Novels like An Ordinary Life for a Workaholic in Ancient Times
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as An Ordinary Life for a Workaholic in Ancient Times, best match first.
- 1 The Imperial Exams: I'm the Top Scholar from a Humble Family 科举，我是寒门状元 By a stroke of luck, Chen Zi’ang transmigrated to the Great Qing Dynasty. See how this son of a farming family relies on his own efforts to pass the imperial exams and become the top scholar… 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Transmigrating to a Farming Family to Take the Imperial Exams, I Gradually Ascend to Heaven 穿越农门考科举，我逐步登天 [The animated dramas From Farm Boy to General Who Pins Down the Xiongnu, The Imperial Examinations of a Farm Boy, and Sixfold Top Honors are now available. Give them a try!] [The early part of this book focuses on the imperial examinations, the middle on reclaiming lost territory, and the later part on expanding overseas.] In his previous life, Lin Yun died suddenly from overwork. He never expected to be reborn into a poor farming family in the Great Jing Dynasty. From being mocked by his aunt f 33.8kReads8.4Score2.7k14d adds
- 3 The Imperial Examinations: Rising from a Humble Background 科举：从寒门开始崛起 Watch as Yang Yi rises from an ordinary commoner, step by step, to the pinnacle of power. The first part focuses mainly on his journey through the imperial examinations, while the later part follows his career in government. The more he suffers early on, the more wildly he strikes back later. 66Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 4 The Chief Grand Secretary 当朝首辅 A historical slice-of-life novel about getting rich and preparing for the imperial examinations. The pacing is slow, so please don’t complain if that’s not your thing. Thank you! Heaven itself has a heart. Who is making all that noise? Step onto the stage and weigh the people’s will. 2Reads7.8Score—14d adds
- 5 A Farmer's Son's Journey Through the Imperial Exams: I Took My Parents to the Capital 农家子的科举征途：我带爹娘上京 Li Zeyan was a fine young man of the 21st century, a typical college student. He'd chosen to study history on a whim, only to find himself unemployed as soon as he graduated. Just as he was losing hope, fate gave him the chance to transmigrate. He thought he was finally going to make his mark and win fame, but when he opened his eyes, he found himself in ancient times, in a peasant household where there was never enough to eat or wear. As the only son born to the Li parents after three daughters 23Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 A Literature Professor Taking the Imperial Exams? Let’s Crush the Competition! 文学系教授考科举？卷死众人吧！ [Farming + imperial examinations + court politics + heartwarming everyday life + fictional setting + marriage and children, though they play a small part] Xu Heng had just been appointed a professor in the Literature Department of A University. Before he could celebrate, he transmigrated into the eldest grandson of the Xu family's main branch in the Great Xia dynasty. The Xu family is a harmonious one, where parents are kind and children filial. Though they live in poverty, they pool all their r 485Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 Regretting My College Entrance Exam in My Past Life, I Fulfill My Wish in the Imperial Exams This Life 前世高考之憾，今世科举得愿 No System, no golden finger, and no womanizing. A soul disillusioned with modern life is reborn in a body in the Great Xia Dynasty. In his previous life, he made a living delivering food; in this one, he intends to give this decaying dynasty a chance at rebirth. The dynasty's institutions closely resemble those of the late Ming. Its deep-rooted ills are compounded by corrupt officials wreaking havoc within and powerful enemies circling beyond its borders. Chaos reigns, and the people suffer. Wit —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 The Centurion's Qilin Son 百夫长的麒麟子 Chen Zhan, a newly graduated PhD in chemistry, was enjoying a vacation before starting work at a university when a glass walkway suddenly shattered. He then found himself occupying the body of Chen Zhan, the frail son of a centurion stationed at a border camp. From then on, a military family that could never find the right words and always lost arguments finally had someone who could speak for them. To stop his father from actually punching a civil official's head clean off, Chen Zhan swore: I'l 1.7kReads7.8Score20114d adds
- 9 My Precious Grandson's Journey to the Imperial Exams 宝贝孙子的科举之路 My grandma is what everyone calls a nightmare, but she absolutely dotes on me and gives me anything I want. In that case, I'll make sure she gets to live a life free of worries, with fine clothes and plenty to eat. (No romance between people of the same sex. None. Any mentions of it early on are just a misunderstanding.) 4Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 10 Xu Erlang's Road to the Imperial Exams 徐家二郎的科举之路 After an accident, Xu Xu, a modern university student majoring in traditional Chinese medicine, transmigrated to an ancient farming family. To give himself and his family a better life and keep them safe, he embarked on the long road of the imperial examinations. He passed and became a county magistrate in a remote region, eventually rising to the highest ranks of government. 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Changing My Family's Status, I Aim to Top the Imperial Exams 改换门庭，我要科举高中 A programmer from the 21st century had a happy family and a fulfilling life, but then he transmigrated into the family of a feudal-era small landowner. Seeing the tenants’ lives, his simple-minded cousin, and his family desperately guarding their farmland, he declared, “I’ll take the imperial examinations! I’m going to climb into the clouds and see what’s up there!” 68Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 Transmigrated to Ancient Times to Take the Imperial Exams in a Farming Novel 穿越古代在种田文里考科举 [Rags-to-Riches Reversal + Political Intrigue + No System] He wakes up to find himself the son of a dirt-poor farming family. His parents are counting on him to change their fate through study, while the whole village waits to see him make a fool of himself! Wen You'an says, “What’s there to panic about? A top student is a top student anywhere! A scientific approach to exam prep? Coming right up! Targeted poverty alleviation to improve the family’s lot? Absolutely!” From the county exam to the p 414Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 13 A Farm Boy’s Journey to the Imperial Exams 农家娃的科举生涯 Li Shan is born into ancient times with memories from before, but he has amnesia. Even so, the belief that he must study, despite growing up poor, is etched into his bones. In the end, this impoverished family, mocked by everyone, really does produce an official. He brings prosperity to the community and grows into a great figure renowned throughout the history books... A heads-up: The author came up with many of the settings, systems, and so on on the spur of the moment. Readers who care about 221Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 14 The Imperial Examination Path of a Lazybones in Ancient Times 咸鱼古代的科举路 In the modern world, Gu Qin spent every day exhausting himself over work, slaving away for his company until one day he suddenly died at his desk. But what he never expected was that he would be reincarnated. In his new life, his grandparents doted on him, his parents cherished him, and his older sister looked after him. Gu Qin only wanted to lie flat. Luckily, his family was well-off, so he figured he could just take it easy this time. Unfortunately, misfortune can strike at any moment. To avoi 127Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 15 The Eight-Gui Clan 八桂世家 In the early years of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign, the fires of war spread across Guangxi as the Mo clan beneath Mount Zijin was swept into the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement. To preserve the ancestral shrine and keep the family rites alive, clan leader Mo Wenhua maneuvers between Qing forces demanding provisions and Taiping troops recruiting soldiers. Some young men in the clan join the Taiping army in search of a way forward, while others stay behind to guard the ancestral home and protect —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 The Lame Farmer's Rise to Power 跛脚农家子的权臣之路 Reborn as a lame peasant boy in ancient times, in an era when no one believed in him, Gu Cichuan overcomes one obstacle after another to claim the position of The Outcast. He seeks no great power, only to stay true to himself and do right by the world. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 At Hoeing Time Beneath the Midday Sun, I Fell for the Imperial Exams 锄禾日当午我和科举处 [Imperial examinations + daily life + romance, with a male-female pairing; the protagonist is still a child at this stage] Su Yan transmigrates into a new life as an infant in swaddling clothes, born premature and frail into a family with nothing but four bare walls. He’d already lived freely enough in his previous life, and now, everything goes black before his eyes. He just wants to give up and be reborn as soon as possible. But each time he’s on the brink of death, he narrowly survives. He ch 2Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 18 The Mo Clan Rises Amid the Tumult of the Late Qing 烽起清末莫氏崛起 In the twenty-ninth year of the Daoguang reign, a severe drought struck Guangxi. The land was strewn with the dead, and the flames of rebellion were already spreading in secret at Jintian. Mo Zhenbang, a modern graduate student of Qing history, opens his eyes to find himself a scholar of the Mo clan in Beiliu County, Wuzhou Prefecture. He inherits a complete mess: “eight hundred mu of poor fields with falling yields, a thousand clansmen waiting to be fed, and a fifty-tael loan shark pounding on 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 This Young Scholar Is a Little Whiz at Making Money 这个小书生是个致富小能手 After an accident, Xu Duo transmigrated and became the youngest son in a poor farming family. In an era when people went hungry and cold, yet his parents insisted that he study to change his fate, all he wanted was to gradually become a little landowner who never had to worry about food or clothing, honor his parents, get along with his brothers, and marry a wife and have two children. That would be a life of effortless success. 518Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 20 Saving My Family Through the Imperial Exams: I Win Top Honors with My Talent 科举救家：我靠才华状元及第 Zhao Yan, a doctoral graduate, pulled an all-nighter and died suddenly. When he opened his eyes, he had become a sickly child from a poor family in Great Zhou! His scholar father had been framed and had the tendons in his hand severed. His mother had cried herself dry, and his sister traded embroidered handkerchiefs for rice to keep the family fed. Then the Ma family’s thugs came to force his father to kneel and sign a contract, trampling a scholar’s dignity into the mud! Zhao Yan clenched his f 411Reads7.2Score10014d adds
- 21 Great Ming: At My First Imperial Exam, I Made the Candidates Cry 大明：首次科举，我把考生看哭了 Transmigrating to the Great Ming, he meets Zhu Yuanzhang. The moment he opens his mouth: Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kil 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 A Farmer’s Son and His Daily Life in the Imperial Exam World 农家子的科举日常 Lin Nianjun, a modern woman with an unyielding spirit, transmigrates to an unfamiliar ancient farming household. Even more bizarrely, she has transmigrated into a man’s body. The farming family she finds herself in lives in poverty and hardship. But Lin Nianjun knows that only knowledge can change one’s fate, so she resolutely sets her sights on the imperial examinations. Along the way, she finds familial affection, friendship, and the bond between teacher and student. For the first time in th 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 A Farmboy's Guide to the Imperial Exams: I'm One Lucky Layabout! 农家科举子我是躺赢狗！ Li Xuan opens his eyes and finds himself inexplicably transported to a dynasty called Great Qi. The country is in desperate need of rebuilding, and he is a farmer's son, the hope his whole family is counting on… 44Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 Great-Grandpa's Spirit Appeared and Insisted I Transmigrate to Qing-Dynasty China to Become the Top Scholar 太爷显灵，非要我穿越清朝考状元 [Transmigration + Political Intrigue + Cutting-Edge Technology + Multiple Heroines. Outsmart everyone and get a thrill that makes your scalp tingle!] Chen Liancheng, Guangzhou's wildest tech genius! A Tsinghua PhD, the leading expert in brain-computer interfaces, and a million-yuan-a-year earner, he developed an AI chip that could turn the human brain into a supercomputer in an instant. And he himself became its very first test subject! During Qingming ancestral rites, a thunderstorm struck his 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 Passing the Imperial Exams: I Know the King of Hell, Go Ask Him If You Don't Believe Me 科举入士：我认识阎王不信你去问 Chu Nanxing got into an argument with the King of Hell. The King of Hell lost his temper and sent him straight off to be reincarnated, so Chu Nanxing was born with his memories from his past life because he never drank Granny Meng's soup. He was then told that a great responsibility rested on his shoulders. As someone who'd always been content to laze around, he had no choice but to study hard. Getting ahead was his only stepping stone. Later, unable to stand clocking in to work every day, Chu N 42Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 26 The System Forces Me to Take the Imperial Exams 系统逼我考科举 After transmigrating to ancient times, the System orders me to take the imperial examinations. If I don't, it shocks me. What am I supposed to do? After being beaten down by the System, Song Yun sheds tears of humiliation. With no other choice, he studies day and night, eventually becoming the chief minister of the court and governing the realm. 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 Born to Humble Beginnings, I Defy Heaven Itself 出身皆微末我自逆苍天 This is a comeback full of cracks. It is not about conquering social classes or currying favor with the powerful, but about holding on to your truest self as you are crushed at every turn. When he finally reaches the top, he still dares to look back into the abyss and softly tell the twelve-year-old kiln worker’s son: “I got you out, but I didn’t become one of them.” Welcome to A Humble Birth, Yet I Defy Heaven. Discover how someone born into obscurity learns to become his own light through wind 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 The Clever Young Master Rui 睿世小相公 [Transmigration] + [wilderness survival] + [farming] + [ensemble cast] Behind him, rebel cavalry are in hot pursuit. Before him lies a desolate wasteland with no way out. There’s no wise old man in a System by his side, just a group of gaunt female prisoners who couldn’t hurt a fly. He has no legendary weapon, only a rusty knife that couldn’t even kill a chicken. “Want to live? Then do as I say! Faced with a hopeless situation, Chen Fan steps forward. You call this a dead end? Sorry, but all I s —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 The Unlucky Fool Becomes a Judge in Ancient Times 倒霉蛋回到古代当法官 [Ensemble cast + System + alternate world] If you don't like it, click the X in the top left and move on. No need to complain. A bolt of heavenly lightning sends Li Xiaosi to an unknown ancient world, where he's tasked with making a name for himself in the history books. Why should he do what he's told? Just as he's about to say something nasty, another bolt of lightning booms overhead. Fine, he's the most obedient, well-behaved little darling there is. But after all the bad luck he had in the m —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 Transmigration: From the Imperial Exams to Chief Grand Secretary 穿越：从科举开始的内阁首辅之路 An ordinary university student transmigrates into the son of a small landowner in ancient times. He takes the imperial exams and enters government service under the Great Feng dynasty, rising through the ranks step by step. Of all pursuits, study is supreme. “What? Young Master Wang has passed the county-level scholar exam!” “Young Master Wang really is impressive!” “Scholar Wang has passed the provincial exam and become a juren!” “I hear Wang, the top scholar in the provincial exam, passed the 38Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Striving Forward 奋进 This is not an accident, nor is it the end. It is a brand-new beginning. Only by continuing forward can we find hope. Not everyone enjoys hardship and toil. You need a goal in your heart to keep moving forward. 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 After Failing to Ascend, the System Pinned Me Down and Made Me Take the Imperial Exams 飞升失败后被系统摁在地上考科举 [Imperial Exam History + Cultivation / Farmer's Son / System, No Cheats / Lighthearted and Funny] They say the end of the imperial exams is immortality... Lu An joins forces with his seventy-year-old "book boy," determined to make his way to the top! Lu An had a lifetime's worth of fame, yet he came to grief over the words "rise to the clouds in a single stride." After falling into a land without spiritual energy... since that's how things are, he might as well take a turn in the mortal cour 971Reads—Score13414d adds
- 33 A Country Boy’s Ups and Downs in the Imperial Exams 农家小子科举浮沉记 By a stroke of bad luck, he transmigrates into the cherished child of a man from the northwest, with a mysterious, aloof first stepmother, a hardworking second stepmother, and a sister who might be sold off at the drop of a hat. He studies late into the night, vowing to climb the ladder to success. (The protagonist is no saint or god. He can be selfish, and he’ll have his share of heartache over love.) (The female lead is neither sweet and cute nor gentle and soft-spoken. She’s a talkative, conf 849Reads8.2Score10014d adds
- 34 From Humble Beginnings to Minister of State 布衣卿相寒门崛起 A poor scholar’s spirit rings clear, his pen splitting the heavens! When Lin Shen wakes, he finds himself in a thatched hut with a leaking roof. Before him lies his mother, at death’s door and worn to the bone; his young brother is coughing up blood, barely alive; outside, rapacious creditors kick at the door, demanding payment and threatening their lives! In this cruel world, are the poor truly no more than blades of grass? He will wield modern knowledge as a blade and turn the world upside dow 53Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Wherever I Go, I’m Taking the Civil Service Exam 穿到哪里都要考编 A low-ranking clerk worked overtime until he dropped dead, only to transmigrate into the body of a young master from a prestigious family. Back when I was in government, I had to grovel and scrape. Now, I'm frighteningly powerful. I can thrive without any cheats. 58Reads5.1Score—14d adds
- 36 You Sold My Beloved Wife? I'll Rule the Court Through the Imperial Exams! 卖我娇妻？我靠科举权倾朝野！ [Transmigrator Reborn + No System + Imperial Examinations + Political Intrigue] “I'll kill them all!” That was Li Yu's first thought when he woke up. After transmigrating, Li Yu was betrayed by his parents and family. His newlywed wife was sold and disfigured. He used a transmigrator's knowledge, far beyond that of the ancient world, to build wealth, but was cruelly oppressed by the powerful. His whole life was a tragedy! But just when all seemed lost, he was reborn. The moment he opens h 344Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 37 A Farmer's Rise: From Gathering Rice to Becoming Prime Minister 农家逆袭：从捡稻谷到当宰辅 Shen Yanzhi, a postgraduate history student, opens his eyes to find himself in the body of a country boy in ancient times named Goudan, the only child the Li family had waited ten years for. His great-grandfather once held high office, but so what? After being exiled to Lingnan, the whole family still had to rely on farming to survive. Just as he gets used to life in an ancient village, he’s bound to a bizarre System. Other transmigrators get Systems that help them conquer the world, but his tas —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 The Imperial Exams: Daily Life of a Young Farmer in Ancient Times 科举：古代农家小子生活日常 [One Female Lead] + [No System] + [Farming] + [Everyday Life] + [Romance] + [Family Matters] The everyday life of a man from the bottom of society in ancient times. To avoid being bullied, wear silk, live in a big house, have a beautiful wife and concubines, own fine horses, and farm without paying taxes, he strives to pass the imperial examinations. And more… Of all pursuits, studying is the noblest. He had only just graduated, yet he threw himself into the imperial examinations. Though it was 1.1kReads6.2Score10914d adds
- 39 From Humble Official to Mountain Immortal 寒门仕途到山中真人 Water conservancy engineer Wang Zhiming opens his eyes again and finds himself a newborn farmer’s son in Wangjia Village, Li Country. His family has only six mu of poor farmland, owes two dan of autumn grain, and his father has been put on the roster for winter river works. Forget studying for the imperial examinations. It is questionable whether the family can even make it through the winter! He has no System and no pocket dimension. All he can rely on is the knowledge he gained over thirty- 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Reborn: A Farmer's Son Plots to Enter a Private School from the Start 重生，农家子开局谋划去私塾 Heaven gives the protagonist a chance to live his life over. See how he works hard to take the imperial examinations and raise his family's standing. “Son, how are you feeling? How did you end up in the river? And why were you playing by the river in the first place? Have you forgotten what your mother told you?” Li Mei fired off a string of questions. “Mother, I just happened to wander down to the river. Do you believe me?” 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 The Scholar's Robe Rises from the Dust 青衿起微尘 Shen Wenyuan, a modern graduate student in history, suddenly transmigrates into the Great Zhou Dynasty and becomes the eldest son of a poor farming family. His grandparents favor his second uncle's family and mistreat and exploit his own. His father finally grits his teeth and splits from the family. A few acres of poor farmland and a dilapidated hut are all they have. Though mired in hardship, Shen Wenyuan refuses to accept his fate. Drawing on what he learned in his previous life, he studies t 36Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 Cast Out and Split from the Family? I'll Pass the Imperial Exams and Start My Own Lineage 被弃分家？我靠科举单开族谱 His eldest uncle had failed the imperial exams for eighteen years straight, yet he relied on their grandfather's favoritism to drain the whole family's hard-earned savings. Even the betrothal gifts were taken to cover his family's “expenses for cultivating exam connections.” His cousin wanted to study too, but the family couldn't afford it. So their grandfather ordered everyone to borrow money to support the uncle and his son! Grandfather even declared that only the legitimate eldest son and leg 563Reads7.4Score—14d adds
- 43 The Imperial Exams: A Farmer’s Son Brings Glory to His Family in a Farming Novel 科举：农家子在种田文里光宗耀祖 Gu Yanshan was an ordinary modern web novelist who could write at lightning speed. He never imagined that he would wake up one day having transmigrated through time into the body of a farm boy in ancient times. In this world, his hands were only good for holding a brush. When it came to catching chickens, he was utterly helpless. Aside from writing a few essays, he knew nothing about anything else. Want to make a fortune in a world where people lived off farming? It seemed the only hope Gu Yansh 24Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 Reborn in Great Ming: With a Library at My Fingertips, the Imperial Exams Are Mine 重生大明：图书馆在手，科举我有 With a library in my head, how could I fail the imperial examinations? Lin Yan, a man from the 21st century, transmigrates and is reborn as a poor scholar during the Hongzhi era of the Ming dynasty. A modern library that appears in his mind becomes his greatest asset as he makes his way in the Ming Empire. 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 Going Back to Ancient Times to Take the Imperial Exams 回到古代考科举 [Imperial exams] + [officialdom] + [getting rich] + [sweet romance] Jin Yu had always been the kind of student other parents pointed to as an example. He studied straight through to a postdoctoral degree, finishing at the age of twenty-five. Books had always been his companions. Fortunately, he didn't dislike studying. In fact, he loved it. One day, he transmigrated into the body of an ordinary farm boy. He was too weak to carry a shoulder pole or lift a load. In the end, he still had to rely on 16Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 46 Civil Service Exams in a Troubled Age: A Farmer's Son's Road to Glory 乱世科举：农家子的光耀门楣路 The Li family had a young rogue who stole chickens, picked pockets, loafed around, and never learned a thing. After stealing a bellyband and making advances on a young woman, he was beaten to death. With no food at home and his father paralyzed, he faced a hopeless start. His weathered, stooped grandfather stood by as the young man picked up a book and entered the imperial examinations. Everyone in the village waited to laugh. The notorious Li Rogue passing the exams would be the biggest joke of 58Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 47 The Imperial Exam? I’m a Top Scholar in the Classics, So Why Can’t I Take the Military Exam? 科举？我文状元考个武状元合理吧 [Ripped Scholar Exams]+ [Transmigration]+ [Alternate History]+ [Humor]+ [Wish Fulfillment] When he woke up, top science student Xu Jie was completely bewildered! He had been one of Huaguo's leading science minds, devoted to research. But then he suddenly died in his sleep and, damn it, transmigrated straight into the body of a spoiled rich kid with muscles all over! On his wedding night, one hard squeeze of his bulging muscles left his petite new bride, who had been swapped in as a bride of good 203Reads—Score10914d adds
- 48 Taking the Imperial Exam in the Great Ming 我在大明考科举 [A Poor Scholar’s Journey Through Time] Gu Cheng was an orphan from a young age, and life was hard. But with extraordinary perseverance and talent, he used a government student loan to earn doctorates in both Chinese language and literature and archaeology. During graduation season, Gu Cheng applied to a Fortune 500 company. He ranked first in both the written test and the interview. But when the hiring list was announced, Gu Cheng’s name was nowhere to be found. When he asked HR why, he lea 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 Rising from Poverty, Starting with Education 寒门崛起，从求学开始 [Transmigration] + [Imperial Exams] + [Comedy] + [Play the Pig to Eat the Tiger] Jian Yi transmigrates to ancient times into a poor family. He thinks that his modern knowledge will let him thrive, but from the start he gets caught sneaking into a class and then has to split from his family. After numerous twists and turns, he begins his studies. The road is full of hardship as he takes the imperial exams and becomes an official, teases his charming wife, battles corrupt ministers, and suppresses —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 The Imperial Exam Road from a Farmer’s Gate 农门科举路 When Song Mian was seven, he studied so he could one day go to town and work as a bookkeeper, earning enough to support himself. At twelve, he studied to pass the imperial examinations, bring honor to his family, and give everyone who had paid for his education a better life. At seventeen, he studied so the people could eat their fill and stay warm, so the country could grow strong and resist outside threats, and so the world could know peace and tranquility. This is the coming-of-age story of a 4Reads8.6Score—14d adds
