After the village chief had finished speaking, naturally it was Zhixiang's turn to say a few words. Zhixiang stepped forward from the crowd, "Fellow villagers, brothers and sisters, Zhixiang is just a junior—never did I expect to pass the imperial examination. Thank you all so much for your kindness, and for hosting this celebration banquet in my honor. Here, I, Zhixiang, thank everyone. If there comes a day when you need my assistance, I will surely not refuse." Saying this, Zhixiang bowed deeply to everyone.
Seeing this, the village chief quickly said, "Alright, let's start the meal. Today we eat without restraint, our village's ginseng has grown quite well this year—it's yet another bumper harvest. Let's all celebrate together."
