Chapter 6 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

Early the next morning, Wu Kang'an set off for Nanping Academy with his packed bundle, carrying ink, paper, and books.

 

This time, he didn't wait for Dong Heng to join him on the trip but left on his own.

 

As Nanping Academy was only a short distance from Xingfeng Village, Wu Kang'an didn't stay at the academy's dormitories; instead, he commuted daily between the village and Nanping Town.

 

This arrangement conveniently allowed Wu Bai to further guide him each day.

 

Wu Kang'an had a habit of reading in the study each evening after dinner, which Wu Bai used to his advantage, entering under the pretense of seeking advice while subtly guiding him.

 

According to Wu Kang'an, he had three months before heading to the provincial capital to take this year's prefectural exams. His teacher had once doubted he could pass the qualifying exam to become a xiucai, but recently, noticing Wu Kang'an's rapid improvement, he registered him for this year's exam.

 

Despite Wu Kang'an's progress, his teacher still wasn't fully confident in his success, intending this attempt mainly as an experience-building trial.

 

Wu Kang'an understood that his teacher held lower expectations for him compared to other academy students, but he was determined to defy these expectations. He wanted to pass the prefectural exam with a strong performance and earn his teacher's respect.

 

To this end, he had extended his daily study time by an hour.

 

After observing his elder brother over time, Wu Bai noticed the issue impeding his progress: while Wu Kang'an could easily memorize the texts, he struggled to fully grasp their meaning. Recently, with Wu Bai's guidance, he had gained a better understanding of the material, but a new challenge emerged—he still couldn't integrate this knowledge seamlessly.

 

Wu Bai knew that the imperial exams often included a challenging type of question known as a linked topic*. Such questions could make or break a candidate's score. If Wu Kang'an couldn't identify the source of the excerpted question or discern its purpose, his chances of passing would be slim.

 

[T/N: "截搭题" (jié dā tí) is a specific type of exam question used in the imperial examination system, particularly in the Eight-Legged Essay (八股文, bā gǔ wén), which was a formal writing style required for the imperial civil service exams during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The term "截搭题" can be broken down as follows: "截" means "to cut off" or "to truncate," and "搭题" refers to "a question or topic." In this context, a "截搭题" involves selecting a sentence, a few sentences, or even a whole passage from the "Four Books" (四书) or other classical texts, and then truncating or cutting it off at a certain point to form a question.

The purpose of this truncation was to prevent examinees from simply memorizing and repeating passages verbatim, and instead to require them to demonstrate their ability to analyze and interpret the text. The examinees would need to continue the thought, complete the sentence, or explain the passage in a coherent and scholarly manner based on their knowledge of the original text.]

 

To address this, Wu Bai devised exercises to help Wu Kang'an link concepts. Sometimes he'd ask him to recite a passage from one book, then another from a different one, and finally explain their combined meaning.

 

In short, he found every way possible to challenge Wu Kang'an, who assumed his little brother was testing him on purpose. Determined not to be laughed at by Wu Bai, he racked his brains over each question. Soon, to cope with Wu Bai's variety of questions, he began consulting his teacher during breaks, even though he'd once avoided doing so without reason.

 

Beyond this, he started visiting the academy's library to read through various texts, and before he knew it, his knowledge had improved significantly. Though his teacher hadn't openly praised him, he noticed his teacher's approving gaze, recognizing his recent efforts and progress.

 

Meanwhile, Wu Bai, observing Wu Kang'an's progress closely, was aware that there was still some work to do. Although his brother no longer struggled with linked topics, the most critical part of the exams remained—the essay component.

 

With only a month and a half before the prefectural exam, Wu Kang'an would need to travel to the provincial capital two weeks early, escorted by the academy teachers to ensure the candidates arrived safely.

 

Calculating the time remaining, Wu Bai realized he had little opportunity left to guide his brother. He felt a sense of urgency, knowing that if Wu Kang'an didn't pass this time, he'd have to wait another three years to try again. Three years was a long time—long enough for unforeseen disruptions to arise. The best outcome would be to pass this year's exam in one go.

 

Determined to ensure Wu Kang'an's success, Wu Bai approached their father again with the same request to take him into town at the next market day.

 

Father Wu readily agreed. He'd meant to take his younger son to town before, but Wu Bai had previously declined. The truth was that Wu Bai wanted to spend more time at home to help Wu Kang'an advance his studies. But now, he realized that merely reading from books wouldn't be enough to secure success in the exam. He needed to try something new.

 

The next morning, Wu Bai rose early. Wu Kang'an, surprised to see his brother up at such an hour, asked, "Little brother, what brings you up so early today?"

 

Wu Bai rolled his eyes and thought, If it weren't to help you pass your exam, would I be awake this early?

 

Seeing both brothers ready, their father hitched a cart borrowed from a villager and called out to them, "Hurry up, boys! Get on the cart!"

 

Wu Kang'an immediately understood why Wu Bai was up so early—they were heading to town together.

 

Once they were on the cart, their father noticed Wu Bai's sleepy eyes and went to bring a blanket from the house, covering him with it. "Get some rest, Bai ger. It'll take a while to reach the town."

 

Feeling his father's warmth, Wu Bai's heart swelled with gratitude. I'll do everything I can to protect this family and keep them safe from harm, he resolved.

 

The three arrived in town safely. After dropping Wu Kang'an at the academy gate, their father guided the cart to the academy's stable to store it there.

 

Since many students came from nearby villages and couldn't afford dormitories, renting a cart to commute was more affordable than boarding at the academy. The academy had thoughtfully set up a stable to avoid clogging the main entrance, where students could park their carriages in an orderly manner.

 

After neatly folding his blanket and placing it in a compartment under his seat, Father Wu led Wu Bai out of the stable.

 

Meanwhile, Wu Kang'an headed to class with his books. He had barely taken a few steps when a classmate approached him with a friendly greeting, "Good morning, Brother Wu!"

 

Though unfamiliar with this classmate, Wu Kang'an politely returned the greeting, wondering why he was being approached.

 

After their brief exchange, Wu Kang'an turned to continue heading to class. However, this classmate kept walking alongside him, finding every excuse to continue their conversation. Even after they arrived in the classroom, the classmate continued chattering, undeterred by the approaching lecture.

 

Finally, unable to concentrate with his classmate's endless small talk, Wu Kang'an spoke up, "Brother Zhan, is there something in particular you need? As fellow students, if there's anything I can assist with, I'd be happy to help. Just tell me directly."

 

Zhan Hongfei, realizing there was no need to hide his intentions, gave a soft chuckle. "Actually, there's nothing serious. I happened to see you earlier at the stable with a younger ger. I was wondering if you might introduce me to him?"

 

Wu Kang'an had been wondering what this was all about and was taken aback when he realized that Zhan Hongfei was interested in his little brother. Having once made the mistake of introducing Dong Heng, his fellow student, to his younger sibling, and now, hearing this classmate beside him suggest that he act as a go-between and set up his brother with him for the second time, his fury flared uncontrollably.

 

Wu Kang'an's tone turned sharp as he replied, "Brother Zhan, this is an academy—a place where we study the teachings of wise sages, not some tea house where matchmakers gather. I'll pretend I didn't hear your suggestion, but please refrain from such jokes in the future."

 

Zhan Hongfei had overheard Wu Bai calling Wu Kang'an "second brother" in the stable earlier, and knowing they were brothers, he simply wanted to build rapport with this friend, hoping for an introduction. He'd assumed Wu Kang'an would be thrilled and willingly chat about Wu Bai. Instead, Wu Kang'an had scolded him outright.

 

Offended by Wu Kang'an's bluntness, Zhan Hongfei stood up angrily, pointing his finger at him as he retorted, "Hmph! It'd be a blessing for your brother if I took interest in him. You'll regret looking down on me!"

 

Just then, someone quietly warned Zhan that the teacher was arriving, forcing him to bite back his words and return to his seat with a huff.

 

Sure enough, a moment later, the teacher entered the classroom, carrying his books.

 

Meanwhile, Wu Bai was out with his father, who led him on a tour around the bustling town market. After a short walk, Wu's father dropped Wu Bai off at a bookstore, instructing him to read while he took care of some business. Father Wu needed to finalize a land contract with the town head on behalf of two village families. One family planned to build a new house on their land, but since the surrounding plots belonged to others, they had negotiated to purchase the neighboring plot for construction. Wu Village Head had come to complete this arrangement.

 

Since he had to meet the town head for an official matter, Father Wu couldn't bring Wu Bai along and instead chose the bookstore as a temporary place for him to wait.

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