Wang Qingchen and the others made their way to the place where the results board was posted. Though still crowded, there were noticeably fewer people than before. Liu Hao immediately put his crowd-squeezing skills to the test, swiftly making his way to the very front. He then began scanning the lists from back to front.

The rest of the group, while not as practiced as Liu Hao, managed to push through, benefiting from the reduced numbers. By the time they squeezed in, Liu Hao was already nearly finished examining the entire board.

Liu Hao looked over the list three times, back and forth, but could not find his name. A profound sense of deflation settled in his chest. Although he had considered the possibility of failure before leaving for the provincial capital, seeing his name absent now brought an undeniable sting of sadness.

Wang Qingchen and the others also scrutinized the listings. They discovered that out of their entire party, only Zhao Cheng and Wang Qingchen had made the roster; the rest had failed. This realization caused Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng considerable distress.

While they were certainly delighted to have passed, the joy felt hollow knowing that only they had succeeded while their companions had not. They had all journeyed from the county seat to the provincial capital united by the same ambition: to realize their ideals in the provincial examination. The current outcome left Liu Hao and the others feeling deeply disheartened.

At that moment, Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng found themselves at a loss for words of comfort. To offer consolation might only serve to provoke further pain; how would the unsuccessful interpret advice from those who had triumphed?

Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng understood this dynamic perfectly. After checking the board, they fell silent, choosing instead to wait for the others who were clearly dejected.

Once Liu Hao and the others confirmed their names were definitively missing, they reluctantly began preparing to leave, their spirits heavy. Seeing this, Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng naturally followed suit.

Perhaps the shock of failure had sapped their strength, as they found it took a significant effort just to push their way out of the throng on the return journey.

After escaping the crowd, Liu Hao and the others walked back without much conversation, maintaining a somber silence. Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng exchanged a look, sighed softly, and followed them home.

Upon their return, those who had been gathered for tea had already departed, leaving only Madam Huang in the residence. Seeing them return crestfallen after having left with such spirited haste, she immediately surmised they had not seen their names on the list. Thus, Madam Huang asked no questions, pretending ignorance as she ushered them toward the dining area to eat.

Despite their profound disappointment, Liu Hao and the others felt they couldn't outright refuse the kindness of Madam Huang, who had cared for them for so long. They reluctantly took their seats for the meal.

It was already late afternoon, making this a very late lunch. None of them had felt hungry before, and after seeing the examination results, the lack of appetite was even more acute.

Madam Huang observed the poor appetites at the table with growing concern. However, after a moment’s thought, she kept her words of encouragement unspoken. In her estimation, there was little chance of improving their moods right now; anyone in their position would react the same way to failing the examination.

Liu Hao and the others managed only a few token bites before retreating to their separate rooms, leaving Madam Huang, Wang Qingchen, and Zhao Cheng sitting awkwardly, watching each other across the table.

“Eat, please. They likely have no appetite now. I’ll try to speak with them again tonight,” Madam Huang suggested.

Wang Qingchen and Zhao Cheng nodded, then resumed eating.

After finishing his meal, Wang Qingchen returned to his own room. He decided he must write home immediately to inform his family about passing the Juren examination, thus alleviating their worry.

Meanwhile, Madam Huang and her son, Zhao Cheng, retired to Madam Huang’s room after finishing their own meal.

Madam Huang first inquired about the situation with Liu Hao and the others. She hadn't dared ask while everyone was present earlier for fear of embarrassing them.

Zhao Cheng relayed the results of the listings to her. Upon hearing the news, Madam Huang sighed with feeling. Having lived alongside the young men for so many days, she had come to know their characters—they were all good youths, and she wished desperately that every single one of them could have succeeded. The reality was different: only her son and Qingchen had passed, while Liu Hao and the others had all fallen short, leading Madam Huang to lament the outcome.

After a spell of lamentation, Madam Huang turned her thoughts to another matter, one that truly left her feeling vexed.

“When they came to observe today, it was fine at first. But later, when they saw you and Qingchen had both passed, they started claiming it was entirely due to the excellent Feng Shui of the house we are renting. It truly grate on the nerves to hear such things. Passing the Juren exam is a result of my son’s diligent efforts over time! How can they reduce it to the mere fortune of a dwelling? As if anyone who stays in this house automatically passes? I initially thought they were joking, but then they started asking me if the house was for sale or not. It is truly infuriating to listen to!” Madam Huang vented her frustration.

Hearing his mother’s account, Zhao Cheng agreed that those people were absurd. If passing the exam relied solely on good Feng Shui, then what was the purpose of tutors, or of scholars like himself working so hard?

“Mother, pay them no mind; they are simply jealous of us! They have to invent a reason so they can feel better about themselves. Do not give it another thought,” Zhao Cheng counseled her.

“If they only criticized me, I could bear it. But they specifically talk about you, son, as if you spent all your time playing, and that passing the Juren was purely due to the house. Hearing them speak of you like that upsets me,” Madam Huang insisted.

Zhao Cheng smiled, understanding his mother’s protective nature. His mother always prioritized him; she could tolerate criticism directed at herself, but the moment it touched upon her son, she yielded absolutely nothing.

This realization filled Zhao Cheng with gratitude. “Mother, please don’t worry. I don’t mind what they say. I know perfectly well how I earned this Juren title; a few words from them cannot erase that. Besides, we will be leaving the provincial capital soon anyway. Let them talk.”

“Perhaps I am being too sensitive,” Madam Huang conceded with a slight smile.

Meanwhile, the actual owners of the residence rented by Wang Qingchen and his companions were absolutely furious upon learning that their house—a dwelling supposedly blessed with good Feng Shui—had been rented out. Their own son had taken the provincial examination this year, only to fail. Yet, two successful candidates had emerged from the very house they leased out—a fact that drove the owners to distraction!

“Oh, it’s all my fault! I should never have rented out the house without first checking its Feng Shui! It’s my fault our son didn’t pass the Juren!” the owner’s wife lamented, filled with regret.

The owner felt regret too, but he knew what was done was done. “Enough. Next time our son takes the provincial exam, we won’t rent the house out. We’ll let him live there then.”

“What good is living there for just a short while? In my opinion, we should throw those people out immediately and move in ourselves! Honestly, why would one live in a house with bad Feng Shui when one has a house with good Feng Shui sitting vacant? We should move in now,” the wife declared fiercely.

“Hey, stop jumping to conclusions! We leased that house to them, you know. How can we just break the agreement? If we do, we’ll owe them a considerable penalty. Is it worth it? Our son’s next provincial exam isn’t for another three years. Can you not wait that long?” the owner argued, holding her back.

“Hmph, I just can’t stand the sight of them taking advantage of us! Our house has good Feng Shui, and all the benefits go to outsiders while our own family gets nothing. No, even if we don’t kick them out now, we must go over there and demand higher rent! They’ve gained such an enormous advantage; they can’t just get away with it for free!” the owner’s wife insisted, refusing to back down.

“Oh, why must you stir up trouble? They now have two Juren gentlemen living there. Do you think you can argue with them? Think instead about whether they might take a liking to our house and decide they want to stay permanently! I’m telling you, if they don’t set their sights on our property, fine. But if they do, we might not get the house back at all. You should pray to the bodhisattvas that they leave as soon as the examination season is over! Stop thinking about wild ideas like that!” the owner cautioned.

“But, but, we still can’t let them benefit for nothing! Every time I think about how the benefit our son should have received went to them instead, I just can’t accept it!” the wife replied, distressed.

“Alright, alright, stop agonizing. How about this: as soon as they move out, we immediately move in there?” the owner rubbed his temples.

“Fine, fine. Whatever you say then! We certainly let them profit,” the wife pouted.

Hearing this, the owner felt an even worse headache coming on. Didn’t you just say that? Now it sounds like I insisted on it. He sighed internally. Well, as long as my wife doesn’t go looking for trouble on her own, that’s enough.

And so, despite widespread discussion about how wonderful the house they rented was, nobody actually came knocking on their door. Everyone was simply waiting for Wang Qingchen’s party to depart the provincial capital. Wang Qingchen and his companions, meanwhile, remained completely unaware of the buzz surrounding their temporary residence. Though, had they known, they likely would have found the situation both tear-inducing and amusing.