Ch 68: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

The next day, February 6th, marked the first day of the county exam.

The exam stalls were set up right beside the county office, and at two quarters past five in the morning, Jing Li accompanied Qin Zhao to the front gate.

The main gate hadn’t opened yet, and on either side of the entrance, several simple shelters were set up for body inspections before the exam. The name calling and inspections wouldn’t begin until around seven o’clock, so there was still some time. Yet, a long line had already formed on the main street outside the gate.

Jing Li’s fingers trembled slightly, and Qin Zhao noticed, taking his cold hand and warming it in his own.

“Are you cold?” Qin Zhao asked.

“No,” Jing Li replied, wearing a small pomegranate-red jacket with a soft white fur trim around the collar that made his skin look even fairer.

It was only the beginning of February, and the morning streets were bitterly cold. Many people around them were stamping their feet and shrugging their shoulders to keep warm.

This was still the better part of the day; it would get even colder inside the exam stalls.

There wouldn’t be any braziers inside, and candidates couldn’t move around or make noise. The cold would last the entire day, and those with weaker constitutions might freeze to death on the exam grounds.

Because of this, Qin Zhao had been taking herbal medicine to ward off the cold for several days. This morning, Jing Li had personally made him a bowl of wontons, each one filled with plenty of meat. He had watched Qin Zhao eat every last one with the hot broth.

Qin Zhao’s hands were still warm as he tightened his grip on Jing Li’s hand and softly said, “That means you’re nervous.”

Jing Li bit his lip. “Aren’t you nervous?”

He realized immediately that it was a pointless question. Even with the exam approaching, Qin Zhao had been eating well, sleeping well, and only casually flipping through a few books during his free time, showing no signs of anxiety.

Jing Li knew he should trust Qin Zhao. With his talent, Qin Zhao had nothing to fear from this exam.

But Jing Li… still couldn’t help feeling nervous.

“Actually, I’m a little nervous too,” Qin Zhao suddenly said.

Jing Li blinked and looked up at him.

Feigning nonchalance, Qin Zhao glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to them before lowering his head and whispering in Jing Li’s ear, “If I don’t get the top spot, I’ll lose my ‘reward.’”

Jing Li: “…”

His exposed ears turned slightly red, and he muttered softly, “Stop talking nonsense.”

“Ahem!”

Chen Yanan, standing right behind them, finally couldn’t bear it anymore. Through gritted teeth, he said, “At least consider how the rest of us feel!”

Qin Zhao glanced back, noticing that the other three members of their mutual protection group were nervously avoiding eye contact with him. Only Chen Yanan was glaring at them with frustration. Qin Zhao calmly pulled Jing Li into his arms, ignoring Chen Yanan.

Jing Li couldn’t help but laugh and whispered, “Don’t provoke him. A Yi didn’t come to see him off today, and he’s feeling down.”

Qin Zhao replied indifferently, “He brought it upon himself.”

Last night, A Yi had offered to come see them off, but Chen Yanan, in an attempt to be polite, quickly declined, saying it wasn’t necessary. The young, gentle-hearted A Yi took his words seriously, and sure enough, he didn’t come out this morning.

So, wasn’t this exactly what Chen Yanan deserved?

Jing Li couldn’t help but chuckle when he thought about Chen Yanan’s expression as he left, his earlier tension momentarily forgotten.

Just then, the gates of the exam stalls slowly opened, and the county magistrate emerged, escorted by several officers.

The magistrate cleared his throat and lazily stretched out his words, delivering a few formal remarks.

His expression was indifferent, and his voice was soft. From what Jing Li knew of him, the magistrate probably didn’t feel like raising his voice. Qin Zhao and the others were standing too far away to hear what he was saying, but it was likely nothing important.

After the magistrate finished speaking, one of the officers stepped forward with a name list.

“We will now begin the roll call. When your name is called, come forward for verification.”

“Ji Yuanjie!”

“Lou Xu!”

“Jiang Ziheng!”

…

“Chen Yanan!”

As soon as his name was called, Chen Yanan visibly jolted, his face turning pale as he slowly walked forward. When he passed by Jing Li, Jing Li could clearly see his legs trembling.

The members of the mutual protection group were listed consecutively on the roll, though their seating order would be shuffled once inside the exam stalls.

After Chen Yanan, the next person called was another one of Qin Zhao’s mutual protection partners.

The tension around them grew more palpable, but Qin Zhao remained calm and relaxed, still holding his husband close. He even leaned down and whispered softly in Jing Li’s ear, “I’m going in now.”

“Mm,” Jing Li responded quietly, though Qin Zhao still hadn’t let go of him.

Jing Li lifted his gaze and met Qin Zhao’s eyes, instantly understanding. He quickly leaned up and kissed Qin Zhao on the lips. “Good luck.”

It was a quick peck, like a dragonfly touching the water, barely noticeable before it disappeared. Qin Zhao, however, was not satisfied and wanted more, but just then, an officer’s voice rang out from the front, calling, “Qin Zhao!”

Qin Zhao: “…”

There was no delaying the verification process, so Qin Zhao reluctantly let go of his little husband. He whispered, “Be good and wait for me at home,” then turned and walked toward the front.

Qin Zhao was already well-known for his contributions in flood control and the creation of the Cold Dispelling Pill, so most of the officers at the county office recognized him. As a result, they skipped the usual identity verification step. When Qin Zhao reached the gate, one of the officers immediately led him to a nearby temporary shed.

Inside each shed, two officers were waiting. Upon seeing Qin Zhao enter, they quickly stood up to greet him.

“Mr. Qin, please remove your outer garments and place any belongings here.”

Like the other candidates, Qin Zhao carried a small bamboo basket with him, which contained his writing tools and some food. The county exam would last the entire day, and leaving the exam stalls was not allowed, so candidates had to bring their own lunch.

Following instructions, Qin Zhao handed over his items for inspection. The two officers carefully checked his clothing and bamboo basket.

The purpose of the inspection was to ensure no one smuggled in materials to cheat. Not only did they search the candidates’ clothes thoroughly, but they also broke apart the food to check for hidden notes or devices.

Jing Li had prepared cold dishes and finely ground millet and cornmeal for Qin Zhao’s meal.

Jing Li found the usual inspection methods at the exam unhygienic, so unlike others who packed buns or flatbread, he prepared something different. Since hot water could be purchased inside the exam stalls, Qin Zhao only needed to mix the grains with hot water to make a thick, sweet porridge.

It was tasty, filling, and would help keep him warm.

Qin Zhao’s belongings were simple, and the inspection was completed quickly. An officer handed him a numbered token and escorted him through the gate.

His number was 086, and this number would serve as his identifier for both the exam and the release of results.

Beyond the gate was a small courtyard where the inspected candidates waited. They would not be allowed into the exam area until all the name-calling and body inspections were finished.

Once inside the courtyard, conversation was no longer allowed.

By this point, no one had the energy to talk anyway.

Suddenly, from the other side of the wall, came dull thuds and the wails of someone crying. It was the sound of a candidate caught trying to cheat. Not only would this candidate’s entire mutual protection group be disqualified, but the offender would also be publicly beaten with wooden boards.

The pitiful cries rattled everyone’s nerves. The courtyard fell into complete silence as a tense atmosphere spread.

Except for Qin Zhao, who stood quietly at the back of the crowd, his mind entirely focused on the kiss he hadn’t gotten earlier.

What a shame.

His little husband had such soft lips, always slightly cool and pale, but they flushed red after just one kiss. Jing Li was shy and would blush no matter how many times they kissed, but he never once pushed Qin Zhao away.

He was so obedient, it made Qin Zhao want to tease him even more.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Qin Zhao’s mouth, just as the county magistrate entered the courtyard with his entourage and noticed the expression.

The magistrate: “…”

Though he had overseen countless county exams and had seen all kinds of candidates, he couldn’t help but take a second look at this young man.

He had seen calm candidates before, but never one this relaxed.

How could anyone still be smiling at a time like this?

The roll call and body inspection lasted for more than half an hour. By the end of the hour, everyone entered the exam hall in the order of their assigned number plates.

The county exam system wasn’t as strict as the prefectural exams, so the exam hall was not equipped with the official numbered cubicles commonly used in larger exams. Inside, the space was filled with simple tables and chairs, with wooden boards separating each candidate to prevent them from speaking to one another.

The county magistrate personally walked to each table, distributing the exam papers and writing down the candidates’ names and their corresponding numbers on each sheet.

When he reached Qin Zhao, he smiled warmly and said in a low voice, “Best of luck, Mr. Qin.”

Qin Zhao nodded slightly in response.

The magistrate wasn’t surprised by Qin Zhao’s calm demeanor. As far as he knew, several pharmacies in the county had recently begun selling the same Cold Dispelling Pill as Yian Pharmacy, and sales had been excellent. The magistrate had likely profited handsomely from it.

Qin Zhao smirked to himself as he looked down to examine the test papers.

The exam papers, made of vertical lines of rice paper, consisted of ten sheets, along with a few blank sheets for drafting. After the magistrate had finished distributing the papers, another person entered from outside the hall and began writing the exam questions on the main board at the front.

That person was someone Qin Zhao knew—Pei An, the county office’s adviser.

Pei An had written the exam questions for this county exam, but to avoid any conflict of interest, he hadn’t met with Qin Zhao since the latter’s arrival in the county.

The exam questions were fairly standard: one passage on the classics, three text interpretation questions, and a five-character, eight-line regulated verse poem.

Once the questions were written, Pei An saluted the magistrate and left, allowing the magistrate to officially announce the start of the exam.

Around the hall, the sounds of candidates flipping through exam papers and grinding ink filled the air. But Qin Zhao didn’t rush to start writing. Instead, he raised his hand to request a bowl of hot water.

Hot water in the exam stalls was expensive—ten wen for a small bowl—but it was boiling hot. Qin Zhao calmly fished out some tea leaves from the bottom of his bamboo basket and tossed them into the bowl. He cradled the earthenware bowl, letting the heat warm his cold, stiff hands.

By the time his hands had thawed, the tea had steeped nicely.

Sitting at the front, the county magistrate watched Qin Zhao brew tea, warm his hands, and then leisurely sip his tea, all while struggling to maintain his expression.

The county exam questions might not seem numerous, but answering them took considerable time.

Take the classics passage, for example—though it was less than 400 characters, the format, style, and content were all subject to strict requirements. It could take an average person an entire hour just to draft a response, let alone check, correct, and transcribe the final version.

And there was still the poetry question to deal with afterward.

At this point, most candidates were halfway through their drafts, so what was Qin Zhao up to?

The county magistrate couldn’t help but pay even more attention to Qin Zhao’s position. Finally, after finishing his tea, Qin Zhao took out his brush and ink.

Without even touching the draft paper, he immediately began writing directly on the exam paper.

The county magistrate: “…”

The county magistrate: “???”

If it weren’t for the rule prohibiting exam officials from observing candidates up close while they wrote, the magistrate would have walked over right then to see what Qin Zhao was writing.

Even Pei An, who had prepared the exam questions, likely wouldn’t have been so composed.

Qin Zhao finished the classics essay in one continuous flow, taking less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick. He set down his brush and rubbed his cold fingers, sighing silently.

No wonder people were said to freeze to death during the exam—this process was truly torturous.

Qin Zhao ordered another bowl of hot water, this time not to drink but just to warm his hands. Due to his leisurely pace, the classics essay took him nearly an hour, and the policy explanation and poetry composition took another hour.

At noon, just as the bell rang in the exam stalls, Qin Zhao finished the last word of his exam and set down his brush, raising his hand.

During the hour and a half he spent on the exam, Qin Zhao requested hot water three or four times. The magistrate assumed he was asking for more water to warm his hands and instructed someone to bring over a pot.

But Qin Zhao simply shook his head and handed in his exam paper.

The county magistrate: “…”

It hit him—according to the rules, the county exam began at si hour (9-11 a.m.), and from noon onwards, candidates were allowed to submit their exams.

This man had clearly been stalling earlier, just waiting for the clock to strike noon!

The magistrate had already known that Qin Zhao was quite talented, but he hadn’t expected him to be so indifferent to the county exam. His interest in Qin Zhao grew even more. However, at this moment, all he could do was instruct his men to seal Qin Zhao’s exam with a nameless label, issue him a token, and escort him out of the exam area.

Even after submitting the exam, candidates were not allowed to leave the premises.

According to the rules of the county exam, each candidate who submitted their exam was given a token. From shen hour (3-5 p.m.) onwards, candidates could present their token at the main gate and be released in batches.

The release occurred once every hour, from shen hour until xu hour (7-9 p.m.), after which the remaining exams were forcibly collected, and the grounds were cleared.

Qin Zhao was taken to a small resting room next to the exam hall, which was far more sheltered from the wind than the exam stalls. There, candidates could purchase a fire basin and hot water.

Qin Zhao settled in, enjoying the millet porridge his little husband had prepared for him and warming himself by the fire, patiently waiting for shen hour.

At the start of shen hour, Qin Zhao went to the courtyard to wait for the release of tokens. A small number of candidates were already there, most of whom he didn’t recognize.

There was only one familiar face.

Yan Xiu.

Yan Xiu was a peculiar and awkward person, but his talent was undeniable—he had once been the top scorer in the county exam. Ever since the last literary gathering in the county, Qin Zhao had found him somewhat intriguing. However, as soon as Qin Zhao glanced in his direction, Yan Xiu quickly looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

Qin Zhao chuckled silently and didn’t pay him much more attention.

At precisely a quarter past shen hour (3:15 p.m.), the exam stalls began releasing candidates.

As soon as Qin Zhao stepped out of the main gate, he spotted a bright red figure standing at the street corner.

Jing Li had been waiting there for who knows how long, his cheeks flushed from the cold. But when he saw Qin Zhao, his eyes lit up with happiness.

He ran toward Qin Zhao, crashing into his arms.

“Slow down,” Qin Zhao murmured as he caught him. “You’re still so reckless. Didn’t I tell you to wait for me at home? How long have you been waiting here?”

“I couldn’t sit still,” Jing Li replied. “It hasn’t been that long, I just got here.”

But his body was colder than Qin Zhao’s, clearly having waited much longer than he claimed.

Qin Zhao noticed but chose not to call him out on it.

His little fish had deliberately come early and stood in a spot where Qin Zhao could see him immediately. Just the thought of it made Qin Zhao’s heart melt—how could he possibly scold him?

Jing Li looked up at Qin Zhao and asked, “How did the exam go? You came out so early—was it smooth?”

Qin Zhao wrapped his outer robe around Jing Li, warming his icy cheeks with his palms, and calmly replied, “Mm, as long as a certain little fish is ready with my ‘reward.’”

“…” Jing Li’s gaze darted away. “There… there are still three more rounds, why are you in such a hurry?”

“Alright, I won’t rush,” Qin Zhao said with a smile, looking at him fondly. Then he added softly, “But there is something else I’ve been eager about.”

Jing Li blinked, momentarily confused. “What are you—”

Before he could finish, Qin Zhao kissed him on the lips.

Amidst the bustling main street, Qin Zhao raised his arm, using his wide sleeve to shield the small, soft figure in his embrace, holding him close as he kissed him deeply.

A moment later, Qin Zhao pulled back slightly, his gaze fixed on Jing Li’s now rosy lips, and whispered, “It’s this—I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

…

Thandar: Every chapter is these two forcefeeding us dog food 🤬🤬🤬🤣🤣🤣