Chapter 241: The Year of Exams

Flat planks, logs, more planks…

Yan Yu held her breath. This was turning out way better than she’d expected!

It was… a raft! A wooden raft that looked like a boat!

Of course, they couldn’t just use two old door panels.

Qi Wu measured the size of the raft they’d lashed together and began sawing wood to make proper boards.

Without the convenience of modern tools, Qi Wu relied entirely on brute strength, wrestling with the wood inch by inch.

Yan Yu helped out here and there, discreetly lending a hand.

The group worked straight through to dusk, and finally, the raft began to take shape.

Yan Lao’er couldn’t wait to test it out.

He said it, and he meant it.

Qi Da and Qi Si each lifted one end, and with four adults and one child, they carried the raft down to the riverbank.

At this hour, the riverbank was bustling with people—some casting nets to fish, others just watching. There were folks of all ages, young and old.

When they saw the group approaching, everyone turned to look, curious.

“Yan Lao’er, what’s this contraption now?” someone called out.

Yan Lao’er shouted back, “Can’t you tell? It’s a raft!”

“Hahaha! We figured as much, but didn’t dare believe it.

Ain’t there a bridge to the Prefectural City? It’s not that far, and your family’s got an ox cart. What do you need a raft for? Not like it saves you much walking.”

“Well, I was thinking about taking the river to buy grain. If it works out, traveling by water’s better than by land.”

As soon as he mentioned buying grain, everyone gathered around.

“Yan Lao’er, is there something special about this?” Luo Da asked.

Yan Lao’er was more than happy to share what things were like outside the village. Sooner or later, everyone would have to leave, and the more they knew, the less they’d panic when the time came.

“Like this time, Qi Si and I went to Longxing. We had official documents from the magistrate, so it counted as a government errand. When we stopped at a post station, we could stay the night for free. But if you wanted them to boil some water or pack some food, you still had to give them a few coins.

And if you ran into patrol officers checking travel permits, you’d better be ready to offer some tea money.”

“What if you don’t?” someone asked.

“Well, you could refuse, sure. But then they’d make things difficult for you.

They might have you recite the text on your travel permit over and over. And if you mess it up even once, they can detain you on the spot. Lock you up first, sort it out later.

By the time someone from our village goes to explain, they’ll just go, ‘Oh, it was a misunderstanding.’ What can you do at that point?”

Yan Lao’er spoke with heavy sincerity. “That’s why the old saying goes, ‘Be frugal at home, but generous on the road.’ When you’re out and about, don’t pinch pennies. A few copper coins can save you a lot of trouble.”

“So traveling by river is better, huh? You don’t run into people.”

“How could you not? There are always folks sailing up and down.”

“Well, that’s fine. We’re all just struggling to get by.”

…

After listening to them chat for a bit, Yan Lao’er added, “We didn’t take the official road on the way back. Took a shortcut instead. That path was full of potholes—I thought I was going to die from all the bumping. The more I think about it, the more I feel that going by river is better. You can carry more stuff, too.”

“Exactly…” He smacked his lips. “We can’t afford a proper boat anyway, so I figured I’d build a raft and see if it works. If it does, I’ll give it a try.”

“I’ll help you out, Yan Lao’er,” Luo Da volunteered first.

The others quickly chimed in, all eager to lend a hand.

Yan Lao’er said they still needed two smaller bamboo beds.

Someone immediately shouted that they had some and ran home to fetch them.

A few of the fishermen hurriedly hauled in their nets, set aside half their catch for the Yan family, then came back to help carry wood.

Seeing everyone so enthusiastic, Yan Lao’er didn’t want to waste their goodwill. With so many hands, he decided they might as well build the small dock he’d been planning.

…

Sturdy wooden stakes were driven into the riverbank, extending deep into the water.

“Dad, aren’t there too many stakes?” Yan Yu asked, watching the village uncles hammering away with gusto.

Yan Lao’er replied, “Not just too many—they’ve driven them in way too deep.”

He was, frankly, speechless.

Yan Yu fell silent for a moment, then looked at the stakes barely higher than the riverbank and sighed.

“Look on the bright side, Dad. These stakes are solid. If we tie the raft to them, we won’t have to worry about it getting swept away.”

Yan Lao’er: Not comforted in the slightest.

Qi Wu began laying planks across the stakes while a few others stood in the water to help secure them.

Yan Lao’er and Yan Yu couldn’t get close, so they stood off to the side, watching from afar.

“What if we smeared some cement over the top?” Yan Lao’er suddenly mused.

Yan Yu gave it serious thought, then shook her head. “It wouldn’t dry fast enough.”

“Oh right, back at the Qi family’s place, why did you tug on me?” Yan Lao’er asked.

“Uncle Qi Wu mentioned that besides raw lacquer and black lacquer, there’s also red, green, and yellow lacquer…” Yan Yu recalled. “But the colored ones aren’t for us. There’s a lot of rules behind them.”

Yan Lao’er let out a breath of relief. “Good thing you came with me. If I’d gone alone and stupidly asked for red lacquer, that would’ve been a disaster.”

He couldn’t help adding, “But red doors look so nice! Festive, eye-catching. It’s just a color—what are they being so picky about?”

Yan Yu said, “Don’t worry, Dad. We can still hope for it. Red doors are called ‘vermillion gates.’ Only nobles, officials, and those with high enough rank can paint their doors that color. Old Yan’s got no problem aiming high.”

Yan Lao’er burst out laughing.

“Well then, no rush. Good things are worth waiting for. Sooner or later, our front door’s getting a color upgrade.”

“Oh, right, Dad—did you ask about the exams?”

Yan Lao’er groaned, filled with frustration. “Of course I did. Next year… next year’s going to be the Year of Exams. They start right after New Year and just keep coming!

The County Exam is in the second month, the Prefectural Exam in the fourth… and the Provincial Examination in the eighth.”

Yan Lao’er looked like he had a lot to say, but didn’t know where to begin.

Old Yan would have to wait until next August to take the provincial exam for the title of Juren.

Before that, though, there was the county-level exam.

His Eldest Nephew—and poor him too—would be sent into the examination hall as soon as the new year began.

Eldest Nephew was all for it. But him? He wanted no part of it!

Yan Yu: …

All she could feel was sympathy. Endless sympathy.

“But you know, the timing’s kind of perfect. The provincial exam ends in August, and come February, the metropolitan exam picks right up. Isn’t that kind of amazing? Just imagine—some academic genius could breeze through the exams, go from being a regular nobody one year to becoming a Jinshi the next, waiting to be assigned an official post. Tsk tsk, that’s one hell of a leap.”

He was actually a little excited just thinking about it.

Yan Yu gave him a look of newfound respect. “Dad, you’ve really been doing your homework, huh!”

“You think your uncle’s got a shot?” Yan Lao’er asked his daughter in a hushed voice, eyes full of hope.

Yan Yu put on a mysterious expression, stroking her imaginary beard like a wise old sage, and drawled, “The odds are looking real good!”

The father and daughter looked at each other, then burst into uncontrollable laughter.

From a distance, Li Xuemei spotted the two of them huddled together, whispering about who knows what.

Seeing them laugh like that, she instinctively glanced around.

Thankfully, everyone else was focused on the nearly completed ferry dock by the river. With the sky already dimming, no one was paying attention to them.

“It’s almost dark. What are you doing out here?” Yan Lao’er spotted her and hurried over.

Li Xuemei said, “Granny Rong already set the table. I waited and waited, but you two never came back, so I figured I’d wander over and see when you’d be done.”

(End of Chapter)