Chapter 229: Little A’gao

Chapter 229: Little A'gao

The changes in Yu Min and the Yu clan were beyond Qiu Huanian's expectations. Reorganizing and reforming a once-prominent but now fallen and vast family was no easy task. Yu Min still had much work to do.

Qiu Huanian speculated that Yu Min would likely make the honor roll in the upcoming metropolitan exam and Palace Examination. Emperor Zhaoxin had given them a break, creating the illusion that there was still room for maneuver, preventing them from being driven to desperate measures. Given this, Emperor Zhaoxin would offer the Yu clan a glimmer of hope that they could still hold official positions and regain their former glory.

However, Yu Min's ranking was destined to be modest, placing him among the third-class scholars, and he would not be given significant responsibilities afterward. Emperor Zhaoxin would not allow them a real chance to rise again.

The joy of making the imperial examination list thrilled the struggling Yu clan, but it was merely a pawn in the emperor's machinations to seal their fate.

Before leaving that day, Qiu Huanian also donated a large sum of money to Juhuan Lodge, asking Chi Qinghe and Ren Suyin to jointly oversee it and support Bai Qinghuan's free medical service.

At the same time, Qiu Huanian discussed the follow-up of the human trafficking case with Ren Suyin. Some children with tragic backgrounds had still not found their relatives, or their so-called "relatives" were the very ones who had abandoned them, leaving them alone and helpless. These children had to be temporarily taken in by Juhuan Lodge.

Qiu Huanian told Ren Suyin that starting from the second half of this year, children with nowhere to go could be sent to Tianjin to study. Tianjin was becoming a hub for education and innovation.

Min Leyi, who was listening nearby, curiously asked, "Brother Hua, what are you planning to do in Tianjin? Even if these children study for a few years, it will be difficult for them to achieve scholarly honors."

The path of the imperial examination was extremely arduous. Not to mention becoming a provincial scholar or an imperial graduate, even passing the licentiate exam was no easy feat. Some people studied until they were fifty without ever passing the provincial exam. For homeless orphans, this path seemed like a pipe dream.

Qiu Huanian smiled, "Education isn't just for the imperial examinations. Besides boys, there are also girls and young males. Don't worry, I have a plan."

Min Leyi became even more curious, pestering Qiu Huanian to explain further.

Qiu Huanian extended two fingers, "First, education enlightens the mind. Even without considering practical benefits, letting children study for a couple of years before they go out to make a living is better than being blind and ignorant for a lifetime. Among these children, those who are truly intelligent and have a talent for studying have two other paths besides the imperial examinations."

"What are they?"

"The first is research. Whether it's medicine, agriculture, mathematics, engineering, or other fields, as long as they have the talent and are willing to delve deeply, I will support them all the way."

Min Leyi listened with partial understanding. What Qiu Huanian was talking about indeed wasn't useful for the imperial examinations but required education to pursue. However, it didn't seem entirely necessary.

Qiu Huanian gave an example, "For instance, the European clocks imported from overseas aren't made of particularly valuable materials, but they are more expensive than gold of the same size because no one in Great Yu has the know-how to make them. If someone figures out how to make European clocks, more households in Great Yu could afford affordable timepieces."

After hearing this example, Min Leyi finally understood a bit, "So Qiu's Six Staples could make a fortune again, right? You're really something, Brother Hua."

Qiu Huanian smiled but didn't elaborate further. Some of the results from cultivating research talent could indeed benefit Qiu's Six Staples' business, but this wasn't Qiu Huanian's main intention.

Most people in this era still didn't understand the potential of science and technology. However, when the unstoppable tide finally arrives, many will look back and have a sudden realization.

Min Leyi pressed down one of Qiu Huanian's fingers, "What's the other path?"

Qiu Huanian didn't keep him in suspense, "The other path is to go abroad."

The Yu Dynasty was beginning to interact more frequently with foreign countries, and it was inevitable that people would need to be sent overseas to protect national interests and keep up with global developments. However, many officials selected through the imperial examinations, which focused on classical texts, were not skilled in diplomacy, didn't know foreign languages, and might not handle cultural conflicts and unexpected situations flexibly.

Qiu Huanian wanted to purposefully cultivate a group of diplomatic talents from scratch to meet future needs. For example, if Azure Phoenix Lord were to buy a large piece of land belonging to Great Yu from the Arab lands, besides settling civilians there, troops would need to be stationed, and people would need to be sent to manage it, all of which would require a lot of talent.

Ordinary people might be reluctant to leave their families and hometowns to go abroad, but for homeless and wandering children, this could be a brand-new future. Especially for some women and young males, overseas countries with more gender equality could offer them broader opportunities to showcase their talents and ambitions.

The reason for starting to cultivate talent in the second half of this year was that Qiu Huanian wanted to wait for the return of the Yu Dynasty's expeditionary fleet, gather useful overseas intelligence, and select seasoned teachers with overseas experience.

Min Leyi was so fired up by Qiu Huanian's words that he wished he could board a ship and go abroad to become a general.

However, after a short while, he calmed down. His family, friends, and loved ones were all in Great Yu, and he couldn't abandon everything to live overseas. In a few days, he and Wu Shen would head to the northeastern border, where they would ride horses, hunt, train troops, and fend off enemies, which wasn't bad either.

Before parting, Min Leyi asked Qiu Huanian many more questions until his curiosity was satisfied, then rode home to share these new ideas with Wu Shen.

Qiu Huanian told Min Leyi about his plans, who in turn told Wu Shen, with the ultimate goal of getting the message to Emperor Zhaoxin.

He was not afraid that these words would cause trouble if they spread, because neither path was related to the imperial examination and did not touch the core interests of the upper class of the Yu Dynasty.

At present, scientific research and overseas diplomacy were seen as trivial pursuits that couldn't lead to titles or high-ranking positions. The nobility and scholar-officials had no reason to oppose them. By the time they realized the threat and wanted to suppress them, it would already be too late.

Emperor Zhaoxin, though, was likely to catch on to the underlying currents, but he wouldn't turn them down either, as he was an ambitious and magnanimous ruler. These reforms could make Great Yu immensely prosperous and powerful, fulfilling his grand aspirations of conquering the disloyal, promoting domestic welfare, expanding territories, and achieving fame across the world, thus becoming a legendary emperor.

On the ninth day of the second month of the Zhaoxin era, the special metropolitan examination officially began. After three sessions spanning nine days, candidates from across the nation set down their final strokes and streamed out of the examination hall, some overjoyed, others heartbroken.

The next evening, Meng Yuanling went into labor suddenly. Yun Cheng, fresh from nine grueling days in a cramped, dim examination cell, didn't notice right away. Meng Yuanling was out like a light, and by the time Yun Cheng woke up in a panic, the amniotic fluid had soaked through half the bedding. Luckily, Qiu Huanian was on hand, and everything turned out fine.

The baby had been a breeze even before birth and was born smoothly. Meng Yuanling downed three plates of pastries and delivered the baby in under two hours. The midwife broke the good news before the sun was up.

Qiu Huanian gave a reassuring pat to Yun Cheng, who was beating himself up, and said, "Don't be silly, the baby is already here. Go in and take a look."

Qiu Huanian followed him in. The delivery room was equipped with a heated kang, and the wet nurse and midwives were cleaning up methodically. Meng Yuanling was propped up against the kang, yawning but still in decent shape.

The tiny baby, no bigger than a hand, lay in the cradle, her little body all red, with fine features. She was an adorable little girl.

After confirming that the baby was fine, Qiu Huanian turned to Yun Cheng and Meng Yuanling, who were leaning together, and said with a smile, "The midwife had already gone over the signs of labor and warned you it could happen any day. How on earth did you two sleep through that? Thankfully, the baby was a little angel and didn't give us any grief. What would you have done if she'd been more of a handful?"

Yun Cheng, red-faced, apologized and vowed to take better care of Meng Yuanling and the baby from then on. Meng Yuanling, feeling guilty, rubbed his nose and whispered, "I thought giving birth was quite easy."

Qiu Huanian glared at him, and Meng Yuanling immediately made a zipping motion over his mouth. Qiu Huanian pinched his puffed-up cheek and said, "Fools have their own luck!"

In the end, the little girl's nickname was given by Meng Yuanling. Since he had a particular craving for pastries during the pregnancy and even ate three plates during labor, they named her "Gao Gao" (Little Cake), and they often teased her by calling her "Little A-Gao."

Her formal name, however, was chosen by Yun Cheng after ten months of deliberation. He named her Du Juexia, inspired by the line, "Continuous rain makes one unaware of spring's departure; only when it clears does one realize summer's depth." Although Little A-Gao was born at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, Yun Cheng hoped she would always be as bright and proud as summer.

After Little A-Gao's birth, Yun Cheng immediately wrote letters announcing the good news to Du Village and Tianjin. Gifts from family members arrived one after another, and the joyful atmosphere was conveyed through thin letters traveling thousands of miles.

A dozen or so days later, when the apricot blossoms were in full bloom, the results of the metropolitan examination were announced. Both Yun Cheng and Liao Cang were on the list, ranking in the middle. Yu Min also passed, ranking higher than Yun Cheng.

At the end of the third month, the Palace Examination was officially held. Three hundred candidates stepped onto the solemn imperial street, following the path trodden by countless predecessors, and arrived in front of the Hall of Heavenly Favor to face the new emperor's test.

Three days later, the results were announced, and the golden list was stamped with the imperial seal. Another Palace Examination, which would change countless lives, officially came to an end.

None of the top three candidates in this Palace Examination came from aristocratic families; all were from humble backgrounds, offering a glimpse into the new emperor's intentions. Unfortunately, a miracle like Du Yunse, who had shocked the world by achieving six consecutive first-place honors, was almost impossible to repeat.

Such a prodigy appearing once in a dynasty was already a gift from heaven.

Yun Cheng and Liao Cang both ranked in the second tier. Yun Cheng, still young, planned to become a Hanlin Bachelor and stay in the Hanlin Academy for further study for three years.

Meng Yuanling had been helping Qiu Huanian manage Qiu's Six Staples in Liaozhou for the past few years and had saved up some money. The couple spent six hundred taels of silver to buy a small two-courtyard house next to Nanxun Lane in Chengqing Lane. The courtyard was not large, but it had been renovated two years prior, making it just right for the family of three and a few servants.

Liao Cang did not have enough money to buy a house, nor did he plan to become a Hanlin Bachelor. Being six or seven years older than Yun Cheng, he preferred to take an official position and do practical work rather than continue studying.

When Qiu Huanian heard about Liao Cang's choice, he smiled slightly. Liao Cang, looking at the expression of his former "superior," felt a bit uneasy. No matter how much he asked, Qiu Huanian did not reveal any details, only saying that he had thought of a very suitable position for him.

Liao Cang rubbed his arms and decided to let it be. Since he was here, he might as well accept it. If he ended up working under Qishu County Princess again after becoming an official, he would just have to negotiate for some extra salary.

As for Yu Min, another candidate in this Palace Examination who had some connection to them, it was no surprise to Qiu Huanian that Yu Min ranked very low, around two hundredth, in the lower-middle range of the third-tier jinshi.

The Yu family was very disappointed, but Yu Min himself was much calmer. He went to the Ministry of Personnel, received a position as a county magistrate in a small county in Liaozhou, and soon left the capital to take up his post.