Chapter 152

He will definitely pass the assessment, but it's uncertain whether he will be able to return to Beijing smoothly.

Hearing this, I couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

On the day of the imperial examination, the second son escorted the fifth son to the gate of the imperial city. He dared not breathe loudly and looked extremely nervous.

"Second brother, thank you for your hard work. You go back first, I'll go back by myself after the exam, don't wait for me."

"Okay, you, you be careful."

Looking at the majestic palace walls, Wen Lao Er held Xiao Wu's hand, his words stammering slightly. He shouldn't have worried too much, but they were family after all.

"Don't worry, Second Brother, you should go back now."

After watching his second brother leave, Xiao Wu stood at the door. He had arrived neither early nor late, and now he was just waiting for the palace gates to open so he could go in for the exam.

That afternoon, the letter Wen Xiaowu had sent earlier and the emperor's memorial arrived in Ping County almost simultaneously.

Upon hearing this, the emperor first looked at the memorial. His reply was very simple; he only wrote four words: "I know," without making any further statement.

After reading the memorial, Wen Shi put it down, having fulfilled his duty as a subject.

As for Wen Xiaowu's letter, he wasn't too surprised after reading it. The eldest son's family affairs weren't that relevant to him, and they wouldn't cause any major trouble.

The weather was nice today. He was counting down the days. If Xiao Wu passed the exam smoothly, today would be the day he would take the palace exam. Hearing this, he felt much more relaxed. He trusted his younger brother.

After making the list, Xiao Wu didn't rush to tell Wen Shi the good news. He wanted to wait until things settled down before telling Wen Shi.

In the evening, Wen Shi returned to the backyard, picked up his youngest son who could already sit up on the bed, kissed his little face, and looked at his wife folding clothes for him. His lips moved slightly.

"Wen Hui got married a few days ago."

Yingxiang was taken aback.

“My eldest brother’s eldest son got married. He married the daughter of a merchant from a nearby town. Xiao Wu wrote to me and told me about it.”

Yingxiang nodded, indicating that she understood.

"It's a joyous occasion; there's another person in the family."

After a while, Yingxiang said something like this: Wen Chuanzong's eldest son is only fifteen or sixteen years old this year and he got married. She thinks it's too early, but it's normal in this day and age, and no one will think it's wrong.

He smiled upon hearing this, then sat down beside her with the child in his arms.

"No spitting allowed."

The child smiled and tried to snuggle into Yingxiang's arms again.

Yingxiang hugged him without thinking, not wanting to meddle in other people's business since it wasn't really her concern. However, his seniority had indeed been raised.

"Right now, I'm just waiting for news from Xiao Wu."

This is what Wen Shi is most concerned about.

Fortunately, Wen Xiaowu also lived up to expectations, becoming a second-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), though his ranking wasn't as high as Wen Xiaowu's. He was still very impressive.

The Wen family was overjoyed upon receiving the news.

"I told you, burning more paper money for our ancestors during Qingming Festival is helpful, but you didn't believe me. Now look what's happened."

Liu sat in the hall, extremely pleased with herself.

"By the way, where's Xiao Wu?"

"Little Five said he went to the academy to visit some teachers. Mother, can he stay in the Hanlin Academy like Third Brother?"

The fourth brother spoke with some disbelief.

"It's definitely possible, don't worry."

The top three students could directly obtain official positions, while the other outstanding students could enter the Hanlin Academy. Wen Xiaowu had been studying diligently all these years without ever stopping. He had the ability to enter the Hanlin Academy, and in the future, he would be known as a disciple of the emperor, which would make his official career much easier.

Although he would inevitably be sent to a post outside the capital in the end, at least he could stay in the capital for a few years. If he was lucky enough to be remembered by the emperor, then things would be different.

Wen Xiaowu knew this well. He didn't believe in gods and Buddhas before, but now he had begun to pray for their blessing so that he could be chosen to stay in the Shuchang Hall, just like his third brother.

Before the job was even finalized, the marriage was arranged immediately.

Wen Xiaowu wasn't too keen on those merchants who sought sons-in-law after the imperial examinations; in the end, he decided to marry the daughter of the scholar he liked.

The family of the Master was a scholarly family, and the Master was very willing to marry his daughter to him. However, he was different from before. After talking to Old Man Wen and Liu Shi, Old Man Wen thought it was a good idea.

“This teacher’s daughter is no ordinary girl. She is learned. Xiao Wu, I have no objection. When you have children in the future, you won’t have to worry about teaching them. It will save you a lot of trouble.”

The Wen family sat together. Xiuyu looked sullen, and Xu, who was sitting next to her, also remained silent.

"How much dowry can you bring?"

"That's not important, Mother. I'm about to enter officialdom, so I don't have to worry about making a living."

Wen Xiaowu thought about himself and Wen Shi back then. He was really lucky. With Wen Shi ahead of him, he was able to settle down and resolve the problems of all his brothers.

“Old woman, let me tell you, women from well-educated families are very different from country girls. I’ll make the decision on this matter, it’s settled then. Xiao Wu, we must make sure your marriage is a grand affair.”

At this moment, if you asked Old Man Wen to take out all his money, he wouldn't feel a pang of regret.

After Old Man Wen finished speaking, he glanced at Xiuyu out of the corner of his eye. Xiuyu's expression wasn't good, but she couldn't win against her daughter-in-law, so there was nothing she could do.

She had thought that the daughter-in-law had finally become the mother-in-law, but now it seems she was overthinking it. The other woman is rich, and she pretends not to know what she's doing. She's been married into the family for a while now, and seeing the situation there, she really hasn't contributed a single penny.

Madam Xu had a dowry of 350 taels of silver, plus a shop with a mediocre business, which steadily brought in a dozen taels of silver each month.

The Wen family knew all this, but she just wouldn't bring it up herself.

She said she would save it for her child's future use. She was willing to support Wenhui's education, but she wouldn't give much, just enough for him alone.

Xiuyu tried to bully her, but she wasn't one to back down. After a few rounds, Xiuyu gave up. She was furious, but she didn't have a good solution. She couldn't let her son lose face, or let her whole family lose face, or she would have no place in the Wen family.

In private, she could only complain to Madam Ma. She didn't have a good relationship with Yuqin either, and she was even more afraid that Madam Liu would laugh at her.

She was overthinking it. Looking at Xiuyu, Liu thought of herself back then. She had Xiuyu and Yuqin under her thumb, but then Yingxiang came in and dared to cause trouble for her right after getting married.

After that, her authority at home diminished considerably, and thinking about this, she wasn't so happy.

"The children of this scholarly family are bound to be knowledgeable and reasonable. After the new bride enters the family, she should not cause trouble for no reason."

Old Man Wen clearly valued this marriage highly, and his words could be considered a warning.

Liu didn't look very happy, but she didn't say anything.

Those who could serve as teachers in the academies of the capital were not without reputation. Wen Xiaowu's teacher was very strict and fair in his dealings with others, and Wen Xiaowu trusted him greatly.

He's willing to marry his daughter, so her upbringing must be good.

All of his sisters-in-law came from farming families, and there were huge differences between them. He didn't want to marry a woman who was too arrogant and demanding, because if she caused trouble in the family, it wouldn't be good for him either.

He has just passed the imperial examination and has not tried to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy. He has also chosen a woman from a scholarly family, which is very beneficial to his reputation.

The Wen family began making preparations for his wedding in earnest, and the official documents from the Ministry of Personnel arrived quickly.

After reading it, Wen Xiaowu was overjoyed, his handsome face full of smiles. He looked at it several times before he was finally relieved.

"Father, Mother, it's the Hanlin Academy."

He was quite excited, and when Liu heard this, she almost fainted from joy.

Old Man Wen was even happier. The whole family sat together again, with almost everyone present except for Wen Chuanzong and a few others who were studying away from home.

“In that case, living at home is fine too, Xiao Wu. Why don’t you stop renting? When your second brother takes the kids to school, he can drop you off here too. This place is spacious and bright. You’re getting married soon, so save up some money. There will be a lot of expenses when you have children.”

After all, they were brothers. Wen Lao Er was all smiles. He was naturally doing it for his younger brother's good, and he didn't have many ulterior motives.

Upon hearing this, Liu immediately jumped up in anger.

"That won't do. Officials must live in the city; they have to live in the city."

Old Man Wen didn't object. Yuqin looked at the two elders but didn't say anything. She looked at the bright and spacious house. If the two elders were to leave with them, it might not be a bad thing for them.

Liu was lazy and greedy, and always acted like her mother-in-law was superior. She had suffered for more than ten years.

"Xiao Wu, what are you thinking?"

"Let's move to the city. Thank you for your kind offer, Second Brother, but it's definitely more convenient there."

Xiao Wu had already considered his future life.

"I'll stay here for now, and I'll move in after I get married."

"Old man, let's pack our things quickly."

The others' expressions changed upon hearing Liu's words, but no one objected. They weren't stupid; they could tell that she had wanted to go to the city for a long time.

Old Man Wen thought so too, and he had nothing to worry about here.

Privately, Old Man Wen called Xiao Wu over.

"Here is three hundred taels of silver. Keep it safe. Your mother's knowledge is limited, so you should go and prepare it. It will definitely be enough for your wedding. You can order ready-made banquets later and make them more lavish."

"Also, go to the city and rent a house as soon as possible. If it's not enough, tell your father."

Old Man Wen didn't take out all the money in his hand, but unexpectedly, Wen Xiaowu only took one hundred taels and gave him the rest.

"Father, that's enough."

"The betrothal gift should be an even number, thirty-six taels will be enough, the banquet will cost ten taels of silver, and I will prepare a pair of betrothal geese later, along with some extra cloth and jewelry, and send them over together. One hundred taels will be more than enough."

Wen Xiaowu sat to the side, and he had his own plans. It was enough that the items were complete, but they didn't have to be the best. His family wasn't wealthy, and his teacher knew that, so why pretend to be rich when he wasn't?

After that, he received a salary of two hundred taels of silver every year, got married, and had no problem with his daily life.

"Your father and mother are getting old, and your third brother is currently away from home. We don't know when he will be back. In the end, the only one we can count on is you. Your second and fourth brothers are not good at studying, and the eldest is a good-for-nothing."

Old Man Wen sighed after he finished speaking.

"You should rent a nicer, bigger courtyard, something spacious, so that your parents can live comfortably in the city for a few more years. Don't end up like your third son did, with only a small courtyard."

After Old Man Wen finished speaking, Wen Xiaowu frowned.

“Father, Third Brother did his best back then. He repaid evil with kindness and never blamed you or Mother. He also built this house for the family.”

“That’s not what Father meant, and he didn’t blame him.”

Old Man Wen's lips moved slightly, as if he were trying to explain.

“Father, without Third Brother, I wouldn’t be where I am today, and you and the brothers wouldn’t be living such a good life.”

Wen Xiaowu spoke with great certainty. He had always been very grateful to Wen Shi, and now that he was out, he naturally wanted to help Wen Shi share the burden.

“If you had given three hundred taels of silver to Third Brother back then, our whole family could have lived in the city without any problem.”

"I didn't have any money back then either."

Old Man Wen sighed.

Thinking of his third brother always left him with a bitter feeling.

“Your third brother wasn’t very close to me and your mother when he was little, and he wasn’t very obedient. He wasn’t as eloquent as your eldest brother, and he wasn’t as smart as you. I’m very happy that he was able to make something of himself later.”

In the end, he was still his own son; Old Man Wen just disliked Wen Shi for being disobedient.

“Everyone has a different nature, Dad. Even though my third brother isn’t always obedient to you and Mom, he is still very filial.”

“It’s true. He’s married now and has two children. From now on, your mother and I won’t bother him anymore. We’ll rely on you.”

Wen Xiaowu had no objection to this. Being filial to one's parents is a matter of course, and it shouldn't be Wen Shi who has to make the sacrifices.

He's not without conscience. When it comes to taking advantage of the family, Wen Chuanzong is number one, and he's number two. That's undeniable.

With her father around, he can keep her mother in check to some extent, making it harder for her to act like a mother-in-law, and their relationship will be more harmonious.

"And my older brother, if he wants to persevere, then let him continue his studies. The family can't help him in the future, and we can't let him have too hard a life, because that wouldn't do us any good either."

"Use this hundred taels to buy two acres of land. Give it to your eldest brother's family first, as a safety net. It can't be directly registered under your eldest brother's name, nor your sister-in-law's. Register it under your name first. This is the safest way. If the children can support themselves in the future, you can give it to them as well."

"That's fine."

Late at night, Wen Xiaowu returned to his room. Under the bright moonlight, he sat at his desk, picked up his brush, ground ink, and began to write a letter to Wen Shi, first expressing his gratitude and then offering his congratulations.

After finishing writing and waiting for the ink to dry, he carefully packed the letter away, planning to deliver it the next day.

Next, he got busy, but fortunately everything went smoothly. Before summer arrived, his wife entered the family. After the wedding was completed, he, along with Madam Feng, Old Man Wen, and Madam Liu, successfully entered the city.

He rented this courtyard near the Hanlin Academy for ten taels of silver a month. It had been newly renovated and had a total of eight rooms.

When Feng married into the family, in addition to the two maids who served her personally, there were also two old women who did the rough work.

Her dowry was also substantial, including a complete set of brand-new furniture, 500 taels of silver as part of her dowry, 30 acres of fertile land in the suburbs, two shops in the city, and the betrothal gifts he had previously sent.

Wen Xiaowu had no opinion on this; these were all for his wife's protection, and he wouldn't covet them.

After officially starting his shift, he became very busy.

Before I knew it, it was May.

In Ping County, the weather was hot. Wen Shi received a letter from home that day. He saw that it was written by Xiao Wu. After opening it, he was visibly happy when he saw the last part.

With Xiao Wu being so promising, he won't have to worry about things at home anymore.

As for Wen Chuanzong, as long as he doesn't stay idle, nothing will happen to him. As for the other brothers, there's even less to worry about; they are all honest and law-abiding at heart.

From now on, all he needs to do is take good care of his own family, and that will be enough. Upon hearing this, he picked up his pen and wrote a reply, and immediately arranged for someone to send it back.