Chapter 333: As Disgusting as Swallowing a Fly

"My dear husband! Our Dalang..." Mrs. Hu tugged at the sleeve of County Magistrate Hu.

"Madam, don't worry. I have agreed with Boyan that Dalang will go with them to Chang'an to study and see the outside world!

Don't be like us, a frog in a well who has lived his whole life in Lingnan!" Magistrate Hu patted his wife's hand.

"Oh, when will you be promoted to the fifth rank, and Dalang and Erlang can also take the imperial examination!" Mrs. Hu envied the young man from the Su family who returned to Chang'an to study at the Imperial College.

"It's hard! From being promoted from a ninth-rank county magistrate to a seventh-rank county magistrate, all thanks to my wife who has been loyal to me for over a decade and spent all her money to support the county government!

At my age, in this place, if I want to move up…” County Magistrate Hu shook his head and said nothing.

Even if a pie falls from the sky, it won’t hit you. You know your own worth.

"By the way, Madam, our Dalang and Erlang are not young anymore, it's time to consider marriage!" County Magistrate Hu thought of an important thing.

"Is there any girl that my husband likes?" asked Mrs. Hu.

"Madam, do you have anything in mind?" asked County Magistrate Hu.

"Oh! I liked Xie Qingyun before, but now..." Mrs. Hu was conflicted.

Xie Qingyun is very much like herself when she was young, independent-minded, bold and capable, and able to take on responsibilities. The family needs a woman like her to be the mistress of the household.

But the Su family has risen to prominence. Although Su Lu's personality is a little soft, her family background can make up for it.

The Su family is no longer what it used to be. Proposing marriage at this moment always has a sense of currying favor and fawning, not to mention that Su Lu is very likely to return to Chang'an.

But there are many advantages to marrying into the Su family. No matter whether you marry Dalang or Erlang, your career will be much smoother.

County Magistrate Hu also sighed, he had taken a fancy to Su Lu.

In the past, he was only a ninth-rank county magistrate in a lower-level county, the lowest-ranking official. No one looked up to him, and no one in the officialdom was willing to marry him.

There were some officials below who were willing to marry, but the Hu family looked down on them, so they kept dragging it out, neither too high nor too low.

Today the couple was preparing to arrange a marriage for their son, but suddenly they found that the other families were not to their liking, and the ones that were to their liking were too high for them to reach!

Is it possible that you can't go too high or too low?

When the couple was thinking about it, they didn't consider Su Ying, and subconsciously felt that she was not something they could covet.

Su Lu was beyond the reach of his Hu family, so why would he still want Su Ying? He might as well just daydream!

"Husband, why don't we choose Xie Qingyun?" Mrs. Hu said after careful consideration.

"Why?" County Magistrate Hu was puzzled.

“Although Xie Qingyun is the descendant of exiles, they are commoners after the change of dynasties. They originally came from aristocratic families with a deep foundation.

I've observed Xie Qingyun carefully these days. Her appearance, demeanor, and abilities are all top among the four. If she hadn't fallen on hard times, how could our family be qualified to ask for her hand in marriage?"

Mrs. Hu followed her heart and chose what she liked.

"I think Su Lu is not bad!" County Magistrate Hu thought it was good to have a daughter-in-law who was quiet and not noisy.

"How about waiting for Dalang and Erlang to come back and asking them who they like?" After hearing what her husband said, Mrs. Hu hesitated again and found it difficult to make a decision.

"Boyan, why are you here?" Su Quanyan, who was busy at the Tong County Government Office, was very surprised to see his cousin coming.

"Where are Shi Yan and Chen Yan?" Su Boyan entered the county government office and did not see the two brothers along the way.

"It should be in the Criminal Department or the Household Department. I'll go take a look." Su Quanyan said and got up to look for it.

After a while, the two brothers were found, covered in dust and their clothes were wrinkled.

"Shi Yan, Chen Yan!" Su Boyan greeted them warmly.

"Boyan!" The two brothers were indifferent, very polite and distant.

"I will go back to Chang'an to resume my studies at the end of the year. Do you want to go with me?" Su Boyan asked.

"Really?" Su Quanyan was delighted. "Let's go back to Chang'an together. It'll be a busy road, and we'll be back just in time for the exam!"

I have wanted to go back for a long time, but none of my cousins ​​mentioned it, and I couldn't leave them alone, so I could only use my free time to read more books.

"What about you?" Su Boyan asked the two brothers.

When they heard about returning to Chang'an, their eyes lit up. Who wouldn't yearn for Chang'an? They could also take the Imperial College entrance exam!

"Brother!" Su Chenyan looked at his brother with desire in his eyes.

"Hmm!" Su Shiyan said sullenly after a long time.

He really wanted to refuse with dignity, not rely on the Su family's help, and rely on his own efforts.

But he found that if he really wanted to leave the Su family, not only would he have no chance to take the Imperial College entrance examination, he might not even be able to get a position as a minor official.

In the end, he had to succumb to reality and return to Chang'an as Su Buqing's son, so that he was eligible to take the entrance examination for the Imperial College, which is something many scholars envy.

If you want to pass the imperial examination and become an official, without a good family background, no one in the officialdom will recommend you.

"What? You all want to go back to Chang'an?" County Magistrate Lin, who was so busy that he was running around, felt his eyes go dark.

"Yes! We'll be back at the end of the year, just in time for the entrance exams!" Su Quanyan said, "Please arrange for someone to take over our responsibilities as soon as possible."

"Great, great! It's great to be young!" County Magistrate Lin envied him. "Alas, where can I find three useful people?"

This place is remote, there are not many educated people, and even fewer people with outstanding abilities.

Tong County is planning to build pipelines, produce Lingnan brocade, produce oil mills, make soy products, and also have two crops of rice in the fields.

Once these are sorted out, we will also build a sugar factory and coordinate with various townships, villages and towns to ensure the supply of sugar.

There are so many things to do, and now three independent assistants have to be transferred. County Magistrate Lin feels that even if he splits himself into several parts, it will not be enough.

"Don't worry, sir. There are still at least three months left, which is enough time for you to find someone useful! During this period, we will still do our job diligently and responsibly, and will never slack off!" Su Quanyan comforted.

"Brother!" Su Chenyan saw his brother staring blankly at the book.

After being scolded by Su Ying last time, the two brothers studied late into the night and worked hard to improve themselves.

"Hmm!" Su Shiyan came back to his senses and continued reading the book.

But my mind was full of thoughts, and the letter I sent back to my grandparents in Xingyang had not yet received a reply.

A few months ago, the group of disaster victims came from Hebei Province. Later, more victims arrived and we learned that Henan Province had also suffered a frost disaster.

I wonder how my grandparents are doing. Are they also displaced?

"Second brother, I want to write another letter. If I still don't receive a reply, I want to go back to Xingyang." Su Shiyan was always worried.

Last year, my family suffered a sudden disaster and was exiled to Lingnan. I lost contact with my maternal grandparents.

That winter, both Henan and Hebei provinces suffered from frost disasters. Without the Su family's help, how could my grandparents' family survive?

"Brother, aren't you going to take the Imperial College entrance exam?" Su Chenyan was surprised.

"Yes, I will go to Xingyang first to see if my grandparents are safe, then I will feel at ease!" Su Shiyan stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back.

My mother and sister died tragically, my maternal grandfather's family suffered a natural disaster, and my mother's family has been completely ruined. I cannot get justice for my mother!

Su Shiyan hated himself for being a useless scholar!

Today, he learned that his uncle was promoted to Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture. He did not feel happy at all. Their second branch could not get rid of the dependence on others.

My father's fifth rank and my third uncle's fifth rank were all obtained because of my eldest uncle. Even my own qualification to take the Imperial College entrance examination came from this!

He hated the first wife, but had to enjoy the preferential treatment and benefits brought by her, which made him feel as disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly.