Chapter 2155: Rain

Chapter 2155: Rain

The examination hall was very quiet, with only the sounds of candidates grinding their brushes and flipping pages of paper, occasionally interrupted by the faint footsteps of the examiners.

It was only the second day of the examination, and everyone's spirits were quite good. Meng Yunzheng, in particular, after a night of rest, was in top form. He answered the questions swiftly and wrote with great speed.

However, to his surprise, the weather suddenly turned gloomy in the afternoon, and soon raindrops began to fall.

Chaos erupted in the examination hall as candidates scrambled to protect their exam papers. Some complained, "Why is it raining now?"

"Oh no, my papers are getting wet."

The examiners quickly intervened, saying, "Everyone, please be quiet."

Some candidates, more resourceful, began to find ways to shield themselves from the rain.

The examination booths had a roof that extended slightly forward, but if the rain came down at an angle, the desks would undoubtedly get wet, making it impossible to write.

When the sky darkened, Meng Yunzheng looked up and then retrieved a thin bamboo pole from a corner. He stood up and placed the bamboo pole under the eaves on both sides.

Hanging from the bamboo pole was a light, thin oiled cloth, which he pulled down to cover the front of the examination booth securely.

Shu Yu had provided him with this oiled cloth after learning about the structure of the examination booths. She wanted to ensure that he would be prepared in case of unexpected rain. Although it was rare for rain to fall in the capital during this season, it was better to be safe. Besides, the cloth could also block the wind, preventing him from catching a cold while sleeping at night.

Unexpectedly, it rained on the second day of the examination.

Meng Yunzheng looked at the oiled cloth and smiled. While it kept the rain out, it also made the sky even darker.

He lit an oil lamp and continued the exam while listening to the sound of rain outside.

By evening, he took out instant noodles, placed them on the small stove provided by the examination hall, lit the charcoal fire, and cooked the noodles.

Other candidates had also prepared for the rain and, after the initial chaos, had resumed their exams in an orderly manner.

However, some candidates had no preparation and resorted to hanging their clothes outside or using umbrellas. They used any tools available to them, leading to a variety of makeshift solutions.

Unfortunately, the rain continued for quite some time.

Thankfully, the rain wasn't too heavy; otherwise, the exam would have been impossible to complete.

On the third day of the imperial examination, the weather was clear, and the temperature had warmed up a bit.

Meng Yunzheng folded the oiled cloth and continued answering the questions. Others were busy catching up on their exams after the disruption caused by the rain on the previous day.

Compared to the rest, Meng Yunzheng appeared relaxed.

Before noon, he had already reviewed all his answers twice.

After having lunch, he sat back in the examination booth, resting.

When the patrolling soldiers came by and saw his empty desk with everything neatly packed away, and Meng Yunzheng leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, they raised an eyebrow in surprise and shook their heads, assuming that the rain from the previous day had caused him to give up on the exam.

Little did they know, Meng Yunzheng had completed his exam and was simply resting.

He probably looked more relaxed than he actually was.