This year's provincial exams were personally graded by the Emperor. This was different from all previous exams and likely all future ones. Passing the Juren exams in this unique year, and in just two years, was indeed something to be proud of!
Xu Huaiqian looked at Meng Fangxun and the others, seeing their unconcealed joy, and shook his head, dropping his mischievous act.
Forget it. On this happy occasion, let everyone enjoy the moment together.
While they were celebrating, Wang Wanwan in the kitchen was practically scraping sparks off the wok with her spatula!
She was now the Jieyuan's sister-in-law!
Now the villagers didn't just call her Wanwan; they addressed her as "Miss Wanwan," which sounded completely different from the others.
It was the same for Chen Xiaomei. Before, villagers called her "Little Mei" or "Youngest Sister." But after her brother-in-law became the Jieyuan Juren, they stopped.
They either called her by her proper name "Baozhu" or, like Xu Huaiqian, addressed her as "Third Young Lady."
When Xu Huaiqian used to call her Third Young Lady, it was teasing. Now others called her that because she had truly become a young lady.
The Jieyuan's sister, and the sister of a Jieyuan who married into the family—wasn't that a young lady?
Even though the Jieyuan's sister-in-law and sister hadn't fully grasped their change in status yet—one was still stir-frying, the other tending the fire—the villagers already regarded them as proper young ladies.
A Juren had completely left the farming class behind and entered the scholar-official class. Even if Xu Huaiqian stopped taking exams now, he could secure an official post. And he was the Jieyuan, with even brighter prospects!
According to visitors from all directions coming to Xinghua Village, even the weakest Jieyuan from a prefecture would surely pass the Metropolitan and Palace exams the following February.
Moreover, Xu Huaiqian was the only Jieyuan in the sixth year of Changsheng.
He might even become the Zhuangyuan!
What was the Zhuangyuan? The best in the entire nation! Operas said: become Zhuangyuan, hold high office!
Thinking that Xu Huaiqian would become a high official, who dared neglect his family?
From now on, they were official's family young ladies!
Of course, the most glorious was Chen Liejiu, who transformed from a local tough into an official's husband!
Who could have imagined that before? Who would have dared?
Considering Chen Liejiu was now a Juren's husband and would soon be an official's husband, the villagers weren't sure how to address him: "...Madam Xu?"
At the crowded Jieyuan banquet, helping Xu Huaiqian receive guests, Chen Liejiu was startled by the sudden address "Madam Xu." He twitched his lips: "Everyone, please call me Liejiu like before. We're all fellow villagers; no need for such formality!"
Of course, "Madam Xu" was acceptable too.
But he preferred to hear that title from one specific person's mouth, not the villagers'.
Chen Liejiu thought for a moment, then looked towards Xu Huaiqian, who was entertaining Duan Youyan and the others.
Although Xu Huaiqian was talking with them, his gaze never left Chen Liejiu. Watching the villagers and visitors from neighboring villages attending the feast treat Chen Liejiu with such respect, the pride on his face was no less than Pei Wangshu's.
Finally.
He had brought glory to his wife too.
After today, everyone in the surrounding villages would know Chen Liejiu was not just a Xiucai's husband, but a Juren's husband! The Jieyuan's husband!
Seeing his little husband smile at him across the crowd, Chen Liejiu curled his lips and continued hosting.
"To think all five of us passed!" Meng Fangxun sighed, watching the bustling guests, recalling when the five of them formed their exam group. "This is the best surprise within a surprise!"
"Absolutely!" Pei Wangshu had the most to say about this. "I studied one year less than you all! I thought I had no chance this year!"
"Stop mentioning that already!" Since arriving at Xu Huaiqian's, Pei Wangshu had said this at least ten times. Zhang Bingwen's ears were calloused. "We know you're amazing, the best, outstanding, alright?"
"What, jealous you didn't score higher than me?" Pei Wangshu hadn't heard Zhang Bingwen retort in a while and smiled. "But don't be discouraged. Even if you ranked below me, you're not short anymore!"
His luck was incredibly good—not only passing as Juren but ranking above Zhang Bingwen. At the academy, Zhang Bingwen always outperformed him. To surpass him in the crucial provincial exams was immensely satisfying.
Years had passed; Zhang Bingwen was now seventeen. For years he didn't grow taller, but recently, eating something miraculous, he grew taller each year, nearly surpassing Pei Wangshu.
Among the five, Xu Huaiqian was the thinnest and tallest, Duan Youyan next, then Pei Wangshu. Now Zhang Bingwen, with late growth, was up to Pei Wangshu's ears. He was still young and could grow more; Pei Wangshu didn't dare call him "shorty" anymore.
"I let you win!" Since Pei Wangshu stopped calling him shorty, Zhang Bingwen, confident in his height, didn't hassle him further and stated the truth.
"Stop boasting! Why would you need to let me win?" Pei Wangshu didn't believe Zhang Bingwen would yield in such an important exam.
"He's telling the truth," Meng Fangxun had authority on this. "I saw our exam papers on my way here. Bingwen did indeed yield to you."
"Where did you get the papers?" Everyone at the table looked at him.
Exam papers were sealed. Only the candidates and examiners knew their contents. How did Meng Fangxun know?
If Duan Youyan said this, they might think Magistrate Sheng used connections to get them from the Hanlin Academy. But Meng Fangxun? How?
"Our provincial exam papers were printed by the Emperor and distributed to all prefectures," Meng Fangxun explained, bringing a volume from his horse. "Our county magistrate gave me this copy. Didn't you all receive one?"
Xu Huaiqian shook his head. After the exam, he left Changnan quickly for Xinghua Village without even visiting the county town. How would he know outside affairs?
Duan Youyan and the others were also waiting patiently at home for results, not concerned with other matters.
Meng Fangxun helplessly handed them the volume: "Then take a look. Perhaps we're all famous across the prefectures now."
Xu Huaiqian took it and saw his paper was first. He found nothing wrong: "This is good."
Hearing Meng Fangxun, Xu Huaiqian understood the Emperor's intention: "Those protesting students should see this. Protesting doesn't solve problems; improving oneself through progress is the real solution."
Just because the questions were too difficult or unfamiliar, they demanded reverting the exams. Indulging them once or twice was manageable, but if allowed repeatedly, wouldn't they demand changes whenever they faced difficult questions? That made no sense.
"Look further," Meng Fangxun knew this already. Upon receiving the volume, he realized the protesting students couldn't cause trouble. "Besides our five, Changnan had five more Juren this year!"
"Changnan produced ten current-affairs Juren?" When the messenger announced the results, Xu Huaiqian was dazed, only noticing their group. Hearing Changnan had ten Juren shocked him.
Since the Emperor graded them personally, the provincial exam was like the metropolitan exam. Across the thirteen Administrative Commissions, only about a hundred passed. Changnan alone had ten—remarkable!
"Besides our five, Yong'an Prefecture had one more from the prefectural city," Meng Fangxun said. "The remaining four are from other parts of Changnan, all inspired by you."
"That's excellent!" Xu Huaiqian immediately flipped to the Yong'an prefectural candidate's paper. Reading it, he was satisfied. "This person probably saw our counties promoting herb cultivation and worried people might neglect grain crops."
"He advocates people making compost independently. With Yong'an's massive pig farming, households have abundant pig manure—more productive than other manures. People can raise pigs for manure to increase crop yield, thus raising tax revenue."
Jin Dynasty farmers fertilized using river silt, burning plant waste for ash, or composting. River silt wasn't feasible for Xinghua Village with its small stream. Burning waste produced ash fertilizer. Composting used latrine pits with leaves or poultry droppings for fermentation.
But household labor was limited, and poultry numbers were small. Fertilizing all land sufficiently was difficult. This candidate feared people would use all fertilizer on herbs, neglecting grain yield. Seeing Yong'an's pig farming and abundant pig manure, he suggested people raise pigs for composting—more fertilizer ensures good yields regardless of the crop.
Xu Huaiqian had considered suggesting pig farming in Xinghua Village before, but even Prefect Gu Fengchao hadn't promoted it widely, making it harder for him. This candidate's essay not only helped Gu Fengchao promote pig farming but also encouraged other prefectures to follow suit, importantly supplementing Xu Huaiqian's own ideas.
Xu Huaiqian had previously worried that people, dazzled by the high income from medicinal herbs, would all rush to grow them and neglect grain crops. Now, with this independent pig farming and composting method, at least grain farmers wouldn't have to worry about yields. Plus, raising pigs could also increase income, right?
"And this candidate from Changnan advocates road building," Pei Wangshu was also reading the volume. "He said after Changnan built the coal cinder roads, business in surrounding counties visibly improved, and commercial taxes gradually increased. So he thinks building more roads is good."
"And this one!" Zhang Bingwen also found a paper. "This person promotes tree planting. He says there's a imitation silver charcoal kiln in Yong'an Prefecture, and many people are eager to cut down trees for money. But we can't just cut without planting. Only continuous planting ensures sustained profits. When people's lives are prosperous, tax revenue naturally grows."