Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 846: Making a Name at the Government Office
Jiang Dahu felt reassured: "You’ve always been reliable, so I won’t worry about it. You should hurry back."
Gu Jin’an bowed to Jiang Dahu: "I will head back now, and on another day, during the banquet to thank the teacher, I will invite you and Madam to join us."
Madam Jiang smiled beside him: "Ah, we will surely be there, you should quickly return."
Her heart was bursting with happiness. Wenyuan, this disciple, was truly the right choice. With Brother An achieving so much, there was no fear that Yuanyuan would be bullied in the future.
Gu Jin’an and the others left the Jiang Family, took the mule cart back to Qingfu Town, and arrived at Scholar Shang’s Family.
Scholar Shang, upon hearing that Gu Jin’an had achieved the top scorer in the county exam, became as emotional as Gu Dashan, his eyes brimming with tears. He patted Gu Jin’an on the shoulder and said: "Good, good, good, you’ve done well, young man."
Then he looked at Qi Kangming and the others: "You four have also done well, especially Brother Xing, who actually ranked in the top five, surely he can pass the Prefecture Examination. For now, focus on your studies, maybe you’ll pass as a scholar."
Gu Dexing hadn’t expected to do so well and was very excited, nodding earnestly: "I understand, when I get back, I’ll focus on my studies, hoping to succeed in the scholar exam."
Scholar Shang nodded, and without staying long at home, immediately took his wife and daughter, and followed Gu Jin’an and the others back to Da Feng Village.
...
Because Gu Jin’an had achieved the top scorer in the county exam, unique in the entire county, the people from the county government office rode fast horses to Da Feng Village to announce the news. At this moment, Da Feng Village was filled with the sound of gongs and drums, continuously clanging.
Village Chief He led the villagers to wait at the village entrance, and upon seeing Gu Jin’an’s mule cart, he immediately shouted: "The top scorer is back, our village’s top scorer is back! Beat the copper gong loudly, quickly!"
Zezi hurriedly stopped the mule cart.
After Gu Jin’an and the others got off the mule cart, they greeted Village Chief He and the surrounding villagers: "Why are you and everyone else here?"
Village Chief He said: "All five of you have passed the county exam, and you even secured the top scorer position. You’re like Wenquxing incarnate, a future top scorer. How could we not come to greet you?"
Since the founding of Da Feng Village, no one had ever become the top scorer in the exam, so how could they not take it seriously?
He then shouted to the villagers: "Start singing quickly, let’s welcome the top scorer back to the village."
"Oh!" responded the villagers as they opened their throats and sang a local Jianghuai song named "Welcoming the Wenqu Star." Though Gu Jin’an and the others couldn’t understand it, they could tell the villagers were singing joyfully.
And the women in the village sang while keeping an eye on the five of them, their eyes gleaming as if these five were their daughters’ husbands, nieces’ husbands, or nephews’ husbands.
Gu Jin’an wasn’t afraid of them, letting them stare.
Gu Dexing was quite scared, feeling like meat on a chopping board, ready to be torn apart by these women at any moment.
As they beat the gongs and drums along the way to the end of the village, a few families were already waiting. Upon seeing their return, Luo Huiniang shouted excitedly: "Uncle Dashan and Brother Jin’an are back!"
Upon hearing this, Third Grandma quickly said: "Quick, quick, bring the red silk and flowers to them."
In Great Chu, there was a tradition of students who passed their exams being adorned with red silk and fresh flowers. Third Grandma had everything prepared long in advance, just waiting to adorn Gu Jin’an and the others upon their return.
Mrs. Cui, Gu Dagu, Mrs. Chen, Ms. Yan, and Old Mrs. Yan promptly brought out the red silk and wilting flowers. As soon as Gu Jin’an and the others approached, they adorned them immediately.
Gu Jinli almost burst into laughter looking at Gu Jin’an and the others wearing red silk and fresh flowers. As the ancients said, passing the exams indeed led to wearing flowers.
Yet, seeing a bunch of men with flowers on their heads was quite comical.
"Why are you grinning foolishly? Hurry back and have Da Tuan and the others bring out the copper coins and scatter them. Don’t be stingy, once the news spreads to the ten neighboring villages, people will come to congratulate, and both baskets of copper coins must be scattered!" said Third Grandma generously, leaving Luo Huiniang astounded.
She was dragged along by Gu Jinli, and after running a bit, she said to Gu Jinli: "Xiao Yu, Third Grandma has become generous."
She had learned to scatter copper coins like the wealthy households, whereas before, she would begrudgingly split one cent into three.
Gu Jinli laughed: "This is a joyful occasion, let Third Grandma enjoy her happiness."
The family was no longer short of money, so they could afford to scatter it.
"Da Tuan, my brother and the others are back, quickly bring out those two baskets of copper coins; it’s time to scatter the money." As Gu Jinli reached the door, she shouted to Da Tuan in the guardhouse, feeling particularly extravagant as she said it.
Ah, this feeling of wealth was too delightful.
"Coming!" Da Tuan and the others responded, immediately bringing out the copper coins.
Gu Jin’an and the others, surrounded by villagers, had also returned.
Da Tuan and the others began scattering coins, and soon the area in front of the Gu Family gate was bustling.
As the news spread to the ten neighboring villages, people flocked to Da Feng Village to congratulate the Gu Family.
Gu Dashan, Gu Jin’an, Scholar Shang, and Third Grandpa entertained the villagers who came to offer their congratulations.
Many landlords and village elites, upon learning that Gu Jin’an had become the top scorer in the county exam, sent generous gifts. Some even offered lands and shops, but the Gu Family declined them all.
Firstly, these gifts were valuable, and accepting them would mean reciprocally protecting those who gave them. Secondly, the Gu Family did not lack this amount of silver; if they wanted lands or shops, they could buy them themselves.
Some even wanted to make Gu Jin’an their son-in-law, but they were refused by Gu Dashan, who said that Gu Jin’an would not consider marriage before becoming a scholar.
Those landlords and gentry, hearing this, not only didn’t give up but became even more eager, calculating the ages of suitable girls at home, just waiting for Gu Jin’an to pass as a scholar and then propose marriage.
This day, guests came to congratulate one after another, continuously until night, when they finally saw the last of them off.
For the next two days, visitors continued to come and congratulate the Gu Family without pause.
Gu Jin’an was exhausted, but fortunately, on the third day, the Lord County Magistrate sent someone to summon him. He brought the prepared items and went to the county government office.
At the county office, without any unnecessary conversation, in front of the Lord County Magistrate, he turned the otherwise inedible konjac from the mountains into konjac tofu and used pigeon leaf to make pigeon leaf tofu.
County Magistrate Zheng watched as these inedible things turned into edible foods, his eyes wide with surprise. Without worrying if these items were toxic, he picked up chopsticks and ate: "Indeed, these are edible, and they taste good."
He looked at Gu Jin’an and sighed: "You are truly a lucky star. The mountain offers countless things only your family can turn into food."
He continued: "These are great items for benefiting the country and the people. I want to take them to the Prefecture for Lord Magistrate to see, do you have any objections?"
Gu Jin’an shook his head and smiled: "Of course not, the County Magistrate can decide."
Having written the production methods of these two items in his essays meant he intended to present these to the government office.
County Magistrate Zheng was quite pleased and said: "Rest assured, I will present your essays as well, ensuring you get credit."
He would definitely help him gain fame.
County Magistrate Zheng did not delay and took the essays of the top three from the county exams, along with konjac tofu and pigeon leaf tofu, to the Prefecture the next day to meet with the Lord Magistrate.
The Lord Magistrate, after reading Gu Jin’an’s essays and seeing these novel foods, was amazed: "What’s written in the essays is real, this Gu Jin’an is truly something."
Lord Lei, who was outside, heard Gu Jin’an’s name and was startled. He hurried in to ask: "Lord, seeing you so pleased, is it because a prodigy has emerged from our He’an Prefecture’s jurisdiction?"
The Lord Magistrate laughed heartily: "Indeed, a prodigy has emerged; have a look at these essays, Lord Lei. They are truly beneficial for the country and its people."
