[Imperial examinations] [Aristocratic clans] [Rise from humble beginnings] [Strategic maneuvering] [Realistic]
Many people think the imperial examinations are all about talent, and that writing a good essay is enough to guarantee a smooth path to success.
But history is far more complicated than that. Talent is just your ticket in. What really determines how far you can go is whether you know how to pave the way outside the exam hall, and even turn the tables when needed.
Cui Hao isn't just competing through the essays he writes in the examination hall. He has to plan ahead and navigate the currents. When everyone else can go no further, he keeps moving forward.
His father died when he was ten, leaving only his mother and young sister at home.
Who will protect them and give them a secure future? Who will do the same for him?
He is the head of the family.
He has to earn money and support them.
He has to make influential friends and climb the ranks.
Along with studying hard, he has to train in martial arts and grow stronger, so his family, a widowed mother and her children, won't be bullied or preyed upon.
He has no father, and no one to catch him if he falls. A child caught in the rain must find an umbrella and learn to run hard at the same time.
This is a long story about the contests of the imperial examinations and the struggles of officialdom. The pacing is unhurried, but every step leaves its mark.
If you're willing to take it slow, I'll gladly walk the whole road with you.
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