"What do you want to bet on?" asked the chubby youth.
Ian Song replied, "Let's bet on whether I can pass the child-student exam. If I pass, you owe me five taels of silver. If I fail, I'll give you five taels!"
"Huh?"
Henry Huang hesitated—five taels of silver wasn't a small amount for him.
"Not willing to bet? Then forget it," Ian Song said with a smile, shaking his head.
Henry Huang stiffened his neck and said, "Who says I'm not willing? I'm just worried you, a poor scholar, can't even put up five taels!"
Smack!
Ian Song directly placed several pieces of broken silver on the table. "Not too much, not too little—exactly five taels."
Immediately, Henry Huang found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"And you?" Ian pressed him. "You mocked me for being poor, but I've put up five taels. Don't tell me you can't?"
Hearing this, everyone looked at Henry Huang with odd expressions. His face was full of embarrassment—five taels, saved carefully, could support a family of three for half a year. While his family wasn't poor, he certainly didn't carry that much silver around.
"I just forgot to bring my money pouch!"
Even though he couldn't produce five taels, Henry Huang still refused to admit defeat.
"Brother Huang, since you didn't bring your pouch, I'll lend you five taels first." Evan Shaw took out a five-tael silver ingot and placed it on the table.
"Thanks, Brother Evan!" Henry Huang said gratefully.
"No problem, it's nothing," Evan replied breezily. "I just don't want to see certain people get too cocky!" He shot Ian Song a provocative look, then added, "What's your name, so you don't pretend to be someone else later?"
Ian Song chuckled, "I don't change my name sitting or standing—I'm Ian Song!"
Half an hour drifted by.
Another red list was posted, again admitting thirty child-students.
Chris Chen was about to go check the list, but Ian Song said, "Hold on, big bro—no need to rush!"
Still not there!
After scanning over a dozen names, Chris Chen still didn't see Song Yan's name and began to panic. He kept reading.
Fifteenth place.
Fourteenth place.
Thirteenth place.
...
When he reached third place, still no sign of Song Yan's name.
Second place: Evan Shaw, student of Hongyu Township.
"That kid actually got second place!"
Chris felt a bit annoyed—how did that kid manage to get second place?
Clinging to hope, his eyes landed on the first name—the coveted laureate. When he saw it, his breath caught: it was...
Inside the teahouse.
Ian Song was calmly sipping his tea. With his sharp eyesight, he'd already seen his name on the list—and not just anywhere, but as the top laureate.
Meanwhile, Henry Huang was quietly sneering to himself.
Just then.
A servant rushed into the teahouse, excitedly announcing, "Young master, you've passed! You got second place!"
On hearing this, Evan Shaw's face didn't brighten at all—instead, it darkened. He had always considered himself the top scholar among Huangshan County's youth, and the laureate was supposed to be his by right. Now, someone else had stolen his spot.
"Who? Who stole my laureate title?" Evan Shaw roared inwardly, then coldly demanded, "Who's the laureate?"
"Looks like it's someone named Song Yan," the servant replied.
The servant answered.
At that moment, all eyes—Evan Shaw's, Henry Huang's, and those of the surrounding scholars—turned to the calmly composed Ian Song.
After a brief stunned silence, the scholars crowded forward to congratulate Ian Song.
Just then, Chris Chen's voice drifted up from below: "Ian, you did it! You got the laureate!"
Ian Song smiled, but felt no particular pride; to him, winning the laureate was just a small step.
He walked over to the table shared by Evan Shaw and Henry Huang, picked up the five-tael silver ingot that Evan had lent Henry, and calmly claimed it as his winnings.
"Today is double happiness," Ian said cheerfully. "I won the laureate and also picked up five taels of silver. Henry, thanks for being a good sport. Evan, thank you for lending him the silver—without it, he couldn't have bet with me."
With that, Ian turned and left, not bothering to see how ugly Evan and Henry's faces had become.
The title of laureate isn't just a simple first place.
According to local custom, anyone who earns the laureate in the scholar exam is almost guaranteed to pass the xiucai exam later. That's why the title shines so brightly.
"Ian, I can't believe you got the laureate! Our Song clan is truly honored!" Chris Chen exclaimed.
"Big brother, you've said that ten times now. It's just the laureate. When I take the xiucai exam, I'll go for first place again," Ian replied, not the least bit modest.
After learning he'd passed, Ian and Chris left the county city for Songjia Village.
On the road, Chris was still beaming with excitement.
It was about two o'clock in the afternoon.
Ian and Chris arrived together at Chen Family Village.
Yoyo Chen was standing at the gate, gazing into the distance, clearly waiting for Ian's return.
"Did you pass, little husband?" Yoyo asked anxiously as soon as she saw Ian.
Before Ian could answer, Chris jumped in: "He passed! Not just passed, but took the laureate. There's no way he won't become a xiucai in the future!"
Yoyo's face lit up with admiration and pride.
Ian turned to Chris: "Big brother, you go home first and tell Father the good news. I'll freshen up and come pay my respects as a proper son-in-law."
"Alright, I'll go tell Dad right now!" Chris replied, nodding quickly before racing off toward the neighboring village.
When Chris arrived home, his father Darren Chen was shirtless, chopping firewood.