Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Back at the Zhang family home, dusk had fallen, but dinner still wasn’t ready. The two families decided to just eat together. Yang Family, Liu Yunlan, and He were in the kitchen making dinner, while the men discussed the earlier incident in the main hall.

Juhua felt hungry, so she ate some puffed rice candy. But since she was feeling unwell today, she unsurprisingly threw up every last bit.

Watching her vomit so wretchedly, Huai Zi’s heart ached, but he was at a loss for what to do. Suddenly, he slapped his head and said with chagrin, "How could I forget! I brought back some tasty treats, and Changyu sent some over too. Don’t eat that stuff. Here, try the snacks I bought."

With that, he looked around for the bundle he’d brought back. During his argument with Liu’er’s mother earlier, he’d thrown it on the ground in a fit of anger.

Zhang Yang quickly said, "I picked it up. I put it on the table in your room."

Huai Zi hurried over to get it, then sat down in front of Juhua. He placed the bundle on his lap and opened it. It was filled with snacks like dried fruits, pastries, and jerky—some sweet, some salty, some fragrant, some spicy. The flavors were too strong. Juhua tried a little but didn’t want any more, which made Huai Zi anxious. In the end, it was Liu Yunlan who brought over a bowl of bok choy and egg drop soup. The broth was clear and green, dotted with golden flakes of egg, and it was refreshingly light with no hint of grease. Juhua poured it over some rice and ate a bowl, and only then did she feel better.

Having eaten something, she felt her strength returning. She sidled up to Qingmu, looking over at Little Hulu as she asked Zhang Yang, "So, how did the county examination go? With all the shouting earlier, we completely forgot to ask about what really matters."

Qingmu laughed. "I was about to ask that myself. But seeing the look on those two, there’s no need to ask. When Zhao San asked Little Shitou, he was grinning from ear to ear. Is there even a need to ask?"

Juhua beamed. "Tell us anyway, so we can all share in the joy. Honestly, if all three of you passed the county examination, what a joyous occasion that would be! Instead of celebrating properly, you came home and we spent all that time arguing. It really put a damper on things."

Zhang Dashuan chuckled. "It’s not too late to celebrate now." Then he asked in puzzlement, "Yangzi, didn’t Changfeng only take one exam to become a Scholar? How come you have to take two? Are they picking on us country folk?"

Zhang Yang was happily munching on the snacks Juhua had rejected. Hearing his father’s question, he nearly choked. Exasperated, he explained, "Dad, your son doesn’t have enough clout for them to add two extra exams just for him. This is how everyone does it. Brother Changfeng was studying in the county town, so he just didn’t come home to share the good news after the first two tests. Those aren’t the main event, anyway. You only earn the title of Scholar after passing the academy examination."

Qingmu and Huai Zi laughed too!

Zhang Dashuan still didn’t quite get it, but he knew enough to realize he’d said something foolish, so he stopped asking questions. Zhang Yang and Zhang Huai then began to recount the details of the county examination. According to them, the Lord County Magistrate hadn’t given them any trouble, all thanks to Li Changfeng smoothing the way for them.

It turned out that in the world of officialdom, great importance was placed on connections: being from the "same hometown, same examination year, or same cohort." As a young man from the countryside who had left Qingnan Village, Li Changfeng felt especially isolated and powerless out in the world. Now, with Zhang Yang, Little Shitou, and Liu Sixun from his own village all taking the county examination, he was overjoyed. According to Mr. Zhou, while Liu Sixun’s success was uncertain, Zhang Yang and Little Shitou were practically guaranteed to pass. Li Changfeng knew his own talents were limited; if these two could distinguish themselves and embark on official careers, they could all look out for one another in the future.

Besides, he was genuinely concerned for the younger generation from his village, so he spared no effort in making arrangements for them, handling every detail meticulously. But even so, he was still worried. He knew about the grudge between County Magistrate Li and Qingnan Village and feared the magistrate might try to cause trouble. Thus, he found an opportunity to recommend Zhang Yang and Little Shitou before Ding Xuezheng.

Ding Xuezheng, however, had his own ideas. For civil servants like him who had entered officialdom through the imperial examinations, their connections were intricate and deeply rooted. The master-disciple relationship was a key node in that web of connections. Discovering, promoting, and cultivating talent was not just a service to the nation, but also a way to pave one’s own path.

Moreover, with a new emperor about to take the throne, everyone was busy building their own factions and currying favor with the scholars of the land. When he heard from Li Changfeng that Zhang Yang and Little Shitou were of uncommon talent, he was immediately intrigued. He was so interested, in fact, that he personally came to Qinghui County for the county examination.

With him there, County Magistrate Li couldn’t engage in any foul play, even if he wanted to.

Zhang Yang did not disappoint, taking first place in the county examination. Little Shitou, at only eleven years of age, placed right behind him. Even Liu Sixun passed with a very respectable score.

Ding Xuezheng was overjoyed. He immediately offered to take Zhang Yang and Little Shitou as his disciples, telling them to go directly to Huzhou for the Prefecture and academy examinations. He assured them that he would have Li Changfeng arrange everything.