The Transmigrated Farm Girl's Journey to Wealth

After Song Feng left, Fang Xiaoning lived a secluded life, rarely going out with her child.

Zhao often brought her youngest daughter to keep her company.

"Mother, where is Father?" Fang Youcai has always come with us, but where is he today?

"He went to your grandpa's."

"how?"

Zhao smiled helplessly, "Ever since your father passed the imperial examination, your grandparents' attitude towards him has changed. They invite him over for meals and chats every day."

Fang Xiaoning genuinely knew nothing about this.

"Grandpa and Grandma transferred their expectations for their younger brother onto their father."

Zhao smiled bitterly, "Yes, your father said that every time he went back, they would urge him to continue studying, pass the imperial examination, and bring honor to the Fang family. Your father was almost driven crazy by it. Now, when he hears them calling him, he gets scared."

Zhao Xiaoyu: ……

"That's good. Dad is so lazy, having someone keep an eye on him will motivate him to improve."

Zhao didn't think so. She felt that at their age, what was the point of making a fuss? They should just live a peaceful life.

When her husband actually became a scholar, she became nervous. "What should I do, scholar's wife?"

“Daughter, have you heard? The Zhou family came to the Wang family’s door and beat Wang Defa and his father half to death.”

Oh no, I got hit!

"When did this happen?" She's at home, how come she doesn't know anything about it?

"The strangest thing is that the Wang family suffered such a huge loss, but they didn't utter a single word. Everyone is saying that the fire at the Zhou family's house was started by the Wang family. Otherwise, why would they have been beaten and not dared to say a word? Why do you think they are like this? They've been divorced for so many years, and Cui Shi has been married into the Zhou family for so many years."

Zhao was very puzzled; what was the point of their conflict?

Why? She might actually know.

“Mother, the Wang family did this, there’s no doubt about it. Actually, it’s not unjust that the Zhou family was set on fire; they were just fighting like dogs, and none of them are innocent.”

"What do you mean?" Zhao was truly confused. She had genuinely hated the Wang family in her younger years.

"I heard that Wang Defa can't let women get pregnant. Just think about what happened to Cui Shi's belly back then..."

"You mean..."

Fang Xiaoning nodded.

Zhao covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. My goodness! How dare Cui! Isn't she afraid of being exposed and drowned?

Thinking about how Wang Defa hadn't had a child for so many years, Zhao broke out in a cold sweat. Thank goodness, her daughter Xiaoning had broken off the engagement with him; otherwise, what would have become of her daughter?

"Mom, just listen to this, but don't go around telling everyone!"

Zhao nodded; she knew what was important.

The Fang family.

Fang Youcai looked at his father with a long face and a resentful expression. He had been nagging him for a long time, repeating the same old things until his ears were tired of hearing it.

He was utterly speechless. The old man, for some unknown reason, was staring at him and wouldn't let go.

"Eldest son, your father is counting on you now. There's no hope for the fourth son. You must make a name for yourself, pass the imperial examination, and bring honor to our Fang family!"

Fang Youcai suppressed his agitation and patiently explained, "Father, have you forgotten Gou Dan and Tie Zhu? They have a better chance than me; they will definitely pass the imperial examination."

Grandpa Fang shook his head. He knew that his eldest grandson could pass the imperial examination, but it was different. The significance of them passing the imperial examination and Fang Youcai passing the imperial examination was different to him.

“You’re rich, Tiezhu is Tiezhu, and you are you. When Tiezhu becomes a scholar, people will say, ‘Master Fang’s son from Zaoshu Village has passed the imperial examination. Master Fang is good at raising his son and won’t nag me.’”

"Only if you pass the exam will people say that Old Man Fang from Zaoshu Village raised his son well, and only then will they remember me."

Ouch, let me go!

At his age, he still wants all those superficial things. How come I never noticed before? The old man is living such a hypocritical life!

Could it be that he was desperately cultivating his fourth son just for his own glory, since he couldn't pass the imperial examinations himself and needed a son who could study and pass the exams?

Oh my god!

The fourth one is so pitiful!

No, he's the one being held hostage now, he's the one who's suffering!

Fang Youcai sternly stopped the old man from continuing, "Dad, let me tell you the truth, I won't continue taking the exam. Don't you think about how old I am? My grandson is already in school, what's the point of me taking the exam for official rank?"

The thought of Confucius describing an elderly man, over fifty years old with a full head of white hair, unable to even lift his books, taking the exam alongside young children sent shivers down his spine.

People with one foot in the grave are still taking exams; some even died in the exam hall because they couldn't handle it. How could they be so despondent? Life is so beautiful, such a wonderful world, yet they let a mere empty title ruin their entire lives.

"You're not going to take the exam? How can you not take it?" Before, when his son said he wasn't going to take the exam, the old man just thought his eldest son was trying to annoy him. But now that he was really determined not to study, the old man was visibly panicked.

He didn't aspire to further advancement; was it not even enough for him to be a mere scholar? Why was the eldest brother so cruel to him, unable to grant his last wish?

"Why should I take the exam? I just want to live a carefree and comfortable life. Dad, if you want to take the exam, go take it yourself. You seem to be in good spirits. How about I hire a tutor for you to teach you at home? Maybe you can really make a good future through your studies."

Listening to their eldest brother's nonsensical ramblings, Fang Lao Er and Lao San's mouths twitched simultaneously. Their father was going to study and take exams. How could he even think of that?

"Get out of here!"

"Ai!"

Having received the pardon, Fang Youcai quickly left.

"Call him back immediately!"

Fang Lao Er peeked out, but the person was already out of sight. "Dad, Big Brother has gone far away."

The old man sat weakly in the main room. His sons, the fourth son, wanted to take the exam but couldn't, and the eldest son could take it but didn't want to. Why was he so unlucky in his life to have given birth to two such troublesome children?

He glanced at the two in front of him again, then closed his eyes in disgust. These two were better suited for studying than for studying; they were dumber than pigs. He figured they'd never even finish learning the Three Character Classic by the time they met their ancestors.

"You two get out too." I wanted to avoid seeing it altogether.

Everyone in the main room scrambled out. "Old man, take it easy. Actually, being the father of a scholar who has passed the imperial examination isn't so bad."

It turns out that the fourth son couldn't even pass the preliminary examination!

"Old woman, you don't understand me!"

Old Mrs. Sun pursed her lips. How could she not understand what he was thinking, a man who had slept on that kang (heated brick bed) for decades? But some things truly cannot be forced. He had strived his whole life, and what had he gained?

To be honest, she was filled with regret. They bore a great deal of responsibility for the fourth son's current state.

"What's there to argue about? As long as the children are all alive and well, that's better than anything else. I think my life is good enough now, and I'm content. Look at what you're wearing and what you eat, what else could you possibly be dissatisfied with?"

You need to be truly ambitious, even if you want to be. Old Master Wang was ambitious his whole life; look at him, does he still strive? The Song family is different; they weren't ambitious, and now they have nothing. We should be content.”

That makes sense, but he just won't give up. If the eldest brother hadn't passed the imperial examination, he wouldn't have forced it. It was that bastard who gave him hope, only to shatter it again and again.

You bastard, you'll never improve yourself in your life!

"People have to accept their fate! Don't you think so?"

Old Master Fang sat there silently for a long time...