Top Scholar

Chapter 200 The Yellow Armored Scholar
At the end of March, Luzhou City was once again engulfed in revelry.

Again, it was because of the same person that good news came again—Zhu Liu passed the imperial examination on March 15th, achieving the highest rank of Huangjia!

"Chuanlu" means the announcement of names. Three days after the palace examination, on the 18th of the third month, the ceremony of announcing the rankings of the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examination) was called "Jin Dian Chuanlu".

The imperial examination, held in the Golden Hall, was presided over by the emperor himself. The successful candidates were divided into three classes, and their names were called out in turn: the first class of three candidates had their names called out three times each, and then stepped forward to kneel and pay their respects; the second and third classes had their names called out collectively only once, which was called:
Several individuals, including so-and-so, were granted the title of Jinshi (进士).

'Several individuals, including so-and-so, were granted the title of Jinshi (进士).'

'So-and-so' was the first in the second class, and 'So-and-so' was the first in the third class. They were also the only two newly appointed scholars whose names were read out in the second and third classes, so they were both called 'Chuanlu'.

Of course, the second-class candidates were fourth in the palace examination, while the third-class candidates were ranked outside the top 100. Their value was naturally not the same. Therefore, the second-class candidates were also called the yellow-class candidates to distinguish them.

In other words, Zhu Liu actually went even further in the palace examination, achieving an excellent fourth place, creating the highest ranking in the history of the imperial examinations in Luzhou!
This caused a sensation throughout the city and attracted the attention of the entire province!

Even the Provincial Governor came all the way from Chengdu to offer his congratulations on behalf of the Censor and the Provincial Judge.

This is the significance of the imperial examination results. If Zhu Liu could advance further and achieve the highest rank of "Third Place," the governor himself would be present...

Finally, witnessed by a host of high-ranking military and political officials, including the provincial governor, military commissioner, commander, and prefect, the Zhu family slowly raised the second banner on Zhu Liu's banner of merit!

The four large characters "Huang Jia Chuan Lu" written in gold on the red silk banner of the Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) are particularly eye-catching in the spring breeze!

The provincial governor also allocated special funds and ordered the prefecture to build a four-pillar, three-bay white marble archway for Zhu Liu, which was erected on South Gate Street for people to admire!

As Zhu Liu's disciple, Su Lu participated in the entire ceremony and witnessed the city-wide celebrations following the announcement of the successful candidate in the imperial examination. He was completely stunned. Now he understood why scholars would go to such lengths, risking their entire lives to achieve official success—

It's really valuable!
Zhao Heng wasn't lying; it's true, "the book is full of stories about horses!"

Along with the good news came a letter from Zhu Liu.

After seeing off the guests that evening, Zhu Jie and his brothers gathered by their eldest brother's bedside and read a letter to him as he lay dying.

"Elder Brother: "
How have you been lately? I am currently residing in the capital, and my heart is filled with worry for you day and night. I only wish for your speedy recovery from your illness. I expect the good news has already reached you, but your concern still lingers in my heart. I have specially recounted my experiences with the imperial examinations in detail, hoping to ease your worries. I hope you will take good care of yourself and await our reunion.”

"The imperial examination in spring was like a dream. I remember when I went to take the exam, the north wind blew snow and blocked the post roads. I rode a swift horse and finally arrived in the capital after the Lantern Festival. However, I was exhausted from the journey and suddenly fell ill with a sudden illness. I was plagued by chills and fever and could not get out of bed. My dear friend, Brother Wang Shouren, quickly summoned a good doctor to treat me. I recovered in ten days and was able to go to the imperial examination."

Although Zhu Liu only said a few words, the brothers were all filled with lingering fear. They hadn't expected the process to be so dangerous, and they almost missed the imperial examination.

"The thorns were thick, the candlelight dim, and the questions on the classics and the examination were difficult and obscure. I racked my brains, fearing I would fail my elder brother's nurturing grace. Fortunately, I received guidance from Liu Baxian and Wang Yuyao, who either taught me the essentials of the classics or pointed out the appropriate strategies for the examination. Grand Secretary Yang, the chief examiner, was impartial and selfless, and I was thus able to receive the Emperor's favor. On the day of the palace examination, I was able to see the Emperor's face. Recalling the teachings of my elders, I felt as if I had divine assistance. I wrote the essay in an instant and finally achieved the honor of passing the imperial examination with flying colors!"

The brothers were deeply moved; this was truly a case of good fortune converging from all sides. The chief examiner for this year's imperial examination was none other than Yang Tinghe, the Grand Secretary of the Left Spring Palace. Zhu Liu, being a fellow townsman who had taken the imperial examinations five times, must have already been familiar with Grand Secretary Yang's writing style.

Moreover, he had the guidance of Liu Chun, a fellow townsman and Hanlin scholar, whom he had already paid homage to, and Wang Hua, the father of Wang Shouren and the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. The combination of his connections was simply too good to be true!
In addition, Zhu Liu's writing skills were already quite good, so it would be difficult for him not to pass this exam. Sure enough, he came in fourth place!
This perfectly illustrates that to succeed, one needs four things: first, one must be capable; second, others must believe in one's capabilities; third, those who believe in one's capabilities must also be capable; and fourth, one's physical condition must be good.

Don't underestimate this fourth point. If Zhu Liu hadn't had the body of an ox, he wouldn't have died from the illness, but from the journey from Taiping Town to the capital in a month.

He could be sick for a few days and then bounce back into the exam hall, enduring nine days and three grueling exams. How could someone with a weak constitution possibly do that?
~~
At the bedside of the eldest son of the Zhu family, Zhu Jie continued reading:

"From childhood to adulthood, your kindness is as vast as the sea. Our late father passed away early, and you, my elder brother, took over his father's duties. You took on the burden of punishments in my early education, and in my early twenties, you knelt and begged renowned teachers for guidance. You encouraged me to study diligently through cold nights, and comforted me when I failed the imperial examinations. My achievements today, the glory of our family, are all thanks to your hard work and unwavering support..."

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhu shed murky tears, his pale lips moving as he mumbled, "Ninth brother... Ninth brother..."

Zhu Jie held his elder brother's thin, cold hand in one hand, and the letter in the other, reading aloud:

"Now that I have achieved fame and success, and my long-cherished wish has been fulfilled, I humbly hope that my elder brother will take good care of his health and not overwork himself. Once the imperial decree is lifted, I will travel day and night to return to the court and kneel before the steps to repay the kindness and grace of more than ten years of spring sunshine."

"Brother, Zhu Liu, bows deeply. March 19th, night..."

Grandpa Zhu forced himself to listen to the last word before finally letting out a sigh of relief, collapsing into the afterlife with a smile.

~~
~~
The news of the passing of the eldest son of the Zhu family did not significantly dampen the celebratory atmosphere in Luzhou.

Because everyone was mentally prepared. In families where someone passed the imperial examinations (Jinshi) or even the provincial examinations (Juren), usually one or two people would die…

This isn't God trying to neutralize the joy, but rather because many elderly and sick people can't handle the stimulation of excessive joy and it all passes too quickly.

Then there are those like Grandpa Zhu, who were already seriously ill and were only holding on by sheer willpower. After finally relieving himself, they naturally couldn't hold on any longer.

Moreover, he was already over sixty years old and had fulfilled his long-cherished wish, so it was naturally a happy death. Therefore, the atmosphere of the funeral was not too sad, and everyone remained calm throughout the process, truly achieving 'grief without being heartbroken'.

~~
After the funeral, Zhu Jie drank tea in Zhu Zhang's courtyard.

The second master of the Zhu family is not young anymore, and handling three major events in a row has exhausted him; he's lost a lot of weight. Fortunately, his spirits are still high. In any case, the gloom hanging over the family has finally been dispelled, and the Zhu family can prosper for several more decades. His life as the patriarch will be much easier now.

“Dejia mentioned something in his letter that’s quite unbelievable,” Zhu Jie said softly.

"Isn't this the same thing you were talking about with me?" Zhu Zhang said calmly.

In addition to the letter to his elder brother, Zhu Liu also wrote a letter each to the heads of the household, Zhu Jie and Zhu Zhang...

"That should be it." Zhu Jie nodded and said, "Ninth Brother actually said that the person he should thank the most for passing the imperial examination this time is actually... Su Lu."

"Yes, he told me too." Zhu Zhang nodded. After all, he had been teaching Su Lu for several months and knew him far better than his brother. He then smiled and said, "If Zihe and Ruo can also pass the imperial examination one day, you two should both kowtow to Hongzhi."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Jie asked, his eyes wide.

"To put it simply," Zhu Zhang exclaimed, "some people are born to write poetry, some are born to compose lyrics, and Su Hongzhi was born to take the imperial examinations."

"I have studied the Book of Rites for half my life and thought I was very familiar with its vast knowledge. But I never thought I had met anyone who could, like a butcher carving up an ox, extract the essentials, categorize them, not only understand them themselves, but also teach them to your son."

He chuckled and said, "If it weren't for Hongzhi leading the way, Zihe would have collapsed halfway there and had to change his treatment."

"Really? Hongzhi is that amazing?" Zhu Jie exclaimed in surprise. "I thought Zihe was just exaggerating all the time."

"Now that you've read Dejia's letter, do you still think Zihe is exaggerating?" Zhu Zhang asked rhetorically.

"Although it still seems unbelievable, since you all say so, then this child must have something special about him," Zhu Jie said with a smile.
"Fortunately, we have always treated him well, and now that Dejia has passed the imperial examination, this child should be considered one of our own, right?"

"Does my gratitude as a teacher of the classics mean nothing?" Zhu Zhang said unhappily.

"Hey, why are you arguing with me?" Zhu Jie chuckled. "Anyway, we can't let this kid get away! I think to be on the safe side, we should make him half a member of the Zhu family."

“It’s a pity I don’t have a daughter, but there are plenty of girls in the clan, but your daughter would be the best.” Zhu Zhang thought to himself, “The clan leader’s daughter is of a different kind.”

“My daughter is three years older than him… It’s not impossible for a woman to be three years older than him.” Zhu Jie stroked his neatly trimmed beard and said, “They all know each other, so I’ll ask my daughter about it later.”

"What's the point of asking? Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers. It's none of the business of the younger generation to interfere," Zhu Zhang said in a muffled voice.

“It’s different. What you’re talking about is a family marriage, but what we value now is Su Lu as a person.” Zhu Jie shook his head and said, “A forced marriage won’t be sweet, and I don’t want to suffer the consequences.”

Being a family member naturally has its strengths; their perspective on problems is different from others...

“That’s true. We need to keep him happy so he can work with us.” Zhu Zhang finally understood.

Starting from the Song Dynasty, children from ordinary families generally married early, while children from wealthy families generally married late... Firstly, young men had to focus on their studies, and their families did not want them to get married too early and be distracted. They would generally only consider marriage after they had passed the imperial examination.

Secondly, according to Taoist health preservation theories, premature ejaculation in men is considered detrimental to their vitality. Therefore, men in wealthy families typically married in their early twenties. Naturally, the marriage age for women would also be delayed accordingly…

Of course, Miss Zhu is indeed at the age where marriage is a must. It just goes to show that daughters of wealthy families don't have to worry about finding a husband; Second Master Zhu is certainly patient enough…

~~
Master Zhu was a man of action; the very next day, he had his wife and daughter discuss the matter.

Miss Zhu was carefully tending to her peony when she heard this, and she nearly beheaded the king of flowers. She smiled wryly and said helplessly:

"Mother, please don't play matchmaker. My son Da Hongzhi has so many partners, it's too embarrassing."

"So what? Some people even specifically seek out the big ones," Madam Zhang said with a nonchalant smile.

“But he already has someone he likes.” Miss Zhu shook her head again, saying, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll hate you for breaking up this loving couple?”

"Ah?" Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang quickly waved her hand and called over Zhu Jie, who was pretending to practice Tai Chi.

"Whose daughter is she?" Zhu Jie had indeed heard everything and said confidently, "I'll take care of her family!"

“Sister Huang,” said Miss Zhu.

"...Let's pretend we didn't say anything." Zhu Jie immediately deflated.

P.S. I sped things up! Please vote with monthly tickets and subscribe!
This chapter is dedicated to my dear brother Niu...

(End of this chapter)