Among the group, De'an was originally the one with the slimmest chance of becoming a Scholar.
But thanks to the questionable antics of the two candidates who had ranked tenth and eleventh, the test-takers ranked seventh through eleventh were all unable to participate.
With Li Cun also absent, it meant that based on the actual number of examinees in Qingshui County, De'an was now ranked seventh.
This time around, Qingshui County was only admitting seven Scholars.
If De'an could just hold onto his ranking, there was an extremely high chance his dream would come true.
'If I give it my all, I'll have everything.'
'If I don't, I'll have to wait another year or two to try again!'
'And if my luck is particularly bad, I might even have to retake the county exam!'
This was a consequence De'an couldn't bear. So, he had to give it his all! 'Even if I fail, it won't matter. At least I will have tried my best, and I won't have any regrets for the rest of my life!'
