Gazing at the throng ahead, Wang Qingchen let out a helpless sigh. He and Li Yuntai surely wouldn't be able to squeeze through!

Li Yuntai hadn't anticipated that after their excited arrival, they would be met with this sight. He shifted awkwardly. "Heh... you were right, Qingchen. Given this situation, we probably can't get in. How about we head back for now, and come back after they're done looking?"

Wang Qingchen watched Li Yuntai, who clearly longed to know the results but was desperately suppressing the urge. He chuckled. "Don't be like that. We've already come this far; why turn back? Let's just wait here. Later, we can see which direction has fewer people and try to push in from there."

Li Yuntai nodded, immediately beginning to scan the crowd for a less congested spot. Before they had settled on a direction, however, they saw a fellow scholar, someone who had come to take the examination with them, struggling out of the mass of people, drenched in sweat. He carefully used his sleeve to wipe the perspiration from his forehead upon emerging.

The moment Li Yuntai spotted him, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ziyuan, have you seen the results of the County Examination?"

The scholar named Ziyuan, hearing someone address him, looked up with a puzzled expression. "Oh, it's Yuntai and Qingchen! Are you two here for the county results too? Did either of you pass?"

Li Yuntai shook his head. Ziyuan took this to mean that both Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai had failed. A flicker of suppressed joy ignited in his chest; after all, Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai were usually far superior to him academically. If they both failed while he, Ziyuan, had made the list—that was a pleasant turn of events. Just as Ziyuan was preparing to offer his condolences, he heard Li Yuntai say with resignation, "Alas, the moment we arrived, there were so many people here, how could we possibly squeeze in? We don't even know if we passed yet. By the way, Brother Ziyuan, did you happen to see our names when you were in there?"

Ziyuan swallowed back the comforting words he had been about to utter, letting out a dry laugh. "Well, it was crowded, and I only managed a quick glance. After spotting my own name, I hurried out. I didn't pay close attention to anyone else's name."

Hearing this, Li Yuntai felt a genuine pang of worry; things were looking precarious for him and Wang Qingchen. Could it truly be that their trip here had been in vain?

As Li Yuntai harbored these pessimistic thoughts about the County Examination, Wang Qingchen, standing beside him, offered congratulations. "Since Brother Ziyuan's name is on that list, allow me to congratulate you."

Ziyuan felt a subtle surge of pride at this. "Oh, it's nothing, nothing. My studies usually fall far short of yours. That I managed to pass the County Examination this time is purely by chance; surely you two passing is a given."

Ziyuan's words left the two of them unsure how to respond, and a slight displeasure settled between them. According to Ziyuan's logic, if Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai did pass, it was merely expected—I, who am usually inferior, passed, so how could you not? But if they failed while the comparatively weaker Ziyuan succeeded, didn't that imply their established reputations were hollow boasts?

Wang Qingchen pretended not to grasp Ziyuan’s underlying meaning, his smile becoming exceptionally bright. "Then I'll take that as a good omen from you!"

This response managed to stump Ziyuan into silence. However, after a moment's thought, Ziyuan brightened. "Since I’ve seen the results and there’s nothing else for me down here, I’ll accompany you two to look! Are you heading in now? Perhaps I can squeeze through the crowd with you one more time?"

"We'd rather wait until the crowd thins out a bit, Brother Ziyuan. You don't need to accompany us," Wang Qingchen replied.

Yet, despite Wang Qingchen's words, Ziyuan seemed determined. "Ah, I have nothing else to do anyway. It’s no trouble to look again with you. Besides, if I had looked more carefully just now, maybe I would have spotted your names. I might as well go in with you, as a small apology for not noticing earlier!"

Li Yuntai quickly interjected, "Brother Ziyuan, you shouldn't say that. It's not your fault you didn't see our names; perhaps neither of us passed? Don't blame yourself. We can just go look ourselves."

Ziyuan was not so easily dismissed. Thus, the pair expecting to wait became a party of three. What frustrated Wang Qingchen immensely was that even after this exchange, the crowd showed no sign of dispersing. He couldn't fathom why, if they had already seen the results, people were lingering. If they wanted to discuss or offer commentary, wouldn't a nearby teahouse be a much better venue?

Li Yuntai was growing restless too. The posted list was right there, yet they were prevented from seeing it by the sheer mass of people. Coupled with the fact that Ziyuan, who had seen the results, hadn't seen their names, Li Yuntai's patience snapped.

"Qingchen, maybe we shouldn't wait any longer. Let's just push through now! This crowd isn't thinning out at all; who knows how long we’d have to wait?" Li Yuntai suggested.

Wang Qingchen looked at Li Yuntai, sensing his agitation, and offered no further protest. "Alright, let’s go now then." Turning to Ziyuan, Wang Qingchen asked, "Brother Ziyuan, will you join us?"

Ziyuan's entire reason for staying was the anticipation of witnessing their disappointment, so when Wang Qingchen asked, Ziyuan cheerfully agreed to accompany them.

As the three prepared to push into the throng, another scholar—the same one who had teased Wang Qingchen about drinking earlier—burst out of the crowd. Spotting the trio, he didn't even pause to catch his breath. "Ah, perfect timing! The three of you don't need to go in. I just checked; all three of you passed!"

Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai were ecstatic. "Is that true? You're not kidding us, are you?"

The man took a few deep breaths and rolled his eyes with mock irritation. "Fine. I struggle and fight my way in to check for you lads, and you repay me by doubting me?"

Wang Qingchen quickly stepped forward with a placating smile. "Oh, we would never doubt you! It’s just that this news is so wonderfully surprising! We really did all pass."

Ziyuan managed a strained chuckle. "Indeed. We all passed the County Examination."

The man snorted, feigning anger. "Honestly, daring to question me! Luckily, I am naturally generous and don't hold grudges. Aren't you going to hurry up and thank me for fighting so hard to check the board for you?"

Wang Qingchen, overjoyed by the confirmation of his success, showered the man with compliments that seemed to cost nothing, smoothing the man's ego beautifully. Once satisfied, the man put on a show of confusion. "I truly don't understand how you and that fellow Zhao Cheng managed to surpass all of us with your studies. He placed sixth, and you closely followed in seventh. Come on, tell me, how exactly do you study? How do you achieve such excellent scores?"

The man was merely expressing surprise and teasing, not truly demanding an explanation. So, Wang Qingchen good-naturedly engaged in playful banter, much to Li Yuntai’s delight. Ziyuan, however, felt a bitter churning in his stomach, but thankfully, he wasn't completely witless. He managed a few joking remarks as well.

Now that Li Yuntai knew he had passed, he lost the insistence on verifying it himself. For one, he trusted his fellow scholars not to lie about something like this. Secondly, he had just witnessed the miserable sight of the two emerging from the crowd; Li Yuntai decided he would rather avoid that ordeal and wait for a less busy time.

The group then returned together to the inn. Upon entering the main hall, they heard the chaotic chatter of numerous students discussing the county results—some congratulating each other on passing, others trying to console those who had not. The four made no move to retire to their rooms to study but instead found an empty spot in the hall to sit.

Wang Qingchen realized he hadn't seen Zhao Cheng since arriving in the county seat, so he inquired about him.

The man who had checked the list, Liu Hao, upon hearing Wang Qingchen ask about Zhao Cheng, explained, "Zhao Cheng didn't stay at this inn after arriving in the county. He went to an inn on the next street over, which is why you haven't seen him. I only spotted him the day we entered the examination hall."

Li Yuntai looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't he stay at this inn? Almost everyone from our academy taking the exam is staying here; we could look out for each other!"

Liu Hao rolled his eyes. "You know as well as I do that his family isn't like ours. The inn where he's staying now, while perhaps not as nice as this one, has a huge advantage: it’s much cheaper! But even in a less comfortable place, Zhao Cheng still tested the best among us from the academy. Truly, we can't compare."

Wang Qingchen considered Zhao Cheng's family situation. Could it be that Madam Huang hadn't given him enough money when he came to the county? That seemed unlikely. Given the extent of Madam Huang’s current support for his uncle’s food stall, Wang Youliang shouldn't have treated her poorly, so where was the lack of funds?

What Wang Qingchen couldn't possibly guess was that Madam Huang had given Zhao Cheng money; rather, Zhao Cheng was accustomed to saving since childhood and felt this inn was too expensive, prompting him to go to the trouble of finding a cheaper alternative.

The group didn't dwell on Zhao Cheng for long; after all, it was his private business, and they shouldn't criticize him incessantly. They quickly shifted the topic to planning a celebration. Everyone agreed wholeheartedly; passing the County Examination certainly warranted a proper celebration.

After deciding whom to invite, they discussed their next steps: whether to prepare for the Prefectural Examination right there in the county seat or to return home and come back closer to the date of the Prefectural Examination. Wang Qingchen pondered this, unable to settle on a decision immediately. (To be continued)

For more novels, visit storyread.net.