The news that Fang Zichen intended to take the tongsheng exam came as a complete surprise to Aunt Liu and the others. After their initial shock, they thought it was utterly ridiculous.
They had never participated in the imperial examinations themselves, but they knew that passing them was not something just anyone could achieve.
The County-level (Tongsheng) exam had no barriers—anyone who had the time, courage, and nerve to sign up could take it.
By the prefectural-level exam, barriers began to appear.
It wasn't like the county exam that opened its doors wide, only those who passed the county exam could proceed to the next round, the prefectural exam.
Only after passing the prefectural exam could one take the academy exam.
The barriers became higher with each successive stage.
Every year, candidates for the county exam were as numerous as carp crossing a river. Each one harbored delusions of grandeur, always wanting to give it a try.
It was like a thousand troops and ten thousand horses trying to cross a single-log bridge. Out of thousands of people, after several rounds of examinations, less than one in a hundred remained.
Leaving aside those who knew only a few characters and just wanted to 'give it a try,' even those who graduated from proper academies and had studied diligently for years under a xiucai's tutelage—those who received a proper orthodox education with their eyes glued to books every day, diligent and hardworking—even those people often took the exam eight or nine times without success.
Like Scholar Wang from Xiaorong Village.
Those who passed the county exam were usually defeated in the prefectural exam.
It had been nearly ten years since Fu'an Town produced a single xiucai.
There were a handful of tongsheng.
The intensity of the competition, the strictness of the exams, and the sheer difficulty of the imperial examinations could be clearly understood from these very small numbers.
For He Daleng and Aunt Liu, it made sense for those who had studied hard for ten years, poring over books every day, to take the exams. But Fang Zichen...
They knew he could read, but how 'profound' his knowledge was, what his actual capabilities were, they didn't know.
He worked every day. With the comings and goings of so many customers at Zuixiao Restaurant, he must be very busy. Furthermore, they had never seen him reading books. Was he really up to it?
These past couple of days, the town had been quite lively, with everyone talking about the imperial exams. News spread back and forth, so even those in the village who were detached from worldly affairs had heard a thing or two. It was probably a case of a young man not knowing his limits, thinking he could do anything, blindly following the trend and joining the excitement!
No matter what everyone thought, since Fang Zichen had the nerve to try, and Zhao Ger had personally come to their door, regardless of whether he would pass or not, just based on his current job at Zuixiao Restaurant and his wide network of connections, they should help if they could. Besides, it wasn't a big deal—just putting a handprint on a guarantee document. By helping now, they would be owed a favor. If something happened in the future, they would feel more comfortable asking him for help.
Early the next morning, the village chief arrived with He Daleng and Uncle Liu and a few others.
Zhao Ger spent twenty copper coins to rent the village chief's ox cart. After all, he was asking for a favor, and he felt it would be inappropriate to have them walk to town.
The four guarantors were all gathered. In the morning, Zhao Ger got up very early and steamed over ten buns. Fang Zichen washed his face and helped Zhao Ger carry the basket containing the chili sauce onto the oxcart. Only then did he pick up Guaizai and sit down on the cart.
Zhao Ger distributed the buns to the village chief and the others.
The ones he made were large, and the filling inside was generous. Two per person were enough to fill them up.
Because they were in a hurry, everyone hadn't eaten breakfast yet.
Their stomachs were empty, and the morning fog was heavy. After eating a steaming hot bun, they felt much warmer.
These pure white, big buns were something they only dared to eat during New Year's or festivals. Zhao Ger really knew how to handle things well.
The government office usually opened at sishi (9-11 AM). The matter of the imperial exams being moved up came suddenly, and time was very tight. As they needed to handle registration for the students taking the Tongsheng exam now, the government office had opened early.
Fang Zichen asked Zhao Ger to sit beside him. Afraid Guaizai would get cold, he stuffed the child inside his clothes. Guaizai's head peeked out from his collar, making the father and son look like they were wearing the same garment.
He was an eighteen-year-old youth, an age when the body's vitality was at its peak. His blood ran hot and his body was like a furnace. Pressed tightly against him, Guaizai felt as though he were nestled under a sun-warmed quilt.
He hugged Fang Zichen's neck, buried his face against his neck, nuzzled, and said, "Father, so warm."
His voice still sounded sleepy. His long eyelashes brushed against Fang Zichen's neck with each blink. Fang Zichen found it terribly ticklish and kissed his soft, chubby cheek. "Be good, sleep a while longer. I'll call you when we arrive."
Guaizai, feeling drowsy, said, "Okay~ Guaizai sleeps, grows tall tall, later protects Father and Daddy, won't let anyone bully you."
Zhao Ger smiled upon hearing this. Fang Zichen turned his head and asked, "Are you cold?"
The oxcart moved slowly, but it was faster than walking. The wind blowing towards them was chilly. Fang Zichen had deliberately sat in the front to block some of the wind for Zhao Ger.
"Not cold, I'm wearing..." Zhao Ger started to say, then changed his words mid-sentence: "A little bit."
Fang Zichen moved even closer to him.
The clan leader happened to be sitting opposite Fang Zichen. His face wrinkled into a smile. "This child is really well-behaved!"
Ordinary children, if woken up without enough sleep, often cry and fuss.
Guaizai just seemed a bit listless, but he didn't cry or fuss. He smiled when it was time to smile, and ate when it was time to eat.
"Mm!" Fang Zichen smiled, extremely proud. "This child takes after me!"
The clan leader chuckled heartily, but halfway through his laughter, he started coughing violently.
He was about the same age as the village chief's father. A lifetime of hard work, searching for food in the fields, coming and going in wind and rain, meant that although he was only in his sixties, he was extremely aged and frail. He needed a cane to walk, trembling unsteadily.
The oxcart was jolting. His whole body felt like he was on a bounce house. Fang Zichen's own backside hadn't been sitting stably or properly even once. If he himself found it unbearable, he was really worried the clan leader might throw his back out.
When they arrived at the government office, Yang Mingyi was already waiting for them.
Fang Zichen went to find Lao Wang again. The registration process was notoriously cumbersome, requiring a thorough investigation of one's family background for generations. It was nearly impossible to get through it without an acquaintance or contact.
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