Chapter 73
In the front yard, Mr. Huang saw Wen Shi carrying gifts and walking towards him step by step. The weather was sunny today, and he stood in the yard, looking at the blue sky and white clouds, his expression very calm.
"I owe my success today to your teachings."
Upon hearing this, he immediately approached and bowed respectfully.
"No need for such formalities."
"In fact, this is just the beginning. There are still the spring imperial examination and the palace examination to come. Only if you can gain His Majesty's favor can you truly rise to the top."
The old gentleman looked dignified, and Wen Shi noticed this and kept it in mind. He nodded.
Wen Shi came from a farming family and naturally had family members. The gifts he brought today were clearly the result of careful thought.
Mr. Huang gestured for the butler to accept the money, and then he let Wen Shi follow him into his study.
"His Majesty is already in his forties and has many children, but he is in good health. In truth, telling you too much about the affairs of the capital may not be useful in the future, but you should know what you need to know. Whether it's the imperial examination or the palace examination, even if you obtain an official position, you will have no one to rely on. Don't be blinded by wealth and beauty, and don't try to take shortcuts, lest you do something absurd and regrettable for the rest of your life."
"Rest assured, sir, I will keep this in mind. I have a wife and children. My wife is my wife who has shared my hardships. She is virtuous and gentle. I will not take a concubine, much less indulge in women. I only wish to be a loyal subject and serve the court."
Hearing Wen Shi say this, and thinking about his character, the gentleman relaxed a lot. Wen Shi had always been clear-headed and hardworking, but there were some things he couldn't leave unsaid, and he still had to give the necessary instructions.
"When you arrive in the capital, if anyone invites you to my home, you must politely decline. Loyalty to the emperor and love for the country are our duty."
Wen Shi nodded.
"As the old saying goes, Heaven is watching what people do. There's truth to that. You're still young and have plenty of time. Whatever you do, don't rush things. If you miss me in the future, just have someone send me some things during holidays. You don't need to come here in person."
He didn't quite understand what the old man was saying. He was very grateful to the old man and would definitely come whenever he had the chance and time. He could say that without him, he wouldn't be who he is today. But the old man's words were undoubtedly turning him away.
"In the end, you have to walk your own path. After you enter officialdom, you will deeply understand that many things are not as simple as they seem. You can't believe what you hear. It's always good to be cautious. In the future, raise your children well. If you want your family to prosper, your descendants are more important. Don't just think about yourself."
After the old man finished speaking, he sighed deeply, and there seemed to be regret in his eyes.
“You are a father, a husband, and a son. Your identity is multifaceted, and you may even become a local official in the future. You must never lose your conscience.”
"You have a lot of family members, so you must take good care of them. No matter how many grudges you had in the past, from this moment on, you are one family. For the sake of your career, you must manage these matters well."
"yes."
He bowed and lowered his hands, keeping his teacher's words in mind.
"It's getting late, hurry up and pack up and go back to prepare for next year's imperial examination."
"Butler, please see the guests out."
He was taken aback when he heard this, feeling it was sudden. But seeing the butler appear unexpectedly, he couldn't stay any longer. After saying goodbye, he walked out, turning back every few steps.
Mr. Huang had his back to Wen Shi until he left the room, at which point he turned around.
Everything he said was for Wen Shi's good, but he couldn't say too much. As long as he wasn't confused about important matters, he still had a bright future. Wen Shi was young, which was a great advantage. In the end, he still had to walk his own path, and all the blood and tears he had endured would eventually make him a better person.
As long as he can get through this, Wen Shi may not be the most outstanding or intelligent student under his tutelage, but his perseverance and hard work are no less than his own back then.
Whether it's skill or luck, he's already reached this point, which has changed his family's life. If he has a bright future, that would be even better.
I hope that Wen Shi will have a bright future.
Not long after Wen Shi left, Ying Xiang also came over carrying the child.
"Let's go, let's pack our things quickly and go home right away."
"The old lady was very kind."
On the way, Yingxiang said to Wenshi.
"That's good."
After returning home, things were easy to pack, and the house was returned. The landlord didn't forget to congratulate Wen Shi. The tricky part was the ewe. Selling it was easy, of course, but after raising it for so long, the family was a little reluctant to part with it.
"Why don't we take it back?"
Upon hearing Yingxiang's words, Wenshi nodded, noting that the carriage was moving very fast.
The two of them took it without hesitation, and the neighbors came to congratulate Wen Shi. Wen Shi also gave her some unused items that were difficult to take back, as a way of thanking her for her help.
After everything was loaded onto the carriage, Wen Shi and the driver worked together to move the ewe to the front of the carriage. Although the ewe was plump, the carriage was not small either.
As they left the city, Yingxiang opened the carriage curtain, looked at the scenery outside, and couldn't help but smile. She remembered that winter when the two of them first arrived, they were both a little lost, and didn't even know if Wenshi could successfully become an apprentice.
Everything has changed now, but it's all moving in a positive direction.
Wen Shi held her hand as the child sat there, nibbling on pastries.
The couple smiled at each other and hurried on their way. A few days later, they arrived in the county town.
There were naturally soldiers at the entrance of the county town. The weather was alright that day, with a light drizzle. As soon as they arrived at the town gate, Wen Shi leaned out of the car and got off. Ying Xiang followed with the child. The two of them saw the second couple standing at the town gate, who also had a child with them.
"Third brother, sister-in-law."
Upon hearing this, the man following behind the second son and his wife immediately smiled. There was a carriage beside him, clearly prepared for Wen Shiyingxiang.
The news of Wen Shi's success in the imperial examination had already reached back. As the steward of the county magistrate's household, he naturally came to invite Wen Shi and Ying Xiang to the county government office. It was impossible for the county magistrate not to give them face.
"Second brother, you and the driver go straight back to the village. All our things are inside, just leave them at home. Yingxiang and I will go back later. Please take care of the child for us. Tell our parents that I'm back."
"Alright, third brother, sister-in-law, you go ahead. The shop has been closed for several days, just waiting for you to come back."
"Greetings, Scholar Wen. I am the steward of the county magistrate's household. Please get in the carriage."
Thank you.
Wen Shi was very polite, but the child was somewhat resistant to Wen Erge. Yingxiang whispered a few words in his ear and gave him some pastries, which stopped him from making a fuss.
"Thank you, Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law."
"It's no trouble at all. We're all family. Don't worry, Third Sister-in-law, we'll definitely take good care of our nephew and wait for you to come back."
"good."
The two carriages separated. Wen Shi and Ying Xiang went to the county government office. At the very least, the two of them could return home that night, but the child had to go home earlier.
Wen Erge is much more reliable than Wen Chuanzong, so Yingxiang is not so worried.
Upon arriving at the county government office, the two followed the steward to the back courtyard. Generally, officials serving in other places would stay behind the county government office. The particularly wealthy would also purchase their own residences, depending on the individual. The accommodations were free.
The county magistrate, with his large belly, was beaming from eating. The moment he saw Wen Shi and Ying Xiang enter, he immediately broke into a smile.
He must have met Wen Shi before. He had eaten here after passing the imperial examination and becoming a Xiucai, but he didn't have a deep impression of Wen Shi. Young Xiucai like him were really common, and his ranking wasn't high at the time.
Now, upon seeing or hearing this, he first examines it closely.
"It is remarkable that such a young scholar has been able to pass the imperial examination; he is sure to have a bright future."
"Greetings, Your Excellency and Madam."
Yingxiang followed suit and bowed to Wenshi, after all, he was already an official of rank.
"No need for formalities, please sit down, madam. Quickly have the kitchen prepare a feast so I can have a drink with Scholar Wen."
Despite the magistrate's hospitality, the two could not be together. Fortunately, men and women were separated. After welcoming the incense, the magistrate's wife led them to the backyard, under the pretext of admiring the flowers and having tea and snacks.
She wasn't dressed shabbily, but compared to the magistrate's wife, who was adorned with exquisite makeup and adorned with gold and silver, she looked too plain.
Having learned from her previous experience, she was quite polite, and the county magistrate's wife, seeing that Wen Shi was so young, did not mistreat her.
The two chatted and laughed, and seemed to be having a good time.
"I envy your beauty, Madam. Your attire is too plain. I've had some gifts prepared."
The maidservant beside the magistrate's wife was very perceptive. After the items were brought in, the box was opened immediately, revealing a considerable amount of gold and silver jewelry inside, as well as ten bolts of silk on a tray beside it.
Yingxiang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly smiled and politely declined.
"Thank you, Madam. Please don't accept this gift. It's already an honor for Yingxiang to meet you, and I'm truly grateful to be able to sit here and talk with you today."
"We can get together again sometime in the future. You are so beautiful, you should dress up nicely. Please don't refuse this gift, just accept it."
Yingxiang smiled brightly and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam. I'll leave the gift for now. If there's a chance in the future, I'll definitely prepare a sumptuous banquet to entertain you and the magistrate."
The magistrate's wife glanced at Yingxiang with some surprise, not expecting that she really didn't want to.
A few days ago, she was chatting and laughing with several scholars' wives, and they accepted her gifts without hesitation. However, these scholars' wives were not from the countryside; most of them came from families with connections or were from merchant families. She would not socialize with ordinary scholars' wives, nor would she look down on them.
"It's not too late to send Yingxiang after you've attended Yingxiang's banquet."
Yingxiang naturally remembered Wen Shi's words. She wouldn't accept it; she couldn't let a small thing cause a big loss. When the magistrate's wife heard her say this, her eyes flickered, and she gestured for the maid to leave.
"Very well, I look forward to attending Lady Wen's banquet in the future."
Regardless of what she was thinking, she always wore a smile on her face, and she drank quite a bit with the county magistrate in the front yard.
"Spring Examination, Spring Examination, don't worry, you can definitely do it."
The county magistrate was drunk, and Wen Shi wasn't much better off. He was older and kept patting Wen Shi on the shoulder, praising him in various ways.
Wen Shi's face turned red, but his remaining rationality told him that he couldn't drink too much. He had already given them the face they were supposed to, and he would have a lot of things to deal with when he got back.
"Sir, I have elderly parents at home, and it's getting late, so I'll take my leave now."
The magistrate suddenly opened his eyes wide. He smiled as if he had just thought of something, and immediately ordered his steward to prepare the carriage.
"Then you should hurry back and thank your parents properly for giving birth to you and raising you."
Wen Shi nodded.
Sitting in the carriage on their way home, Yingxiang looked at Wenshi with some worry. She knew that he couldn't do anything about it; after all, he hadn't become an official yet.
This magistrate can really drink! The wind blew open the curtain, and since the weather is getting a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings, Yingxiang deliberately opened the carriage curtain. Luckily, she didn't vomit when she smelled it.
Yingxiang thought that the village would definitely be more lively, and there would be a lot of things to do next.
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