Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 481 Koi Little Lucky Star 10

Time flies, and three years have passed quietly in the flowing stream and the alternating green and yellow fields.

The eight-year-old Yun Chu has grown taller, but his eyes are still clear and calm.

At this moment, the whole village's attention is focused on the upcoming children's examination.

The Yun family has eighteen-year-old Yunfeng, sixteen-year-old Yunsen, and fifteen-year-old Yunze.

And on the Lin family side - nineteen-year-old Lin Mingxuan, fifteen-year-old Lin Mingcheng, eighteen-year-old Lin Minglu and fifteen-year-old Lin Minghong from the second branch, and seventeen-year-old Lin Mingjin from the third branch.

These eight young men will form the largest lineup of children's auditions in Shili Village in recent years.

In January, all eight of them qualified for the provincial examination. Now they have to take the provincial examination. Only if they pass the provincial examination can they become students.

The Lin family courtyard before the exam was even more lively than when the new gilded lanterns were hung three years ago.

The five young men from the Lin family who were taking the exam, regardless of their relationship, all changed into brand new fine cotton gowns, which were said to be specially made at the "Hongyun Cloth Shop" in the county town, to bring them good luck.

The colors were also bright, and Lin Mingxuan even had dark patterns embroidered on the lapels and cuffs, making him quite eye-catching when he walked.

In the exquisite bamboo examination basket, there are brand new pens, inkstones, and inkstones. The inkstone pool is painted with light gold patterns, and the ink stick exudes a subtle fragrance that has never been worn out.

Eight-year-old Lin Fubao, dressed ever more ostentatiously, had been extremely busy these past few days, meticulously placing a "blessed" copper coin or a "koi fish" blessing bag in each of his brothers' exam baskets, muttering to himself, "Blessed by the koi fish, brothers will surely pass every exam!"

The night before leaving, the Lin family held a grand banquet, decorated the yard with lights and lanterns, and slaughtered chickens and geese.

Mrs. Song spoke in a resonant voice, admonishing each of her children one by one: "Don't be afraid, my grandchildren! With your sister's lucky star protecting you, the examiner will have to show some respect when he sees you!"

During the banquet, they talked and talked as if fame and fortune were already in their pockets. Lin Shan (Lin Fubao's father) also had a rare rosy face and poured wine for his sons and nephews to say goodbye.

Early in the morning on the day of departure, the Lin family, led by Mrs. Song, went to the land temple outside the village and the small Buddhist temple halfway up the mountain to burn incense.

In the smoke, the Lin family kowtowed like crazy, praying for the blessing of the reincarnation of the "koi" to protect their sons from passing the exam, without showing any concern for the children's knowledge itself.

The fame and wealth earned by the Lin family in recent years do not seem to be used to improve their children's studies.

Lin Mingxuan is fond of fame and has a restless mind; Lin Mingcheng is the youngest and is spoiled to the point of being arrogant; several cousins ​​have benefited from the Lin family's "prosperity" in recent years, and their minds may not be completely immersed in books.

Their knowledge is like the golden door lintels and lanterns. It looks bright, but only in the examination hall can one know the depth of their knowledge.

The Yun family courtyard remains the same as before, with quiet waters running deep.

On the eve of their departure, the three Yun brothers still sat with their family members under the oil lamp in the main hall.

On the table lay their familiar, well-worn inkstone and a mended old examination basket. Their clothes were old, starched, white, yet clean and neatly trimmed linen shirts, comfortable and unobtrusive.

Grandpa Yun didn't give any lengthy instructions. He simply called his three grandsons over one by one and said, "Feng'er, you're the leader, so stay calm in the exam room. Sen'er, write neatly, don't scribble. Ze'er, you're younger, so you need to be even more careful with the questions."

Finally, he patted the three men on the shoulders, his eyes calm, "Just hope you can live up to the ten years of hard study. It's no shame to have a name on Sunshan Mountain. Go."

The three sisters-in-law quietly prepared dry food for them - long-lasting and filling meat pancakes and pickles.

Yunyue, Yunxia and Yunchu got up early and helped their brothers fill their water bags.

Yun Chu looked at them with sparkling eyes. There were no "blessed" copper coins, but only one sentence: "Brothers, I will wait for you to come back and teach me to read the new book."

The old cow mooed softly in the shed, as if it was another kind of quiet encouragement.

During these three years, the Yun brothers attended classes attentively in the private school during the day, went home to help with housework after school, and went to the provincial capital to work on weekends to supplement the family income. They never slacked off in their studies at night.

Every penny they saved was carefully spent on buying books, paper and pens.

Their knowledge was accumulated bit by bit behind the counter of the rice shop in the capital city, in the rustling sound of writing under the lamp, and in the silent recitation during the breaks in the fields.

There is no halo to protect you, only hard work, clarity and pragmatism day after day.

On the day of departure, just after dawn, the three Yun brothers packed their bags and walked out of the yard under the quiet gaze of their grandparents, parents, and younger siblings.

There was no grand ceremony, no noisy prayers, and the figures blended into the misty morning light, steady and determined.

On the way to the provincial examination venue, the two teams met at the village entrance.

The Lin family's team was very lively. The five young men were dressed in fine clothes and new shoes. Surrounded by their parents and decorated with Lin Fubao's "fairy boy" costumes, they looked like they were going on a trip.

Amidst the laughter and joyful chatter, the voices of “koi blessing” and “success in one step” were heard everywhere.

Mrs. Song caught a glimpse of the plain figures of the three Yun brothers and couldn't help but raise her voice: "Fubao, don't share your good fortune with others, stick to your brothers!"

Yun Zhong (driving the ox cart for escort) took a quick look and saw that the ox cart had not stopped.

Yunfeng sat in the front, glancing back at the Lin family's overly ostentatious display. His gaze was calm as he whispered to his younger brother beside him, "The exam relies on the ink in your head, the pen in your hand, and the determination in your heart. Nothing else matters. Don't be distracted."

The hustle and bustle of the Lin family gradually faded away, and the quiet progress of the Yun family also disappeared at the end of the village road.

On the desks in the examination room, every word and every stroke of ink will be the most ruthless yet fair examiner, measuring what kind of foundations the two pieces of land in Shili Village have sown with their sweat - or noise - over the past three years or even longer.

On the day of the provincial examination, there was a crowd of people outside the provincial government office.

The tall gate of the government office was painted in a solemn color, and the guards stood solemnly. Only the candidates taking the exam could enter in a line with the help of the exam guide.

This is the first real hurdle that measures the ten years of hard work and opens the door to the world of fame and fortune.

Yamen runners stood solemnly holding water and fire sticks, maintaining order. The air was filled with the choking smoke from burning cheap incense and candles, as well as suppressed voices and heavy breathing.

The Lin family's carriage arrived at the yamen gate almost amid the noise.

Five young men in bright clothes got off the car surrounded by their parents and relatives. Their brand new fine cotton gowns were particularly eye-catching in the crowd, especially Lin Mingxuan's collar and cuffs with faint dark patterns, which attracted many complicated and inquiring glances from the people around him.

Mrs. Song's voice cut through the buzz of the crowd as she continued to give her final instructions: "Don't be afraid, my little ones! Fubao's good fortune is with you! You will definitely pass the high school entrance exam!"

Lin Fubao was pushed to the center like a mascot, urging the brothers to touch the koi sachet she was wearing.

When he was about to enter the venue for inspection, Lin Mingxuan strode with his head held high, trying to maintain a deliberate composure, but his eyes could not hide his determination to win and his concern for the surrounding pomp and circumstance;

Lin Mingcheng looked around, sizing up the other examinees' baskets and attire, revealing the competitive spirit of a spoiled teenager.

Lin Minglu, Lin Minghong and others seemed a little restrained, repeatedly arranging their brand new clothes. The newness of the clothes instead brought a sense of uncomfortable tension at this moment.

In their examination baskets, the brand new four treasures of the study were shining brightly, and at the bottom were pressed the "consecrated" items placed by Lin Fubao - as if this could give them more peace of mind than the ink in their stomachs.

After the self-examination, the figure walked towards the examination room with a somewhat vague confidence supported by expectations and "good luck".