The spring of the fourteenth year of Zhenyuan came extremely late.
Outside Suzhou, the willow trees on both sides of the canal have just sprouted their buds, and the wind still carries the chill of late winter. Lu Hongjian stood on the bow of a awning boat, his blue gown rustling in the wind. He held a book in his hand, but his eyes fell on the water in the distance, absent-mindedly.
"Sir, Gusu City is ahead of us." The boatman said loudly, holding his pole.
Lu Hongjian said "hmm" and looked away. He was from Huzhou and came from a scholarly family. His father had served as a minor official in the court in his early years. After resigning, he returned to his hometown and bought several acres of thin farmland. The family was not wealthy, but it was enough for him to study. He is twenty-two years old this year and has taken the provincial examination twice, but failed both times. When I came to Suzhou this time, I heard that there was an old man named Su in the city. He was a doctor from the Imperial College. Now he has retired and returned to his hometown to teach students at home. He wanted to become a teacher and study hard for another two years to prepare for the next exam.
