Chapter 67 After eating and drinking their fill, the two rested for a while before starting to look for an inn. Inns were also...

No. 67

After eating and drinking their fill, the two rested for a while before starting to look for an inn. Inns weren't easy to find; they arrived neither late nor early.

Wen Shi remembered the teacher's earnest teachings in the classroom before he went home.

The teacher said some things no less than ten times, which shows their importance. The exam is held every three years, and although he is still young, it cannot be wasted.

Exams test knowledge, but mindset is also very important.

He always remembered those words and encouraged himself. In those three years, he spent one year in the county school and made little progress, but in the prefectural city for two years, his teacher answered all his questions.

His classmates all said he had made great progress. Before the exam, the teacher had given him some questions, and he answered them all well.

Therefore, he was confident in himself.

The couple walked several streets with their child and finally found a decent place. Although it wasn't cheap, the room was spacious, had a soft couch, was close to the examination hall, and was fully furnished.

Wen Shi glanced at his wife, counted the days, and set a timeframe of more than half a month, until two days after the exam ended.

After that, most students will leave, but he plans to stay and check the results, so he will stay until September. At that time, there is no need to stay in a fancy inn; a decent one will suffice. He can spend money where he needs to and save where he needs to.

If we had relatives here, that would be great, as we could stay at their house first, which would be more convenient. But neither of us has any relatives here, so we can only stay at a hotel.

One of his classmates asked Wen Shi if he would like to go with him when they parted, but Wen Shi politely declined.

Favors are hard to repay, especially since he has a wife and children with him. It's better for him to stay in a hotel; at least he'll be more comfortable.

Late at night, Wen Shi tossed and turned, lost in thought, when he suddenly looked at his wife beside him and asked, "How much money do we have left?"

He never managed the accounts; he would give the money to Yingxiang as soon as he received it. But now he had to think about whether it would be enough for the future. He had a stable income from land sales every year, which could support his family of three.

However, he hadn't forgotten what his teacher had said before. If he passed the exam this time, he would have to go to the capital, and the expenses would definitely be even greater.

The government will organize people to escort them, but they will have to pay for their own food and drink at the inn. Yingxiang and her child will not be able to go to the capital. At that time, they will have to go home.

Once you become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, people will try to curry favor and give you gifts, but there are no free gifts in this world, and money from merchants isn't given away for nothing either. Wen Shi didn't intend to accept them.

What do you need the money for?

Yingxiang asked, somewhat puzzled.

To be honest, she couldn't quite tell the difference right away. The money was all kept together, but most of it was hers. Since the two of them had a good relationship right now, there was no need to be so particular about the money.

But she couldn't tell Wen Shi everything, because she currently had a considerable amount of money, which, when added together, would definitely far exceed Wen Shi's income over the past few years and what his father had given him. She wasn't stupid.

As Yingxiang spoke, she suddenly became more and more sober. There were some things she couldn't explain, and it was better not to say them, as she couldn't explain them clearly anyway.

Even if she and her husband have a good relationship now and they have children, can she still tell Wen Shi that she has a system, or that she comes from a thousand years in the future? She has never heard of this dynasty before, so there is no way to explain it.

It's better to be cautious. Wen Shi glanced at his wife and expressed his concerns. Ying Xiang looked at him and suddenly realized that there was a good chance this time.

Wen Shi was a very steady person, and since he had said so, Yingxiang felt that it was almost certainly true.

"The teacher said I was 50% confident, but I felt I was at least 60%. He had also analyzed and explained to us the answer sheets of top-ranking scholars from past dynasties, and how to answer them in a standardized way. I have learned all of that."

Yingxiang was quick-witted; based on the amount of money Wenshi had brought back, she quickly gave him a rough estimate.

Wen Shi wasn't stupid. He gave all the money to Ying Xiang, and he wouldn't ask how much Ying Xiang had personally. His wife's dowry and private savings were none of his business.

She must have used the money she earned before to open the shop. Although he recovered his principal, he is a man and it is his duty to support his family. Wen Shi never thought about his wife's money.

Old Man Wen had given them quite a lot on two separate occasions, and the two of them hadn't squandered it. Wen Shi had a rough idea of ​​the amount, and upon hearing this, he nodded, saying that it was enough.

"Husband, is it really true that we cannot accept this gift?"

“It’s not that it’s impossible, it’s best not to. My husband once told me not to be short-sighted. As long as I can pass the exam and get a job, I will have a salary every month, and our family’s life will definitely be fine.”

"Even the lowest-ranking official receives rice and a salary every month. People are beholden to those who take their gifts. If you accept their gifts, a few years later they might suddenly make a request. If it's something trivial, that's fine. But if it's something important that could implicate you, then do you do it or not?"

“If an official gets into trouble, it could very likely implicate his entire family.”

"Will I still be able to do business then?"

Yingxiang changed the subject; she was also quite concerned about this, and seeing that her child was growing up, she could gradually let go.

"That's fine. You can do whatever you want, just don't break the law."

Wen patiently explained it to his wife.

"Then the family members..."

She could understand and support Wen Shi, but it was hard to say about Wen Shi's brothers. If someone indirectly sent gifts over there, his brothers wouldn't refuse them. Take Wen Chuanzong, for example; although he was educated, he was the most unreliable.

"Don't worry about that, I'll talk to Dad. Don't worry about them."

“Didn’t my older brother say before that if his family members came along, it would jeopardize his future prospects?”

Thinking of this, Yingxiang looked directly at Wen Shi. Looking at it now, what he said might not be wrong, but it was indeed inappropriate for Wen Chuanzong to say it at the time. However, if Wen Chuanzong were to become successful, given Wen Shi's personality, he would probably only help him and would not harm him.

"That's possible. As the master said, we need to keep our family members in check. They don't have much foresight and are easily tempted. Besides, we're all family, so things might get complicated. We need to prepare for some things in advance."

Wen Shi has plans for the future. Of course, he won't abandon his family, as that would completely ruin his career, but it's also impossible for him to watch over them all the time, which is unrealistic.

Living together will inevitably lead to more conflicts. Ideally, the distance shouldn't be too great, but it also shouldn't be too close. Everything should be within his control, and most importantly, they shouldn't be idle.

“With Father here, he can completely keep my elder brother and the others in check.”

After pondering for a long time, Wen Shi uttered this statement, which Yingxiang believed.

"Especially about what happened last time, based on my understanding of Mother, my eldest brother can't explain himself to her no matter what, and my fourth brother and second sister-in-law will definitely add fuel to the fire."

Yingxiang suddenly remembered Liu Shi. That's right, Liu Shi is petty and never reflects on herself. Once she recovers, she will definitely be scolded by Old Man Wen. In the end, she will only blame Wen Chuanzong and his concubine.

However, none of this concerned her much. She always felt that although they were family, there had to be a distance between them, otherwise there would definitely be a lot of trouble in the future.

Having many people at home is lively, but it also brings a lot of trouble. Besides, if you encounter someone who is muddle-headed, it's better to stay away.

"My husband, I believe in you. You can do it."

Outside the window, a cool breeze blew, like a light drizzle. Hearing this, the couple listened intently, smiled, and lay down again, embracing each other as they drifted off to sleep.

With the exam date drawing closer, Old Man Wen in the county really didn't have the heart to run the business. Wen Shi had told him before he left that he would simply let his second and fourth sons and their wives run the shop.

He made an excuse that he wasn't feeling well and went back to the village first, planning to go after the Wen Shi exam. Before that, he planned to pay respects to his ancestors and offer incense to his elders.

As soon as he arrived home, he saw A-Mian, whose belly was slightly protruding, washing clothes in the yard. There were two wooden buckets next to her. Usually, villagers would wash their clothes by the river, which was more convenient.

But A-Mian never went. She knew she was a concubine, or to put it bluntly, a slave. But the child in her belly was different.

The villagers were curious about her, but they were more familiar with Xiuyu. How could Xiuyu possibly say anything good about her? She basically avoided people in the village.

Xiuyu disliked her even more now, but Wen Chuanzong still had no money, and she couldn't afford to be homeless, nor could she return to her family home, so she could only endure it.

Old Man Wen acted as if he hadn't seen her at all and went straight to the main house.

Why are you back?

Sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), Liu still feels that her arms are not as flexible as before. The doctor has given her acupuncture many times, but it is still different from before.

It rained in the village last night, and it was still quite cool this morning. Old Man Wen glanced at her but didn't say anything.

"Both children have gone to school, and Xiuyu has gone to her parents' home."

“What happened before was my fault. I shouldn’t have disobeyed Lao San, and I shouldn’t have disobeyed you.”

"Why bring this up now? Just so you can remember this lesson."

Liu lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. Naturally, she also felt some resentment towards Wen Chuanzong. He clearly didn't know how, but he insisted that he did. He himself was brought back by that mule, but what about her? If she hadn't gone up the mountain to look for him, she would probably be dead by now.

After her health gradually improved, villagers came to visit her one after another. It was Wen Shi and Xiao Wu who brought her back that day.

"I will never listen to the eldest brother again; I will only listen to you and the third brother."

Liu's face was pale and full of apology. She had also suffered a great deal. More than half a year had passed and she was still not fully recovered. She didn't know what the future held. If it weren't for that sheepskin coat, she probably would have frozen to death.

Ultimately, she was able to wear a sheepskin sweater because of Wen Shi and Ying Xiang. If they had lived in the village all along, she would at most not wear that patched-up coat, but she would never have been able to buy such a warm and thick sheepskin sweater, which saved her life in a critical moment.

"It's good that you understand. Chuanzong is completely unreliable. Right now, we're relying on the third son."

"I know, my second brother said so when he came back. Don't worry, Xiuyu and I eat vegetarian food at home."

"That's good. Are you able to walk? Come with me to offer incense to your parents later."

Liu was considered to be living a very comfortable life in the county. She was much better off than the women in the village. She didn't get cold in the winter and often had new clothes to wear.

But ever since the accident in the mountains last year, she has not had a single day of peace. Now, she often dreams at night that she is buried alone in the snow.

They were both on a mule, so why was she buried in the snow?

In her heart, she even wondered if Wen Chuanzong had pushed her down to save his life. After all, she had been holding onto his waist before she lost consciousness. How did they manage to separate?

It's hard to say now, but Wen Chuanzong left home after the New Year and hasn't returned since.

"I'll go with you."

She snapped out of her daze and immediately agreed. Thinking too much was pointless, and it was all just a matter of not being able to explain it clearly anyway.