Chapter 54 [V] Going to Jiangning Prefecture

In fact, Xu Qingshu is two years older than Han Yue.

Although Han Yue became a Xiucai a year earlier than him and was also the top scholar last year, the two of them had studied together under Weng Juren since childhood. In terms of talent and learning, Xu Qingshu believed that he was no less than Han Yue.

In this situation, Xu Qingshu couldn't help but feel annoyed by Han Yue's attitude.

However, Xu Qingshu remained somewhat restrained in his speech. He suppressed his gentle smile and said seriously, "Brother Han, why do you say that? Madam Li is gentle and virtuous; how could I not be interested? It's just... marriage is not a trivial matter; one must be cautious." He added, "Fortunately, Brother Han is also a scholar, and since we are discussing women, please be more polite in your words."

Han Yue then said seriously, "I have no intention of looking down on you, I am just concerned about the matter between Brother Xu and his sister-in-law." He added sincerely, "Whether Brother Xu believes it or not, I sincerely hope that the marriage between Brother Xu and his sister-in-law can be successful."

Xu Qingshu looked at him intently, and he believed his words to some extent.

Now that he has also passed the imperial examination, if the two of them become brothers-in-law, they will surely help each other in their future careers, which would be beneficial to both of them.

For these scholars, the trivial matters of daily life were not very important. Like Han Yue, he valued the big picture and his future more.

Seeing that he still had some sincerity in his words, Xu Qingshu couldn't help but calm down a bit, and his tone became gentler.

"I have heard some things about your wife's family. Indeed, the family discord has dragged Brother Han down. But to be honest, Brother Han's mother-in-law is indeed of questionable character. As a junior, perhaps I shouldn't speak ill of my elders behind their backs, but based on what I know, she is indeed the instigator."

Han Yue was already aware of what had happened just a few days ago. Mentioning it made him feel ashamed.

Besides anger, there was also a great deal of helplessness.

And because of this, he no longer wants to go home. Every time he goes home, he sees his wife crying in front of him, and he is already tired of it and doesn't want to waste his energy comforting or soothing her.

He was already pressed for time preparing for the autumn imperial examinations. Instead of helping him out, his wife was only making things more difficult for him.

Since we got married, all the feelings I had for her have been worn away by these events.

She even worried about her future.

Having such an unreliable mother-in-law is like having a ticking time bomb planted nearby. It might explode at any moment, leaving him unrecognizable.

Thinking about this made Han Yue feel agitated.

Having no desire to continue entangled with Xu Qingshu, he hastily said goodbye and left.

After he left, Xu Qingshu slowly squeezed into the crowd to look. Only after seeing his own name on the posted congratulatory notice did Xu Qingshu feel relieved enough to leave.

Xu Qingshu went home to share the good news, and Xu Ge'er also hurried home to tell Li Yan the good news.

"Auntie, he passed!" Xu Ge'er shouted as he ran into the courtyard. "Uncle Xu passed the imperial examination and became a scholar."

Li Yan and her mother-in-law both took this matter very seriously. Upon hearing that he had passed the imperial examination and become a scholar, they both quickly dropped what they were doing and happily came to greet him.

“I prepared the gift a long time ago. Xu-ge’er, please take it to the Xu family for your aunt.”

In the past, Xu Ge'er would have run off to do this long ago. But now, Xu Ge'er also had his own selfish motives; he wanted to create an opportunity for his aunt and Uncle Xu to meet alone.

So he said hesitantly, "I haven't done the homework the teacher assigned. If I don't do it well, I'll get a beating from the teacher tomorrow." After refusing, Xu Ge'er quickly ran into the house with his head down.

It was as if if he ran even a moment later, his aunt would see through his scheme.

Even so, Li Yan still figured it out.

Li Yan wasn't being coy or unwilling to go; she was genuinely busy and couldn't leave at the moment.

So, standing in the courtyard, she deliberately said, "That's fine too. Anyway, I can't leave, so I won't give you the gift." After saying that, she went about her own business.

Xu Ge'er observed from behind the window for a while, and seeing that his aunt really had no intention of going out, he couldn't resist and finally came out again.

“I’ve finished my homework, Auntie. I’m going to deliver your gift for you.”

Li Yan thought to herself, "She can't even handle a little brat like you?"

"The gift is on the table in the main room; go and get it yourself."

Xu Ge'er turned around and went to the main room, then quickly ran out the door with the gift in his hand.

.

Xu Jiayan had already bought firecrackers, waiting for his younger brother to return with good news so he could set them off.

When his younger brother returned with good news, he immediately told his son, Cheng Ge'er, to light firecrackers.

Xu Qingshu had no idea that his brother had bought firecrackers. By the time he found out, it was too late; all the neighbors in the alley had already come over to ask what was going on.

Upon learning that it was Xu's second son who had passed the imperial examination and become a scholar, everyone came to congratulate him.

In no time, the Xu family's main house was packed with people. Xu Qingshu was also held down there by his elder brother and sister-in-law, who wouldn't let him leave.

When Xu Ge'er delivered the gifts, he didn't even go to Xu Qingshu's side. Seeing that there were many people from the Xu family's eldest branch, he came directly over here to deliver the gifts.

After accepting the gift, Sister-in-law Xu asked, "Why did you come alone? Where is your aunt?"

Xu Ge'er clasped his hands in a respectful bow and replied, "Auntie originally wanted to come by herself, but she hasn't found a suitable person to help her yet, so she can only ask me to come and offer my congratulations on her behalf."

Sister-in-law Xu said with a smile, "It's kind of you, a child, to make this special trip. Please stay for dinner."

"No, thank you for your kindness, Auntie, but I still have to go back and do my homework."

Sister-in-law Xu quite liked Xu Ge'er, thinking he was very sensible and good at studying.

"Then I'd like to invite you and your aunt to come over for a meal another day."

After thanking him, Xu Ge'er left the Xu family's noisy place.

After returning, Xu Ge'er took the initiative to report to Li Yan.

"Aunt Xu invited me to stay for dinner, but I declined. Aunt Xu then said that she would invite my aunt and me to have dinner together another day."

Li Yan got up early in the morning and started working on the drinks. Now that she has finished her morning tasks, she can finally rest.

It's late spring now, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter. Summer will be here in no time.

After a busy morning, Li Yan's back was already covered in sweat. Taking a shower is more convenient in summer than in winter, so Li Yan planned to take a shower during this free time at noon.

"I understand." She knew that Xu Ge'er had come to her specifically to say these things, so that she and Xu Qingshu could get closer.

Li Yan appreciated his kindness. However, she maintained a detached attitude towards the matter.

Her views on this matter were the same as Xu Qingshu's: not to force things, but to simply get along peacefully and let things take their natural course.

"Are you busy right now?" Li Yan suddenly asked.

Xu Ge'er didn't know what his aunt was going to say. After blinking, he slowly shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

Li Yan smiled, but there was a hint of malice in her smile: "Auntie has been working all morning and is a little tired. If you have nothing to do, could you boil a pot of water for me? I'd like to take a bath."

Upon seeing this, Xu Ge'er turned around and went into the kitchen without saying a word.

Li Yan went back to her room first, took the bathtub out from the corner, filled it with water, and washed herself.

After that, prepare the bath beans and the clothes to change into and set them aside.

After Xu Ge'er boiled the water in the pot, Li Yan had rested enough and wasn't so tired anymore. Then, she carried buckets of water into the house herself.

Once the water was almost hot, cold water was added to the well.

By the time she finished showering, almost half an hour had passed.

After changing her clothes, Li Yan moved a recliner to the courtyard, hiding half of her body in the shade, leaving only her chest and above exposed to the sun.

She covered her face with a freshly picked lotus leaf and fell asleep.

The warm sun feels so comforting on my skin; it's the perfect season now, neither too hot nor too cold. I've been so busy lately that I haven't had a proper rest, so this rare moment of relaxation is really enjoyable.

Aunt Xue knew that her daughter-in-law had been working hard lately, so after she rested, she walked very quietly.

Li Yan slept soundly, and if someone hadn't knocked on the door and woken her up, she could have continued sleeping.

The knocking wasn't loud, but because the yard was so quiet, the sudden sound seemed abrupt.

Hearing the noise, Aunt Xue immediately came out of the house. Li Yan, having had enough sleep, got up and said, "I'll open the door."

The person knocking on the door was Xu Qingshu, who was standing outside holding a food box.

Li Yan went to sleep right after taking a shower, and her long, black hair was still hanging down her back.

She has become even more beautiful now, with delicate and fair skin. Her thinner face not only has softer facial lines but also makes her features look even more delicate and bright. Her eyes are dark and sparkling, and her pupils reveal a remarkable intelligence.

She usually wears her hair in a mature, sophisticated style, looking sharp and capable. But now, with her hair down, she exudes a more feminine charm.

The door suddenly opened, and upon seeing this scene, even though Xu Qingshu already knew she was beautiful now, he was still stunned for a moment.

Seeing him frozen in shock, Li Yan called out to him, "Second Brother Xu?"

Xu Qingshu quickly came to his senses, then handed over the food box in his hand, explaining his purpose: "I only found out later that you told Xu-ge'er to deliver the gift. After delivering the gift, you didn't even stay for a meal. This is braised meat, my sister-in-law's specialty, you should try it."

Li Yan smiled and reached out to take it: "You went to all this trouble just for this? You're too kind." But since it was a kind gesture to bring it in person, Li Yan was sure to accept it, so she reached out to take it.

When the two exchanged food boxes, their fingers accidentally touched, which made Xu Qingshu even more flustered.

Li Yan was open and honest, and didn't think about it that way. After receiving the food box, she personally congratulated Xu Qingshu.

"Second Brother Xu, congratulations!" He added, "You will pass the county-level exam in the first half of the year, the provincial-level exam in the second half, and the imperial exam next year... Your official career will be very successful in the future."

Xu Qingshu smiled: "Thank you for your kind words, but... it's not that easy."

Li Yan, being a businesswoman, naturally knew how to say nice things: "Why not? Brother Xu will definitely achieve his wish. This scholar is an excellent start. Brother Xu's future path will surely take this as a starting point, and he will rise step by step."

Xu Qingshu just smiled and didn't say anything.

Instinctively, he quite enjoyed this moment of solitude.

But Xu Qingshu was a person who didn't like to show his emotions and was very good at self-control. So even if he enjoyed it, he knew it was inappropriate.

After delivering the gifts, Xu Qingshu bid farewell, saying, "There are still guests waiting at home, I'll head back now."

Li Yan: "Then I won't keep you any longer, Second Brother, take care."

Li Yan closed the door after Xu Qingshu had walked a little further away.

Li Yan turned around with the food box in her hand, and as soon as she turned her head, she bumped into Aunt Xue's smiling face.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Seeing her mother-in-law's strange smile, Li Yan asked with amusement, "Why are you smiling like that?" Even though she actually had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

At this point, Aunt Xue also felt it was time to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.

"Actually, I think this Scholar Xu is quite good." Now that he had passed the imperial examination and become a scholar, Aunt Xue changed how she addressed him.

Li Yan just smiled, pretending not to understand what her mother-in-law meant: "Indeed, it's quite good. Moreover, since he passed the imperial examination today, he will surely achieve even greater success in the future."

Knowing that her daughter-in-law was deliberately avoiding the topic, Aunt Xue decided to be more direct.

“I think he has some feelings for you, Yanniang. You don’t have to remain a widow for Erlang forever. You are still young, and now there is such a good candidate. You should think about your own future.”

But Li Yan was not actually keeping a widowhood for Xue Er. She had never even seen Xue Er's face, so why should she keep a widowhood for him?

Now is the perfect time for her to continue developing and expanding her career; she just doesn't want to think about marriage too early.

Moreover, being a stepmother is not an easy job.

Don't waste your money and effort only to end up feeling stifled and wronged, and ultimately gain nothing. What's the point?

But these blunt truths seemed too calculating, so Li Yan wouldn't say them aloud. She simply said, "I married into the family last summer, and it hasn't even been a year yet. Erlang just died in the line of duty not long ago, so how can I be in such a hurry to find someone else? Mother, let's not talk about such things anymore."

Aunt Xue was deeply moved that her daughter-in-law cared so much about Erlang.

It was precisely because of this, and because of her kind heart, that Aunt Xue wanted her to find another good husband.

“But Erlang is no longer here. If he were, your mother would not have urged you to choose another man. Besides, good fortune doesn’t wait for anyone. If you miss out on Scholar Xu now, you will never have such a good man to choose from again.”

Li Yan laughed and said, "If we really miss out, then it's not a good match. If it's not a good match, then what's there to regret?"

Seeing her completely indifferent attitude, Aunt Xue said anxiously, "Yan Niang, you should really take this matter to heart. Now that he has passed the imperial examination, he'll probably have even more suitors knocking on your door. With more options, your feelings for each other might fade."

Li Yan: "My relationship with him is purely platonic, at most like that of siblings, nothing more."

It was getting late, so it was time to start making braised pork. Li Yan made an excuse to go to the kitchen to help.

A few months ago, if Li Yan had said these things, Aunt Xue would have felt at ease. But now, Aunt Xue, who was eager for her daughter-in-law to seize this opportunity, couldn't help but worry when she saw Li Yan's nonchalant attitude.

Li Yan didn't care about all that and focused solely on her career.

As the weather gets warmer, the business of hot milk tea drinks naturally isn't as good anymore.

Recently, Li Yan not only has to work, but also has to use her spare time to continue researching new varieties.

In addition, business at Sifang Restaurant was the same. With the weather getting hot and no air conditioning in this era, fewer people were willing to eat the hot pot.

However, although there are fewer people and business is not as booming as in winter, there are still customers every day.

It's just that it's the off-season now, and you can't make as much money as during the peak season in winter.

Li Yan had a bold idea: Huating County is only so big, so if she wanted to expand her business, she would have to go to bigger places.

The first place Li Yan thought of was Jiangning Prefecture.

That evening, when she had some free time, Li Yan told Aunt Xue what she was thinking: "Mother, I'm thinking of going to Jiangning Prefecture in the next few days."

Aunt Xue, unaware that she was busy with business, asked curiously, "What are you going to Jiangning Prefecture for? You're unfamiliar with the place. If something happens, you won't even have anyone to warn you."

Li Yan laughed and said, "A few months ago, before we moved to Huating County, we were also unfamiliar with this place. It's alright, I'm going there to look for opportunities to discuss business, nothing will happen."

Aunt Xue was worried about her, but she also knew that she was a strong-willed person who wouldn't easily change her mind once she had made up her mind.

Suddenly, it occurred to him that the elderly Liu couple had been taken to Jiangning Prefecture by their second son to enjoy a life of luxury. In case anything happened, they would have a trusted acquaintance from the same village.

So, Aunt Xue said, "Your Aunt Liu is currently in Jiangning Prefecture, and her second son is currently a commander of some kind in Jiangning Prefecture... If anything happens, you should go to him."