| Examiner Zhou picks out...: |
But although Commissioner Zhou had had this man driven out, he still read his paper. This candidate was called Wei Hao-ku, and he wrote in a tolerably clear and straightforward style. 「I will pass him lowest on the list,」 Zhou Jin decided. And, taking up his brush, he made a mark at the end of the paper as a reminder.
Then he read Fan Jin's paper again. This time he gave a gasp of amazement. 「Even I failed to understand this paper the first two times I read it!」 he exclaimed. 「But, after reading it for the third time, I realize it is the most wonderful essay in the world—every word a pearl. This shows how often bad examiners must have suppressed real genius.」 Hastily taking up his brush, he carefully drew three circles on Fan Jin's paper, marking it as first. He then picked up Wei Hao-ku's paper again, and marked it as twentieth. After this he collected all the other essays and took them away with him.
Soon the results were published, and Fan Jin's name was first on the list. When he went in to see the commissioner, Zhou Jin commended him warmly. And when the last successful candidate—Wei Hao-ku—went in, Commissioner Zhou gave him some encouragement and advised him to work hard and stop studying miscellaneous works. Then, to the sound of drums and trumpets, the successful candidates left. |
