Chapter 265: The Road to High Office 65

Chapter 265: The Road to High Office 65

Cheng Ge Er's eyes curved with happiness: "Because I wanted to give Pingping a surprise~"

Originally, Cheng Ge Er planned to sew a new set of winter clothes for Xu Zeping, but Xu Zeping refused, saying he didn't want Cheng Ge Er to overwork himself. So, Cheng Ge Er just made this fur hat cover.

"I really like it."

With that, Xu Zeping eagerly got off the couch and quickly walked to the bedroom, bringing out a round hat and putting it on his head. He then leaned his head towards Cheng Ge Er: "Xiang'er, help me put it on."

Seeing Xu Zeping's eager expression, Cheng Ge Er smiled and carefully placed the fur hat cover around the hat.

"How do I look?" Xu Zeping looked at Cheng Ge Er with joy, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Handsome, my husband is the most handsome."

The newlyweds, sweet as honey, spent their first New Year's Eve together.

"Young master, young master, tonight is the Lantern Festival!" Xia Tian excitedly ran into the backyard carrying a basket of vegetables, shouting loudly, clearly very excited.

After the eighth day of the New Year, small vendors would start appearing on the streets, selling various goods.

With a pregnant man at home, they naturally paid great attention to dietary balance.

So after the eighth day, Xia Tian and Qiu Tian would take turns going out to buy groceries. If they couldn't find fresh vegetables and fruits, they would buy live chickens or fish.

Although there was a supply of pork at home, Cheng Ge Er felt tired of eating pork all the time.

Today, Xia Tian was lucky enough to buy two live chickens. Seeing the vendor carrying three live chickens, he initially wanted to buy all of them, but coincidentally, the young maid from the deputy magistrate's family came to buy, so he gave up one rooster.

He bought two old hens.

Old hens were usually kept at home for laying eggs, and unless there was a real shortage of food, they were rarely seen.

After buying the live chickens, he also came across someone selling eels and bought two pounds.

Xia Tian felt very happy having bought these rare items. On his way back, he heard that the county town would hold a Lantern Festival tonight, so he rushed home immediately.

Hearing Xia Tian's excited shouts, Cheng Ge Er was also delighted. The Lantern Festival!

He set aside the small clothes he was sewing and turned to Xu Zeping: "Pingping, shall we go to the Lantern Festival? I promise I won't join the crowds, just watch from the edge."

Cheng Ge Er was three months pregnant, and apart from being sleepy and craving food, he had no adverse reactions, so he was in good health. His once sharp chin had become rounder.

He had the glow of an expectant father, making everyone who saw him happy.

Before Xia Tian could get close to the master bedroom, he was caught by Qiu Tian. "Hey, what are you shouting about? What if you scare the young master?"

Seeing Qiu Tian's serious expression, Xia Tian shrank his neck and obediently followed him to the kitchen to help.

"Alright."

Cheng Ge Er gently patted his bulging belly: "Baby, shall Daddy take you to see the world tonight?"

Hearing this, Xu Zeping couldn't help but laugh, thinking that going to the Lantern Festival was equivalent to seeing the world.

He stood up, walked over to Cheng Ge Er, and squatted down in front of him. Like many expectant fathers, he pressed his head against the pregnant belly, trying to hear the baby's movements.

Instead, all he heard was the sound of Cheng Ge Er's stomach growling...

Cheng Ge Er chuckled and poked Xu Zeping's cheek with his finger, "The baby says he's hungry~"

Cheng Ge Er's belly was slightly larger than that of a typical three-month pregnant man, but not exaggeratedly so, and it hadn't reached the stage of being visibly pregnant. Therefore, the couple didn't give it much thought, attributing it to Cheng Ge Er's good appetite and the baby's healthy development.

After dinner, apart from the two maids, Autumn, Xia Tian, and Little Tiger all followed Xu Zeping and his husband out to see the lantern festival.

The Lantern Festival was jointly sponsored by the Cao, Qin, and Zhao merchants, and the location was in Lingbei County's Peony Lane.

When Xu Zeping and his group arrived, Peony Lane was already adorned with red lanterns, and the excited cheers could be heard from a distance, making it clear how lively it was without needing to get closer.

"It's an acrobatics performance!"

Little Tiger pointed ahead excitedly, and if it weren't for Xu Zeping and his husband walking in front, they would have rushed over.

Xu Zeping, holding Cheng Ge Er's hand, shook his head helplessly, "Go ahead, have fun."

As soon as Xu Zeping gave the word, Little Tiger, Autumn, and Xia Tian, like wild horses let loose, they immediately dashed off.

"Cheng Ge Er, do you want to go see the acrobatics performance?"

Cheng Ge Er looked at the crowded group and shook his head, "No, I see there's a stall selling glutinous rice balls ahead, should we check it out?"

Eating glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival is traditional. At home, it wasn't that there were no glutinous rice balls, but at that time Cheng Ge Er said he didn't feel like eating them at all.

Now that they were out, he wanted to eat glutinous rice balls again.

The taste preferences of a pregnant man really do change from moment to moment.

"Alright."

The glutinous rice ball vendors were an elderly couple, who had set up simple tables and chairs and were cooking handmade glutinous rice balls on a small stove.

Seeing customers approach, the old man smiled and greeted, "Would you like two bowls of glutinous rice balls, honored guests?"

"What flavors do you have?" Cheng Ge Er caught a whiff of wine in the air, which made his mouth water.

"We have fermented rice balls and red date glutinous rice balls." Since they were handmade and freshly made, the couple didn't offer many flavors.

"I want the fermented..."

"One bowl of red date glutinous rice balls, old man."

Before Cheng Ge Er could finish his sentence, Xu Zeping interrupted.

"Old man, how much is it?" Xu Zeping tried not to look at Cheng Ge Er's annoyed expression and gently inquired about the price.

"Seven coins."

"Alright." Xu Zeping counted out seven copper coins from his purse and handed them to the vendor, then led Cheng Ge Er to a seat.

"Cheng Ge Er, how about I take you to buy a lantern later?" Xu Zeping gently hooked his finger on Cheng Ge Er's palm, "Don't be mad, okay?"

"Hmph." Cheng Ge Er also knew that he shouldn't be eating fermented rice balls now, so it definitely wasn't him who wanted to eat them; it was the baby in his belly who wanted to: "It's not me who wants to eat them."

"I know, I know, our Cheng Ge Er is so well-behaved, how could he want to eat fermented rice balls?" Xu Zeping gently stroked Cheng Ge Er's not yet visible belly, "It's all the baby being naughty, urging his dad to eat fermented rice balls.

Cheng Ge Er, don't worry, after the baby is born, I'll teach him a lesson.

First, I'll give him a few smacks to teach him a lesson."

Cheng Ge Er, his eyes darting around quickly at Xu Zeping's serious tone, immediately said, "Ah, the little one must have obeyed. He says he doesn’t want to eat the sweet rice balls anymore."

Just as the young couple was joking, the old man had already brought the cooked glutinous rice balls to the table.

The plump rice dumplings were instantly appetizing. Cheng Ge Er picked up a spoon and scooped one up, offering it to Xu Zeping's mouth: "Pingping, give it a try. Is it sweet enough for you?"

Taking it from Cheng Ge Er's hand, Xu Zeping ate the plump rice dumpling, which was soft, sticky, and slightly sweet, just right for Cheng Ge Er's taste: "The sweetness is just right, perfect for your taste."

Sugar was precious at the time, so naturally, the rice dumplings weren’t overly sweet. It was under these circumstances that they catered to those who preferred a mild sweetness.

Cheng Ge Er took a bite, his eyes lighting up instantly with delight. The soft, sticky texture accompanied by the clear sweetness of red dates was truly delicious!

Since rice dumplings are hard to digest, Xu Zeping limited Cheng Ge Er to just a few. He let him taste four, and then finished the rest himself.

Once the Lantern Festival was over, it would be back to work, and they would be busy repairing the city walls for about one or two months. So Xu Zeping wanted to take advantage of today to have a good time with Cheng Ge Er.

"Pingping, look, there's a lantern riddle over there!" Cheng Ge Er pointed to the glass lantern hanging on the high platform, his eyes revealing nothing but—wanting it, really wanting it.

"Shall we go and take a look?"

"Sure."

"Gentlemen, the lantern riddle contest begins." Cao Lao Si waved his folding fan, smiling at the many scholars below the stage: "The entry fee is only five hundred wen. The winner can not only take away this glass lotus lantern but also receive 2 taels of silver."

Xu Zeping looked at the scholars in long robes. There were at least thirty or forty of them.

By this calculation, the glass lotus lantern, worth five taels, plus the 2 taels of silver, was a sure profit.

Sure enough, as soon as he spoke, eighty percent of the scholars eagerly signed up, each thinking they would be the lucky one.

Xu Zeping naturally also queued up to pay the entry fee.

—First round, please each gentleman take a paper ball from the box. Each paper ball has a riddle. Those who answer correctly can proceed to the second round, those who don't are eliminated.

Under Cao Lao Si's guidance, thirty scholars, including Xu Zeping, took a slip of paper from the wooden box one by one.

Xu Zeping stood in the first position on the left side of the second row, not in a hurry. He looked at the riddle in his hand—walking on top, sitting below, pondered for three breaths, and had the answer in his heart.

Thinking of the more than ten taels of silver he would get, Cao Lao Si felt this business was profitable. He smiled and looked at the scholars: "Now that the riddles are in your hands, please stay if you can answer, and step down if you can't."

Out of thirty scholars, five voluntarily stepped down.

"Good, now starting from the first position on the left side of the first row, please read out your riddle and the answer."

—Half a moon, fat.

—More than half out, year.

—Walking on top, sitting below, earth.

...

During the first round of answering, five more were eliminated.

After the second round, ten more were eliminated.

After the third round, only Xu Zeping and a young scholar in a faded long robe remained on the stage.

The scholar glanced at the calm and composed Xu Zeping, his confidence wavering slightly. He could participate in this lantern festival, naturally relying on the little knowledge he had.

"Boss Cao, what’s the topic for the fourth round?" the young scholar asked, turning to Cao Laosi with the question first.

Cao Laosi grinned: "For the fourth round, I will not set the questions; you two will take turns questioning each other."

"I’m Qiao Yi," Scholar Qiao bowed slightly, showing humility in his gesture. "And you are?"

"I’m Cheng Xu," Xu Zeping said with a smile. "You can call me Cheng the Scholar."

Xu Zeping spotted Cheng Ge Er in the crowd, trying to stifle a laugh, and gave him a playful wink.