By lunchtime, Xiao Yuan leisurely wandered back home.
Soon, tales of him were spreading throughout the village.
In no time, the stories got twisted.
Many people said that Xiao Yuan had a mentor who was a top scorer, teaching him incredible skills. They claimed he could ride a horse into battle and write earth-shattering essays, adept in both civil and martial disciplines. Unfortunately, his parents were biased, fearing he would overshadow his brother, and stubbornly prevented him from taking the imperial exams. Out of filial piety, he had to waste his talents.
It was further rumored that Mr. Xiao had once cruelly broken Xiao Yuan's leg to keep him from taking the exams.
Others said Granny Xiao favored the eldest branch and deliberately poisoned Xiao Yuan's food the night before an exam, making him so ill he nearly died, and he never dared to take the test again.
In just a day, the story morphed into several versions.
