As soon as Uncle Liu reached the village entrance, people crowded around him.
"Did Fang boy pass?"
"He passed, he passed," Uncle Liu said.
"Aiya, so from now on he really is a Tongsheng, Master Tongsheng."
Being a Tongsheng, aside from the title, didn't have any actual benefits, but it was indeed the first step.
Only Xiucai could be exempt from taxes and receive the monthly silver and rice stipend issued by the court.
It wasn't much: just over two taels of silver per month, plus six jin of rice (approximately 3 kg), half a bolt of good cloth, and one jin of meat.
Others might look down on these things, but for the villagers, the benefits were real and tangible.
"Earlier I saw Zhao Ger buying a lot of meat, said he was going to make cured meat with it. Fang boy likes it. My family still has two pieces, I'll take them over to him later to share in the joy."
"I'll also go home and take a look."
Everyone prepared to go home and find something to bring as congratulations, but they saw Madam Ma standing still.
"Sister Ma, why aren't you moving? Have you already prepared your gift?"
Madam Ma: "..."
Madam Ma just felt terribly embarrassed.
"I thought your family had made peace with young Fang? For a happy occasion like this, won't you go and offer your congratulations?" Someone asked, clearly confused.
Madam Ma hesitated: "I... I'll go later."
She really had suffering she couldn't voice.
How were they reconciled with Fang Zichen?!
Everyone knew the imperial exams considered a candidate's reputation, and those with poor reputations were not allowed to take them by the officials.
Before Ma Laosan got into trouble, the Ma family daughters-in-law had been busy spreading malicious rumors about Fang Zichen throughout the village. They said that when he came to their house to cause trouble, Old Master Ma was elderly, not in good health, and coughed a couple of times. Fang Zichen found it annoying, so he kicked Old Master Ma twice. The old man's health was already poor, and Old Master Ma immediately lost half his life force, and was still lying in bed, unable to get up! To be so ruthless even to an old man, he probably wasn't a good person.
That day, Fang Zichen smashed their dining table. When he came, no one dared to speak; when he left, no one dared to stop him.
Everyone outside the courtyard gate heard it clearly. Fang Zichen had bullied his way into their home, and they didn't dare resist even a little.
If they had resisted, people could have praised them for having backbone. But with so many Ma family men, they let Fang Zichen come and go as he pleased, without daring to say a single word. They were truly spineless.
Old Master Ma was so ashamed he hardly went out for half a month.
Some people in the village believed it.
Even if the two families had some conflict, no matter how big, hitting an old man really shouldn't be done.
The village chief knew about the rumors in the village. He originally didn't want to bother with these gossipers, thinking they'd stop after a few words anyway, and it didn't hinder Fang Zichen. But when he learned Fang Zichen was taking the exams, he immediately stepped in to explain.
Everyone in the village knew exactly what kind of people the Ma family were, and Fang Zichen's behavior and character over the past few months were clear for all to see. Someone who had witnessed it that day also came forward to testify, saying he did smash the Ma family's table, but beating an old man was completely baseless, it never happened. Only then did everyone realize they had been tricked by the Ma family.
The village chief found Fang Zichen and told him to take it easy, not to cause any more trouble. If he really ruined his reputation, it would mess up the important matter.
Fang Zichen had felt deeply wronged. The Ma family's stories made him out to be some kind of monster. His first instinct was to go straight to their house and settle the score, but the village chief planted himself firmly in his path with a stubborn 'I'm not moving until you promise' attitude, leaving Fang Zichen with no choice but to reluctantly agree.
He had already let the Ma family off once, yet Ma Laosan still dared to provoke him. Fang Zichen was really furious. The night Ma Laosan got injured, after dinner, he went to the Ma family again. He kicked the door down and said that from now on, if even half a bad rumor about him appeared in the village, today it was Ma Laosan's broken leg, tomorrow it would be Ma Lao'er, the day after would be Ma Laoda. After the adults were finished, it would be the children's turn.
The Ma family daughters-in-law immediately started crying.
Sun-shi stammered, promised they would never spread malicious rumors about him again. But she hesitated, pointing out that the village was full of people. What if someone else started gossiping? Would her family still be held responsible?
Fang Zichen leaned against the door, looked around at the trembling Ma family members, and laughed: "I don't care. If I hear it, I'm coming for you. Whoever dares to block my path to the imperial exams, I will make their household restless."
After he threatened them, the Ma family was terrified.
Later, a few times when Madam Ma and Sun-shi and the others went to do laundry, they heard the Zhou family's second daughter-in-law speaking ill of Fang Zichen and Zhao Ger. They threw down their laundry and immediately scolded her, defending Fang Zichen fiercely. People were puzzled. After seeing them defend him a few more times, they asked Li-shi: "Have you reconciled with Fang boy?"
Li-shi couldn't find a reason, she certainly couldn't repeat Fang Zichen's words. She could only stiffly nod.
And so the story spread.
Madam Ma gritted her teeth. How could she possibly give him a gift?
"Since your two families are reconciled, then go back and give a gift! On such a happy occasion, not giving one would be unreasonable."
Madam Ma: "..."
Madam Ma was choking with resentment.
Zhao Ger had already bought some malt candy and melon seeds. Last time they didn't know, and when everyone came, they had nothing to serve. Now they could just bring it out.
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