Chapter 143: To Pass the Imperial Examinations at the Provincial Level

In the County Yamen.

"Father," Yuan Bao jumped off the swing as he saw Lu Lin walking in, he was so bored.

"You are alone! Where's your Little Uncle? Aren't you guys each other's shadow?" Seeing that Yuan Bao sitting all my himself on the swing, Lu Lin was surprised.

"Little uncle is studying," Yuan Bao puffed up his cheeks like a chipmunk.

Lu Lin gently pinched Yuan Bao's chubby cheeks.

And Lu Lin was so impressed by Xiao Cai this time, he thought this studying thing was going to be a 3-minute passion for Xiao Cai again, but Xiao Cai seemed to be really devoted this time.

"Did your little uncle receive another letter?" asked Lu Lin curiously.

Yuan Bao nodded and said, "Yes! Father, how did you know?"

Lu Lin nodded with a meaningful smile. Xiao Mai would disregard meals and go without sleep on the first day he received Ji Yun An's letter, and slowly he would reduce his study time until he got another letter.

Yuan Bao looked at Lu Lin and said sullenly, "Little Uncle said Brother Ji who is going to take part in the imperial examination held in autumn, father, do you know what that exam is?"

Lu Lin stroked Yuan Bao's hair gently and said, "The Autumn Imperial Examination is very important, Brother Ji and other young students who have high aspirations all want to attend that exam."

"What's so special about that exam?" Yuan Bao bit his finger and asked.

"You can become a government official if you pass that exam," Lu Lin said.

Yuan Bao widened his eyes and asked, "Really? All officials have to pass that exam? Father, have you also attended it? Did you do well in the exam?"

Lu Lin smiled dryly, 'Here we go, I know he is going to ask me this question one day.'

"As a matter of fact, no, Yuan Bao, I paid good money for my official post though."

Yuan Bao tilted his head and blinked. "Father, I believe it is called reaping without sowing."

Lu Lin shook his head, "I've worked just as hard as those students for the money I paid for the post, you see, some people choose to study for the title, some people choose to pave the way with money."

Yuan Bao blinked and said, "Then I will buy my post as well, I don't like studying."

Lu Lin showed a doting smile, 'Yuan Bao, you can do whatever makes you happy, I won't force you to do anything.'

Lu Lin rubbed Yuan Bao's head and said, "Well, you can start your own business when you are older."

Yuan Bao clapped his hands with excitement and said, "I want to open a lot of shops and restaurants like Second Uncle. I can just go to whichever restaurant and have a feast without paying! How great is that!"

"Yuan Bao, do you want to start your own business or you just enjoy having a feast without paying anyone?"

Yuan Bao blushed and said, "Father, I... I like both."

Then Yuan Bao turned around and ran away. Lu Lin smiled at Yuan Bao'e retiring figure. 'Yuan Bao seems to have grown up a little! He never blushed when I used to tease him.'

Chen Xiao Mi came out and said helplessly, "I've heard what you just said, telling a kid that he can buy an official post with money? Really?"

Lu Lin made a face at Chen Xiao Mi and said, "I was just being honest with him, so he knows he still has a way out even though he is not interested in study."

Chen Xiao Mi shook his head in silence.

"Ji Yun An is participating in the exam soon, I wonder if he can pass it," Chen Xiao Mi murmured.

Lu Lin shrugged, "To be honest with you, I don't think he can make it, he is so young, and this is his first autumn exam."

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "You do have a point, he is very young."

Lu Lin smiled. Many people in this time and space were very persistent about the exam, it was not uncommon for a father and son to take the exam together. There were even candidates who were in their 70s. It was very rare for a person of Ji Yun An's age to pass the exam.

Deep down Lu Lin felt so sorry for those people, he personally didn't see the point of dedicating your whole life to some exam.

Yuan Bao looked at Lu Lin and said, "Little Uncle said that big brother Ji will do great in the exam."

Lu Lin smiled, "It looks like your Little Uncle has every faith in Ji Yun An, hmm, don't get your hops high though, Yuan Bao, your Little Uncle is biased."

Yuan Bao tilted his head and said, "But, Little Uncle said, Big Brother Ji is very smart."

Lu Lin rubbed his chin and thought to himself, 'I heard Lu Cheng Yu is also going to attend the autumn exam this year, I'm more curious about whether he will pass, he's been trying for years after all.' Chen Xiao Cai told Lu Lin that Lu Cheng Yu seldom went back to Big Stone Village now to better focus on his study.

......

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a few months passed.

After a few months of construction, Chen Xiao Cai's hot springs resort had begun to take shape.

Because the location of the hot springs resort was relatively remote, the difficulty of construction was hard to imagine, the project had already fallen behind schedule. But Chen Xiao Cai was confident that this resort would be a hit.

Chen Xiao Cai loved to go to the site and watch it taking shape day by day.

A lot of young masters from the capital city were now in Sha County. They stayed in the best inns and ordered food from the best restaurants, of course Chen Xiao Cai was very glad, he could pump the income from those rich young masters directly into the construction of the resort.

Several young masters from the Prime Minister Gao Heng's family were talking in a high-sounding manner in one of Chen Xiao Cai's restaurants this day.

The young masters all want to impress Gao Heng and win his favor, so they acted without delay upon hearing the news that the government and the Liao Dynasty meant to have peace negotiations.

"This hotpot is indeed very good, no wonder His Highness Cheng keeps talking about it."

"Yeah! His Highness Cheng is full of praise when it comes to hotpot."

"It is said that Magistrate Lu has shared the recipe with Highness Cheng, but Highness Cheng refuses to share it with anyone in the capital city, only his guests can try the authentic hotpot at his manor."

"I've heard of it too, I've even heard that His Majesty has visited Highness Cheng for hotpot!"

"I didn't expect a remote and backward place like Sha County could be this charming, look at all those inventions!" a young master named Gao Yuan pointed at the baby seat in the restaurant and exclaimed.

"It is said that this restaurant is owned by Magistrate Lu's brother-in-law, but Magistrate Lu is the one who has come up with all the unique recipes and inventions."

"Magistrate Lu? I've long heard of him, he is the one who has invented Curved Iron Plough, isn't he? But I've also heard that he bought his official post and he seems to be a bit illiterate."

The young masters from capital city all got their own tutors since they were toddlers and their influential family tended to pave the way for their official career, so they looked down on someone like Lu Lin.

For Lu Lin, he couldn't care less how those young masters saw him, all he cared was howe much money they were going to spend.

Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Cai launched a menu just for those wealthy young masters from the capital city to stimulate consumer spending.

It worked out perfectly, those young masters were constantly looking for expensive items for vanity, so they were thrilled to find out there were something in the county that only they could afford.

......

When Lu Lin returned home this day, he found that the atmosphere at home was unusual.

Lu Lin was so surprised when he saw the guest at home.

It was Ji Yun An.

Ji Yun An smiled at Lu Lin and bowed. "Long time no see, Magistrate Lu."

Lu Lin asked with excitement, "Why are you here? This is such a nice surprise!"

Ji Yun An smiled and said, "I'm here to do a study tour."

Lu Lin narrowed his eyes, 'Really? You spent so many years in this place and now you are back to do a study tour?'

A tempting aroma had distracted Lu Lin, he turned around only to see a variety of dishes on the table.

"So many dishes!" Lu Lin exclaimed.

Ji Yun An nodded and said, "Yeah, Mai cooked them all."

Mai enjoyed cooking, but that boy was fickle, you needed to catch him in a good mood if you wanted him to cook something for you. Lu Lin cast a glimpse at the dishes and smiled knowingly, they were all Ji Yun An's favorite.

Chen Xiao Mai glanced at Lu Lin and said, "Lin Ge, do you want to have some as well?"

Lu Lin shook his head and said, "Thank you, Mai, but I've already eaten." Lu Lin touched his chin and vaguely felt like a third wheel in the room, soon he excused himself and left the room.

......

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Lu Lin and said, "Have you met Ji Yun An? He is back, now he is in Mai's room."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "Yeah! He has grown so much, he was such a little brat when he left, but now he is a young man!"

Chen Xiao Mi rubbed his chin and said, "He indeed has grown much taller."

"Why is he suddenly back? I heard that he has passed the imperial examinations at the provincial level, should he be waiting for his appointment in the capital city? He can pursue his official career now!"

After Ji Yun An found out he had passed the imperial examinations at the provincial level, he wrote to Ji Cheng Kang and Chen Xiao Mai, and of course Chen Xiao Mai shared the great news with the family.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "He has indeed passed the exam, but he is not happy with his ranking. He plans to take another exam."

Lu Lin frowned and asked with disbelief, "Another exam?"

'Isn't that guy a bit cocky? Does he have any idea what an achievement it is to just pass the exam? Let alone he is so young! What on earth is he thinking? He surely would make the news in modern society, genius kid who has his heart on Harvard turned down the scholarship from Stanford!'

Lu Lin found it funny that they all saw Ji Yun An as a brat when in reality he was anything but one. He found it funnier how Ji Yun An entered their life, it was Xiao Mai who caught him breaking in and forced him to work as punishment. And one thing led to another, the two kids saw each other differently.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "He said that he wasn't happy with his ranking this time and he didn't want to compromise, so he wanted to study harder and do better next time he attends the exam."

"He is young anyway, he can afford to wait for a few years. Although it's going to be funny if he fails to do better next time." Lu Lin made a face.

"Don't jinx it!" Chen Xiao Mi made as if he was going to punch Lu Lin.

"Take it easy, I'm just kidding, of course he is going to do great next time."