Great Nation, Small Freshness (Imperial Examination) - Chapter 16

16: Meat Paste with Vermicelli and Tofu Skin Savory Soup

Kong Ziqing didn’t think there was anything wrong with his words at all.

At the banquet that day, among the several people Magistrate Zhou had commented on, except for Qin Fanghe, the rest couldn’t catch his eye at all—they were just ordinary mediocrities.

Those mediocre talents all dared to take the exam, so why couldn’t Qin Fanghe?

Qin Fanghe sighed inwardly, thinking that this was truly the fearlessness born of being favored.

This young master was clearly from a good family, with excellent learning and looks. The people around him must have pampered him all the way, so he naturally said whatever came to mind.

And to gain the qualification to converse with him was simple: rely on real ability.

“It’s not for any other reason. My body isn’t strong enough yet. If I rashly enter the arena, I’m afraid I won’t last until the end.” Qin Fanghe actually quite liked this straightforward approach—it didn’t require much thinking.

Kong Ziqing glanced over his body, finally fixing his gaze on the top of his head. After a moment of silence, he said, “You are indeed a bit short.”

Qin Fanghe: “…”

Are you polite?

It would be better if you didn’t speak at all.

He was such a good person, but unfortunately, he had a mouth.

It seemed Kong Ziqing finally realized belatedly that he had hurt the other’s self-esteem. With downcast eyes, he thought for a long while before sincerely offering advice: “You might as well practice riding and archery.”

When he was young, he often fell ill. Later, his family hired a riding and archery instructor for him. After studying for a few years, his appetite indeed grew, and his constitution improved. Now, he hardly took medicine throughout the year.

Qin Fanghe gave him an annoyed glance. “My family can’t even afford to raise an ox.”

Do you know how much a horse costs in silver?

Practice riding and archery—is it that I don’t want to?

Kong Ziqing’s eyes widened slightly.

Clearly, Qin Fanghe’s poverty exceeded the young master’s imagination.

It was like a rich second-generation coming down to experience life. He knew some people were poor, but he couldn’t imagine just how poor. In their view, perhaps having a 200-square-meter flat and a 500,000-yuan BMW was already the bottom line.

The young master rarely felt awkward, pursing his lips. “Sorry.”

Qin Fanghe waved it off, openly impoverished. “It’s fine. My family’s poverty wasn’t caused by you.”

After saying that, he laughed to himself.

When he laughed, Kong Ziqing also curved his lips slightly.

As if to make amends, Kong Ziqing pondered briefly and said, “If you enter the exam in the future, I can act as your guarantor.”

This was exactly what Qin Fanghe needed, and he didn’t refuse. “Then I’ll thank you in advance.”

Seeing the other accept his goodwill, Kong Ziqing’s mood brightened a bit. He added very sincerely, “But you need to hurry. I probably won’t stay in the county school for long.”

The several candidates who had just registered and come out: “…”

Damn, this kid is so arrogant. I really want to beat him up!

For the county exam, the required guarantors consisted of an already successful scholar who received a stipend, plus five mutually guaranteeing students. This person was proactively guaranteeing for someone else, rather than “mutual guarantee between you and me”—it was clear he believed he would definitely pass and become a stipended scholar even before entering the exam hall. How utterly arrogant!

And saying he wouldn’t stay long… Under what circumstance wouldn’t he stay long? Of course, if he immediately passed the next provincial exam and became a juren…

God knows that among the thousands upon thousands of scholars in the world, countless couldn’t even pass the xiucai exam. Yet this wet-behind-the-ears kid was spouting big words, acting as if everything was under control with such composure—how could it not infuriate people!

Someone glanced over here and firmly held back their companion’s impulsive hands, pointing to the family emblem on the nearby carriage and whispering, “Don’t be rash. That’s someone from the Kong family!”

Otherwise, why do you think this kid is still standing there unscathed? If he weren’t surnamed Kong, he would’ve been sacked long ago.

Qin Fanghe was directly amused by Kong Ziqing’s utterly matter-of-fact attitude.

He certainly had the confidence and capital to say such things, but sometimes, reality is one thing, and forcing others to face reality is another.

It’s quite painful, okay?

“Alright, alright, I’ve received your kindness. It’s freezing cold, and it’s not good for you to stay outside too long. Hurry back so your family doesn’t worry.” Qin Fanghe waved his hand, shooing him away like chasing a chicken.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Kong Ziqing remembered that the other had lost both parents, and couldn’t help feeling a bit of pity for this little radish head.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Qin Fanghe immediately sounded the alarm in his heart, fearing this guy would say something earth-shattering again. He simply went up, grabbed his arm, and half-dragged, half-pushed him toward the Kong family’s carriage. “Alright, alright, there’s plenty of time in the future. Don’t say any more.”

Kong Ziqing: “…”

Clearly, you were the one who spoke first.

Qin Fanghe: “…”

Clearly, you were the one who came over first!

Watching the Kong residence’s carriage gradually fade into the distance, Qin Fanghe couldn’t help but laugh.

Quite interesting, after all.

Having seen everything worth seeing, there was no need to linger. After meeting up with Qin Shan shortly, the two wandered a bit more before sunset arrived.

It was already late January, the weather was gradually warming, and some impatient pedestrians were trying to shed their heavy winter clothes to welcome the spring girl. But the temperature difference between day and night was large. As soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, it quickly turned chilly.

The two were strangers in the county town and felt cold, so they didn’t want to tour at night. They followed the crowd to see the lanterns for a while before returning to Mr. Sun’s home.

They say the New Year isn’t over until after the Lantern Festival. Though the Yuanxiao Festival had passed, lanterns were still hung high on several main streets in the city, and the air faintly carried the scent of gunpowder—a festive atmosphere.

During this, there was a lantern riddle guessing activity. Qin Fanghe, passing by, tried guessing one and actually got it right. The prize was a small, exquisite lantern of a golden ox welcoming spring—about the size of an adult man’s palm, in the pose of bowing its head with horns forward, charging ahead. It was extremely cute.

Seeing that Qin Shan liked it, Qin Fanghe handed it over to him.

“Hehe, how embarrassing. Brother He, you won it yourself…” Though he said that, his hands didn’t idle.

They rested for the night. The next morning, they got up early and went to eat the famous meat paste with vermicelli and tofu skin savory soup in the county town. It was indeed rich and flavorful, leaving a lingering taste on the lips and teeth.

It was called soup, but the meat paste was generous, and the tofu skin and vermicelli were cheap, so the portions were lavish. The broth was extremely thick and sticky—almost like porridge.

Precious black pepper must have been added to the soup. After swallowing it down, the belly felt warm and cozy. In a winter morning, it was incredibly comforting, not as irritating as chili peppers—simply wonderful.

Qin Shan ate with his tongue smacking and lips licking, wishing he could lick the bowl shiny yet still unsatisfied. “No wonder one bowl costs five large coppers. The taste is really good.”

He had never eaten anything so delicious!

But it was truly expensive. If not for Brother He treating, he probably wouldn’t indulge in it his whole life.

A growing boy—how could one bowl of meat soup fill him? And they had a long journey ahead. Qin Fanghe smiled and ordered another bowl for him, plus an extra five sesame hu bing cakes.

The sesame hu bing had just come out of the oven, the rich wheat aroma rushed straight to the nose. The surface was baked to a slight golden yellow, and with a pinch of the fingers, it was so crispy that crumbs fell—extremely fragrant.

The two shops were next to each other, and many regular customers held a sesame hu bing in one hand and the meat paste savory soup in the other, attacking from both sides—very satisfying.

There was a trick to this: the hand holding the sesame hu bing needed to be held suspended over the soup bowl. That way, the shaken-off crispy crumbs would all fall into the bowl, and in the end, they could be eaten together—not wasting a bit.

Qin Shan couldn’t help twisting shyly, pressing down Qin Fanghe’s hand and whispering, “Stop it. I’m already full. You still need to save money for studying.”

Qin Fanghe laughed. “Even if we eat with open bellies, it’s just twenty or thirty large coppers. How much is that? Besides, it’s rare to come to the city—count it as a treat. It wouldn’t be good to go home hungry.”

Occasionally eating a few good meals outside—he could afford it now.

These days, he persisted in writing fifteen large characters daily. One bundle of paper had seventy-five sheets—sounded like a lot, but it was used up in just five days, faster than eating.

Five days per bundle, six bundles a month. Not to mention the pittance left by Father Qin—even the five bundles Sun Xian gave later and the two from Magistrate Zhou were all used up. He relied on buying in bulk at low prices through Qin Hai.

According to Qin Hai, his consumption alone was almost more than the entire grain shop’s.

But thanks to this, with the grain shop’s procurement volume soaring, the purchase price per bundle was reduced by one copper—mutual benefit.

Paper was used quickly, and ink wasn’t far behind. Except for the good ink stick given by Magistrate Zhou that he hadn’t touched, the other few sticks were nearly exhausted.

Even the brushes, due to average quality and excessive writing, had worn bald, split, and become hard to use.

Now, just Qin Fanghe’s necessary expenses for entering school averaged four to five hundred coppers per month!

A year down, at least six taels of silver!

For other students, adding buying books and paying tuition to a teacher would cost at least ten taels or more.

In Zhang County town, an ordinary family of six spent no more than fifteen taels a year at most.

Rural farming households were self-sufficient and hardly spent money all year.

Thus, the expense of studying was truly beyond what ordinary people could bear.

The one-plus tael left by Father Qin had long been spent. Of the seven taels earned from writing storybooks, one and a half were gone. Plus daily purchases of snacks, social courtesies, grain, rice, salt, oil, etc., another tael was spent—total remaining four and a half taels.

But before the New Year, Qin Fanghe went to pay respects to Magistrate Zhou and received a pouch with six straight ruyi silver ingots. Adding the red satin embroidered gold-thread pouch, if pawned, it could fetch at least eleven or twelve taels—suddenly making his hands comfortable again.

So, wealth comes from risk. Without venturing out, where would unexpected fortune come from?

Now he was someone with over ten taels in assets. Occasionally treating himself to good food outside was no issue.

After breakfast, Qin Fanghe and Qin Shan didn’t linger and immediately left the city to return to Qingshan Town.

By the time they returned, it was nearly noon. They first stopped by Bai Family Bookstore to thank Mr. Sun.

“You’re just in time,” said Mr. Sun. “There’s something important to tell you!”

Before the New Year, Qin Fanghe had sold two storybooks to him. Initially, only one hundred fifty copies were printed as a trial. They sold neither poorly nor greatly. Unexpectedly, during the New Year, many people visited relatives and friends, and when bored, saw the new storybooks from Bai Family Bookstore. They bought them on a whim for novelty and ended up loving them.

The New Year was precisely when all sorts of entertainments spread rapidly. In just a few short days, the storybooks had even reached the neighboring county…

“Yesterday, right after you left, the owner sent a letter saying they’ve done a second printing,” Mr. Sun said, feeling proud since he had recommended the books himself. He spoke with great cheer. “He also asked me to inquire if those two gentlemen have any new works…”