CH 123

Ju Jie, the local Linsheng1 and guarantor for examination candidates, was responsible for ensuring that the candidates were genuine and not using false identities or proxies. He guaranteed that the candidates had an untainted reputation. Zhou Shuren, together with the clan leader, went to Ju Jie’s house, who was the local Linsheng, not only bringing tea and fabric purchased from Jiangnan as gifts but also presenting a significant amount of silver as a generous offering.

On the same day, Zhou Shuren came back and said that many people from the candidate’s family came to his house, seeking Ju Jie’s guarantee.

Zhulan silently calculated an account. Linsheng, who was the first in the entrance examination, could receive rice and food every month and was paid a stipend of four taels of silver a year. Twenty acres of land were exempted from taxes. It was a lot of money. If the land at home was not enough, someone would ask for a name, and he would give some food every year as a reward. Not to mention the free food and drink for a year, the guarantor could also receive a sum of money for their assistance.

Facts have proved that Xueba2 made money no matter it was ancient times or modern times! In ancient times, if a woman could take scientific examinations, no matter how difficult classical Chinese was, she would have done it by herself.

In the blink of an eye, it was early February, and Zhulan had a countdown chart on the bedroom wall. Every morning, the first thing she did was change the number of days left until the exam. Only after updating the days did she step out of bed. She looked dissatisfiedly at the calm and leisurely Zhou Shuren, saying, “Your preparation for the exam is making me so nervous. It feels like we’re back in the days of intense preparation for the college entrance exam3. But you, on the other hand, don’t seem nervous at all. The exam is just two days away, and you’re not even reading your books anymore.”

Zhou Shuren chuckled, “I’ve already studied everything I should study, and I’ve memorized what needs to be memorized. There’s nothing to be nervous about, so don’t worry too much.”

As Zhulan put on her shoes, she said, “How can I not worry? This is about our future. If this were the modern world, I could take care of our family myself. But in ancient times, it’s not possible. Both you and our children need to pass the imperial examination, which puts severe limitations on me. Despite having a strong professional background and holding a decent position, it doesn’t count for much in ancient times. I can’t engage in business or be visible in public. All the pressure falls on you, and that’s why I’m nervous. I can’t help.”

In essence, in the modern world, Zhulan has been independent since she was young. She handled everything she could by herself and relied on herself. But coming to ancient times limited her abilities, and she gradually learned to trust Zhou Shuren little by little. Although she appears to trust him, deep down, she still lacks the self-confidence she had when she relied on herself.

If women were allowed to take the imperial examination in ancient times, no matter how difficult the classical Chinese might be, she would be up for the challenge herself.

Zhou Shuren held Zhulan’s hand. He had already noticed her anxiety these days, realizing that she didn’t fully trust him. It was a personality trait she developed from a young age. Zhulan relied more on herself, and he was no different. If the roles were reversed, he might not do better than Zhulan. “Believe me, I won’t let you down,” he said.

Zhulan stared blankly at the hands being held by Zhou Shuren, feeling the warmth radiating from his palms, gradually calming her heart. She inwardly mocked herself, realizing that despite appearing strong and accepting of the situation, the transition in her identity had made her somewhat uneasy. “Yes,” she replied softly.

Zhou Shuren narrowed his eyes and gently pulled Zhulan into his embrace. He and Zhulan grew up in different environments. As an orphan, he learned to read people’s expressions and fight for opportunities from a young age. He worked his way up from the bottom of society, constantly striving to achieve modern achievements. He gained enough experience and developed a shrewd mind; otherwise, he wouldn’t have climbed so high at such a young age.

Unlike Zhou Shuren, Zhulan came from a simple family with favorable conditions. Despite her strong abilities, she had been learning from him about the intricacies of social interactions.

What made Zhulan even smarter was that, in this unfamiliar ancient world, when she didn’t understand the rules of survival, she always sought his advice. She never acted arrogantly and always exercised caution until she thoroughly understood the rules of the ancient society.

Even though ancient times restricted her, Zhulan never complained. She has been trying her best to adapt to ancient times, how could this kind of Zhulan not make him fall in love? He wanted to hurry up and take this relationship to the next level.

Zhulan was completely stunned, and when she came back to her senses she ground her teeth, “You’re getting bolder.”