The weeping mother was stunned. She hadn't expected that even though she had given her second son a way out, he wouldn't take it!
“That’s your older brother! I’ve heard from the villagers that this job is really good. Are you stupid to give it to these outsiders instead of your brother’s family?”
Aunt Zhao, Aunt Zhang, and Aunt Wu couldn't help but mutter, "Who told her that?"
"Go back and ask him properly!"
"Isn't this just asking for trouble? From now on, you can't tell anyone Shuiqing didn't choose, otherwise it'll mean you don't want this job."
The other women nodded in agreement.
It seems I need to keep my mouth shut no matter what I do in the future, otherwise I might ruin everything.
I don't even know if I can keep this job today...
Fan Jin looked at his mother quietly without saying a word.
When Fan's mother saw that her second son did not respond, she cried for a while but could not cry anymore. She could only speak up and pressure him: "Your mother is still at your eldest brother's house, relying on your eldest brother's family to take care of me in my old age and see me off when I die. If you don't let them have a good life, then you are making me have a bad life!"
"You are unfilial to your own mother. How can you, a scholar, even aspire to take the imperial examinations? How can an unfilial person become an official?"
Fan Jin nodded and said softly, "Mother is right, so I will not participate in the imperial examinations. I will just teach the children in the village to read and write from now on."
"That's fine. As long as the villagers are willing to send their children to me for instruction, I won't charge any fees."
Shuiqing initially saw Fan's mother sitting on the ground, patting the ground and crying. She realized that this was not the muddy ground of her house, but the blue stone slab ground. After her hands hurt from patting, she changed to just crying instead of patting.
Then, after howling for a while, probably because of a sore throat, she stopped howling and started crying instead.
Then, when she saw Fan Jin return, she immediately sprang to her feet and pounced on him with great energy, tears and snot streaming down her face. She felt disgusted for Fan Jin.
After watching the whole thing, she wasn't angry at all; in fact, she almost laughed.
But when he heard Fan Jin say that he wouldn't take the imperial examination, he couldn't laugh anymore.
In this dynasty, the imperial examination was ingrained in the very bones of scholars; it was as important as being carried into the examination hall even when one was sick.
She could sense that Fan Jin valued the imperial examinations very much, a genuine and heartfelt value. He spent all his time reading instead of going out or doing chores. Such a proactive learner was truly rare.
As a result, his own mother said she wanted to become a schoolteacher in the village.
Mother Fan never expected that her second son, who used to participate in the imperial examinations regardless of wind or rain, would give up the examinations just because she wanted her eldest son to have a job.
Yes, the second son did say that before, but he only made those threats when he was struggling to make ends meet. Now that his family is doing well, why would he give up the exam just because of such a small matter?
Besides, why should I teach those children in the village? And I don't even have to pay tuition!
Isn't this just letting others benefit for free?
"No way, you're going to drive me crazy!"
“My mother can say I’m unfilial, but that’s none of anyone else’s business,” Fan Jin said in a cool, indifferent voice.
Mother Fan turned to look at Shui Qing, then back at her son, and realized that scolding anyone was useless!
One of them watched the joke without taking it to heart, while the other was completely unresponsive.
Her gaze fell on Zhao Di, who was standing to the side. She took a few steps forward, pinched her hand, and scolded, "Well, your parents and brothers are suffering at home, and you don't even say a word for them!"
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