Chapter 150
Wen Xiaowu didn't say anything. He hadn't thought that much about it; the marriage really couldn't be delayed any longer.
“Father, there’s a famous matchmaker near our academy. Several of my classmates have used her to arrange marriages. Once everything is settled, I’ll go to her to arrange the marriage. We’re not that familiar with each other here, so as long as the girl comes from a respectable family, it will be fine.”
"Innocence is important, but she has to be a city girl."
“All your wives above you are from the village. You must find one from the city, one from a wealthy family.”
Liu looked at her son with a serious expression.
The daughter-in-law's family is wealthy, so her dowry will definitely be substantial. How wonderful it would be if the couple could live with Xiao Wu in a large mansion in the city.
Xiao Wu didn't say anything, but he also had his own ideas.
If he could eventually become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) like his third brother, that would be the best outcome. He was confident in himself, and when it came to marriage, he preferred women from scholarly families; money wasn't that important to him.
He was about to enter officialdom, and he didn't need to rely on his wife's family for financial support. He also didn't want to argue with Liu. He wasn't a three-year-old child; he had his own ideas.
Fifth day
In Ping County, Yingxiang looked at Leqian and couldn't help but feel a little sad.
Her son will be leaving for Beijing in a few days, and they won't see each other again until next year. She cherishes this time she spends with her son.
"Mom, this red envelope is too big."
Inside the spacious room, Wen Leqian took out the red envelopes he had received from his parents that night. Wen Shi had given him five taels of silver, and Yingxiang had given him two hundred taels. He took out the money, intending to give it to Yingxiang.
"Keep it; save it if you don't have anywhere to spend it."
Yingxiang did not believe in education based on hardship, and she was very generous to her child. She was not afraid that he would go astray. As the child grew up year by year, he became more sensible in his actions.
Children of this era are very different from their peers today, with huge differences in education. Although Wen Leqian is young, he clearly has his own ideas about the future.
He studied at a very good academy and had a strong sense of self-discipline.
Yingxiang recalled that when she was a teenager, she was just a little girl who liked to eat, drink and have fun. She didn't have any ideas about the future. Although her essays were always very lofty, such as "I want to be a scientist" or "I want to be a doctor", they were mostly just thoughts.
If this child can persevere for ten years, given the current environment, he might very well succeed.
His father had already gone halfway through.
Even if he is unlucky in the end, the money from the shop she has can guarantee him a basic living for the rest of his life. As long as he doesn't squander the money, he won't have to struggle to make ends meet.
The time spent together is always too short. Even though it was hard to part, when the time came, Yingxiang still had to see the children off with Wenshi.
When Wen Leqian left, Wen Shi gave him all of his expenses for the year. He didn't waste money and always bought what he needed. After deducting necessary expenses, he still had more than enough of the 100 taels his father had given him each year, and he always had some left over.
He told Wen Shi that he didn't need that much, but Wen Shi still gave him plenty of money to keep safe. Since his parents weren't around, he could only have more money, not less.
"Remember to write a letter when you arrive."
"good."
The family's situation has improved significantly compared to before. They watched their son ride away on horseback; this was the third year the couple had been here.
Life in Ping County was uneventful for Yingxiang; she had long since grown accustomed to it over the years.
In the blink of an eye, spring is almost here.
Two days before the imperial examination, Wen Xiaowu began packing his things.
Liu sat by the bed, chattering on and on. He wasn't impatient, after all, she was his mother who gave him life, and he knew that filial piety was the most important virtue.
To be optimistic, even if he doesn't pass the second-class imperial examination, he still has a good chance of passing the third-class examination. He has worked very hard these past few years, all for the sake of today.
He knew perfectly well what Liu and Old Man Wen were thinking.
When they first came to the capital, they couldn't stay in the city, which was always a regret for them. It was impossible for Wen Shi to stay there for the time being, but it was different for him.
He and his older brother were both raised by their parents, so naturally they couldn't abandon them. He didn't object to this; within his means, he would definitely agree.
"Don't worry, Mom, I won't be nervous. I have confidence in myself."
Taking an exam is, in some ways, like going to war. Mindset is very important. Before the exam, my teacher repeatedly told me not to be afraid. If you have any fear or thoughts of giving up, how can you pass the exam? You will have no future.
On the day of Wen Xiaowu's exam, it was Wen's second brother who took him there. Before dawn, Liu rushed to the kitchen and prepared a sumptuous breakfast. After they finished eating, the two brothers set off.
Brother Wen dared not be careless. He was very careful, and there was a lamp hanging in front of the donkey cart to barely light the way, as there was still some distance from the village to the city.
As dawn broke, the two had entered the city, and the roads were smoother.
When they arrived at the entrance of the examination hall, Xiao Wu gathered his things, waved to his second brother, and signaled that he could go back.
Wen Erge appeared to be an honest and simple person. He nodded and turned to leave.
After the exam, just wait for the results to be released.
Wen Shi was also worried about his younger brother, and naturally hoped that Xiao Wu could pass the exam.
After the New Year, the weather wasn't as cold as before. When the sun came out at noon, Yingxiang would take her son outside and dress him warmly.
The weather was sunny and the sun was warm at noon. Yingxiang carried her nearly five-month-old son around the garden. The little guy's smile never seemed to fade; he was very happy.
Front Hall
The county magistrate looked at Wen Shi and suddenly became curious.
"My lord, would you like to celebrate your birthday this year?"
Wen Shi looked up at him, then put down the case file in her hand.
"We have an unwritten rule that if both parents are alive, the younger generation cannot celebrate their birthdays."
Upon hearing this, the county magistrate nodded. He had been curious before why Wen Shi didn't celebrate his birthday and could at least receive some gifts. Now he understood that Wen Shi's hometown had this custom.
Wen Shi wasn't lying to him; there really is such a saying in his hometown.
"Take another look at this case. Isn't the sentence a bit too lenient?"
Some legal provisions are not so rigid and have a certain degree of operability.
The case was handled by the county magistrate. Wen Shi had personally tried the cases for the past two years, but that couldn't continue indefinitely, otherwise what would his subordinates do? Now, the two of them take turns. The county magistrate is qualified to try and judge cases, and as long as he keeps good records, he will review them.
The law stipulates that murderers should pay with their lives, which is a matter of course. If a daughter-in-law kills her mother-in-law, she should be beheaded. The mother-in-law had an argument with her daughter-in-law and pushed her into a well, causing her to drown.
Later, the mother-in-law was sued by her daughter-in-law's family and was immediately imprisoned. This was also a case involving a murder.
"Sir, this case is a bit special. The daughter-in-law stole a few pieces of meat, which angered her mother-in-law. After the incident, she immediately called for help, but unfortunately, she couldn't be saved."
It's standard practice to review the case files and testimonies before the trial even begins, making a judgment in advance. This saves time and effort. Even if the case goes to court, there's a chance the judgment might change, but the overall outcome will generally be similar.
"It wasn't intentional, really. Ten years is a long time. She's an old woman; she didn't deserve to die. It wasn't a deliberate murder."
"It will take at least twenty years."
After hearing this, the county magistrate made a decision and said this. Without much thought, he later made a change.
This case should at least serve as a warning. It was an accident, but if the deceased is given a lenient sentence, he will probably be unwilling to accept it. In the end, it was because his family was not well-off. Otherwise, why would they have made such a fuss over a few pieces of meat? Wen Shi also lived in the village, so he can understand.
After he came to Ping County, he did make some achievements, but the place was not a very prosperous place. The arable land was limited, and most of it was already in the hands of wealthy families, so life was not easy for ordinary people.
Without natural disasters or man-made calamities, one can barely get enough to eat; if there are, it's considered lucky to survive.
Wen Shi sat in the armchair, thinking a lot. He was a local official, but he couldn't possibly seize the land of those wealthy gentry.
He was well-versed in history and naturally knew why dynasties rose and fell.
In the afternoon, Wen Shi began to grind ink and prepare a memorial to Emperor Jingyuan. He had just written one character when he began to hesitate again.
He quickly realized that it was best to let His Majesty know first; as for how to resolve the issue, that was not something he needed to consider at the moment.
Thinking about this, he pondered for a moment and then began to write.
He first thanked Emperor Jingyuan for his trust and promotion, and then began to describe the lives of the local people and some cases that occurred daily. The emperor was not incompetent, and he was not afraid that the emperor would not see through him.
It looks like an ordinary report, but with a little thought, you can see that something is wrong.
After Wen Shi finished writing, he immediately sealed it and sent someone to deliver it. As a subject, this was his duty.
He had already walked around when he first arrived, but there was no need to now. Judging from the daily cases handled by the government, he could understand quite a bit about the lives of ordinary people in the villages and towns.
The wealthy fight over their inheritance, while ordinary people fight over a tiny plot of land. In recent years, there have been quite a few cases like this. Some of these things may seem trivial, but if you look closely, you can glimpse some aspects of people's daily lives.
Beijing
After finishing her exam, Wen Xiaowu packed up and went home.
His academy was in the capital. When he returned to the capital, he had already visited a number of teachers. He was just waiting for the results to be announced. The teachers had high expectations for him.
On his way home, he unexpectedly ran into a dejected Wen Chuanzong.
"Big brother."
Looking at his spirited younger brother, Wen Chuanzong felt even worse. The reason he was upset was because of his teacher's advice.
If his father's advice had already dealt him a blow, the gentleman's words today made him even more upset.
Scientific expeditions are inherently difficult, requiring favorable timing, location, and human factors. He has been working hard for the past few years, but he never expected that his teacher would now tell him to give up and find another way to make a living.
He was not young and had not yet entered officialdom, but he felt that as long as he persisted, that day would come sooner or later.
He didn't want to give up. He didn't think he was worse than Wen Shi, nor did he think he was inferior to Wen Xiaowu. He had wasted a lot of time before, but later he had reformed himself.
"Xiao Wu, do you think Big Brother should still insist?"
Wen Chuanzong felt lost and confused at the moment; he was the eldest child in the Wen family.
"Brother, the saying goes, 'Once you make a move, you can't go back on it.' I've been doing this for the past few years. If you want to, then keep going. But if you feel tired and can't see your future, then stopping now might not be the wrong choice."
"I don't want to give up."
"Then keep going."
"Age is not necessarily an obstacle. Maybe you can live to be seventy or eighty years old. At that time, you won't be afraid of being unable to accomplish anything."
Wen Chuanzong took a breath; he naturally wanted to.
He has an official title and doesn't need to rely on manual labor to earn money. Even without studying, his life isn't bad, just not that good.
“We’re all family. Dad is a bit extreme, but that’s just how he is. Don’t overthink it.”
Wen Chuanzong gave a wry smile and said nothing.
After arriving at Ping'an Village, the two separated and no longer live together. Xiuyu was scolded several times but dared not advise Wen Chuanzong, mainly because she was afraid of divorce and ending up with nothing.
Amian supports Wen Chuanzong. She is very capable. She has rented several acres of land to farm, and Xiuyu is not idle either. Naturally, she helps her.
Wen Chuanzong has the title of Xiucai, which exempts him from taxes. He has already decided not to help those people in his hometown register their land. He will mainly be working here in the future, so there is no need to worry about the other side.
Only with more income can his life be better. The younger one is growing up and will need more money in the future, not to mention the older one will need to get married.
When Xiuyu heard that Chuanzong had returned, she immediately pulled him into the house.
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