The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 42 Blessings

a few days later.

The results of the autumn imperial examinations in Jing Kingdom have been announced.

Li Tianjian and his family went to the provincial capital in high spirits, carrying dozens of taels of silver and a red cloth.

He planned to lavishly celebrate after his grandson passed the imperial examination.

When they returned, they all had their heads hanging low.

Thirteen-year-old Li Chang'an, with his delicate features, comforted his father, Li Fengyu.

"Dad, it's alright. There were just too many people taking the exam this year; it's normal not to pass. I'll try again next year, and I'm sure I'll pass!"

That's true; there are too many scholars accumulated over the years, including those from previous dynasties and the present.

The Hanlin Academy official in charge of the autumn imperial examinations, a third-rank official, said: "A county gathers a thousand or so students, and selects a dozen or so to become students; a province gathers tens of thousands of students, and selects a hundred or so to become successful candidates in the provincial examinations."

Among the scholars who came to participate in the autumn imperial examination, there were even those in their forties and fifties.

Even with his hair turning white, he persisted in taking the imperial examinations.

Although Li Chang'an was clever, a province was so vast, and he was not the only clever one.

So many people take the exam every year and fail every year. He only went for one year, so it's perfectly normal that he didn't pass.

Li Tianjian's wife grumbled, "They must have bribed the examiners. I wonder how much they gave to get him to pass."

Li Chang'an shook his head and said, "The chief examiner is a Hanlin Academy scholar, a third-rank official. His Majesty governs the country with integrity. If he had really bribed someone, I'm afraid our whole family would be in danger."

"Grandma, don't worry. I wasn't fully prepared this year, but if I study hard for a few more years, I'm sure I'll pass!"

Li Tianjian chimed in, "It's alright, it's alright. So what if we didn't pass the exam for a year? We can try again next year!"

Li Chang'an's mouth was slightly open, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't.

The autumn imperial examination is held once every three years; I might not be able to take it next year.

Just then, the sound of gongs and drums came from behind them.

The family turned around and saw many yamen runners and villagers carrying a plaque towards them with great joy.

Leading the way was Magistrate Tang Shijun.

Beside him was Chu Xun, who was being led by the hand by Tang Shijun, walking side by side.

Such an honor left Li Tianjian and his family speechless.

When the procession arrived, Li Chang'an realized what was happening and quickly pulled them down to kneel: "This humble subject pays respects to Lord Tang!"

Although he was a student who donated his money to become a scholar, he skipped the hurdle of becoming a Xiucai (a lower-level scholar) and could directly enter the provincial examination.

However, he was not a true scholar; when he met an official, he still had to kneel and bow.

The whole family knelt down on the ground, but couldn't help looking up.

Upon seeing them, Tang Shijun vaguely recognized them as people from Songguo Village, and said with a smile, "Rise, there's no need for formalities. I've come today to congratulate Chu Jiebin, and you should all share in his joy."

"Songguo Village has produced a talent like Chu Jiebin; you are truly blessed."

These words left Li Tianjian and the others speechless, especially Li Tianjian's wife, who was burning with jealousy.

I was hoping my grandson would take the provincial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), which would bring great honor to our family.

Who would have thought that instead of passing the imperial examination, the grandson would be promoted to the rank of Jiebin (a high-ranking official in charge of official duties).

Back then, her father-in-law, the old village chief who died in the water dispute, was just a guest.

Seeing how warmly Tang Shijun treated Chu Xun, Li Tianjian's wife gritted her teeth.

Li Chang'an glanced at Chu Xun, who was chatting and laughing with the county magistrate. Although he tried his best to be patient, he was actually disdainful in his heart.

From a young age, he was deeply influenced by his family and was determined to surpass everyone and reclaim the glory that his grandfather's generation had lost.

In his view, no matter how smart Chu Xun was, he was just an uneducated peasant.

He was lucky for a while, and seemed to have inexhaustible energy. He made his fortune by chance thanks to the imperial decree to reclaim wasteland.

Perhaps, in some mysterious way, the pine and willow water god also liked this kind of person, ensuring his smooth journey.

However, these are all external forces; how can they be considered one's own true abilities?

In the future, when he passes the provincial examination and then passes the imperial examination, he will become a high-ranking official.

People in the countryside, let alone a minor official, even if they are the most prominent official within a hundred miles, are still just farmers.

That's it!

Li Chang'an clenched his fingers, silently shouting, "Study! Study!"

At the age of nineteen, Chu Xun reclaimed thirty acres of wasteland, earning him a reputation as a local celebrity.

When Li Chang'an was sixteen, he was about to become an official!

Three years from now, he will become the most glorious person in Songguo Village!

The county magistrate personally came to offer his congratulations, a rare and significant event in the surrounding area.

Li Shoutian, along with the villagers, young and old, had been waiting for a long time.

When he saw Chu Xun, he smiled more happily than anyone else.

Although this honor doesn't belong to his family, it belongs to his village, and he is the village chief!

Li Shoutian turned to his wife Xue Huilan beside him and said, "I always knew that Xun would amount to something. Zhang Shigen was a shrewd man; he secretly arranged for his daughter to be sent there back then. It wasn't a wasted life for him."

Xue Huilan rolled her eyes and said, "How can you talk like that!"

Li Shoutian knew that his words were indeed somewhat inappropriate, so he chuckled and said, "Speaking of which, when I see Chu Xun again in the future, I'm afraid I'll have to call him Master Chu."

That was obviously a joke; in the village, seniority is the most important thing.

Even if Chu Xun were promoted to the rank of Jiebin, he still had to respect the elder in front of Li Shoutian; this has been the rule throughout history.

Li Shoutian treated Chu Xun like his own child.

The more successful a child is, the happier they are.

Xue Huilan quietly wiped away her tears, and Li Guangmao, whose red, bulbous nose was becoming increasingly prominent, quickly tugged at her arm: "Mother, what are you doing?"

Xue Huilan choked up and said, "Ah Xun has had such a hard time, but now she's finally made something of herself. If only your Aunt Qiao were still here."

The Aunt Qiao she mentioned was Chu Xun's original mother.

She was originally from a neighboring county and married into the family; she didn't have a formal name.

He suffered a high fever when he was young, which damaged his brain. Even at seventeen or eighteen, he still had the same temperament as a six or seven-year-old child.

Because she was a girl, her parents abandoned her in the wilderness at a young age. Fortunately, she was rescued by a woodcutter couple and was able to grow up.

Despite this, she was surprisingly skilled at needlework, earning her the nickname "Skillful Woman".

Unfortunately, the Chu couple were perhaps destined for misfortune, as they encountered bandits raiding their village amidst the chaos of war.

Qiaoniang, unaware of fear, tried to snatch back the two taels of silver she had worked so hard to earn from the bandits, only to have a knife slashed across her neck.

The husband, Chu Shunsheng, did not resist, but the bandits, who were bloodthirsty, also killed him with a single blow.

The two-year-old Chu Xun was left all alone.

Xue Huilan and Qiaoniang had a good relationship and often did needlework together to earn some copper coins.

She cried for a long time after burying the couple that year.

Now that the Chu family's youngest son has grown up and achieved great things, he is naturally filled with emotion.

The entire village stood outside Chu Xun's courtyard to watch.

Everyone says that a county magistrate is only a seventh-rank official, not even as big as a soybean in the capital.

In this rural area, if ordinary people wanted to see the county magistrate, they would most likely have to get beaten up or have someone else beaten up.

Shi Tou and Qi Er Mao, along with a group of children, tiptoed or climbed up trees, only to be scolded by the old man.

Looking at Tang Shijun in his official robes, Qi Ermao clicked his tongue and said, "This is our county magistrate? He seems even younger than Xun-ge'er, and he's quite imposing."

Stone curled his lip: "You haven't seen military officers, all armored and helmeted, with steel swords at their waists—that's what you call imposing!"

Qi Ermao turned to look at him: "Have you seen a military officer before?"

"Aren't they in the New Year's pictures?" Stone chuckled and said, "Do you think if we become military officers in the future, we'll be depicted in the New Year's pictures?"

Qi Ermao was taken aback, lowered his head and thought for a moment, then replied, "We can't be either."

"That's not necessarily true."

Zhang Anxiu had also changed into a clean indigo cotton dress and an earthy yellow cloth skirt. It wasn't high-end, but it was simple and appropriate.

Upon seeing Tang Shijun, Zhang Anxiu immediately tried to kneel and pay her respects.

Tang Shijun reached out to help her up, saying, "I'm a guest at your home today, there's no need for such formalities. Is Village Chief Li here?"

Li Shoutian, his face flushed with joy, hurriedly ran over: "What are your orders, sir?"

"These past few years, your hair has turned increasingly gray; you've worked so hard," Tang Shijun said with a smile. "Let's go in together; otherwise, it won't look right without you as the village chief."

Li Shoutian puffed out his chest; what could be more fulfilling than gaining the county magistrate's approval?

He's been the village chief for so many years, and it hasn't been in vain.