O Camponês Campeão no Exame Imperial

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The Great Yu Dynasty, Year Seven of the Tianyuan Era, spring.

Nanxi Village, Qingsong Town.

Chen Ping struggled to open his eyes. His eyelids felt heavier than Mount Tai, and he could not lift them even a fraction. Yet every sound from the outside reached him with perfect clarity.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

The door of the Chen family courtyard shook beneath a furious pounding. Baozheng Wang shouted from outside, “Old Chen, open up! The county yamen constables are here!”

The commotion had already roused everyone in the courtyard. One by one, they emerged from their rooms, initially intending to demand who could be so rude. But the moment they heard that constables had come, their faces turned deathly pale.

The entire Chen household consisted of simple, honest farmers. They paid their grain and taxes on time every season and had never had dealings with the authorities. For constables to appear at their door without warning could only mean that some great misfortune had befallen them.

The children all turned their eyes toward their aged father, Chen Qinghe.

Chen Qinghe appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil. He instructed his eldest son, Chen Duoguang, “Go open the door and see what this is about.”

Though Chen Duoguang was already in his thirties, he was timid by nature. He nudged his second brother, Chen Duoshou. “You go.”

With a loud crash, the door was kicked open.

Well, there was no need for anyone to go now.

Two constables and Baozheng Wang entered the courtyard. See