To become the top scholar in the imperial examination is to establish a moral compass for the world and to speak out for the people!
It is the dream of almost every scholar.
This naturally includes the former scholar, Master Cui.
Now that dream has been shattered, Master Cui has set his sights on his good student, Lin Zhongyuan. The first step to becoming the top scholar is to pass the preliminary examination and become a scholar.
Back then, Master Cui was also full of vigor when he was young and passed the preliminary examination, but unfortunately he failed the provincial examination repeatedly and could only become a pedantic old scholar in the countryside.
It's all a story of hardship and tears.
Master Cui recalled those days and looked at his current wretched state, feeling both agitated and overwhelmed with sorrow.
"No, please don't..." Lin Weiming felt a chill run down his spine when he saw his master like this, and quickly agreed: "Okay, okay! I'll take Zhongyuan to the county town to register for the exam tomorrow."
"Hmm." Master Cui's inner turmoil was interrupted by his words, so he could only clear his throat and nod reservedly, saying, "It's good that you know. It concerns the child's future, so you can't be careless."
"Thank you for your concern, sir! But don't worry, I will definitely take good care of him." Lin Weiming kept glancing towards the door, his intention to see the guest out was crystal clear.
He hasn't finished his bath yet; the water's almost cold!
Master Cui silently rolled his eyes, continued to pass through the wall, and went to the study to continue instructing Lin Zhongyuan.
These days, instead of studying writing strategies as before, we should focus on the essential exam topics such as the Four Books and Five Classics.
Lin Zhongyuan learned these things very thoroughly.
In the past two years, the village teacher has been away, and he has been studying on his own. He has long since memorized the contents of the Four Books and Five Classics. Moreover, he has always been intelligent. Not only can he know them by heart, but he also keeps thinking about them in his mind while working.
“You are only outstanding in the village now. If you go to the county, there will be many scholars there. Even if you pass the county exam, there is still the prefectural exam. You must not be careless, especially with your writing. It must be neat and tidy, pleasing to the eye.” Master Cui tested him and was quite satisfied, but he still said with a stern face.
"Yes." Lin Zhongyuan kept all the details in mind, nodded obediently, and decided that he would have to increase the amount of writing he did every day.
…
Master Cui has left.
The bathwater had gone cold, and so had Lin Weiming's heart!
He quickly wiped his body with the cooled bathwater, changed his clothes, and went back to his room.
Seeing that Xuefu was still waiting for him to return by the light of the oil lamp, she embroidered pale yellow forsythia flowers on Lin Wanyue's light red dress.
"Wife, this oil lamp is dim, don't hurt your eyes." Lin Weiming leaned over and saw the tiny flowers, no bigger than a fingernail, on the edge of the little dress. He quickly pulled the dress aside. "She's just a little one. She'll grow up in a couple of years. Why waste your time? She goes out and plays with other people every day. No matter how beautifully you embroider it, it'll just be wasted on sand."
"Go away." Xuefu pushed him away, carefully put away the needle and thread and the dress in her hands, and then said, "Who is like you? Wanwan is usually very careful."
"Besides, Wanwan is so beautiful. If we can't dress her up in some pretty clothes, wouldn't that be a waste?" Xuefu took out the silver hairpin from her head and dimmed the lamp.
Lin Weiming then leaned over, puffed out his cheeks, and blew out the oil lamp, then pulled his wife into his arms.
In the darkness, no one can see the other's face.
"Honey, I have something to tell you," Lin Weiming said. "I'm thinking of going to the county town in the next couple of days."
"What are you going to the county town for?" Xuefu asked, puzzled.
Their family has everything they need lately; even their granary is overflowing with grain, and they have enough cloth and tiger skin to make coats for the whole family.
As for firewood, it was something the whole village envied.
The chopped firewood was neatly stacked all over the backyard. Not only would we not have to worry about the cold this winter, but it would probably be enough to last until next summer.
And so, even a grown man like Lin Weiming finally got to enjoy the privilege of taking a hot shower at his own home.
In the past, the family was already exhausted just trying to keep themselves from getting hungry, so there was no time to chop so much firewood for boiling water. Only the women in the family could use hot water to take a bath. Lin Weiming, a grown man, used cold water unless it was the real winter.
Since the family had nothing to lack and nothing worth selling, Xuefu couldn't understand why Lin Weiming would go to the county town for no reason.
"Well, Master Cui came to see me earlier and said that our Zhongyuan's studies have been quite effective. Why don't we let him take the exam first, so he can get a feel for the level of his abilities?" Lin Weiming explained.
“But he’s still so young…” Xuefu nestled comfortably in Lin Weiming’s arms, but her voice clearly showed her worry for her son.
Lin Zhongyuan is only eleven years old at the moment.
"It's alright." Lin Weiming patted her back, comforting her as he said, "This time he's just going to take the children's exam. There are quite a few people his age. Even if he doesn't pass, it doesn't matter. It's just a chance for him. If he does pass, that would be even better."
Passing the exam makes you a Xiucai (a scholar who has passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)!
Once you become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations), you are a scholar with official rank and receive different treatment.
Each scholar could own thirty mu of land that was exempt from taxes.
That adds up to a considerable amount of income.
Lin Weiming had no idea how Master Cui had managed to live such a life; even outsiders would find it pitiful.
"Well... alright, you take the child with you, but you have to take good care of him." Xuefu wasn't very confident in her husband, but she was confident in her eldest son.
Lin Zhongyuan was always the most well-behaved among his four sons, being sensible and steady.
"Know."
…
With Master Cui constantly urging them, Lin Weiming, seeing that the weather was nice, led Lin Zhongyuan into the city after only two days.
But to everyone's surprise, it wasn't until the next day that the father and son returned from the county town, carrying large and small bags.
The family was very worried, so they had the twins stand guard at the village entrance.
Upon hearing the news of their return, the entire Lin family rushed to greet them.
Xuefu punched Lin Weiming on the shoulder: "Why are you back so late? Where did you go yesterday? Don't tell me you went to some unclean place!"
"No, no, no, honey, don't think such things. I'm not that kind of person!" Lin Weiming quickly begged for forgiveness.
"Why did you come back so late? Your wife was worried sick last night. If Wanwan hadn't said you were alright, we would have gone to the county town to look for you." Liu Junlan was relieved to see her eldest grandson so energetic and excited.
Lin Wanyue sniffed, a sweet smile on her face, and started rummaging through Lin Zhongyuan's hands: "Big brother, did you guys bring any delicious food?! I can already smell the delicious smells!"
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