Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Chapter 40: Chapter 37: How About I Personally Arrange Your Engagement?

Shiqiao Village, in Xiao Mo’s courtyard.

Having returned from the provincial examination, Xiao Mo was brewing tea with the village chief.

After Bai Ruxue came back to the village, she first went up the mountain to see her younger sister.

However, Bai Ruxue would still come down the mountain at noon and in the evening to cook and do laundry for Xiao Mo.

“You said the last policy question was about the Vassal Princes?”

The village chief took a sip of tea, his tone laced with surprise.

“Yes.” Xiao Mo nodded.

“The Vassal Princes do indeed hold immense power nowadays, including their own armies. I may only be an old Scholar, but I’ve heard that the calls to weaken the vassals are growing louder and louder in the Imperial Court.

Although the final policy question was framed as a discussion about the Vassal Princes, everyone knows the politically correct answer is to support weakening them.

This final question is tantamount to laying the issue of the Vassal Princes out on the table. It seems His Majesty truly intends to make a move.”

Xiao Mo smiled. “Which of the scholars taking the provincial examination this time would dare not write in favor of weakening the vassals? The Holy Emperor is likely using the so-called ’voice’ of the scholars to deliberately pressure those Vassal Princes.”

The village chief also smiled. “A year ago, His Majesty personally led the army to quell the Rebellion of the Seven Princes, significantly weakening the Vassal Princes’ power. Add to that His Majesty’s current overwhelming prestige and the Imperial Court’s military strength and morale, which completely eclipse those of the regional Vassal Princes… it truly is the best time to weaken them.”

“Indeed.” Xiao Mo nodded.

Xiao Mo had ultimately decided to write about the “Edict of Propagation.” He reasoned that although the various Vassal Princes had military power, His Majesty had just quelled the Rebellion of the Seven Princes. The Imperial Court held a massive military advantage over the regional powers, and moreover, the Vassal Princes were now fearful of the court.

For the provincial examination to openly present the topic of “weakening the vassals” on the test paper meant the Imperial Court was ready to challenge the Vassal Princes head-on.

Otherwise, why would the Imperial Court ever allow scholars to openly discuss the Vassal Princes?

In truth, from Xiao Mo’s perspective, even if the Imperial Court didn’t dare provoke the Vassal Princes, or if its power was merely at a stalemate with them, it still wouldn’t have been wrong to propose the Edict of Propagation.

’After all,’ he thought, ’if the central government isn’t strong enough, anyone can see the Edict of Propagation would be impossible to implement. The examiners wouldn’t criticize it, though. They would just see it as providing a different line of thought. They’d think, “He has creative, novel ideas, but his proposal isn’t fully considered.” Even so, their impression of me wouldn’t be poor.

’What?

’Do they really expect a mere Scholar who has only ever read books and never spent a single day in an official capacity to know how to govern the realm?’

“Xiao Mo, how did you answer that last question?”

The village chief was genuinely curious about Xiao Mo’s answer.

As expected, the quality of the answer to this final question would greatly influence an examiner’s impression of a candidate.

“I wrote about…”

“Village Chief! Village Chief!”

Just as Xiao Mo was about to explain his “Edict of Propagation,” the villager Hu Hansan came running over in a hurry.

“Village Chief… outside… outside… side…”

Hu Hansan was so out of breath he couldn’t finish a complete sentence.

“Don’t panic, speak clearly. What’s happening outside?” Seeing Hu Hansan’s state, the village chief also started to feel nervous.

“Village Chief! Outside, the County Magistrate! The County Magistrate is here!” Hu Hansan exclaimed excitedly.

“The County Magistrate?” The village chief jumped in shock. “What would the County Magistrate be doing in our village?”

CLANG! CLANG! BANG! BANG!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Just then, the sound of gongs and drums erupted from nearby.

Dragon and lion dancers also came over, leaping and weaving as they advanced.

Leading the procession was the County Magistrate of Qingshan County, beaming with joy. He fanned himself ceaselessly with a folding fan and shouted happily to the people around him, “Don’t stop! Keep playing, keep dancing! Louder! More lively!”

’Could it be…!’

Suddenly, the village chief’s heart began to race as a bold idea formed in his mind.

The results were scheduled to be posted tomorrow afternoon.

But today, the county magistrates from all over Jiangnan State would have received the list of successful candidates.

In the Qi Kingdom, once the list of names left the Imperial Examination Hall, it was no longer a secret. The local county magistrates could find out which scholars had passed a day in advance.

And the only person from Shiqiao Village who had taken the imperial examination was Xiao Mo.

For the County Magistrate to arrive in Shiqiao Village at this time, with such a festive entourage of gongs, drums, and dragon and lion dancers, it could only be because of Xiao Mo.

“Magistrate, that’s Brother Mo over there. The one next to Brother Mo is our village chief.”

A man pointed at Xiao Mo and said excitedly.

Magistrate Sun hurried toward Xiao Mo. Not wanting to be impolite, Xiao Mo and the village chief also walked out of the courtyard, bowed with clasped hands, and said, “Greetings, Parents Official.”

“Hahaha, no need for such pleasantries, you two.” Magistrate Sun directly helped Xiao Mo up. “Xiao Scholar! No! Provincial Scholar Xiao! From now on, I will be basking in Provincial Scholar Xiao’s glory!”

“What? Provincial Scholar?” The village chief was dazed for a moment, even wondering if he had misheard.

The village chief had thought that Xiao Mo simply passing and becoming a Scholar would have been a tremendous blessing.

But it turned out Xiao Mo… was first on the list for the Jiangnan State provincial examination!

“Magistrate Sun, you’re too kind. If it weren’t for your financial support, this humble student fears he would have struggled to even pass the examination.” Xiao Mo hadn’t expected to take the top spot in the provincial exam either.

“Hahaha, for Xiao Scholar to take the top spot is entirely due to his genuine talent and learning. I merely added flowers to the brocade.”

He said as much, but inwardly, Magistrate Sun was incredibly smug.

’When I first arrived,’ he thought, ’I was just trying to win the favor of the local scholars and boost my own reputation a bit.

I never really thought any of the Scholars I sponsored this term would actually pass the provincial exam.

But now, not only did someone pass, he even took first place in the provincial examination!

This is a political achievement! A brilliant political achievement!

Barring any surprises, Xiao Mo is sure to pass the metropolitan exam next. I might even dare to dream of him earning the title of Imperial Scholar!

It’s just… this young man is so surprisingly calm after finding out he became the Provincial Scholar.

As expected of someone who could become the Provincial Scholar. His mental fortitude is truly extraordinary.

I heard that when Fan Juren from the neighboring county found out he’d become a Scholar at the age of sixty, he nearly went mad with joy.’

Magistrate Sun looked at Xiao Mo as if he were a long-lost brother, growing more and more enthusiastic as they chatted.

The village chief, knowing his place, tactfully led the other villagers away, leaving the County Magistrate and Xiao Mo to talk properly.

Magistrate Sun chatted with Xiao Mo about his daily life, his parents, and his hobbies.

When Magistrate Sun learned that Xiao Mo was an orphan who herded cattle and gathered herbs daily to make a living, who had braved heat and cold and traveled hundreds of miles to study under a master, his admiration grew even deeper for this student who came from a background even humbler than that of a poor scholar.

“Ah, Xiao Mo.”

Magistrate Sun took Xiao Mo’s hand, his voice filled with emotion.

“For you to have achieved so much today, I am truly gratified for you. I know you must have endured many hardships.

I have a daughter, sweet sixteen, who is currently of marriageable age.

If you would not look down upon the offer, Xiao Mo, I, as Yue’er’s father, would like to personally arrange a marriage for you. What do you say?”