Chapter 17

When Zhou, the county magistrate, said this, Hu, the provincial examiner, was slightly taken aback, then laughed heartily and said, "Brother Shu Tai is right. Let the young friend make his own request."

The others also sensed the county magistrate's intention and felt indignant on Lin Yanchao's behalf.

If Hu, the provincial examiner, rewarded Lin Yanchao, it would be a gift from an elder, which one dare not refuse. Whatever he gave, Lin Yanchao would have to accept.

However, making a request oneself was a delicate matter. Asking for too much would make Hu, the provincial examiner, think one was greedy, and all the goodwill painstakingly built up would be lost. Asking for too little would mean a loss. Asking for nothing at all might seem noble, but it would be extremely foolish, and others might think one was insincere or even too timid to ask.

Everyone present thought about how they would answer if they were Lin Yanchao. In the eyes of others, this was a chance to change one's fate with a single word.

"Have you thought it through yet?"

Lin Yanchao raised his head and looked at Hu, the provincial examiner, seeing a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Any crisis, viewed from another angle, is also an opportunity. Lin Yanchao composed himself and smiled, saying, "In response to the great master, I have thought it through."

"Oh, let's hear it then."

Everyone thought that Lin Yanchao must be planning to ask Hu, the provincial examiner, for something.

Lin Yanchao said, "I would like to request that the great master allow my late father's spirit tablet to be enshrined in the shrine of loyalty and righteousness for those who fought against the Japanese pirates."

"Clever," the crowd almost couldn't resist clapping their thighs in admiration. Even Zhou, the county magistrate, who had been stern-faced, squinted his eyes and looked at Lin Yanchao again.

This move demonstrated filial piety, earned a good reputation, and was not overly greedy. Moreover, the county government had already issued a decree that the families of those enshrined in the shrine of loyalty and righteousness would be exempt from two years of miscellaneous corvée labor. This was a tangible benefit. If an adult made such a decision, it wouldn't be remarkable, but for a twelve-year-old boy to do so was quite impressive. In the eyes of others, he was not only exceptionally talented but also adept at human relations, a rare combination.

Lin Yanchao, immersed in the envious and jealous gazes of the crowd, felt a bit of satisfaction. He felt he had done a small thing for his father, whom he had never met in this life.

Hu, the provincial examiner, couldn't help but sigh, "A son should be like Yanchao. Brother Shu Tai, what do you think of this matter?"

Zhou, the county magistrate, chuckled and said, "Mr. Hu has a keen eye for talent. This young boy has a heart of filial piety. Today, we have truly witnessed a fine story." Even Zhou, the county magistrate, began to praise him.

Hu, the provincial examiner, smiled and said, "I will accept this. Does the young friend have any outstanding work with you? Let me take a look."

At this point, everyone looked at Lin Yanchao with a mixture of envy and jealousy.

Lin Yanchao had been prepared and pulled out the scrolls of couplets and regulated verse he had written a few days ago, handing them to Hu, the provincial examiner. After a quick glance, Hu said, "Not bad, not bad, but it still lacks some refinement."

Lin Yanchao immediately said, "Student, I humbly request the great master's guidance!"

Hu, the provincial examiner, nodded and pointed out the shortcomings in the scrolls.

Lin Yanchao then knelt and bowed to Hu, the provincial examiner, saying, "Thank you, great master, for your instruction."

This gesture earned Lin Yanchao the silent approval of everyone present.

The key was that a teacher imparts knowledge and resolves doubts. By saying this, Lin Yanchao was essentially asking Hu, the provincial examiner, to be his teacher, and from then on, he could proudly claim to be a student of the provincial examiner.

Hu, the provincial examiner, smiled contentedly. He had come to this remote place in Fujian to serve as a provincial examiner, and his plan was to use the opportunities of the provincial and county examinations to recruit students. In the future, if he could smoothly return to the two capitals to serve as a high official or a local governor, these students would be valuable connections and resources, benefiting his descendants in the long run.

Although Lin Yanchao was not yet a scholar, he was well-read and very intelligent, making him a good long-term investment.

Hu, the provincial examiner, said to Zhou, the county magistrate, "You said there was no talent in your area, but I don't think so."

Zhou, the county magistrate, hearing this, felt his face brighten and smiled thinly, "That's just the provincial examiner's favor. But if the provincial examiner continues to speak, the banquet will get cold."

"Good, good," Hu, the provincial examiner, laughed and stood up, and everyone bowed to see him off.

Hu, the provincial examiner, paused and gestured, "Yanchao, join us at the banquet as well."

"Yes!"

Hu, the provincial examiner, directly invited Lin Yanchao to the banquet. The villagers were so envious that their eyes were almost popping out. To dine with the provincial examiner and the county magistrate was a great honor.

After Lin Yanchao left, everyone marveled and secretly resented why it wasn't them accompanying Hu, the provincial examiner, and Zhou, the county magistrate. Lin Chengyi, seeing his disciple receive the provincial examiner's favor, felt a sense of relief.

He had been poor since childhood, and his parents had pawned their land and house to support his education. After passing the county examination, his father passed away, and his mother, being a widow, could no longer afford his studies, so he had to earn a living by teaching.

He knew that as a scholar, he was considered inferior to a student or a tutor in the eyes of others. But Lin Chengyi was a proud man. Although he was not a student, he believed he was no less capable than a student or a tutor. Therefore, he was strict with his students and tirelessly taught them, hoping they would succeed. If one of his students passed the examination to become a scholar, he could finally feel vindicated for the disdain he had faced.

Lin Chengyi walked silently, while Zhang Xiang and Zhang Zongjia hurried to greet the clerks and servants from the county office. Lin Chengyi knew that these clerks and servants were more feared than the county magistrate.

They all wore smiles and were full of insincere pleasantries. These people could praise you to the skies one moment and trample you underfoot the next. When his disciples, like Zhang Guihe, performed poorly, they had scolded him harshly, but now that Lin Yanchao had been favored by the provincial examiner, they were smiling at him again.

Forget it, forget it, Lin Chengyi walked towards the ancestral hall, feeling he had seen through the world. He decided to resign as a tutor the next day. His distant cousin, who sold tung oil, needed an accountant, and he planned to help him.

"Mr. Lin, please wait, the great master has invited you!" A clerk approached with a smile.

Lin Chengyi knew that these clerks were sycophants who bullied the weak. He was surprised by their sudden kindness to a village tutor.

"Why?"

"That's thanks to your disciple. He praised your talent to the great master, so the great master wants to meet you. Do you have any good articles with you? If not, please have someone fetch them. For now, come with me to meet the great master. Don't keep the nobleman waiting, Mr. Lin. This might be your big break."

Lin Chengyi's heart, which had been deadened, trembled. But he maintained his composure and bowed, "Thank you, please lead the way."

The clerk smiled, "No need to be so formal. I might need your help in the future."

After the banquet, Hu, the provincial examiner, and Zhou, the county magistrate, returned to their residences.

At the banquet, Lin Yanchao had also drunk some wine, feeling a bit tipsy. There were no rules about drinking under eighteen at that time, and Lin Yanchao had downed a few cups of yellow wine, feeling a bit dizzy.

As he walked out of the ancestral hall, the sun was setting, casting a rosy glow over the houses of Zhang Village, and a long shadow stretched from the distant mountains in the direction of his hometown. The wind blew briskly, dispelling his drunkenness. He used the alcohol to ease the tension that had been building up over the past month since he had arrived in this era.

Finally, there was a glimmer of hope for success.

Seeing Hou Zhongshu standing on the street, looking around, Lin Yanchao asked, "Why are you here?"

"I was worried about you," Hou Zhongshu said resentfully, "Today, you really stole the show. But I got no recognition. All my carefully laid plans, and Mr. Hu didn't even look at me."

Lin Yanchao spread his hands, "How could I have stolen your thunder? Don't worry, when you pulled Zhang Zongjia down, you must have left a deep, indelible impression on Mr. Hu."

Hou Zhongshu exclaimed, "Really?"

Lin Yanchao nodded emphatically, "Yes, it was your performance that set the stage for my dramatic entrance and turning the tide."

"Go to hell."

Lin Yanchao, worried that Hou Zhongshu might be upset, consoled him, "This can't be forced. Your studies aren't enough. If you fake it, you'll eventually be exposed, which would harm you. If you really want to advance, start studying hard from today."

Hou Zhongshu said, "You're right. You used to read less than me, so this time must have been a fluke."

The two laughed and chatted as they pushed open the door of the community school and walked to the Minglun Hall. Lin Yanchao and Hou Zhongshu were startled to see their classmates all standing up as they entered.

Their faces were somewhat unnatural, a bit stiff, and a bit awkward.

"What's going on, everyone?" Lin Yanchao asked, noticing that Hou Zhongshu was standing tall and proud.

Zhang Haoyuan walked forward, still a bit uncomfortable, and bowed to Lin Yanchao, "Yanchao, today you saved face for our community school and our Hongtang Township. I apologize for any past wrongs."

"Hao Yuan, what are you talking about? We shook hands and made peace a few days ago, didn't we?"

"I was just afraid of leaving a bad impression. Hearing you say that, I know you are a magnanimous person, and I was being too suspicious." Zhang Haoyuan said this, and another classmate, Zhang Songming, added, "Yanchao, you brought honor to our community school in front of the provincial examiner and the county magistrate. From now on, you are one of us."

Lin Yanchao laughed and bowed to everyone, "I am an outsider, but I have been enlightened by the teacher and accepted by all of you. This is my honor. Thank you all."

Lin Yanchao's words won the hearts of everyone. Zhang Haoyuan then said, "Yanchao, you have forgiven past grievances and brought honor to the community school today. I will pay for an extra two dishes. Let's all have a good time, shall we?"

"Hao Yuan is generous!"

"Thank you, Hao Yuan!"

Everyone cheered, and Lin Yanchao smiled, not noticing that Zhang Guihe had left the hall alone, looking dejected.

The classmates gathered around and asked, "Brother Yanchao, how was the banquet with the provincial examiner and the county magistrate?"

"Brother Yanchao, how many dishes were there? Seven or eight?"

"Too few, at least eighteen!"

"Nonsense, only wedding banquets have eighteen dishes."

"So, the provincial examiner and the county magistrate must have had more than eighteen dishes."

The classmates chattered excitedly, and the hall was filled with laughter. When Lin Yanchao described the abundance of the banquet and the sweetness of the wine, the children marveled, as if they had experienced it themselves.

Soon, the door opened, and everyone saw Lin Chengyi, supported by Zhang Zongjia and others, returning to the community school. Zhang Haoyuan and the other students hurried to help.

"Why is the teacher so drunk?"

"It's not the wine that intoxicates, but the glory of success. The wine doesn't intoxicate, but the heart does," Zhang Zongjia said with a smile. The children didn't understand, but Zhang Zongjia looked at Lin Yanchao and smiled.

PS: There will be another update tonight. Please follow and support!

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