48 It’s Hard to Become an Official

As soon she said that, the surrounding people sighed.

Lin Xiaoyue didn’t care, she continued, “Xiaozhi is smart, but fifth uncle depleted the family’s savings. No matter how hard my parents work to earn money, he won’t be able to go to school.”

“Hey, we’re all family. What’s the difference? If your fifth uncle is successful, won’t he also help you and your brother?” Lin Dachui said.

Lin Xiaoyue immediately looked at Lin Yuanshan mockingly.

Then, she looked at Lin Dachui.

“Don’t you know that gandma gives him six taels of silver every month, and this doesn’t include the money for the ink, paper, and inkstone. The other scholars in our village only spend one tael of silver every month.”

Lin Yuanshan’s face instantly turned pale, and he clenched his fists.

Seeing that Lin Dachui was looking at him, he hurriedly whispered that he would explain it to him later.

Lin Dachui believed him just like Old Lady Lin did.

“How can your fifth uncle’s situation be the same as the other families? He almost passed the exam the year before last, and he’s going to take it again next year, so he needs more money to prepare for it.”

As soon as he said that, the people around him became upset.

What did he mean by that? There were other scholars in the village who would also take the exam. Was he looking down on them?

“Heh.” Lin Xiaoyue chuckled.

You could never wake a person who pretended to be asleep.

“Aren’t you too naive to think that one can pass the exam just by networking? If that works, then the quota would have been filled long ago.”

Her words were quite harsh, causing the village chief to frown.

Lin Yuanshan’s face was even paler.

Was this girl insinuating that he was cheating? If this rumor spread, it might ruin him!

Without waiting for anyone to speak, Lin Xiaoyue continued, “If I remember correctly, fifth uncle took the exam at the age of fourteen. He failed to pass it two times in a row. Do you think that he would be able to proceed further with his qualifications?”

Lin Xiaoyue said sarcastically, “do you know what rank a scholar has to get to be an official?”

Lin Dachui and Old Lady Lin looked a little lost.

Lin Xiaoyue glanced at the crowd and suddenly looked at a ten-year-old boy.

“Aunt Zheng, can Yongzi tell everyone how a scholar proceeds to the next rank? And what level does he have to be to become an official?”

Aunt Wang told her that Aunt Zheng’s child was also a scholar, so he should know these things.

“Hehe, of course! Yongzi, tell everyone!” Aunt Zheng immediately pushed her son forward.

Zheng Yongzi’s face was a little red. He walked out of the crowd and bowed to the village chief.

Then, he quickly avoided Lin Yuanshan’s murderous gaze.

Under Lin Xiaoyue’s encouragement, he said, “the headmaster said that…”

“If you want to become an official, you have to at least become a high scholar. But there is a quota for high scholars and it’s difficult to get a place. If the family has money, they can consider a donation. But it will cost at least a thousand taels of silver. Ordinary families can’t afford it at all…”

Hearing this, Lin Dachui and Old lady Lin almost fainted.

Was it so difficult to become an official? This was different from what Lin Yuanshan said?