Chapter 100 (The First Hundred Years of a Novice Scholar)
Guo Baiwen stayed in the prefectural city for an extra day. The good news about passing the prefectural examination had already been sent to the county town yesterday.
So today, besides Grandma Guo and the others, Uncle Shi and Mr. and Mrs. Chen were also sitting inside the shop, talking.
The shops in front had already closed by this time, so everyone was baking bread slices in the main room in the backyard.
Just then, he returned.
After a round of congratulations, exclamations, and pleasantries, Guo Baiwen was finally able to put down his luggage and sit down to chat with everyone for a while.
During the conversation, after asking about what had happened in the prefectural city, everyone focused their attention on this year's top county and prefectural officials.
Guo Baiwen, who had previously topped the county examination in Xiuning County, had a brief encounter with Lin Zhongbin under his guidance.
It was a destiny where he saw others, but they didn't see his.
Now that they were sitting together, Guo Baiwen heard Brother Banshan and Uncle Shitou talk about this year's top scorer in the prefectural examination, which seemed to be the same top scorer from Xiuning County whom he had seen before.
Really?!
Was it he who went to take the prefectural examination, or was it everyone else who went to take the prefectural examination?
Why does it seem like everyone else is more informed than I am?
Chen Baoyue also stuffed a slice of steamed bun into Guo Baiwen's hand. He chewed it dryly while continuing to listen attentively to Guo Banshan's words.
Since Guo Banshan took up the post of vegetarian cook at Yangzheng Academy, he has gotten to know many other vegetarian cooks through this connection.
These days, because of the prefectural examination, these scholars are rarely able to take a few days off from each other.
This news also came from the academy itself.
Although there was no provincial examination this year, this student in their academy already holds the titles of top scholar in the county and prefecture. Even if he doesn't participate in next year's provincial examination, he is already considered a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination).
However, in the past two days, some people from the county school have come to his door, trying to persuade him to transfer to the county school now, and that he can voluntarily take the county examination and try to win the title of "minor triple champion".
After all, official schools are always better than private academies.
Guo Banshan is now talking about the many things that have happened in the past two days between the county school and that academy in their struggle to recruit students.
Because it's fun, people can enjoy listening to music while they're toasting bread slices here.
It must be said that Guo Banshan is very skilled at storytelling.
Yang Xianu was pouring herself tea when, as he got to the exciting part of his story, her hand holding the teapot unconsciously shifted slightly, almost spilling hot water onto her hand.
Fortunately, Yang Qiaomai came to the rescue in time, so only the front of her clothes got wet and her palms weren't burned.
Guo Baiwen watched everyone busy at work, threw the last bit of bread he had left into his mouth, and stood up to brush the crumbs off his clothes.
County chief, prefectural chief—
He then recalled the age of the person he had seen; his round face made him look quite young, and he immediately clicked his tongue in amazement.
Indeed, people who are good at studying are quite different from ordinary people like him.
Having achieved top marks in both exams, one can directly advance to the rank of Xiucai (a scholar who has passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) without further examination.
Before he could even finish his exclamation, Grandma Guo was already thinking about how to prepare for the celebratory banquet in a few days.
"Grandma, I was just a student who barely made it into the top ranks, a mere child prodigy. Why would I need such an extravagant banquet?"
Guo Baiwen naturally refused.
But they couldn't resist Grandma Guo's insistence, and this time Uncle Shi and others chimed in, "Being a student of the lowest rank is already very impressive! Of course, we should hold a banquet!"
That's right. Going back three generations from Guojia Village, it seems that not a single person has ever been able to go to school.
As soon as the news spread, the village chief asked Guo Shitou to come to the county town to take a look. He had a feeling that if the banquet wasn't held, the village chief would rush over to persuade him.
After much persuasion, they finally managed to stop the planned three-day banquet.
Both sides took a step back.
There will only be one luncheon, but it will be a gathering of all the relatives and villagers of Guojia Village, as well as several neighbors from the Chengbei Shop area and several families that Guojia is familiar with.
After a reluctant consensus was reached, the matter was finally settled.
The day after tomorrow, the house was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, but the scale was not much different from that of Guo Baiwen's wedding.
There were so many banquet dishes set up in the courtyard that there wasn't enough room. The small gate in the backyard was opened, completely blocking the alleyway that was originally used for people to pass through.
The neighbors who live nearby have all been invited over for the feast.
So everyone coming and going congratulated Guo Baiwen on passing the prefectural examination and becoming a student.
Mr. and Mrs. Chen, Grandma Guo, and the village chief of Guojia Village were all dressed exceptionally brightly today, looking particularly energetic amidst the congratulations from the crowd.
Compared to Guo Baiwen, the protagonist who passed the exam, they seemed to have more mixed feelings.
Studying and taking imperial examinations, how difficult they are!
The village chief of Guojia Village never imagined that a scholar could emerge from his village!
Even if one is a student who has only completed the first stage of learning, that is already quite remarkable in the surrounding dozen or so villages!
Can't you see there aren't many students who have passed the preliminary examinations in Xiuning County?!
The banquet was half arranged by Grandma Guo and half paid for by the Chen family. The village chief also brought a lot of ingredients.
It was only after a while that we were able to gather so many tables and guests.
At first, everyone was a bit reserved, but after a few drinks during the meal, they all started to express their feelings.
Since moving to Xiuning County, Grandma Guo has felt that her family's life is getting better and better.
Seeing Wenzai's success now, and thinking of her own son and daughter-in-law who passed away early, she felt a bittersweet feeling in her heart.
When Xiaohua saw her grandmother crying, she quickly handed her a handkerchief.
Chen Baoyue was also surrounded by Lin Niangzi and the others, who said that since she had become a novice's wife this time, she might become a scholar's wife soon.
Everyone was talking at once, making the scene quite lively.
Guo Baiwen had just squeezed out of the congratulatory crowd and found a corner, but before he could even catch his breath, he was blocked by the village chief again.
"Uncle Song, is there something you need?"
Guo Song, the village chief of Guojia Village, looked a little red, but his eyes were still clear, so he should not be drunk.
Guo Baiwen glanced up and quickly observed the situation, then felt somewhat relieved.
Thank goodness, he added a lot of water to the wine jars at today's banquet.
Otherwise, if they all get drunk and become alcoholics, it will become even more difficult to deal with.
But it was clear that Guo Song wasn't looking for him about the banquet.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he took out a money pouch from his sleeve and stuffed it into Guo Baiwen's hand without saying a word. "Here, take this!"
It felt heavy in my hand, and I could still vaguely make out that it was made of copper coins.
Guo Baiwen jumped up like a cat whose hand had been burned, "No, no, no, Uncle Song, this won't do, I can't accept this!"
Guojia Village is not considered wealthy. Even though Uncle Song is considered a big shot in the village, he can't just take money from others!
Guo Song tried to shove the object into his hand several times, but the man dodged it each time.
After being handed money by mistake again, Guo Song's temper flared up. "Take it if I tell you to! If you don't accept it, are you looking down on your Uncle Song?!"
That's a very serious statement.
Left with no other choice, Guo Baiwen obediently stood still and accepted the money bag that Uncle Song handed him.
Seeing that his money pouch had been taken, Village Chief Guo Song's expression softened considerably. "This is a congratulatory gift from everyone in the village! It's not just mine! Take it; your studies are expensive!"
People who have had too much to drink can't control the volume of their voices. He glanced at Grandma Guo's seat again and said earnestly, "Your grandma is getting old. With this money, the family will be a little more comfortable."
The villagers weren't very clear about their family's situation, assuming it was the same as when they were still in the village.
Grandma Guo, an elderly woman, is raising two children.
Although Guo Baiwen was married before and had a relative to help him, he still had a lot of expenses while studying and living in the county town.
Some families contributed as much as one or two hundred coins, while others contributed as little as ten or twenty coins. Although it was done under the guise of congratulations, it was still a way of helping out.
Guo Baiwen listened to the village chief's rambling for a long time before he finally understood from the inverted sentences.
As a result, the already hot money bag became even heavier.
It was at this moment that he realized the money bag was actually filled with copper coins.
I don't know how the villagers managed to scrape together such a heavy money bag.
But since I've already accepted it, there's no reason to refuse.
He rubbed his slightly sore eyes and smiled, "Then Wenzi thanks Uncle Song and everyone in the village!"
"Hey! That's more like it!"
The provincial examination is held every June, twice every three years. There is still more than a year to prepare properly until next year's examination.
Guo Baiwen didn't expect to make it into the top tier. Regardless of whether he ultimately succeeded, he was happy as long as he could improve compared to his previous exam.
But what came even earlier than his college exam was the provincial exam, which the teachers of the academy had to take.
This time, it was a rare occasion that both Master Guo and the Cao father and son were preparing for the provincial examination, so the academy gave them a break a month in advance.
It is said that this fall break will be about half a month longer than usual.
When it came to the provincial examination, the study of classics could no longer be discussed in general terms; each candidate could choose one classic to study.
If the teachers cannot return in time, the classes at the elementary school can be taught by the older students who were originally in the academy's library.
As for the students of the scripture hall, they can temporarily attend classes at the nearby academy for a few days.
After leaving Yangzheng Academy, I discovered that the teaching styles of different academies were quite different.
This academy is clearly very knowledgeable about the annual examinations. Rather than studying the Four Books and Five Classics, they are more adept at analyzing past examination papers and the interpretation of the classics, as well as interpreting the texts.
Guo Baiwen only attended the academy for a few days, but he felt that his thinking had become much broader. The teacher at the academy also explained how to break down a topic, how to condense the meaning of words, how to cite classics, and how to elevate the main points and themes of his articles.
What he mentioned were precisely the points that Yangzheng Academy had not yet covered, and which they needed to emphasize further.
However, since it is only a temporary follow-up reading, even if there are some problems, they cannot ask questions at any time like they would with Master Guo and Master Cao at the academy.
Guo Baiwen could only write down these questions one by one, and if he happened to meet the teacher of the academy when he was free, he would ask him.
Those who truly have no time can only wait until the Master and the others return before inquiring.
The teachers at the private academy were naturally not as good as those at the county school, but his grades were not as outstanding as those of the top scorer in the prefectural examination, which would have made an exception and admitted him ahead of schedule just to gamble on a "minor triple crown" (a high honor in the imperial examinations).
Like Lin Zhongbin, Tong Tongchuang, Zhou Tongchuang, and many others, he could only try to make up for the lack of teaching resources by constantly practicing a lot of questions and memorizing.
After studying at the academy for more than ten days, I finally received news that Master Guo and Master Cao would be returning the next day.
If all goes well, the academy will be able to start classes normally the day after tomorrow.
Therefore, the academy specially made up for the missed ten-day holiday at this time.
After studying hard for more than ten days, I finally got a day off.
When they told Baoyue and Grandma Guo that evening, Grandma Guo waved to the young couple with a smile, saying that they could go out for a stroll together when they had time.
Guo Baiwen has been working non-stop for a while now, going back and forth between three points every day.
It's good to be able to rest.
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Author's Note: Chapter 100 Check-in Point!
Yay! Eggplant! Pen refill!!!
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