Chapter 215 Some are happy, some are sad
Xu Jinnian won first place and became the top scholar in Dongjiang Prefecture, and the entire villa was filled with jubilation.
Tan Zhenlin and the others were genuinely happy for their senior (junior) brother, and while they admired Xu Jinnian, they were not jealous.
The four friends had been classmates for many years. The unpleasant time they had at the beginning had turned into an indelible and beautiful memory over the years, making them cherish their relationship even more.
Before the joy of the crowd had subsided, the guards from the Fang and Ye families returned together to report the good news:
"Congratulations, young master! Congratulations on your success in the imperial examination, ranking eighteenth."
"Congratulations, young master! Congratulations on your success in the imperial examination, ranking twentieth."
Fang Qingzhou ranked eighteenth and Ye Yunhua ranked twentieth, both of them ranking very high.
"I got it! I got it! That's great! That's great!"
Liu Xiaoyun and Liu Yanran finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ignoring the many outsiders present in the room, they held their husbands' hands and wept with joy.
All three of his senior brothers passed, but he was the only one still without a result. Tan Zhenlin grinned, a hint of nervousness on his face, and nudged Xu Jinnian with his elbow: "I hope I didn't fail the exam?"
He carefully reviewed his three exams, and the more he thought about it, the more uncertain he felt:
"The teacher said I'm not as reliable as the three of you. If I perform well, I'll be at the top; if I don't, I'll fail. If I fail, will the teacher punish me?"
Master Jiang was truly skilled at using a ruler to punish people; among the four students, Tan Zhenlin was the one who was beaten the most.
Especially since three out of the four people passed the provincial examination, if he fails the provincial examination this time, he will definitely not have a good time when he goes back.
Seeing Tan Zhenlin so flustered, Xu Jinnian rarely spoke up to comfort him: "It's alright if you get a beating, Brother Fang, Brother Ye and I will take turns applying medicine for you."
Tan Zhenlin always gets slapped on the buttocks.
However, after he came of age, Master Jiang never struck him again.
"You, you, you! Is this how you comfort someone? Can't you say something nice to coax me out of it?!"
Tan Zhenlin gritted his teeth in anger, then turned to Sheng An with a look of sympathy: "It must have been tough for you all these years living with someone like Xu the Fox."
Sheng An: "..."
Well, apart from being a bit tired at night, everything else is alright.
The truth was absolutely out of the question, so Sheng An pretended to disapprove as she looked at Xu Jinnian: "You should talk to Zhenlin properly."
Upon hearing this, Tan Zhenlin immediately trembled and said, "Sister-in-law is the best."
As he spoke, he looked at Xu Jinnian with a smug expression.
Xu Jinnian glanced at him, stepped forward, and whispered to Sheng An, "He's having a fit of madness, ignore him."
Tan Zhenlin: "..."
In the end, he had misplaced his trust.
At this moment, Tan Zhenlin's attendant rushed in, panting, with an undisguised silly grin on his face: "Young master, you've passed! You've passed! You're ranked thirty-second!"
Tan Zhenlin stared wide-eyed, frozen in place.
Seeing her brother so happy he was practically dazed, Tan Qingrou chuckled and waved her hand in front of his eyes: "Brother, snap out of it."
The next moment, Tan Zhenlin jumped up and ran around the room, shouting, "I got it! Hehe, I got it! Thirty-second place! Hehe, thirty-second place!"
Now I don't have to get beaten up.
Everyone: "..."
It's unbearable to look at.
The fact that all four of the brothers made the list is undoubtedly a joyous occasion worthy of celebration.
After seeing off the messengers who came with gongs and drums to announce the good news, everyone went to Ruyi Restaurant, where Xu Jinnian, the top scholar in the imperial examination, treated them to a meal.
Some are happy, some are sad.
More than a thousand candidates competed in the same arena, with only the top sixty being admitted. Those who failed, regardless of age, all wept bitterly under the list of successful candidates at the examination hall.
An elderly scholar with white hair, who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, was so devastated that he vomited blood and fainted on the spot. Before his family, who had accompanied him to the examinations, could call a doctor to treat him, he passed away.
A young scholar went mad, shouting and lunging at the list of successful candidates, trying to tear it down and destroy it. He was pinned to the ground by the guards stationed there, completely devoid of his previous high spirits.
Inside the inn, the messenger who came to deliver the good news left with a broad smile and a generous reward.
The students gathered in the hall, regardless of their envy and resentment, all stepped forward to congratulate Xu Huaining: "Congratulations, Brother Xu, on passing the imperial examination!"
Xu Huaining humbly returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Thank you all."
Some people flattered him, saying, "Brother Xu is so young, yet he ranked among the top in his first provincial examination and became a Juren. He will surely pass the imperial examination next spring and bring glory to his family."
Xu Huaining certainly has some talent; in this provincial examination, he ranked nineteenth, between Fang Qingzhou and Ye Yunhua.
Anyone else achieving such results would probably be overjoyed, but Xu Huaining didn't show much joy on his face.
Some people noticed something amiss and, whether intentionally or unintentionally, remarked:
"Brother Xu's family has produced many talented people. Your cousin Xu Mingyu also took the provincial examination for the first time and surpassed many well-known scholars to become the top scholar of this year. Congratulations!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of agreement followed: "Indeed, your Xu family is truly blessed with outstanding people and a blessed land. We must visit it ourselves if we have the chance."
A few days ago, rumors about Xu Jinnian caused quite a stir, and the storm was only calmed down after the government came forward to clarify the situation.
Therefore, everyone present knew about the relationship between Xu Jinnian and Xu Huaining.
Privately, many people speculated that Xu Huaining was involved behind the scenes to spread the rumors so quickly.
Since they lacked evidence and couldn't bring it up openly, they were happy to use Xu Jinnian, the top scholar in the provincial examination, to pierce Xu Huaining's heart.
Xu Huaining could tell that these people had ill intentions. He glanced at them indifferently before saying, "Jin Nian is my cousin. His passing the imperial examination with top honors is a blessing for the whole family. Of course, I am happy for him."
Having said that, he ignored the strange looks coming from all directions and calmly went upstairs.
But the moment he closed the door, Xu Huaining could no longer control his dark emotions, slamming his fist heavily into the bedding: "Jieyuan, ha—"
Xu Huaining's eyes were filled with intense jealousy. He slammed his fist into the bedding again, making a series of dull thuds.
Three days later, the government office held a banquet called "Deer Cry Banquet" according to custom, which all sixty newly promoted candidates for the imperial examinations were required to attend.
Xu Jinnian and the other two wore matching blue robes and peacock-topped hats, and rode in a carriage to the government office.
When he got off the carriage, there were already more than a dozen candidates who had arrived earlier gathered at the entrance, including Xu Huaining.
Xu Jinnian and Xu Huaining look seven or eight parts alike. Now, wearing the same blue robe and peacock-topped hat, they could easily be mistaken for brothers if they stood together.
However, Xu Jinnian's features were more refined, and his facial lines were smoother, making him more than a cut above Xu Huaining in appearance.
Fang Qingzhou and Ye Yunhua knew that Xu Huaining was not as gentle and harmless as he appeared, so they nodded symbolically as a courtesy.
Xu Jinnian didn't even glance at Xu Huaining, and walked straight ahead under the guidance of the constable.
Xu Huaining called out to stop her in time: "Jin Nian, I have something to say to you."
The other candidates, seeing this, all wore the same excited expression.
Here they come, here they come, a fight is definitely going to break out!
Xu Jinnian did not stop walking, and his extremely cold words reached the ears of everyone present: "I have nothing to say to you."
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