The Daily Life of a Rich Peasant's Boy in the Imperial Examination

As soon as the list of the college entrance examination was announced, it caused a stir in Yuanlu.

The onlookers were also very happy. Their ordinary lives finally had some gossip to talk about, and this topic could last for a month and a half, so they didn't have to worry about finding gossip for the time being.

After Sun Shan received the gift from the Wang family, he then received a gift from Widow Li.

Widow Li came to visit with her high school son.

In fact, Sun Shan didn't want to be summoned. He was very busy and had no time to meet people everywhere.

But I met the Wang family without much thought at that time. If I didn’t meet Widow Li, wouldn’t it be considered as snobbery?

You reap what you sow.

What's more, he is a new scholar, so for the reason of "appreciating talents", he should also be met.

The gifts Widow Li brought were much simpler. They were a few chickens, ducks, and geese, some nicely packaged cakes, and some fresh melons and vegetables she grew herself.

She looked at Sun Shan awkwardly and said hello hurriedly, "Greetings to the Magistrate."

Widow Li's son Zhong Yiren also followed behind and greeted Sun Shan.

Sun Shan nodded and asked them to sit down. Nanny Wang came in and poured tea and water.

Sun Shan smiled and said, "Mr. Zhong, congratulations."

When others pass the imperial examination, we always have to say congratulations.

This time, Mr. Zhong's ranking was stuck in the middle, neither up nor down, so it was impossible for him to be admitted as a student.

Zhong Yiren immediately stood up and bowed, "Thank you very much, sir. I was able to pass the exam thanks to your help. I have no way to repay you, but I will remember it in my heart."

This time I was taking the college entrance examination, and I was hesitating between taking it and not taking it.

There is no money at home, so I have to borrow money from everywhere. The old debts have not been paid off yet, and the relatives around me are all poor, so where to borrow money is also a big problem.

If you don't take the exam, you will miss a year. Your youth will be gone forever. How many more years do you have in your life?

What's more, as you get older, taking exams becomes more and more difficult.

Just when I was in distress, the government office said that they would provide food, accommodation and escort. This was unprecedented and I couldn't believe it.

It was not until I finished the exam that I realized that all this was true.

The government not only confiscated money but also provided loans.

For example, registration fees, mutual insurance fees, etc., are interest-free loans that can be repaid on time.

Zhong Yiren shamelessly found Wang Jiaxing and Uncle Dali who were in charge of this scientific expedition.

I tossed and turned the night before, and hesitated and hesitated. The next day I finally mustered up the courage to borrow money.

But it turned out to be surprisingly smooth. I didn't have to say a word and I borrowed the money as soon as I asked.

You just need to sign and seal, pay the registration fee, and the mutual insurance fee.

It went so smoothly that it once again felt unreal to him.

Zhong Yiren looked excitedly at the county magistrate who was a year or two older than him and had passed the imperial examination twice, and his heart was filled with gratitude.

Sun Shan shook his head and said, "Your inclusion on the list is entirely due to your own efforts. My contribution is insignificant. I hope Mr. Zhong will not forget his original aspirations and strive to move forward."

Sun Shan said so, but Mr. Zhong did not dare to think so.

It is true that I have worked hard, but without the financial support of the county magistrate, my state of mind when entering the examination room would be completely different.

Scholar Zhong bowed again to Sun Shan and said, "Sir, I am not very good at speaking. I don't know how to express my deepest gratitude. I will never forget your great kindness."

Sun Shan didn't want to argue with Mr. Zhong about this issue, so he tested his academic performance.

Mr. Zhong seemed a little nervous and answered Sun Shan's questions in a halting manner.

Sun Shan smiled gently and soothed him, "Don't be nervous. Just treat it as a normal academic discussion."

Mr. Zhong quickly said, "Yes, sir."

After a pause, he added, "I bravely submitted my article to you earlier. Thank you for your comments. I benefited greatly from them. It is my honor to discuss academic matters with you this time."

Mr. Zhong had previously delivered articles to Sun Shan through Widow Li and Nanny Wang.

Who would have thought that Sun Shan actually made revisions, and that the article was covered with numerous red revision comments, proving that Sun Shan had made corrections carefully, and had not been perfunctory or spoken empty words.

From then on, Mr. Zhong believed that their county magistrate was a scholar with real evidence and who integrated knowledge and practice.

It is a blessing for the people of Yuanlu to have such a caring official.

Sun Shan smiled and continued to examine Mr. Zhong, but he secretly sighed inwardly.

In fact, Mr. Zhong’s knowledge is not solid. No, it cannot be said that it is not solid, but his foundation is too shallow.

This kind of knowledge is okay for the scholar exam, but for future exams, the road to Shu will be extremely difficult, as difficult as climbing to the sky.

Alas, this is also a common problem for children from poor families. Unless they are gifted, the rest depends on their family background.

Mr. Zhong's knowledge was obviously not enough to take the higher examinations. He had already used up all his talent and luck to pass the examination.

Sun Shan thought that if he didn't have a helpful aunt and cousin, didn't have the memory of his previous life, and didn't have a bit of luck, he would be the same as Sun Xiucai. It would be a great honor for his ancestors to pass the exam to become a scholar.

But it doesn’t matter, as long as each generation makes a little progress compared to the previous one.

Mr. Zhong is now a scholar. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid or go astray in the future, his life will have changed dramatically.

As long as we educate the next generation well, each generation will always be stronger than the previous one.

Sun Shan asked, "Mr. Zhong, are you planning to continue your studies, or...?"

For a poor family like this, even if one passes the imperial examination to become a scholar, it doesn't mean everything will be fine.

If I continue to take the exam, the cost will increase each time, and it will be difficult for my family to afford it.

Speaking of the future, Zhong Yiren said firmly: "Sir, I want to continue taking exams. If there is a chance, I want to study at the provincial school."

Chenzhou Prefecture is different from Zhangzhou Prefecture.

The academic atmosphere in Chenzhou Prefecture is much stronger than that in Zhangzhou Prefecture. There are not only many juren (juren) but also jinshi (jinshi) here.

Even though Yuanlu is located deep in the mountains and forests, the reading atmosphere is much better than that of Huangyang County.

Therefore, the scientific examination results are much better than those of Huangyang County.

Mr. Zhong's academic performance was neither good nor bad. If he entered Chenzhou Prefecture School, he would most likely have to pay for it himself, and the cost would be quite high.

This also means that we will have to continue to live a frugal and hard life in the future.

Sun Shan neither supports nor opposes such behavior. Young people will never be willing to accept it unless they fight hard.

Sun Shan smiled and said, "You are still young, and it would be good for you to continue taking the exam. But the saying 'do what you can' always applies. Mr. Zhong, work hard."

Zhong Yiren is not a fool since he was able to pass the imperial examination. He understands the meaning of the four words "do what you can".

I also know that stopping the imperial examination at this moment is the best for my family, but I am unwilling to do so. I have only one thought in mind: to continue taking the exam.

Mr. Zhong was not angry at Sun Shan's "suggestion". He said gratefully, "Thank you for your reminder, sir. I understand."

Sun Shan chatted with Mr. Zhong for a while, then turned to talk to Widow Li and asked with concern, "Madam Li, you have raised a good son. Thank you for your hard work."

Widow Li became even more anxious and uneasy when she was called "Madam".

Especially the county magistrate in front of him, who was almost the same age as his own son, felt even more restrained.

She also knew that the magistrate was young, so she just watched him from afar.

Talking to her at this moment, I realized she looks younger.

Flattered.