Chapter 1391: Side Story: Fan Zijin (7)
Editor:
Atlas Studios
Fan Zijin was stunned for a moment before anger surged in his chest. However, he no longer shouted like when he was young. Instead, he only asked coldly, "What if I canât get become a juren through the imperial examination? After all, there are countless young people in the world who became a tongsheng yet werenât able to advance further."
To scholars, becoming a xiucai was just a small step towards officialdom. It was just a title. The real hurdle was the Fall Quarter Examinations. Only by passing the Fall Quarter Examinations and becoming a juren could one obtain the qualifications to become an official. It would naturally be better if one could become a jinshi.
This was because unless one was a jinshi, they would not enter a Hanlin official. If one was not a Hanlin official, they could not be conferred the title of minister one day. This had been a tradition since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
No matter how smooth-sailing Fan Zijinâs path had been so far, he was just a xiucai. His future was not guaranteed unless he could become a juren through the imperial examination.
However, this was extremely difficult.
Only the top 300 scholars would be recruited through the Fall Quarter Examinations in Jiangnan every year. During an enrollment expansion, the number would be higher. However, there were as many as 100,000 participants. Every other year, there would be new xiucais. Considering the Fall Quarter Examinations only happened once every three years, it could be seen how many xiucai there were.
If Fan Zijin could not become a juren, then his hereditary privilege would be his other way out. If Fan Siwen had been considerate of Fan Zijin at all, he would not suggest handing the spot for hereditary privilege to Fan Zixiao at this time. Instead, he would have waited until Fan Zijin became a juren.
Anger surged in Fan Zijinâs chest. He looked at his father with bright eyes and asked, "What if your son, I, canât become a juren?"
Fan Siwen turned his head guiltily and said, "Zijin, you donât have to belittle yourself. Your teachers and I have read your essays, and we think that theyâre not bad. As long as you study hard for a period of time..."
"But you and the teachers are not the examiners." Fan Zijin interrupted him indifferently. "Arenât there many people in this world who have talent but repeatedly fail to perform?"
Fan Siwen looked a little gloomy.
With his experience, how could he not know of this situation?
Since becoming a jinshi at age 30 was considered young, Zijin would be considered young if he became a jinshi in his thirties. Even if Fan Siwen felt that his son was very smart, he could not be certain that Zijin would be able to become a juren before his thirties.
However, with Zixiaoâs age and his stupidity, since Zijin had the ability to find his own way out, Fan Siwen didnât feel that there was anything wrong with giving his hereditary privilege to his illegitimate son in advance.
Thinking of how dejected his eldest son had been for the past few days, Fan Siwen became even more determined. He said directly, "Iâve already made up my mind on this matter. Zijin, you became a tongsheng at the age of nine and a xiucai at 12. Even I feel ashamed of my inferiority. If you work harder, youâll definitely be able to..."
Fan Zijin sneered and turned to leave.
Fan Siwen was stunned for a moment before slamming the table angrily. "Unfilial son, who taught you to disobey your father like this? Have you learned nothing from the books you read?"
To leave without saying goodbye could be considered unfilial.
Fan Siwen didnât like Fan Zijinâs extreme behavior.
Fan Zijin stopped at the door and sneered. "Itâs the fatherâs fault for not teaching his son. Since you have never taught me how to behave, naturally I do not know how."
"You!"
Fan Zijin flung his sleeves and left. When he ran outside, he woke up a little due to the cold wind blowing at him. When he thought about how his hereditary privilege had been given to his half-brother by his father just like that, he felt as awful as though a rock was stuck in his chest.
Fan Zijin stood in the courtyard and thought for a while before deciding to look for his mother.
Xia Tong was happily preparing for the banquet. When she saw her son, she happily held his hand and said, "Didnât your father want to talk to you? Have you finished chatting?"
Fan Zijin glanced at the servant girls and maidservants and said, "Mother, dismiss them for now. I have something to tell you."
Only then did Xia Tong notice that her sonâs expression was not right. She quickly asked the servants to leave before she hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
"Father wants to give Fan Zixiao his hereditary privilege." As soon as Fan Zijin said this, Xia Tongâs face immediately turned pale. She took two steps back and fell into a chair. After a while, she sneered and said with tears in her eyes, "Huh. So this banquet is his way of compensating us?"
Fan Zijinâs expression darkened. "I argued with him over this, but heâs already made up his mind to give his hereditary privilege to Fan Zixiao."
"Why?" Xia Tong screamed. "Youâre his legitimate son. The ancestral assets and hereditary privilege should be inherited by you. If he gives the hereditary privilege to Fan Zixiao, whoâs the legitimate sonâyou or him?"
Xia Tong stood up and said coldly, "Iâll go find him."
"Mother." Fan Zijin stopped her and said with a cold expression, "If youâre really determined to fight to the end for me, then go. If youâre just going to argue with him like before, but submit to him in the end, donât bother. Youâll just get angry in vain."
Xia Tong paused, then looked up at her son in shock.
Fan Zijin continued to say with a cold expression, "If he is determined to let Fan Zixiao inherit his things, then divorce him. Iâll bring you away. Let him make Madam Liu his legitimate wife and let Fan Zixiao be the legitimate son."
With a sneer, he continued, "When that happens, letâs see if he will make things difficult for Fan Zixiao for the sake of his other concubineâs sons."
Xia Tong was so frightened that her face turned pale. She grabbed her sonâs hand and asked, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Iâm not talking nonsense." Fan Zijin looked at his mother seriously and said, "Iâve wanted to say this for a long time. Ever since I was sensible, Iâve watched the two of you quarrel. Because of me and because of his concubines... Mother, how many times has he made things difficult for you for Madam Liu and Fan Zixiao all these years? Iâm already grown up now and have achieved scholarly honor. Since he doesnât even want to give me his hereditary privilege, why should we stay here? Divorce him. Iâll definitely become more promising than him in the future and let you live a glorious life. Even if you remarry, itâs fine."
Fan Zijin really loved his mother. To him, his father had always been like an enemy. He wanted to fight for his love, but he had never been able to. Every time something happened at home, Fan Siwen would stand on Fan Zixiaoâs side and deal him with a blow. Having seen the way his other classmates interact with their fathers, he was extremely envious.
The most important person in his life was undoubtedly his mother, because it had always been his mother who had raised him. Seeing his mother cry often because of Fan Siwen, he had long thought of suggesting they divorce. Now was the opportunity.
Fan Zijinâs eyes flashed coldly as he gave his mother ideas. "Be firm. We mustnât give in this time. If he doesnât return the hereditary privilege spot, you can divorce him and let him know that weâre not people who can be treated poorly by him."
Vexed, Xia Tong shook her head and said, "No, we canât divorce!"
Fan Zijin looked at his mother sadly and went forward to grab her shoulder. He said seriously, "Mother, Fatherâs heart is already biased to the extreme. What else can we obtain here other than suffering? Just wholeheartedly fight with him for the sake of your son, okay?"
Most of the time, Xia Tong could clearly win, but she would always back down at critical moments. Ultimately, she couldnât bear to part with Fan Siwen, couldnât bear to let him leave her, and couldnât bear to make things difficult for him. Hence, the mother and son kept retreating.
Fan Zijin understood that if he retreated any further, he would have nothing left. He would be holding the title of Fan Siwenâs legitimate son for nothing.
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