Chapter 56: Entering the Arena-I Became a Master Craftsman by Weaving Straw Sandals(Wukong chews on candy.)

"Buzhi Township, Jia She Village, Wang Ge?"

"Present," Wang Ge responded immediately, stepping forward to receive the tools required for entering the examination hall the next morning.

The tools were packed in a chest two feet long and one foot wide, not too heavy. She cradled it in her arms, found an empty spot, opened the chest, and checked the contents: a wooden saw, small mallet, ruler, carving knife, file, small whetstone, knife for bamboo strips, smoothing knife, scraping knife, bamboo tweezers, a wooden board a foot long and half a foot wide, and a small bundle of hemp rope with a numbered tag.

Everything matched what the officials had described, and all were in good condition. If any tools were damaged, it was mandatory to report to the officials of each area before nightfall to exchange them.

The officials maintaining order at the examination site were patrolmen drawn from the county and each township. The “area” meant separating male and female apprentice craftsmen.

There were additional stewardesses in the girls’ section, referred to as Craftswomen, also recruited from major workshops by the government. It was said they were veteran artisans, just like those who would verify the examinees’ work in the hall tomorrow.

This time, the chief examiner held the title of Grand Artisan Master, with all deputy examiners being Mid Artisan Masters.

"Whew..." Wang Ge exhaled a long breath, inexplicably feeling elevated by association.

She had no intention of wandering further; the novelty had already faded since arrival two days ago. Besides, the exam started at dawn, with queues forming before daybreak, and after collecting supper later, she planned to eat her fill and rest early.

The examination venue lay ten miles west of the county outskirts, a temporary camp entirely draped in thick felt, making it impossible to see the arrangements inside.

The distant scenery was breathtaking—nestled beside mountains and a river, so at night one could hear the roaring flow. As for the mountain itself, Wang Ge had heard it was the estate of the illustrious Xie clan.

Ah, the Xie family—remarkable! She wondered whether this renowned lineage was as powerful in this Jin dynasty as historical records claimed. Compared to the Wang family of Qinghe Manor, who was more formidable? And was the Jia landlord’s bamboo strip business connected to the craft examination?

Wang Ge mused idly, glancing left and right; a rough count showed over a hundred in the rest area—just the girls’ section. It was said the boys’ candidates outnumbered girls by more than threefold each year, far surpassing her expectations.

Among the examinees were some in their forties, even a few past fifty, clearly making one last desperate attempt. Understandable, since an apprentice could only take the exam three times in a lifetime; failing the second, they’d surely learn their lesson and hone their skills to perfection before trying again.

Supper was being distributed!

Each food cart was operated by four servant girls: two to pull and push, two to steady the food and water containers.

Wherever the cart went, examinees stepped forward to collect their meals. Each received two wheat cakes; the bamboo flask was their own, though it could not be brought into the hall tomorrow.

After finishing her two cakes, Wang Ge took out the cake she’d saved from breakfast and ate it in small bites, sipping water. The little girl beside her, barely ten, still childlike, did the same with her leftover lunch cake, flashing a smug grin at Wang Ge as she ate.

Wang Ge smiled back, soon noticing many were doing likewise—eating sparingly by day, planning to eat their fill tonight.

For tomorrow there would be no breakfast! No hot water! Only a chance to visit the latrine!

Three cakes left Wang Ge quite full, but she took out another, saved from lunch, and kept eating.

"Sister, you sure can eat," the little girl quipped again, showing her tiger teeth with a grin, utterly adorable.

Wang Ge returned her smile. Before sleeping, she carried her pack to the latrine, then found a new spot, laid out her mat, wrapped her headscarf, and covered herself with her quilt, even her head.

Before drifting off, she recited the exam rules in her mind: body search before entering; nothing allowed except the issued tool chest and cold-weather clothing; regardless of gender, only headscarves above the shoulders, only hemp rope from the chest for tying hair; silence inside unless questioned by an examiner; each mold with its own materials, self-service, and those who take extra or deliberately destroy others’ materials are banned for life from the exam; after completing each mold, it must be verified by the craftsman in the area, and if approved, the drummer beats the “Fame Drum,” announcing the candidate’s origin and name; if failed, the candidate leaves and strikes the “Failure Drum” by the exit, also announcing their origin and name; no food, warmth, or latrine provided during the exam, and those who faint will be carried out, not allowed to re-enter.

She recited it again, and fell asleep.

In truth, the exam had begun tonight.

The chill seeped through the mat quickly; even those with double mats were cold. The nervous candidates felt it more acutely, and the river’s inspiring roar heard last night now sounded like a call to urinate.

People ran to the latrine throughout the night.

Before dawn, some were already up; Wang Ge rose too, for even the calmest could not avoid nerves.

She packed her mat and odds and ends into her basket, left them at her spot—these could not be brought inside. Holding her chest, she hurried to join the latrine queue.

Too slow! Each person inside took ages—were they carving flowers in there?

The line outside grew longer and noisier, with stamping feet, impatient shouts, curses, only kept in check by the Craftswomen when things got too rowdy.

As the hour approached, those who hadn’t made it simply rushed in, heedless of anything else. By then, Wang Ge was already in line for the body search.

The boys queued in five lines, girls in two. Every candidate wore thick winter clothes; Wang Ge saw someone with a shawl, wondered if it was permitted, and sure enough, a Craftswoman yanked it off—it wasn’t considered essential cold-weather gear.

At the front, lanterns hung at the search station, so she saw someone dismantling the felt. As pieces were removed, the vast open examination ground began to reveal its contours, with winding shadows hinting at the layout—surely the equipment sheds Liu Xiao Lang had mentioned, though it was still too dark to see clearly.

Her turn came. The Craftswoman checked her hair, approved her headscarf, then felt the spot where the hemp rope was tied for hidden sharp objects. Next, she had Wang Ge extend her arms, checked for concealed tools inside her clothes, and when she felt Wang Ge’s padded trousers and found the area above the knees especially thick, she seemed to understand—this was allowed, so instead of reprimanding, she looked approving. Finally, she checked her footwear.

All was in order; Wang Ge entered.

Light was beginning to glimmer on the horizon.

Several entryways served as both entrance and exit after the contest began. The large drum standing to her left was the “Failure Drum.” Passing through the corridor, she joined the other female candidates, all standing to either side, waiting for dawn.

Wang Ge looked toward the equipment sheds. Each shed was not straight, but winding like a crooked bridge, stretching beyond sight and blending with the dark silhouette of distant mountains.

In the center of the distant field stood a tall, upright stone. Wang Ge had heard mention of it when she first arrived—it was called the “Carp Stone,” a standardized feature. Every county, every major craft exam erected a Carp Stone.

Carp symbolize swimming upstream. The winding sheds embodied the idea that only by enduring twists and turns could an artisan reach the far shore.

In her previous life, Wang Ge had seen a similar stone in the Prince Gong Mansion in Beijing’s western city, so if given the chance during the exam, she was determined to approach and compare it with the one she had seen before.

The sky brightened!

Craftsmen, patrolmen, and examiners filed in through each entrance.

The hour was nearly upon them; every candidate’s heart was in their throat.

"Enter!"

With the patrolmen’s thunderous announcements, the apprentice candidates surged toward the equipment sheds like wild horses unleashed.