Chapter 89 The Scholar

"If the higher-ups investigate this matter, I'm afraid they'll only let the Emperor's brother-in-law off lightly. After all, with that man surnamed She taking the blame, we can't interfere in the higher-ups' affairs. But being able to save these children and women is a good deed, so don't worry!"

Gu Cheng couldn't help but feel frustrated as he spoke, but that's how officialdom has always been. He couldn't be an ordinary teacher like Xue Huai'an, so he was destined to face these sordid matters.

After the compensation money was distributed, this year's corvée labor was gradually forgotten, and now the county is more concerned about this year's examinations.

Zhou Chengyu was quite confident about the college entrance exam this time, and after registering, he stayed at home to study diligently.

Seeing that he was in a good mood, Song Yushu realized that he didn't need her to comfort him this time and could adjust his mindset on his own. It was clear that this child had truly grown up.

"Let's make chicken soup first, so Chengyu can have it when he comes out. He's been taking the exam for so long, it's really draining his energy. He needs to be properly nourished," thinking of her grandson who was taking the imperial examination. Wei's mother specially asked Wei's father to bring over the old hen in the house to make soup.

From the moment Zhou Chengyu entered the examination hall, Wei's mother never stopped talking about him. Song Yushu knew this was a common problem among elders, so he could only let her do as she pleased.

"Don't worry, as long as you perform normally, it won't be difficult to make the list," Xue Huai'an said reassuringly, knowing Zhou Chengyu's situation well and thinking she was worried.

"That's not what I'm worried about. By the way, I heard that the orphanage took in a few children rescued from human traffickers. Haven't they been able to contact their parents yet?" Song Yushu changed the subject.

"They are too young to provide any useful information, and these children have already been resold. The traffickers can't explain the origins of these children, so they can only leave them in the orphanage for now."

"A perfectly good family was torn apart by kidnappers; it's utterly hateful."

“After the trial, they will be sentenced, and I’m afraid they won’t escape the death penalty,” Xue Huai’an saw that her eyes were full of disgust for human traffickers, and there was nothing else unusual, so it was clear that she hadn’t been traumatized. He breathed a sigh of relief.

The two chatted for a while before figuring out the time to go to the exam venue to pick up the person.

When Zhou Chengyu came out, he looked dazed, which startled Song Yushu, who then wanted to take him to see a doctor.

"Mother, I need to go back to wash up!" Zhou Chengyu said, pulling away as she approached.

"It's alright, let him take the bus back by himself," Xue Huai'an understood from his expression and pulled Song Yushu away from her.

"Are you really alright?"

“Being assigned to a bad cell is really tough,” Xue Huai’an explained.

Song Yushu then realized that Zhou Chengyu's current state was entirely due to the smoke and his pride, which prevented him from getting close to them. She found another carriage for Zhou Chengyu, both amused and exasperated.

Zhou Chengyu soaked in the water for a full half hour, and the water was changed three times before he was willing to come out of the house.

Wei's mother had prepared chicken soup and meat porridge for him well in advance.

"Don't eat too much, have something to eat first and then go rest," Song Yushu said, worried that he might upset his stomach if he ate too much at once.

"Finally, I feel better. Taking the exam in that stinky place almost drove me crazy. Some people even got food poisoning, and the smell... ugh!" Zhou Chengyu drank some chicken soup and half a bowl of porridge before starting to recount the hardships of his exam. In the end, he couldn't hold it in and almost threw up.

"You brat, go back and rest. You just finished eating and you're already talking about such heavy topics. You're just asking for trouble!" Song Yushu said irritably as he shooed the boy back into the house.

After being well-fed and cared for for several days, Zhou Chengyu finally overcame the psychological trauma caused by the stench. He resumed reading and practicing calligraphy as usual, and seemed to be doing well.

When the results were announced, Song Yushu led his men to see the list, and that's when he started to get nervous.

"Zhou Chengyu! You ranked tenth in the academy exam! I ranked fiftieth this time! We're both scholars now!" Xia Yun excitedly patted Zhou Chengyu on the shoulder as soon as he came over.

"Come on, it's my treat, let's celebrate!" Song Yushu enthusiastically called to Xia Yun to go back together.

"No, not this time. My family has already prepared a banquet. If Aunt Wei is free, you can come and join us," Xia Yun said, scratching her head sheepishly as she politely declined Song Yushu's invitation.

"It's alright. Next time you bring your friends, I won't charge you. Consider it a reward." Song Yushu had a good impression of him. His family was well-off, but he was polite and loyal.

"Great! I'll bring people over in a few days!" Xia Yun was very supportive.

When Zhou Chengyu passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, Wei's mother suggested holding another banquet in the village. Song Yushu did not object. After closing the restaurant for two days, he took Zhou Chengyu back to the village to celebrate.

"Well done! Our Wei family has finally produced a scholar!" Father Wei exclaimed, praising Zhou Chengyu repeatedly.

The villagers didn't think there was anything wrong with what Wei's father was saying. On the contrary, they felt that he hadn't praised enough, so they took turns praising Zhou Chengyu, just like Wei's father had said.

Zhou Chengyu was shy and blushed when praised by so many people. It was Wei's mother who came to the rescue because she felt sorry for her grandson.

"Now that the scholar has passed the imperial examination, shouldn't we start thinking about marriage?"

The village women now stared at Zhou Chengyu with gleaming eyes. After all, a fourteen-year-old scholar had a bright future ahead of him, and who wouldn't want such a desirable husband?

Song Yushu was surrounded by the group of women and found it difficult to escape.

“Our Yu’er just wants to find someone he can talk to, someone who understands and agrees with him. If any of you know anyone, you can introduce them!” Mother Wei came out to help Song Yushu deal with these women.

To be able to speak with a scholar, one must be literate, and there were almost no people in the village who met this criterion. In an instant, the women felt as if they had been doused with cold water, and their smiles froze.

"Oh dear! My eldest granddaughter may be illiterate, but she's very capable! She's skilled at cooking and farming! What's so great about a girl being literate?" It was the reputation of the scholar's wife that was so powerful; even if she didn't meet the requirements, she still had to try to persuade her daughter.

"Your eldest granddaughter's feet are bigger than my son's. What scholar would like that? My daughter is beautiful at embroidery; she can even sell her embroidered handkerchiefs..."

Before Song Yushu and the others could even speak, the group of women started arguing, giving Song Yushu a huge headache. She decided to run away after finishing the banquet.

"This is nothing! Just wait and see, our doorstep will be thronged with matchmakers from now on!" Mother Wei was happy to see this scene, after all, it meant that her two grandsons were good and popular.

"No way, they're still young. I don't plan to arrange marriages for them so soon, unless they meet someone they like and who is reliable," Song Yushu said with some worry when the topic of the two children's marriage came up.

"Let nature take its course. I think Chengyu has a bright future ahead of him. He can even become a scholar. There's no rush for marriage. It's just that we need to find a suitable match for Chengzhu. If a girl is too old to be engaged, people might gossip," said Mother Wei, reminding Song Yushu to find a suitable match for Zhou Chengzhu as soon as possible.