Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Upon entering the examination hall, everyone took their seats according to their examination numbers.

Xiaodou was number one hundred and sixty-six, right in the middle. People had already taken their seats in front, behind, and on either side of him. He carried his examination basket to his seat, placed it down, and sat upright on the stool, waiting for the exam to begin.

Due to his young age, he attracted much discussion from those around him. Some thought that such a young child coming to take the imperial examinations might be a prodigy. In the previous dynasty, there was once an eleven-year-old who passed the examination, causing a nationwide sensation at the time.

Others believed the boy was here to seek attention, thinking that the imperial examinations were no game. A child so young probably couldn't even recognize all the characters, yet his family let him come to take the exam, which could only invite ridicule!

Zhao Beidou sat up straight, neither humble nor arrogant, with only one thought in mind: he must do well in the exam and not disgrace his elder brother and sister-in-law!

At the first hour of the morning, the examination hall's gates were closed, prohibiting any more candidates from entering.

Most people had arrived, and the county magistrate personally gave a speech, followed by the examiner reading out the examination rules.

The county examination consisted of three sessions, but if there was any cheating or violation of rules, the candidate would be immediately expelled and not allowed to continue. A candidate who cheated would tarnish their reputation, something scholars were very concerned about, making it difficult for them to participate in future imperial examinations without a Scholar's recommendation.

Generally, only the results of the first session counted, while the second and third sessions were used for ranking. This meant that the first exam was the most important; if one did poorly, with unclear handwriting or incorrect answers, they would likely fail, so the students took it very seriously.

After the rules were read, constables carrying lanterns patrolled to ensure no one was sitting in the wrong place or needed to use the restroom.

Some people, especially the older ones, felt nervous and needed to use the restroom. Four or five people raised their hands one after another, and the constables escorted them to the restroom, prohibiting conversation during the trip and requiring them to return to their seats immediately afterward.

At the third hour of the morning, the gong sounded, and over ten examination papers were distributed. The county examination officially began!

*

The atmosphere inside the examination hall was tense, and those outside were equally anxious, watching Xiaodou enter the hall. Lu Yao paced back and forth outside.

"I wonder if he's cold inside. What if he can't answer the questions and starts crying? I hope he doesn't anger the examiners..." Though he told Xiaodou not to be nervous, Lu Yao was actually more anxious than the child, fearing that the little one wouldn't withstand the mental pressure.

Zhao Beichuan said, "Since he dared to come and take the exam, whatever the outcome, he must bear it himself. Our worry won't help."

Though he said this, one always worries about one's own child. It was the first time Lu Yao felt the weight of being a parent.

"Achoo!" Xiaonian sneezed.

Lu Yao quickly asked, "Are you cold?"

Xiaonian shook her head, "I'm fine."

Zhao Beichuan, worried they might catch a chill, suggested, "Xiaodou won't come out until the seventh hour. Let's go back and wait."

Just as they were about to leave, a commotion arose ahead. A pale-faced middle-aged man was carried out by two constables, looking utterly dejected.

"What happened?"

"Heaven! He hasn't been inside for half an hour, and he's already out?!"

Lu Yao's heart tightened, unsure what had transpired inside.

A constable announced loudly, "Yang Shaoqing from Wuyang Town, disqualified for cheating!"

Everyone understood then why he had come out so early—it was because he had been caught cheating.

The middle-aged man sat on the ground, covering his face and sobbing. It was over, everything was over...

He had studied for thirty years, and his entire family had pinned their hopes on him. He thought he would pass this time, but just as he took out the hidden notes from his food, he was discovered.

How could he face his wife and children now? The more he thought about it, the more desperate he became. Closing his eyes, he lunged toward a nearby rock!

Unfortunately, a woman happened to be passing by, and instead of hitting the rock, he knocked her over.

"Ouch! What's wrong with you? Don't you watch where you're going? You almost killed me..."

The man bowed his head in apology, unable to muster the courage to attempt suicide again, and hurriedly left.

This made the three of them even more hesitant to leave, fearing Xiaodou might be carried out next.

About a quarter of an hour later, another person came out, this time being carried!

Xiaonian gasped and rushed forward to see. On the stretcher lay an elderly man with white hair and beard, who had fainted after seeing the exam paper, whether from excitement or fear, no one knew.

Lu Yao patted his chest, saying, "Taking the imperial examinations is truly terrifying."

Someone nearby agreed, "Indeed! I wonder how my husband is doing, it's really worrying."

Lu Yao turned to see a round-faced, big-eyed young man with a mole on his cheek, anxiously peering into the examination hall.

"Is your husband also taking the county examination?"

"Yes, it's his second attempt. He failed last year, and I don't know if he'll succeed this time." He glanced at Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan.

"Do you have someone taking the exam too?"

"My younger brother."

The young man sighed, "I hope he passes this time and doesn't have to suffer through this again."

As noon approached, several people began to emerge from the hall, having finished their exams early.

Their families gathered around, asking, "How did it go? Did you answer all the questions? Were there any you didn't know?" The scene was similar to the college entrance exams of the previous life.

Among these people, some looked confident, while others appeared dejected, indicating not all had completed their exams satisfactorily.

The family grew increasingly anxious.

The sky was clear in the morning, but by afternoon, it had turned overcast. Worried Xiaonian might catch a chill, the three of them went to a nearby teahouse to warm up and have something to eat.

The teahouse was crowded with families of candidates, sitting in small groups discussing the county examination.

"I heard that in Wuyang County, there was a scholar who was caught cheating right after he entered the examination hall. What a disgrace!"

"That person I know; his family is so poor they can hardly make ends meet. He borrowed money everywhere to study, with all his heart set on passing the imperial examinations. Now this has happened, and I wonder how much ridicule he will face when he returns."

"Tsk, studying requires talent. Some people never pass even when they are old, while others become juren at just a few years of age."

"Speaking of which, I heard that this year, a seven-year-old child also took part in the imperial examinations!"

Upon hearing someone mention Xiaodou, Lu Yao immediately perked up his ears to listen.

"I wonder what the family was thinking, letting such a young child take the county examination."

"Maybe he really has the ability?"

"Even if he does, he's too young. In this cold weather, it's hard enough for adults to endure these few days, let alone a seven-year-old child..."

Lu Yao, anxious, quickly stood up, and a worried look appeared on Xiaonian's face.

Zhao Beichuan comforted them, "Don't worry, Xiaodou knows his limits."

*

Inside the examination hall, the hourglass was almost empty. Zhao Beidou wrote the last word on his paper, blew to dry the ink, and put down his brush.

He checked everything from start to finish, making sure no questions were missed, then raised his hand.

Being too short, he waved his hand for a long time before someone noticed him and hurried over to collect his paper.

To prevent cheating, the draft paper had to be collected as well. After collecting it, a bailiff led him to the entrance of the examination hall, allowing ten people to leave at a time.

When he arrived, there were already nine people ahead of him, making exactly ten with him included. The bailiff opened the gate, and a group of people hurried out.

"Xiaodou!" Xiaonian spotted him immediately and pushed through the crowd to run over.

"Big Sister, where are Big Brother and Sister-in-law?"

Xiaonian took the examination basket from his hands, "They're waiting for you!"

Seeing him still in good spirits, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan felt relieved. Lu Yao patted his head and asked, "Are you cold? Are you hungry?"

Xiaodou shook his head, "I'm not cold, but my hands are freezing, almost numb."

Lu Yao held his hands and blew warm air on them, "Let's go back quickly."

The family hurried back to their lodging. As they entered the courtyard, Brother Huang came over to inquire, "Brother Zhao, how did your little brother do in the exam?"

Zhao Beichuan lowered his head and asked, "Did you answer all the questions?"

Xiaodou nodded, "I answered all the classics, but I'm not sure if the commentary was correct."

Brother Huang laughed, "Your little brother is quite impressive. He might really pass and become a scholar."

Inside the house, Lu Yao quickly lit a fire to boil hot water and cooked a pot of ginger soup to warm everyone up.

Zhao Beichuan rarely praised anyone, "Your sister-in-law and I were worried you wouldn't withstand the cold and would come out halfway through, but it turns out you have some talent."

Xiaodou smiled foolishly. Despite his young age, he had practiced the Five Animals Exercise for a year, making his body stronger than most. This was why Old Master Lin had them practice it in the first place.

The imperial examinations tested not only knowledge and mental fortitude but also physical fitness. Every year, some candidates dropped out due to health issues.

"Can you hold on for tomorrow?"

"No problem!"

To ensure Xiaodou was energetic for the second day of the exam, they turned off the lights after dinner and went to bed early.

*

The county examination lasted three days, a great test of both the candidates' and their families' endurance.

Passing could change one's life dramatically, while failing could mean the end of their academic journey, with no further opportunities to study.

On the third day, when Xiaodou came out of the examination hall, his face was pale, and he looked utterly exhausted.

After several days of exposure to the cold wind, just enduring it was a victory over many. Yesterday, more than thirty people couldn't bear it and ran out without finishing their papers. Today, seven or eight people fell ill and didn't show up for roll call.

Seeing this, Zhao Beichuan quickly carried him, and Xiaodou, exhausted, fell asleep on his big brother's shoulder.

Xiaonian, feeling sorry for her brother, stroked his face, "Studying is really tough. I won't bully Xiaodou anymore."

Lu Yao said, "If you don't work hard when you're young, you'll only regret it when you're old. At Xiaodou's age, no matter how hard it is, it doesn't feel hard. Look at those scholars with gray hair; they don't even have the chance to work hard anymore."

Xiaonian nodded, understanding somewhat.

Xiaodou must have been very tired these past few days. He slept until the evening and accidentally wet the bed...

This was the first time he had wet the bed since he was five, and he was so embarrassed that his face turned red.

While Zhao Beichuan washed the bedding, he laughed, "Our Xiaodou is really amazing, able to take the imperial examinations at the age when he still wets the bed."

Xiaodou covered his face, tears welling up, "Big Brother, please don't say that... I won't wet the bed again..."

Lu Yao and Xiaonian couldn't help but laugh. They thought about telling this story to his colleagues when Xiaodou became an official, just to see their reactions.

*

It would take half a month for the results of the county examination to come out. They planned to return home and wait, knowing that if he passed, the news would spread in the town's government office.

It had been over half a month since they left home, and the whole family was eager to return. They packed their luggage the night before.

Early the next morning, before dawn, Lu Yao returned the key to the landlord. The lease was valid for two more days, but since it was a short-term rental, they agreed not to refund the remaining days.

As the sky began to lighten and the city gates opened, Dahu pulled the cart out of Pingyang County.

The road home always stirred the heart. Zhao Beichuan cracked the whip and hummed an ancient tune without words. His deep, magnetic voice made Lu Yao's heart race and his cheeks flush, leaning his head on Zhao Beichuan's shoulder.

"Once Xiaodou's results come in, if he passes, you won't have to serve the labor duty next year. Then we can take a trip to Prefecture City."

"Alright."

"If he doesn't pass, we'll save up more silver. Two more months should be enough to buy a gentry title."

Zhao Beichuan turned his head and kissed his forehead.

Behind them, Xiaonian and Xiaodou were covering their mouths, giggling. The elder brother and sister-in-law truly had a good relationship.

*

The mule cart traveled for two days, and they stayed at an inn halfway through. This time, with experience, Lu Yao and Zhao Beichuan took turns eating while watching the luggage, ensuring nothing was stolen again.

On the tenth of February, the family finally returned to Qiushui Town.

Seeing the familiar streets, everyone's faces lit up with smiles.

"Oh, isn't that Mr. Lu? Back from the county?" A regular customer greeted them.

Zhao Beichuan held the reins, and Lu Yao smiled, "We're back. The shop will open tomorrow, don't forget to come for a meal."

"Sure thing, I've been waiting for your food!"

Passing through the main street to Xiasanli, Xiaonian and Xiaodou jumped off the cart and ran straight home, while Lu Yao also got off and hurried ahead.

Stopping by the Liu family, Liu Yue saw Xiaonian return and her eyes curved with joy, "Finally, you're back! I've been so bored these past few days."

"Tell me about it, I was also bored in the county and couldn't wait to get home."

Uncle Liu heard the commotion and came out with a key, his teeth showing gaps as he spoke, "Did Xiaodou finish his exams? How did he do?"

Lu Yao took the key and said, "The results will be out in a few days. We don't know yet if he passed."

"He'll definitely pass; I've never seen a smarter kid than him."

After a few more words, Lu Yao hurried back to open the door. He hadn't been home for so long and didn't know how things were, especially whether the money jar buried in the pigsty was still there!

Zhao Beichuan drove the cart into the yard, and Lu Yao opened the door. The room smelled stuffy, so he quickly opened the windows to air it out. Then, he grabbed a shovel and rushed to the pigsty.

The spot where the money was buried hadn't been disturbed. The ground had frozen solid over the past few days, and it took a lot of effort to dig out the jar. Opening it, he found every coin still inside.

Lu Yao felt relieved. This was all their savings, and they couldn't afford to lose it, or their plans to buy a gentry title or open a restaurant would be ruined.

He took out the remaining silver from his bag and counted it. The trip cost four guan and three hundred coins, but the whole silver wasn't touched, only the loose copper coins were used. He put the money back in the jar and hid it under the kang bed.

Zhao Beichuan moved the luggage from the cart into the house and tied the mule, Dahuahua, in the shed, feeding her some hay. She had been quite tired after the journey, so he gave her a few extra handfuls of beans.

Grandpa Liu had taken good care of the chickens. With the weather warming up, they would soon start laying eggs. He cleaned out the chicken coop and fed the chicks some millet.

In the west room, Xiaodou, having finished his exams, relaxed and showed his childlike side, pestering his sister to play catch with beanbags.

The game was simple: throw the beanbag up and grab the beans on the kang bed, seeing who could grab the most.

Xiaodou's short arms often failed to grab the beans before the beanbag fell, making his face turn red with frustration. "That doesn't count, let's do it again, one more time."

"Why are you cheating? I won't play with you anymore."

"Big Sister, I'm sorry, just one more throw."

"Xiaonian, Xiaodou, stop playing and change out of your dirty clothes."

"Okay." The two children found old cotton clothes to wear. Though old, they were thicker than what most children wore.

Xiaonian carried the dirty clothes to the kitchen and helped her sister-in-law boil water.

Suddenly, a knock came from outside, "Is this the home of Zhao Beidou?"

Zhao Beichuan hurried to open the door, "Yes, this is the place. What can I do for you?"

The postman pulled out an envelope from his chest, "There's a letter from Shang Jing. I tried to deliver it a few days ago, but you weren't home."

"Thank you for coming again."

The postman waved his hand and left.

Zhao Beichuan couldn't read the letter, so he brought it inside, "Xiaodou, there's a letter for you. It might be from the Lin family."

Hearing this, Xiaodou jumped up excitedly and immediately tore open the envelope. Inside were seven or eight pages, all written by Lin Zijian.

"To Brother Beidou, it has been several days since our parting in Qiushui Town. I have arrived in Shang Jing. I hope you are well. By the time this letter reaches you, you may have already taken the county exam. I wish you success in advance!"

"Without studying with you, I have become quite lazy and find it hard to muster the energy to study. Grandfather says I will surely fall behind you."

"I am not willing to accept that, so I started studying from the third watch until the end of the ninth watch. It's exhausting, almost to the point of tears, but I must persist and not fall behind you!"

"I miss the meals Sister makes. Although Uncle Yu's cooking is good, it always falls short of Sister's. Even Grandfather thinks his dishes are not as good as Sister's."

"I wonder when you will come to Shang Jing. When you do, I will take you on a boat ride along the Luo River, treat you to Eight Treasures pastry, Yellow Wine Duck, Roast Chicken, Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, and more."

"If you don't pass the county exam, don't be discouraged, Brother Beidou. Grandfather says we are still young and have many opportunities ahead. Don't let one failure dampen your spirit."

"Of course, I hope you pass. That way, you can take the prefectural exam in Ping Prefecture. I'll tell you a secret: Grandfather will be sent to Ping Prefecture to oversee the provincial exam. Perhaps we will see each other soon!"

The letter continued with many interesting stories from Shang Jing.

"The letter is short, but my thoughts are long. There is much more I wish to say." The letter ended with "Your humble brother, Lin Zijian."

Xiaodou read each word, his eyes welling up with tears. The two friends had studied together for a year and formed a deep bond. He missed his friend dearly.

"Sister, I want to write a letter back to Zijian."

"Sure, you go ahead and write it. Once you’re done, I’ll have your elder brother mail it for you."

Xiaodou ran back to the west room, fetched his writing tools, and after a moment’s thought, began to write about his experience taking the county examination, carefully copying down all the questions he could remember on the paper, asking Grandpa Lin to review them.