"Scholar Fei must be busy these days, with so many students in the village school and the Tongsheng exam approaching."
"It’s the same every year, nothing out of the ordinary. But there are indeed more exam-eligible students this year. I recall Ruijin is also of age now, will he be taking the exam?"
Zhang Fangyuan confirmed, which surprised Fei Lian. He knew Zhang Ruijin studied under a juren, and every time the boy returned to the village during holidays, Fei Lian would try to test his knowledge, only to be met with silence or vague replies. The Zhang family doted on him, shielding him from scrutiny.
After three years of city schooling, Fei Lian still hadn’t figured out whether the boy had any real talent. But Ruijin had always been aloof, he hadn’t even cried at birth, and now he refused to be questioned about his knowledge. Fei Lian assumed he must be unremarkable, which gave him some satisfaction.
"I’ve heard Ruijin’s teacher only has him as an exam candidate this year, and he has never taught any students before. If Ruijin has time, bring him back, I can share some exam insights. After all, the village school has many students, and we’ve had examinees almost every year."
"Thank you for your kindness, Scholar Fei. I’ll bring him back when there’s time."
Fei Lian nodded and tugged at his son. "Let’s go."
The boy clearly wanted to stay and talk more with Zhang Fangyuan, but with his father pulling him away, he didn’t dare protest.
He kept looking back at the well-dressed man in fine robes and a hair crown, staring intently.
The villagers said his uncle was unassuming, but every time he returned to the village, the boy couldn’t help but notice how distinguished he looked, so different from the locals in speech and demeanor, like a crane standing among chickens.
[鹤立鸡群 (hè lì jī qún): lit. A crane stands among chickens; fig. Someone who stands out prominently due to their superiority or uniqueness.]
His father always told him merchants were lowly, outwardly glamorous but lacking true respect. Only scholars could rise to power and prestige. He often used Uncle Zhang as a comparison.
But though his uncle’s family was merchant family, the boy didn’t see them as his father described. In the village, their status and reputation were unmatched. Sometimes, when his mother spoke of how Uncle Zhang had built his fortune, he found it far more fascinating than his father’s endless poetry and empty dreams of officialdom.
If he had wealth like his uncle, his mother wouldn’t have to endure his father's concubine's disdain, and the constant quarrels at home would cease. She would have an easier life.
"What are you gawking at? Hurry up."
____
The Tongsheng exam in Siyang City was scheduled for mid-May, with registrations opening in mid-April.
With years of peace and prosperity, more and more families could afford to educate their children. As soon as the county office posted the notice, the registration office was swarmed, the line spilled out into the streets.
The surge in applicants made sense. A stable era led to population growth, meaning more children of exam age. Add in repeat examinees who had failed in previous years, and the numbers became staggering. The Tongsheng exam was the lowest tier of imperial examinations, and if even this level saw few candidates, the higher levels would naturally suffer.
Thus, though the Tongsheng exam had the most candidates, it also had the highest pass rate.
Zhang Fangyuan had brought Ruijin early to register, but by the time they reached the county office, the line already stretched out the door. Most were parent-child pairs, though some had servants in tow.
The family could have sent a literate servant to handle the registration, but Zhang Fangyuan wanted to accompany his son himself.
Staring at the snaking line ahead, Zhang Fangyuan frowned. "We’ll have to come even earlier next year."
Ruijin’s brow twitched. He glanced at his father, who was surveying the crowd, and said, "To spare you the trouble next year, I ought to pass this time."
Zhang Fangyuan chuckled. Ruijin rarely joked, so hearing it lifted his mood. "Fair enough. You barely ate breakfast this morning, too nervous about the registration. Since the line’s long, I’ll grab you some food. Wait here."
With that, he left to buy breakfast.
Ruijin smiled faintly at his father’s retreating figure.
The Tongsheng exam registration was tedious. Candidates had to provide personal details and ancestral records for three generations. That part was easy, their forebears had been farmers, and only his father had gone into trade.
The tricky part was finding four fellow examinees for mutual guarantee, ensuring no cheating. If one in the group cheated, all five would be punished.
In the past, some had been unlucky enough to suffer because of a dishonest guarantor, so candidates were careful about whom they partnered with.
For large private schools, this wasn’t an issue, there were plenty of classmates to vouch for one another. But Ruijin’s school had only him as a candidate this year, making the mutual guarantee arrangement tricky. Since it was his first attempt, his teacher had taken the initiative to arrange guarantors for him in advance.
Lost in thought, Ruijin suddenly caught a whiff of something delicious. He looked up to see his father returning, not just with breakfast, but a steaming bowl of noodles.
Under the bewildered stares of those around them, Ruijin pressed his lips together. If his other father was here, Lao Zhang would’ve gotten an earful.
"Had the cook make your favorite fish broth noodles," Zhang Fangyuan said, holding the bowl out and handing Ruijin the chopsticks. "Eat."
Ruijin took the chopsticks, touched by the gesture. The two ate without a care for the onlookers, though their display did inspire some envy, one boy in line whined for food, only to be scolded by his parent.
The registration took all morning. Zhang Fangyuan had come partly out of affection, but also because he worried his past reputation might cause trouble. Fortunately, he had no official records of misconduct, and his standing in the city had improved over the years, so there were no issues.
As the saying went, "Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse". A fresh start had erased most memories of his former self.
[人靠衣装马靠鞍 (rén kào yī zhuāng, mǎ kào ān): lit. Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse; fig. Appearance and presentation greatly influence perception.]
By the time father and son left the county office, they were drenched in sweat. They had planned to eat out, but after hours in the sun, they were in no state for a restaurant. Instead, they headed straight home.
Just as Zhang Fangyuan was helping Ruijin into the carriage and preparing to climb in himself, a voice called out from behind:
"Wait!"
Thanks for the update!!
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