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Master Song’s study room was on the opposite side of the classroom where students were taught. Even though Li Jin could hear the sound of reading from the classroom room.

By listening to the tone and vigor, one could easily distinguish that young students were reciting texts. 

This feeling gave Li Jin a sense of urgency.

Li Jin had to support his family and also cultivate the land. He didn’t have as much time as others to study, so he must work harder.

If you cleared the exam, you would be exempted from paying the taxes and your social status would also improve.

Even being a teacher in the village would be easy.

As for whether he could be admitted as an official, Li Jin didn’t think much about it.

As the level of the exam increases, so the difficulty and the need to have a strong knowledge of current affairs. He came from another era, a person who was still trying to adapt to this new society.

Li Jin had neither kinship nor respect for His Majesty in his heart.

Li felt that if he topped the imperial exam and was selected as official, then something may happen, maybe someone would notice his attitude.

Besides, his family was too poor and as an official, he had to go to Beijing. He couldn’t leave his husband and children in the village.

Before he realized it, Li Jin had already finished copying a piece of paper, put it on the ground to dry it, and started to copy another one.

Li Jin’s writing was too small, and he had only copied on seven bamboo-leaf papers in two hours.

When Master Song came into the study, he saw that the floor was already full of pages written by Li Jin. 

In the initial pages, Li Jin’s words weren’t well distinct or controlled. But after writing for a while, neat and clean words fell from the tip of his pen. 

Seeing the changes, Song Yuan became more satisfied with Li Jin.

When Li Jin finished copying the book, he saw Master Song standing behind him.

Li Jin called out, “Sir.”

Song Yuan said, “You have made great progress in writing in ‘Liu Ti’ style, good…good.”

Master Song even said good two times, he was very happy.

Then he asked till where Li Jin had copied the text, and Li Jin was a little ashamed and slowly said, “Just going to start copying ‘Sacred Edict’.”

Song Yuan thought about Li Jin’s words and asked, “In which chapter does ‘heavy farming have enough food and clothing’ explained?”

The importance of copying a book wasn’t just to read it after copying it, but to also memorize it while writing.

Fortunately, Li Jin wasn’t an ordinary teenager, but a medical practitioner, who was already accustomed to memorizing while writing. 

Although it was difficult to understand ancient texts, Li Jin slowly tried to copy the text that he understood and marked those words that he couldn’t understand to ask them later.

Song Yuan’s question was from the text he had already written, so Li Jin answered it quickly.

Listening to Li Jin’s answer, Song Yuan immediately praised, “Good!”

After that, Song Yuan explained to Li Jin the central idea of the ‘Sacred Edict’ and asked him to go back and memorize it today and write it down tomorrow morning.

Li Jin “…” 

Although he was mentally prepared for the exam, he still felt his scalp being numb.

What did imperial examination mean? One couldn’t get admitted for a lifetime without hard work.

When Song Yuan saw the potatoes in Li Jin’s back basket, he felt bad and asked Li Jin if he wanted to eat with him.

Li Jin waved his hand and declined.

When Li Jin came home, it was already past four in the afternoon.

Li Jin was already hungry. After eating the eggs and potatoes on the road, he planned to go back and cook the braised pork for the youth.

As a result, a lot of people returning from the town saw Li Jin walking home while eating potatoes.

Now that Li Jin’s behavior had changed, they were also happy to say hello to him.

“Li Jin, why are you eating potatoes again??”

“Why don’t you take your wife and child to my house for dinner today?”

Li Jin, “…” 

Did you not see me eating eggs just now???

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