Chapter 334
Chapter 334: Finishing Early
Translator: Min_Lee Editor: Tennesh
After the Period of Destruction, people had started treating the heroes from the era as saviors as a form of religion . Festivals of worship and prayer from the Old Era were moved to martyrs' cemeteries . Every city had its own martyrs' cemetery .
Folks had stopped believing in the legends of the past and started projecting their emotions onto the martyrs' cemeteries, which became the sites where people prayed for good fortune .
Outside of Memorial Day, the martyrs' cemeteries typically didn't draw many visitors, but there were exceptions . For example, Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang had visited the martyrs' cemetery in Qi'an to pray for good luck for Fang Zhao's exam .
The idea hadn't occurred to Great-Grandfather Fang initially . When he'd been taking a walk in the garden of the retirement facility one day, he had overheard a fellow resident saying that he had obtained a good-luck charm at a martyrs' cemetery for his great-grandson, who had been about to perform his military service .
Great-Grandfather Fang had a eureka moment .
Ah . . . that's something I could do!
Great-Grandfather Fang hadn't known if good-luck charms were allowed at the exam venue, so he had checked with his connections at the education ministry . When he'd confirmed that they were kosher, he and Great-Grandmother Fang had quietly set off for Qi'an .
There was a martyrs' cemetery in Yanbei, but Great-Grandfather Fang didn't think it was big enough . It wasn't that he didn't respect the martyrs who were buried there but that when it came to Fang Zhao's exam, Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to pray at the biggest martyrs' cemetery in Yanzhou . If one was going to worship, it made sense to worship the greatest martyrs . People had their own agendas .
So who was the greatest martyr at the martyrs' cemetery in Yanzhou?
This was a subject of debate .
Some said Fang Zhao, others Wu Yan . There were also other answers, but when it came to praying for good health and good luck, very few people worshipped Fang Zhao .
The reason was Fang Zhao's personal history . Many historians lamented Fang Zhao's fate and considered him a tragic figure . He had survived 99 years in the Period of Destruction but had failed to take that last step and make it into the Founding Era . His tomb was ranked second . His influence had also waned . In terms of stature, in the minds of Yanzhou residents in the New Era, Fang Zhao was even lower than the martyrs buried in tombs no . 3, no . 4, and no . 5 .
Even though it was unfair to evaluate the martyrs from that era according to their tomb placement, people from the New Era made that subconscious judgment . Not everyone studied history . As time passed, few folks took the time to study the Period of Destruction . If not for the airing of "Founding Era," most born-and-bred Yanzhou natives probably couldn't have remembered who was buried in the top 10 tombs at the martyrs' cemetery .
The bottom line was that folks who prayed for good luck and health usually avoided Fang Zhao . People mainly worshipped him to ward off bad luck .
But Great-Grandfather Fang knew what he wanted . When he arrived at the martyrs' cemetery, he headed straight for Fang Zhao's plot and got a good-luck charm .
Having performed his worship rituals and mailed the good-luck charm, Great-Grandfather Fang felt much more relaxed . When he returned to the retirement home in Yanbei and was asked about his whereabouts, he didn't feel the need to lie .
The fellow resident who had suggested Great-Grandfather Fang get a good-luck charm asked, "Who did you worship?"
"Of course it was Battalion Leader Fang," responded Great-Grandfather Fang .
"All I did was suggest you get a good-luck charm . I didn't suggest you worship him!"
"I thought about it and decided that worshipping him was the best bet . We share the same surname . Who knows, maybe we are related if I go back far enough . He also shares a name with our Xiao Zhao . Xiao Zhao even played him in a TV series . It's destiny!"
"But that fella didn't have very good luck . Uhm . . . it's not me, it's what the experts say . "
"I know . " However, Great-Grandfather Fang had his own reasoning . "Back then, it was a major challenge to just get through the day . I think he had pretty decent luck to have survived 99 years during the Period of Destruction . Also, he mentored our old governor Wu Yan . Don't you think he's quite something?"
Great-Grandfather Fang felt he had made the right call, but little did he know the mixed emotions Fang Zhao felt when he received the good-luck charm .
What a magical experience .
After folding the piece of paper printed with the portrait and inserting it into the pouch attached to the necklace again, Fang Zhao chuckled . "At the end of the day, I have to rely on myself . "
Even though it felt weird, Fang Zhao still followed Great-Grandfather Fang's instructions and kept the good-luck charm on him . It was a thoughtful gesture by the two elders, after all .
The day of the exam, Great-Grandfather Fang got up early . When he figured it was about time for Fang Zhao to get up and have breakfast, he sent his great-grandson a text message asking him what he was eating .
Great-Grandfather Fang was relieved to find out that Fang Zhao had a voracious appetite as usual .
Having an appetite was a good thing . It proved that Fang Zhao was in good physical shape, unlike some exam takers who couldn't eat when they got nervous .
Great-Grandfather Fang reminded Fang Zhao to bring his good-luck charm again before ending the exchange .
Great-Grandfather Fang started fretting again . "I hear the exam will take the entire day . "
"There's a time limit of eight hours . " Great-Grandmother Fang had done her homework too . She was familiar with the exam rules .
Great-Grandfather Fang started panicking . "Eight hours? What about lunch? Given Xiao Zhao's appetite, will a regular boxed meal suffice?"
"Don't worry . I've asked Xiao Zhao . He said you can order your meals online from approved vendors at the exam site . You can order as many meals as you like . "
"Is that so? How come you never mentioned this before?"
"I did . You were wearing your headset at the time . "
"You did that on purpose! You decided to tell me when I had my headset on!"
Picking a fight with Great-Grandmother Fang was Great-Grandfather Fang's way of easing his stress . If he weren't so advanced in age and physically frail and worried that he would pose a burden, Great-Grandfather Fang would have preferred keeping vigil in Qi'an instead of restlessly waiting at home for the results to be announced online .
For an exam of this magnitude, other kids typically had their parents with them . If not their parents, then other elders . It pained him to see Fang Zhao soldier on alone .
Seeing as Great-Grandfather Fang was trying to start a fight and was overthinking things, Great-Grandmother Fang shook her head . She picked up her kettle and started watering the plants .
If someone wanted to make something of themself, be it in the military or the arts, there were no shortcuts!
Great-Grandmother Fang was also delighted to see Fang Zhao blossom—she just wasn't a braggart like her husband . She was also nervous for Fang Zhao on the occasion of such an important exam .
The more Fang Zhao progressed in his career, the less the two elders would be able to help him . At the end of the day, all Fang Zhao could count on was his own talent .
At one of the exam venues, a university in Qi'an .
During the second round of security screening, one of the exam monitors asked Fang Zhao to remove his necklace for a scan to make sure it wasn't being used for cheating .
The scanner picked up the folded fragments of the Fang Zhao portrait and reassembled it on screen .
The exam monitor was baffled when he identified the portrait .
After Fang Zhao entered the exam room, the exam monitor whispered to his colleagues, "Someone actually brought a good-luck charm with old battalion leader Fang's picture . "
"What? Very few exam takers picked him in the past . Isn't it still under debate whether he brings good luck or bad luck?"
"It was Fang Zhao who brought the good-luck charm . You know, the popular actor who was assigned to our venue?"
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