The grading of the examination would take three days, with the results posted on the fourth day.
During these days, Song Shi'an stayed at Wang Shuishan's place, eating his food and living under his roof.
However, Wang Shuishan didn't mind at all. In fact, from beginning to end, he showed no sign of neglect—he still bought an extra portion for him at every meal and let him sleep on the bed.
After all, wealth is easy to come by, but true kindred spirits are hard to find.
Someone like Song Shi'an, the illegitimate son of a high-ranking official, would never take advantage of such small favors.
So Wang Shuishan became even more convinced that Song Shi'an stayed with him out of genuine affinity, which made him even more enthusiastic.
"Shuishan, I'm going down to take a walk. Do you have any money on you?"
After lying around the inn feeling rather bored, Song Shi'an got out of bed and addressed Wang Shuishan, who was at his desk reading a poetry anthology.
Ambitious scholars like Wang Shuishan always aimed to pass the jinshi examination, so they typically maintained the excellent habit of "lifelong study."
However, since the examination had just ended, he wouldn't be reading utilitarian texts.
Flipping through poetry collections served as both relaxation and a way to cultivate one's character.
Hearing this, Wang Shuishan put down his book and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small string of coins.
"Just lend me ten wen, that'll be enough," Song Shi'an said.
"What talk of lending? Just take it and use it."
Wang Shuishan directly took about half the string and placed it in Song Shi'an's palm.
It was roughly twenty-something wen.
As the son of an eighth-rank official, Wang Shuishan's family circumstances were certainly not poor, but he was truly quite frugal.
Those out-of-town scholars who came to the capital for the examination would definitely be unable to resist exploring this prosperous Sheng'an during these days waiting for results, eating and drinking their fill.
Those with poor self-control, once brought to taverns and brothels by their capital friends, would instantly become addicted and stay there for days on end, oblivious to the passage of time.
Looking at it this way, this meal ticket he'd found was truly of excellent character and worth befriending.
"I'll go wander around then."
"Mm, good."
Wang Shuishan smiled at Song Shi'an before continuing to read his poetry.
Song Shi'an went downstairs, and after walking for a while, came upon a quite lively street.
Although the Scholar's Inn wasn't in the commercial district, there were too many students here with high spending power, which naturally gave rise to a commercial street specifically serving them.
It was like the "corruption streets" next to universities.
Sesame cake stalls, tea and pastry shops, foot massage parlors, arrow-throwing taverns, and shops selling exotic lacquerware, spices, jewelry, and jade—it was a dazzling array that overwhelmed the senses.
The emotional value these entertainment activities brought people was truly no less than in modern times.
Some even violated public morals.
Market economy, indeed.
However, what interested Song Shi'an most were the bookstores all over the street.
These books weren't "sage's texts."
They were novels.
In this world, novels began appearing half a century ago.
The first one was a fanfiction adaptation of this world's Warring States history called Records of the Six States.
The most popular novel was Tales of the Strange, written by a failed juren candidate.
It was an early road trip novel, telling the story of a poor scholar who encountered various beautiful women transformed from monsters and the series of events that unfolded.
It was said that many citizen households owned a copy.
In total circulation throughout Great Yu, it might have reached over ten million copies.
Of course, those were volumes, not a single book.
Although there were too many pirated copies and legitimate sales might not even reach one percent of total circulation, the author still received considerable royalties and earned quite a bit of silver.
If there were a Great Yu Forbes Author Rankings, he would definitely be number one.
With curiosity, Song Shi'an walked up to a bookstore called "Reading Pavilion."
This seemed to be the largest novel publisher in all of Sheng'an.
Here, books were arranged in different areas according to sales.
The bestsellers occupied the prime positions. Each month's top seller even got a deluxe edition with illustrations.
Someone might ask: who were the authors of these books?
Examination candidates.
After Great Yu established the examination system, commoners gained a rare channel for upward mobility.
But not everyone's family circumstances were sufficient to support them studying full-time.
The vast majority couldn't afford to be full-time students.
And they happened to have decent writing skills. So they began submitting manuscripts to these bookstore owners, having them publish their books and earning meager royalties.
The most famous case was a poor scholar who became a jinshi. After he became an official, a political opponent dug up his history of writing novels—novels that had sold very well.
And most horrifyingly, he'd written romance novels.
Anything that becomes commercialized inevitably takes on some color.
It was said that after this jinshi's older brother read his novel, he immediately severed ties and drew a clear line between them.
The novel probably had dumplings in it.*
*[TN: "Eating dumplings" is slang for sexual content]
"Customer, what kind of book are you looking for?" Seeing Song Shi'an browsing, the stall owner asked with a smile.
"Which one sold best this month?"
When asked this, the stall owner smiled knowingly. Then he pulled out a book with a crimson background beneath the title on the cover: "Customer, this one."
Spring Garden.
Got it. A gardening and cultivation novel.
Song Shi'an usually enjoyed tending to small potted plants, so he took it right away.
"How much?"
"Fifteen wen."
"Keep the change."
Song Shi'an tossed all twenty-something wen at him, quite generously.
My public identity is the son of Sheng'an Magistrate Song Jing, after all.
Can't embarrass him.
Just as Song Shi'an opened the book and started walking, he bumped right into someone.
"Song Shi'an!"
A young girl raised her finger, pointing at him in surprise, then seeing the book, said angrily: "You're actually reading such lewd books! I'm going to tell Father when I get back!"
This girl was called Song Qin.
She was the twin born together with Song Ce back then, also fifteen years old.
She looked incredibly similar to Song Ce—practically a female version.
However, her personality was completely different—she lacked her brother's cold aloofness and was quite lively.
With a touch of willfulness.
Threatened like this, Song Shi'an slowly lowered the book, stared at this sister about to tattle on him, and countered: "How do you know this is a lewd book?"
"..." Song Qin froze for a moment, then stammered: "With such an improper title, it's obviously an improper book."
"If you haven't read it, how would you know books with such titles are improper?"
"..."
Song Qin's face flushed.
"Aha, Song Qin!"
Song Shi'an pointed at her, saying solemnly: "So you've been secretly reading such lewd books! I'm going to tell Father when I get back!"
"I haven't read any! You're not allowed to tell!"
She's getting flustered—just a few words and she's completely worked up.
When it comes down to it, she's still just a brat.
"I'm telling, I'm telling..."
"Stop talking about that! By the way, are you really going to live outside and not come home?" Song Qin forcibly changed the subject.
But she was genuinely curious.
Actually, among the Song family children, there wasn't such deep hatred.
The only one who truly loathed Song Shi'an was the First Madam.
Before this, Song Shi'an had always kept his head down at home, knowing his place, so Song Qin and the others couldn't be said to be at odds with him.
There were indeed an older sister and another younger sister who looked down on him, but they had already married.
"Who would dare go back? I'd be beaten to death," Song Shi'an refused.
"Who told you to do those absurd things?"
After teasing him, Song Qin had a sudden idea and suggested: "I've got it—you can say you were possessed back then, that you didn't even know what you were doing. Plus you nearly drowned before, you walked through the gates of hell, maybe you even brought back some little ghosts?"
Damn, that's genius.
"Would he believe that?"
Song Shi'an probed tentatively.
"If I'm the one saying it, Father will definitely believe it. It's not like you're saying it," Song Qin said proudly.
"Still, I'm not going back. I really would be beaten to death."
"What a coward."
After disdainfully mocking Song Shi'an, Song Qin had another flash of inspiration: "Then how about this—I'll go back first and test Father's attitude. If he believes it, I'll send you word, and then you can come back."
"..."
Hearing her say this, Song Shi'an appeared to ponder. Then, looking at the unexpectedly proactive Song Qin, he said suspiciously: "Why are you being so kind?"
You're not... interested in your brother, are you...
Hearing this, Song Qin immediately became irritated: "That Song Ce—the exam is already over, yet he's still at home reading, writing, and practicing swordplay all day long, making Father dissatisfied with me no matter what I do. It's infuriating!"
Song Shi'an: "So I should go back?"
Song Qin immediately broke into a radiant smile: "Then I won't be the most useless one~"
Oh, go to hell.