Chapter 85 Returning Home (Third Update)

When the innkeeper learned that one of the candidates staying there had achieved the top score in the prefectural examination, he immediately refunded the room fees for Xiao Liulang and his two companions, and also covered their meals, providing them with the most expensive food and drinks. He even offered to send his waiter out to buy anything that the inn did not have.

Although Feng Lin had already passed the imperial examination and become a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), his grades were not outstanding, so he had never received such treatment.

This time, following Xiao Liulang, he had quite a moment of glory.

It's worth mentioning that Xiao Liulang did so well in the exam that his essay circulated on the very day the results were announced. Naturally, many people came wanting to befriend him, but Xiao Liulang turned them all away.

The imperial examination system of this dynasty has undergone significant adjustments compared to the previous dynasty. In the previous dynasty, after the prefectural examination, one had to wait two to three months for the provincial examination. However, in this dynasty, the provincial examination is scheduled for the very second day after the prefectural examination results are released.

During the ten days of waiting for the results, most candidates spent their time in fear and anxiety. Just when they were sure they had passed, they didn't even have a chance to catch their breath before having to enter the next round of exams.

This undoubtedly increases the pressure on test takers.

The provincial examination consisted of two sessions, testing candidates on the eight-legged essay and the classics.

The difficulty of the post-examination was comparable to that of the prefectural examination, and the eight-legged essay was still set by Governor Zhuang.

Xiao Liulang has already won two top honors in the provincial examination; if he wins the top honor in the provincial examination, he will achieve the "Triple Crown" (a prestigious honor in the imperial examinations).

Pingcheng had not produced a top scholar in the imperial examinations for nearly ten years, and all the officials in the prefectural government had high hopes for Xiao Liulang. However, to everyone's surprise, Xiao Liulang submitted a blank paper for the imperial examinations.

The scope of the provincial examination and the prefectural examination was not much different; both required candidates to be familiar with the three classics. However, the number of questions was greater and the question types were more tricky. But it was still impossible to submit a blank paper.

Of course, in every round of exams, there is always the possibility of unexpected situations arising for test takers—once, a student soiled his exam paper, rendering the entire paper invalid.

That was the provincial examination held once every three years, and a candidate's three years of hard work went down the drain.

But submitting a blank paper is still extremely rare.

In particular, the subject of this blank paper was Xiao Liulang, who had left a deep impression on Prefect Zhuang during the prefectural examination.

If Governor Zhuang remembers correctly, there were twelve examiners reviewing the papers this time, and eleven of them graded Xiao Liulang's essay as Grade A.

The only one who wasn't awarded Grade A was Prefect Zhuang.

He gave Xiao Liulang B.

However, if one knew that Governor Zhuang had given everyone else only the lowest rank, one could see just how remarkable Xiao Liulang's achievement was.

Of the eleven top-ranked scholars, even if the calligraphy was just a random mess, it would still rank in the top ten. Yet, Xiao Liulang ended up third from the bottom.

This surprised Governor Zhuang.

He pulled up the exam paper and found it was blank.

Governor Zhuang had Xiao Liulang's previous examination papers from the prefectural examinations retrieved.

If Xiao Liulang's examination paper had been poorly written, the matter might have passed. However, Xiao Liulang's examination paper was a perfect score.

In other words, he didn't get any questions wrong.

"And he only used half an hour!" said the invigilator who came to deliver the exam papers.

This examiner was the one who sat directly opposite Xiao Liulang during the prefectural examination.

The exam papers were anonymous, so once they were handed in, no one knew whose paper it was. However, after Xiao Liulang topped the prefectural exam, his essays became widely known. The proctor secretly went to the inn to see what this top-scoring candidate looked like, who could produce such an extraordinary essay. He discovered that the candidate was the same one who had only spent half an hour writing the classics and miscellaneous essays.

Governor Zhuang has too high a standard.

To him, it was nothing special to get all the answers right, but to do it in just half an hour would be truly amazing.

Of all the people he knew, only the late Marquis Zhaodu could have done better than this candidate.

Governor Zhuang immediately sent someone to the inn to find Xiao Liulang and inquire about the situation.

“I didn’t hand in a blank paper,” Xiao Liulang said.

If what Xiao Liulang said is true, then someone tampered with his exam paper, which is a serious matter.

The management of examination papers in the imperial examinations was quite strict. When each candidate handed in their paper, two invigilators would go together to collect it and simultaneously press their fingerprints when annotating the papers to prove that they were the ones who collected them.

If there are any problems with the exam papers, the two of them will be held accountable.

It's worth noting that all invigilators were paired up by drawing lots upon entering the examination hall. Like the examinees, they were not allowed to contact the outside world once inside, until the end of the exam.

It's easy to bribe one person, but it's too difficult to bribe two at the same time, because no one can guarantee that the two bribed people will happen to be assigned to the same examination room as Xiao Liulang.

Nevertheless, Magistrate Luo still summoned the people who collected the papers and questioned them. Both of them stated that they had not done anything wrong.

"But the paper was blank?"

"I don't know. Before handing in their papers, students would cover them with a piece of white paper. This was to prevent us from examining their handwriting."

Governor Zhuang nodded, then turned to Prefect Luo and said, "After passing through their hands, the exam papers were sealed with the names, right? They weren't opened until all the invigilators had finished grading them. I'm quite curious, how did that person recognize Xiao Liulang's exam paper and successfully switch it with a blank one?"

Prefect Luo thought for a moment and said, "There are two ways: one is to distribute the papers, and the other is to grade them. Xiao Liulang was the top scorer in the prefectural examination, and he sat first in the provincial examination, which is the rule. The first paper distributed will be his, so we can tamper with it beforehand, and even if the papers are later anonymized, we can still identify his paper."

Alternatively, an examiner might have obtained Xiao Liulang's examination paper from the prefectural examination and noted down Xiao Liulang's notes. When reviewing the examination papers, the examiner might have recognized Xiao Liulang's paper based on the notes.

Regardless of the method, there are bound to be examiners who engage in dishonest practices!

The examiners for the prefectural examination and the provincial examination were not the same group, precisely to avoid anyone remembering the candidates' handwriting and thus affecting their judgment.

However, it cannot be ruled out that someone might have secretly obtained the examination papers for the prefectural examination, since the confidentiality of the papers would be greatly reduced after the grading was completed.

Apart from Prefect Zhuang, the eleven examiners were all taken into a secret room and subjected to severe interrogation by Prefect Luo.

Despite the severe punishment, Magistrate Luo actually managed to uncover the real culprit.

The examiner was surnamed Wu, who had worked diligently in the examination hall for twenty years. He was as honest as an antique, and Prefect Luo originally thought he was the least likely candidate.

It seems that not betraying someone isn't a sign of high moral character, but rather that the stakes aren't high enough.

"That man gave me a thousand taels of silver and told me to destroy Xiao Liulang's exam paper. I had prepared ink and planned to make it look like Xiao Liulang himself had accidentally stained the paper. I've seen this kind of thing many times; they just treat the paper as scrap and no one bothers to verify it. But before I could do anything, Lord Wang, whom I had sent away, returned."

My hand slipped and I spilled ink on myself. There wasn't time to find more ink, but luckily I had a few blank exam papers nearby, so I grabbed one to use instead.

"What did that person look like?"

"He was wearing a mask, so I couldn't see him clearly."

"The sound? How high?"

"I don't remember... I really don't remember!"

Prefect Luo reported the results of the interrogation to Governor Zhuang.

Generally speaking, if cheating occurs in the imperial examinations, all the candidates' papers will be invalidated and they will have to retake the exam. This not only causes significant damage to the government but also devastates many candidates.

Exams are always a combination of ability and luck. No one can guarantee that they will perform better in the next exam than in this one, nor can they guarantee that other candidates will not take advantage of the situation to overtake them.

Of course, for candidates who failed the exam, this is undoubtedly a golden opportunity.

The problem is that even though Xiao Liulang had his paper replaced with a blank one, he still passed the academy examination with eleven A grades and one B grade.

In other words, those who were supposed to be admitted were admitted, and those who failed were meant to fail. The only difference is that their rankings may have moved up one place, while Xiao Liulang lost his top spot.

Magistrate Luo sighed, "That person probably didn't expect that Xiao Liulang could still pass the provincial examination even in such a state. It's just a pity that Xiao Liulang should have had the opportunity to become the top scholar."

Governor Zhuang said solemnly, “This matter can be big or small. If we look at it from a long-term perspective, it is a small matter; but if we stop here in our lives, then it is a big matter.”

The minor three-fold honors are enough for a scholar to enjoy a period of glory, but only for a short time.

If he truly wanted to make a name for himself, he had to continue taking the provincial examinations, and only after passing them could he go to the capital for the imperial examinations.

The provincial examination was not the end of the journey; on the contrary, it was the starting point of the imperial examination system.

Governor Zhuang said, "The decision to make this matter rests with him. Go and ask him if a re-examination is necessary."

The re-examination was not just his re-examination, but all those who participated in the academy examination had to go through the two examinations of the eight-legged essay and the post-classical examination again.

Magistrate Luo went to the inn.

He met Xiao Liulang and subtly explained his purpose, asking Xiao Liulang if he wanted to retake the exam.

Xiao Liulang didn't answer him directly. Instead, he opened the window and let him see the students in the lobby on the first floor exchanging their results. The list had already been posted. Those who failed looked dejected, while those who passed were beaming with pride.

At that moment, no one knew what he was going through inside.

“Aren’t all these candidates innocent?” he suddenly said.

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Luo was taken aback, and after a long while, he said in a hoarse voice, "Yes, after all, you did not fail the exam, so it is impossible for any of them to have taken up an extra spot in the provincial examination."

Xiao Liulang looked at the candidates and said, "If we have to retake the exam, some of them might fail, right?"

Magistrate Luo sighed and nodded. This was inevitable. People's mentality had collapsed during the retake, making it difficult for them to perform normally.

"And what about you, Prefect Luo?" Xiao Liulang asked.

"I...what?" Magistrate Luo was stunned.

Xiao Liulang said, "I heard that Prefect Luo's term is coming to an end. The re-examination of the provincial examination is a major event that needs to be reported to the court. If he is given a major demerit, it will affect Prefect Luo's re-election, right?"

Magistrate Luo nodded helplessly.

The current dynasty has extremely strict control over the imperial examinations. Once someone is caught cheating and has to retake the exam, their official career is essentially over.

Xiao Liulang asked unhurriedly, "Prefect Luo, how much do you think your future is worth?"

Magistrate Luo was taken aback!

Is this kid openly extorting him?

Xiao Liulang said calmly, "The prefect is an honest official and certainly cannot afford much silver. However, that person must have spent a considerable amount of money bribing the examiners, right? I am the victim, shouldn't you compensate me for that?"

He could buy back his future without spending a penny and still gain a reputation as an honest official.

This deal is a great one!

Magistrate Luo plunged headfirst into the deep pit dug by Xiao Liulang: "Of course, of course, I will definitely send all one thousand taels to Xiao the examinee!"

Xiao Liulang added, "Furthermore, if no one tampered with the exam papers, I would be a top scholar in all three categories. Prefect Luo wouldn't deny that, would he?"

Prefect Luo nodded vigorously: "Of course! Both I and the Governor have witnessed Xiao's abilities!"

Xiao Liulang sighed softly, "But there's a bonus for winning the Little Three Excellence Award, and I can't get that bonus now."

Prefect Luo: "..."

Why does this pit seem a bit big?

The prize money for the "Little Three Scholars" was funded by the imperial court and distributed through various government departments: one from the prefectural government, one from the examination hall, and one from the county government, totaling a full one hundred taels.

Furthermore, since Pingcheng Prefecture had not produced a top scholar in ten years, the prize money had already doubled.

In other words, Xiao Liulang should have received a reward of two hundred taels.

However, given the current situation, it is naturally impossible to use public funds.

In other words, Magistrate Luo had to pay for it himself.

Magistrate Luo: I was so naive to think I could get away with not spending a single penny. I was so stupid, really!

The cheating scandal ended with Magistrate Luo coughing up blood as he reached into his pocket.

Governor Zhuang was a distant relative of Prefect Luo, and since the person involved did not pursue the matter, he did not report it to the imperial court.

Magistrate Luo's official hat was saved, and the candidates no longer needed to be anxious; everyone was happy.

As for the person who cheated, it is likely that he was a candidate who was jealous of Xiao Liulang's results and wanted to bring him down.

Magistrate Luo said he would continue his investigation in secret.

When Xiao Liulang returned to the village, it was already early April. The village was filled with the warmth of late spring. The willow branches by the pond had sprouted tender buds, hanging down to the water like a floating jade bead curtain.

The crops in the fields have also sprouted, and they are lush and green as far as the eye can see.

He came to the village around this time last year; who could have imagined that a year would have passed in the blink of an eye?

Uncle Zhang, who had just returned from the fields, turned to Aunt Zhang behind him and said, "Honey, isn't that Liu Lang?"

Aunt Zhang had better eyesight than her husband. After looking at him, she nodded vigorously: "Isn't that Liu Lang? Oh! The scholar is back!"

She turned her head and called out to the villagers who were working in the fields.

Xiao Liulang's results had already reached the village. Although he failed the provincial examination, he still topped the county and prefectural examinations and was awarded the title of Linsheng.

This is the second student from the village to receive a stipend since Gu Dashun.

As early as this morning, the county government officials delivered several dozen kilograms of grain.

That white rice looks even better than Gu Dashun's!

The villagers seemed to be meeting Xiao Liulang for the first time, wanting to approach him but not daring to.

After all, times have changed; he's a scholar now!

"Uncle Zhang, Aunt Zhang," Xiao Liulang greeted the two.

This family is full of kind-hearted people. When Gu Jiao Kui had abdominal pain, it was Aunt Zhang who lent brown sugar to Xiao Liu Lang.

The two were so flattered that they couldn't even keep up with the conversation!

Afterwards, Xiao Liulang encountered several more villagers. He greeted them all, neither overly enthusiastic nor overly indifferent, just as aloof as ever.

Finally, he arrived at his doorstep.

Because he didn't give any advance notice, his family didn't know he was coming back today.

The sound of Xiao Jingkong's beeping came from the backyard.

Xiao Liulang stepped inside.

In the sun-drenched backyard, Gu Jiao was washing Xiao Jingkong's hair.

Little Jingkong's round, bald head had sprouted green hair stubble. He asked Gu Jiao with great pride how long his hair had grown and whether it was longer than it had been a few days ago.

The old lady sat on a rattan chair to the side, watching the little monk Xiaomei emerge from his bath while eating sunflower seeds.

Sitting on a small stool next to her was Xue Ningxiang's one-year-old son, Gou Dan.

Dog Egg is slowly munching on a corncob.

Xiao Jingkong was the first to discover Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Jingkong lowered his head and looked back from under his crotch, and immediately saw Xiao Liulang lying down!

After recognizing him for a while, he exclaimed, "Huh? Bad brother-in-law?"

Gu Jiao paused in her scooping of water and quietly turned her head away.

More than a month has passed since I last saw her, and everyone in the family has changed. Xiao Jingkong has grown a long hair stick, and the old lady seems to be getting younger and younger. She seems to have grown taller and has a more youthful and beautiful appearance.

Her birthmark was still on her face, but it didn't look like an ugly red spot. Instead, it resembled a beautiful flower, blooming with a bright and moving color amidst her cool and lonely temperament.

Her beauty was as lovely as peach blossoms and plums.

He had grown taller, and the boyish air between his brows had faded, replaced by a refined and scholarly air.

The two of them just stared at each other blankly, neither of them saying a word.

"Sixth Brother's back?" The old lady turned around cheerfully. "Did he bring anything good to eat?"

Xiao Liulang snapped out of his daze: "I brought it."

As he spoke, he stepped forward, but without looking at the threshold, he stumbled and nearly fell.

Gu Jiao calmly turned around and continued to give Xiao Jingkong a bath.

But as soon as she poured a ladle of water in, she heard Xiao Jingkong cry out, "Ouch! It's so cold!"

Gu Jiao was extremely embarrassed.

You scooped up the wrong water.

Today's total is 12,000 words, which is the usual six-chapter word count. Enjoy!

(End of this chapter)