Taking It Out on Another

There was plenty of time for the County Examination. The academic clerks had already called out the relevant precautions. After arranging his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, Su Ziji sat down and closed his eyes to rest.

Only after the seats before, behind, left, and right had gradually filled did the bailiffs patrol the examination hall with lantern signs, marking the official start of the examination.

Since the County Examination of this dynasty consisted of only one session, Su Ziji was in no hurry and slowly considered his answers.

So it was a passage from the Analects. The first paper seemed to test the students' foundations? It did not look difficult. Carefully filling in the missing text, Su Ziji then turned to the test on interpretation of the classics.

"Those of benevolence extend what they love to what they do not love; those without benevolence extend what they do not love to what they love."

Just as I thought, the first paper tested nothing but the basics.

Su Ziji barely needed to think about any of this. It was all foundational material. With a sweep of his brush, he completed it on the draft paper, then carefully copied it onto the examination sheet.

The second paper was the Imperial Educational Admonitions, requiring the recitation of designated passages.

The Imperial Educational Admonitions were essentially ideological instruction for students promulgated in the form of an imperial edict. They contained five thousand characters, making them quite difficult for anyone with a poor memory or little diligence, considering the sheer number of words.

But for Su Ziji, material he had studied and needed to recite was simply effortless.

After writing it on the draft and copying it onto the examination sheet, Su Ziji had time to check it again, since the final question was not printed on the paper and had to be announced by the academic clerk. He could not help thinking of what the wild Daoist had mentioned to the girl he had encountered by chance.

I'm already level 5. The County Examination should pose no problem. I just don't know whether there will still be twists and turns now that the feng shui has been damaged.

Thinking again of the strange events he had encountered within the Divine Shrine, and with his new understanding of ghosts and gods, Su Ziji could not help recalling what he had experienced since arriving in this world.

The chances of returning to my own world are probably slim. I need to live properly in this world.

Since ghosts and gods truly exist, I must be more careful in the future.

Ah, I have to guard against evil people while also respecting ghosts and gods and keeping my distance. It really is difficult.

Still, I have a clear conscience in all I do. If righteousness resides in my heart, then even if ghosts and gods exist, there is no need to fear them.

As he pondered this, an academic clerk came over and began calling out the question: "The earlier questions examine the paper; the final paper examines the posted board."

The board bearing the examination questions was paraded around for display. What it showed now was the content of the final paper. Su Ziji's eyesight was good. After carefully reading it twice, he recorded it on his draft paper and finally let out a breath.

"Two essays on the classics, and one five-character regulated examination poem."

"Text-completion and interpretation of the classics only appear in the County Examination. Essays on the classics, however, are the focus of the Prefectural Examination, Provincial Examination, and even the Metropolitan Examination. This is the most important examination topic."

"There were discussions of essays on the classics in the candidates' notes I read earlier."

Such notes truly are more helpful for examinations. For these two essays on the classics, judging from Magistrate Zhang, he probably isn't pedantic. I needn't force myself to write stiffly.

Fortunately, the County Examination in this dynasty is not so demanding about draft papers. If it were like the previous dynasty, it would truly be far more stringent.

At the same time, Su Ziji was glad that he was not nearsighted. Becoming nearsighted in an age like this would be utterly miserable. Leaving aside everything else, even reading the posted examination board would be a problem, much less taking the examination.

It seems I cannot neglect protecting my eyes either.

The sleet gradually stopped, but as the snow melted, the cold became even sharper. Wolf howls from the distant mountains and forests made the hair stand on end, yet everyone in the group had sweat beading on their heads.

Before them lay two floating corpses. Farther away, several people hurried over. They appeared to carry some authority, and the group fell quiet, saying only, "Boss Zhang is here."

Boss Zhang wore a cloak and a fur cap. There was not the slightest expression on his ruddy face, but when he saw the corpses, the muscles in his cheeks visibly twitched, revealing a savage look.

Looking at the corpses' unclosed eyes and the obvious wounds on their bodies, Boss Zhang did not speak for the time it took to smoke half a pouch of tobacco. Only after a long while did he ask heavily, "How were they discovered?"

"Boss, it was me!" Lao Zhuang stepped forward.

This man's nickname was "Information Broker." While others sought to turn major matters into minor ones and minor matters into nothing, he did the opposite, specializing in stirring up trouble where there was none. Yet he truly had a knack for gathering information.

But Lao Zhuang had no smile at all now. He said gravely, "Boss, you told me to check on Second Brother Yan and find out why he didn't return yesterday, so I sent people to investigate."

"It snowed and rained all night yesterday, washing away every trace. So I sent people to search the nearby gambling dens, taverns, and pleasure boats, but he was nowhere to be found."

"When we were at our wits' end, someone suddenly went fishing with a net. He caught no fish, but netted a person instead. The man was so frightened that he fled at once and did not dare report it to the authorities."

"I caught wind of the news and immediately had them hauled up. Only then did we find the bodies of Second Brother Yan and Yan Six-Rat."

"I examined them. Both were stabbed by spear or sword; they did not drown."

"Heaven took pity on us. If not for that fishing net, once the weather warmed, the fish would have eaten the corpses clean. We would never have found them, no matter how we searched."

Upon hearing this, Boss Zhang nodded heavily after a long silence. "Who did it?"

Lao Zhuang said in a low voice, "Boss, things are different now from before. Even when fighting over territory, no one would go so far as to kill."

"We asked the Raft Gang and the Wealth-Boosting Society. No one there has had a conflict with us."

Boss Zhang stood stunned for a long while before slowly saying, "First, bring our two brothers back and bury them. Even if I have to dig three feet into the earth, I will avenge them."

Having said that, he frowned and asked, "Is the County Examination underway?"

"Yes, it should be nearly over."

"Then we'll head back and deal with that brat first." Boss Zhang said coldly, "No matter what, Second Brother Zhang died because of that brat's affair. We'll take him as interest first!"

"Yes!" It was plainly misplaced anger, but no one objected. Several men moved the corpses onto an ox cart, and the group surged toward the county seat.

County Yamen · Examination Hall

"Time is up. Students, leave the examination hall. No noise allowed." The academic clerk shouted, "Students who have not finished may be permitted one candle."

Su Ziji was restrained, but there was pride in his bones. Though he had learned to be flexible and tactful, it occasionally showed through when he put brush to paper.

The two essays on the classics were the simplest introductory subject. For Su Ziji, who had already reached level 5, they were not difficult.

As for the five-character regulated examination poem, thanks to his skill training, he could produce a poem of middling quality. It would be enough not only for the County Examination, but perhaps even for the Prefectural Examination.

No matter how ample the time had been, by the time Su Ziji checked his work for the third time, time was up.

The bailiffs collected the papers. Su Ziji handed his in, and only then did he truly relax. The inspection was no longer strict when leaving. He packed his brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and draft paper into his basket. Just after stepping out of the corridor, a hand landed directly on his shoulder.

"Ziji, do you think you have a good chance this time?" The owner of the hand was Zhang Sheng, who asked in a quiet voice.