagerly picked up his pen and began to write furiously.

Time ticked by, and thousands of words flowed effortlessly from his pen. He had mentally drafted the entire essay while sleeping the previous night, so he was confident and his writing flowed smoothly. The essay clearly explained his purpose in studying, the purpose of everyone's studies, and how knowledge could be transformed into governance principles, while also clarifying his aspirations. Before he knew it, the sun was setting, and Dong Nanxi had already finished all the questions. Looking at the thick stack of exam papers before him, he nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself: "Today's exam went even more smoothly than yesterday's!"

It's important to know that this imperial examination lasted nine days, but the rule was that whoever finished first could leave. So, Dong Nanxi quickly packed his belongings, then gently rang the bell to signal that he was handing in his papers. In no time, he had handed all four exam papers to the examiner and turned to leave the examination hall.

Just then, the examiner who had been watching Dong Nanxi finally couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, "Excuse me, the noodles you've been eating these past two days have always emitted an enticing aroma. What is that? And the bedding you use for sleeping is also quite peculiar. It seems to make you feel warm and comfortable. What is it?"

Just then, as the examiner asked questions, the candidates sitting next to Dong Nanxi also pricked up their ears to listen intently. These candidates were all incredibly curious! Although they didn't know the candidate's final exam results, one thing was obvious—no matter what, she was eating and sleeping well!

Dong Nanxi bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "Your Excellency the Examiner, these are items carefully prepared for me by my sister-in-law. This is deep-fried noodles, already cooked through; it only needs to be soaked in hot water for a short while before eating. As for that one, it's a sleeping bag that my sister-in-law invented herself. She was worried about the low nighttime temperature here, so she specially asked me to bring it. Now that I have finished the exam, I will take my leave, Your Excellency the Examiner." After speaking, Dong Nanxi turned around, packed all his belongings, and calmly left the examination hall.

Time flew by, and just three days later, Dong Nanxi appeared before Gu Sanqi. When he appeared carrying two heavy bundles, Gu Sanqi, who had been waiting outside, had already arrived in a carriage. It turned out that Dong Nanxi had confidently told Gu Sanqi beforehand that he would definitely leave the examination hall on time on the third day after the exam. And sure enough, he had done it!

Meanwhile, at the Prince's residence, Gu Mochen, Ye Qingchen, Old Master Lu, Aunt Dong, and everyone else had prepared a meal and were waiting for Dong Nanxi. Liu Yufeng had some business at the Red Leaf Pavilion, so he had left for a few days. As soon as Dong Nanxi stepped into the room, an enticing aroma wafted towards him. He looked closely and saw that the table was laden with a dazzling array of delicacies, each one a feast for the eyes and the palate, making his mouth water. He instantly understood that this must have been specially prepared for him by the Prince and Princess, who were worried that he hadn't eaten well during the exams these past two days, and had therefore taken such good care of improving his meals.

To be honest, Dong Nanxi had been eating incredibly well these past few days. He secretly estimated that even the examiners' meals in the entire examination hall couldn't compare to his! This was all thanks to his small yet powerful thermos, filled with delicious food. There were fragrant fried noodles and all sorts of snacks for him to enjoy. Moreover, he was wearing thick clothes and sleeping under a warm, soft quilt—it was incredibly comfortable. As a result, neither the cold weather nor other external factors could disturb him in the slightest, allowing him to fully concentrate on the exam.

With all his advantages, Dong Nanxi's thoughts flowed like a spring during the exam, and his answers were fluent and seamless. Now that the exam was finally over, he walked briskly towards Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen, a confident smile on his face. With just that smile, Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen understood immediately that he was certain of success and had everything under control.

However, Old Master Lu, standing to the side, didn't seem to care much. In his view, Dong Nanxi was not only a good writer, but also skilled in martial arts, possessing exceptional abilities. Even if he were to inherit his mantle and become the next leader of the Beggars' Sect, it would be entirely within his capabilities. However, looking at the handsome young man before him, Old Master Lu couldn't help but wonder: Would such a dashing young man be so reluctant to become a beggar leader?