Chapter 4

"Our Wu State is founded on the principle of 'filial piety.' Su Wen has actually been able to open his wisdom through the concept of 'filial piety and fraternal duty.' Although it is not the words of a sage, or even the words of a great scholar or a Hanlin, it is the interpretation of the sage's words by the great scholar Lu Ji. I believe that once Su Wen passes the examination for a junior official, he will surely have a smooth official career..."

Back in his room, Su Lin felt a surge of excitement. Seeing that his ten-year-old brother Su Wen had already opened his wisdom, Su Lin was eager to do the same. He opened the *Analects* on his desk and read through the *Learning and Progress* chapter. The content was exactly the same as what he had seen on Earth in his previous life, but strangely, the words that he had once found dull and uninteresting now seemed fascinating to him.

A surge of energy rose to the wisdom aperture between his eyebrows, signaling the imminent opening of his wisdom. However, what frustrated Su Lin was that the wisdom aperture at his brow seemed to be blocked by some kind of impurity.

"What's going on? Why is it like this?"

The wisdom aperture, located between the eyebrows, is the source of a person's wisdom. Only by opening this aperture can one communicate with the sages and obtain their power. In common parlance, this is known as 'opening the aperture,' or 'opening the wisdom.' However, Su Lin discovered that his wisdom aperture was blocked.

"No wonder I haven't opened my wisdom even at fifteen. It seems my wisdom aperture has always been blocked. Could it be that I have a naturally blocked wisdom aperture?"

A naturally blocked wisdom aperture means that the aperture is blocked and cannot be opened through one's own understanding of Confucian thought. This condition is usually innate, so one can only rely on external help, using the power of the sages to force the aperture open.

"In that case, I can only rely on the county examination to open my wisdom. Commoners who have not opened their wisdom are not eligible to take the imperial examinations, but fortunately, I am from a scholar family. Even if I haven't opened my wisdom, I still have the right to participate in the county examination once."

The county examination for child scholars is held the day after tomorrow. Half a month ago, Su Lin had already used his one and only chance to register at the county office. He knew that this was his last chance to open his wisdom. If he passed the county examination and became a child scholar, he would receive the power of a child scholar and open his wisdom through external force.

The imperial examinations in the Tianren Continent are conducted by all nine states. The county examination for child scholars is the most basic level, with a fixed number of slots in each county, taking the top twenty. The examination content includes five forms: the examination of classics, poetry, ink definitions, policy questions, and the interpretation of classics.

"The county examination is the simplest. It only tests the examination of classics and poetry. The examination of classics is similar to recitation and dictation, covering the classics of the sages. With the Wordless Heavenly Book, I can get all the answers right, no matter how difficult. Poetry is a bit more challenging, as it requires writing a poem based on a given theme. However, the Wordless Heavenly Book contains a vast array of knowledge, so I should be able to pick a few poems to get by."

After recalling the format of the county examination, Su Lin felt more at ease. If even he, with the Wordless Heavenly Book, couldn't make it into the top twenty, then no one else would have a chance.

"Alright! Su Liu, you think I can't open my wisdom, but I will shock everyone at the county examination the day after tomorrow and pass the child scholar examination, forcing my wisdom to open."

Putting away the *Analects* on the desk, Su Lin was no longer anxious. He was about to go to the south wing to ask his younger brother Su Wen about the conditions after opening his wisdom when he saw a girl with large, bright eyes and a very charming appearance, carrying a small basket, bouncing up to him.

"Brother Su Lin, I heard you are taking the county examination the day after tomorrow. Zi Jin specially brought you a bowl of invigorating and refreshing soup, wishing you success in the examination."

Su Lin looked closely and remembered that the little girl who looked about the same age as Su Ru was his betrothed, Dong Zijin, the youngest daughter of Dong Guihua, a merchant from Fengle County. This betrothal was arranged by his father, Su Jingtian, before he passed away.

"Zi Jin, why are you here? Sneaking over to see me, aren't you afraid your older brother will catch you?"

Seeing Dong Zijin's sunny smile, Su Lin felt a warm sensation in his heart. The Dong family had arranged this betrothal because of the Su family's status as a scholar family. However, over the years, as Su Lin, who was about to come of age, still couldn't open his wisdom, the Dong family had become increasingly cold toward the betrothal, even showing signs of wanting to break it off. Dong Zijin was also strictly forbidden by her father and older brother from visiting Su Lin privately.

However, Dong Zijin, who had always considered herself Su Lin's future wife, stubbornly held onto this belief. She often sneaked over to see Su Lin when her father and older brother were not paying attention. This time, knowing that Su Lin was about to take the crucial child scholar examination, she had secretly taken invigorating herbs and refreshing wood from the herbal shop to make a bowl of invigorating and refreshing soup for him.

"I'm not afraid! Brother Su Lin, you are fifteen, and I am thirteen. Once you come of age next year, you can marry me. I know that Father and my older brother want to break off the engagement because you haven't opened your wisdom yet. But I, Dong Zijin, have made up my mind. I believe that not only will Brother Su Lin open his wisdom, but he will also pass the examinations for a scholar, a junior official, and even a top scholar. Then, hehe... I will be the wife of a top scholar, just like in the operas, where Zi Jin will be a first-rank lady! How impressive!"

Dong Zijin put down the basket, pouted, and smiled as she brought the invigorating and refreshing soup to Su Lin, blowing on it with her rosy lips. "Brother Su Lin, it's not hot anymore. Drink it quickly! Drink it, and you will definitely pass the child scholar examination."

"Zi Jin, invigorating herbs cost one tael of silver per gram, and refreshing wood costs five taels of silver per gram. Did you... did you steal the herbs from the shop to make this soup for me? What if your father or older brother finds out?" Su Lin knew without a doubt that the herbs were stolen, and he frowned as he said this.

"So what if they find out! My father runs such a large herbal shop; can't I take a little invigorating herb and refreshing wood to make soup for my future husband?"

Dong Zijin looked unconcerned, her rosy lips making her smile both cute and beautiful.

"Shameless! Zi Jin, you are only thirteen, and you are already thinking about marriage? What if I don't marry you, or your father doesn't let you marry me?"

Su Lin was amused by Dong Zijin's words, laughing as he took the invigorating and refreshing soup and drank it.

"Hmph! You dare? Brother Su Lin, if you don't marry me, I... I will never speak to you again. If my father doesn't let me marry you, we will... we will... run away together!" Dong Zijin looked like a little adult, speaking very seriously.

As Su Lin drank the invigorating and refreshing soup, he stroked her little head. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt a surge of warmth rise from his lower abdomen, and this energy rushed to his brow. The wisdom aperture, which had previously felt blocked, was suddenly opened by this warm energy.