Chapter 7: When You Are Successful, You Are Surrounded by Kind People

Unlike Wei Haogu, who sought to display refined tastes and chase after poetry and verses, Fan Jin’s skills lay entirely in the sacred teachings of the sages.

When Zhou Xuedao first reviewed Fan Jin’s examination papers, he deliberately examined them with great attention but felt displeased.

“What kind of words are these? No wonder he hasn’t passed the exams!”

He then carelessly tossed the papers aside.

After a while, however, he couldn’t resist picking them up again to read more carefully.

After some time, he sighed, “Such writing—even I cannot understand it on the first read. Only after three readings do I realize this is the highest prose of heaven and earth!”

“Truly, each word is a pearl!”

“This shows how many brilliant talents have been wronged by bewildered examiners!”

This is a classic case of the “true appreciation after initial rejection” phenomenon.

Moved by this realization, Zhou Xuedao promptly took his brush to mark the paper carefully, circling three points and awarding the first place.

Thus it is evident that in the realm of prose, Fan Jin’s penmanship was exceptionally mature and he possessed genuine talent and learning—truly deserving of his reputation.

It was not, as rumors suggested, that his scholarly rank was earned through the pity of examiners.

His repeated failures before may have been largely because his essays were too profound.

The examiners at the child-level exams had limited expertise and faced countless papers, unlike Zhou Xuedao who had a profound mastery of the Four Books and Five Classics and was able to discern true talent.

This led to Fan Jin’s long delay in becoming a scholar and his inability to rise above mediocrity, wasting half his life.

To use an analogy, it’s like a middle school student solving problems with graduate-level axioms and theorems. Even if the final answers are correct, if the evaluator’s knowledge is insufficient and they do not scrutinize carefully, they might misunderstand and mark the answers wrong, resulting in lost points.

The two talked for a while, and Wei Haogu smiled wryly. “Brother Fan, you don’t know—after I offended Zhou Xuedao, my father was very critical of me.”

Fan Jin replied, “Zhou Xuedao is a man who loves talent and has a broad mind. Elder Wei worries too much!”

Wei Haogu waved his hand casually. “I don’t mind, it’s mainly my father who frets.”

He picked up an apple, wiped it on his sleeve, and began munching on it as if he were at home.

Fan Jin was glad to see his ease and comfort.

But for the sake of maintaining appearances, he still advised, “Uncle Wei has a point. You, a restless spirit, should really focus on your examinations.”

“If you apply yourself, success in the imperial exams would be no great difficulty for you.”

Wei Haogu was indeed talented in literary studies.

The Wei family hailed from Nanhai County and was a lineage of several centuries.

It was said that during the Southern Song dynasty, an ancestor of the Wei family had passed the imperial examination, and during the Yuan dynasty, another had become a successful candidate.

In the current dynasty, Wei Haogu’s grandfather had also passed the candidate examination but died young.

Wei Haogu’s father, Wei Wenqian, was of limited talent and, after repeated failures, pinned his hopes on Wei Haogu.

This mindset was quite normal—like the fable of the Foolish Old Man who moved mountains—families with strong legacies persisted generation after generation in striving for official success.

For common folk, nothing was more alluring than mastering the literary and martial arts to serve the emperor.

In Fan Jin’s view, Wei Haogu had considerable talent in literature, and with hard work, a few years of dedication, and some luck, he still had a chance at becoming a successful candidate.

Achieving the rank of candidate was enough to bring honor and protection to a family.

Yet, all this was hindered by Wei Haogu’s restless nature—he simply couldn’t sit still.

As soon as he sat down, it was as if he were sitting on a tiger’s bench soaked in chili water.

Moreover, Wei Haogu was not particularly fond of the Four Books and Five Classics.

Instead, he was passionate about chasing poetry and verses, indulging in romantic pursuits, and engaging in social and commercial interactions.

Over the past twenty years, though his achievements in the imperial examinations were average, he managed the family business so well that their assets nearly doubled.

Wei Haogu’s sincerity, generosity, and sense of justice made him widely respected in Nanhai County.

With a faint curve on his lips, he smiled wryly, “Family knows family matters. I’m not cut out for this—when I see the Four Books and Five Classics, it’s like reading a celestial script!”

“The phrase ‘a bull chewing on peonies’ probably fits me best...”

Fan Jin no longer pressed the matter—each man has his own aspirations, no need to force it.

Even in dynasties where “all professions are inferior to scholarship,” failure in the exams does not mean one cannot live well.

“If only I could be as resolute as Brother Fan...”

Wei Haogu was naturally lively and unwilling to endure tedious studies.

Yet he admired Fan Jin’s unyielding spirit.

Often, he regarded Fan Jin as an elder brother, treating him with great respect.

After their long conversation, Wei Haogu visited Fan Jin’s mother, shared lunch, left a gift, and then took his leave.

Fan Jin tried to persuade him to stay longer, but seeing dusk approach and worried about the difficulty of travel, he let him go.

Before parting, Wei Haogu suddenly suggested, “In a few days, I plan to visit Master Zhou. Why not come along?”

Wei Haogu almost shuddered instinctively.

Recalling Zhou Xuedao’s stern expression from that day, he hurriedly shook his head in refusal.

Fan Jin was speechless—apparently, Wei Haogu feared the strict and rigid Zhou Xuedao the most.

Indeed, which mischievous student doesn’t fear a strict teacher?

But often, only a strict master can tame a wild child!

Seeing Wei Haogu off in his carriage, Fan Jin casually remarked, “We’ll be moving soon; I’ll need to trouble you again, Brother Wei.”

Wei Haogu’s eyes brightened with joy. “No problem—leave it to me!”

Wei Haogu was always enthusiastic about such matters.

In the original story, Fan Jin was inept at mundane affairs, and during his mother’s trial of the household, it was Wei Haogu who bustled about, arranging everything flawlessly.

In Nanhai County, Wei Haogu was known as timely rain, often helping friends solve their troubles.

With that assurance and an agreement to meet again, Fan Jin turned to return home.

He overheard his mother and wife, Hu Yingying, whispering.

They were lamenting how the villagers and relatives had once scorned and despised their family, yet now even distant relatives who had long ceased contact were desperately trying to ingratiate themselves with the Fan family.

Fan Jin smiled and shook his head, truly reflecting the old saying:

When you succeed, all your words become truth, and your surroundings are filled with good people.

PS: The child-level examination consisted of county, academy, and prefectural tests. Passing the county test made one a “tongsheng” (child student), passing all three made one a “xiucai” (cultivated talent).

After the child exams came the provincial exam (spring exam), passing which made one a “juren” (successful candidate).

Above that was the metropolitan exam (imperial exam), passing which made one a “gongshi” (tribute scholar).

Usually, gongshi were almost certain to be appointed officials but had to await notification.

Gongshi generally took the palace exam to rank themselves, selecting the first, second, and third divisions.

The first division included the top three: the champion, the runner-up, and the third place. The second and third divisions were also considered successful graduates.