Chapter 68: Heading to the Exam

Chapter 68: The Exam Trip

Spring came fast. Once the first lunar month was over, tender grass started poking up along the field edges. By the third month, wildflowers were blooming all over the hillsides.

As the weather started warming up, Li Wan's due date came. After a few rough hours of labor, she safely delivered a baby girl.

It was a huge joy for the Yan family, but Yan Fengan, who was at the academy, didn't come home.

With less than six months to go before the autumn provincial exam, he'd turned down every social event at the academy to focus on studying. He didn't even come home for Qingming or the Dragon Boat Festival.

He didn't finally make it back home until late May. This trip wasn't for a break either—he was set to leave for the prefectural city on the sixth day of the sixth month, so he had to use these few days to get his travel money and exam paperwork ready.

The Yan family had been getting ready for this day for a long while. Chen Lanfang pulled out a small bundle of silver and counted it out in front of Yan Fengan: "Most of the silver we've saved over the years is right here—fifty taels total. That should cover your exam expenses."

Yan Fengan only took thirty taels: "There are still a lot of mouths to feed at home. Keep some for yourselves."

Chen Lanfang pushed the other twenty taels over to him too: "I've heard everything in the prefectural city costs an arm and a leg—food and lodging are way more expensive than here. Take more silver so you can get around easier. You don't want to be strapped for cash and end up a laughingstock."

Even though she and Yan Shichang were simple country folk, having a son taking the imperial exams meant they paid more attention to these things than most.

From Lin'an County to the prefectural city by boat took about ten days. The round-trip fare alone would run several taels, not to mention finding a place to stay and socializing once you got there—everything cost money.

Yan Fengan said, "It's not that bad. I'm going to take the exam, not live it up. If I'm careful, thirty taels is plenty."

"Mom knows you're thinking about the family, but this silver was meant for you from the start. Enough—don't argue. I've set aside money for the household. Just take it all." Chen Lanfang tied up the heavy bundle and put it in his arms, warning him, "Be careful—don't lose it."

A big bundle of silver like that was way too noticeable in one package. Back in the room, Wen Xi pulled out the money pouches he'd made and split the silver into several smaller lots.

The pouch at his waist was for everyday stuff—loose silver and copper coins. Big silver ingots would draw too much attention if pulled out, so Wen Xi sewed hidden pockets into his clothes and his luggage. As long as Yan Fengan didn't lose the bundle, nobody would be able to steal the silver easily.

When he saw Wen Xi pull out another twenty taels from the money chest, Yan Fengan quickly grabbed his hand to stop him: "Enough, enough, really. How could I possibly need that much silver?"

He'd already done the math in his head: round-trip boat fare would be about six taels. They'd get there two months early; for room and board, counting at least two hundred wen a day, that'd be about ten taels. As for writing supplies and paying for guarantors, that'd come to about another ten taels.

As for all that other social stuff—for someone from a poor family like his, that wasn't necessary. Once he got to the prefectural city, he only needed to go see the academy head's old classmate.

Fifty taels was already more than enough. There was no need for Wen Xi to add anything else.

"Didn't you say to invest in me early? If you don't give me silver, how's that an investment?" Wen Xi remembered what he'd said before.

Yan Fengan was about to say he could save it for the next investment, but that sounded like bad luck, so he smiled instead: "Even if you don't invest, I'll still work like a mule for you when I get back."

Wen Xi sighed: "I was only kidding."

"What joke? I'm serious." Seeing the worry on Wen Xi's face, Yan Fengan took his hand and said, "I'll be back in three months at the latest. Take good care of yourself at home."

Wen Xi nodded, put the silver back in the chest, and packed up the new clothes and shoes the family had made for Yan Fengan.

With the silver ready, the next day Yan Fengan went into town to find guarantors.

Under this dynasty's imperial exam rules, every shengyuan taking the provincial exam had to have two stipend-receiving xiucai vouch for them, certifying they came from a clean family and hadn't cheated—like using a fake identity or taking the exam for someone else.

Without guarantors, they couldn't even get through the exam hall doors.

The good thing about studying at the academy was that students didn't have to go to a lot of trouble finding help themselves—the academy head had already set things up. They just needed to bring some silver and small gifts to visit Instructor Liu at the county school and Scholar Hu down in the south part of town.

Yan Fengan went to the county school first to see Instructor Liu. Liu flipped through his papers, confirmed everything was in order, then signed the guaranty and pressed his thumbprint.

When Yan Fengan handed over the silver and gifts, Instructor Liu took them with a smile: "I heard from your academy head that you're really good at classical interpretation and essay writing. Once you get to the prefectural city, relax and do your best. Aim to pass and become a juren—bring some glory to the whole county."

Yan Fengan nodded his thanks, left the county school, and went to find Scholar Hu in the south part of town.

Scholar Hu was in his fifties and had failed the provincial exam three times. Over the years, besides getting his stipend from the county school, he also made extra money vouching for examinees.

This year, quite a few examinees from their county were taking the autumn exam, and a lot of them came to him to vouch for them. Three to five taels a head was enough to keep him going for a year or two.

Before he'd even left the county town, Yan Fengan had already dropped six taels on those two guaranty papers. If not for the family's savings, that one fee alone would've been enough to break a person.

With the guaranty papers in hand, there was nothing left to get ready. On the morning of the sixth day of the sixth month, just as dawn was breaking, Yan Fengan got on an ox cart driven by his two older brothers to head to the county dock.

Except for He Jin and Li Wan, who stayed home to look after the kids, Wen Xi and Yan's parents went into town with him.

At the dock, a passenger boat was already waiting. A dozen or so people stood on the shore—young scholars carrying luggage cases, parents trailing behind with last-minute reminders, and wives and husbands wiping tears from their eyes.

Thinking of him going so far away for several months, Chen Lanfang's heart ached: "Sanlang, you must take care of yourself when you get there. Whether you pass or not, the most important thing is to return safely."

Yan Shichang reached out and patted his shoulder: "Your mother is right. If you truly don't pass, don't be discouraged. Your family won't blame you. We'll all be waiting at home for your return."

Though they held hopes, they all knew that becoming a juren was no easy feat—otherwise, so many wouldn't remain xiucai their entire lives until old age or death.

"Don't worry, I won't get stuck in a dead end. As they say, do your best and leave the rest to fate. I'll give it my all."

Yan Fengan appeared calm on the surface, but in truth, looking at his entire family placing all their hopes on him, his heart felt as if it were weighed down by several thousand-pound stones.

He silently told himself: no matter what, he absolutely had to pass this time.

The Yan family had already said everything they wanted to say. Wen Xi had no further admonitions to give. He had no other wishes—only that Yan Fengan's journey would go smoothly.

He stepped forward to straighten Yan Fengan's collar and whispered words only the two of them could understand: "I've already lost you once. I don't want to lose you a second time. No matter what, you must come back safely."

Yan Fengan looked down at him and said earnestly, "I will."

Just as they were speaking, Fang Mutian, who had arrived late, waved at him from behind: "Brother Yan."

Yan Fengan waved back in acknowledgment. There were five students from their academy participating in the provincial examination this year—besides himself and Fang Mutian, there were also Wang Ziqing, Zhao Zicheng, and Zhou Mian.

All the examinees from the county had gradually arrived. Seeing that the time was nearly up, Yan Fengan bid farewell to his family and boarded the boat with his luggage case.

Standing by the gunwale, he turned to look at the shore one last time, waving goodbye to Wen Xi and the others.

Wen Xi raised his hand and waved back. The boat slowly left the shore, the sail rose, and it drifted downstream with the current.

The figures on the shore grew smaller and smaller, and the boat gradually blurred into a tiny dot on the river, until neither could see the other anymore—only then did each turn away.

The boat was rented with money from the county office and several local country gentry, making it more spacious and comfortable than ordinary passenger boats.

But no matter how comfortable the boat, for those who had never traveled by water, it was still an ordeal.

While sailing on the small river, the boat moved slowly, and Yan Fengan felt no discomfort. But when they turned into the great river, the water surface suddenly widened, the current grew much swifter, the sail billowed in the wind, and the entire boat began to pitch and toss in the waves.

"Brother Yan..." Fang Mutian beside him suddenly grabbed Yan Fengan's arm, his face turning pale: "I feel... I feel a bit... a bit like..."

Before he could finish, he clamped his hand over his mouth, staggered to his feet, rushed to the bow, gripped the gunwale, and began vomiting violently.

His vomiting was like a spark landing on dry tinder—one after another, the examinees in the cabin began to throw up.

Yan Fengan's stomach had only been slightly churning. After drinking a couple of mouthfuls of water to settle it, he could have held it in. But hearing the cacophonous sounds of vomiting around him, his stomach turned as well. He leaned over the gunwale and dry-heaved twice, though nothing came up.

The helmsman, chewing on his pipe, glanced back at the examinees sprawled over the gunwale and said cheerfully: "That's how it is the first time on a boat. Just get through the first three days and you'll be fine."

He'd seen this kind of misery way too many times. Now it just struck him as funny—he couldn't muster any pity anymore.

The river breeze, reeking of water, hit Yan Fengan in the face. One hand on the railing, the other rubbing his chest, he listened to Wang Ziqing beside him grumble between breaths: "If I'd known the boat ride would be this rough... I should've listened to my mom... and gone by land..."

Another examinee chimed in, "You said it... even renting... even just renting a mule cart would beat this."

The overland route took longer than the water route—ten days by boat versus at least fifteen by land. If Yan Fengan had to choose, he would still prefer the water route.

After all, the boatman had just said that if they could just get through the first three days, it wouldn't be so bad.

But even those three days were pure misery. The first day, they still had the energy to complain. By the second, all they could do was groan. By the third, they were sprawled all over the cabin, limbs so weak they couldn't even throw up, let alone stand.

But unlike what the boatman said, most people didn't get used to it after three days. A lot of them still felt awful even after getting off the boat.

Yan Fengan did a bit better. He felt just as bad as everyone else for the first five days, but over the last five, his body slowly got used to it and recovered.

Of the five of them, Fang Mutian and Wang Ziqing had it the worst. By the time they reached the city dock, their arms and legs were still like jelly. After getting off the boat, they plopped down on the stone steps of the dock, clutching their stomachs and gasping, "Let's catch our breath, just catch our breath."

Yan Fengan and the other two helped haul the luggage off the boat. Once the two of them had caught their breath a little, Yan Fengan said, "Let's find a cheap place to crash first."

"Cheap or expensive, as long as I can eat and sleep, that's all I care about. Right now, I don't want anything except a place to lie down." Even after getting off the boat, Wang Ziqing still felt like he was rocking.

Yan Fengan said, "Hang in there a little longer. Let me ask around for directions to the exam hall. We should find an inn near there."

Just as he was looking around for someone to ask, a scrawny guy came up, rubbing his hands together eagerly: "You fellas here for the exams? I know where the exam hall is and which inn nearby's the cheapest. Want me to take you there?"

Yan Fengan wasn't born yesterday. He asked, "How much? If it's too pricey, we'll pass."

The man said, "Cheap as can be. It's per head—five coppers each. For the five of you, that's twenty-five coppers."

Yan Fengan glanced at his fellow students, and seeing them all nod eagerly, he said, "Take us there first, and we'll pay when we get there."

"Alright, right this way, gents." The man glanced at Wang Ziqing and the others, who could barely stand, and added, "We've also got sedan chairs over there. If either of you needs one, I can set it up right away—just twenty coppers a head."

Fang Mutian didn't want to waste money on that and shook his head. "No need."

Seeing him turn it down, Wang Ziqing didn't push it.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, the man stopped in front of an inn called the Qingyun Inn. He walked in like he owned the place and called out to the guy inside fiddling with an abacus, "Manager Xu, brought you some exam takers. Take good care of 'em."

Once the man left with his money, Yan Fengan asked, "Manager, how much a night to stay here?"

Manager Xu said, "The big dormitory's thirty coppers a night, and a private room's a hundred."

Fang Mutian's heart dropped, and he muttered, "A hundred coppers a night? That's way too much."

Manager Xu didn't seem offended by his comment and replied kindly, "This price is considered cheap around here. It's also because you gentlemen arrived early. In a little while, you won't find a place for even a tael of silver."

Examinees from dozens of counties all flooded into the city for the exams, and the closer the autumn examination drew, the harder it became to find lodging near the examination hall.

Everyone understood this logic. Yan Fengan pondered for a moment and said, "There are many of us, and we'll be staying for a long time. Could you give us a discount, Manager?"

"The dormitory price is fixed, but if you want private rooms, I can give you ninety coppers a night."

Yan Fengan didn't haggle further and turned to his fellow students, asking, "What do you all think?"

Wang Ziqing was too exhausted to fuss: "Let's just stay here. Manager, hurry up and give us a room, and have the attendant bring some hot water. We want to wash up first."

"Very well, please register here first."

After paying half a month's rent upfront, the group finally had a place to stay in the city.