Chapter 222 Pang Xiaohua
As the first civil service examination in Jinzhou Prefecture approaches, people in Lan County, especially, seem to be suppressing an urge to take the test.
At this moment, in Fanjia Village, the fields and roads were crisscrossed, and smoke rose from the houses. The women of each family began to prepare lunch. Only the village chief was walking on the country road with a crutch and a menacing look. Then he accurately grabbed the hair of the oldest child playing and fishing by the river.
Fan Xiaoniu grimaced in pain and shouted, "Who is it? Ah, Grandpa! Grandpa, I was wrong."
"Hey Fan, you're skipping classes again. Last time I asked you to go to the female soldier selection, you refused. Now you're not going to take the civil service exam again. I'm going to beat you to death right now, you disobedient bastard!"
"Grandpa, Grandpa, I'm your granddaughter! Not your bastard grandson!" Little Fan jumped up and down, and Grandpa Fan grabbed her ear and led them towards the village. "Besides, if I'm your bastard grandson, then you'll be a tortoise forever! Good Grandpa, please let me put on my shoes first - ouch - my ears hurt!"
Old Master Fan was so angry that his face turned blue. He grabbed Little Girl Fan by the ear and walked towards home, cursing, "You're already thirteen years old, a grown-up girl, and you're still taking a bunch of kids fishing in the river! If anything goes wrong, who's going to be held responsible?"
"Grandpa, I'm not even thirteen yet, I'm thirteen in lunar years! Besides, I'm a good swimmer!"
"You're such a piece of shit! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up!"
"Wuwuwu... Grandpa..."
Fanjia Village is bustling with activity every day, but among all the excitement, the most interesting one is the excitement caused by the little girl from the Fan family.
This girl has been like a boy since she was young. She never liked women's work. She only liked to take a group of kids from the village to do things everywhere, such as robbing bird nests, fishing in the river, and catching pheasants in the mountains. She had been beaten countless times, but she was still full of energy the next day.
Everyone was worried about Mr. Fan.
This girl must have been a man in her previous life... How can she get married in this life...
Look, the village has been promoting some kind of civil service exam recently, saying that anyone who passes the exam will be given a job. There are countless children in the village who want to study, but only a few actually get in.
Is the civil service exam really that easy to pass? Doesn't that mean everyone can become an official?
"What's the point of joining in the fun? You can't even write properly, and you still want to go into the city to take the exam? I think you want to go into the city to have fun, right?"
There are many such voices, so even though Xu Zhenying offered generous conditions, the ones with the highest enthusiasm always got the best results.
Fan Xiaoniu is among them.
"Grandpa, I won't go. I don't want to be an official, and I won't pass the exam! Wang Goudan's grades are better than mine, but he knows his own limitations and won't take the exam. It would be a waste of money for you to send me!"
"You're even rebelling! You think I'm harming you by asking you to take the civil service exam? You know how much a civil servant earns a few ounces of silver a month, and how many people are scrambling to get in! You still don't know what's good for you. If your grandfather were a few years younger, I wouldn't even need to beg you!"
Miss Fan was being held by Mr. Fan, unable to break free. She cried and said, "Grandpa, I'm just a girl. Why don't you ask your brother for this kind of honor for the family—"
Fan Xiaoniu was hit hard on the head. "Your brother? Your brother is still shitting in his pants, and you let him go? Fan Xiaoniu, don't be ungrateful. I'm telling you, your teacher Zhao has come to your door, you have to go even if you don't want to. If you miss this opportunity, you will never have the chance again!"
Fan Xiaoniu struggled, but her grandfather had been farming all his life and was very strong, so she was dragged back home.
When I got home, I saw Teacher Zhao as expected.
When facing the teacher, Fan Xiaoniu was still very well-behaved. She shook off her grandfather's hand from a distance, walked forward with a smile and greeted him, bowing respectfully: "Hello, Teacher Zhao!"
Village chief Fan's nose was crooked with anger.
Look at this kid, he behaves one way outside and another way at home.
Village Chief Fan naturally had the skill to change his expression in an instant. Teacher Zhao was the only resident teacher in the village, and he had shamelessly got this position back at the cost of his old age, so naturally he was very polite to Teacher Zhao.
He greeted her with a smile, stroking his beard, but his face couldn't hide his pride. "Teacher Zhao, I brought you little girl Fan. This kid is very wild and has no rules, but she is smart and good at studying-"
Young teacher Zhao was stunned for a moment, then said, "It's okay, it's okay, just let the girl go and play."
What a joke! Teacher Zhao looks like he is only fifteen or sixteen years old, but he can already teach students independently.
And Fan Xiaoniu is still leading people to rub mud!
We are all human beings, why is there such a big difference between us?
Old Master Fan said, "You were looking for her, weren't you? I brought her back to you. It's about the civil servant exam, right? I heard you have to be thirteen or older. My little girl is only twelve, but she's thirteen in her lunar age. Shouldn't that qualify?"
Teacher Zhao took a look at the young and naive Fan Xiaoniu, and when he thought about what it would look like for this fierce Fan Xiaoniu to become an official, his face immediately turned bad.
She said quickly, "The village chief has misunderstood. I'm not here to see Fan Xiaoniu. I'm here to see..." Teacher Zhao tilted his head and pointed at the figure working in the kitchen, "I'm here to see your daughter-in-law Pang Xiaohua—"
"What?"
"What?"
The grandfather and grandson said in unison, both with shocked expressions.
Teacher Zhao had no choice but to repeat, "Mr. Fan, I'm looking for your daughter Pang Xiaohua. Please ask her to come out. I have something to tell her. Of course, I also want to tell you."
Pang Xiaohua, who was busy in the kitchen, didn't seem to hear what was being talked about outside. Only when Mr. Fan called her, she wiped her hands on her apron a little stiffly before coming out.
"Dad, what do you want from me?"
It was the first time that Mr. Fan looked his youngest daughter-in-law up and down like this. Pang Xiaohua had been cautious ever since she married into the Fan family. No, when the old woman was choosing the youngest daughter-in-law, she valued Pang Xiaohua's gentleness, virtue, and easy-to-control temper, so she pinched her nose and promised a betrothal gift of five taels of silver to marry her into the family.
Pang Xiaohua is very hardworking and takes care of everything inside and outside the house. She is also a reserved person who never causes trouble at home. She is well-known for her virtuousness in the surrounding villages.
Mr. Fan motioned her to sit down, and Miss Fan also stared at her young aunt with wide eyes.
Somehow, she felt a little disappointed when Teacher Zhao said he was not looking for her.
Teacher Zhao then said to Mr. Fan, "To be honest, I came here to persuade you to allow Pang Xiaohua to take the civil service exam."
"What, her?"
Pang Xiaohua was also a little at a loss.
But Mr. Fan said, "Teacher Zhao, you must have remembered the wrong person. There was no Pang Shi in our first study class. She couldn't even recognize big characters—"
Pang Xiaohua immediately lowered her head, her face flushed with shame, "Dad, I still recognize a few of them."
Teacher Zhao said, "Pang Xiaohua didn't have time to attend the first literacy training class, but she's enthusiastic and often comes to help me. I sometimes teach her pinyin and arithmetic. Later, I discovered that Pang Xiaohua is very smart and quick-witted. She can easily apply what she's learned to other situations. Once I teach her, she can basically remember everything. Take arithmetic, for example. I only taught her single-digit addition and subtraction, but she could immediately calculate three-digit addition and subtraction. To be honest, I think she's far more talented than I am."
Mr. Fan was shocked.
Fan Xiaoniu was also stunned.
Mr. Fan was still dazed when he heard Teacher Zhao continue, "And judging by Pang Xiaohua's abilities, she's already thoroughly mastered the beginner's course. These past few days, whenever we've had free time, we've been poring over the intermediate course materials together. It makes me blush to say this; those materials were so difficult for me to read, but Pang Xiaohua grasped their essence and is now teaching me. To be honest, Pang Xiaohua's knowledge and talent far surpass mine. I really can't teach her anything anymore. Such talent shouldn't be wasted. I think it wouldn't be a big deal for her to try for the civil servant exam; who knows? She might even have a chance."
Mr. Fang looked at his normally silent and reserved daughter-in-law and asked, "Xiaohua, is what Teacher Zhao said true or false?"
Pang Xiaohua lowered her head and explained hurriedly, "Father-in-law, you were the one who said we should treat our village teachers warmly. I just wanted to go over and see if Teacher Zhao needed any help. I really didn't mean to show off!"
Old Master Fan slapped his thigh and nearly pushed away the young lady Fan who was leaning over to him. "Oh my, it's already this late, and I'm really blaming you for being smart and able to study? If you had the ability, you should have told me earlier... Renhuai, Renhuai!"
Old Master Fan called out to his youngest son outside the door.
Pang Xiaohua looked at Teacher Zhao with horror, as if she was afraid that she had done something wrong and would displease her in-laws.
Teacher Zhao just held her hand and told her not to worry.
Soon, Fan Renhuai walked in, "Dad, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Old Master Fan excitedly dragged Fan Renhuai into the house. Fan Renhuai became shy when he saw Teacher Zhao. Then he saw his wife looking at a loss, and thought he had made some mistake. When he was about to admit his mistake, Old Master Fan slapped him on the back several times, and he almost vomited blood.
"Renhuai, let me tell you, this is incredible! Teacher Zhao said our little girl is smart and good at studying, so she recommended her to take the civil service exam. You know the civil service exam, they say they're recruiting over a hundred people this time. If you pass, you'll get a government salary, which is at least one tael of silver a month!"
Unlike Mr. Fan's excitement, Pang Xiaohua always seemed a little scared.
She bit her lower lip tightly and just shook her head, her eyes misty. "Father-in-law, if I don't go, how can a woman show her face in public to work? If I go, the Fan and Pang families will be criticized and scolded. I can't bring shame to my parents!"
Teacher Zhao said, "Xiaohua, you said women shouldn't show their faces in public, but now I'm showing my face in public. Do you mean I'll be scolded too?"
Pang Xiaohua was so anxious that she almost cried out, "Teacher Zhao, you're different. You're a teacher, you teach and educate people, your status is precious! I'm different. I'm just a farmer. If I went out to work, I'd be laughed to death!"
Old Master Fan slapped his thigh and said anxiously, "Oh my god, what kind of world is this these days? The city lord is just a girl, and the series of female generals under her command are more ferocious than any man. Anyone who dares to say one more word will be forced to do hard labor!"
Pang Xiaohua had never left the village in her life. From Pangjia Village, she walked twenty or thirty miles to reach Fanjia Village. How could she know anything about female generals or city lords? She only knew that Lan County and Ye County had been occupied by bandits, and then there was something about breeding and reading.
Teacher Zhao said earnestly, "Xiaohua, if you're worried about that, there's no need to worry. The city lord is now encouraging women to work. Do you remember those people from the farm who came to the village earlier? There was a Miss Fang among them, don't you remember her?"
Pang Xiaohua nodded.
That Miss Fang was truly a character. She was full of dignity, and her voice was loud and powerful. She was so impressive that she could order a group of men around in circles.
But those men looked respectful and fawning, without any impatience at all.
To be honest, that is really more or less enviable.
"There are a lot of girls working in Lan County now. Not only are there female doctors, accountants, and managers, there are even female soldiers. The newly appointed governor of Qianzhou Prefecture is a girl! She commands thousands of people, so impressive! Who dares to laugh at her for being a woman?"
Old Master Fan also said, "That's right! Xiaohua, the world has changed. You've never been far away. Just go to Lan County and you'll know what the outside world is like. Well, let's not talk about it anymore. I'll take her to the city this afternoon to see the world. Hey, Teacher Zhao, when is the exam?"
"Two days later."
"Well, then, we'll set off the afternoon after tomorrow, take a walk around the city first, and then take the civil service exam the day after tomorrow. Renhuai, you say—"
Fan Renhuai, who was called upon, was also undecided and simply said, "Dad, accommodation in Nalan County is very expensive now. We can't afford it!"
Old Master Fan hit him on the head. "You shortsighted fellow! Our family is about to give birth to a golden phoenix, and you're still concerned about trivial matters. If Xiaohua really passes the civil service exam, our family's fortunes will be transformed. Just wait, even if I go to borrow money today, I'll have to get this much..."
"Father, how can I do this? What if I fail the exam?"
"If you fail the exam, then just go out and see the world!"
"Grandpa, I want to go too! I want to go to the city too!" Little girl Fan tugged at Grandpa Fan's clothes and said, "I want to see the world too!"
Old Master Fan pried her fingers apart. "Humph, I asked you to go and select female soldiers before, but you were afraid of the hardship and fatigue and refused to go. Now you want me to take you to the city? No way!"
"Grandpa, I'm really obedient this time, please let me go."
Fan Xiaoniu is a person who won't release the eagle until she sees the rabbit. In addition, Teacher Zhao actually said that the young aunt is smarter than her. The little bully is a little jealous. "Grandpa, I promise, as long as you take me there once, I will study hard when I come back. Maybe I can get in next year."
"Next year? You're taking the civil servant exam and picking wild vegetables. Just say there are some and they'll come? Humph, I'm afraid next time you have to get the city lord to fight and go to Xingyuan Prefecture! Just wait a few years."
Fan Xiaoniu has always had a strange temper. The more others say she is not good enough, the more rebellious she becomes.
Especially since she originally looked down on this thing, but once someone snatched it away, she thought it was good.
Well, how dare you look down on her, Fan Xiaonv?
She will start studying hard tomorrow. She still doesn't believe that there is someone in this family who is smarter than her, Fan Xiaoniu.
As Old Man Fan was leaving, he looked at his devilish granddaughter, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. This damn girl wouldn't know how powerful she is unless she was given a sense of crisis.
If Fan Xiaoniu had not been the first child in the family, although she was a girl, she had been gifted since childhood. She spoke and walked faster than others, and she often took the children in the village to steal. But this child was really smart and was deeply loved by the whole family, so they indulged her into having the temper she has now.
Mr. Fan often lamented why he was not born a boy.
But now that the city lord is in Jinzhou Prefecture, it doesn’t matter whether the child is a boy or a girl.
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