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At the entrance of the town, a crowd of people had already gathered densely by the few willow trees by the riverbank.

At the front of the crowd, Sun Siwen stood on a bullock cart, constantly bowing to the townspeople, saying something with a face full of accomplishment and pride.

For the first juren Master of the town in twenty years, the townspeople were thrilled and felt honored, all wanting to join in the celebration.

Lu Yuan laboriously pushed through the crowded people and finally heard clearly.

“Fellow elders, fortunately protected by our ancestors, and with your support, I have become a juren in this imperial examination. In the future…”

Amidst the cheers, Sun Siwen happily spoke with formalities on stage.

In the past, even when he became a Scholar, his status increased tremendously, yet there wouldn’t be so many people in the town listening to him speak.

But now, once he became a juren, the world felt entirely different.

Once one reached the position of juren, if one didn’t want to continue with the examinations, they could apply to the court for an official post.

Although the available posts were minor ones, they were incomparable to those held by jinshi(imperial examination title), who could directly start as County Magistrates or County Captains. But they were still officials nonetheless.

Even a small ninth-rank official was far superior to an ordinary person, making them part of separate social classes.

Perhaps it was due to a lack of experience.

Sun Siwen’s speech this time was full of erudite quotations that the uneducated commoners couldn’t understand.

Nevertheless, whenever he finished speaking, the surrounding crowd would follow along and cheer, “Master Juren, say a few more words!” and “That was great!”

Such flattery made Sun Siwen’s head swim, his words flowing out like a broken dam that couldn’t be stopped.

He spoke for over an hour.

It wasn’t until his mouth became dry and parched, and the townspeople around him showed signs of fatigue, that Master Juren’s lecture slowly came to an end.

By this time, Lu Yuan had already gone to the town tavern, bought some cooked food and wine, returned home, and hurried back again.

Seeing the crowd gradually thinning, he stepped forward with a smile.

“Brother Lu!”

Coming back to his senses from his excitement, Sun Siwen saw his good friend whom he hadn’t seen for several months and immediately jumped off the bullock cart, running up to him.

“Brother Sun.”

Lu Yuan hugged him and laughed, “As I predicted, Brother Sun succeeded in the imperial examination and has earned a prestigious name. In just a short two months, you have soared high to become an official.”

With his friend mentioning his success as juren, Sun Siwen felt very pleased and laughed, “This time I was able to pass, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Brother Lu. Even with my one-thousand talents, I could never have succeeded without your help.”

This was his way of thanking Lu Yuan for helping him financially with the exam fees.

Mr. Sun was also hinting that he woulld not forget the favor and would not distance himself from their friendship due to chanzes in status.

Lu Yuan caught the meaning in his words and felt even happier.

Often, people forget their roots and the kindness they received after they become successful in life.

Sun Siwen’s actions showed his true nature.

Having such a friend indeed brought joy.

However, he didn’t say much more, simply gesturing, “We have prepared a banquet at home, just waiting for Brother Sun. Would Master Juren be willing to grace us with his presence?”

Hearing Lu Yuan mention their get-together later, Sun Siwen couldn’t help but be restless. Unable to contain himself, he grabbed Lu Yuan’s sleeve and dragged him towards the alley, “I’ve attended many gatherings during my time in the prefecture city, but none of them had close friends.

Waiting until we meet, it’s all just formalities.

Separated for two months, I’ve long been looking forward to drinking and discussing with Brother Lu. You truly know me.”

Between their words, their attitudes were no different from before.

At Lu Yuan’s home.

On the stone table in the courtyard, more than half of the small dishes had been eaten, and the pot of fine wine was nearly empty.

The two reunited friends, wine cups in hand, talked endlessly as if they had a never-ending supply of stories to share.

Lu Yuan talked about his recent experiences but didn’t say much more, mostly listening to Sun Siwen’s stories.

The new juren spoke of his journey to the examinations, the geography of

Yuzhang Prefecture, his experiences in the prefectural city, the anxiety and tension before the examination, the new friends he met, and how wonderful and vast the world outside was.

After speaking for a long time, Sun Siwen drank a cup of wine and suddenly said, “Brother Lu, after I became a juren, I have requested the prefectural government to grant me an official post. My name has been submitted, and as soon as there’s a vacancy, I can assume my post.”

Lu Yuan was taken aback and asked in surprise, “Brother Sun, are you not going to continue taking the imperial examinations?”

Although becoming an official as a juren had a lower starting point than a jinshi, and their career peaks were limited to ranks four or five, those who became officials as jinshi began their careers at the eighth rank. In the future, whether they became high ranking officers or entered the court to serve as prime minister, they had great prospects.

Thus, the difference between a juren and a jinshi, whether in terms of tangible benefits or future prospects, was like night and day.

Lu Yuan knew this well, but how could this newly appointed juren not know?

Nevertheless, Sun Siwen just gave a bitter smile, “I am not taking any more exams.”

Seeing his expression, Lu Yuan frowned and asked, “What happened?”

Sun Siwen sighed, “Brother Lu, do you remember that I told you about the whispers I heard in my dreams?”

Lu Yuan felt a slight movement in his heart and nodded, “I remember. Brother Sun, you said that there was a voice in your dreams, urging you to take the imperial examination. ”

Sun Siwen helplessly said, “Yes, that voice was urging me to take the examination. I must tell you, actually, since I became a juren a month ago, that voice in my dreams has suddenly disappeared.

Since the disappearance of the voice, I have felt empty as if I have lost something.

The feeling of being invincible also vanished with it.

Now, to have me take the Imperial Examination, frankly, even if I had already taken it, I am not confident that I could pass it again if I were to retake it.

Previously, when I took the exam, my pen flowed smoothly without any blockage. Every time there was a difficult question, the answer would immediately come up in my heart.

Thinking back, it felt more like someone was using my eyes to look at the exam, solving it, and then announcing the answer in my mind.

However, at that time, I was focusing on passing the exam and didn’t think much about it, assuming I had done it myself.

Perhaps what succeeded this time was not me, but the voice in my heart, or the person within me.”

As he spoke, Sun Siwen looked despondent, and his eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions that were hard to interpret..