Chapter 15 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

Translator's Note:

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Wu Kang'an was too stunned to respond, overwhelmed by this unexpected joy.

 

Meanwhile, the neighboring room erupted in murmurs.

 

"Who is this Wu Kang'an?"

 

"Yes, I've never heard of him before."

 

"Didn't you hear? He's from Qinghuai County, not from here, so it's natural you wouldn't know of him."

 

"Bah, I've already had my people inquire about all the notable scholars in the provincial capital, and there was no mention of anyone named Wu Kang'an from Qinghuai County."

 

"All right, all right, let's stop guessing. We'll find out soon enough who he is when he comes out. We'll see for ourselves then."

 

Hearing this, everyone quieted down, waiting eagerly to see which room would respond.

 

But they were bound to be disappointed; Wu Kang'an, still in a daze, didn't respond immediately. The inn's attendant, however, recognized Wu Kang'an from the times he'd brought items to their small courtyard and knew which room they were in. He led the announcers directly upstairs to Wu Kang'an's private room.

 

As soon as the announcers entered, Wu Kang'an snapped back to reality.

 

"Congratulations, Wu xiucai, for ranking tenth in the prefectural exams!" the two announcers declared.

 

Wu Bai quickly handed them the prepared pouch of money as a reward.

 

After they left, Wu Kang'an erupted in excitement, shouting, "Father, Bai ger, did you hear? I passed! Ha ha ha!"

 

His loud laughter reached the ears of the people in the neighboring room.

 

Realizing the potential for unwanted entanglements, Wu Bai decided it was best to return to their courtyard, pack up, and leave without delay. He quickly grabbed Wu Kang'an, steering him out of the private room.

 

Seeing his sons preparing to leave, Father Wu naturally followed them downstairs.

 

When they returned to the small courtyard, Wu Kang'an informed his teacher of his results. His teacher, already aware of Wu Kang'an's success, congratulated him warmly, though without surprise.

 

His teacher had sent someone to watch the exam results closely, so he'd known early on that Wu Kang'an not only passed but ranked relatively high. Though his focus this time had been on two other students, both of whom ended up ranked lower than Wu Kang'an, the unexpected result filled him with pride.

 

Out of the thirteen students the teachers brought to the exams, only four passed, one just barely scraping through.

 

Initially, the teachers had hoped for at least two students to succeed. To have four was already beyond their expectations—a reason to smile even in their sleep.

 

That afternoon, everyone took the chance to shop, sightsee, and try some local foods, returning to the courtyard with contented hearts to pack their belongings.

 

Early the next morning, they returned the inn keys, settled the remaining room fees, and began the journey home snuggling in their carriages.

 

They didn't linger further in the provincial capital due to the high ensuing expenses. After the exam results were out, they had no more reason to stay. Traveling together, they also had the safety of numbers.

 

Four days later, they arrived safely in Nanping Town.

 

By then, it was already dusk. The streets were quiet, as each household was busy preparing dinner. Since riding in a carriage was faster than walking, Wu Father decided not to return the carriage to the rental store immediately and instead drove straight toward Xingfeng Village.

 

At the Wu family's courtyard, everyone had already eaten dinner and was enjoying the cool evening breeze, wondering when their family's three travelers would return.

 

"Sigh, I wonder if our second son managed to pass the xiucai's exam," Wu fulang sighed.

 

"Mother, don't worry. I'm sure my husband passed," Wu Erfulang replied, though his tone was anxious. He'd even gone back to his own family to visit a temple and pray for blessings, though such things could only provide some degree of comfort.

 

"Wait, did I just hear hooves?" Wu's eldest son said uncertainly.

 

The moment Wu fulang heard this, he leaped from his chair and hurried to the gate, peering toward the village entrance.

 

"There's a carriage coming—surely, it must be them!" Wu fulang said excitedly.

 

The whole family rushed to the gate.

 

It didn't take long for the carriage to arrive, and soon Wu Kang'an, Wu Bai, and Father Wu, weary from the road, were greeted warmly. Holding back the questions that were bubbling up, the family helped unload the luggage, tied the horse in the courtyard corner, and set out a bundle of hay for it.

 

Once Wu Bai and the others had freshened up, the family gathered in the main hall to talk.

 

Naturally, the conversation quickly turned to the results of Wu Kang'an's exam.

 

When Father Wu announced that Wu Kang'an had passed as a xiucai, cheers erupted among the family members who had been waiting anxiously at home.

 

"Is it true? Is it true? Kang'an passed the exam?" Wu fulang asked, nearly breathless with excitement.

 

"It's true, Mother! Second Brother did amazingly well, and he's even planning to take the next provincial exam* next year, right, Second Brother?" Wu Bai looked at Wu Kang'an expectantly.

 

[T/N: The triennial provincial exam 乡试 is for becoming a juren.]

 

Caught a little off-guard, Wu Kang'an hesitated, but after a moment's thought, he realized he had every reason to continue on this path. With a nod, he replied, "Yes."

 

Seeing his brother's resolve, Wu Bai smiled to himself. Things were indeed looking up.

 

That night, the Wu family was so overjoyed that they couldn't sleep, talking and laughing well into the night, each couple in their respectful quarters—only Wu Bai's room remained quiet, as he was alone with no one to share in the celebration.

 

The following morning, news spread like wildfire through Xingfeng Village that Wu Kang'an had returned as a xiucai. Neighbors arrived in groups, eager to congratulate the family.

 

When Wu Village Head officially announced that Wu Kang'an had passed, murmurs of amazement rippled through the crowd.

 

Dong fulang, however, stood in stunned silence. He had asked his son, Dong Heng, before Wu Kang'an left, and he had assured him that Wu Kang'an didn't stand a chance of passing. His son's words had pleased him, and he'd trusted his judgment.

 

Yet here they were, only a month later, and Wu Kang'an had indeed passed. It was infuriating!

 

Unable to contain himself, Dong fulang called out, "Village Head, you aren't pulling a trick on us just to boost your son's reputation, are you? Everyone knows passing the xiucai's exam isn't easy. If the officials here found out your son was pretending, there would be consequences!"

 

A hush fell over the crowd.

 

"That can't be true! The village head would never lie about something like this," someone said, defending his moral character.

 

"But becoming a xiucai really isn't easy. Some people study their whole lives without ever passing—how could Wu Kang'an succeed on his first try?" someone else voiced their doubts.

 

Dong fulang, driven by envy and bitterness, had only meant to throw shade and spoil the family's happiness. After all, they had rejected his son's marriage proposal, and because of that, his son hadn't been able to advance his own studies in the county town.

 

Now, with others echoing his words, he felt emboldened and straightened his posture proudly.

 

The Wu family, all smiles just moments before, had been busy welcoming the villagers. Wu Village Head had even been thinking of holding a small banquet to celebrate his son's success and strengthen bonds within the village—good relations, after all, would make his role easier.

 

Yet, barely a moment into their celebration, Dong fulang's discordant voice had soured the mood.

 

Father Wu, as a man, had no desire to argue with Dong fulang. Yet he couldn't let him tarnish his son's reputation, so he stepped forward, prepared to refute his accusations. Before he could say a word, though, Wu Bai spoke up first.

 

"Auntie," Wu Bai said with a faint smile, "I hear your son is also a xiucai, a person of refined character, yet you don't seem to reflect any of his influence. Your words are rather unbecoming, to say the least. My brother's success was confirmed by the provincial magistrate, and the xiucai certificate is in our possession. To slander a certified xiucai is to disrespect the magistrate himself."

 

Wu Bai paused, then continued, "Now, if you want to speak such slander here at our home, we'll let it go. We've all benefited from my brother's guidance and won't quarrel with you. But I advise you to hold your tongue in public. Should your words reach the wrong ears, it wouldn't just endanger your life—it might even strip your son of his title, bring misfortune to your family, or, at worst, bring disaster to the entire village."

 

At first, the villagers had watched Wu Bai scold Dong fulang with a hint of amusement. But hearing his final words, they realized the gravity of the situation. Their faces darkened as they looked at Dong fulang—no one would sympathize with someone who might endanger them all.

 

Dong fulang sensed the growing disapproval around him and hurriedly protested, "You… you're talking nonsense! I…"

 

Before he could say more, Dong Heng, who had been hiding behind a large tree outside the courtyard, stepped forward, walked through the crowd, and pulled his mother away.

 

As they left, Dong fulang continued muttering, "Why are you dragging me away? I'm telling the truth. Their so-called xiucai title must be a sham—just bluster."

 

Back at the Dong residence, Dong Heng, seeing that no one else was around, turned to him with a hard look. "Enough, Mother. I don't ask you to help me, but can you at least stop making things worse?"

 

Dong fulang huffed, "How did I make things worse?"

 

"I told you, I want to marry Bai ger. How do you expect them to agree after you've just insulted the village head's family like that?" Dong Heng said in exasperation.

 

"Hmph! Even if I hadn't said a word, they probably wouldn't marry Bai ger to you anyway," he retorted angrily.

 

Dong Heng knew there was some truth to his words, but he wanted to try his luck regardless. After all, only the village head's family had the means to support his studies in the county.

 

Seeing his son's disappointment, Dong fulang softened, worried he might resent him later if he didn't succeed. His eyes lit up as he recalled something and said, "Heng'er*, don't be upset. It doesn't have to be the village head's family. While I was in town the other day, I heard there's a wealthy family looking for a son-in-law. Why not give it a try? They're rich—I've looked into it."

 

[T/N: 儿 (er) can be added to a person's name as a form of endearment or intimacy, especially when addressing younger people in the family.]

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