Chapter 9 - 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.

Upon arriving home, Father Wu hurried to return the ox cart to the Wang family. Today's events had frightened him deeply; if the ox hadn't been found, he truly wouldn't have known how to explain it to the Wangs.

 

At dinner, he recounted the story to his family, and everyone felt a chill of lingering fear. Wu fulang even muttered a few curses at Zhan Hongfei's shamelessness. Father Wu and his two sons, having already weathered the worst of the ordeal, now appeared more composed.

 

The next day, Second Brother Wu returned to the academy. Nothing notable happened during the day, but upon returning home, he brought news that the gatekeeper who watched the side entrance had been dismissed from his post.

 

After hearing this, Wu Kang'an mulled it over with Wu Bai, suspecting that the man's dismissal was due to his negligence the previous day. He felt a bit sorry for the gatekeeper, thinking it was unjust; if he hadn't argued with Zhan Hongfei that morning, none of this would have happened.

 

Though maintaining a pure heart is admirable, Wu Bai knew that if Second Brother hoped to pursue a government career, he would need to develop sharper instincts. Otherwise, he'd be easily outmaneuvered by his peers.

 

With this in mind, Wu Bai decided to reveal the truth. "Second Brother, do you truly think the gatekeeper was blameless? The driver led our ox right past him—such a large animal, impossible to miss unless one were blind. But when we asked him about it, not only did he fail to tell us it had been taken outside by that driver, he misled us into thinking the ox might be hiding somewhere within the academy. Do you think the headmaster dismissed him merely for his poor vigilance? The headmaster values character as much as diligence."

 

Wu Kang'an, who had felt a small pride in his earlier analysis, now felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him. Suddenly, he realized his grasp of practical matters was lacking.

 

Seeing his Second Brother's disappointed expression, Wu Bai thought, He's not beyond hope; he just needs a bit of guidance. Not wanting to discourage him too much, he said, "Second Brother, you weren't entirely wrong. The headmaster did indeed dismiss the gatekeeper because of yesterday's incident."

 

Comforted by Wu Bai's words, Wu Kang'an found himself regaining some clarity. He had analyzed things superficially, yet he realized Wu Bai had a remarkable talent for seeing through matters in depth. If Wu Bai could offer him guidance, he was bound to improve.

 

As the ancient saying goes, 'Life is finite, but knowledge has no end.' Recognizing his shortcomings, he resolved to learn from his younger brother, seeing this as a chance to absorb wisdom beyond the books.

 

When Wu Kang'an asked if Wu Bai could teach him the finer points of analyzing life's more practical details, Wu Bai felt a thrill—this was exactly the opening he'd been hoping for! He'd been wondering how to bring up some notices he'd copied from the bookstore yesterday.

 

Wasting no time, Wu Bai retrieved a stack of papers he had tucked away on a nearby shelf and spread them across the desk.

 

Wu Kang'an's eyes widened as he took in the contents. His brow furrowed as he said, "Little Brother, where did you get these documents? And this writing…"

 

Sensing Wu Kang'an's surprise, Wu Bai calmly explained, "Don't worry, Second Brother. I copied these myself from the bookstore in town. They were posted behind the counter, and I asked the shopkeeper if I could transcribe them. The bookstore belongs to the county magistrate, which means he openly endorses sharing this information."

 

"Which bookstore?" Wu Kang'an asked, intrigued.

 

"The largest one in town, Nanping Bookstore," Wu Bai replied.

 

Wu Kang'an thought back; though he had studied in town for years, he had never set foot in that bookstore. For one, he assumed the ink and paper there would be expensive, and he couldn't afford it. He typically bought his supplies at a smaller shop near the academy, where prices were discounted for students. Besides, the academy's library held an extensive collection of books, so he rarely felt the need to visit bookstores outside.

 

Furthermore, Nanping Bookstore had only been open for about a year, established shortly after the county magistrate took office.

 

"That bookstore… I've never been inside, but I've heard some classmates mention they host literary competitions from time to time," Wu Kang'an said hesitantly.

 

Wu Bai nodded. He had indeed heard the shopkeeper say as much.

 

"So these notices should be harmless enough. But why show them to me?" Wu Kang'an asked, still puzzled.

 

"Second Brother, you're on the path of the imperial exams and might one day hold office, where you'll be dealing with matters like these. I copied these notices to help you get familiar with the types of issues that officials are meant to handle on a regular basis and to give you a chance to analyze them. If you were responsible, how would you address these situations? How would you interpret them?" Wu Bai explained. "I remember you mentioned that your exams often include something called policy essays. I don't know if these topics are related to those essays, but since they're important matters for officials, I thought they might be helpful to you."

 

Wu Kang'an felt deeply moved by his younger brother's thoughtfulness. Yet he still spoke his mind: "Little Brother, you don't understand. Our policy discussions in the academy are about refined essays, with little connection to common matters like these."

 

In other words, these notices weren't helpful for writing policy essays.

 

Wu Bai inwardly rolled his eyes. How could this not be useful? The value in these documents was enormous!

 

From the original host's memories of his previous life, Wu Bai knew that the upcoming prefectural exam would indeed focus on matters of public welfare. He remembered this because, in that past life, Wu Kang'an had deliberately inquired about the exam topic after his classmates had taken it, as he himself hadn't participated in the exam that year.

 

At that time, Wu Bai had already married Dong Heng. Wu Kang'an, as Dong Heng's brother-in-law, had a close relationship with him, so he brought the topic to discuss with Dong Heng. Wu Bai, being literate, could understand everything they discussed.

 

So now, seeing that Wu Kang'an was brushing off his advice, Wu Bai decided to approach it another way. "Second Brother, you just mentioned wanting me to teach you to analyze everyday matters. Since I don't have another example on hand, why don't you try analyzing the content in these notices as a practice?"

 

Hearing that Wu Bai couldn't find other examples and had to use the notices, Wu Kang'an didn't object—an example was still an example, after all.

 

So, Wu Kang'an picked up a notice, read it over, and began his analysis.

 

Just as he started, Wu Bai handed him paper and ink, adding, "Second Brother, a sharp memory is no match for a blunt pencil. I suggest writing down your analysis—it doesn't matter how long it is, as long as you can clearly express your thoughts."

 

Wu Bai knew that while it's easy for people to articulate ideas, translating them into writing is another skill. Since Wu Kang'an was preparing for the exams, it would be more useful for him to practice writing, not speaking. In the exam hall, after all, no examiner would stand there to listen to a verbal answer. Encouraging him to write now was Wu Bai's way of helping him develop a habit of structured note-taking.

 

Everyone's writing style and approach to documentation are unique, but there's one common principle: improvement comes with practice. Without that, even the most brilliant thoughts would fade over time.

 

Days passed in a blur, and soon there were only two weeks left before Wu Kang'an would be taking the prefectural exam.

 

The academy instructor gave Wu Kang'an and his fellow exam-takers a day off to pack, so they would be ready to set out for the provincial capital the next day.

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