That day, before dawn had even broken, Fan Jing was already awake.
He used to be a light sleeper, waking at the slightest noise. After marrying Kang He and sleeping with her every day, at first it took some getting used to, but over the years he gradually adapted. Not only did his sleep deepen, sometimes if no one called him, he could sleep until broad daylight.
He glanced toward the window and saw no light filtering through, so he knew it was still very early.
But since today was the day the exam results were announced, his heart couldn’t help but be preoccupied with the matter, so he decided to get up early.
Just as he moved slightly, an arm draped around his waist. Kang He, still drowsy, snuggled up close and mumbled with sleep in her voice, “What time is it already? Getting up so early?”
Fan Jing looked at her with her eyes still closed and said, “You lie down a little longer. I’ll light the lamp first.”
Kang He tightened her arm around him, not letting him move, and opened her eyes. “You go light it. You’re the one who woke early because you’re worried about today’s results.”
With that, she got up without any hesitation.
Fan Jing watched her bare-chested figure go to the desk and light the lamp. He too threw off the quilt, feeling a bit of chill.
He quickly found his clothes and put them on, then helped Kang He find a set of clothes.
After a moment, Seventh Brother knocked and brought in hot water, then left quietly.
Kang He wrung a cloth in the basin and handed it to Fan Jing. Suddenly, the candlelight flickered and crackled.
He smiled: “Look, the wick popped—good news is coming. It’s a truly auspicious sign!”
Fan Jing couldn’t help but turn to look at the candle, his brow relaxing slightly.
On a day like this, seeing a good omen naturally brought some joy to the heart. If it had been a bad sign, he would have firmly not believed in it.
After washing up, the couple left the room in good spirits. Opening the door, a cool breeze brushed their faces. They realized the garden was damp and wet; rain must have started sometime during the night.
But it was only a light drizzle, so faint that no sound could be heard inside.
Fan Jing noticed the ground was scattered with fallen osmanthus flowers from last season. No wonder he’d felt a chill waking up in bed.
He said to Kang He, “Looking at the results might be difficult later.”
“It’s rare to have rain on announcement day. Later we can put on cloaks; the breeze won’t feel cold.”
Kang He, feeling a bit nervous with excitement, wrapped an arm around Fan Jing’s and gently stroked it. “Let’s go then. Call the kids for breakfast first. Alright, let’s go see the results!”
Fan Jing nodded. The two of them headed to the dining hall.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the four of them ate breakfast together in the dining hall.
“I want to see the results too.”
Little Fu had eaten two steamed buns stuffed with sour pickled beans and fresh pork, and was now shoving a steamed dumpling into his mouth whole, begging to go out as well.
Since his fall and injury, he hadn’t been outside for half a month, obediently resting. His bones no longer ached, but the wound hadn’t fully scabbed yet, so it still hurt when bumped.
Kang He wiped some porridge off the corner of his mouth. “There will be many people going to see the results today. The county exams are not as easy as the preliminary tests. Those who pass become xiucai scholars who receive government stipends. All the students, whether they passed or not, want to go and see the excitement.”
“And since it’s raining outside, there will surely be many carriages. Who knows how far the traffic jam will be? You’ll need an umbrella, but your arm and leg injuries aren’t fully healed. It’d be terrible if someone jostled and stepped on you.”
Little Fu looked at Kang He. “But I really want to see Brother’s name on the list.”
“You little flatterer,” Kang He laughed. “You make it sound like Brother’s name is already firmly on the red list.”
Little Fu looked serious. “Last night I dreamed Brother was wearing a blue robe and square headscarf, with a flower pin, and everyone was praising how handsome he looked!”
Da Fu heard this and laughed, pinching Little Fu’s cheek. “Since you had such a good dream, we might as well not go look. Let Awang take a peek and come back to tell us.”
Hearing this, Kang He and Fan Jing both looked at Da Fu. “You really don’t want to go?”
“If he passed, the officials would send a congratulatory announcement with drums and gongs before we even got there. If not, going won’t change the result.”
Da Fu said calmly, “It’s raining, so there’s no need to make a big fuss over this trip.”
Kang He and Fan Jing exchanged glances, both unsure of Da Fu’s true feelings.
Did he have great confidence, or was he so doubtful that he didn’t want to face the possibility of disappointment at the announcement?
But since the family’s scholar had spoken, Kang He went along with his wishes and nodded. “That’s fine, saves us from getting stuck in traffic. And if we don’t take a carriage, we’d have to carry a sick kid.”
The parrot hanging by the window tilted its head and mimicked, “Sick kid, sick kid!”
The group laughed.
Little Fu frowned and didn’t smile. He looked at Kang He and Fan Jing, then at his brother. Seeing their calm demeanor, he realized they had truly decided not to go outside the exam hall to see the results.
He pouted. “Then I’m not talking to you anymore.”
“Same to you! I’ll feed all your bird feed to the carp!”
Their teasing made Little Fu even more scowling, which made everyone laugh harder.
After breakfast, the whole family was tense. Though they didn’t mention it aloud, their faces were calm but their hearts were heavy.
The autumn rain made the atmosphere feel thick and anxious.
“All set? Getting anxious, huh? I say, going out together to look is better than staying at home.”
Little Fu sat astride the little wooden horse on the porch, watching his father and uncle fidget uneasily. He pressed his legs against the horse’s belly and dragged it over to Kang He and Fan Jing. “Hop on the horse. Master Fan will carry you to see the results.”
Kang He saw the boy babbling happily, about to pick him up and pinch his mouth, when suddenly hurried footsteps sounded outside.
Da Fu, who had been quietly reading, put his book down and looked toward the door. Fan Jing, leaning against a pillar, also straightened up.
“Oh dear~”
Awang rushed in, his shoes soaked from the rain. He nearly tripped over the doorstep from running too fast.
“Slow down! You look like you’re being chased by a mad dog.”
Kang He recognized him and, before asking about the results, was concerned when he nearly fell.
Awang steadied himself, rain dripping from his clothes, and with all eyes on him, said urgently, “He passed! Our young master passed!”
Everyone’s brows relaxed. Those sitting stood, those standing moved toward Awang. “He really passed?”
Awang had gone early but, because of the rain and the crowds holding umbrellas, it was impossible to get close to the red list. The crowd was unusually dense.
He had held his umbrella but still couldn’t get close. So he gave up and braved the drizzle to squeeze forward.
Before even seeing the red list, he overheard people in the front row loudly discussing that this year’s top scorer came from their county—Fan Zhongyang. Who was he?
Awang’s heart tightened with both surprise and joy, but he dared not rejoice too soon. He pushed forward with all his might, having his shoes stepped on twice before finally reaching the announcement board.
Without searching further, his eyes immediately locked onto the first and most prominent name on the list.
Seeing his young master’s name at the very top, Awang felt a wave of joy surge to his head, almost making him dizzy.
He steadied himself, carefully double-checked the name, rank, and other details three times. Confirming everything was correct, he ran back to share the news.
Awang blushed with excitement. “Congratulations, Master. Congratulations, Young Master! Your name is on the red list!”
Before Kang He or Fan Jing could ask the rank, Awang blurted out, “Our young master is the top scorer! Right now, the officials sending the congratulatory announcement are probably already on their way here. Master, quickly get ready!”
Just as one wave of joy hadn’t passed, an even bigger wave hit like a tide, overwhelming everyone’s minds.
Kang He and Fan Jing both felt their chests heave. They couldn’t quite catch their breath. “Top scorer? Our Da Fu is the top scorer?!”
Awang answered three times without hesitation. Kang He, without joking, slapped his thigh in regret. “We should have gone to see it ourselves! We missed such great news for nothing.”
Fan Jing said nothing, though his breathing also quickened. He reached out and grasped Da Fu’s hand tightly, his eyes showing visible pride and approval.
Da Fu looked at Fan Jing, pursed his lips, and felt his heart swell. He was filled with pride—not for fame or fortune, but because of the happiness he brought his family.
He held Fan Jing’s hand even tighter.
“My son! How have you grown up to be such a success!”
Before anyone could recover from their joy, Chen Sanfang and Master Fan arrived at the house. They heard Awang’s loud voice at the door and nearly tripped over the threshold rushing in.
Chen Sanfang’s eyes widened as if stunned, her soul seeming to drift away. “I was outside yesterday and didn’t see smoke rising from our ancestors’ graves. Am I just dreaming?”
Master Fan was so happy his lips trembled, and he was speechless for a long while.
Little Fu jumped up, his cheeks flushed with joy. He ran to Chen Sanfang and Master Fan, holding their hands and tattling, “Grandpa, Grandma, I told you Brother would pass! Daddy and Uncle didn’t believe me!”
Everyone’s joy was mixed—some cried, some laughed.
Before the excitement died down, Sheng Han rushed in. “I heard the officials with drums and gongs are already entering the alley to deliver the good news!”
Kang He said, “Parents, calm yourselves first. Let’s handle these formalities and then close the doors to celebrate.”
“Seventh Brother, Sister Xue, quickly bring out the copper coins and celebration cakes prepared earlier, and bring more just in case.”
He turned to Awang but saw him soaked and in a mess, so he told him to go clean up first.
After the flurry of preparation, when the officials delivering the good news arrived, everyone was calm and composed, showing genuine happiness.
“Congratulations, Master Kang and Master Fan! Such great joy has come to your door! Your sons are well taught. Your young master passed top scorer, earning the rank of xiucai and bringing glory to your family and our county!”
The officials smiled broadly, festive as if it were New Year, praising the Fans politely—so different from their usual stern faces on patrol or at the county office.
Kang He clasped his hands in thanks. “Many thanks for your kind words, sir. The honor today comes from our son’s diligent study and the county magistrate’s upright governance and promotion of education.”
They exchanged pleasantries for a while. Kang He then handed the lead official a heavy red envelope, and together with the others delivering the good news, gave out celebration cakes.
They escorted the officials out.
In the alley, a crowd gathered, all congratulating and sharing the joy. Kang He also gave out copper coins and cakes to his subordinates, thanking everyone for their congratulations.
Da Fu wasn’t one for words; the flattery was almost deafening. Then he noticed the Wu family’s gate was open, with people standing outside.
Wu Heguang was wearing a jade-colored cloak, smiling as he said congratulations softly.
Amid the noise, Da Fu didn’t clearly hear his voice but recognized the words by his mouth’s shape.
He smiled faintly and nodded at him.
The autumn rain outside was chilly, but with this response, Da Fu felt warmed and went inside the mansion.
After the bustle and celebrations, the Fan family happily returned inside.
“Da Fu, open the official box for us to see.”
The official congratulatory officers had brought two boxes tied with red silk flowers, specifically for xiucai scholars.
No one in the Fan family had seen these before, so they were curious about the contents.
Da Fu nodded and opened the box with the family.
Inside were several items.
First was Da Fu’s xiucai certificate, recording the privileges of a xiucai scholar—such as exemption from bowing before officials, exemption from corvée labor and taxes, as well as the code of conduct for xiucai.
Everyone carefully examined the tax exemption section, since it directly affected the family’s taxes.
The laws stipulated that the xiucai himself was exempt from all corvée labor and received four family servants exempt from additional taxes. Taxes on family farmland and shops were reduced by 10%.
They were simple farming households, and originally paid 30% of their harvest as tax to the court, while shop profits were taxed at 40%.
Now, both were reduced by 10%, which was a significant relief.
Kang He was overjoyed. “This tax reduction is truly a great blessing.”
The family’s farmland brought in about 300 guan yearly. At 30% tax, that meant paying 90 guan. Now at 20%, they saved 30 guan.
Though it didn’t seem like much, it could buy nearly two more acres of fertile land.
As for the shops, they had been more profitable in recent years. Without paying business tax and bribes to officials, they could earn over a thousand guan yearly.
But after paying 40% tax and occasional other fees, they netted only about 500 guan—half their profits.
This calculation was just for the businesses they controlled; they also had three joint ventures—with the He family, the Luo family, and the Yao family.
Among them, the Luo family’s business was the most profitable, but not just because of the fragrant paper products they sold—it was also because the Luo family had a xiucai who exempted Luo Dalang from 10% tax. The shops weren’t burdened with extra levies.
Bribing officials was also easier for them than for ordinary folks or pure merchants.
Kang He had long understood the benefits of having a scholar in the family. Such blessings were rare.
Smiling, Kang He thought there was no need to envy others anymore. Their family alone would save a large sum in taxes.
Da Fu blushed slightly. “Though the xiucai gets tax reductions, it’s still not much. When everything is fully exempted, that’s when Father and Uncle can truly rest easy.”
Kang He patted Da Fu’s head. “Good son, such ambition! When everything is exempted, that means you’ve become a juren scholar. Though it sounds as distant as reaching for the stars…”
“But our Da Fu is the top xiucai; becoming a juren is well within reach.”
Everyone smiled with hopeful anticipation.
Next, they saw the enrollment certificate for the county academy. Da Fu, having passed as xiucai with such excellent results, was guaranteed admission.
Entering the county school, he would qualify as a stipend student, receiving subsidies that reduced the cost of studying.
Besides that, there was a deed for ten acres of uncultivated land on the city outskirts, granted by the county as a reward to top-performing xiucai, encouraging the imperial examination system and education.
Da Fu looked at the deed and smiled. This was now his private property.
However, he thought the current county magistrate was a bit stingy. He’d heard from Uncle Luo that when he passed as xiucai, though his rank was lower, he received 20 guan and some miscellaneous rewards.
At that time, the county’s top three not only got cash but also land, as was customary.
Da Fu was not only among the top three in the county but ranked first in the prefecture, yet he received only the land deed and no cash. That was indeed stingy.
In secret, though the magistrate was tightfisted and refused to allocate county funds as a reward, at least he hadn’t violated regulations and hadn’t seized the land.
So these were the only items in the official box.
Da Fu carefully packed the certificate and other documents back, then opened the second box.
Inside was simple—a set of brocade clothing.
It was exactly the round-collared blue silk robe and square headscarf that Little Fu had dreamed about. This was the official xiucai attire, worn at official gatherings and important receptions.
“So handsome! Brother, try it on.”
Little Fu leaned over the box, carefully holding the scholar’s robe, coaxing Da Fu to change.
“See if you look as handsome as in the dream.”
Da Fu felt a little embarrassed by Little Fu’s words. He promised to wear it in a few days.
Before he could say more, Sheng Han came in with news that Second Miss and Uncle Luo, and Third Miss and Uncle Yao had both arrived.
They had heard the good news of Da Fu’s success and hurried to congratulate their nephew.
Kang He smiled. “Their news is very quick.”
No sooner had he spoken than Zhen’er and Qiao’er arrived with their husbands, beaming with joy.
“Brother-in-law, it’s not just our family who knows. Da Fu passed top scorer, almost all the scholars in town know by now!
Be careful stepping over the threshold—people might trample you to pieces these days.”