The capital, some days had passed since the local examination results had been announced, and Zhulan had been eagerly waiting for the scores of her fourth son. Every day when Zhou Shuren came home, she would ask him once, as the examination results would be delivered to the capital, where official dispatches were faster than the urgent letters from her son.
At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren did not attend the early morning court this month. As soon as he arrived, Zhang Jinghong was already waiting at the entrance of the Ministry. Upon seeing Zhou Shuren, he stepped forward to congratulate him, "Congratulations, Mr. Zhou, your fourth son placed second in the local examination."
Zhou Shuren felt that his son could have been the first, so he had always been quite confident. He had not expected this blow to his pride, but he reacted quickly, "Thank you."
