After the New Year, there's only a little over a month left until the imperial examinations.

Shao Ming has gradually adapted to the northern weather, unlike at the beginning when he felt like he couldn't breathe when the cold wind blew.

On another chilly morning, Shao Yun put down the spear in his hand.

"Brother, let's spar a bit, and you'll get warmed up quickly."

"Okay, don't use weapons."

Shao Ming only knew how to wield a short sword, and seeing the long spear in Shao Yun's hand, he felt danger.

"Okay, I'll be careful not to hurt you. We're about to go off the field, so you can't get injured right now."

Shao Yun knew what was important; he just wanted to help his older brother practice his strength.

"I'll be careful too. Come on, let's stop here."

Shao Ming also wanted to test his skills and see if he could hold his own against Shao Yun.

The two brothers started sparring in the yard, while Master Zhao watched silently from the sidelines, ready to protect Shao Ming from injury when necessary.

In less than twenty moves, Shao Ming was subdued.

"Brother, that's good. If we encounter danger, you have a great chance of getting away."

"Yeah, I think he's alright too. At least he's not a weak scholar."

Shao Ming also trained with them from a young age, although he wasn't as skilled as Shao Yun.

I put in so much effort, and I persevered.

In the days that followed, Shao Ming began to identify and address his shortcomings.

Gu Zheng also found some official gazettes. Although they were all old, they were still invaluable to Shao Ming. You see, ordinary people didn't have access to these gazettes.

Shao Ming was preparing for the imperial examinations, while Gu Zheng took Shao Yun to the military camp, where General Gu's comrades were. They did nothing else but train with the soldiers.

Gu Zheng was willing to risk his life to accompany Shao Yun, allowing him to experience military life in advance.

Meanwhile, the capital city also became lively.

Students from all directions gathered in restaurants, teahouses, and bookstores, engaging in lively discussions and expressing their opinions.

Among these students were those from scholarly families in Jiangnan, those from various academies, and those from impoverished backgrounds...

Jiang Shuyun told Shao Ming, Zhou Zilin, Mu Ziyi, and Mu Ziyu not to get involved.

Mu Ziyi, Mu Ziyu, and Zhou Zilin also came to Beijing this time.

However, they had no connection with the Gu family, and after arriving in the capital, they quietly studied in the rented courtyard.

Jiang Shuyun didn't want them to be affected, nor did she want to be forced to take sides.

There's still some time before the imperial examinations, but various gambling dens have already started placing bets, with different opinions on who will be the top scholar, second-place scholar, and third-place scholar.

As a teacher at Bailu Academy, Jiang Shuyun also greeted the other candidates, though whether they listened or not was beyond his control.

The current ruler of the Dali Dynasty is Emperor Jinghong, who has been on the throne for over ten years. He is only forty years old and in good health.

The Crown Prince has been established; he is a boy in his early teens.

Since Emperor Jinghong ascended the throne, he has worked diligently to govern the country, and the court and the people have enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity.

The number of concubines in the harem was limited, with a total of five princes and three princesses.

Moreover, the draft, held once every five years, is based on voluntary participation and is not mandatory.

Overall, this was a relatively reassuring dynasty; you wouldn't lose your head so easily.

With the imperial examinations approaching, security on the streets is tighter than before, especially around the examination hall area.

This year felt like an untimely cold snap in early spring. After entering March, there was a heavy snowfall, with the snow reaching a depth of three feet, which caused many houses to collapse.

Jiang Shuyun asked Butler Li and his son to go out and scout around, while everyone else stayed at home.

Butler Li and his son took the guards out for a walk, got a general idea of ​​the situation, and then returned.

"Master, the snow in the Gongyuan area has already been cleared, so it shouldn't be affected."

Restaurants, bookstores, and teahouses were all closed today, and there weren't many people on the street.

The food, charcoal, and firewood we prepared before the New Year are enough to last until April or May, so there's no need to worry.

"Okay, I understand. We'll keep the house closed to visitors for the next few days."

After Jiang Shuyun finished giving her instructions, everyone went about their business.

At noon, Gu Zheng also sent someone to deliver a message, telling them to stay at home and not to go out unless absolutely necessary.

Jiang Shuyun told the messenger to go back and tell Gu Zheng that there was nothing to worry about here, as they had plenty of food and drink at home and could stay there.

When the spring imperial examinations began, Shao Ming and his companions put on their new cotton-padded clothes, carried their examination baskets, and headed towards the examination hall.

After seeing Shao Ming and the others into the examination hall, Jiang Shuyun went with Butler Li to look at the house.

The brokerage firm selected several more properties for them, all of which met their requirements.

First, we visited two courtyards that were relatively close to the Hanlin Academy. They were indeed very close, only about a quarter of an hour's walk away.

The Hanlin Academy of the Dali Dynasty was not located in the imperial palace, but it was right next to the palace gate.

Jiang Shuyun didn't take the exam to become a probationary official and had no chance of entering the Hanlin Academy. He really didn't know the specifics of the situation.

"Master Jiang, we've arrived."

The broker opened the door with the key and invited Jiang Shuyun and the others inside.

"This courtyard originally belonged to a high-ranking official from the Hanlin Academy. He went to take up an official post in another place before the New Year, and our brokerage firm took care of the courtyard."

"We're only offering our best properties because of the Gu family's connections; that's standard practice at every real estate brokerage."

Manager Li knew that each brokerage firm would treat its big clients differently.

"This is a small two-courtyard house. There are two corner courtyards in the outer courtyard, and there are two rooms on each side of the gatehouse."

After passing the screen wall and entering the hanging flower gate, you will reach the inner courtyard.

The main building in the inner courtyard has five rooms, and the east and west wing rooms each have three rooms, with no reverse-facing rooms.

Housing is scarce at the foot of the capital.

There aren't many houses like this. A little further out, on another street, are the residences of various high-ranking officials and ministers, and they are all clustered together.

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