Common saying story:
One year, Wu Zetian personally presided over the Jinshi exam, which further encouraged the scholars to study hard. There was a widow in Chang 'an, the capital. She has a son named Fan Sheng. When Fan Sheng was very young, his father died, and his mother Ren Lin made a living as a servant. Fan Sheng is generous and considerate to his mother. Although he likes reading very much, he wants to share it with his mother when he sees her working so hard to make money. Fan Sheng once told his mother not to study to help her.
Mom doesn't agree, let him study hard. In order to let Fan Sheng study with peace of mind, her mother simply shut him in his room, not allowing him to come out casually, and often encouraged him with stories of ancient literati. Encouraged and urged by his mother, Fan Sheng studied hard and remembered what he read once. No matter prose, calligraphy or poetry, he is excellent in everything, and whenever he tries, he has already entered the list.
There are many people like Fan Sheng whose families are very poor, but each dynasty succeeded through its own efforts.