Chapter 13: The New Xiucai Scholar
To the side of the Great Accomplishment Hall, a long desk about two zhang in length was placed.
Twenty to thirty staff members and subordinate officials were gathered around the long desk, busy with tasks such as binding the ink scrolls of the newly qualified students and copying the new red lists to be sent to various prefectures and counties.
Gu Yan stood beside the general list, watching the staff members meticulously and impeccably write the names of the freshly minted students. Beside him, two staff members were cross-referencing a roster while another was copying the Cai Qin Banquet invitations from the general list.
This general list was to be posted on the screen wall outside the Imperial Examination Hall’s main gate by the hour of Yin on the following day, and these invitations were to be delivered to each new Xiucai Scholar by noon tomorrow.
Gu Yan watched for a while, then reached out and took a directory, flipping through it absentmindedly.
“Of these new students, which ones will remain in the county and which will be assigned to the prefecture, and based on what criteria?” After looking for a while, Gu Yan put down the directory and asked casually.
“Within a county, if there are several new students, those ranked higher will be assigned to the prefecture, and those ranked lower will remain in the county,” the staff member writing the invitations replied with a smile.
“And if there is only one new student?” Gu Yan unfolded his folding fan.
“If their rank is in the first half of the general list, they will be assigned to the prefecture; if in the latter half, they will remain in the county.”
Gu Yan slowly hummed in understanding, closed his folding fan, and pointed to Li Xuedong’s name, “This Li Xuedong, marked as sixteenth place, why is he remaining in the county?”
“I specifically arranged for him to remain in the county,” Wei Educational Commissioner chimed in from the other end of the long desk.
Gu Yan raised an eyebrow and looked at Wei Educational Commissioner.
“When governing a region, one cannot be too rigid with established rules; adjustments and changes should be made based on the individual, the time, and the place,” Wei Educational Commissioner stroked his beard and offered some advice.
Gu Yan glanced at his uncle, tapped Li Xuedong’s name with his folding fan, and gestured for his uncle to explain why Li Xuedong was remaining in the county.
“Li Xuedong is an orphan with only three elder sisters and one younger sister. His family will undoubtedly need him to support and look after them. If he were to enter the Pingjiang Prefectural School, but his home is far away in Kunshan County, how could he possibly care for his family?
“Moreover, the cost of living in Pingjiang Prefecture will certainly be considerably higher than in Kunshan County. For a poor family, even an extra few diaos of silver a year would be extremely difficult to manage,” Wei Educational Commissioner explained with a smile, stroking his beard.
Gu Yan listened to Wei Educational Commissioner’s explanation, moved a few steps, took out Li Xuedong’s ink scroll, flipped to a regulated verse, and pushed it in front of Wei Educational Commissioner, “Look at her poem; written like this, it can hardly be called a poem!
“This Li Xuedong must have limited talent. To achieve sixteenth place, he could only compensate with diligence. He must have dedicated all his thoughts to his studies, studying tirelessly day and night. How could he possibly have the energy to care for his family?
“Also, the stipends for prefectural schools and county schools are different, aren’t they? How much is the difference?” Gu Yan turned to ask the staff members.
“The prefectural school offers about half a diao more per month,” the staff member replied with a smile, glancing at Wei Educational Commissioner.
“Half a diao a month! And also,” Gu Yan looked at his uncle, “Pingjiang City has plenty of wealthy people who appreciate refinement, people who ask Xiucai Scholars to write a few characters or compose an article. There must be far more than in the county town. What do you think is the usual fee for asking a Xiucai to write a memorial or an epitaph?”
Gu Yan looked at the surrounding staff members and asked with a smile.
“It varies. Some charge five or ten taels of silver, some offer a box of ink or a few pastries, and some only offer a meal,” a staff member, caught by Gu Yan’s gaze, quickly replied with a smile.
“His literary talent…” a young staff member pointed at Li Xuedong’s poem, but dared not finish his sentence.
With Li Xuedong’s literary talent, he wouldn’t be able to sell pretentious prose for much, and his calligraphy wasn’t great either.
“Even for acting as a guarantor for Child Scholars or teaching a few students, Pingjiang Prefecture would offer far more than Kunshan County. Uncle is actually doing him a disservice,” Gu Yan said to Wei Educational Commissioner with a smile, ignoring the young staff member.
“What do you all think?” Wei Educational Commissioner looked at the surrounding staff members and subordinate officials.
“Young Lord’s words have merit.”
“There’s a difference of half a diao per month.”
“Pingjiang Prefecture is prosperous, and there are many talented scholars…”
…
The crowd chimed in, most agreeing, while a few offered vague, evasive responses.
The Young Lord’s intention was clear, and their Educational Commissioner’s intention of allowing both options was also clear, so they would proceed according to the Young Lord’s wishes.
“Then, based on everyone’s opinion, Li Xuedong will be assigned to the prefectural school,” Wei Educational Commissioner readily agreed.
Gu Yan slowly fanned himself with his folding fan, his lips curving upwards into a hint of a smile, like a budding lotus flower in the morning light, captivating the staff members.
The Young Lord’s handsomeness was truly striking!
………………………………
Outside the Imperial Examination Hall’s main gate, Li Wenhua craned his neck. Upon hearing Li Xuedong’s name, he asked a kind-looking man in a long gown a few questions. Confirming that his nephew Xuedong had indeed passed, he spun around several times. Unable to find Li Xuedong and Li Jinzhu, he hurried towards the tavern.
Li Xiaonan and Li Xuedong had just changed their clothes and hadn’t had a chance to speak when they heard Li Wenhua loudly ask the shopkeeper, “Have you seen my grandnephew? Has he returned? My grandnephew placed sixteenth! My grandnephew is now a Xiucai Scholar!”
“He’s back, he’s back! Oh my! Remarkable! Congratulations, congratulations! Little San, hurry and go buy some firecrackers, five hundred shots! Buy two strings! Hurry, hurry! Our shop has produced a Xiucai Scholar! Oh my, that’s amazing! I must offer my congratulations to our Xiucai Scholar!”
The shopkeeper’s voice was even louder and more excited than Li Wenhua’s.
Li Xuedong stood stiffly at the doorway, flustered by the shopkeeper’s string of auspicious words.
Before the shopkeeper’s auspicious words were finished, the customers in the shop had already gathered around, congratulating Li Xuedong in a chorus.
Li Xuedong’s embarrassed face turned bright red.
“Thank you, everyone! My younger brother studied for the entire day and is exhausted. My brother is frail. Third Uncle!” Li Jinzhu quickly stepped forward, blocking Li Xuedong.
“That’s right, that’s right! My grandnephew has been so diligent. I’m telling you, my grandnephew has become so thin, all from studying so hard! Let my grandnephew rest first!” Li Wenhua quickly stepped forward, blocking the doorway, and cupped his hands in thanks to everyone.
Li Jinzhu quickly pushed Li Xuedong into the room and closed the door.
Li Xuedong breathed a sigh of relief, pulled Li Jinzhu, and said in a voice as low as possible, “Eldest Sister! I really passed?”
“Mm, A Nan is amazing!” Li Jinzhu, beaming with joy, hugged Li Xiaonan tightly.
“Today’s questions were numerous, we must hurry!” Li Xiaonan was busy transcribing the test questions, and quickly raised her brush to avoid smudging her Eldest Sister’s arm with ink.
Li Xiaonan and Li Xuedong put their heads together to discuss the day’s examination. Li Jinzhu closed the room door, sat by the door, and did her needlework, listening intently to the sounds outside.
Li Xiaonan watched Li Xuedong, and Li Jinzhu watched them both. It wasn’t until nearly dawn, when Li Xuedong had memorized the test questions for the fourth and fifth sessions perfectly, that the three of them fell asleep fully clothed.
Li Jinzhu woke up after only sleeping for about an hour, but she didn’t feel tired at all.
Seeing that it was dawn, Li Jinzhu, carrying a few dirty clothes, quietly opened the door and was met by Third Uncle Li Wenhua.
“Is our Xuedong still sleeping?” Li Wenhua tiptoed and peeked into the room, asking in a hushed voice.
“Mm, he’s exhausted,” Li Jinzhu replied, closing the door.
“Oh, look at my mouth. I can’t call him by his name anymore, it’s disrespectful! I should call him our Xiucai Scholar,” Li Wenhua said happily, with his hands behind his back.
“Even if he’s a Xiucai Scholar, he’s still your grandnephew. You can call him by his name however you like,” Li Jinzhu said with a smile.
“Oh, no, that won’t do. If we ourselves don’t respect our Xiucai Scholar, how can others respect him? I can’t call him by his name anymore. Outside, I’ll call him Xiucai Scholar, but at home, he’s Da Lang.”
“I heard from the shopkeeper that today the red list is posted, and tomorrow there’s some kind of Cai Qin Banquet? They say one needs to prepare good clothes, and those clothes have rules. Do you know about this?”
“I don’t know about that,” Li Jinzhu was taken aback; she truly didn’t know about this.
“Then I’ll go inquire. You go wash clothes. I’ve already spoken to the shopkeeper. When our Da Lang wakes up, just tell the shopkeeper what he wants to eat,” Li Wenhua instructed and then left the tavern to find out about this Cai Qin Banquet.
Just as Li Jinzhu picked up a bucket of water and squatted down to start washing clothes, a loud inquiry came from the entrance of the tavern: “Is the newly qualified Xiucai Scholar of Kunshan County, Master Li, staying here?”
Before Li Jinzhu could react, the shopkeeper had already gone out to greet them, “Yes, yes! He’s right here at our inn! Madam Li, looking for your brother!”
“Oh? Oh!” Li Jinzhu was first stunned by being called Master Li, and then stunned again by the shopkeeper calling her Madam Li.
No one had ever called her Madam Li. In the village, everyone called her Jinzhu, and outside the village, she was Xuedong’s Eldest Sister.
