The Imperial Exam Journey of a Poor Son-in-Law from a Noble Family

[Completed. The text may be revised from time to time.] Shen Chi was born into the world in the village of Meiyu, in the Great Hong Dynasty. His father was a low-ranking county office clerk. The pay was poor, but enough for a laid-back life. When he was six and still running wild in the countryside, his mother told him that he had a fiancée in the capital, promised to him when they were children. She also told him that his fiancée's family was a marquis house, one of the four great aristocratic clans of the dynasty. They would never have been able to marry into such a family if their old master hadn't gotten lucky and saved her family member's life all those years ago. The next day, Shen Chi quietly took a few copper coins and a strip of cured meat and went to the county academy. He studied for the imperial examinations, became the top scholar, and rose to the ranks of the nobility. 1. This is a fictional setting combining elements from different dynasties. 2. There will be neighborhood gossip and awful relatives. 3. The female lead will be a background character in the early part, but will have more scenes later. Next upcoming novel: My Older Sister Is the Emperor's Favorite Consort After transmigrating into the body of a highborn young lady, Cheng Yunxiang is delighted to discover that her older sister is the emperor's favorite consort. At last, all this wealth and privilege has come crashing down on her! But the powerful neighbor to the north covets their land, aristocratic clans run rampant at home, and her brother-in-law the emperor has no interest in affairs of state. He spends every day immersed in his sister's affection, living as a man of leisure. Cheng Yunxiang: "..." The emperor occupies the throne but shirks its responsibilities. This country is doomed. Cheng Yunxiang, who hasn't even had the chance to enjoy her luxurious new life, can't sit still. Hearing that a newly successful candidate is a practical man, she goes to the palace and whispers in her sister's ear, getting him a post as an assistant director in the Ministry of Revenue. Then, seeing that the legitimate son of an old chancellor's family, whose influence has declined, is fair-minded and decisive, Cheng Yunxiang gets him a position as a vice minister in the Court of Judicial Review... They have to save the country somehow. As it happens, most of the men she recommends are refined, aristocratic young gentlemen. So Cheng Yunxiang earns a reputation for being "fond of handsome men" and for having "many powerful ministers beneath her skirts." Cheng Yunxiang: "..." This is so hard. Before long, General Fu Yuan, the Great General Who Guards the Nation, is falsely accused of treason and thrown into prison. Someone advises his heir, Fu Yu: "With your looks, Young Master, Miss Cheng is bound to like you." The young general sits in a teahouse and watches the delicate young lady of the Cheng family walk down the street, his lips pressed into a thin line. Theme: Studying hard and learning well is the way forward.