frightfiction Chapter 348 A One-Month Vacation
Chapter 348 A One-Month Vacation
Chapter 348 A Month-Long Vacation
As for Su Jin, he didn't go to see the spectacular scene of the top scholar and others parading through the streets on horseback. His heart and mind were only focused on getting home quickly to tell his family the good news of passing the imperial examination. Although his ranking in this examination was not particularly outstanding, only at a lower-middle level, this did not affect his joy in the slightest.
Su Jin hurried home, covered in dust and sweat. His clothes were soaked with sweat, but he didn't stop. Finally, when he arrived at the village entrance, the scene before him stunned him—the entire village, young and old, had come out in droves, standing in a row, their faces beaming with smiles to welcome him home.
Only then did he learn from the others that the messenger had already arrived in the village. At that moment, the entire village was immersed in a joyous and festive atmosphere.
Looking at those familiar and incredibly kind faces, Su Jin felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Especially his aunts and uncles, who swarmed around him like a tide, showering him with enthusiastic greetings and heartfelt blessings.
Seeing this scene, Su Jin was filled with mixed emotions. He remembered his childhood, when his family was poor and life was extremely difficult. His father was disabled in the legs and unable to do heavy physical labor, which often meant the family couldn't make ends meet. As a child, he often went hungry, and life was incredibly hard. However, fortunately, the kind and honest villagers always lent a helping hand in times of need, providing them with whatever help they could. It was because of the love and support of his fellow villagers that Su Jin was able to grow up safely and peacefully.
Now, he has grown up and become a capable man, even passing the imperial examination with flying colors. He knows that all of this has been hard-won, and he understands the responsibilities and missions he bears. He secretly resolves to be an honest and upright official who benefits the people, and to work hard to improve the living conditions of his fellow villagers so that no one in the village will suffer from hunger.
Thinking of this, Su Jin looked at the villagers with boundless gratitude. He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed solemnly, saying, "Dear uncles and aunts, we are truly grateful to you all over the years! If it weren't for your care and help to my family, I probably wouldn't be Su Jin today. Since everyone is here, please allow me to perform this grand bow to express my deepest thanks!" After saying this, he straightened up and slowly bowed deeply to everyone, reluctant to stand up for a long time.
Just then, the village head, a highly respected and esteemed man, slowly emerged from the bustling crowd. His steps were steady, his expression solemn. He gently helped Su Jin to her feet. Then, with a kind smile, he looked at Chen Xuan and said earnestly, “My child, your success in passing the imperial examination is entirely due to your own ability and hard work. You must know, among all the villages, large and small, within dozens of miles around here, you are the only one who has achieved this! This is truly a glorious achievement, bringing immense honor to our village and making us proud.”
As the village head finished speaking, Su's father, supported by his mother, walked unsteadily out of the crowd. After regaining his balance, he smiled and looked lovingly at his son, Su Jin, before turning to the surrounding people and saying loudly, "Jin's passing the imperial examination is truly a joyous occasion. Such a celebratory day should naturally be celebrated in a lively manner. Therefore, fellow villagers, please set aside your other matters and come to my house. I have prepared several tables of sumptuous food and wine to thank you all and to express my heartfelt congratulations to Jin."
Upon hearing this, everyone beamed with joy and responded with laughter, "That's wonderful! Of course we'd love to go!" With that, the excited group surged forward like a tide, surrounding Su Jin and heading towards the Su family's residence. Laughter and cheerful chatter filled the air as everyone was immersed in joy and happiness.
The imperial examinations had concluded, and the King of Qin granted the scholars a month to handle their personal matters. Chen Xuan and Deng Zhou discussed it, deciding to take this opportunity to return to their hometowns and bring their families to Xianyang, so they could have someone to look after them in the future. After all, they both understood that although they had passed the imperial examinations with flying colors, there was still a long way to go before they could truly embark on their official careers.
Ying Wuyou solemnly advised the King of Qin: "Father, I suggest that the newly appointed scholars stay in Xianyang after their leave to study the ways of officialdom for three months. After the three months are over, they can be assigned to various places in our Great Qin according to their learning progress."
The King of Qin frowned slightly, a look of doubt on his face, and asked, "Isn't three months too short? I'm afraid it won't be enough for these scholars to truly grasp the essentials required for officialdom."
Ying Wuyou gently shook his head and calmly replied, "Father, there is a severe shortage of officials in all parts of Great Qin, and the situation is urgent. Three months is not a short time. If, after these three months of study, someone is still unable to adapt to the official environment and be competent for the corresponding position, then there is no need to let them take office."
The King of Qin pondered for a moment, nodded in agreement, and then said, "Very well, since that's the case, then you shall make proper arrangements as to what these scholars should study over the next three months."
Ying Wuyou bowed and accepted the order, then began to concentrate on conceiving and formulating a detailed teaching plan. She knew very well that these newly appointed scholars, though well-read and erudite, mostly possessed only theoretical knowledge and severely lacked practical experience in local governance. Therefore, she meticulously planned a comprehensive and highly targeted curriculum. This included not only strict and detailed court etiquette norms but also numerous vivid and relevant case studies analyzing people's livelihoods.
Before leaving Xianyang, Chen Xuan received a letter. He opened it, his gaze falling on the envelope, where the words "Lu Yi respectfully invites you" were written in a bold, flowing style. He tore open the envelope, unfolded the letter, and saw lines of vigorous, powerful handwriting.
It turned out that this was an invitation from Lu Yi, inviting him to a gathering at the First Restaurant of the Great Qin Dynasty. The letter detailed the purpose of the gathering—for fellow candidates to get to know each other. It also indicated that all the candidates from their cohort would be present. Furthermore, Lu Yi specifically mentioned that since Chen Xuan had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations, many people were unfamiliar with him, and therefore everyone hoped to take this opportunity to meet him and reconnect.