Chapter 6: Pride

Outside the examination hall, guards were standing watch.

Li Zhengshan was also wearing a Head Constable's uniform, standing not far away to act as a guard; seeing Luo Zijun come out, he was stunned for a moment.

"Zijun, why have you come out?"

Li Zhengshan was very surprised, but then he understood something and hurriedly asked in a low voice: "Was the examination question very difficult?"

It was not yet noon, and the examination time was until before the Wei period in the afternoon; coming out so quickly, it was clear the result was not very good.

Luo Zijun said: "It wasn't too difficult, I finished writing before I came out."

Li Zhengshan clearly did not quite believe it.

After all, his brother-in-law had always been studying medicine, and only started reading to prepare for the Prefectural Examination half a month before the test; how could he have finished so quickly?

However, he did not dare to say much, and comforted him: "It's fine, if it doesn't work out this year, continue next year. Your sister is waiting over there, go quickly. I still have to stand guard, I probably won't be able to go back until tonight."

Luo Zijun nodded and walked toward the open space ahead.

The friends and family of the examinees were all gathered there, not daring to speak loudly, all gazing longingly at the gates of the examination hall.

"Boss, your brother-in-law doesn't look like he did very well."

"Last time, Boss was bragging that once your brother-in-law passed the exam to become a Cultivated Talent, you would treat us to drinks; it seems we can only wait until next year."

"Sigh, next year after next year, how many next years there are."

The two Constables beside Li Zhengshan were joking with smiles on their faces.

Li Zhengshan was in no mood to joke with them, waving his hand and saying sternly: "Stand guard properly, don't talk."

Luo Jiaorong had already seen her younger brother.

Seeing him come out so early, her heart sank, knowing the result was not very good, but she did not dare to show it; a smile appeared on her face as she waved and said: "Zijun, over here."

Who would have thought that Wang Shen, who sold fruit, was standing right behind her; seeing this, she immediately shouted: "Oh my, Jiaorong, your brother only just went in a little while ago and he's already out? I guess he didn't even finish the first part of the exam, right? It's fine, don't be discouraged, let him go home and study hard, and come back to take the exam next year."

She then continued: "Actually, let this auntie say something you might not like to hear: not everyone is like my nephew, who has a brain for studying from the moment he is born. If he can't study, don't force it; let him go learn medicine or dispense herbs, that's actually quite good."

Luo Jiaorong was instantly furious.

Luo Zijun walked over and said: "Sister, I finished the exam before I came out."

Luo Jiaorong forced a smile, took his hand, and said: "Let's go, let's go home, sister will make you something delicious."

She was afraid that if she stayed here any longer, she would be subjected to more of Wang Shen's snide remarks.

Who would have thought Wang Shen would say again: "Oh my, Jiaorong, are you leaving so early? Not waiting for the results to come out? Although Zijun might not necessarily pass, you could still look at other people's names and make some friends or something. By the way, my nephew will probably be out soon; after the list is posted, you, as his sister, will have to prepare a red envelope, hehe."

Luo Jiaorong's face turned livid with anger, and she prepared to leave immediately.

Luo Zijun held her hand and said: "It's fine, sister, let's just wait a while, until the results come out."

There were not many people taking the Prefectural Examination today, and the results did not need to be ranked; since the exam finished today, they would be released today and then posted on the wall by the entrance.

His results should already be out.

After all, there were only a few who handed in their papers so early, so the three Examiners should have finished grading.

Wang Shen laughed: "That's right, don't be in a hurry; wait for the results to come out, and when my nephew's name is posted, I'll treat everyone to a meal at my house!"

Luo Jiaorong kept a cold face and said nothing.

Luo Zijun smiled: "Wang Shen, how much silver did you put in your red envelope?"

Wang Shen immediately took out the red envelope with pride: "A full two taels of silver!"

For someone who sold fruit from dawn till dusk, two taels of silver was indeed a lot.

Luo Zijun said: "Wang Shen is truly generous; are you really going to give away these two taels of silver in a moment?"

"Of course! Passing the exam to become a Cultivated Talent is a big deal, and that's my nephew! I can't be stingy!"

Wang Shen immediately shouted loudly, as if afraid others wouldn't hear, looking very proud.

Another stick of incense's time passed. The examinees began to walk out of the examination hall one after another.

Wang Shen did not see her nephew, and with a face full of smiles, said: "My nephew has been diligent in everything since he was small; he's probably still checking his examination paper."

The sun gradually slanted westward from the center of the sky.

At this time, the examination time had ended, and the remaining examinees were coming out one after another.

Wang Shen finally saw her nephew, and instantly said with an excited face: "Look, my nephew is out! Look at the way he walks, you can tell at a glance he's a top scholar in the making!"

Others beside her were also waving.

Wang Shen's nephew was named Wang Yaozu; at this moment, he walked over with his head lowered and a dazed expression.

Wang Shen and the others hurriedly went up to ask.

Wang Yaozu raised his head and said: "I finished writing everything, but..."

"Haha, it's good that you finished! It's good that you finished!"

Wang Shen immediately became even happier, pointing at Luo Zijun nearby and saying: "This is your Brother Zijun; he came out this morning, I guess he didn't even finish the first part of the examination paper. You two should get to know each other; later on, you can take him out to meet some scholarly friends."

!

Wang Yaozu glanced at Luo Zijun, his face expressionless.

A crowd of people surrounded the various examinees, chattering non-stop.

They waited for nearly another hour.

A person wearing an official uniform came out of the examination hall and posted a sheet of red paper on the wall to the right.

"Quick! The examination results are out!"

Seeing this, the crowd rushed over in a flurry of excitement.

Luo Jiaorong originally did not want to go, but was grabbed by Wang Shen: "Haha, Jiaorong, let's go see my nephew's name together! Today, this auntie's red envelope is definitely going to be given out!"

Wang Shen's strength was not to be underestimated, and she pulled Luo Jiaorong stumbling over.

"Zhang Wenliang! Haha, my Wenliang passed!"

"Wang Jian! Haha, my grandson passed!"

Seeing the names on the wall, many people cheered excitedly.

Wang Shen squeezed to the front, opening her eyes wide to look from beginning to end, but she did not see her nephew's name.

Although she was illiterate, she still recognized her own nephew's name.

"Eh, where is my nephew's name? Could it have been left out?"

Wang Shen was unconvinced and carefully looked through it from beginning to end once more, but still could not find it.

At this moment, the expressions of the Wang family members all changed.

Just as Wang Shen was about to ask, Wang Yaozu's face turned ashen, and he said with a dejected look, "I finished writing the exam paper, but those arithmetic problems were all guessed... and, and there were some sentences I didn't recognize..."

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a bolt from the blue.

Wang Shen was stunned on the spot.

At this time, Li Zhengshan's excited voice suddenly came from the crowd nearby: "Luo Zijun! Zijun! Wife, come quickly and look! Our Zijun passed the exam!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Jiaorong's body trembled, and she instantly seemed to be fully revived; she pushed and shoved, squeezing to the front with all her might, opened her eyes wide to search the wall, and quickly saw her younger brother's name.

"Luo Zijun! Luo Zijun! It really is my brother! Haha, my brother passed! Hahaha, my brother passed! Zijun, come and look! You have passed the Cultivated Talent exam!"

Luo Jiaorong immediately laughed out loud regardless of her image, and as she laughed, tears streamed down.

But she suddenly remembered something, hurriedly pushed her way back through the crowd, grabbed the devastated Wang Shen, and laughed loudly: "Wang Shen! Wang Shen! Come and look, my brother passed! He is a Cultivated Talent now! Hahahahaha... Oh, where is your nephew? Where is his name? Why don't I see it? Was it forgotten? Haha, Wang Shen, as his aunt, you won't be able to avoid giving out red envelopes today!"

Wang Shen: "..."

(End of chapter)