A Farmer’s Son’s Road to Success in the Imperial Exams

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After transmigrating, Qin Gaozhan became a farmer's son. His parents were both dead, leaving him with several younger siblings. His grandparents were unkind, and his uncle was eyeing the little farmland his family had left.

Farming? You depend on the weather, and the yield per acre isn't high enough to fill your stomach.

He had no choice but to find a way to earn some money and keep studying, then take a chance.

That gamble earned him the jinshi degree, and he was assigned to a remote county.

Seeing the eager eyes of the people, he remained steadfast, adapted to local conditions, and led everyone to prosperity.

(Version 1: 2025.5.7) (Version 2: 2025.6.2)

Reader notes:

1. The male lead isn't the top scorer. He places in the second tier, is a hands-on worker, and isn't good at power plays. The female lead is a county princess with a sharp political instinct.

2. The main story focuses on the male lead's daily life farming and studying, taking the imperial examinations, and governing locally. There's less about his time as an official in the capital.

3. To be clear, the male lead passes the xiucai exam at 15, the juren exam at 18, and the jinshi exam at 19. He serves as a local official for nearly ten years and gets promoted.

4. The dynasty is fictional, with some inspiration from the Song and Ming dynasties.

Coming soon: A Farmer's Son's Daily Life Taking the Imperial Exams

After transmigrating, Qin Yuansi became a refugee who had just been allotted barren land.

His parents and uncles and aunts were all dead, leaving four cousins, including him.

The wasteland was hard to cultivate, and the soil was poor. They'd have to wait until the next season for a harvest, while their thatched hut and their stomachs were both empty.

Qin Yuansi sighed. He could only think of some quick ways to earn money and fill their stomachs.

Later, once he had some money to spare, Qin Yuansi, who still couldn't get used to farming, decided to take the imperial examinations. He ended up becoming the top scorer.

Theme: Study hard and serve as a good official