Chapter 142

After handing in his paper, Mu Er Pang finally felt a bit better once he stepped out of the cramped exam booth.

Everyone had been huddling in those small booths for four days, and the smell was truly unpleasant.

Especially on the last day, he could even smell it.

He figured someone nearby didn’t want to use the provided “toilet facilities,” so they took care of business right at their exam seat.

After taking a few deep breaths, the dizziness and blurred vision lessened, and he followed the soldiers out of the exam hall.

There was still half a day left before the end of the exam, and there weren’t many parents waiting outside Longmen to pick up their children.

Shen Cui had been keeping an eye on his Q-version avatar. When he handed in his paper, she was already standing in the most conspicuous spot, waiting.

Before Mu Er Pang emerged, the family members who had formed bonds with him during the exam also arrived, one after another.

Normally, Mu Er Pang would have been the first to come out, and their families would inevitably ask a few questions out of concern for their children.

Mu Er Pang was prepared to answer their questions, but his complexion was so poor that no one felt like chatting with him and urged him to rest instead.

Shen Cui specially borrowed a carriage from the Wei family and hurried him onto it after picking him up.

Normally, after not seeing each other for four days, there would have been plenty for the mother and son to talk about.

But today, after getting on the carriage, he just stared at her, too tired to speak.

Shen Cui immediately said, “Rest, we’ll have plenty of time to talk when you’re feeling better.”

Mu Er Pang finally closed his eyes to rest.

It was only a few moments from the exam hall back to the academy, but he fell asleep directly in the carriage.

However, his sleep in the carriage wasn’t restful, especially since he hadn’t had a proper meal in the past few days.

Shen Cui couldn’t bear to wake him, but eventually called out to him.

Back at the academy, the other boys were still at the prefectural school, except for Lao Bu Yu, who was resting in the reverse house.

When he heard the commotion outside, knowing they had returned, he immediately came out to greet them.

He also noticed Mu Er Pang’s poor condition and didn’t talk to him, urging him instead to eat, bathe, and rest.

By the time he finished, it was already late afternoon.

Mu Er Pang was so exhausted that he fell asleep as soon as he lay down on his pillow.

He slept until the next evening, almost twelve hours.

Sleeping for so long without waking up worried everyone at the academy.

Cui Fei even went home to bring back a senior doctor from the Cui family.

After examining him, the doctor reassured everyone that there was no need to worry, he was just exhausted.

Afterward, Shen Cui came to check on him several times, seeing him sleeping soundly and his system gradually recovering, so she didn’t wake him.

When he finally woke up, Mu Er Pang felt much better.

He went to the restroom first and then headed to the classroom where everyone was gathered, doing homework after dinner.

Today was just like any other day in the classroom, quiet and peaceful, with everyone busy with their own tasks.

Mu Er Pang was about to quietly slip out to find something to eat to fill his stomach before coming back, but Wei Shu noticed him and stopped writing, smiling as he said, “Han Shan, awake at last?”

With that, everyone else in the room put down their pens and stood up, crowding around him as they came over.

Wei Xi asked, “Feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Dizzy after sleeping so long?”

Before Mu Er Pang could answer, Wei Xi had already reached out to feel his pulse. As the saying goes, a long illness makes a good doctor.

Wei Xi had taken some herbal medicine intermittently before, and had read some medical books, so he knew a little. Similarly, Cui Fei, having been in a similar situation before, had learned some medical knowledge from the family doctor, so he grabbed Mu Er Pang’s other wrist to check his pulse.

With both hands held, Mu Er Pang quickly said, “I’m not uncomfortable at all, just tired. I feel much better after waking up from my nap!”

Seeing them all speaking up, Shen Cui prepared to fetch something for Mu Er Pang to eat, but Wei Shu beat her to it, quickly bringing over a tray with a few simple but delicate dishes and a bowl of thick porridge.

They were all prepared by A Yao in the kitchen.

With the food in front of him, everyone urged Mu Er Pang to eat first.

Feeling genuinely hungry, Mu Er Pang ate the porridge and said, “I’m really fine. I was just stuck on the last question for a long time. I didn’t eat or sleep much in between, and after finishing the last question in one go, I had a headache. But now that I’ve slept, I feel completely fine.”

Once they were sure he was okay, Lao Bu Yu let him review the exam paper just like the others.

As they gathered around to look at it, even Lao Bu Yu frowned when he saw the last question. “This last question is indeed a bit difficult. This is just the prefectural examination, and the examinees are all students who have just passed the county examination. But such a question requiring extensive knowledge of ancient and modern times…”

Wei Shu, Wei Xi, and Cui Fei all nodded solemnly. It wasn’t surprising that Mu Er Pang found this question difficult.

If they had faced such a question during their prefectural examination, it would have been challenging for them as well.

Mei Ruo Chu added, “However, the examiner must have considered this aspect as well, so they left some leeway and only asked about the Five, Six, Seven, and Nine Classics, without touching on the Eleventh and Thirteenth Classics.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Shu and the others felt overwhelmed.

The Eleventh and Thirteenth Classics, even for them as scholars, would require some serious contemplation, and they might struggle to answer them on the spot.

“Nevertheless, it’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Lao Bu Yu concluded. “If the questions were too straightforward, it would come down to whose answers align better with the preferences of the examiner. By making the questions more challenging, with fewer people able to answer, and with Han Shan providing such comprehensive responses covering various interpretations, his ranking is bound to be high.”

After discussing the exam paper, they resumed their studies in the prefectural school.

Mu Er Pang was still urged by everyone to rest.

Although he had slept enough, Mu Er Pang found himself unable to sleep anymore, so he went back to the main house with Shen Cui.

Considering they hadn’t spoken to each other for five days due to his prolonged sleep, and with no one else around, Mu Er Pang followed her into the inner room and immediately began to speak.

Shen Cui, despite being able to monitor his actions through the holographic screen, couldn’t know everything.

For example, she had no idea about the incident Mu Er Pang mentioned where someone relieved themselves to avoid being marked by the ‘shit stamp’, causing a foul smell around the examination area.

After a lengthy conversation, it was getting late. Meanwhile, the young men in the classroom had also finished their studies.

Having not had a proper conversation for five days, they were also eager to talk to Mu Er Pang.

However, it wasn’t convenient for them to enter Shen Cui’s room, so they stood at a distance, pretending to cough.

Shen Cui chuckled and urged Mu Er Pang to return to his room. “If you don’t go back soon, your eldest brother Wei’s throat will be sore from all that coughing.”

Mu Er Pang quickly put on his shoes and went out to join them.

The next morning, He Qing, Zhang Zian, and their families came to bid farewell. Mu Er Pang’s first reaction upon hearing that they were leaving immediately was to ask why they weren’t waiting to see the exam results before leaving.

After all, there were only a few days left.

However, seeing the grim expressions on He Qing and Zhang Zian’s faces, Mu Er Pang realized that their demeanor had nothing to do with physical exhaustion, considering it had been two days since the exams.

They were both young and strong, so they should have recovered somewhat by now. Therefore, their expressions were likely due to psychological reasons.

Shen Cui also noticed something amiss and commented, “There are also many examinees from our Yongning County. We can inquire with them later. Moreover, good news will spread everywhere, and everyone will hear about it at home.”

The adults exchanged a few pleasantries, but the three young men had become friends, so Shen Cui let them talk among themselves.

Without the presence of adults, He Qing and Zhang Zian’s forced composure quickly disappeared. He Qing spoke first, “I only knew about the Five Classics, and I didn’t write a single word for the others, so I’m sure I failed.”

Zhang Zian added, “Besides the Five Classics, I only listed the Six and Seven Classics, but I only wrote down the titles and didn’t know their origins or starting dynasties.”

Mu Er Pang nodded in understanding, “We usually just talk about the ‘Four Books and Five Classics’. Who would bother memorizing those other ones?”

Afterward, the two of them asked Mu Er Pang to explain the last question that had troubled them.

He Qing succinctly expressed that they wanted to understand it fully.

Mu Er Pang then explained his answer.

He Qing laughed bitterly, “Actually, it doesn’t matter whether we memorized them or not. My grandfather’s house is filled with books, and I’ve memorized them all… Yet, I’ve never even heard of the ‘One Character Stone Classic’ that Mu Hanshan just mentioned.”

He had never had the opportunity to come into contact with other classics.

Zhang Zian nodded in agreement. He had indeed never heard of that book, so he had thought he had answered the Seven Classics correctly, only to find out later that he had missed some.

The atmosphere became a bit somber. He Qing wiped his face and jokingly bumped shoulders with Zhang Zian.

Zhang Zian smiled and said, “Brother Mu, don’t feel bad for us. Our performance in the county exams was mediocre from the start, so we didn’t have much hope of passing. This year’s questions happened to be beyond our usual scope. Moreover, it’s not just us who couldn’t answer it. In the inn where we stayed, several other examinees were in the same predicament. Yesterday, I overheard them discussing, and everyone was equally clueless.”

He Qing nodded in agreement. “We’ve learned our lesson this year. Next year, we’ll make sure not to focus solely on a few books. We’ll find ways to broaden our knowledge. Besides, it’s unlikely that the exams will be this difficult every year, and the prefectural exams are only once a year. We’ll come back next year.”

Seeing that although their faces were a bit downcast, their spirits remained undeterred, Mu Er Pang felt relieved and agreed to meet them in the city next year.

A few days later, the results of the prefectural exams were announced.

Mu Hanshan from Shuiyun Village in Yongning County ranked first.