Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 652: Chapter 338: Pauper from the Countryside (Part 2)

So, while Zhang Yang and the others were busy with their examinations, Huai Zi, Liu Sanshun, and Zhao San wandered around the bustling city of Huzhou. They spent most of their time in the marketplaces selling grain, meat, and vegetables, comparing produce prices and checking the market for local goods to pass the days.

He also spent a whole day in a bookstore, picking out a good number of books: scripts of legendary tales, history books, and local gazetteers. After some thought, he added two books of poetry. He’d heard Juhua teaching Zhao Qing to recite poems and figured she must enjoy it. He imagined buying a couple of books to read with her in the evenings and to one day teach their future son and daughter.

The shop assistant, Xiao Er, saw his rustic attire and was quite surprised he was choosing so many books. Still, business was business, and he couldn’t just ignore a customer. So, he put on a wide smile and attended to him with great enthusiasm.

After a few days of exploring the bustling city, the novelty wore off, and the men grew homesick. Huai Zi and Liu Sanshun were newlyweds whose wives were both pregnant, so they naturally missed them. Zhao San, too, couldn’t stop worrying about his own wife, children, and crops back home. Once the Prefecture Examination was finished, an incident occurred that made them resent this gathering place for the elite even more, making them long for the free and easy life of the countryside.

It turned out that when the examination results were posted, all three of the younger men had passed. To everyone’s surprise, Zhang Yang and Little Shitou once again topped the list. This enraged the scholars from established literary families. Being outdone by two poor boys from the countryside—how could they possibly tolerate such a thing?

A comparison of the exam papers, however, left no room for argument. Zhang Yang’s writing was rigorous yet possessed a bold, magnanimous flair, showing all the signs of a great master. Little Shitou, Zhao Yun’s, essay, on the other hand, was brimming with novelty—a fresh concept and an original style. Like the boy himself, it was so brilliantly insightful it was impossible to ignore.

With these two papers laid out for all to see, those other safely written but rigid and uninspired essays simply couldn’t compare. Of course, a few other students had also written good essays, but they still fell short when compared to Zhang Yang and Zhao Yun, making it impossible to show favoritism even if one wanted to.

But being outdone in their essays did nothing to make those students respect the three "impoverished scholars" from the countryside. Thus, on the day Li Changfeng held a farewell banquet for Zhang Huai and the others, the two groups met at a restaurant, and conflict instantly flared.

The opposing group was led by Ma Liang, the governor’s son. He had been the favorite to win first place but had only managed third, so naturally, he was displeased. However, he was also a proud young man steeped in the classics and did not personally start trouble or use his position to bully anyone.

He didn’t take the lead, but someone in his coterie was ready to voice the group’s indignation for him.

As Ma Liang’s group entered the restaurant, they ran right into Li Changfeng’s party on their way out. A student surnamed Liu watched Little Shitou skipping along, joking and laughing with one of the farmers. He couldn’t help but snort. "Country folk certainly are different. He doesn’t even have a proper way of walking. If his kind can get into the Prefecture School, won’t we become a laughingstock?"

Zhang Yang’s eyes flashed in annoyance. He shot back sternly, "What of it if we’re from the countryside? Have we ever asked you for money? Have we ever begged from you?"

Another student, surnamed Wei, sneered. "What big talk! So you’ve never borrowed money or begged? Is that something to be proud of? No matter how noble you pretend to be, you can’t hide that petty, impoverished air about you."

Zhang Huai and the others were enraged. Li Changfeng’s brow furrowed, his eyes glaring, and he looked ready to explode.

But Little Shitou just grinned cheekily. "This learned brother is right," he said. "We’re just poor scholars, dirt poor at that. Why would we pretend to be noble? Yangzi, this is my first time in the city. I’ve never seen such a beautiful restaurant before! If this place were in Xiatang Market, my family would have a great spot to sell our eggs."

Hearing this, the crowd of students roared with laughter. Only Ma Liang and two of the young men beside him watched Little Shitou warily. ’This kid looks like trouble,’ they thought. ’He’s definitely up to something.’

Zhang Yang saw the look on Little Shitou’s face. Though he didn’t know what his scheme was, he knew the boy well enough to be sure there was more to come. He smiled faintly and said, "My brother asked yesterday. Eggs here are even cheaper than in Xiatang Market. Don’t be so easily impressed; not everything in this city is better."

Little Shitou’s lips curled. "Of course I don’t think everything here is better. For one, these learned brothers right here are very strange. Instead of diligently studying the path of the gentleman, they have the free time to mock people from the countryside. Makes you wonder if they’ve ever read the works of the sages at all."

At this, the expressions on Ma Liang and his friends’ faces changed drastically.

Liu Sixun, who was also quick-witted and mischievous, immediately jumped in. "How could they not have read the works of the sages? It’s obvious at a glance that you gentlemen have grand aspirations. Your perception is like a torch, seeing right away how impoverished we are. Such insight! Truly! Now that you’ve mocked us to pieces, do you feel pleased? Do you feel honored?"

Zhang Yang scoffed. "We may be poor in our pockets, but they are poor in spirit. If they weren’t so short-sighted and narrow-minded, why would they waste their energy picking a fight with a few people from the country? If their ambitions were truly lofty, they’d be aiming higher. Go earn an official title and serve the court if you’re so capable! Even if you’re unconvinced of our abilities, you should be competing against famous scholars and top laureates, not waylaying a few country folk for ridicule. How impressive! What fine character! It’s truly admirable!"

Little Shitou grinned. "Yangzi, that’s where you’re mistaken. A true gentleman, magnanimous and upstanding, would never engage in such tedious behavior. Only vulgar, snobbish little men would act this way. To think you are all students of the Prefecture School... your conduct has really been an eye-opener for us country boys."

Having said his piece, he spun around on the spot and, with a cheerful grin, bowed with clasped hands to the onlookers in the restaurant’s main hall.

The faces of Ma Liang and his friends flushed red, then went pale. They were so choked with humiliation they couldn’t say a word. Finally, Ma Liang shot a harsh glare at the students surnamed Liu and Wei. He then stepped forward to face Zhang Yang, bowed with clasped hands, and said, "Brother Zhang is right to chastise us. We were the ones who were discourteous and lost the dignity befitting a scholar. Our words were improper; please accept our apologies for the great offense we have caused." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to qidian.com to vote with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)