Xia's mother, who was initially flustered, felt inexplicably at ease looking at her calm and composed daughter. It was as if she had found a pillar of support, and her heart warmed.
“Oh, I’ll listen to you.” Her voice was a little choked up. “Before, your brother and I didn’t know what to do… Your brother even planned to sell the six acres of land if things got too bad, get the money, and live frugally for a few years.”
Tong Su frowned: "How much silver can six acres of land sell for? We'll just be sitting around doing nothing, and what will we do once it's all gone?"
"Your brother just passed the county and prefectural examinations. He only needs to pass the provincial examination to become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations). Once he becomes a Xiucai, everyone will receive a liter of rice per day, and then he will have an income."
Tong Su was taken aback, only then remembering that the original owner's brother had been studying all along, preparing to take the imperial examination.
She quickly thought about it and suddenly smiled.
Actually, this is a good idea.
She had previously wondered how the family would make a living after taking her brother's place. Should she start a business?
Now that I remember my brother's books are still here, I might as well go and take the imperial examination for him to become a scholar!
Emperor Yan valued the imperial examination system and stipulated that after passing the examination and becoming a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), "each person would be provided with one liter of rice per day, along with fish, meat, salt, and vinegar from the officials." This meant that each person would receive one liter of rice, which was about two jin (approximately 1 catties), enough for two people to eat, as well as fish, meat, oil, and salt.
The saying "poor scholar, poor scholar" is actually inaccurate. As long as one can pass the exam, one will be respected. In addition to receiving government rations, one can also open a private school, write letters and couplets for others, copy books and articles, and earn a considerable income.
Before becoming a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), there were three levels of examinations: the county examination, the prefectural examination, and the provincial examination. Only by passing all three could one become a Xiucai.
Xia Qingzhai has now passed the first two examinations and is a candidate for the first degree. Moreover, he is a promising candidate for the first degree. If he were not too young, he would already be qualified to open a private school in the countryside!
Xia's father has been dead for three months. The law now stipulates that the mourning period is twenty-seven months, during which time one is not allowed to take exams. It is now November of the fourteenth year of Xinglong.
The mourning period ended in March of the seventeenth year of Xinglong, and the next provincial examination was in August of the same year. In between, there were a total of two years and five months, which allowed her to study.
Tongsu had planned everything perfectly, but she didn't show it on her face. She just continued to chat with her mother about the past: "Mother, what official position did my father hold back then?"
"Your father made several merits in the war and should have been granted a title and allowed to leave in mourning. This was in March of the seventeenth year of Xinglong. The next provincial examination was in August of the seventeenth year of Xinglong. In between, there were a total of two years and five months, which was enough time for her to study."
Tongsu had planned everything perfectly, but she didn't show it on her face. She just continued to chat with her mother about the past: "Mother, what official position did my father hold back then?"
"Your father made several merits in the war and later became a battalion commander, a seventh-rank military officer, with an annual salary of fifty taels of silver."
Jin Wenting found it increasingly strange. More than ten years ago, he was a centurion and had made meritorious contributions. How come he was only promoted to a seventh-rank captain?
He found it strange, and Tongsu felt the same way. They pressed Yang's mother for answers, but Yang's mother finally sighed and shook her head.
"Actually, based on your father's military merits, he should have been promoted to the rank of Qianzong, which is a sixth-rank official. But he offended someone who had a relative in the capital and was a favorite of the Prince of Heng's heir! No one under him dared to offend him, and they even tried to sabotage him, so he was demoted to the seventh-rank Bazong."
"The Crown Prince of Heng?"
The Crown Prince of Heng?!
Jin Wenting was in turmoil.
Isn't that the heir apparent of the Prince of Heng?
His favorites, relying on their power, bullied others, suppressed meritorious officials, and obstructed their promotions.
Who was this bastard who did this? Did they have a death wish?! He never even realized that this person could do it twice or three times.
They even did countless heinous things behind his back, all of which were registered under his name!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
