The provincial examination consists of two sessions: the main session and the re-examination. The main session requires two essays on the Four Books and one five-character, six-rhyme test-style poem.
The content of the main session is identical across all prefectures with no variation whatsoever. Rote memorization is all it takes for the most part, leaving only the test-style poem for candidates to showcase their individual flair.
This test-style poem is essentially the equivalent of the college entrance examination essay from Zhao An's past life. Well-written essays score high, and as long as the preceding fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions aren't too wildly incorrect, passing is virtually guaranteed.
Chapter 142