The village head was furious with him.
What a useless piece of trash!
After studying hard and finally passing the imperial examination to become a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), instead of thinking about continuing to take the provincial and then the imperial examinations to become a Zhuangyuan (a scholar who passed the highest level of the imperial examinations), he only wants to go home and teach.
The old man was so angry that his face turned pale and then red. He gripped his cane and wanted to smash it, but he managed to restrain himself.
Although this child is a bit unambitious, he is still someone else's child, and he passed the imperial examination at the age of eleven. He is so smart, his future is definitely limitless.
I can't let him damage my head.
"Grandpa, please don't be angry." Liu Junlan quickly went up and patted the old man's back to help him catch his breath before saying, "You're not young anymore, it's not worth getting sick from getting angry."
"I'm not angry..." the village headman said, "I'm not doing this for any other reason than thinking that this child is so smart and has a bright future. If he just stays in the village as a teacher... that would be such a waste!"
"Lin family, you should try to persuade him more. Zhongyuan is young and doesn't know what's going on, but you adults can't just stand by and watch this child do something foolish!" the village headman earnestly advised.
There were some things he was too embarrassed to say outright, so he could only try to persuade him through Liu Junlan.
Being a schoolteacher in the village seems to give him a more respectable life than most families in the village.
But how can this compare to a scholar who has passed the imperial examination?
Leaving aside others, take the village's former teacher, for example. Wasn't it because he couldn't make a living and couldn't support his family that he went to the county town to work as someone's accountant?
If he had the ability to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, how could he have fallen into such a state of poverty?
"Okay, I understand." Liu Junlan nodded in agreement, promising to persuade Lin Zhongyuan before seeing the village head out.
The door was closed.
The Lin family members sat down at the eight-immortal table where they were eating and began to discuss the matter.
"Ahem, Zhongyuan." Liu Junlan looked at her eldest grandson Lin Zhongyuan with a serious expression and asked, "Grandma is asking you, why don't you want to continue studying?"
Upon hearing this, the whole family was shocked.
Everyone's attention was focused on Lin Zhongyuan, and they were all quite puzzled.
Lin Wanyue also looked at her older brother with a strange expression and blinked twice.
Didn't my elder brother just pass the imperial examination and become a scholar?
Although she didn't know much about the imperial examination system of that period, the novels and TV dramas she had occasionally read in her previous life gave her some background knowledge. In the imperial examination system, passing the county-level examination was only the first step.
There will be more tests in the future.
Why did you give up so early, brother?
"Big pot, why duck?" Lin Wanyue was very confused.
“Yes.” Xuefu became even more anxious, her voice sharp as she asked, “You just passed the imperial examination and became a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), why don’t you want to study anymore? Didn’t you used to enjoy studying quite a bit?”
"Huh?" Lin Zhongyuan looked completely bewildered. "Mother, I never said I didn't want to study."
“No…didn’t you just say you only wanted to be a teacher in the village? You didn’t want to go to the city to study?” Liu Junlan seemed to have thought of something and said gently to Lin Zhongyuan, “Are you worried that the family doesn’t have enough money? You don’t need to worry, our family still has some surplus, enough to send you to study in the county town.”
In the past, Liu Junlan would not have dared to make such boastful remarks.
But ever since they took in Lin Wanyue, the Lin family's life has gotten better day by day. Not to mention silver, they have already accumulated dozens of taels of gold.
Liu Junlan originally intended to save this money for Lin Wanyue's dowry, but ever since her eldest grandson Lin Zhongyuan passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, she had some other ideas.
Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Although their family has accumulated some money, enough to buy a house and land, they are still just farmers.
No matter how much dowry they offer, the only people willing to marry Lin Wanyue, a peasant girl, are at most peasant families of similar social standing.
Looking at her fair-skinned little girl, and thinking about how she might have to work in the fields in the future, enduring the scorching sun and working hard every day, Liu Junlan felt extremely distressed.
I'm willing to suffer myself!
Is the granddaughter suffering?
That won't do!
But if Lin Zhongyuan were to pass the imperial examination and become an official, his family would be completely transformed.
Only then could she be considered to be living a good life.
Liu Junlan had made up her mind, but she didn't tell anyone. She had already decided that as long as her grandson could keep up with his studies, she would let him go to school!
Let him take the imperial examination and become an official!
Lin Weiming and Xuefu nodded in agreement, advising their son, "Zhongyuan, go to school. Don't worry about the family's lack of money. As long as you study hard, you'll earn that money back sooner or later."
"Hmm..." Lin Zhongyuan lowered his head and refused to speak.
Of course, he couldn't tell his parents and grandparents that he did it because he wanted to teach those classmates who bullied him a lesson, could he?
Although his thoughts went beyond that.
…
The three ghosts of the Lin family rarely encountered the Lin family discussing matters, so they floated over and sat on the roof beam to watch the commotion.
"I don't understand," Laifu said, somewhat puzzled. "This child usually seems quite smart. If he can go to the city, why does he insist on staying in the countryside?"
The little pink butterfly rested her chin on her hands, revealing a small dimple on her fair face, and said with a smile, "Where would someone encounter something good and not want to go? I'm afraid there are people who can't bear to part with it... even ghosts could be."
"You mean? He can't bear to part with me, so he refuses to go?" Laifu stroked his chin, feeling that there was some truth to this.
He was still marveling to himself when Little Pink Butterfly kicked him down.
"Why would he be reluctant to part with you? I can tell he's reluctant to part with some old-fashioned jerk!" Little Pink Butterfly glared at Master Cui with displeasure.
Unexpectedly, his student was a loyal and devoted person, and actually gave up his promising future for this ghost.
Master Cui had been anxiously hovering around Lin Zhongyuan, trying to persuade him to continue his studies.
However, since no incense was lit in the main room at this time, no one except Lin Wanyue could see the three ghosts chattering beside them, nor could they see Master Cui floating around anxiously.
Upon hearing Little Pink Butterfly's words, Master Cui froze for a moment.
"Brother, are you really going to miss me?" Lin Wanyue suddenly hugged Lin Zhongyuan's arm, her big, watery eyes blinking.
Lin Zhongyuan hugged his younger sister and nodded quickly, "Yes, yes! I can't bear to part with my sister, and I can't bear to part with Grandma, Mom, and Dad."
"You good-for-nothing!" Xuefu tapped her son's head with her finger, but smiled and didn't scold him much.
Knowing that their son wasn't unwilling to study, the whole family felt much more at ease.
“Since you’re still going to study, it doesn’t really matter whether you go to the county town or not! Anyway, I think Master Cui is teaching you quite well. Not every kid in the county town can pass the imperial examination at your age,” Liu Junlan said with a smile.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
