A Ming Dynasty Scholar: With a House, Why Bother Taking the Imperial Exams?

Song Yang transmigrated to Nanjing in the fourteenth year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty. The first thing he found himself in was a scene of catching someone in an affair. Then, as soon as he stepped outside, soldiers tried to extort him... His predecessor was an unreliable wastrel, but luckily, he'd left behind a courtyard by the Qinhuai River. Everyone knew that the area along the Qinhuai River was the most prosperous part of Nanjing. Countless brothels, pleasure houses, and theaters stood side by side. Living in a place like this... If you own a house, why bother taking the civil service exams?