Chapter 076

Author: Feast of Masks

Raws: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3185016

Translated by Gumihou

 

As the chief examiner for this county exam, Magistrate Xu was also the primary grader.

Since he had to grade hundreds of papers a day and have the results posted before the next session began, it naturally required him to work through the night and forego sleep. Even then, he might not be able to have everything done before the time limit. Therefore, Magistrate Xu privately hoped that the candidates would submit their essays as early as possible.

Xue Tingxiang’s early submission surprised him. However, it was clear at a glance that the essay had not been hastily written just for the sake of becoming a ‘First Line’. If nothing else, the impeccable calligraphy was enough to convince him that this was written very well.

[1] Faultlessly well, in fact.

Even as he admired the beautiful calligraphy, Magistrate Xu said nothing. It would not do to openly admire a candidate’s work so openly. To do so would be taboo.

Once Xue Tingxiang left, he finally paid attention to what was written. Once he was done reading, he clapped his hands together, just short of outright saying how perfectly written it was.

In truth, as a County Magistrate, being an examiner for the County Imperial Examination puts him in quite an awkward position. A magistrate, regardless of their area of responsibility, was also a graduate of the Imperial Exams. Magistrate Xu was a very experienced examiner and could set any kind of question. However, as the lowest-ranking examiner, ranking behind Provincial, Prefectural and Academy, he had to put more care into the type of questions he set.

In the first place, the questions could not be too difficult. If the candidates who passed his County Exam find that the Provincial and Prefectural Exams are easy by contrast, would it not embarrass his superiors? Nor could he make the question too easy, or it would lower the standard of County Exams and reflect poorly on himself.

It was after much deliberation that he finally settled on this particular question, using the Four Books as the main topic. A significant enough base to be the core of the exam, but not flashy enough to overshadow future topics set by his superiors.

However, the question was a trap. Because the Four Books were considered too mediocre, it appears to invite an unremarkable essay that merely tests a candidate’s surface knowledge. One should know that to make a mediocre topic captivating requires considerable skill; otherwise, a mediocre topic generally results a mediocre essay.

It was this remarkable skill that Magistrate Xu praised. In his view, the Breaking of the topic was ingenious. At first glance, it did not appear any more significant than the question, but upon closer inspection, one would find that there is no better way of opening the argument.

The other point was something that only a seasoned veteran of the exams could discern. Magistrate Xu, a man over forty, had a life story that could be summed up in one phrase: Light dawns after the darkest hour.

He suffered repeated failures in the first thirty years of his academic journey. As he neared the age of forty, he remained a Tong Sheng. While Tong Sheng scholars were often addressed as ‘old master’, not all Tong Sheng scholars were old. In fact, the older a Tong Sheng was, the more pitiful he was. Then, he suddenly experienced enlightenment and shot through the ranks from Xiu Cai to Juren and Jinshi in one go. Everyone said that he experienced a ‘late blossoming’, but in fact, Magistrate Xu knew that he had finally grasped the essence of things.

The essay in front of him showed that this was another person who had experienced ‘enlightenment’.

If he had to describe this paper, it would be that the essay was: Balanced, Upright and Impartial.

The opening statement, or the Breaking, was perfectly executed. The transition into the body of the essay was perfectly proportioned, neither too wordy nor brief. What was most impressive was how the candidate had discerned the examiner’s preferences and aligned his writing so that it would appeal to both the examiner and the Imperial Court’s current political direction.

Young scholars were often impetuous and eager to change the world, which made their essays appear radical and overly ambitious. [1] This could be interpreted as a desire for quick results or that they were just being radical for the sake of catching the examiner’s eye with unconventional ideas.

Naturally, there were examiners who favoured unconventional ideas; however, they were in the minority. Which is why, despite being hailed as talented gentlemen, many would repeatedly fail the imperial examination.

[1] On the other hand, those who had been in the exams for too long may produce essays underlain by bitterness, which inevitably bred anxiety and impatience, leading to mistakes and superficial ideas. Moreover, even if the essay is well written, who would want to recommend a candidate who harboured resentment against the Imperial Court of the examiners?

Xue Tingxiang’s essay stood out as straightforward and unbiased, with the calm of an old master expressing a well-reasoned, scholarly argument. If Magistrate Xu had not known that the candidate was a mere greenhorn from a rural village school who had only studied at a formal academy for less than a year, he would have sworn that it was written by a seasoned scholar who had spent decades navigating Imperial Examination halls.

While it was natural for examiners to have a style preference: some may like flowery prose over simplicity, for example, it would be difficult for any examiner to find a flaw in this paper. With Magistrate Xu’s shrewd insight, he could already discern the new emerging star.

If he was going to do someone a favour, now was the time!

That was when he discreetly called for one of the runners and whispered his instructions. Even now, he remained cautious, making sure to keep his wording ambiguous. After the runner left, he picked up the essay and read through it again. The more he read, the more satisfied he felt. To the point that he regretted not making the favour more obvious.

 

Let us leave the Magistrate to his contemplation and return to the gates outside.

The people around Xue Tingxiang had all heard the runner’s words: He was to return only when the final results were posted. What was so significant about this? Well, this meant that the Magistrate had openly indicated that he would give his recommendation for Xue Tingxiang to take the Prefecture Exam. In short, this was the Magistrate’s way of openly supporting Xue Tingxiang, which meant he was practically guaranteed the Tong Sheng title.

In an instant, looks of jealousy and envy swept over him. Some stared at him with disdain, convinced that Xue Tingxiang must have some secret connection with the Magistrate.

However, anyone with a modicum of sense would know that unless Magistrate Xu was willing to sacrifice his hard-earned reputation, there was no way he would be so blatant about supporting Xue Tingxiang unless he was fully convinced of his ability.

However, two of the candidates with broader mindsets immediately set aside their previous grievances, apologised and offered their congratulations. Xue Tingxiang graciously accepted both their apologies and congratulations, insisting that he did not deserve such praise.

What a hypocrite!

Xue Qingshan’s eyes grew red with envy. When he recalled the great effort he had put in to pass the Tong Sheng examinations… seeing this boy achieved it so easily left a bitter taste in his mouth. Resentment brewed in his chest, especially when he recalled how his son, Xue Juncai, was still inside the hall.

Useless thing! To think that this brat is actually in the lead!

When the news reached his father, the family would be overjoyed. If the Xue family had two Tong Sheng, or, Heaven forbid, that brat were to become a Xiucai! Would there even be a place left for him in the house?

With this thought brewing in his head, Xue Tingxiang shot a venomous glare at Xue Tingxiang.

As for Xue Tingxiang, he wanted to wait for his friends, but unwilling to be gawked at like a show monkey, he grabbed Zhao’er’s hand and left first.

He rested for a while at the inn. When he estimated the time to be right, he changed his clothes and returned to the yamen gates with Zhao’er to wait for their friends.

Mao Badou was as carefree as ever, showing no signs of dejection as he stepped through the gates. Li Datian was the honest and steady sort, and from the way he carried himself, it looked like this steady nature was bred into his bones. On the other hand, Chen Jian appeared gloomy with heavy thoughts.

“Did something happen?” Xue Tingxiang asked.

“Nothing happened,” said Chen Jian. “I was just thinking about the questions from earlier.”

Of the four, Chen Jian was the most straightforward. Mao Badou would have hopped from topic to topic, teasing you half a day without ever getting to the point.

Xue Tingxiang patted his shoulder. “Now that the exam is over, don’t think about it anymore.”

Chen Jian nodded and managed a smile.

While the two were talking, Mao Badou squeezed in between them, winking and pulling odd faces.

“While I was waiting inside just now, I heard something interesting. I heard that a certain candidate surnamed Xue had been recommended to take the Prefectural Exam right away. Could that person be you? Heh, heh, heh, isn’t that too much? I bet almost everyone knows by now.”

As he spoke, Mao Badou eyed Xue Tingxiang up and down. Then, he clicked his tongue and said, “You’ve even changed clothes. Clearly, you’ve already gone back to the inn and returned again. I heard that the special candidate was the first to submit his essay.”

Xue Tingxiang laughed, “That’s enough from you. Let’s go.”

That was when they realised they were missing one person. Xue Juncai had not emerged yet.

At this time, Xue Qingshan was pacing back and forth frantically, his face dark with irritation. It was clear that his mind was brewing with dark thoughts, thinking up ways to scold his unfortunate son. With such an attitude, it was a miracle that he even managed to achieve Tong Sheng status in the first place.

Xue Juncai was truly unlucky to have such a father.

“Your eldest uncle is something else,” Mao Badou muttered. “That Juncai kid is too pitiful.”

Since they had arrived together for the exam, it did not feel good to leave first. Therefore, the four of them waited together for Xue Juncai.

When Xue Juncai finally emerged, his face was very pale.

“What took you so long?!” Xue Qingshan immediately snapped, striding forward menacingly. The area in front of the gate was nearly empty, making their group stand out.

Xue Juncai remained silent. Just as Xue Qingshan opened his mouth to say more, Xue Tingxiang stepped in. “Uncle, let’s not talk about it here. Let’s find a place to eat first.”

Fortunately, Xue Qingshan gritted his teeth as the boys boarded the carriages.

[1] Guessing that the inn would be crowded at this time, the group stopped at the nearest food stall they found that did not have too many customers. Once their order was taken, Xue Qingshan continued to press his son about his performance. However, Xue Juncai continued keeping his head down, refusing to answer.

He had clearly not done well. If Xue Juncai was the only one taking the exam, Xue Qingshan would not have been so agitated. However, with Xue Tingxiang casting a long shadow over them, he was already dreading his father’s disappointment and the villagers’ wagging tongues.

“Enough, Brother,” Xue Qinghuai said. “Why are you saying so much when the exam is already over? Good or bad, it’s done. If he did not do well this time, he can try again next time.”

“What do you know!”

In fact, Xue Qingshan was right to be anxious. The County Exam consisted of five sessions. Not everyone gets to sit for all of them. After the first session, the results will be posted the next day, before the second session begins.

[2] This was the so-called ‘Minor Result’ posted the very next day after each session, different from the ‘Major Result’ that would be posted at the end of the exam period.

[2] Both results were written on circular paper called the ‘Tuan An’, known as the Group Result. At the centre of the paper was a large 中 ‘zhong’ character. This character carries the meaning of ‘centre’ or ‘score’. Moreover, instead of being short at the top and long at the bottom, as was tradition. The 中character on the result paper was written long at the top and short at the bottom, resembling the top part of the character 贵 ‘gui’ for ‘nobility’. The names of the candidates were written in two concentric circles around the character 中, with the top twenty candidates in the inner circle and the following thirty candidates in the outer circle.

As for the top-scoring candidate, their name would be written slightly above the 中 character.

Aside from the fifty names on the circular Group Result, there was also a Secondary List. Candidates who made it to either list can participate in the Second Session; those who did not make it to the list would be sent home.

This was the reason why everyone put so much effort into the first exam. It was the first great step every scholar has to take on their scholarly journey. Not to mention, those that made it into the top twenty were practically guaranteed to move on to the Prefectural Exam, barring any great mistake. Those further down the list risk being displaced by better scholars later.

Of course, everything would only be known at the end of the County Exam. Naturally, if Xue Juncai did not do well in the first session, he would likely have to be sent home to try again next time.

That aside, candidates waiting for their results were anxious to know if they managed to ‘score’. Which was why, early next morning, some were already waiting at the front of the yamen for the results.

On the other hand, Xue Tingxiang stayed back at the inn to avoid the crowd. By this time, too many people already knew about his ‘special situation’, and he wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble. Instead, his friends hurried over to check the results. They returned with the confirmation that Xue Tingxiang had indeed gotten first place; Chen Jian struck the inner circle while Mao Badou and Li Datian both managed to land a score on the outer circle.

As for Xue Juncai, he narrowly made it to the Secondary List.

Being on the Secondary List meant he still had a chance. However, he would have to perform exceptionally well to even make it to the third session. In short, he would have to fight his way from the Supplementary list and break into the circular Group Result. However, it would be a hard, gruelling fight. A single misstep meant he would be eliminated and sent home.

That night, as Xue Tingxiang was on his way to the outhouse, he unexpectedly ran into Xue Juncai. [1] The other youth was standing alone in the courtyard, looking so alone that even Xue Tingxiang could not help but approach him.

“You appear troubled.”

Juncai looked at him, unable to speak.

[1] In the end, Xue Tingxiang ended up speaking, “After studying for years and finally arriving here, don’t leave this place with regrets. If you succeed, you succeed. If not, then so be it. It’s not like you will lose hair or a piece of flesh over it.”

“I…”

“Think on it.”

Ultimately, Xue Tingxiang was not good at comforting people. Especially this old rival [1] who had once coveted his wife. After speaking his piece, he stormed off, suddenly remembering why he disliked this cousin of his.

Alone once more, Xue Juncai stood in place for a long time.

After the second session, Xue Tingxiang and Chen Jian maintained their respective positions. Li Dation rose a few places, but Mao Badou dropped one. As for Xue Juncai, he clung determinedly to the Secondary List. By this point, half the candidates had been sent home.

After the third session, Li Datian managed to squeeze into the inner circle with the other two. As for Mao Badou… well, he dropped several places, finally sending him into a panic, causing him to desperately cram for the final exam.

By the time the fourth session happened, the final rankings were mostly set, with the fifth session being mostly a formality. So long as one did not suffer a major mishap or disgrace themselves before the county magistrate, one’s path to the Prefectural Exam was secure.

[3] At the final exam, Mao Badou managed to narrowly snatch the final spot, becoming the last person to ‘score’. Sadly, Xue Juncai failed to break into the top fifty and was finally eliminated.

Xue Qingshan had been incredibly anxious for the past few days. When he learned that his son failed to make it to the list, he flew into a rage. Finally, he only calmed down when Xue Qinghuai stepped in to stop him.

On the other hand, Xue Juncai looked relieved. When Mao Badou and the rest came to comfort him, they found that he appeared at peace. He openly admitted that his foundation was lacking and that his previous belief in his own brilliance was nothing but the arrogance of a frog in a well.

It was a good realisation, at least in Zhao’er’s opinion. Now that Xue Juncai’s mindset had shifted, perhaps he could pass the next exam well.

When Zhao’er told Xue Tingxiang about this, he replied: Losing isn’t frightening; what’s frightening is losing without knowing why.

Finally, the official results were released. As expected, Xue Tingxiang was the ‘Anshou’ or top scorer. The good news was delivered with great fanfare, messengers accompanied by drums and gongs as they made their way to where Xue Tingxiang was staying.

Zhao’er had already prepared the reward money and was happily stuffing coins into people’s hands in celebration.

Meanwhile, the yamen had already printed out the top twenty essays to serve as model essays for future scholars. Xue Tingxiang’s essay attracted the most attention, since everyone wanted to see the paper that had moved the Magistrate to recommend him.

Some praised it, while others scoffed, claiming that theirs was better written. Regardless, the news had already reached the Xue family’s village.

 

 

[Gumihou: Thank goodness the face-slapping prep scenes were minimal this time.Not that I dislike face-slapping prep scenes, but emphasising it too many times just suck the joy out of reading, you know?]

 

[1] Adjusted language for clarity

[2] 小案 vs大案

I had an argument with the AI over whether to use minor/major vs small/big. AI refused to back down, but you know what? This is my translation. Hmph.

Anyway, I’d put in the explanation as needed in the text rather than as a footnote.

[3] It says ‘fourth session’ in the original, causing me to panic and check whether I had misunderstood something, but it was a typo. It should have been the ‘fifth’ or ‘final’ session.