Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 61 New Year's Eve

In the mountains, there is no sun or moon; the seasons change in the blink of an eye.

Ever since Master Zhao established the rules for physical strengthening and discipline, the mountain path behind Qingyang Academy has been trodden with deep footprints by the students.

Lu Chuan experienced almost the same days throughout that year.

In the blink of an eye, the sound of firecrackers on New Year's Eve echoed through the ravines of Lujia Village and then dissipated.

The sixth day of the Lunar New Year marks the auspicious start of the new school year.

The snow was still falling in Lujia Village, so Lu Chuan got up early.

On this day, he was to return to the academy and face the first real battle of his life.

Lu's mother got up even earlier and spent half the night working in front of the earthen stove, steaming a pot of "Ding Sheng Gao" (a type of rice cake) to symbolize passing the imperial examination.

As she stuffed warm cotton pads into Lu Chuan's book box, she wiped her eyes and said, "Chuan'er, your father said it's cold in the examination hall, so you need to bring these things with you. We don't care about the reputation, just that you come back safe and sound."

Lu Shouye remained silent, but before Lu Chuan left, he slipped a cloth bag into his arms, containing several pieces of high-quality ginseng that he had exchanged at Ji'an Hall.

The younger sister went to the stream at the village entrance and found a few smooth and translucent pebbles in the still-unmelted ice crevices. She then carefully wove a net with red thread to put them in Lu Chuan's book box.

"Brother, the old folks in the village all say that the stones in this stream have a spirit that can ward off floods and also ward off exam ghosts." The little girl opened her big eyes and earnestly instructed, "Hang it next to your exam basket, and look at it when you get tired."

When Lu Chuan touched his younger sister's hair, which had turned from yellow to black, his heart melted.

"Go." Lu Shouye's voice was hoarse, yet deep and powerful.

Lu Chuan slung his book bag over his shoulder and bowed deeply to his parents and elders.

He didn't let Lu Shouye see him off, but instead went to the county town alone.

When Lu Chuan arrived at the gate of the private school, it was already bustling with people, and the atmosphere was completely different from previous years.

In previous years, at this time, students would usually gather in twos and threes to share anecdotes or food from their holiday.

This year is a big year for the county examination. All the gentry and poor students from the surrounding areas of Qingyang County who were old enough and felt that they had made a name for themselves in their studies all rushed back early.

"Brother Lu, you've arrived too!"

In the crowd, a thinner but more capable-looking young man ran quickly towards them; it was Zhang Ruo.

The year of physical training helped him shed his former bloated appearance, and his eyes became much clearer.

"Brother Lu, hurry up!" Zhang Ruo lowered his voice, his tone urgent. "The teacher and the clerk sent by the county government are already in the main hall. Today is not only the start of school, but more importantly, it's the registration for the county examination. If you don't get there early, just waiting in line to verify your place of origin will make your legs weak."

Lu Chuan nodded and followed Zhang Ruo toward the main hall.

At this moment, several long vermilion tables had been set up in front of the main hall, and several county clerks dressed in black robes sat upright, flipping through the household registers.

The imperial examinations during the Great Qian Dynasty were far more rigorous than most people could imagine.

To get into the exam hall, the first hurdle isn't your talent or learning, but rather your "background" and "cleanliness."

"Those who wish to register, line up, one by one. Write your supply slips clearly, do not make any alterations," Manager Sun shouted from the steps, beads of sweat already visible on his forehead.

Lu Chuan stood in the crowd, watching the students in front of him, each one seemingly walking on thin ice.

The registration process is extremely complicated, consisting of three ironclad steps, each of which is incredibly tedious.

First, there was the task of filling out a confession form. Lu Chuan took a sheet of yellow Xuan paper, which served as the candidate's resume. It required detailed writing of his name, age, and place of origin, as well as his physical characteristics. Lu Chuan picked up his pen and calmly wrote: "Lu Chuan, age twelve, from Lujia Village, Qingyang County. Fair-skinned, beardless, five feet two inches tall, with a slight mole behind his left ear." Even the names and occupations of his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father had to be clearly written, so that the county government could verify whether he was a fraudulent or unqualified candidate.

Secondly, there was the system of mutual guarantee among five people. This was the most humane aspect, and also the most demanding test of personal relationships. The imperial court feared cheating most in examinations, so it devised a system of collective punishment. Candidates had to find four fellow candidates to form a group of five and sign a mutual guarantee agreement. If any one of them was found to have cheated or taken the exam for someone else, the other four would not only be disqualified on the spot, but also banned from taking the exam for life.

"Brother Lu, here's the agreement. All of us have put our fingerprints on it." Zhang Ru handed over a red paper covered with signatures. Besides Lu Chuan and Zhang Ru, the other three in the group were also the most steady and outstanding students in the academy.

In this stage, no one dares to approach those good-for-nothing playboys, because if they have any ulterior motives, the whole group will be dragged down with them.

Lu Chuan took the red paper and solemnly pressed his fingerprint on it.

Thirdly, and most difficultly, was the guarantee from a government-subsidized student. Besides peer guarantees, one also needed a respected and accomplished government-subsidized student from the county to vouch for one's integrity as a scholar. Without such a guarantee, no matter how well one wrote, one wouldn't even get a chance to enter the examination hall.

"Next up, Qingyang Academy, Lu Chuan."

With a loud shout from the clerk, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Countless gazes fell upon Lu Chuan.

Over the past year, Lu Chuan's name has become a household name among the scholars of Qingyang County. Everyone wanted to see what this legendary leader, who had impressed the old instructor, actually looked like.

Lu Chuan remained calm and walked steadily forward, presenting the supply list and the mutual guarantee agreement between the five people with both hands.

The clerk in the county government office took the form and, seeing the vigorous, bold handwriting, raised an eyebrow and secretly praised, "Good handwriting." He repeatedly checked it against the household register, then looked up and carefully examined Lu Chuan's appearance. Only after confirming that everything was correct did he hand the form to Master Zhao.

Master Zhao was wearing a long black robe today, and his expression was stern.

He took Lu Chuan's materials, his gaze lingering on Lu Chuan's face for a moment.

"Lu Chuan, do you know the weight of this seal as it falls?" Master Zhao's voice boomed.

"I understand." Lu Chuan bowed deeply. "This seal concerns the Master's reputation and the school's honor. I will certainly restrain myself and not dare to disobey in the slightest."

Master Zhao then revealed a very faint smile. He took out a warm, smooth private seal from his pocket, dipped it firmly into the purplish-red cinnabar ink, and then pressed it heavily under Lu Chuan's name.

"Bang!"

With a soft sound, the vermilion mark appeared on the paper.

"The registration is complete. The first county examination will be on February 20th. For the next two weeks, you will stay in the dormitory and not return to the village." Master Zhao handed the registration certificate back to Lu Chuan and earnestly instructed him, "Focus your mind and calm down."

"The student obeys."

Lu Chuan took the certificate and savored the scent of the still-dry ink.

The end of registration does not mean the end of the registration period.