Three days later, the exam ended.
Wang Er dragged his weary body back home, where Li Yao naturally prepared a table full of delicious food.
But due to Li Yao's advance notice, everyone avoided mentioning the exam. The exam pressure was already high enough, so now that it was over, they couldn't add more pressure on the exam takers.
These next few days were for Wang Er to properly relax.
The results would be posted in three days.
Wang Er and Song Zhe made plans to go see the rankings together. The rest of the family also wanted to go, but Li Yao stopped them all.
Doing well on the exams would certainly be fortunate, but if the results were poor, having family there would only make Wang Er feel ashamed.
"Mother, we're going now."
"Come back soon."
Wang Er steadied his mood then headed out with Song Zhe to see the rankings.
Outside the high wall in front of the government building, over two thousand exam takers and countless relatives and friends of the test takers crowded together in a vast expanse.
At the end of the morning and the beginning of the afternoon, under the supervision of several exam officials, several enormous ranking lists were posted on the wall.
In that instant, everyone stretched their necks to push their way in, as if they would be squeezed farther back on the list if they were late.
Seeing the enormous crowd, Song Zhe felt a thrill: "Why don't we try to push our way in too?"
"Alright, let's go wild today."
The two exchanged smiles then used all their strength to push their way into the crowd with everyone else.
It took immense effort before they made it to the front of the lists, moments before being crushed.
With one glance, Wang Er saw his name at the very top.
Top scorer, Wang Shouren.
Second place, Xu Youcai.
......
"I knew you could do it," seeing Wang Er had come in first, Song Zhe couldn't help but feel happy for him. "Congratulations Wang Er! You're the first person from He Wan village to become a successful candidate!"
"Thank you, hurry and see where you placed."
"I must be way at the back, so no need to check the top."
Out of the two thousand people who took the test, eighty made it onto the lists.
So Song Zhe started from 30th place, but after reaching over 60 and nearing the end of the list, he still hadn't seen his name.
This left his heart sinking.
He knew his own literary skills were poor, but he still hoped he could make it onto the list and become a successful candidate.
Because only then would Aunt Li agree to let him conduct big business deals.
"Don't worry, there's still more at the back."
Song Zhe steadied himself to keep looking, but there was nothing until the last name.
"Looks like I'm really not suited for studying or business deals!" Song Zhe said self-deprecatingly while shaking his head. "If I can't even become a successful candidate, how could I do business?"
"The top thirty haven't been checked yet."
"How could I possibly make the top thirty? If I did, my dad would laugh himself awake from his dreams." Song Zhe said.
"How do you know you're not on there if you don't check?" Wang Er laughed. "Let me go see for you."
So he returned to the 30th spot and continued forward.
When he reached 22nd place, his eyes suddenly lit up. "There you are! Brother Song, you're number 22."
"Enough joking around Brother Wang. If I were really number 22, my ancestors would be so shocked they'd make my family grave emit green smoke..."
"I'm serious, go see for yourself if you don't believe me."
Song Zhe was skeptical but also didn't quite dare to go over, afraid Wang Er was just messing with him to get his hopes up over nothing. But he also knew Wang Er wasn't the kind of person to make reckless jokes.
Could it be...could it really be true?
And a pretty good ranking at that?
Song Zhe's heart couldn't help but throb as he moistened his dry lips and worked up the courage to squeeze over.
Sure enough, the list had the words: 22nd place, Song Zhe.
"It's r-really true?"
"It's true."
Seeing Song Zhe, Wang Er also felt happy for him.
"Yiya, heavens, I did it!" Song Zhe suddenly shouted excitedly, "Aunt Li, I made it! I got 22nd place! Now I can conduct big business deals with you!"
As Song Zhe yelled, he squeezed his way out of the crowd and madly ran back home, leaving the surrounding candidates staring after him.
They all felt he must have been too extremely delighted over his success and lost his mind a bit. Otherwise, how could a 22nd-place successful candidate be talking about doing business deals?
Wang Er helplessly shook his head and was about to chase after him when Xu Youcai squeezed over through the crowd.
"Ah!"
After Xu Youcai glanced at the rankings, he couldn't help but cry out in surprise.
"Congratulations Wang Er for coming in first place!"
"Congratulations to you as well Brother Xu for coming in second."
"It seems I still fall short compared to you," Xu Youcai laughed. "But I have you and Madam Ling to thank this time. Without your help, I wouldn't have even qualified to take the test, let alone come in second place."
"You're too kind, Brother Xu."
"Hurry back and share the good news, Brother Wang!"
Wang Er nodded. Just as he was leaving under the extremely envious gazes of the crowd, a group of colorful, gaudily dressed old women suddenly swarmed over and surrounded him.
Wang Er had never experienced anything like this before and was instantly terrified. "What are you doing?"
"Congratulations Sir! We wish you happiness!"
"W-What Sir?" Wang Er stammered. "Don't go around calling me that in public! I'm not anyone's Sir!"
"You're not one now but you're about to become one!"
"That's right Sir! The biggest merchant in Yizhou City, Master Zhao, wants you as his son-in-law!"
"The carriage has been arranged and the wedding feast prepared. All that's left is for you to come pay your respects at the ancestral hall to get married!"
What?
Wang Er gaped at the extremely aggressive old women, having never heard of something so preposterous!
"You've got the wrong person, I won't be marrying anyone..."
"Now don't go saying that, Sir," one old woman laughed. "Miss Li is the number one female scholar in Yizhou Prefecture. Master Zhao is number one merchant in Yizhou City. It's a perfect match between two outstanding families!"
"If you marry Master Zhao's young daughter, that would be an ideal couple with a heroic scholar and beautiful lady! A perfect union!"
"It's almost the auspicious time. Hurry and get in the carriage Sir!"
"You all...stop pulling me...I really can't..."
But how could Wang Er resist when he was outnumbered by these extremely aggressive old women, even with his martial arts skills?
Some pulled at his hands, some yanked his arms, some led the way, and they shoved him right into the wedding carriage.
Meanwhile, the onlooking crowd didn't even try to step in to help stop this. Rather, they gazed on enviously.
"So this is the legendary bottom-of-list bridegroom snatching!"
"That's right. Marrying Master Zhao's daughter? Tsk tsk...that dowry has got to be worth over ten carriage loads!"
"It really makes people green with envy!"
......
On his mad dash back home, Song Zhe was already two li away when he suddenly realized Wang Er hadn't caught up.
So he immediately turned back, only to spot Wang Er being dragged off in the distance.
"Crap!"
Song Zhe slapped his leg then raced back toward the Li family home.
