27 Beating the Drums, Sounding the Gong

After Master Zhao sent the officer away, he turned around and saw that Zhao Qimin's face looked as though he was constipated.

He patted the younger ma'n's shoulder and said, "Don't be discouraged. Think about it. Do you think those who fail the exam can't live anymore?" After thinking for a while, he said, "It's already hard to become a scholar. Ordinary people in your position wouldn't even have been able to finish the exam." An insane amount of willpower was needed to even sit through three whole days there!

'Thank you, but please don't mention anything related to the exam!' Zhao Qimin thought to himself.

Another batch of officials came, and another wave of hypocritical congratulations sounded.

"Anzhou Academy, Scholar Yang Yuan, third place!"

Master Zhao waited for a long time but did not hear Shi Jinhua's name. He turned around and told everyone to prepare their luggage. They would return home in a while!

Zhao Qimin thought to himself that there were only two spots left. The possibility of it being Shi Jinhua was low, so he finally felt better.

Shi Jinhua did not plan to wait anymore. Since he could not get in, he would take the exam again next time.

Previously, everyone at the academy had thought that Shi Jinhua would have no problem entering the top ten. However, the examination hall was like a battlefield with countless changes.

"Mingde Academy, Scholar Shi Jinhua! First place!"

By the time the official finally reached the scholar in first place, Master Zhao had already led the students back home.

Seeing that no one came out for a long time, the official shouted again, "Mingde Academy, Scholar Shi Jinhua! First place!"

After a long while, it was the owner of the inn that finally responded, "Sir, Scholar Shi just left about half an hour ago."

"Why did he leave just like that?" He didn't even wait!

"Perhaps Scholar Shi was too modest and thought that he didn't get in, so he hurried back home."

At this moment, Shi Jinhua was on his way home. Unfortunately, Shi Jinhua, Zhao Qimin, and a few other students were in the same car.

"Brother Shi, don't be sad. Even if you didn't get in, you can still take the exam next year. Look, the pressure after getting in is also great." He was elated in his heart, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up. "I have to prepare for the next level of examination next year. Sigh!"

Other people in the same car who didn't get in couldn't help but think, 'How annoying! Is it illegal to punch someone?'

This time, there were seven people from Mingde Academy who got in out of the 12 people who took the examination. This was quite a good result, but it was a pity that Shi Jinhua had not passed.

"The capable do more work. That must be talking about you, Brother Zhao." Li Hua, who got into the same car as Zhao Qimin, became the latter's bootlicker.

Zhao Qimin threw aside the book in his hand. "Sigh, I guess that's the only way." He couldn't help it. Being too outstanding was also a problem.

When the others saw Zhao Qimin like this, they were very disdainful. Only Zhao Qimin and Li Hua were talking. One was trying his best to suck up to the other, while the other was enjoying himself.

"Hey, you in front, wait! Stop!" Behind them, someone was riding a horse. Hearing the sound of hooves, the students were curious.

"Don't tell me they're bandits!" Li Hua hid behind someone else in fear.

Coincidentally, the man couldn't stand his bootlicking and pushed him away. "Don't come near me! How improper!" It was strange for two grown men to be so close other.

When Master Zhao saw that it was an official, he immediately stopped the car.

"Sir, are you calling us? I'm the headmaster of Mingde Academy. The people in the carriage are all students who sat for the exam."

"Yes, yes. I was calling you. You left too early. Let's go back to the inn. You've been gone for almost half an hour!"

An official dismounted from his horse.

Master Zhao was confused. Had something gone wrong with the exam?

Confused, students also got off and looked at the official.

"Mingde Academy is going to be famous! Congratulations!" The official holding the good news bowed with a smile.

The only person Master Zhao could only think of was Shi Jinhua. "My student Shi Jinhua is a scholar?" He was a little excited!

'I'm so excited. What should I do? I really want to run around naked!' Master Zhao thought to himself.

"That's right! Your academy's Shi Jinhua is the top student of the exam! This is good news! The other good news should have been sent to the various government offices yesterday afternoon."

Master Zhao was incoherent. "Good! Good! Good! That's great! Haha…"

Master Zhao turned around to look for Shi Jinhua. He was so delighted that he did not see Shi Jinhua for a long time.

"Sir, Scholar Shi is here." The student near Shi Jinhua happily pushed him towards their teacher.

"Aiyo, good, good, good! Hahahaha! Good!"

Other students thought to themselves, 'Teacher, can't you say something else?'

Master Zhao was so happy that he had forgotten about his official duties. He smiled like a fool, almost drooling.

"Congratulations, Scholar Shi. This is yours." The official handed the paper to Shi Jinhua.

"Thank you, sirs. Please take this money. It's congratulatory money." He took out five taels.

His hand paused on his chest for a moment. Thinking that he had failed the exam, he had put the money he had prepared back into his bag.

Now, his heart ached when he to had give away the money away! Yet, he was too embarrassed to put it back.

The official smiled widely as he received the congratulatory money. He had left both Shi Jinhua and Master Zhao feeling light-headed!

After the official left, Shi Jinhua immediately dropped down onto the ground!

'Oh my, my heart hurts! Five taels of silver!' Shi Jinhua grumbled inwardly.

Master Zhao was still floating in the air!

Seeing that the officer had left, Zhao Qimin snorted and got into the car!

Their teacher was confused. "What's wrong with him?"

One of the students replied, "Scholar Zhao is busy preparing for next year's High Scholar examination!"

When the others heard this, they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

'Could it be that these students are so close without me knowing?' Master Zhao wondered.

When they were started on their journey back home again, Shi Jinhua was no longer in the same car as Zhao Qimin. Instead, he was in the same car as Master Zhao.

Master Zhao was too enthusiastic. He held Shi Jinhua's hand and kept talking about academic issues.

Three days later, in the county office of Damiao Town.

"Sir, this is the list of Elementary Scholars in our county this year. Do you want to announce it?" The secretary came in and asked.

The county magistrate rolled his eyes. "If I don't announce it, am I supposed to keep it for the new year? You guys tire me out! Do you have to ask me about such a small matter?"

The secretary was not afraid and replied with a smile, "This shows how important you are to us! Without your directions, we wouldn't know what to do!"

"Scram!"

'This bunch of people are so useless! Even when there's no trouble, they always find trouble for themselves!' the county magistrate thought to himself.

The secretary assigned the private advisor to work, and the private advisor assigned the bailiffs to work.

So what did the baliffs do?

They beat drums and sounded the gongs as they happily made their way to Shandong Village to report the good news.

As for the other places, he would let others go. They had fought to announce the scholar in first place!

At this time, in Shandong Village, Qian Sishui was looking at the soybeans that had sprouted in the ground. With this piece of land, she would have another few hundred catties of beans.

They hadn't even gone easy on the paddy fields and had used all the land for planting. They couldn't waste any land! This was what a real farmer would do.

To farmers, their land was their lives! Qian Sishui carried the hoe and dug here and there.

She felt at ease and felt a sense of accomplishment! Just as she was relaxing and sighing, she heard a voice.

"Sister Qian!" A piercing roar sounded. Li Kui had used all his strength to shout for her!

Qian Sishui was so frightened that she shuddered! Was this the end of humanity?

Qian Sishui was at a loss for words.

When Li Kui ran, the dust behind him flew up. He was like a modern person driving a dirt truck at a construction site!

"Sister Qian! Come back with me! He got it! He got it!"

Ignoring Qian Sishui's reaction, he pulled her and ran.

After running a few steps, he suddenly remembered, "Aiya… I was too excited!" He quickly put his hand down!

"Shi Jinhua's an Elementary Scholar. And he's even this!" As he spoke, he gave a thumbs up!

Qian Sishui did not feel anything. What was there to be excited about? He was not the top scholar.

Others might not know what Qian Sishui was thinking. Thankfully, they simply thought that she was not good at communicating. Otherwise, she might have been beaten to death if she said her true thoughts.