"..."
Even Mo Qingze, a man of resolute character, felt uncomfortable with such lavish praise and could only force a smile, saying, "Where, where, every inch has its rit and every foot its failure. I still have much to improve, and I should strive along with all the other gentlen."
Being able to beco Scholars and confident in participating in the imperial examinations, these six were not fools. Seeing Mo Qingze’s persistent modesty and politeness, they knew he was not a fan of flattery; as a result, their interactions beca much more natural thereafter.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Mo Qingze had a clear understanding of the six people’s intentions. Although not quite comfortable with it, he didn’t feel much repulsion. He had confidence in himself; he was certain his na would appear on the list. Regardless of the outco of the final examination, becoming a Jin Shi and entering the civil service was certain. If he couldn’t even cope with these people now, how would he navigate the complex world of officialdom in the future?
Watching her father handle the situation with ease, Mo Yan couldn’t quite define her feelings. She knew her father was neither skilled nor fond of interacting with strangers, yet he was forcing himself to adapt simply because of the position he now held, to avoid unnecessary trouble.
She was seeing the change she had hoped for, but she didn’t want her father to feel uncomfortable, leaving her deeply conflicted inside.
The Mo Family’s situation had attracted the attention of many, and the six, perceptive n, knowing the Mo Family didn’t want to attract notice, decided it was not the ti to curry favor and took their leave one after another.
Mo Qingze didn’t detain them but simply smiled and watched them return to their respective places.
"Father, I didn’t expect your popularity to be so high. If you hadn’t deliberately kept your voices down, I’m afraid the entire tea house would have co over," Mo Qingze settled back in his seat, and Mo Yan joked, trying to press down the mixed feelings in her heart.
The people, albeit with their own ulterior motives, carried a genuine admiration in their eyes that was visible to her. If this had been her previous life, these individuals could be considered her father’s fans, the kind that, despite having presence, preferred talent over looks.
"You, always teasing your father!" said Mo Qingze with a sense of helplessness, tapping the forehead of his eldest daughter with his finger.
"Father, it’s true after all. Sister wasn’t making fun of you!" Xin Er, learning for the first ti how revered her father was, blushed with excitent. This respect was not just the villagers’ simple admiration for the literate.
"Yeah, adoptive father is the best!" Shengsheng’s eyes shone brightly as she looked up at her adoptive father, her wide eyes filled with adoration. She didn’t quite understand the difference between the literate and non-literate’s respect for him, but she was simply happy to see him admired.
Seeing his daughters’ cheerful smiles, a gentle smile also appeared on Mo Qingze’s face, finding the admiration quite a pleasant feeling.
The family of four was happily sipping tea and chatting when they suddenly heard soone outside shouting, "The results are posted!" Hearing the news, everyone in the hall rushed out, leaving in an instant and completely abandoning the calm from before.
The result list did not show everyone’s scores, only the nas of the top one hundred Tribute Scholars. If one’s na was not to be found on the list, it ant only failure and waiting three more years for the next imperial examination.
The three Mo sisters lost their interest in chatting and beca restless, glancing toward the entrance, hoping the crowd around the list would disperse quickly. Unexpectedly, rather than diminishing, they saw faces filled with disappointnt, frustration, and even despair, including that of so white-haired, aging Scholars. For them, failing this examination was a crushing blow; perhaps they wouldn’t survive to see another three years.
In just a quarter of an hour, more than one person had either passed by crying or collapsed from the shock and had to be carried away, a sight that gradually cald the anxious sisters, causing them to feel quite upset.
"I passed, I passed, I’ve finally passed, haha—," a student, seemingly deranged with joy, burst into the tea house, shouting "I passed" to every person he saw.
Understanding his elation, people didn’t take issue with him; those with grace even offered their congratulations, which only heightened the internal tension and unease of the others.
As more and more people went with hope and returned in disappointnt, the atmosphere in the hall gradually grew heavy. Once there were fewer people looking at the results outside, the Mo family, along with the remaining students, made their way over.
Standing on the periphery of the crowd, Mo Yan could already see the red list on the high wall from afar. With her excellent vision and the large font on the list, as they moved closer, she caught sight of the na at the top of the list and her eyes instantly sparkled.
There, in bold black characters, was clearly written: Top Scholar—Mo Qingze!
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