Chapter 34: Going to the Exam

Chapter 34: Going to the Exam

Just after dawn, the sun had risen in the east, dangling like a giant egg yolk on the treetop of the big willow at the entrance of the alley, its rays dispelling the thick night, casting a soft bluish hue on the crowded and uneven rooftops of Willow East Lane.

The Bian River, with its emerald waves, also shimmered with a hazy glow.

Aunt Li's ceramic repair shop was unusually not open early, and Li Tiaozi wasn’t out with his repair kit, roaming the alleys. Instead, he was at the door, wiping down the newly made two-wheeled cart.

Li Tiaozi wiped the cart from the front to the wheels with a damp cloth, his lips twitching in distress as he did so: his wife, after seeing the Shen family’s new two-wheeled cart, had insisted on having one made, claiming it would make it much easier for her to sell chicks and eggs at the market.

Li Tiaozi couldn't argue with her and had to comply.

This cart cost 320 wen! He wondered how much the Shen family had paid for theirs.

Li Tiaozi was not good with words, and Aunt Li wanted to match the Shen family's cart. Old Man Yang, who was usually not eloquent, seemed to have transformed when they approached him, suddenly speaking fluently, he said, "This cart is stable and light, perfect for women," and "Have you seen the Shen family's cart? That's my handiwork!" He even added, "If you buy now, I'll throw in two baskets and a parasol! If the cart breaks within a year, I'll repair it for free!" and finally, "I'm just finishing up work at the Shen family's house, and I can start on yours in a couple of days. If you order now, it’ll be ready in two weeks, and I'll knock off twenty wen for you, a price no one else gets, so don't spread it around."

This made his wife’s eyes light up, feeling like she’d struck gold, and she insisted on ordering it.

Now that the cart was delivered, although it was indeed better than the previous ones, easier to push, and more finely made than the usual carts, Li Tiaozi was beginning to realize: a single-wheeled cart costs about 100 wen, so why does adding a wheel, two baskets, and a coat of paint cost over 300 wen? It didn't seem like much of a bargain!

But now there was no other way, he had to accept this bitter pill.

Just as he was thinking this, the courtyard door groaned open, and Aunt Li led her beloved son Li Gouer to the cart. Li Gouer jumped onto the cart and sat down, and Aunt Li, usually harsh and calculating with others, looked at Li Gouer with great affection, ruffled his hair, placed a wicker book box on the cart, and also took out a stack of oil-paper-wrapped pancakes from her bosom, tying them to the box for Li Gouer.

"Gouer, do well in the exam, and eat some pancakes if you get hungry. I got up early this morning to make them, and I even mixed some salted egg yolks into the dough," Aunt Li said. Recently, while enjoying the cool at her doorstep, she saw a young scholar come to the Shen family to order something called egg yolk pastry, and only then did she realize that Shen Da Jieer often came to her house to buy salted eggs for this purpose. But she didn't know what this egg yolk pastry looked like, because Shen Da Jieer actually turned down the business that came to her door!

She didn't agree to make it for others, saying it was someone else's recipe, and it was fine for her to make it for herself, but she couldn't sell it privately.

Aunt Li perked up her ears and tried to listen in, and upon hearing this, she curled her lips: Oh, what harm would it do to make it secretly? If she agreed with the customer not to spread the word, who would know? This Shen Da Jieer usually seems quite shrewd, why is she so confused about this matter.

This made the young scholar very dejected as he left.

Their conversation was not loud, and Aunt Li could only vaguely overhear some of it. She didn't dare get too close, as Shen Da Jieer's door was tied with a fierce dog. She now preferred to take the next alley home rather than pass by the Shen family's door. If it weren't for the fact that Shen Da Jieer's guard dog didn't like to bark or move, and was tied up every day, she would have complained to the street office.

What if it accidentally bit someone!

She also complained about this to Li Tiaozi, but Li Tiaozi shook his head and spoke fairly: "Why would the officers at the street office care about such a small matter? Almost every household in Bianjing keeps a dog for guarding, and many don't even tie them up, letting the dogs wander freely. This Da Jieer isn't letting her dog run wild, so don't make trouble, lest we lose goodwill with our neighbors. She used to buy salted duck eggs and chicken eggs from us, earning us quite a bit of copper. We shouldn't bite the hand that feeds us."

Aunt Li was scolded by her husband and pinched his arm: "You're siding with outsiders!"

But indeed, she didn't make any more trouble.

However, Aunt Li, seeing that the Shen family had customers coming to their door to buy food, still had some thoughts: judging by the scholar's drooling tone, she thought the egg yolk pastry must be delicious. It's a pity that Shen Da Jieer was so tight-lipped, politely refusing and not saying much more, so she could only picture it in her mind, and today she also learned to mix egg yolks into the dough to make pancakes for Li Gouer.

After that, she held Li Gouer's hand and wouldn't let go, rambling on, "Gouer, remember when you take the exam, write slowly, each stroke should be neat and tidy, write what you know first, don't rush, we paid two hundred wen for the exam fee, you must do well for your mother! Don't let our money go to waste, your exam number is hanging around your neck, don't lose it."

Li Gouer, who was constantly nagged by Aunt Li, was getting impatient: "Alright, mother, I'll be late if I don't go now."

"Yes, yes, go on," Aunt Li then turned to instruct her husband, "Push the cart slowly, don't drop it."

Li Tiaozi, also fed up with his wife's nagging, quickly lifted the cart handle and left.

Aunt Li finally shut her mouth, held onto the cart shaft, tidied her hair, and prepared to muster the courage to follow them to the end of the alley—if they went straight without detouring, the Li family would have to pass the Shen family's house and inevitably see the big dog.

At that moment, the Shen family's door also opened.

Before the door was fully open, the big black dog lying under the platform suddenly opened its eyes and stood up, shaking its fur.

As they got closer to the Shen family, Aunt Li clung tightly to Li Tiaozi's cart, moving to the other side.

Li Tiaozi tried to reassure her, "Don’t be afraid, what’s there to fear about a dog? Our son is named Gouer, which means 'Dog Child,' yet you’re scared of dogs."

Aunt Li wasn’t convinced. She was so scared she almost stumbled.

In the entire East Willow Lane, only the Shen and Li families were sending their children to take the exam. Some families didn’t have children of the right age, and others, though they did, didn’t plan to support their children in studying for the imperial exams. Just taking the exam costs two hundred wen, and the annual tuition fees are a mystery! It’s better to study with a struggling scholar to learn some characters, and in the future, like the Gu family, the father’s business is inherited by the son. Just being literate enough to help with the family shop is sufficient.

Li Tiaozi and Aunt Li were different—they were distant cousins. At the time, this was seen as a good match, strengthening family bonds. Although the Song Dynasty had laws stating that "those of the same surname and lineage cannot marry, violators faced two years of exile," it didn’t restrict marriages between maternal cousins. Some prefectures even had sayings like "the daughter of an aunt must marry the son of an uncle" and "flesh and blood returning to the hometown."

They had three sons and a daughter, but either they died at birth or passed away by the age of four or five. Now over forty, the couple only managed to raise one child, Li Gouer. Because of the many children who died young, they gave him such a humble name, and they had high hopes for him.

Even if it cost two hundred wen, or even two guan, Li Tiaozi would grit his teeth and pay for his son’s education.

The Li family of three pushed their cart out and ran into Shen Miao and her siblings. Aunt Li’s nose was sharp, and she immediately caught a strong, unmistakable aroma wafting from the Shen family’s yard—salty, rich, and with a hint of chicken broth.

"Da Jieer, you’ve been up early cooking? It’s still you young people who have the energy. I barely managed to get up and make pancakes, and the sky was already bright." Though Aunt Li was afraid to get close, her curiosity nearly got the better of her fear, making her peek into the Shen family’s house over a dirt cart.

The Shen family’s burned-down house had been rebuilt. Three large tiled houses now stood, the pillars set, and the walls built. Now it just needed the roof beams and tiles. Their yard also had a small pond, chicken and dog coops, and two vegetable gardens. Aunt Li took a quick look and felt a twinge of jealousy. The new house looked beautiful with its fresh walls and tiles. Especially since Da Jieer didn’t cut corners—the house even had corbels and a single-layer flying eave corridor, so the rain wouldn’t enter the house but drain directly into the ditch.

It looked so inviting.

Building such a fine house after a windfall—wouldn’t that use up all their savings? After all, being young, they didn’t know how to manage life. Aunt Li thought of her own old house, which she’d lived in for nearly thirty years. Though it had been renovated and painted several times, it still made her stomach churn with envy.

"Aunt Li, Uncle Li, you’re early too. I didn’t get up early; it was all prepared last night, just heated up in the morning." Shen Miao turned to close the door while greeting with a smile, but didn’t say what she’d made or eaten.

"Uncle Li, Aunt Li, good morning." Ji Geer and Xiang Jieer followed her, calling out clearly.

"Good morning." Li Tiaozi responded with a smile. He usually didn’t stay much in the lane, so he knew little about Aunt Li’s competitive thoughts or the neighborhood gossip. And since his children had died young, he was very willing to talk to the children in the lane, smiling at them. Now, seeing Shen Miao carrying only a basket, Ji Geer holding a simple book basket, and Xiang Jieer clutching a huge pancake, he gently said, "Are you also sending Ji Geer to take the exam? Why didn’t you push a cart? Should Ji Geer sit with Gouer? I can pull them both…"

Li Gouer saw Xiang Jieer and quickly waved to her.

He wasn’t in good health, and his personality was somewhat timid, so boys his age didn’t like to play with him. Instead, he got along better with Xiang Jieer.

Xiang Jieer still had a pancake in her mouth, her cheeks puffed up. She looked up at him with a smile, "Gouer, Gouer, I also wish you success in the exam!"

This phrase naturally came from Shen Miao. She imitated it, having heard her sister and brother say it, and now used it to congratulate Li Gouer.

"Xiang Jieer, Gouer and your brother Ji Geer are about the same age. You should call him Brother Li, not Gouer. It’s really impolite." Aunt Li scolded with her arms crossed, her face stern. Just now, when Li Tiaozi wanted to invite Ji Geer to sit in the cart, her eyebrows shot up. She had high cheekbones, and this frown made Li Tiaozi’s back chill. He swallowed the rest of his words.

Xiang Jieer wasn’t afraid of Aunt Li. She tilted her head and said, "But… Gouer said it’s okay to call him that."

Li Gouer nodded in agreement, "Yes, I said it. Xiang Jieer can call me whatever."

This made Aunt Li roll her eyes, but since her own son said it, she had no retort. She only urged Li Tiaozi to hurry up.

Li Tiaozi still turned to look at Shen Miao, "Really don’t need Uncle Li to take you a ride?"

Shen Miao smiled and waved her hand, "Thank you, Uncle Li. We plan to take a long cart at the horse market, so we won’t take the cart. We can’t be so inconsiderate, letting Ji Geer sit in the cart while you have to push two people. It’s too much work."

Aunt Li felt a bit more comfortable hearing this. Though Da Jieer didn’t know how to manage life, at least she had some sense.

So she turned her gaze back to Da Jieer, who had dressed up quite nicely today. She wore a fashionable flower-shaped bun, with a folded cloth towel and colorful threads decorating it into simple petal shapes. She had on a light green narrow-sleeved blouse with embroidered crabapple patterns, a pink and white skirt underneath, and a pair of clean plain coarse cloth shoes.

She carried a large basket on her back, covered with a piece of coarse cloth, so you couldn’t see what was inside. But seeing Da Jieer slightly bending her back, it was clear the contents were heavy. Aunt Li had a guess and asked, surprised, "Da Jieer, aren’t you planning to set up a stall at the entrance of the Imperial Academy? Aren’t you afraid of embarrassing Ji Geer?"

Shen Miao nodded honestly, "Yes."

She was sending Ji Geer out of the city to take the exam and didn’t plan to come back and forth. So today, she couldn’t go to the Jinliang Bridge to set up a stall. But Shen Miao couldn’t stay idle—having a day off without making money would make her unable to sleep. So yesterday, she used the earthen kiln in the yard to bake a hundred mulberry peanut soft breads in advance. She planned to sell fresh bread at the entrance of the Imperial Academy while Ji Geer was taking the exam.

To save costs, Shen Miao made a whole wheat, low oil, and sugar-free recipe, claiming to let the people of Bianjing eat healthily.

In the morning, she, Ji Geer, and Xiang Jieer also ate this. Even after being left overnight, the bread turned soft again after a quick warm-up in the kiln in the morning. The fried peanut crumbs carried a rich nutty flavor and provided some oil, making it not too dry to eat; mulberries were almost out of season, and the fruit seller was selling them very cheaply. She bought them all, chopped up the fresh mulberries and blended their juice into the dough to add a faint purple color, with the fresh sweet and sour taste enhancing the texture and layers of the bread.

Moreover, making this did not require kneading the dough to form a membrane, nor any special shaping techniques. The wheat flour was only sifted five or six times, keeping some texture in the coarse flour on purpose to make the bread less boring. She did not deliberately place the dough in a warm place to rise but used an overnight fermentation method, letting the dough with leftover bran turn so soft it practically melted in your mouth.

Although the cost was low and the process simple, Shen Miao planned to sell it for twelve coins each.

First, the entrance of the Imperial Academy would surely be bustling today. Families who could afford two hundred coins for their children's exams were at least well-off and not worried about food and drink. If it were too cheap, folks might not even give it a second look; second, she specifically used mulberries to dye the bread purple and sprinkled a full circle of peanut crumbs in the middle, baking it to a golden hue within the purple. She called it the "Purple Robe and Golden Belt" bun.

The Purple Robe and Golden Belt, a symbol of high official rank, sold during the exam period, how lucky and fitting!

Third, her craftsmanship was worth twelve coins. She’d been up late baking bread just yesterday!

Of course, she did not intend to say much about this. She could tell Aunt Li had more to say. Not to mention that the Song Dynasty was a time that was tolerant and not overly disdainful of merchants, even in modern times, Shen Miao would not feel ashamed.

If Ji Geer felt ashamed because of this, he would not be her brother.

So, she simply replied and said goodbye to the Li family.

Turning back, she instructed the dog in the yard, which had three chickens standing on its back: "Take good care of the house, we're leaving!" The dog had grown quite a bit and barked loudly in the yard, wagging its tail so hard it looked like a propeller.

Shen Miao then turned her gaze to Thunder, reaching out to pat it: "You also need to take good care of them."

Thunder did not wag its tail but tilted its big head to look at her, then lowered its eyes and stretched out its front paws on the ground, as if to say, why even mention something so small?

Shen Miao smiled.

Thunder had been around the house for a while now. Although it still refused to enter the yard and stubbornly waited at the door for Auntie Wu's figure, its attitude towards the Shen family had completely changed from when it first arrived. It now allowed Shen Miao to pet it, as well as Ji Geer and Xiang Jieer.

When Shen Miao returned from the morning market, she would take it for a walk, and after dinner, another walk.

Having raised a dog in her previous life, she knew such a large dog needed a lot of exercise, but Thunder was reluctant to move unless she deliberately led it out. Even during walks, it would not go too far from Willow East Lane. It seemed to have an internal compass for measuring distance. Once it crossed the bridge, it would turn its head and urge Shen Miao to go back.

At first, Xiang Jieer was afraid of it, but after tentatively pinching its ears and pulling its beard, and seeing Thunder droop its eyelids without reacting, the kid got brave enough to plop her whole chubby self onto Thunder’s back, hugging its thick neck and singing: "...ask for a dog, a good one, my dog is big but silly. It doesn't bite thieves, only chickens."

After singing, she would lie by Thunder's ear and carefully instruct: "Don’t you dare bite my chickens, especially Rong Rong."

Once, Shen Miao prepared to take it for a walk and untied the leash, but the dog in the yard suddenly got into a fight with the white rooster, turning the place upside down. She rushed back to break up the fight. Xiang Jieer, usually restrained by Shen Miao from going near the well, grabbed the chance and ran off to mess around by the well at the end of the lane.

This was thanks to Thunder, who, without being told, quietly followed her. Seeing Xiang Jieer leaning over the well to fish for the bucket rope, it bit her pants and pulled her back, not allowing her to get too close to the well. Until it successfully brought back the pouting and unsuccessful Xiang Jieer.

This was just like Gale.

Shen Miao's feelings towards it became very complex. She knew it wasn’t Gale, but she couldn’t help missing him.

After giving her instructions, Shen Miao peeked at the doghouse in the yard—a newly built brick and tile doghouse with an arched doorway, with food and water bowls placed in front, both filled to the top. They would be out all day, so the dog and chickens should not go hungry.

The water bowl and food bowl in front of Thunder were also full.

After confirming there were no oversights, she locked the door and quickly led Xiang Jieer and Ji Geer away.

The cart wouldn’t wait, so they couldn’t dawdle.

Aunt Li watched their departing figures, holding back but finally blurting out to Li Tiaozi: "Taking a long cart, how extravagant. Shen Da Jieer must’ve made a pretty penny off the Xie family steward to dare to spend like this. How’d she get so lucky to cozy up to such a fancy family?"

Li Tiaozi said helplessly: "That’s just her skill. You don’t know, I leave with my load before dawn every day. The houses in this lane are all dark, only the Shen family not only has lights on but also smoke rising from the chimney. What time was that? You were still dead asleep in bed, this is also hard-earned money. Oh, quit grumbling and let’s get going. Dog's exam is the most important."

Aunt Li then hurried to help push the cart, all the way to the inner city gate before stopping.

The Shen siblings soon reached the spot to catch the cart.

There were quite a few people riding in carriages today, and the roads were jam-packed. Fortunately, Shen Miao and her siblings left early, and by the time they arrived at the imposing gate of the Imperial Academy, it was just the right time.

The crowd grew larger, and soon a long line formed at the entrance of the academy. The Imperial Academy was already under strict security today, with many soldiers in blue robes standing guard with swords. The candidates had to go through two rounds of body searches at the entrance shed and could only enter carrying their own exam kits.

Shen Ji, with a tense face, pushed his way into the crowd waiting for an ID check.

He was carried along by the crowd, and neither his sister nor Xiang Jieer could accompany him anymore. Suddenly, he felt a bit panicked and couldn’t resist looking back. His sister was still standing there with Xiang Jieer, watching him. When she saw him looking, she smiled and waved at him, even standing on her toes to do so.

"Ji Geer, don’t be nervous, just do your best," he heard her call out to him. "Just breathe, no matter how the exam goes, I’ll be here! Xiang Jieer and I will be waiting outside for you, we won’t go anywhere! Just relax and take the exam with ease! Tonight, we’ll have chicken stew, I’ve already started cooking it before we left—"

Xiang Jieer also hopped up and shouted, "Brother! You’ll definitely pass the exam!"

Shen Ji was amused. He looked back at his sister and Xiang Jieer, and his resolve hardened. He turned around and followed the crowd step by step. Aunt Li, as a mother, always pushed Li Gouer to do well in his studies, hoping for a good outcome. But his sister said that no matter how the exam went, she would be waiting outside for him and would make chicken stew for him.

He lowered his head and quickly wiped his teary eyes with the back of his hand.

After walking forward to the shed by the gate, he was given a thorough pat-down by the soldiers with their sword sheaths. He had to take off his outer clothes, remove his trousers, and even his underwear was checked. Shen Ji’s face turned red. After putting his clothes back on, he was finally ordered to open his exam kit.

His exam kit was larger than others, specially bought by his sister.

Inside the kit were only two brushes, a stack of white paper, an ink stick, and an inkstone. Then there was a wide-mouthed, lidded ceramic bowl and a pair of chopsticks. The soldiers ordered him to lift the lid for inspection, so he opened it.

Inside was a bundle of fried dried noodles, a runny egg cut in half, a handful of chopped and dried vegetables, and a few slices of marinated pork. Additionally, at the bottom of the bowl was a large chunk of reddish-brown solidified meat sauce and a pile of chopped scallions and coriander…

And it smelled quite good.

The rare and abundant food even stunned the soldiers.

He looked up at Shen Ji.

Shen Ji also looked back at him, blinking innocently.

"You... are you planning to cook noodles inside?" the soldier asked in surprise, flipping the bowl over and even breaking the dried noodles in half. Indeed, there was nothing hidden. He couldn’t help but remind him, "There’s no stove inside, nor any charcoal. Each person is only provided with a pot of hot water. These noodles will never cook. You’d better have your family buy you a couple of buns before you go in! Otherwise, you’ll definitely go hungry today!"

"Thank you, sir, hot water will be enough," Shen Ji bowed deeply and, after thinking for a moment, added, "Our family runs a noodle shop on Willow East Lane at Golden Beam Bridge. If you have time in the future, please come and try it. My sister’s noodle-making skills are truly unmatched. You won’t regret it."

His sister said that once the house was tiled, she wouldn’t go to the morning market to set up a stall anymore, and the family shop would open. These past few days, she had ordered a lot of tables, chairs, counters, and other furniture from Old Man Yang, and had also ordered a kiln of coarse ceramic bowls engraved with the words "Shen’s Shop," already preparing for the opening.

Shen Ji had always been thinking about helping his sister, so he seized the opportunity to promote the family shop.

Since this person wouldn’t listen to advice, the soldier in charge of the search casually threw the lid back and waved Shen Ji in. Watching the young boy’s departing figure, he was speechless.

You’re here to take the exam, and you’re even pulling in customers.

But after searching several more people, the soldier still felt an itch, as if he could still smell the spicy aroma from the boy’s exam kit.

How could the noodles smell so good even before they were cooked? What were they made of? He had never eaten anything like it before, and he began to feel a bit doubtful and swayed.

Was it really as delicious as he claimed?

On his next day off... maybe... he should really go and try it?