A fierce wife enters the house: She helps up a house full of spineless people.

On February 26th, just as dawn was breaking, the dogs at the village entrance started barking.

Immediately following, the sound of a gong came from afar, "Bang—bang—", growing louder as it approached, causing a flock of birds in the trees to flutter away.

Old Mrs. Chen was squatting in the kitchen drinking porridge when the gong rang out, and she almost dropped the bowl in her hand.

"Who's banging the gong?"

Wang Jinzhu came out of the house and glanced towards the village entrance.

Two bailiffs in black robes, carrying gongs, banged them and shouted at the top of their lungs, "Is Master Chen Shuyan of Chenjia Village at home? Congratulations on passing the imperial examination!"

The courtyard erupted in chaos.

Chen Xiufen rushed out of the house, her shoes mismatched—one cloth shoe and one cotton shoe—and ran towards the front door, her feet stomping through the mud. Chen Yang followed behind, his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time.

Grandma Chen slammed the bowl of porridge onto the stove, and with her legs moving faster than anyone else's, she rushed to the door and yanked open the courtyard gate.

"He's home! This is my grandson!"

The bailiff dismounted from the donkey, took out a red invitation card from his pocket, and handed it over with both hands.

"Congratulations, Madam Chen! Your son, Chen Shuyan, has passed the county examination and ranked fiftieth. He is hereby granted the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)."

Fiftieth place isn't high, but winning is winning.

Grandma Chen's hands trembled violently as she received the red invitation. She looked at it three times, but she didn't recognize a single word. However, that didn't stop her from smiling broadly, her face crinkling with wrinkles.

"He passed! He passed! My grandson passed the imperial examination and became a scholar!"

Chen Xiufen was already crying, clutching Chen Yang's sleeve, "My son passed... my son is so successful..."

Chen Shuyan came out of the house.

He changed into a clean blue cloth robe, his hair was neatly tied up, and he stood under the eaves, his expression restrained, but he couldn't suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth.

The yamen runner smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Congratulations, Scholar Chen!"

Chen Shuyan returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute, displaying impeccable manners.

Then the scene fell silent for a moment.

The constable smiled but didn't leave, glancing at Old Lady Chen and then at Chen Shuyan.

Grandma Chen was stunned for a moment and didn't react.

Chen Xiufen was also stunned.

Chen Yang stood there like a wooden stake.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward.

It's customary to give a red envelope when someone announces good news. The officials who come from afar, banging drums and gongs, won't come for nothing.

Chen Shuyan's expression changed slightly. He touched his sleeve; it was empty. The little money he'd earned from the exam was long gone.

Old Mrs. Chen also touched the money in her pocket. The money she had saved during the New Year period had been used up here and there, and there wasn't much left. Besides, she couldn't bear to part with it.

Liu Yiyi stood at the door of the second room, watching this scene, and her lips twitched.

She turned and went back into the house, took out her purse from under her pillow, counted the money, gritted her teeth, pulled out two taels of silver, and quickly walked into the courtyard to hand it to the yamen runner.

"You two gentlemen have worked hard, please have some tea."

The constable took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and finally his smile turned genuine: "Thank you very much, Scholar Chen, your future is bright!"

The gong was struck a few more times, and the yamen runner rode away on his donkey.

Liu Yiyi glanced back at Chen Shuyan, but Chen Shuyan looked away.

Wang Jinzhu leaned against her door frame and saw the whole scene clearly.

Two taels of silver—Liu Yiyi was truly willing to part with it this time.

The news spread faster than the wind. In less than half an hour, the courtyard was packed with people.

Everyone knows that a scholar can be exempted from taxes on fifty mu of land and from corvée labor for two male members of his household. These benefits are real and tangible.

Village chief Chen Defu arrived first, followed by several clan elders, their faces beaming with joy: "Shuyan has made something of himself! The last scholar from our Chen family village was thirty years ago! He's brought honor to our ancestors!"

Immediately afterwards, neighbors, even those who rarely visited, all came with gifts. Aunt Zhang brought the eggs she had saved up, Uncle Li even brought a piece of cured meat, and even Widow Wang, the stingiest woman in the west end of the village, grabbed a handful of her own dried vegetables and forced them into Old Lady Chen's hands.

"Scholar, you'll have to take good care of our village in the future!"

"Shuyan, my two acres of meager land... could you perhaps benefit from it?"

"Grandma Chen, you're so lucky! Your grandson is so successful; you can enjoy your retirement now!"

Chen Shuyan stood in the courtyard, cupped his hands, nodded, and wore a perfectly measured faint smile, his back ramrod straight.

He had waited for this day for far too long. The compliments from all sides, the admiring gazes, made him feel completely at ease.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice: "Fellow villagers, you are too kind. Shuyan's success is due to the blessings of our ancestors and the help you all have given me. I dare not say anything else, but it is only right that thirty mu of our village's clan land be registered under my name to avoid taxes. From now on, if anyone needs to write a letter or read a document, just ask."

These words caused even more excitement in the courtyard, with expressions of gratitude and compliments filling the air. The village chief patted Chen Shuyan on the shoulder, his face beaming: "Good! Good! Shuyan hasn't forgotten his roots! Our village has produced a remarkable person! This matter is settled; the village will pay for the banquet! Let's have a proper celebration!"

That afternoon, the ancestral hall was opened. Chen Shuyan offered incense and kowtowed before the ancestral tablets. The family genealogy was brought out, and the words "passed the county examination, became a scholar" were solemnly added after Chen Shuyan's name. Old Mrs. Chen knelt on the prayer mat, crying so hard she almost passed out. It was truly a cathartic relief, and she truly felt that she had finally made it through.

The celebration banquet was held at the threshing ground. The village spared no expense, slaughtering chickens and geese, and even bringing out the old wine that they wouldn't even drink during the New Year.

Liu Yiyi's father and brother also came from town. Her father was dressed in a respectable long gown, and her brother even brought two jars of fine wine. During the meal, they toasted and drank with Chen Shuyan, calling him "brother-in-law" affectionately.

Liu Yiyi followed Chen Shuyan around, greeting him with the most carefree and cheerful smile she had had in years. She stood up straight, feeling that the two taels of silver were well worth it, absolutely worth it.

The banquet lasted until very late. Chen Shuyan had been given quite a bit of alcohol, and when he returned to his room, he was unsteady on his feet.

But his mind was unusually clear, a kind of fiery, confident clarity. He sat at the table, staring at the red invitation card announcing the good news, his fingers slowly tracing over "Chen Shuyan" and "Fiftieth place".

50th place. Not high. But he's a scholar now. He's a "master." He doesn't have to kneel before the county magistrate, his family is exempt from taxes, and he doesn't have to bow to officials.

The villagers no longer saw him as a poor scholar who needed his whole family to support him, but as a truly promising and respectable person.

He blew out the lamp and lay down fully clothed. The moonlight outside the window was bright, and the thought in his mind was crystal clear—it was time.

The next day at noon, after the family had finished lunch, the dishes and chopsticks on the table had not yet been cleared away.

Chen Shuyan put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and looked at Old Man Chen and Old Lady Chen at the head of the table.

"Grandpa, Grandma," he began, his voice steady and clear, carrying an unquestionable tone, "there's something important I want to say while the whole family is here."

Everyone looked at him. Old Mrs. Chen, still basking in yesterday's glory, asked with a smile, "What is it, Shuyan? Tell me."

Wang Jinzhu slowly chewed the last bite of rice, her eyelids slightly raised.

Chen Shuyan's gaze swept over everyone at the table, finally landing on Old Man Chen's face, and he said, word by word, "I want to divide the family property."

The main room fell silent instantly. Only the faint crackling of firewood in the stove in the corner could be heard.

The smile on Grandma Chen's face gradually froze and then slowly disappeared. She looked at her grandson, as if she hadn't understood what he was saying.

Wang Jinzhu lowered her eyes, concealing the fleeting understanding in them, and subtly curled the corners of her lips where no one could see.

coming.