I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examination

After returning to school and reading for a while, it was already dark.

Aunt Zhang secretly gave Sun Shan an extra meal for dinner. Last time it was one chicken leg, this time it was two chicken legs.

Sun Shan was flattered.

Aunt Zhang looked at Sun Shan with great satisfaction and said with a smile, "Shanzi, eat more. After the hospital tests are over, I will make you four chicken legs."

Sun Shan bowed his hands solemnly and said, "Thank you, Auntie. I'll be waiting for your chicken drumstick."

Aunt Zhang laughed and swaggered back to the kitchen to work.

The next day at lunch time, Sun Boming and Su came as expected, and this time they brought Xiaoman with them.

Xiaoman looked around the dormitory curiously. When she saw Sun Shan, she immediately ran over and said happily, "Shanzi, you are a Tongsheng master now."

As soon as I heard it, I imitated the villagers' shouting.

Zheng Tongsheng was a well-known student in the surrounding area, and many people called him Master Tongsheng.

Xiaoman knew that his brother's current status was the same as Zheng Tongsheng's, both were Tongsheng, so he also called him Tongsheng Master.

Su hugged Sun Shan and shouted excitedly: "My son, you are really good. Mother is so happy."

Su had never been so proud. When she learned that Sun Shanfu had passed the test and officially became a Tongsheng master, the whole sky brightened.

First, the second son-in-law came back to report the news, and then the yamen runners and the village head came to report the news.

After that, villagers came one by one to pay compliments and bring gifts to the door. The Su family had never had such a glorious moment.

Now when people in the village see her, they all say that she is blessed.

I remember how much ridicule I received for giving birth to four girls in a row.

All the grievances of the years disappeared in an instant yesterday.

So what if she gave birth to four girls? She gave birth to a son who was a scholar. She was no better than those who gave birth to a bunch of rat sons.

Humph, if anyone dares to gossip about her again, let Shanzi teach them a lesson.

Sun Bomin pulled Su away. He really wanted to hug his son. With red eyes, he said, "Shanzi, did you really get fourth place in the exam? Are you really a Tongsheng Master?"

Sun Bomin was still confused at this moment and was not sure about this fact. He had to ask Shanzi, the person involved, to tell him in person.

When his second son-in-law came back yesterday to report the news, he was stunned for a moment. When the yamen runners and the village head came to report the news, they were still confused.

It was not until the village chief gave him money to report the news and helped him greet the villagers that he dared to believe it was true.

I went out early this morning and was unsure on the road again, so I asked Su.

Instead, Su scolded him and said that he did not wish well for his son.

It’s unfair~

He just couldn't believe it. How could he not wish Shanzi the best?

Sun Shan pulled himself out of Sun Boming's arms; he was held too tightly and he couldn't breathe.

He tightly held Sun Bomin and Su's hands and said with great certainty, "Father, mother, I passed the test in my mansion and now I am a student. This is true, not a lie."

Su had long believed it was true. No one in the world could compare to her Shan Zi. She kept muttering, "My Shan Zi is good. Oh, my Shan Zi is amazing."

Sun Bomin was sure at this time and said excitedly: "Well done, Shanzi, well done, Dad has raised a good son."

Sun Shan asked the couple to calm down, saying that being too excited would be bad for their health.

Sun Bomin paused and said, "Shanzi, since you have passed the examination, we must congratulate you and report it to our ancestors."

Sun Bomin looked at Sun Shan with heartache. Even though Sun Shan was not in his family tree, he was still his son and a descendant of the Sun family.

The ancestors of the Sun family will be very happy.

Su nodded hurriedly and said, "Boss, you are right. We should celebrate properly. Let's buy a pig and treat the whole village to a meal."

Su was not thinking about reporting to the ancestors, but about showing off in the village, so she was willing to spend a huge amount of money on the banquet.

Xiaoman's eyes lit up. It would be a good idea to hold a banquet. This way, all the girls in the village would envy her for having a brother who was a student.

Sun Shan quickly stopped him and repeated what he had said at Xia's house, emphasizing that he still had the college entrance examination in August and did not want to be distracted.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Sun Bomin and Xiaoman hurriedly said that they would not do it and must prepare well for the examination.

Although Su regretted not being able to stand out, she obeyed her father at home, her husband after marriage, and her son in old age, which was a realistic reflection of her outlook on life.

Since both her husband and son didn't want to do it, she naturally followed suit and expressed no objection.

Sun Bomin and Su chatted with Sun Shan for a while, put down some food, and took Xiaoman to buy a dowry.

Before leaving, he reminded her: "Shanzi, you must stay in the school, don't go anywhere, and study hard."

Sun Shan nodded, waved his hand, and went back to the school.

Without any instructions from his family, he would go all out and work hard for the college entrance examination.

After six or seven days, Mr. Hong returned late.

As soon as he arrived at the school, he immediately called Sun Shan and Zheng Hongwen to his study and looked at the two students with great satisfaction.

Hong Xiucai stroked his half-white beard and said gently, "You two did well in the exam. You are better than others if you can make the list. During this period, work hard and prepare for the college entrance examination in August. Do you understand?"

Sun Shan and Zheng Hongwen quickly said they understood.

Mr. Hong nodded, analyzed the test questions of the provincial examination with the two of them, and then continued with what they were supposed to do.

It's just that Sun Shan was highly praised for copying the test questions from memory.

Sun Shan smiled proudly and said, "Master, I have explained many of the questions for the provincial examination before, so I remember them."

The corner of Hong Xiucai's mouth twitched when he saw Sun Shan's triangle eyes drooped even more, making him look like he deserved a beating.

Forget it, since his grades are so good, I'll forgive him this time.

Sun Shan had no idea that he was disliked by Mr. Hong.

At this time, the poor student Zeng Jiajun called him aside and said, "Ashan, Guangzhou Prefecture has a package for you. Go to my escort agency to pick it up when the hall is closed. I wanted to pick it up for you, but you have to sign in person, so I can't help it. If the escort agency delivers it to your door, they will charge a delivery fee."

Sun Shan nodded and said thank you.

I feel that Zengjia Escort Agency is quite formal, and doing this makes it more trustworthy.

As soon as school was over, I asked Uncle Hong for leave and rushed to Zeng's Escort Agency.

Sun Shan knew it must be a letter from his eldest cousin.

From the day he was confirmed to have passed the prefectural examination, Sun Shan wrote a letter to his eldest cousin in the provincial government, first saying that he had passed the prefectural examination and would take the college examination in August.

Due to the limited teaching staff at Hong's School, I needed my eldest cousin to give me some guidance and especially to focus on describing the test questions for the college entrance examination.

Whether it is from Zhangzhou Prefecture, Guangzhou Prefecture, or test questions from famous colleges, all are needed.

The more the better, the less the better.

After five or six days, my cousin wrote to me, which was really great.

Alas, it’s a pity that my cousin has always been a scholar and has never passed the imperial examination to become a juren. Sun Shan is really worried about him.

From his eldest cousin's journey to take the imperial examination, Sun Shan understood more clearly how difficult it was. His eldest cousin studied in a prestigious school but still failed the exam.

It can be seen that taking the imperial examination is as difficult as climbing to the sky.

Sun Shan came to Zeng's Escort Agency and signed to take the package.

It was a big package, very heavy, and Sun Shan could feel the weight of the paper.

Mr. Zeng came to receive us personally.

Sun Shan looked at him carefully and found that Zeng Jiajun was only 5% similar to him.

Zeng Dadong is a big and strong man, like a butcher selling pork.

Zeng Jiajun is a size smaller than him and looks very ordinary.

The father and son have similar personalities and are both straightforward.

Zeng Dadong first congratulated Sun Shan on passing the examination for Tongsheng, and then encouraged him to continue to take the examination for Xiucai. Finally, he expressed his purpose: "Ashan, when you go to Zhangzhou Prefecture to take the examination, remember to come to the escort agency to set a time. We must be well prepared."

Sun Shan nodded and said, "Okay, Uncle Zeng, I'll go back first. I need to continue studying and prepare for the college entrance examination."

Zeng Dadongjia said quickly: "Okay, go back quickly, don't delay."

As for why Zeng Jiajun was beaten up for no reason by Zeng Dadong during dinner, Sun Shan had no idea.