Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Before he knew it, it was already mid-October, and Zhao Beidou's carriage finally arrived at the capital.

This was his first time here. Previously, he had only known the capital through ancient poems, verses like *"The east wind blows, a thousand trees bloom at night, and stars fall like rain. Precious horses and carved carriages fill the fragrant roads."* ①

Now seeing it in person, he couldn't help but admire—the ancients were right!

As a scholar-candidate, he had official documents issued by the government, allowing him to enter the city after an inspection of the carriage's contents.

Entering the city through the east gate, he saw a broad and long street that seemed to reach the sky. Carriages of all kinds traveled on the road, and the streets were lined with shops filled with goods. Everyone he saw wore fine silks and satins, with hardly anyone in coarse fabric or hemp clothing. It was a scene of prosperity and grandeur.

Lu Jia and Lu Bing were also quite astonished. They thought they had seen many nobles in Ping Prefecture, but arriving in the capital made them feel like outsiders. Everything was new and exciting.

"Third Young Master, where should we go first?"

"Find an inn to stay at."

"Yes." Lu Jia led the carriage slowly along the road, careful not to offend any nobles.

Along the way, they inquired and learned that most inns were in the west city, so they headed that way.

After about half an hour, they arrived in the west city, where there were countless wine shops and stores. Not only that, but numerous merchants came and went, and they even saw quite a few foreigners with golden hair and blue eyes.

Zhao Beidou sat in the carriage, lost in thought, and by the time he snapped out of it, the carriage had already stopped in front of an inn.

Lu Jia went in to ask about rooms and came out after a while, saying, "The inns here are far too expensive!"

"How much?"

"The clerk said a top-grade room costs two taels of silver per day, and a standard room is seven hundred wen per day. However, the standard rooms are small and can only accommodate two people."

Zhao Beidou was taken aback. "So expensive! Inquire at the inn next door."

Lu Jia asked at three or four other inns, and the prices were more or less the same. Finally, they had to choose a place that looked clean to stay in.

Zhao Beidou remembered his sister-in-law's advice: when traveling, make sure to stay and eat well. Don't worry about the cost; the silver is meant to be used.

"Let's get a top-grade room. The three of us shouldn't stay in separate rooms; it would be too troublesome."

"Hm."

The price of the top-tier rooms was expensive, but they were indeed spacious, divided into an inner and outer room. The inner room was the master’s bedroom, while the outer room had a narrow bed for the servants to rest.

There’s a reason it’s expensive—the top-tier rooms were managed by dedicated staff, with hot water available 24 hours a day, and someone was always on watch to prevent strangers from intruding.

After settling their accommodations, the three of them had a meal at a nearby eatery.

Zhao Beidou’s palate had been spoiled by his family’s restaurant, so he found the food in Shang Jing rather unimpressive. The dishes were simple and lacked refinement. A dish of steamed meat, half a roasted chicken, a cold dish, and three main courses cost one tael and eight qian of silver, which is quite expensive!

After the meal, the three headed back to the inn to bathe and change. Zhao Beidou planned to visit the Lin family and pay his respects to Mr. Lin.

Following the address Lin Zijian had given him earlier, Lu Jia drove the carriage there.

The Lin family lived along Ma Wang Street. As they walked along the street and neared the end, they finally saw a narrow gate with a plaque bearing the words "Lin Residence."

Lin Jingxian, a former fourth-rank civil servant, had a modest salary. Later, when Lin’s father entered the Ministry of Rites, it remained an honest and clean government office, so the Lin family could only afford this small two-courtyard house.

This was considered quite good. The land price in Shang Jing was exorbitant, with a two-courtyard house costing tens of thousands of taels of silver. Some officials couldn’t afford to buy a house in Shang Jing at all and had to purchase one in the suburbs, waking up very early to ride a carriage or horse into the city for work.

Zhao Beidou got off the carriage and walked up to knock on the door. After a short while, a small door opened, and a servant boy asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"I am Zhao Beidou, a schoolmate of Lin Zijian, and I have come to visit."

"Please wait a moment." The boy went inside to relay the message, and before a cup of tea could be brewed, sounds of running came from the courtyard. "Beidou, Beidou, you’re finally here!"

Lin Zijian ran out of the house wearing a thin garment.

Seeing this, Zhao Beidou quickly removed his cloak and offered it to him. "It’s cold, why don’t you wear more clothes?"

"Hey, isn’t it a joy to have a friend come from afar?"

The two laughed heartily and walked hand in hand toward the room where Mr. Lin stayed.

Lin Jingxian was writing at his desk and, upon hearing that Zhao Beidou had arrived, quickly tidied up and came out to greet him.

"Grandpa Lin!"

They hadn’t seen each other in six or seven years, and at first glance, Zhao Beidou was hardly recognizable. Lin Jingxian looked him over for a long time and exclaimed, "I thought it was your elder brother. You two look more and more alike!"

Zhao Beidou scratched his head and laughed. "I'm not as tall as my elder brother yet."

"Don't grow any taller, or you'll bump your head on the doorframe," Lin Zijian said, gesturing with his hand, feeling that Zhao Beidou had grown a bit taller than him again.

"Zijian, go get some chairs. You must be tired after the journey. When did you get here?"

Zhao Beidou took a stool from Lin Zijian's hand and sat down. "It wasn't that bad. It took over ten days, but I arrived this morning."

"I heard you came in first place in the provincial exam. That's impressive!"

Zhao Beidou said modestly, "I just got lucky. I also saw your exam paper. It wasn't any worse than mine. It probably just didn't align with the examiner's preferences, so you didn't get first place."

Lin Jingxian stroked his beard and sighed, "Isn't luck also a kind of skill? Seeing the two of you grow from young children to successful candidates in the imperial examinations fills me with such emotion!"

After some small talk, Zhao Beidou had Lu Jia bring in the gifts prepared by his sister-in-law.

There were six boxes in total. The first box contained a pair of 300-year-old ginseng roots, worth about five to six hundred taels of silver. The second box contained a landscape painting by Zhao Fangyan from the previous dynasty, which was also quite valuable. The third box contained a pair of high-quality glass cups, which Lu Yao bought from a Western merchant during a clearance sale—perfect for gifting as they were both elegant and economical.

The remaining boxes contained writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, altogether worth over a thousand taels of silver.

Lin Jingxian asked, "How are your sister-in-law and elder brother?"

"They're doing well, but they're very busy and will visit later."

"Good, I'll catch up with them when they arrive."

After chatting for a while, Lin Jingxian began to feel a bit tired, so the two younger men bowed and left for Lin Zijian's room.

"I've been waiting for more than a month. Lu Yuan and the others came long ago. Why did it take you so long to arrive?" Lu Yuan had also passed the imperial examination, ranking 15th. Although his rank wasn't high, passing the exam was a great fortune.

Zhao Beidou said, "I went to Qing Prefecture with my elder brother. I just returned and came to Shangjing to see you."

"Why did you go to Qing Prefecture?"

Sitting in his chair, Zhao Beidou replied, "I went to find relatives. I mentioned before that my hometown is in Qing Prefecture. I had some free time, so I visited."

Lin Zijian poured him a cup of tea. "Did you find your relatives?"

"Yes, I found my uncle and cousins."

"That's good to hear. By the way, where are you staying in the capital?"

"At an inn in the west part of the city."

Hearing this, Lin Zijian immediately said, "You've traveled so far, how can I let you stay at an inn? Go cancel your reservation and come stay at my place."

"No need to trouble you, really. My elder brother and sister-in-law might come over in a few days."

"Do you think my home is too small? Don't want to stay with me?"

Zhao Beidou gave him a light kick, "Don't talk nonsense."

Lin Zijian grinned, "Then why won’t you stay at my place?"

"How are your mother and stepmother?"

At this, Lin Zijian’s smile dimmed. "Forget it, it’s better if you stay at the inn."

"What’s the matter?"

"My stepmother recently had another child, this time a girl. My father is overjoyed and plans to hold a full moon banquet for her soon."

"I see."

"When I passed the imperial examination, he didn’t even mention a banquet."

"Neither did I, even though I was the top graduate."

Lin Zijian couldn't help but laugh, "True, why should I bother with a baby? I’ve already talked to my mother. If I get a real position after next year's exam, I’ll take her with me."

"Did she agree?"

"Yes, my mother is especially happy and has been ignoring those people lately."

"That's good to hear. If you get a posting, I hope you can stay true to yourself."

"Grandfather also told me this. Don't worry, Beidou, do you remember the oath we made in Qiushui Town?"

"To establish a life for the people, to set the mind for the universe, to continue the learning of the sages, to open a peaceful world for future generations!"

The two of them clasped hands, seeing a sparkle of excitement in each other's eyes.

*

Although Zhao Beidou didn’t stay at Lin Zijian’s house, Lin Zijian enthusiastically visited him every day at the inn.

After touring the capital together for three days, they began an intense period of academic exploration.

Through Lin Jingxian’s introduction, Zhao Beidou first went to the Guozijian. There, he met many famous scholars from distinguished families. He felt like a sponge thrown into the ocean, avidly absorbing knowledge, wishing he had more eyes and ears to absorb all the lectures.

It was there that he also met Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan had already become a disciple of the esteemed Confucian master Qiu and was living at the Qiu family’s residence.

The three of them felt a deep bond upon meeting. They gathered together for a meal. Lu Yuan was deeply grateful to his mentor, who, knowing of his family’s poverty, not only provided him with meals but also with stationery such as paper, ink, and brushes.

During this time, several people had also tried to gain Zhao Beidou’s favor, sending him many invitations, which he declined, citing exam preparation.

He understood that there were many intricate issues involved, relating to factional disputes within the court. Until he was ready, he should avoid getting entangled in these matters.

On November 20, Ma Kuan arrived with several attendants.

He first went to the Lin family to inquire about Zhao Beidou’s location and then headed to the inn.

Zhao Beidou had been attending classes at the Guozijian in the morning and returned after lunch, as the meals at the Guozijian were cheap—four dishes and a soup with unlimited rice or steamed buns for just 80 wen. It was far more affordable than meals outside, which cost several taels of silver per meal.

He not only ate there himself but also bought two additional meals in a food box for Lu Jia and Lu Bing. They could reheat it for dinner, saving them the trouble of preparing another meal.

Seeing this, other students copied him, with some even bringing food back for a family of five, causing a temporary food shortage at the Guozijian cafeteria. Students who arrived late couldn’t get any meals.

Eventually, they had to implement a rule prohibiting students from taking food out, which resolved the cafeteria crisis.

Lu Jia and Lu Bing lamented with some regret, "We won’t be able to enjoy such affordable and delicious meals anymore."

When Zhao Beidou returned from the Guozijian, he saw Ma Kuan sitting in the front hall. "Brother Kuan!"

Ma Kuan stood up upon hearing him and said, "Beidou, you're back."

Zhao Beidou ran over with surprise and joy. "Why are you here? Did Big Brother and Sister-in-law come as well?"

"There were some urgent matters at the winery, so they couldn’t come. They sent me to help you arrange your accommodations."

"Zhao Beidou was a bit disappointed, but he quickly adjusted his mood. 'Is there something wrong at the wine shop?'

'No, it’s not that. Due to the recent border conflict, my sister-in-law is planning to send an additional 3,000 jin (about 1,500 kg) of alcohol to the border troops.'

'I know. Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about this war in the Imperial College. I hear that the Khitan King is personally leading his troops south.' Zhao Beidou looked concerned. 'I wonder how the border situation is now.'

'There’s no confirmed news yet, but Ping Prefecture remains calm, so there’s no need for concern.'

'I see.'

Ma Kuan looked around the inn. 'How is it staying here?'

'It’s nice, but it’s quite expensive. It’s two taels per day.' Zhao Beidou winced.

'Living in the capital can be costly. Stay here for a few more days. Once the accommodation is ready, we’ll move out.'

'Alright!'

*

'The pulse feels like a smooth bead, rolling strongly, and the fetal health is very stable.'"

Lu Yao withdrew his hand, his cheeks flushing slightly. Despite being pregnant for over three months, he still felt a bit embarrassed hearing the doctor's words.

Coming out of the medical clinic, Zhao Beichuan carried a large bundle of tonic herbs and placed them in the carriage.

These tonics were quite effective. After a little over a month, Lu Yao's complexion had become rosy and healthy, and his cheeks had even become a bit fuller.

The carriage didn’t take Changrong Street but instead headed towards Changshui Street. Lu Yao was planning to tell his mother about his pregnancy.

As they passed by the Lu family restaurant, Zhao Beichuan stopped the carriage. Lu Yun was clearing the tables, as it was the time when diners were finishing up.

Seeing the carriage at the door, Lu Yun rushed out to greet them. "Brother Three's husband, what brings you here? Where's Third Brother?"

Lu Yao opened the carriage door and called out, "I'm right here. We're going to Mother's place first. Come over after you finish, okay?"

"Sure!"

They arrived at Lu Lin's house. Zhao Beichuan knocked on the door, and after a short while, Mother appeared. Seeing her third son's husband, she beamed with joy. "Da Chuan has come."

"Mother."

"Come in." The gate opened, and Zhao Beichuan drove the carriage into the yard, parking it before helping Lu Yao down gently.

Seeing Lu Yao, Lu Laotai pinched him. "Don't always bully Beichuan. You're grown up and can't even get off the carriage?"

"Ouch, Mom, easy! Come inside, we have some good news to tell you."

"What’s the good news?" Lu Laotai followed them into the house.

On the kang, Taozhi and little Dandan were playing. They weren’t shy around the newcomers, laughing and calling out "Third Uncle" and "Third Uncle Father."

Dandan still had a slight lisp, stretching out his short arms for a hug, saying, "Third Uncle Father."

Zhao Beichuan quickly scooped him up and hoisted him onto his shoulders. "I can’t carry you just now."

Lu Laotai looked confused. "What’s wrong?"

"Mom, I’m pregnant."