Chapter 80

Wen Shi's journey to the capital was smooth and comfortable. They traveled during the day and rested at post stations along the way at night. They were provided with three meals a day, all of which were hot. At noon, the carriage would even stop at the nearest post station so that they could eat and drink their fill. Wen Shi did not feel tired at all.

He was in good spirits and was looking forward to the day he would go to Beijing.

County

Early that morning, after getting up, Old Man Wen counted the days.

"After packing up in a few days, it's time to go back for the New Year. Let the second and fourth sons go buy New Year's goods."

The food in the restaurant is frequently changed and adjusted. In the past, when there were more customers, we could prepare a variety of dishes. Now that there are fewer customers, we have reduced the number of dishes that don't sell as well.

Having been in business for so long, their food isn't the absolute best, but the portions are very generous. Old Man Wen isn't stingy; he wants to make his business successful, so he never cuts corners.

In his view, if people are willing to spend money to eat out, they must be full.

Nowadays, the store has a steady stream of regular customers, and new customers also come frequently.

The shop's income had already stabilized, with each month's income being roughly the same. However, in the second half of this year, after they came from home, business improved significantly. To ensure that all customers could enjoy the food, the shop now only sells a few easy-to-make and delicious dishes.

They sell out by noon, and it started as a breakfast business. Now, they even have to make their own breakfast separately because there's never any left.

When the shop first opened, Yingxiang's steamed buns had a very unique flavor, but it was difficult to replicate. After Yingxiang left, they used regular salt for seasoning and lard for added aroma, which was still acceptable.

Liu nodded, and when she saw that she was wearing a sheepskin coat again, Old Man Wen's lips twitched.

"It's not time for that yet."

"I'm cold."

Nowadays, Liu is really afraid of snowy days. She was so cold before that she suffered terribly and it took her a long time to recover. She was lucky to survive. Anyway, she will never go out in that kind of weather again.

Old Man Wen remained silent, but it was nothing to worry about. It wasn't deep winter yet, and hopefully the weather would be better this year.

Since the family members went to work in the county, they only get a few days off during the Spring Festival, which everyone looks forward to. In the afternoon, Old Man Wen told his two sons about it.

"Then let's pack up and go home for the New Year in half a month, and come back next spring."

Old Man Wen nodded, looking at his two sons in the shop. He thought of Wen Shi, Wen Chuanzong, and Wen Xiaowu. The younger one would go back home on his own during the New Year holiday, and Wen Chuanzong would definitely go back as well.

I heard that he won't be able to come back this year, and we might not hear from him until halfway through next year.

"Dad, don't worry, with the Bodhisattva protecting the third son, everything will go smoothly."

"Father, don't worry about Third Brother. Before he left, he said that he would be escorted to the capital by government officials, so he will definitely be safe. He is talented, and once he gets an official position, we can also enjoy the good life."

Old Man Wen glanced at the fourth son and gestured for the second son to close the door.

There were some things he needed to say to his two sons. Madam Ma was heavily pregnant and mostly rested, but she was willing to do some simple chores. She was not very willing to stay home and rest during her pregnancy.

“Our family doesn’t have much wealth. No matter whether our third son can get a government position this time, we still need to work in the county for a few more years to save more money.”

Old Man Wen sat in his chair. The fourth brother was taken aback when he heard this. He was a little confused. Was it really necessary for him to work so hard every day when his brothers were all officials?

“If the third brother is appreciated and becomes a high-ranking official, lives in a big house, and earns several hundred taels of silver a year, then we can follow him and enjoy a life of luxury.”

“But if he can’t do that, he can only be a minor official. At the beginning, if we followed him, we might not even have a better life than we have now. Our families would be struggling to make ends meet, and he also has a wife and children to support.”

Wen Lao Er glanced at Yu Qin, but Yu Qin didn't say anything.

Actually, things aren't so bad right now. The shop belongs to the family, and we get paid every month.

The third son has a wife and children. Old Man Wen is right. If he can't become a high-ranking official, they might not be able to enjoy a good life if they follow him.

If they don't do business, their income will stop. They can start over outside, but it will definitely not be as easy as in the county.

This is their hometown, and they know many people here. They are already doing very well.

She doesn't ask for much; right now, she just wants her son to grow up safely and have a smooth life, and incidentally, to save up some money so she can support his education in the future.

After hearing what her father said, Liu's mind raced.

“In that case, you two can continue working here, while your father and I will follow the third brother. Once he becomes rich and powerful, I will have him write to you, and you can all come then.”

Liu's idea was quite beautiful, but her father's next words made her give up.

“What are we going to do? We might as well stay at the shop and help the kids more. We don’t need to worry about the third son anymore, but the fifth son is still young and hasn’t gotten married yet. The fourth son’s wife is about to give birth, and you won’t be able to help take care of the child. The fourth son’s wife is more capable than you, and you can’t do much anyway. Just stay in the county and wait until he’s settled down and everything is fine. Then the whole family can go there together. The third son is a good person. If he becomes successful, he will definitely take the whole family with him.”

Liu stopped talking. She was a little dissatisfied, but there was nothing she could do. If Old Man Wen didn't go, she couldn't go either.

“You really think that being an official means you can enjoy a life of luxury? Let me tell you, even though you can live off the government, your monthly income is limited. It’s definitely better than farming at home. The third son also has a wife and children. He should make sure he lives a good life first before taking us out.”

"It's okay if it's a few years later, the third brother isn't heartless."

Old Man Wen was very certain of this.

When Wen Shi returned home after passing the imperial examination, he gave him all the money in his house. He wasn't greedy and only took half. To be honest, no one would complain about having too much money. If he were the eldest son, he definitely wouldn't keep a single penny. Regardless of whether he would need it or not, he would take it first.

Wen Shi left without telling his family; it was only through private means that they gave him money.

This child is really good. Old Man Wen suddenly felt that Wen Shi was just like himself, loyal, kind, sentimental, and considerate of his family.

Unlike Wen Chuanzong, who is heartless, he most likely took after his mother.

Of course, Old Man Wen only thought these words to himself.

"Then let's listen to Father. The business of this shop is stable anyway, and it's not like we can't make money. In the future, when we go out with money, we'll have more confidence, won't we?"

Upon hearing Yuqin's words, Madam Ma nodded in agreement.

Liu didn't say anything. The second son glanced at the fourth son and finally decided to listen to his father. As for the fourth son, he could only give up.

On second thought, what did he have to be afraid of? He was still young. After all, he was a few years younger than the third brother. He wasn't afraid of not having a good life in the future.

Having convinced his family, Old Man Wen breathed a sigh of relief.

As for the other two students, let's leave them for now. It would be better if they could make something of themselves.

A few days later, the Wen family returned to the village to celebrate the New Year with large bags and small packages. Old Man Wen walked in front, greeting every villager. He was visibly happy.

Life returned to normal, and no one upset Yingxiang. Everyone was preparing for the New Year, and life was very harmonious.

Before you know it, the Spring Festival is almost here.

For Wen Shi, the good news was that they would arrive in the capital that afternoon. The carriage ride was smoother than ever before, and he could even make tea in the carriage without any problems, as there was very little jolting.

In the afternoon, the carriage finally arrived at the gates of the capital. Everyone got off the carriage one by one with their luggage. It wasn't a big procession, but rather three people per carriage. Fortunately, he wasn't in the same carriage as Hu Yong'an, so he didn't have to listen to his incessant chatter. The two scholars sitting with him were relatively quiet. Along the way, no one talked much. Most of them quietly studied or drank tea.

Wen Shi, carrying his two suitcases, looked at the newly built, magnificent, and solemn city wall not far away and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

A cold wind blew, and Wen Shi pulled her wool cloak tighter around herself. She had to admit, buying this cloak was definitely the right decision.

Wearing it can protect him from the cold, and at night he can cover himself with a blanket to make the bed warmer. He is about to face a big exam, and the weather is freezing cold, but he doesn't want to worry about the cold affecting his exam.

People began to line up. Recently, there were an unusually large number of people coming to the capital, and the soldiers were checking people more strictly. There weren't many merchants, and there were very few ordinary people. Most of them were candidates from all over the country who came to take the exams.

Half an hour later, after verifying Wen Shi's identity documents, he successfully entered the city.

Compared to the prefectural city, the capital was cleaner and more prosperous. Even on a cold winter day, pedestrians came and went on the streets, all dressed in thick clothes. Upon closer inspection, many of them had rosy complexions and were full of energy.

"Brother Wen, I must take my leave now, as I need to visit my relatives."

Hu Yong'an was carrying only one bundle. He spoke with some pride, as he was carrying a rather large book box and mostly silver notes.

Wen Shi turned his head and glanced at him, then nodded. To some extent, he had reason to be arrogant.

As Wen Shi carried his suitcase against the cold wind, he couldn't help but think of his wife. He knew Yingxiang would be even happier if she came to the capital.

She really liked the city.

Shops and people were coming and going on both sides, and there were many strange things on some of the stalls, many of which he had never seen before.

He walked two streets with his belongings, and every now and then he could see two patrol teams of soldiers. Needless to say, the security in the capital was the best in the Great Qi Dynasty.

He didn't suffer much on the way, and he wasn't thirsty, tired, or hungry. He looked around from time to time, looking for an inn.

The capital city is very large. The gentleman had told him before that the capital city was four or five times larger than the prefectural city.

On his first trip to the capital, he was inevitably confused. The inns near the examination hall were not cheap, and with the examination held only once every three years, many innkeepers were looking forward to making a fortune.

Wen Shi walked through several streets before finally finding a guesthouse that looked decent.

"Sir, how many days will you be staying? We need to register your information here."

Wen Shi roughly estimated that he would definitely need to stay here before the exam, for at least a month, and possibly longer. Without much thought, he booked a month's stay.

"Meals are provided, three meals a day will be delivered to your room, as well as hot water. However, you need to let us know in advance so that the kitchen can prepare them. You can add dishes or order food, but it will cost extra."

"good."

The shopkeeper was very polite to Wen Shi, and after helping him complete the formalities, he escorted him to the third floor.

Local areas wouldn't be so strict, but the capital is different. It's under the emperor's nose, a gathering place for nobles and many imperial relatives, not to mention officials.

The housing prices here are also the highest. If your ancestors didn't leave you any family business, I'm sorry, you might not be able to afford a house even if you work your whole life. Of course, this only applies to ordinary people.

If you're a businessman or a government official, it's still possible to settle down here.

Wen Shi glanced at the small room, which was furnished simply and was only half the size of the previous inn in the prefectural city.

He came here to take the exam, not to enjoy himself.

After putting things away, Wen Shi sat down in a chair, took out a book from the book box, and continued reading.