Graduates participating in this year's imperial examination in spring were lucky, for after the New Year, even the cold winds had abated, making it reportedly the least torturous session since the establishment of the dynasty.
It must be said, establishing the capital for the imperial examination every year truly was a hardship.
The Zhou family was highly experienced in the spring examination preparations; all necessities were prepared before the New Year, even supplies for the younger generation taking the exam were provided by the Zhou estate.
This is the advantage of having a family lineage, especially one with officials in the capital. Those taking the state exams had no need to scramble for poor accommodations at inns or worry about food. They could rest well, gain private experience, experience in answering the exam questions, predicting the questions, and experience in the exam hall itself—all of which distanced them from the average candidates.
