Due to Ge Hongbu’s worrying, Han Shubuo showed some restraint the following day. Though he didn’t stay inside reading, he stopped going out to sightsee with his father.
The days passed quickly until the eighth day of the second month. Ge Hongbu tossed and turned all night like a pancake on a griddle, unable to sleep. One moment she worried Shubuo wouldn’t sleep well in the examination shed; the next, she fretted that he wouldn’t be warm enough and would freeze; then, she worried he wouldn’t eat well. In short, she was a bundle of various anxieties and nervous tension.
Han Ze and Han Shubuo, however, slept soundly through the night. One had complete faith in his son, and the other had complete faith in his own scholarship. Since they were confident, why would they be nervous?
Just as the sky began to turn grey with dawn, Han Ze woke Han Shubuo. When the father and son stepped out of their rooms, Ge Hongbu had already laid out breakfast on the dining table.
Han Ze raised an eyebrow in surprise, and Han Shubuo asked, “Mom, why so early?”
Despite not sleeping all night, Ge Hongbu’s spirit was quite good. She smiled and said, “Come and eat quickly. I’ve prepared all your favorites.”
After breakfast, the father and son headed to the examination grounds. Upon arrival, they predictably encountered the two teachers from the town academy and other candidates. Naturally, Han Chengming and his sons were among the crowd.
As Han Ze and his son stepped down from the carriage, they first greeted the teachers, then the other students and their families.
Han Chengming curled his lip slightly. Not having seen them earlier, he had assumed Han Shubuo wasn’t participating in the exams this time. Looking for conversation, he asked, “Big Brother, where are you staying? Why didn’t you stay with us?”
Han Ze gave him a fleeting glance. If it weren’t for the public setting, he wouldn’t have bothered answering. He said, “I bought a courtyard in the county seat last year. I brought Shubuo here a few days early to get used to the environment.”
“Bought a courtyard? Where did you get that much silver?”
Deep jealousy and resentment filled Han Chengming’s eyes. In the last two years, Han Ze had bought a house in town, land in the village, and provided a dowry worth six or seven hundred taels for his sister. Adding it all up, he must have spent several thousand taels by now. Did Han Ze’s uncle really have that much money? If not, where did the silver come from?
Han Ze swept a glance over him, ignored the question, and turned back to continue speaking with Shubuo’s teacher.
Han Chengming clenched his fists. What did that look of Han Ze’s mean? Did he look down on him?
Standing behind, Han Jixue and Han Jiwen watched Han Ze and his son with a startling amount of hatred in their eyes. Han Ze was supposed to be their Big Uncle, yet he refused to even be their guarantor and insisted on testing them, which resulted in them being beaten and scolded by their father at home. Such an uncle… once they became high officials in the future, just they wait and see.
Han Shubuo stood behind his father and caught their gaze. His thick brows knitted together tightly on his small face.
The gates to the examination grounds opened, and officials began checking the candidates one by one. Han Ze patted his son’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll come to pick you up when the exam is over.”
Han Shubuo looked at his father and felt at ease. Han Jixue and Han Jiwen might have started school two years earlier than him, but when it came to the depth of scholarship, he knew he surpassed them both. Even within the academy, it was recognized that his foundation was the most solid.
Since those brothers hated his family so much, they would surely seek revenge if they ever gained power. In that case, he would make sure they never had the chance. He would become a xiucai and a juren before them… leaving them no opportunity to retaliate against his family or bully his old man.
He would protect his own father.
…
The five days were grueling for both the candidates and the accompanying families. Despite the hardship, they went to the grounds every day to pick up the students, and sent them back before dawn the next morning.
During these days, no one asked the twelve students how they had performed, fearing it would add to their pressure. Even Han Chengming controlled his temper and refrained from asking Han Jixue and Han Jiwen how they did or if they had a hope of passing.
The fifth day arrived quickly. Han Ze reached the grounds an hour early. When the time came, the heavy gates creaked open, and the students began to emerge.
Han Ze looked up and saw his son, carrying his examination basket, coming out first. He raised his hand and waved. Seeing his father, Han Shubuo’s face instantly lit up with a smile. He broke into a run, rushing to Han Ze’s side and shouting a happy, “Dad!”
Han Ze patted his head and said only, “There is hot water and pastries in the carriage. Go eat something. We’ll wait for your classmates to come out before we leave together.”
Han Shubuo nodded obediently.
Standing nearby, Han Chengming curled his lip and couldn’t help but say sourly, “Coming out so early every day… could it be because he doesn’t know how to do the questions and didn’t finish?”
Han Ze couldn’t be bothered to respond. Han Shubuo stuck his tongue out at his uncle before climbing into the carriage.
Han Chengming glared at him. “What kind of child is this? A scholar who doesn’t even know how to respect his elders?”
Han Ze watched Han Shubuo safely into the carriage before turning to Han Chengming. “If an uncle doesn’t act like an uncle, why should a child respect you? Have some shame.”
Han Chengming was choked, his face instantly turning the color of pig liver. He snorted, turned his head away, and muttered, “I won’t lower myself to the level of an ignorant child.”
Han Ze didn’t even care to acknowledge him. To be reduced to “lowering himself to a child’s level”—he actually had the nerve to say it out loud.
Once all twelve students were out, everyone exchanged greetings, agreed on a time to check the results together, and departed.
…
After returning home and resting for two days, some familiar classmates from the academy came to visit. Han Ze had Ge Hongbu prepare a lavish feast to entertain them. They were deeply grateful, remarking that they hadn’t eaten such fine delicacies in a long time. After leaving the Han residence and returning to their inn, they shared their amazement with the other students.
Han Chengming, lurking nearby, made several subtle inquiries and learned that the house Han Ze bought in the county seat was very large—bought specifically for Han Shubuo’s future studies. The courtyard featured rockeries, rare stones, small bridges, and flowing water; the scenery was quite delightful.
Upon hearing this, Han Jixue and Han Jiwen were consumed by envy and jealousy. Xiaoliu had been the village “little fool” and “little mute” since childhood. Even their Big Uncle hadn’t liked him, giving all the good food and drink to them instead. Whatever they wanted, Big Uncle would snatch it from Xiaoliu’s hands for them. They had never respected him. Now, that little fool they looked down upon had a courtyard house before he was even ten. How could they be content with this?
They didn’t know exactly how wealthy their Big Uncle’s house was, but they had heard their grandfather mention that he had at least a thousand mu of land, a courtyard in town, and now a house in the county seat…
Back in their room at the inn, Han Jixue felt a desire for his Big Uncle’s possessions for the first time. He looked at Han Chengming and asked, “Dad, why does Big Uncle have so much silver?”
Han Chengming wanted to know that too. He tilted his head back and thought. “Years ago, your Big Uncle’s uncle made a fortune away from home. Since he had no children, your Big Uncle cared for him until his death, and he left his estate to your Big Uncle. But as far as I knew, it wasn’t that much silver…”
Han Jixue frowned. “Wealth shouldn’t be revealed. Would he tell you exactly how much there was? Maybe he hid it back then?”
Han Chengming slapped his hands together. “It’s possible! Crafty! Too crafty!”
Han Jixue added, “Dad, why don’t you go and ask him?”
Han Chengming’s eyes lit up, but then he glared. “Ask what? Do you think he’ll give it to you just because he has it?”
A trace of greed flashed in Han Jixue’s eyes, and his childish face took on a dark expression unfitting for his age. “Xiaoliu should never have gotten better.”
That little fool was his nemesis. If he hadn’t recovered, Big Uncle wouldn’t have withdrawn his favor from them. In the future, that silver, the land, and the county house would have all been his.
Han Chengming shared the sentiment. If only Han Ze’s son had stayed a fool. “But he is better now. What can we do? We can’t very well kill him. Forget it.”
Kill him? Han Jixue’s eyes flickered. Murder was against the law, but if Han Shubuo became a fool again, and Big Uncle lost hope…
Han Jixue suddenly said, “Dad, let’s visit Big Uncle tomorrow.”
Han Chengming snorted. “I’m not going.”
Han Jixue persuaded him gently, “Dad, if we go to Big Uncle’s, we won’t have to pay for a meal at the inn. Not only can we save money, but we can also eat fine food at his house. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?”
Han Chengming thought about it. “Right. We’ll go. We’re guests at the door; they’ll have to prepare a table of good food for us. We’ll eat our fill.”
…
However, while the father and son plotted, Han Ze’s family had no intention of waiting at home for them. Thinking that since they were in the county seat, they should buy some local specialties to take back.
Han Shubuo felt the town bookstores were too small and lacked many books, so he wanted to browse the county bookshops. Ge Hongbu had nothing specific to buy, but her daughters had asked her to bring back some hair ornaments from the county.
Han Ze felt that the girls at home were growing up. The eldest, Shuxin, was nearing the age for marriage proposals, and he needed to prepare her dowry. Aside from the house and land, he needed to buy jewelry—the town jewelry was a bit lacking.
Early that morning, after breakfast, they set out. First, they went to the bookshop with Shubuo. After leaving there, they went to a fabric store and bought over a dozen bolts of various high-quality fabrics for the servants to load onto the cart. Finally, they went to a jewelry store.
Hairpins, earrings, bracelets… he bought two sets for each daughter. In total, he spent over a thousand taels.
Ge Hongbu watched as the man spent a thousand taels with a single wave of his hand, her heart aching terribly. A thousand taels! Buying land or a house was one thing, but jewelry couldn’t be eaten or drunk—it was just for show. One piece per person would have been enough; why buy so many?
But no matter how many thoughts she had, she didn’t dare speak up for fear of spoiling her husband’s mood. She could only fret silently behind him.
Han Shubuo saw his mother’s expression and whispered in her ear, “Mom, don’t worry. Dad has silver.”
He knew exactly how much silver his father had earned from selling flowers over the years. Otherwise, his father wouldn’t be so willing to spend. Through his father’s influence, he had evolved from being unwilling to spend a single copper to being able to buy what was necessary. Of course, he still wouldn’t waste a single cent on things he shouldn’t buy.
Ge Hongbu gave her son a reproachful look, thinking: As if I don’t know your father has silver? But even if you have it, you shouldn’t spend it like this!
Han Ze turned back and saw the mother and son whispering. He realized that while all the daughters got jewelry, Ge Hongbu hadn’t. He looked at Han Shubuo and said, “Pick out a piece of jewelry for your mother, your grandmother, and your youngest aunt too.”
Since he was buying for the whole family, he couldn’t leave anyone out.
Ge Hongbu stammered, her cheeks flushing red, “I… I’ll pass.”
Han Ze said, “Just buy it. I’m paying.”
Ge Hongbu wanted to argue further, but Han Shubuo pulled her arm and said, “Mom, just buy it. It’s rare for Dad to be this generous. You should buy the best and spend as much as you can. Spend every bit of silver in Dad’s pocket!”
Han Ze: “…”
You brat, I pampered you for nothing.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152