TTLJDFL Chapter 62

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This ox cart was far more luxurious than Li Zhuzi’s. Its wheels seemed reinforced, making the ride smoother even on the bumpy dirt roads.

However, despite the covered design and the tightly wrapped surroundings, it was no match for the bitter cold of the first month of the year. The carriage interior was freezing.

A brazier wasn’t an option—surrounded by straw and wood, lighting one would be a fire hazard.

For safety reasons, most families refrained from using braziers in such situations.

Of course, in the carriages of high-ranking officials and wealthy families, braziers were secured in copper frames, entirely different from what common folk used.

Li Jin could still endure the cold, but after sitting still for over an hour, his lower legs were nearly frozen stiff.

Inside the carriage, a few quilts were prepared. Chen Xiran stomped his feet and handed one to Li Jin.

"Let’s take off our shoes and warm up first. Otherwise, if we just sit like this the whole way, we’ll get frostbite by the time we reach the county town."

Li Jin agreed with the logic and followed suit, taking off his cloth shoes.

All the clothes he was wearing, from inner garments to outer layers—including his shoes—were made by Qin Muwen. The soles were soft; he wondered how long Qin Muwen had spent stitching them, one thread at a time.

The ox cart was not very spacious. Two grown men couldn’t lie down completely, so they had to wrap themselves in quilts and lean against the corners.

Li Jin asked, "Should we let the cart driver take a break and warm up his feet?"

His voice was not loud, and the wind outside was strong, so the driver couldn’t hear him. Thus, the question was actually directed at Chen Xiran.

After all, the driver and the ox cart belonged to Chen Xiran’s family, so Li Jin didn’t want to overstep his bounds.

Originally, Li Jin had planned to split the cost of hiring a covered ox cart with the other students traveling to register for the exam. Each person’s share wouldn’t have exceeded a hundred copper coins.

But Chen Xiran had directly offered, saying that his family had an ox cart. His father had used it for travel before, but since it was the New Year holiday and everyone was resting, the cart was free to use.

"Ah Jin, just travel with me. That way, we can study together on the way if we get bored."

At the time, Li Jin had been impressed by Chen Xiran’s dedication to studying, so he agreed.

However, once he got in the cart, he realized that it was so cold he didn’t even want to move a finger, let alone use his brain to study.

Hearing Li Jin’s question, Chen Xiran called out loudly, "Master, are you cold?"

"I’m not cold, I’m used to it!" the driver responded.

The driver was steady, and they had set off early in the morning. Now, just past noon, he called out, "We’ll be there in half a day!"

Only then did Chen Xiran breathe a sigh of relief.

Li Jin wrapped himself in the quilt and warmed up for a while. Once he no longer felt as cold, he took out the pancakes he had prepared and shared them with the others.

He also had osmanthus wine, which had a low alcohol content—just enough to warm them up in the winter.

As the days were short in winter, night had already fallen when they arrived at the county town. By the low city walls, a watchman was making his rounds.

"First watch, one bell…"

Chen Xiran rubbed his hands together and said, "The city gate closes at the third bell of the first watch. We got here just in time."

Saying this, he was about to head into the city.

Li Jin stopped him. He had previously consulted Mr. Song and knew that the county town was divided into an inner and outer city.

The inner city had a curfew. Once the evening drum sounded at the third bell of the first watch, no one was allowed to be out on the streets. Movement was strictly forbidden.

Anyone found outside after the curfew would be flogged at least forty times.

The curfew would only be lifted at the third bell of the fifth watch when the morning bell rang. That was where the phrase morning bell and evening drum came from.

Li Jin said, "Let’s not enter the inner city tonight. Although we could technically make it in time, we haven’t found an inn yet. If the ones near the gate are full, we’ll end up violating the curfew and getting punished."

After a pause, he added, "Let’s just stay in the outer city for the night. We’re only here to register, not for the actual exam, so it doesn’t matter if we’re a bit farther from the county office."

Hearing this, Chen Xiran realized he had been too impatient. So, he followed Li Jin in searching for an inn.

Getting flogged in public would be a huge embarrassment.

By now, it was late, and inns were sure to raise their prices. But they had no choice.

They eventually found a small, clean-looking inn away from the main street. The first floor was a dining area, while the second floor had rooms for lodging.

The innkeeper’s assistant glanced at their attire and immediately recognized them as scholars, his eyes filled with admiration.

"Our rooms are simple—no private suites—but they’re cheaper. One room is 120 copper coins per night."

None of them minded the simplicity. Chen Xiran was more concerned about one thing: "Do you provide charcoal braziers?"

The assistant nodded. "Yes, we do. And we have hot soup as well."

With that, they booked three rooms.

The oil lamps in the inn cast a warm glow, illuminating Li Jin’s refined features and sharp jawline. He showed no signs of fatigue from the journey.

After registering their stay, the assistant led them upstairs.

"You arrived late today, so it's 120 copper coins per night. If you want to extend your stay tomorrow, come during the day—it’ll be 90 coins then."

Hearing this, Li Jin shook his head helplessly. As expected, the prices were higher at night. But that was just how things worked, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Li Jin and Chen Xiran had adjacent rooms. Each room contained only a one-meter-wide bed and a small table—truly basic accommodations.

The assistant added, "If you want to bathe, head to the backyard. Our inn is small, so we don’t deliver hot water to the rooms. The charcoal braziers will be brought up shortly."

Chen Xiran just wanted to collapse into bed, but when he heard Li Jin’s door open, he reluctantly grabbed his clothes and went to bathe as well.

The backyard bathing area had large wooden tubs, separated by simple curtains.

The kitchen staff boiled hot water and poured it directly into the tubs—quick and convenient.

This was the first time Li Jin had experienced such a bath since coming to this world. The hot water was slightly on the scalding side, but it washed away all his fatigue.

After his bath, he asked for two more basins of water to wash his hair. Then, with his hair loose and still damp, he went back upstairs.

Chen Xiran had just finished bathing as well. Seeing Li Jin’s appearance, he teased, "If you had a red mole on your face, you’d look even more stunning than those young nobles."

Li Jin thought for a moment and then replied seriously, "My spouse is the most beautiful."

Chen Xiran fell silent, feeling thoroughly defeated in every way.

It was true—Li Jin’s husband was sweet and good-looking. Even standing next to someone as striking as Li Jin, he didn’t lose his charm.

Annoyed, Chen Xiran declared, "I’ve decided! I’m going to pass the exam as soon as possible, get married, and have a son. One day, your kid will marry into my family!"

Now it was Li Jin’s turn to be speechless. He couldn’t exactly curse Chen Xiran to fail the exam, could he?

Oh well, he could only hope that Chen Xiran’s firstborn wouldn’t arrive within the next three years.

There was an old saying: A woman three years older is worth her weight in gold. But if a wife—or a husband—was significantly older than the man, they would face criticism and judgment from others.

It wasn't that Li Jin didn't want Baozi to marry into Chen Xiran's family, but rather that he felt marriage was his own affair. Arranging a marriage for a child so early might not necessarily lead to future happiness.

Marriage should wait until Baozi grows up.

The Next Morning

Li Jin woke up early as usual. After washing up, he quietly read for half an hour before there was any movement from Chen Xiran's side.

Afterward, the group went downstairs for breakfast, which consisted of simple porridge with pickled vegetables.

The coachman went to feed the oxen, while Li Jin and Chen Xiran prepared their documents to head into town and collect the registration forms at the county office's ceremonial hall.

To enter the county office, they had to pass through the inner city guards. Since they came from a village within a hundred miles of the county, they were exempt from needing travel permits.

They only needed to register their names and places of origin.

The guards took one look at them and knew they were students coming to register for the Tongsheng Exam . Without making things difficult, they let them in.

When Li Jin and Chen Xiran arrived, a long line had already formed in front of the ceremonial hall.

Li Jin estimated that at least thirty to forty people were ahead of them, none of whom were familiar faces.

He suddenly recalled a phrase he had read in historical records in his past life:

"A county gathers a thousand or more Tongsheng, and only selects a dozen to become Shengyuan (Xiucai)."

Shengyuan, or Xiucai , were the lowest rank of scholars in the imperial examination system.

Only those who passed the county exam could be considered Tongsheng . The phrase meant that out of a thousand examinees, only ten might advance.

The odds were incredibly low.

They had arrived early, but the ceremonial hall doors had yet to open. Around them, only the county yamen officers stood solemnly.

Though no one was actively maintaining order, the moment the students arrived, they instinctively remained silent and lined up properly. No one dared to cut in line, nor did anyone speak loudly.

At mid-morning (Si hour, 9 AM) , the ceremonial hall opened, and the students stepped forward one by one to submit their documents:

Résumé: Age, place of origin, and proof that the candidate was not in mourning for parents (as candidates couldn't register within 27 months of a parent's passing).

Mutual Guarantee & Affidavit: Five candidates voted for one another, while a Xiucai and village elder provided additional endorsement.

The registration process was meticulous. Although there were only about thirty people ahead of Li Jin, it still took over an hour for his turn to come.

He submitted his prepared documents and filled out the exam roster.

Li Jin's handwriting had developed a unique elegance within its neatness, catching the attention of the examining official, who gave it an extra glance.

After submitting his papers, Li Jin waited outside for Chen Xiran.

Chen Xiran, who had been silent all morning, immediately began chatting as soon as he was done:

"That was way too serious! It's the dead of winter, and I stood still for over an hour without even stamping my feet. By the time I could move, my legs were completely numb."

Li Jin also felt like his soles were covered in ice, the cold seeping up from the ground.

"Let's get some hot soup. After that, I want to visit a bookshop."

Since they had come all the way to the county, there was no reason to return so soon. Li Jin wanted to find books to better understand the era.

Additionally, the county exam was overseen by the magistrate . The bookshops would be full of students, and he might be able to gather information on the magistrate's preferences, which could be helpful for the exam.

After all, Teacher Song had mentioned that county exams usually consisted of four or five rounds , depending on the magistrate's discretion.

If there were five rounds , the final round was often a special topic set by the magistrate to screen candidates.

Chen Xiran had no particular plans, but he decided to tag along with Li Jin anyway.

It wasn't that he relied on Li Jin too much—he just preferred gossip over books. That was just his personality.

Li Jin laid out his plan for him:

"Go to the biggest teahouse in the county. If you hear anyone discussing the magistrate's preferences, remember them quietly. But don't ask questions yourself."

Chen Xiran agreed immediately.

“Got it.”

Li Jin continued,

"I'll go to the bookshop and gather information. In the afternoon, we'll meet back at the inn to compare notes."

After asking for directions to the largest bookshop , Li Jin dusted off his robes and headed there.

At the Bookshop

Inside, Li Jin discovered that five entire bookshelves were dedicated to the imperial exams .

Three shelves held classics like the Four Books and Five Classics .

Two shelves were filled entirely with arithmetic books !

A curious student from another county asked about it, and the shopkeeper explained with a smile:

“His Majesty has started emphasizing mathematics this year—calculating astronomy, engineering projects from the Ministry of Works, tax structures from the Ministry of Revenue, and so on…”

Author's Note:

All dates mentioned follow the lunar calendar , meaning that the first month (Yuán Yuè) is the New Year period .

Chí Xíng (whipping) – A form of corporal punishment in ancient China, using bamboo or wooden rods to strike a criminal's back, buttocks, or legs for minor offenses.

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