After that day, Liu Anbo disappeared from the academy for quite some time, and it was said that he was taken back by his family.

After Liu Anbo left, the people in the academy talked about him a lot behind his back.

"This person is so stupid, it's embarrassing to say he was my classmate!"

"They don't even have the brains to do bad things, yet they manage to ruin a perfectly good plan!"

"Who do you think came up with this plan? Judging by that person's intelligence, they probably couldn't have come up with such a stupid idea."

Lin Xue paid no attention to the discussions of the crowd, and focused wholeheartedly on reviewing her studies.

Time flies, and soon it was time for him to participate in the autumn feast.

The teacher was worried about them going to the county alone, so he packed his bags and went with his students.

This time, they didn't say that family members couldn't accompany them; the Lin family sent Lin Zhongde to go with them.

Because Lin Zhongde, as the eldest brother, was honest and reliable.

With him around, the family can feel more at ease.

Of course, before they set off, Grandma Lin was generous and killed a rooster for them, wishing them a successful start.

Early that morning, before dawn, Lin Xue got up early and asked the kitchen for hot water, then took a nice hot shower.

You should know that if you go to take the exam, you'll be locked up inside for three days.

Although food and lodging were provided for these three days, there was no opportunity to take a shower.

I've heard that in previous years, students who came out of there after taking the exams all smelled sour and pungent.

Although she had already showered once last night, showering again this morning will be more refreshing and will help her perform better during the day.

Ever since Lin Xue entered the examination hall, Lin Zhongde has been waiting outside the examination hall every day.

Although he knew his second brother couldn't come out for the time being, he felt that as long as he stayed outside, his second brother could perform better.

There were quite a few people who shared the same belief as Lin Zhongde, and every day a crowd would gather outside the examination hall.

These people do nothing else but squat down against a wall or sit at a nearby food stall for half a day.

Their actions, however, boosted the popularity of tea stalls in the area.

After all, anyone with a couple of cents in their pocket would choose to sit at a herbal tea stall and wait.

Only those who truly cannot afford to spend money will choose to hide under the wall.

However, cats have their ways, and mice have theirs.

The wealthy people quickly formed groups with other wealthy people, and the poor people also formed groups with other poor people nearby.

People gathered in twos and threes to chat, and even an honest and upright man like Lin Zhongde made three or five friends.

He associated with farmers from nearby villages, and they talked about farming.

The questions that ordinary people are most concerned about are how long it has been since it rained, how much grain was harvested this year, and how heavy the taxes are becoming.

It was through chatting with these people that Lin Zhongde actually managed to glean some information.

"Brother Lin, have you heard? It seems like fighting has broken out again up north!"

"I don't know what's wrong with the foreign tribes to the north; they fight with us every two years!"

"They've invaded our inland areas several times, and although they were quickly driven back, every time they did, many civilians died!"

As Wang Xiaojiu spoke, she still felt somewhat sad.

If they really get to their area, they'll have to flee with their whole family.

You have to understand that fleeing is never a good thing; if half the people in a village survive, they're considered lucky.

You should know that they are only one city away from the North.

If the front lines can't hold out, they'll inevitably suffer here.

"What are those people at the top thinking? What's the point of all this fighting? It's the ordinary people who suffer!"

“Our family also heard the news. This year, my father didn’t let us sell any grain. After paying taxes, the rest was hidden in the cellar!”

"Your information network is truly impressive; our village hasn't heard a single word about it yet!"

As they talked, Lin Zhongde felt a growing anxiety.

I really want to go home right away and tell my parents the news.

You have to understand that his parents were people who had experienced war, so they must have more experience with this kind of thing.

Unlike him, who was anxious but had no other options.

As word spread among the people, news of the war in the north quickly spread throughout the county town.

Parents waiting for their children to come out of the examination room felt a growing sense of anxiety.

Whether one's own child passes the exam or not suddenly becomes less important in the face of war.

They would rather their child fail the exam than suffer the ravages of war.

When Lin Xue came out, Lin Zhongde quickly went to meet her.

Several candidates ahead of him had been carried out, and he was worried that his younger brother's body wouldn't be able to withstand it.

In the past, when my second brother took the preliminary examination, he often had health problems. This time, he was locked in the examination room for three days. I wonder how my younger brother is doing?

Lin Zhongde only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lin Xue come out.

Although he came out a little late, at least my second brother looked to be in pretty good spirits.

At least he looks much better than those sickly scholars with unsteady gait and pale lips.

"Brother, let's go back to the inn first!"

"I haven't taken a shower even once in the past few days inside, and I smell terrible!"

Lin Xue raised her arm and moved it, and the sour smell wafted into her nose.

vomit!

The smell almost killed her.

"The hot water has already been prepared by the waiter, let's hurry back!"

Lin Zhongde was eager to tell his second brother about the war in the north, but seeing that his brother was a little tired, he held back from saying it.

I only planned to wait until my second brother took a shower and changed his clothes before telling my younger brother about it during dinner.

My younger brother is an educated man, so he knows a lot and will surely have a solution.

Unexpectedly, when Lin Xue returned, the teacher summoned her away, and she was not released until the evening.

Lin Zhongde was almost asleep when his younger brother finally arrived.

"Second brother, there's something I want to tell you!"

Upon seeing Lin Xue return, Lin Zhongde immediately went to greet her.

"Brother, just say what's on your mind. What can't we, brothers, say to each other?"

Lin Xue sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of tea. She had been called over by the teacher and they had talked for quite a while.

"I heard there's fighting again in the north. We're only one city away from the border."

"If they fight too hard over there, do you think it will affect us here?"

Lin Zhongde quickly recounted the information he had gathered.

Li Xue also heard the news, but he hadn't seen any related plot points in the original owner's memories.

She didn't know whether foreign tribes would attack or not, but judging from the tense expressions of the people, no one dared to say whether those people would break through the city and reach this place.

“Every few years there is a war in the North, and our parents have more experience with this than we do.”

"Let's keep an eye on the wealthy families in the city. If they move away with their entire families, then we should also prepare to go somewhere else to seek refuge!"