“Village head, what are you saying? I’m not done yet. If I just leave like this, wouldn’t that be impolite?”
After Chen Zhancai finished speaking, he glanced at Chen Han out of the corner of his eye and sneered inwardly.
That little rascal, I never would have guessed he'd also stumbled upon good fortune and passed the preliminary examination.
However, despite his young age, this kid is quite clever. Last time, the teacher gave him a question...
"In today's world, commerce is flourishing, but the tradition of agriculture as the foundation of society remains unchanged. If you were a local official, how would you balance the development of agriculture and commerce to ensure local prosperity and the well-being of the people?"
There were all sorts of opinions at the time, but this little brat's argument was the most logical and well-founded.
As a local official, one should give equal importance to agriculture and commerce, and neither should be neglected.
Agriculture is the foundation of life, while commerce is the priority of profit; agriculture is the basis, and commerce is the wings.
Agriculture is fundamental, concerning the basic needs of the people, and should not be neglected.
Prioritizing agriculture requires promoting new farming methods, introducing improved varieties, and increasing both the quantity and quality of agricultural production.
Promoting commerce was also a top priority; roads were built to facilitate the flow of goods, and commercial taxes were reduced to encourage business growth...
Only through the mutual support of agriculture and commerce can there be abundant wealth.
Encourage agricultural-commercial cooperation, and promote the widespread sale of agricultural products...
These words still resonate in his ears. Chen Zhancai looked down on his classmates at the time, but privately he thought the argument was incredibly insightful and made perfect sense.
So he secretly wrote it down on paper, and with sheer grit and determination, he memorized the argument.
So that he could have the opportunity to show off his literary talent in front of others in the future.
But as fate would have it, he was just about to get a fever, and by sheer luck, he was struck by a windfall.
This is the question that was on the exam this time.
Overjoyed, he wrote down Chen Han's statement without hesitation, word for word.
Surprisingly, he actually passed the imperial examination and became a scholar.
He secretly rejoiced; if he hadn't memorized Chen Han's argument, he probably would never have achieved anything in his life.
This is what they mean by "the blessed need no effort, the unblessed run themselves ragged"...
Thinking back to this, Chen Zhan smiled and walked over to Chen Han, raising his hand to pat him on the shoulder.
"Xiao Han, I heard you also passed the imperial examination. I didn't know you had such a clever mind. I admire you."
"Thank you for the compliment, senior," Chen Han replied politely.
Chen Zhancai sneered and launched into a long, spittle-filled speech.
"What kind of senior are you? I'm your third uncle. Don't think you can act all high and mighty just because you've studied for a couple of days. You think you're something special just because you passed the preliminary examination?"
Let me tell you, back in my day, I was a year younger than you and I passed the preliminary imperial examination, but what good was that? If you wanted to get ahead, you had to pass the county-level imperial examination to become a scholar.
Perhaps you are arrogant and boastful, thinking that passing the imperial examination is an easy task.
If you think that way, you're making a big mistake.
I'm a prime example. Back when I was young, I was much smarter than you. I could answer any question clearly and logically.
Unlike your answer to the old master's question, which said that agriculture and commerce should be given equal importance and neither should be neglected, that agriculture is for food and commerce is for profit, that agriculture is the foundation and commerce is the wings.
This is utter nonsense, complete rubbish.
As Chen Han listened to Chen Zhancai's barbed words, his face gradually darkened, but his good upbringing allowed him to suppress his anger.
He smiled calmly.
"Have you said enough? Everyone has their own opinions. If you don't agree, you don't have to belittle me like this."
"What's wrong, Xiaohan? You don't like it when I say a few words to you? What your third uncle means is that studying is hard and not as easy as you think."
As you know, I took the exam year after year, failing every single year, failing repeatedly, and then taking it again.
After more than twenty years of rigorous examinations, both inside and out, I've finally begun to show my talent.
How many people in the world have my unwavering perseverance?
Chen Zhancai then changed the subject,
"What your third uncle is saying is just to give you this advice: it's enough to just read a few words."
Don't think you're something special just because the teachers at the academy praise you a few times. They're only praising you because of me.
If you want to achieve the same glorious success as me by passing the imperial examination and becoming a scholar, that's simply impossible.
Save this money, and when you grow up, you can get married, have a house, and enjoy a warm home with your wife and kids.
"If you really want to do something, just find your third uncle, and I guarantee I'll get you a job in the government office and give you a stable income."
Chen Han chuckled lightly, "You don't need to worry about me. Mind your own business!"
Chen Zhancai jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "Xiao Han, do you know what's good for you? How dare you talk to me like that!"
"For his own good, I think you're afraid that Xiao Han will be better at studying than you, afraid that he will surpass you one day!" Chen Qingqing couldn't help but sneer.
Chen Zhancai's face suddenly darkened. "You, you're talking nonsense?"
Chen Zhancai panicked. He truly believed that Chen Han was more talented in his studies than he was.
The Master once said in private that Chen Han was a once-in-a-century genius, and that it was only a matter of time before he passed the imperial examination with top honors.
He was insanely jealous and had intended to give Chen Han a good beating today, but he never expected that this brat would defend him so much.
Chen Zhancai suppressed his anger and quickly put on a smiling face.
“Qing’er, your third uncle is doing this for your own good. It’s not easy for a girl like you to earn money. Even if Xiaohan doesn’t go to school, I, as his third uncle, can’t just stand by and watch him do nothing. Don’t worry, I will find Xiaohan a good job in the future.”
“No need. I believe my Xiaohan is no worse than anyone else.” Chen Qingqing raised an eyebrow, her words full of contempt. “If you really have such good intentions, you should pass the imperial examination first. Don’t wait until my Chen Han passes the examination while you’re still standing still.”
Irony, blatant irony. Chen Zhancai really wanted to turn around and leave, but thinking of the brat's sugar-making skills and the three-fold courtyard, he had to forcefully suppress his anger.
He chuckled, "Qing girl, judging from your tone, you still have a problem with your third uncle!"
Chen Qingqing had come to offer her congratulations with patience, but she never expected to witness the smug face of a petty person. If he hadn't provoked her, she would never have bothered with him.
If he causes trouble, she certainly won't tolerate it.
She chuckled lightly, "What are you saying, sir? I'm just a commoner, how could I dare to have any complaints about someone as great as you?"
Chen Zhancai smiled and said, "Okay, it's good that you have no objections."
......
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