Chapter 22: The Examination Halls

Lanxi's POV

The examination halls of the capital were a walled yard with a gate at each end.

Soldiers walked the top of the wall.

Women were not allowed past the outer gate.

I walked Chengzhi to it on the first morning, in the dark, with a lantern.

The line of candidates ran back around the corner, each carrying a basket for his three days inside, and a guard searched every one.

I had a covered bowl in my hands.

I had made the noodles at four that morning in the inn's kitchen, over the cook's objections.

I had carried them under my coat against the cold the whole way.

"They won't let it in," Chengzhi said.

"They'll let it in."

The guard, a young man with a frost-burned nose, lifted the lid and sniffed it.

"Noodles?" he said.

"Plain," I said. "No meat, no paper, nothing hidden. Look all you like."

He poked the noodles with a chopstick.

He looked at me, and at Chengzhi, who stood very straight with his brush case under his arm.

"My wife made it," Chengzhi said. "Please."

The guard sighed and put the lid back and handed it over.

Chengzhi took the bowl in both hands and held it against his chest.

"If I am not out in nine days," he said, "you are to eat something yourself."

I put the back of my hand against my mouth.

"Go in," I said, and my eyes ran over. "Go in, you fool. The line is waiting."

He went in with the bowl held in front of him.

At the gate he looked back once.

Nine days it took, in three sessions of three days each, one straight after the other.

I did not sit and wait, because I am not good at it.

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