A Poor Scholar's Rise: A Farmer's Son's Imperial Exam Legend

The story is set in the fictional Shenghua Dynasty, a feudal kingdom with an agricultural economy and a sharply divided social hierarchy. The wealth gap between aristocratic clans and commoners is enormous. The imperial examination system is the only way for common-born youths to change their fortunes, but competition is fierce and places are limited. The officialdom is also corrupt, and the children of powerful families often use underhanded means to earn titles.