Chapter 6: A Parched Sky and a Friend's Visit

The horizon was tinged with a rosy glow as the sky brightened. As the sun slowly ascended, the quiet village began to bustle, and more and more people hurried about their business. Early that morning, Squire Zhang had already sent men to urge Fan Jin to move into his town residence as soon as possible, citing the need to accommodate a steady stream of visitors. Fan Jin had agreed, yet he harbored his own reservations.

He had long been anxious about the possibility that his mother, accustomed to a lifetime of poverty, might be unable to cope with such a sudden change in fortune. Was this not precisely how his mother had met her end in the novel *The Scholars*? For anyone who has endured a life of bitterness and despair, only to suddenly witness a miraculous turn of fate, the sheer magnitude of such wealth could be overwhelming. Given his mother’s frail and elderly condition, it was not impossible that the shock of such intense joy might prove fatal. Thus, Fan Jin had been intentionally stalling for the past few days, aiming to give his family time to adapt to their new life.

In the original story, Fan Jin had been forced into a three-year period of mourning following his mother’s sudden passing. While this mourning period had certainly earned him a reputation for filial piety, it was an undeniable fact that three precious years had slipped away like a galloping horse. According to Zhou Xuedao, given the current maturity of his writing, passing the metropolitan examination was a matter of course. Naturally, Fan Jin did not want to miss that opportunity.

Stepping out of his house, he was greeted warmly by many villagers. A mere nod from Fan Jin was enough to fill them with boundless joy. Such treatment was something he had never experienced before passing the provincial examination; the reverence they felt seemed to overflow from their very expressions. However, Fan Jin could clearly sense a shadow of sorrow hanging over the entire village. What had been a scene of jubilation just days ago had quickly turned into one of long faces. He saw many veteran farmers standing on the ridges of their fields, sighing at the parched earth, with some even kneeling in despair, complaining about the strange weather this year.

"A drought?" The thought flashed through his mind. It had been over a month since the last rainfall. Unlike the original Fan Jin, who was physically weak and ignorant of farming, the current Fan Jin had studied astronomy and geography. Even if his expertise was limited, he knew that the climate was unlikely to change significantly in the near future. In other words, there would be no rain for a long time, and the drought would surely persist. The crops in the fields were bound to suffer, with many facing reduced yields or total failure.

Grain is the lifeblood of farmers; with the rain refusing to fall, even the most optimistic among them could no longer remain calm. Fan Jin listened for a while, but before he could dwell on it further, someone came to tell him that he had a visitor at home. He had no choice but to push his concerns aside.

...

By midday, the sun emitted a dazzling light and heat, ruthlessly scorching the earth. A luxurious carriage, having traveled through dust and wind, pulled into Bai Miao Village and stopped at Fan Jin’s doorstep. A middle-aged man stepped out. He wore a square cap and a green scholar’s robe; though no longer young, he retained the air of a dashing gentleman.

"Hahaha, Brother Fan! I told you that you would certainly pass this year!" Wei Haogu shook his fan and greeted Fan Jin with a bear hug.

"Cough, cough! You are compromising my dignity, truly compromising my dignity!" Fan Jin said, feigning annoyance. Despite his words, he was quick to instruct his wife to boil water and make tea.

Wei Haogu and Fan Jin were close friends, so he naturally disregarded Fan Jin’s complaints, sighing instead, "Brother Fan, you have finally made it!"

Fan Jin remained silent. No one knew better than he how much suffering and hardship his predecessor had endured.

"Brother Wei, I will never forget your kindness in gifting me that silver," Fan Jin said, bowing solemnly. Before the provincial examination, the first person he had thought to borrow travel money from was Old Man Hu, but not only did he fail to secure a loan, he was soundly scolded. It was only when Wei Haogu learned of the situation that he had secretly sent a servant with twenty taels of silver. If Zhou Xuedao was the greatest benefactor in Fan Jin’s life, then Wei Haogu was undoubtedly the first. Without Wei Haogu’s generosity, Fan Jin never would have been able to afford the journey to the examination, let alone place seventh in the Guangdong provincial exams.

"Brother Fan, you worry too much!" Wei Haogu waved his hand dismissively. "Our friendship is one of mutual respect, and we have known each other for years. What is a bit of mere worldly wealth?" He then ordered his men to present the generous gifts he had brought. Unlike Fan Jin, who had been notoriously unsociable and obsessed with rote learning before his success, Wei Haogu was a well-known socialite, generous and straightforward, with fame and talent far exceeding Fan Jin’s own.

Fan Jin’s mouth twitched. Judging purely by his appearance, Wei Haogu was indeed a man of extraordinary presence—at least when he wasn't posturing. He would have been a quiet, handsome man if only he didn't insist on opening his mouth. Wei Haogu had, of course, participated in this provincial examination, just as he had in the previous lower-level exams. Truth be told, both Fan Jin and Wei Haogu had been selected as scholars by Zhou Xuedao, but while Fan Jin had placed seventh in the province, Wei Haogu had failed miserably, ranking over five hundredth.

By all accounts, Wei Haogu’s talent should have been sufficient to avoid such a result, but he had managed to offend the examiner. It was a classic case of fawning that backfired. Back during the preliminary exams, Wei Haogu had taken the liberty of requesting an "interview" with Zhou Xuedao, hoping to secure a back-door advantage.

Zhou Xuedao, puzzled, had replied, "Your writing is already here; what is there to interview?"

Eagerly, Wei Haogu had responded, "As a student, I am proficient in poetry and prose; the Magistrate may test me on any subject."

Wei Haogu had expected this to be his moment to shine, but Zhou Xuedao’s expression shifted instantly. He delivered that legendary rebuke: "The current Emperor values essays; why must you speak of the Han and Tang dynasties! As a student, you should focus on your essays; why bother with such trivial pursuits!..."

Zhou Xuedao immediately had Wei Haogu escorted out. It must be said that Fan Jin’s ability to win Zhou Xuedao’s favor and be personally named top of the list was largely due to their compatible temperaments. Otherwise, someone like Wei Haogu, who indulged in romanticism and poetry, would have been dismissed by Zhou Xuedao as someone who "pursues fame rather than substance."

In the typical course of events, a flamboyant talent who offended a high-ranking official would find his path to the imperial examinations, if not entirely blocked, then at least fraught with obstacles. Fortunately, while Zhou Xuedao was a stern traditionalist, he was ultimately a fair and impartial examiner who did not allow personal grievances to interfere with the imperial examination system. The only reason Wei Haogu had managed to earn his scholar’s degree at all was that Zhou Xuedao, after reviewing his papers, found the writing to be fresh and unconventional, thus granting him a low ranking—enough to secure the title of scholar. As for becoming a provincial graduate? That was quite unnecessary!