Chapter 133

Chapter 133

That evening, Aunt Chen prepared a grand feast, and the family gathered to celebrate Qing Yan and Qing Huai passing the prefectural exam.

Old Liang, who hadn't touched alcohol in ages, made an exception and drank two cups that day.

After a few drinks, the old man became quite talkative, chatting about everything under the sun.

"This year's prefectural exam questions weren't too difficult—much easier compared to previous years. Coincidentally, I had gone over a few of the ink interpretation questions with you just a few days ago, so we basically predicted the exam topics."

Chen Qinghuai nodded repeatedly, "That's right! Out of the ten major ink interpretation questions, six were ones that my elder brother and I had solved before!"

Liang Boqing stroked his beard with a hint of pride. Before the exam, he had reviewed all the previous years' questions. Since topics that had already appeared were unlikely to be repeated, he had gathered all the unexamined and more challenging questions and conducted several days of intensive training for them.

Hard work pays off—their efforts had finally borne fruit.

"Right now, this is just a small prefectural exam. Although both of you performed well, remember not to become complacent. Only when you achieve good results in the provincial-level exam will that truly reflect your abilities!"

There's a common saying among the people: "Gold for provincial graduates, silver for palace graduates." The fundamental reason for this is the extreme difficulty of the provincial-level exam.

It's like a thousand troops trying to cross a single log bridge—only one out of ten thousand succeeds. Those who pass are truly exceptional talents. Moreover, passing the provincial-level exam qualifies one to become an official, which is why provincial graduates are so highly valued.

The two put down their chopsticks and nodded in agreement.

As it grew late, Yuan Bao began to feel drowsy. Li Shi and Fang Ling took the child inside to rest first.

The others remained outside, continuing to listen to Old Liang discuss matters of the imperial examination system.

Liang Boqing asked, "Did you find out who placed second and third and where they're from?"

Chen Qingyan thought for a moment and said, "The second placer is named Lin Zhen, from Guangyuan County. The third placer is Shen Mengzhou, a local of Jizhou."

"Just as I thought. That second placer, the young man from the Lin family, is a year younger than you. He once wrote a parallel prose titled 'A Breeze Escorts the Bright Moon'—'The bright, solitary moon shines upon a millennium of parting sorrow; its clear, lingering melody conveys longing across ten thousand miles.' Both of you must have read it."

The Chen brothers were stunned. They had thought the essay was written by an older scholar, never expecting it to be the work of someone their own age! For a moment, they were at a loss for words.

Liang Boqing stroked his beard and said, "His scholarly achievements are undoubtedly due to his family's guidance. His grandfather, Lin Shiqiu, was a provincial graduate in the seventh year of Wuyun. This parallel prose must have been polished under Lin Shiqiu's supervision. Still, being able to write such remarkable lines makes him a rare talent indeed."

The three sat up straight, realizing that this Lin Zhen was not to be underestimated. They would have to work even harder for the prefectural exam.

"The third placer is also an acquaintance—he's the son of Shen Lan, an education official at the prefectural school." Both father and son were known for their relentless diligence. Shen Lan had been a hard worker since his youth, rising before dawn to study and not resting until late at night.

Unfortunately, his talent was average. Although he passed the provincial-level exam, he only ranked in the third tier. Lacking connections and influence, he eventually returned to Jizhou to teach at the prefectural school.

His son, Shen Mengzhou, was even more diligent than his father. Not only did he study relentlessly, but he also spent his days copying texts and reciting from memory, hardly ever taking a break.

Some at the prefectural school had once mocked him for being a bookworm, but Shen Mengzhou paid no mind and continued his routine day after day.

Diligence makes up for lack of talent—persistence paid off, and his efforts earned him third place in the prefectural exam, bringing great honor to his father.

"Being in the north gives you a slight geographical advantage. If you were in Yangzhou, securing the top spot in the prefectural exam would have been much more difficult."

Throughout history, educational resources have been unevenly distributed between the north and south. The south, being more prosperous with developed waterways, enjoys natural geographical advantages.

With more wealthy families, it's natural for them to want their children to study and enter officialdom to wield real power. Most children begin their education at four and start formal schooling at six, making the competition incredibly fierce.

"A few years ago, in Yangzhou alone, a single county exam attracted over seven hundred candidates. As for the prefectural exam, the number of participants never drops below a thousand each year. By the time of the provincial-level exam, the competition is even fiercer, with almost five times the number of candidates compared to Jizhou."

Wang Ying picked up the wine jug to refill the old man's cup, but Liang Boqing quickly covered it with his hand. "No more, I'll have too much if I drink any more."

"It's fine, today is a happy occasion. A little more won't hurt."

Liang Boqing moved his hand and said, "Alright, but this is the last cup."

Chen Qingyan laughed, "Shifu, I'll join you."

Before he could finish half his cup, Old Liang was already drunk, leaning back in his chair and starting to snore. Chen Qingyan and Chen Qinghuai gently helped him into the house.

The servants cleared the table, and Wang Ying prepared hot water in the bathing room.

Chen Qingyan had also drunk quite a bit. Entering the bathing room, the steam made him feel more drunk, making him unsteady on his feet.

Wang Ying quickly supported him, helping him undress and guiding him into the bathtub.

"Are you dizzy?"

"Not too bad." Chen Qingyan leaned against the tub, his hair loose and flowing down his back.

Wang Ying took a wooden comb and gently smoothed his hair, then applied a shampoo made from cypress leaf to wash it.

"A Ying, I'm so happy today."

"I'm happy too."

"No, it's not just because I passed the exam—I'm happy because I realized I can face the past with peace of mind."

Chen Qingyan turned his head, his eyes shining. "When those people surrounded me and spoke ill of me today, I didn't feel angry at all. In the past, I wouldn't have dared to imagine that…"

Wang Ying said, "As it should be. That incident was never your fault, and it's been so long. If you continued to dwell on it, it would hinder your future achievements."

Chen Qingyan clicked his tongue. "You sound like an elder."

"I am older than you. You used to call me 'brother,' but now you don't even say it anymore."

Chen Qingyan's ears turned red. He reached out and grabbed Wang Ying's hand, pulling him into the bathtub with a firm tug.

"Hey, I haven't taken my clothes off yet…"

"Brother, let's bathe together."

His slightly calloused fingers made quick work of undoing Wang Ying's clothes.

After drinking, Chen Qingyan seemed like a different person. Gone was his usual gentleness, replaced by a roughness that was both painful and exhilarating for Wang Ying.

The sound of vigorous splashing echoed in the bathing room, mingled with their muffled groans. Eventually, Wang Ying could no longer hold back, biting Chen Qingyan's shoulder as he gasped, "Let's go to the experimental field."

Once inside the experimental field, Wang Ying finally cried out freely, his moans stirring Chen Qingyan's blood, making him wish he could merge with the other completely...

*

After the prefectural exam, the marriage between Liu Changyi and Chen Qingyun was also put on the agenda.

According to the customs of Jizhou Prefecture, the groom's family must first engage a matchmaker to visit the bride's family and discuss the marriage. Once the bride's family agrees, the matchmaker takes the couple's birth dates to a temple to check their compatibility.

Unless there is a severe clash, the result is usually declared a "match made in heaven." Of course, if one party disagrees or wishes to back out, they can use the excuse of incompatible birth elements to cancel the engagement, saving face for both sides.

The matchmaker Qin Furong engaged was her sworn sister, the wife of Vice-Prefect Gao of Jizhou.

Madam Gao shared a similar personality with Qin Furong—both were straightforward and cheerful. At her sister's request, she chose an auspicious day to visit and propose the marriage.

Since the two families had already discussed everything beforehand, it was merely a formality.

When Mrs. Gao arrived at the Chen family's home, she noticed they lived in a remote location with a rather modest house, and she couldn't quite understand why her sworn sister (Mrs. Liu) had chosen a girl from such a modest family as a daughter-in-law.

However, since she'd been asked to handle this, she was determined to carry it out flawlessly. Upon entering and meeting Mrs. Li and Fang Ling, she greeted them with a warm smile and struck up a conversation.

Through their discussion, she learned that the Chen family were not locals but had moved from elsewhere. Though they appeared seemingly struggling, there was more to them than met the eye. Their sons were classmates with Liu Changyi, and one of them had just come first in the Prefectural Exam.

From this perspective, the two families seemed quite well-matched.

When marrying a wife, what matters most is her character. Being able to raise such outstanding children suggested they've got good family values. Her sworn sister certainly had a good eye for choosing a match.

Mrs. Gao also met Chen Qingyun, finding her gentle, exceptionally beautiful, and well-spoken. In the end, the two families exchanged birth dates to be taken for divination.

After seeing Mrs. Gao off, Mrs. Li finally felt relieved. She exchanged a glance with Fang Ling, and both smiled.

Fang Ling remarked, "Mrs. Liu knows what she's doing, and the person she entrusted is reliable."

"Indeed, I was worried the matchmaker might be hard to deal with," Mrs. Li replied. She was always uneasy about interacting with strangers—what modern people would call social anxiety.

Now that Qing Yun's marriage was settled, she no longer had to worry. "In a few days, let's go to the Daoist temple together to have their marriage prospects read and see how the marriage prospects look."

Fang Ling nodded. "I've heard the Qingfeng Temple outside Jizhou City is quite good. We can take Qing Yun and Lin Sui along for a visit."

*

As the weather grew warmer day by day, by mid-April, the vegetables in the vegetable shop were no longer selling well.

With local farm vegetables becoming increasingly available—fresh and affordable—most people stopped buying from the shop.

But Wang Ying wasn't concerned. Having run the vegetable shop for years, he was well aware of the seasonal patterns. Coincidentally, the experimental field was also running low on vegetables, so after selling the last batch, he cleared the vegetable patch and replanted it with wheat.

Since the previous flood, Wang Ying had developed a preference for growing grain. Whenever the field wasn't growing vegetables, he promptly sowed wheat or millet. Money could provide security, but in times of major disaster, only grain could save lives.

It wasn't yet the season to sell ice, and business in the shop was slow, so Wang Ying decided to close for a few days and take the family on an outing to enjoy the spring scenery.

It was the finest time of the year—sunny but not stifling, with a gentle breeze. The hills were blanketed in varying shades of green, a sight that lifted the spirits.

Qingfeng Temple was located on Qingfeng Mountain, about fifteen li (about five miles) outside Jizhou City, roughly an hour's journey by carriage.

Uncle Chen drove the carriage, while Mrs. Li, Fang Ling, Wang Ying, Lin Sui, and Qing Yun, who was going for the divination, rode inside.

Yuanbao had wanted to come along, but the child had overslept and couldn't be roused in the morning.

Wang Ying also heard that reaching Qingfeng Temple involved climbing steps. With Yuanbao's short legs, he'd struggle to make the ascent, and carrying the little one up the mountain would be exhausting. So, it was decided to leave him at home in his father's care.

Soon, the carriage arrived at the foot of Qingfeng Mountain. Everyone got out and began the climb on foot, while Uncle Chen stayed behind to wait with the carriage parked by the roadside.

As they ascended the stone steps, lush vegetation surrounded them, dotted with occasional unnamed wildflowers. The pleasant chirping of birds in the woods made the walk truly refreshing.

Along the way, they occasionally encountered pilgrims and vendors carrying shoulder poles selling snacks—much like a modern-day tourist spot.

When they reached the mountainside, Mrs. Li and Fourth Aunt grew tired. Fortunately, there was a pavilion nearby, so they rested there for a while.

A young girl selling water approached with wooden buckets. "Wishing you health and blessings, honored guests. Would you like to buy a cup of water? The cups are all clean—two wen each."

Wang Ying waved her over. Smiling, the girl approached, set down her buckets, and untied a string of bamboo cups from around her neck.

Though the cups looked clean, Wang Ying rinsed them again before buying one for each person. He paid the girl twenty wen.

By chance, while they were resting, Qin Furong and Mrs. Gao also arrived to have their sons' marriage compatibility divined—the two families ended up crossing paths!