Chapter 360 Passing the Imperial Examination

Two days later, the results of the provincial examination were released.

Zhang sent someone to check the list early in the morning to see if Xiuwen had passed the imperial examination.

Meng Jinyao was no exception. After breakfast, she sent a servant to check the list to see if her second brother was on it.

Around noon, the servant who had been sent out returned with good news: Gu Xiuwen had passed the imperial examination and become a scholar. The whole family was overjoyed. Xiuwen was the smartest and most clever child among his grandchildren, but also the laziest. He couldn't bear the hardship of studying. After spending more than a year at Lingshan Academy, he could be said to have undergone a complete transformation and worked hard to improve himself.

He studied diligently day and night for over a year, catching up on his knowledge. Coupled with his intelligence, he achieved twice the results with half the effort and passed the county-level examination on his first attempt. If he had studied seriously since childhood, he would have had no problem ranking in the top three.

Besides Gu Xiuwen, Meng Chengzhang was also on the list, and even ranked first, which greatly surprised Meng Jinyao, his older sister.

However, Meng Chengxing, the son of the same Earl of Yongchang, was far inferior. He failed the exam and didn't even get last place, a world apart from Meng Chengzhang, who ranked first in the provincial examination.

Just a moment ago, Zhang was smiling so hard her eyes were practically slits, but the next moment, when she heard that her sister-in-law's younger brother had been ranked first in the imperial examination, her smile faded a bit. The second young master of the Meng family was two years younger than her Xiuwen, but he was already ranked first at such a young age, while her son couldn't even make it into the top ten. It's true what they say, the more you compare yourself to others, the more depressed you become.

Gu Xiuwen didn't think there was anything wrong with it. He was already very happy to pass the county-level imperial examination. After all, even his teacher didn't dare to guarantee it, only saying that he should be able to pass if he performed normally. When he learned that his good friend Meng Chengzhang was the top scholar, he was even happier. He said with a smile, "Third Aunt, I made a bet with Second Uncle before. I said he would definitely be in the top three. He thought it was impossible. Now that he has become the top scholar, I have won."

He used to call Meng Chengzhang "Second Uncle" like Gu Xiuming did. Now that Gu Xiuming has been exiled and expelled from the clan, he still calls Meng Chengzhang "Second Uncle" in public. He only calls him by his name in private. The reason is simple: he feels that if his third uncle and aunt adopt another child, that child will be his brother, and his brother's uncle will be his elder. It's right to call him "Uncle" like his brother.

Meng Jinyao asked with a smile, "Xiuwen, what did you bet with Chengzhang about?"

Gu Xiuwen truthfully said, "I made a bet with my second uncle. If I win, he will wash my clothes for three days. If he wins, I will wash his clothes for three days."

Meng Jinyao nodded with a smile: "I see. Then when you get back to the academy, just ask your second uncle to wash your clothes for three days in a row."

Gu Xiuwen laughed and said, "With my third aunt's words, I'm not afraid even though my second uncle is an elder."

Seeing her youngest son acting this way, Zhang suddenly felt that her son was a bit dim-witted, calling him "Second Uncle" so affectionately.

But then I thought, maybe the third branch of the family will consider having Xiuwen adopted in the future? After all, Xiuwen is a child that his brother-in-law watched grow up, and he knows him inside and out. There won't be a situation like Xiuming's. In that case, the second young master Meng will be a proper uncle.

Even if Xiuwen is not adopted, he is on good terms with his third sister-in-law's brother. In the future, his third brother will definitely help his sister-in-law's brother. If his sister-in-law's brother becomes successful, Xiuwen will also benefit from it.

Thinking this, Zhang became happy again, feeling that her youngest son was clever and insightful.

Passing the imperial examination was a joyous occasion. According to custom, the Gu family would hold a family banquet and open the ancestral hall to worship their ancestors, informing them of the good news so that their spirits in heaven could rest in peace and that the Gu family's descendants would be successful and would not bring ruin to the Gu family.

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The Yongchang Earl's Mansion.

Old Madam Meng and Meng Dongyuan waited anxiously at home for the servant who had come to check the results to return. Both of their children were taking the provincial examination, and the elders were quite nervous.

Meng Chengzhang and Meng Chengxing, as the parties involved, were also nervous, but the reasons for their nervousness were different.

Meng Chengzhang wanted to make himself stronger so that he could become his elder sister's support. He always felt that even though his brother-in-law loved his elder sister now, the future was uncertain, and she still needed her maternal family to rely on. His profit-driven father was unreliable, and he had to become strong.

Meng Chengxing, on the other hand, was thinking about surpassing his second brother. As long as he passed the imperial examination, his grandmother and father would value him the most. Even if he and his second brother passed the imperial examination at the same time, they would still value him the most. But if he failed the examination and his second brother passed, his grandmother and father would likely favor his second brother, and he would fall out of favor.

When the servant who had been sent out ran back with a joyful expression, Old Madam Meng and Meng Dongyuan knew there was good news, and the mother and son beamed with joy.

Even Madam Dong had a smile on her face. No matter which scholar passed the imperial examination, her husband would be happy. When her husband was happy, he would be much easier to talk to. Otherwise, he would be stern and unhappy, and she would have to coax him. Her husband was furious about the incident where her stepdaughter and the Qin family girl made a scene in the street. As a result, she had to be careful with her words these past two days. Fortunately, the marriage agreement between the Xiao family and the Qin family was not broken, otherwise her husband would be even angrier.

Madam Meng asked, "What place did the young master rank?"

Upon hearing this, the servant hesitated, then said, "This..."

Meng Dongyuan assumed his son's ranking was low, so he said, "Tell me, it doesn't matter if the ranking is low. The young master is only thirteen years old. It's already quite good to pass the county-level exam at thirteen."

After hearing this, the servant looked nervously at the young master and then at the second young master, and stammered, "I have looked at the list three times, and the young master's name is not on the list."

Not on the list?

Upon hearing this, both Madam Meng and Meng Dongyuan were stunned. They had never expected this outcome. Even if Chengxing's ranking wasn't high, they shouldn't have failed to make the list. Before the exam, Chengxing was full of confidence, and after the exam, they said they had done reasonably well.

Soon, the mother and son comforted themselves, saying that Chengxing was still young and would definitely be able to do it next time.

Hearing this, Meng Chengxing felt disappointed, but not too upset. He was only thirteen years old and could take the exam again next time. As long as his second brother also failed, his position would not be threatened.

Seeing that his masters looked displeased, the servant stammered, "But...but the second young master...he's on the list."

Upon hearing this, Meng Chengxing suddenly looked at his second brother. The slight disappointment he had felt earlier was magnified infinitely in an instant, overwhelming him like a tidal wave, as if it wanted to devour him.

Madam Meng and Meng Dongyuan's expressions immediately improved. Chengzhang was also their child, and it was a joyous occasion that Chengzhang had passed the imperial examination.

However, Chengxing failed the imperial examination and became a Xiucai. Chengzhang, who was a year older than Chengxing, studied for a year longer and probably didn't rank well either, barely making the list. But becoming a Xiucai at fourteen was still quite an achievement and brought honor to the Meng family.

Seeing that her husband and mother-in-law were smiling, Madam Dong smiled as well and asked, "What place did the second young master get in the exam?"