Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

In the communal kitchen, several servants were preparing tea. The sound of water splashing mingled with their conversations.

"Sixteen years old? He's already solved this at such a young age, what will he be like in the future? A child prodigy!"

"Indeed. The Zhang family has really made a name for themselves this time. It's been so many years since Juancheng has produced a scholar who passed the imperial examination."

"I heard that Zhang Silang's elder brother works in our county government? Zhang Qianxing in the household registration department?"

"That's his third brother. But I heard they've severed ties and have no contact for a long time."

"Even if they're not blood relatives, they're still brothers. He's proud that someone in the family has passed the imperial examinations, isn't he?"

"That's not necessarily true. The breakup was quite a big deal; I heard even the ancestral home was..."

The talking suddenly stopped.

A servant looked up and saw Zhang Sanlang standing at the door, nearly dropping his teacup into the basin.

Zhang Sanlang didn't say anything, turned around and went into the tea room next to the public kitchen. He went in, brewed a pot of fresh tea, and then left.

The servants looked at each other, none of them daring to speak again.

When Zhang Sanlang finished his shift, Wu Yan came out of the archers' barracks and called out to him at the entrance of the corridor, "Sanlang."

Wu Yan walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "I've heard about it. About your fourth brother."

Zhang Sanlang nodded.

Wu Yan looked at his face. "Are you alright?"

"What could I possibly do?" Zhang Sanlang smirked. "Let him pass the imperial examination; I'll do my job."

Wu Yan was silent for a moment. "Your sister-in-law was making a scene at the teahouse again today. She said that the Zhang family's ancestral graves were emitting auspicious smoke, that the fourth son passed the imperial examination, and that the third branch of the family had lost all kinship and good fortune, and deserved to be like that for life..."

He stopped talking before he finished.

Zhang Sanlang chuckled. "A clerk for life? I've had my share of her mouth. Let her rant. It's not that hard to admit someone is good. Zhang Shouzhi is indeed very talented."

Seeing that he didn't seem to be faking it, Wu Yan breathed a sigh of relief, "You're quite open-minded."

Zhang Sanlang rolled up his sleeves. "Heaven rewards diligence, but not severance. I'll be diligent in my work, and he'll reward me in his. Although my household registration still bears the surname Zhang, I'm no longer a member of the Zhang family."

Wu Yan paused for a moment, then laughed, "Your mouth is much sharper than your sister-in-law's."

He sighed, patted Zhang Sanlang on the shoulder, and said, "Come on, let's go grab a couple of drinks. It's on me."

Zhang Sanlang shook his head. "Let's do it another day. My family is waiting."

Wu Yan didn't press the matter further, cupped his hands in greeting, and turned to return to the barracks.

Zhang Sanlang left the county government office and headed towards Kujing Lane.

The wind on the street was a bit chilly, and it seeped into my sleeves, making them feel cold.

Several children squatted at the alley entrance picking up firecrackers, giggling. One of the slightly larger children held a stick of incense in his hand, bringing it close to the fuse and then pulling it back, which made the children next to him shout.

Red paper scraps were scattered all over the alleyway, making a rustling sound when stepped on.

He turned into the alley and pushed open the gate of the old house.

In the kitchen, Lin Qiao'er was chopping vegetables, while Lin Xiu'er was squatting at the stove opening, stuffing firewood into it.

"Dad's back." Ximei ran over, wiping her hands on her apron. "The food will be ready soon."

Zhang Sanlang washed his face and sat down at the table in the main room.

Hearing the noise, Qingge jumped out of the bedroom. "Dad, that bad guy Zhang Laoda came today."

Zhang Sanlang paused for a moment. "What's he doing here?"

"Give Grandpa Sun money and firecrackers, and thank him for guarding the gate for so many years." Qingge tilted his head and thought for a moment, "Also say that Zhang Laosi passed the imperial examination, which is a blessing for the Zhang family. Tell Grandpa Sun to set off firecrackers at the gate."

happy Mei'er brought over the porridge, placed it on the table, glanced at Zhang Sanlang, and said, "Father, he also asked you about it."

"What are you asking me?"

"He asked how you were doing." Xi Mei'er's voice was very low. "Grandpa Sun said he was fine, and he didn't ask for his money or firecrackers. He left without saying anything."

Zhang Sanlang picked up the bowl of porridge and took a sip.

The corn kernels were cooked until they burst open and the consistency was just right.

Now that the family is well-off, Ximei is more generous with the amount of rice she uses when cooking porridge, and even often makes dry rice to eat.

Lin Qiao'er carried the dishes over, glanced at Zhang Sanlang's expression, then at happy Mei'er, and lowered her head before retreating back to the kitchen.

Lin Xiuer poked her head out from the stove, a dry blade of grass still in her mouth. "Uncle Zhang, someone set off firecrackers at the alley entrance today. They went off for quite a while."

The room fell silent for a moment; no one spoke.

Unlike the old house, the Zhang family mansion has been completely transformed.

Zhang Shouren stood personally at the door, dressed in a brand-new blue silk robe, his hair neatly combed, a hearty smile on his face, and he greeted everyone with a cupped-hand salute.

Two waiters stood behind him, holding tea trays filled with fine compressed tea, steaming hot.

"Oh! Manager Li, please come in, please come in. My father is waiting in the main hall."

"Brother Zhao, you've arrived too? Please, please come in."

"Manager Song, your presence is an honor to our humble abode."

The alleyway was covered with a thick layer of firecracker debris. Red paper scraps were whipped up by the wind, swirling in the air before falling back down. Several children were rummaging through the debris, picking up unexploded ordnance, laughing and scrambling.

Bao Ge'er was like a king among the children, his little face raised as he was surrounded by people. His lips were upturned, but he tried to be reserved, which caused his lips to tremble. His lips moved up and down as if he were having a stroke.

Mr. Zhang sat in the official's chair in the main hall, wearing a gray silk robe with a newly made silver ribbon hook around his waist. The eight-immortal table in front of him was piled high with gift boxes—some wrapped in red paper, some in brocade, and some in wooden boxes.

"Old Zhang, congratulations!" A plump silk shopkeeper entered, bowing respectfully. "Your son has been cured, and our Juancheng is also benefiting from this. This is just a small token of my appreciation."

Mr. Zhang stood up and returned the greeting with a cupped hand, saying, "Manager Liu, you're too kind. Si Lang is young and shouldn't be so ostentatious."

"Old Zhang, you're too kind. A sixteen-year-old who becomes a Juren is a first in Puyang. If your son becomes a Jinshi in the future, our Juancheng will have produced a great man."

Unable to suppress the smile on his face, Zhang's father stroked his beard. "Thank you for your kind words, Manager Liu. Please sit, take a seat of honor."

The steward called out names at the door, his voice drawn out, "Master Sun has arrived!"

A gaunt old man in his fifties walked in, followed by two servants carrying a red lacquered wooden box.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Zhang's father, "Congratulations, Mr. Zhang. I've lived in the east of the city for decades, and this is the first time I've seen someone from our Juancheng pass the imperial examinations. Besides a small token of my appreciation, I've also prepared one hundred taels of silver to help your son with his travel expenses."

Startled, Zhang's father immediately stood up. "Master Sun, how can this be?"

"Of course, of course." Master Sun waved his hand. "Si Lang's trip to the capital for the imperial examination is quite expensive. We, the neighbors, should lend a hand if we can. If Si Lang passes with flying colors, we'll all be proud."

"Especially since the changes in the state have caused the repatriation to be delayed by nearly two months, we may need to hire a horse-drawn carriage to travel quickly so that we can calmly face the provincial examination. We must not let a little money delay our future."

Mr. Zhang took the gift list, glanced at it, and his smile deepened. "Master Sun is very kind. I thank you on behalf of my son."

Before long, the main hall was filled with people.

The chairs were full, and the benches were full too. Those who arrived later, if they were not of high enough status, had to stand under the eaves. Teacups were arranged in rows and rows, and several neighborhood women who came to help carried teapots and moved among them, their feet barely touching the ground.