Chapter 13

Just like before, Lao Buyu had Mu Er Pang use last year’s provincial exam papers for a mock exam.

Mu Er Pang went to the simulation room, while Shen Cui sat in the classroom, watching the other young men in the academy.

After receiving physical rewards from the system, she realized that even Mu Er Pang, who was the first to become a subject of the system’s cultivation, was still influenced by the rules of the realm.

Presumably, the others were too.

Unfortunately, the system only favored Mu Er Pang as Subject 1 and didn’t give other people good things like the “Bone Cleansing Pill” when they completed system tasks.

She even opened the system store but couldn’t find a way to purchase it.

The system seemed to understand her thoughts and said, “The Bone Cleansing Pill is very special and is temporarily not available for purchase. But the host doesn’t need to worry. The academy can shield the influence of the rules, and staying here for a long time will gradually weaken the impact of the rules.”

Shen Cui acknowledged this, “But Mu Er Pang has been in the academy for three years already. It’s hard to say what ‘a long time’ really means.”

For now, they could naturally continue their studies at the academy.

But in another two years, it would be the provincial exam and the metropolitan exam.

By then, she could move the academy to the capital city.

But after they entered officialdom, they would be of marriageable age and should establish their own families.

After getting married, they should live with their families, and there might even be possibilities for assignments outside.

At that time, they wouldn’t all be together.

“Completion of the main task will lead to the final upgrade of the system, opening up all permissions.”

Shen Cui’s spirits lifted. The system had hinted early on that the main task was for Mu Er Pang, Subject 1, to pass all the imperial examinations, which meant completing the game.

This “opening up all permissions” should include the permission to purchase the Bone Cleansing Pill!

Now that Mu Er Pang had completed the cleansing and supplemented his slightly deficient aptitude, as long as he continued to work hard and make progress in the coming years, his path through the examinations would no longer be a fantasy.

Feeling slightly relieved, Shen Cui turned her head and heard the other young men murmuring.

Mainly, Wei Shu, Wei Xi, and Mei Ruochu were discussing something, while Cui Fei sat beside them, listening and looking regretful.

Sensing Shen Cui’s gaze, Mei Ruochu explained, “It’s nothing major. We’re just discussing how to support Hanshan.”

Before heading to the simulation room, Mu Er Pang had suggested to He Qing and Zhang Zian the idea of asking people from their own academy to stand as guarantors.

Just before leaving, he had brought up this matter with everyone.

He Qing and Zhang Zian were among Mu Er Pang’s first friends outside the academy, so naturally, everyone was happy to help.

However, a problem arose afterward.

The county exam required one student to act as a guarantor, while the provincial exam required two.

With three first-class students in the academy, who should be chosen?

None of the three wanted to be chosen. Cui Fei scratching his head and cheeks wasn’t for any other reason than the fact that he had only achieved a second-class status.

He didn’t even have the qualifications to compete!

Shen Cui felt like laughing inexplicably.

She wanted to ask them what was there to fight about? Wouldn’t it be the same no matter who was chosen?

But seeing how serious they all looked, as if they were dealing with a solemn matter, she refrained from saying anything and let them arrange it themselves.

In the end, the three of them reached a decision.

They didn’t consider anything abstract, such as who had known Mu Er Pang the longest or who had the deepest relationship with him.

They let their exam results speak for themselves!

Naturally, Mei Ruochu and Wei Xi took on the responsibility of being guarantors, while Wei Shu and Cui Fei didn’t idle either.

They also shouldered a heavy responsibility—when someone came to the government school to request guarantors, they would be responsible for selecting two reliable individuals from inside and forming a bond with Mu Er Pang’s group.

Especially since the Cui family had connections in the capital city, they would need to leverage their network and carefully select candidates.

In the following days, Mu Er Pang continued with his mock exams.

Once he finished, the exam papers were collected and stored together, just like before, making it easy to identify his strengths and weaknesses.

Based on his weak points, they would conduct a final intensive review.

Lao Buyu, who was in charge of grading, looked at the papers with a complex expression.

Mei Ruochu naturally would grade the papers after Lao Buyu, and upon seeing his expression, he nervously asked, “Did Hanshan’s paper not fare well, and are there other shortcomings?”

They had just discovered some shortcomings in Mu Er Pang’s poetry and prose, and it was only thanks to a sudden inspiration that he managed to secure a top place.

In the provincial exam, there were three sections: the Classics, miscellaneous essays, and policy essays.

The Classics had always been Mu Er Pang’s strong suit, so there shouldn’t be any shortcomings there.

However, if there were any deficiencies in the miscellaneous essays or policy essays, it wouldn’t be something that could be easily rectified in just a month or so, or with a moment of inspiration.

It would greatly affect his ranking in the provincial exam!

So it wasn’t surprising that Mei Ruochu was nervous.

Fortunately, Lao Buyu shook his head and said it wasn’t the case, then asked him to take a look for himself.

After reading through them, Mei Ruochu was also surprised.

While Mu Er Pang hadn’t systematically practiced past exam questions, there were monthly exams at the academy.

Being classmates who spent day and night together, they all had an idea of each other’s abilities.

Mu Er Pang’s provincial exam paper wasn’t just good; it surpassed his previous standards by a significant margin!

Although the overall writing style and vocabulary still showed his personal touch, the depth of his ideas and concepts was markedly different from before.

“Take a look at the few poems he wrote after leaving the academy.”

Lao Buyu then handed over Mu Er Pang’s notebook, and Mei Ruochu, after reading through it, was equally amazed.

While the poetry still bore Mu Er Pang’s signature style, there was an added flair, making them distinctly different!

How can one describe this feeling?

It’s like a student who had been performing decently, and as a teacher, you could sense that their good grades were a result of their hard work and diligence, even though their inherent ability was only average.

But now, after being away from school for just ten or twenty days, they suddenly made a significant leap forward.

Whether in prose or poetry, what they produced was suddenly full of vitality.

Such a remarkable change, if it had taken place over several years of maturation, would seem normal.

But to achieve such growth in just a few short days…

Mei Ruochu and Lao Buyu exchanged a glance, both guessing that something must have happened to Mu Er Pang.

After a moment, Mei Ruochu said, “In any case, this is a good thing. There have always been inexplicable events happening in our academy.”

Lao Buyu thought about it and agreed. They didn’t delve into the reasons behind Mu Er Pang’s sudden improvement, chuckling as he said, “Indeed, Hanshan hasn’t made a name for himself elsewhere. This matter is known only to us, so why bother about others?”

With that, he waved to Mu Er Pang, “Hanshan, come over here. Let’s start the discussion.”

…

In March, many students preparing for the provincial exams came to the academy to find guarantors.

As Mei Ruochu, the top scorer in the provincial exams, was also the top scorer in the perfectual exams, he naturally became the most sought-after candidate.

It’s not that scholars are superstitious, but everyone hopes to share in the joy of success.

Mei Ruochu found it amusing himself. Before coming to Cuiwei, he was someone everyone avoided like the plague, but now, just two years later, he had become a sought-after figure for many.

Wei Shu and Cui Fei were responsible for screening candidates.

Considering that Zheng Shi had already done thorough investigations, Shen Cui thought that was enough.

After all, she and Mu Er Pang agreed that they were choosing guarantors, not making friends.

Confirming that the other party wouldn’t cheat in the exams was sufficient.

The teenagers were even more meticulous, especially after Mu Er Pang mentioned Huang Junping.

They even took the personalities of the guarantors into account to avoid any incidents affecting Mu Er Pang’s mood when the provincial exam results were announced.

So they compiled a small booklet containing detailed information about the candidates’ background, family situation, personality, and academic experience.

Mu Er Pang and Shen Cui were surprised when they saw it together. Since there were no outsiders present, he awkwardly remarked, “Isn’t this the treatment reserved for selecting imperial consorts?”

Everyone chuckled at his comment. After the laughter died down, Shen Cui hesitated and asked, “Wouldn’t it be a bit inappropriate to inquire about others in such detail? After all, this is not choosing a consort for the emperor. Making such a big deal out of selecting guarantors might offend the scholars’ pride.”

Mei Ruochu reassured her, “I informed them in advance and explained the situation. We first provided them with a questionnaire to fill out themselves, and then we conducted our own investigations. Only when the information from both sides matches will it be compiled into the booklet.”

Wei Shu nodded in agreement, “They want to share in Brother Mei’s joy, and they’ve heard that we already have three people. Among them, Brother Han Shan is still the lead performer in the Yongning County Exam, and they are willing to cooperate. And if they aren’t chosen, it’s okay. We’ll help them connect with other scholars from the prefectural school.”

Wei Xi chimed in, “There are a few scholars who have become close to us after the annual examination, and we’ve already talked to them in advance. They don’t mind us selecting first. After all, Brother Mei always helps them with their studies without holding back.”

After discussing all this, Cui Fei nodded along and urged Mu Er Pang to make a quick decision, “After the selection process, there are a total of ten people left in the little booklet, so any two would do.”

Mu Er Pang really didn’t know how to choose, so he just said he’d listen to them.

In the end, two people were chosen.

One was named Ren Shun, who was a fellow student of theirs at the prefectural school and also Wei Shu’s brother.

His family had a scholarly background, with several generations being scholars, but his older brother didn’t do well in last year’s examination and didn’t get a top rank.

The other was named Zhao Xiuwen, who came from a farming family in a village outside the city.

His family supported his education, and besides farming, they also brought goods to sell in the city.

After selling them, they would exchange the money for silver to buy books for Zhao Xiuwen.

Mrs. Cui happened to know Zhao’s family, so she simply omitted the part about exchanging money and allowed them to barter goods.

The two families had been dealing with each other for several years, and the fruits and vegetables they brought were always fresher and heavier than those in the market, never deceitful or tricky.

A few days after selecting their covenant partners, towards the end of March, the families of He Qing and Zhang Zian came to the prefectural city along with a merchant caravan.

He Qing’s family was still accompanied by the sturdy figure of the uncle who had welcomed them before.

As for Zhang Zian, he came with his own father.

After both families settled in, they followed the address provided by Mu Er Pang to find their way.

Shen Cui had already informed the servants of the Wei family that visitors would be coming in these days, so the servant in charge of opening the door welcomed them in, while another person went inside to inform the hosts.

Shen Cui and Mu Er Pang personally came out to greet them.

The three young men had just become friends not long ago, and the brief separation hadn’t made them strangers.

Upon entering, He Qing praised, “Brother Mu, your family’s academy is quite magnificent! If we hadn’t seen the plaque at the entrance, we wouldn’t have dared to enter. It’s much better than the school in our village!”

Before Mu Er Pang could respond, He Qing’s uncle gave him a sharp pull.

After pulling him aside, He Qing’s uncle smiled apologetically, “I’m really sorry. You see, He Qing is not young anymore. He should be a father figure in the village. He has been studying at home all this time and doesn’t quite understand social niceties.”

Only then did He Qing realize his mistake. He felt extremely regretful for his thoughtless words.

Shen Cui’s academy was located in the prefectural city and had produced so many outstanding talents.

Comparing it to a village school was indeed likely to cause offense. He was filled with remorse.

But Shen Cui and Mu Er Pang were naturally not petty.

They exchanged a glance, and Mu Er Pang spoke up, “Brother He, you’ve come at a good time. Back when our family academy was still in the village, it wasn’t nearly as good as the village school.”

With just a few words, he dispelled He Qing’s embarrassment.

Later, Mu Er Pang took them for a tour, and after they settled down, he mentioned that they had already found two other suitable covenant partners.

He asked when they would be available, so they could get to know each other before officially signing up, just like before.