Chapter 26 - 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.

Xiao Zimo, concealed behind the screen, listened as the would-be schemer entered. Seeing Wu Bai slumped over, the intruder laughed in triumph. Soon, he began hurling insults at Wu Bai, calling him "shameless" and accusing him of "seducing both Xiao Zimo and the Fifth Prince."

 

Angered beyond restraint, Xiao Zimo emerged from behind the screen, his fists clenched, ready to teach that person a lesson.

 

Startled by the sound of footsteps behind him, the intruder turned to look, but Xiao Zimo acted swiftly, striking him unconscious in one blow.

 

Hearing two heavy thuds, Wu Bai couldn't resist peeking through one half-closed eye. He saw Xiao Zimo standing with a decorative item in his hand, while a figure lay motionless on the floor.

 

Unable to keep up the pretense any longer, Wu Bai leapt to his feet, exclaiming, "What's going on here?"

 

"That person wouldn't stop insulting you, so… I couldn't hold back," Xiao Zimo replied with a snort.

 

Hearing this, Wu Bai's expression softened. "Alright, it's already done now. Let's turn him over and see who it is!"

 

Together, they rolled the unconscious figure over, revealing his face.

 

"It's him," Wu Bai said in surprise.

 

It was Su Li, the young ger from the Minister of Rites' household.

 

"Of all people, it's him. What should we do now?" Xiao Zimo asked.

 

"He lured me here, not just to insult me; there must be more to it. Here, bring me that tea," Wu Bai replied, a sly glint in his eyes. "Let him taste his own medicine."

 

After giving Su Li a taste of the spiked tea, Wu Bai arranged him slumped over the table as though he had passed out. With that, he and Xiao Zimo left, paying no mind to whatever would unfold after their departure.

 

In the end, Su Li had harbored malicious intent, and now he would bear the consequences of his own plotting.

 

Wu Bai and Xiao Zimo soon put the incident behind them, and neither bothered to inquire about Su Li's fate.

 

Only two days later, Zhao Chengnan brought news of a border incursion by foreign tribes. The famed general Yu Hongyi had already set out for the frontier. Hearing this, Wu Bai was briefly reminded of Yu Hongyi, the male protagonist of this world. However, since he had little affection for the man, the news didn't weigh on him.

 

…

 

At last, the day of the autumn examinations arrived. Wu Kang'an and the others woke early, carefully gathering their things. Before leaving, Wu Bai urged Wu Kang'an to double-check his examination basket to ensure nothing essential was missing.

 

Once everything was ready, the three of them left the inn together. Outside, a carriage was waiting.

 

Xiao Zimo stepped out of the carriage and said, "Bai ger, I know your second brother has his examination today, so I've come to take you there."

 

On such an important day, all other matters were set aside, and Wu Kang'an gratefully accepted the offer and boarded the carriage.

 

They arrived at the examination hall's gates, where a sea of people had already gathered. If not for the soldiers maintaining order, conflicts would have already erupted in the crowded scene.

 

Wu Kang'an, holding his basket, stepped down from the carriage and joined a line of candidates, slowly making his way inside.

 

From the carriage, Wu Bai and Xiao Zimo watched Wu Kang'an disappear into the examination hall before heading off themselves.

 

Since the examination would last three days and three nights, waiting there would be pointless. Once all the candidates were inside, most of the crowd dispersed.

 

Wu Bai and Xiao Zimo returned Wu Kang'an's fulang to the inn before heading out to explore the city.

 

This time, they visited a jade shop owned by Xiao Zimo's family.

 

As they entered, Wu Bai noticed that the shop displayed the jewelry designs from the drawings he'd once sold them.

 

"Why are these pieces being sold here in the capital? Do they actually sell well?" Wu Bai asked.

 

"Certainly! They've been selling exceptionally well each month," Xiao Zimo replied with a proud grin. "People here in the capital had long tired of the old designs. Once these new styles arrived, people were so pleased they had no hesitation in parting with their silver. But really, it's all thanks to your designs."

 

Seeing his work so well-received, Wu Bai felt a warm sense of pride, a smile spreading across his face. "Since business is this good, how about I sketch a few more designs for you?"

 

"I'd be delighted," Xiao Zimo replied, quickly calling an attendant to prepare some ink, brush, and paper upstairs.

 

Seated at the table, Wu Bai closed his eyes and recalled the jewelry designs Xiao Zimo had once taught him in his previous life. He then began sketching each one from memory.

 

After completing several dozen sketches, Wu Bai finally stopped.

 

"So many!" Xiao Zimo exclaimed in surprise.

 

"Yes, it's getting late, so I'll leave these with you for now. When I have more time, I'll draw more for you." Wu Bai set the last sketch aside to let the ink dry.

 

"Here, take this." Xiao Zimo offered Wu Bai a box.

 

Wu Bai opened it and found it full of silver notes. He immediately handed the box back, saying, "What's this for? I gave you those designs as a gift."

 

Seeing Wu Bai's irritation, Xiao Zimo quickly soothed him. "I know, I know, but I didn't want to shortchange my future fulang."

 

"Hmph! Who said I'm your future fulang? I haven't agreed yet!" Wu Bai huffed, a hint of arrogance in his voice.

 

"If you don't agree, then I'll agree for you. I'm your future husband*," Xiao Zimo replied, playing along with his mood.

 

[T/N: The chinese term used here is "fujun" (夫君) and this one is reserved solely for men in this word, as opposed to fulang.]

 

Wu Bai was speechless. Wasn't that the same thing?

 

"I truly wish for us to be together soon. I've been hoping that once your second brother passes his exams, he'll bring your family to the capital. Then, I'll come to your house to propose without delay. My parents have been pestering me to marry Su Li, but I only want you. No matter what they say, I'm determined to marry only you," Xiao Zimo said, gazing at Wu Bai with earnest affection.

 

Confronted by such sincere affection, Wu Bai could not bring himself to refuse. After a brief moment of silence, he finally nodded and said, "Alright."

 

Three days later.

 

Wu Kang'an finally emerged from the examination hall, utterly exhausted and lightheaded, nearly collapsing to the ground. Fortunately, Xiao Zimo caught him in time.

 

Back at the inn, Wu Kang'an slept for a full day and night, only waking after satisfying the deep rest he needed. Wu Bai, familiar with the toll of the exams, was prepared for his brother's condition and calmed his expectant Second Sister-in-Law.

 

Now visibly pregnant, Second Sister-in-Law found doing tasks increasingly difficult, so Wu Bai spent most of his time in the inn, ready to assist.

 

However, if he didn't go to the mountain, the mountain would come to him.

 

Thick-skinned as ever, Xiao Zimo took to staying in the courtyard with him. To pass the time, he brought books, all related to jade—a subject he knew Wu Bai had recently taken an interest in.

 

In this way, the days passed until Wu Kang'an's examination results were finally released.

 

The metropolitan examination* awarded only three hundred candidates, yet Wu Kang'an, bolstered by his instructor's guidance secured the twelfth spot.

 

[T/N: The 会试 (huìshì) was one of the levels in the imperial examination system, ranking above the 乡试 (xiāngshì) but below the 殿试 (diànshì). It got its name because scholars would gather in the capital to participate in the examination. This examination system originated during the Jin Dynasty and was continued through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Successful candidates were called 贡士 (gòngshì), and the top scorer was titled 会元 (huìyuán).]

 

After all, Wu Kang'an was not exactly a prodigy of unmatched talent. So when the instructor saw his exam results, even if there might have been a stroke of luck involved, he was quite pleased and offered him a few words of encouragement. This delighted Wu Kang'an immensely, for it was the first time his teacher had ever praised him.

 

With the metropolitan exam concluded, only the palace examination* remained.

 

[T/N: 殿试 (diànshì), also known as the "Palace Examination," "Court Examination" or "Court Interview," was the highest level of the imperial examination system during the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Only those who had passed the 会试 (huìshì) were eligible to participate. The purpose of the 殿试 was to further assess the candidates who had passed the 会试, distinguishing them and selecting officials for government posts.

The top scorer of the 殿试 was awarded the title 状元 (zhuàngyuán), which is often translated as "top scholar" or "number one scholar." This title represented the highest honor in the imperial examination system and marked the individual's success in becoming eligible for the highest government posts.]

 

Wu Kang'an buried himself in his studies for two more days and entered the palace at dawn on the third day.

 

Since only three hundred candidates participated in the palace examination, the results were announced by the next day.

 

This time, Wu Kang'an's fortune was less favorable; he placed thirteenth, becoming the last candidate in the second tier*.

 

[T/N: The "second tier" refers to this middle tier of candidates who performed well enough to enter into government service but were not among the top three.]

 

Nonetheless, he successfully entered the Hanlin Academy and was appointed as a Junior Compiler* of the seventh rank.

 

[T/N: Junior Compiler (检讨): This is an official position within the Hanlin Academy. A compiler was responsible for the collection and editing of texts, writing official documents, or even compiling historical records.]

 

The top three scholars of the first tier were given prestigious appointments: the Zhuangyuan* was assigned as a Compiler of the Hanlin Academy with a sixth-rank official title, while the Bangyan and Tanhua* were appointed as Revisers of the Hanlin Academy, holding a seventh-rank official position.

 

[T/N: Zhuangyuan (状元) is the title for the top scorer in the imperial exams, Bangyan (榜眼) is the second-place scorer, and Tanhua (探花) is the third-place scorer.]

 

As for the third-tier scholars, they entered the Hanlin Academy as junior academicians without an official rank for the time being. They would undergo another examination the following year, where those with outstanding results could be appointed as Junior Compilers of the seventh rank. However, those who performed poorly would face the fate of being sent to distant counties as magistrates.

 

After the appointments were completed, new officials were typically granted a three to six-month leave to return home and perform their ancestral rites*. Wu Kang'an intended to follow this tradition and return to his hometown.

 

[T/N: Ancestral Worship (祭拜): The officials would honor their ancestors, offering sacrifices and prayers to express gratitude for the family's support and blessings. It was a way to maintain filial piety and respect for family traditions, a deeply held value in Confucian society.]

 

He arrived at the Hanlin Academy, prepared to request leave from the head official. Such requests were typically always granted, so he wasn't particularly concerned. As he walked, he took in the Academy's layout and architecture, memorizing the place to avoid any mistakes in the future.

 

Unfortunately, his good mood quickly soured as he soon spotted a person he had hoped never to see again—Dong Heng.

 

Seeing Dong Heng at the Academy meant he, too, had passed as a jinshi. Wu Kang'an's feelings were mixed.

 

The servant who had initially brought him news of his metropolitan exam results was unaware of Dong Heng's existence, so Wu Kang'an had no inkling that Dong Heng had also passed.

 

During the palace examination, he was so focused on maintaining caution that he dared not glance around, which is why he failed to notice Dong Heng's presence. Later, during the celebratory parade, since he was ranked in the second tier and not as prominent as the first-class scholars, he rode alongside a large group at the back. Although three hundred people may sound few, it was actually quite a crowd, and amidst all those people, he still failed to notice Dong Heng.

 

But Dong Heng had recognized Wu Kang'an. Seated just behind him during the palace examination, he knew Wu Kang'an had earned the same jinshi rank as himself, both now seventh-ranked compilers.

 

The thought of Wu Kang'an, whom he had always considered his inferior, achieving the same rank left Dong Heng with complicated feelings.

 

They saw each other, but neither greeted the other. It was as though they were complete strangers.

 

Luckily, Dong Heng had already requested leave, sparing Wu Kang'an from having to share the head official's office with him.

 

Wu Kang'an's request for leave was easily granted, and he returned to the small inn where they were staying.

 

Once back, he discussed the return trip with Wu Bai and his fulang.

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