Chapter 10
With the exception of Jiang Wanning, who had little say, all the dozen or so members of Lu Shang's family strongly opposed his decision to give up the imperial examination.
Even the two younger ones, Lu Guangzong and Lu Yaozu, would lean over the table and say in a serious tone, "Study hard."
Considering his original body's status as a scholar, Lu Shang couldn't insist too much on this. Whenever he opened his mouth to say something, the others would always refute him with a hundred sentences.
Grandma Lu has always respected her grandson and did not indulge him in this matter. She would not preach, but just sighing and wiping away tears was enough to make Lu Shang feel overwhelmed.
In the end, the dispute ended with Lu Shang falling ill.
He coughed until his face turned red and his neck became thick. He covered his chest and pinched his throat, as if he would die at any time.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Go get a doctor!"
“No cough cough cough… No need——”
Amidst the chaos, Lu Shang was carried back to his room. Wang Cuilian and Ma went to cook medicine, while Lu Xian and Lu Laoer stood guard at the door, peeking inside and watching Jiang Wanning and Grandma Lu busying around.
Grandma Lu regretted it deeply: "It's all my fault. Why did I argue with him? If you don't want to take the exam, then don't take it. Your health is the most important thing... Shang'er, please don't get hurt. Grandma will never say anything about it again. Do whatever you want."
Jiang Wanning, who was passing by, paused and couldn't help but look sideways.
After drinking a bowl of bitter medicine, Lu Shang's symptoms were finally relieved a little.
He had been busy in the kitchen all afternoon, and his steps seemed much more steady. His family thought he had fully recovered, until he had another commotion. They stared at each other in bewilderment, "Boss, this body..."
After all, this disease has been going on for a few days. Everyone sighed and shook their heads helplessly.
As Lu Shang fell asleep, the people guarding outside also dispersed one after another. Lu Laoer took Lu Xian back to the fields. The children were sent to take a nap. Ma went back to her room to coax her daughter. Wang Cuilian and Grandma Lu also went back to their own rooms one after another.
The summer cicadas chirped louder, but the Lu family's courtyard became quieter.
Lu Shang slept for another two hours. Fortunately, he did not have a fever this time, and his breathing became normal after taking the medicine.
Jiang Wanning stayed by his bed for a while, and when she saw that he was not seriously injured, she went to lie down by the table. While Lu Shang was still sleeping, she also took a short nap.
It was just that lying on the table was really uncomfortable, and she woke up soon after.
It was a rare moment of leisure, but Jiang Wanning was a little confused about what to do. She looked around, but the room was too small. It only took her a moment to check everything in the room, and she even remembered clearly where the spider webs were.
Just as she was sitting there with her eyes empty, she suddenly heard a few muffled coughs coming from the bed.
The natural reaction that had formed over the past few months made her stand up suddenly, and she only managed to regain her senses after rushing to the bed.
Lu Shang half-closed his eyes, and after adjusting to the light, he was not surprised by Jiang Wanning's presence.
What concerned him more now was the condition of this body.
Thinking of the despairing palpitations at noon, Lu Shang asked in a hoarse voice, "Do you know what's wrong with me?"
Jiang Wanning brought him the medicine she had prepared, tested it to see if it was still warm, and carefully helped him drink it. After she had finished cleaning up everything, she slowly said, "I heard it from someone else, too."
The Lu family was neither close to her nor trusted her. Apart from teaching her to take good care of her husband, they rarely told her anything about him.
Fortunately, Jiang Wanning occasionally walked in the village and talked with the villagers. Combined with the doctor's diagnosis, she could guess a little.
"According to the villagers, you have this disease since you were born. You have been weak and sickly since you were a child. Not only has it not improved as you grew up, but even a slight headache or fever can develop into a serious illness. According to the doctor, this is a disease of affluence. As long as you take good care of yourself, it won't easily kill you."
But obviously, an ordinary farmer cannot supply medicine for a long time.
Jiang Wanning paused, then continued, "Your health has been getting worse over the past two years, and you haven't even been able to go to school. At the beginning of the year, an old Taoist priest came to the village and calculated that you were destined to die. You need to get married to improve your luck in order to have a chance of survival. After discussing it with your family, we decided to give it a try."
After saying that, Jiang Wanning lowered her head, and her hair cast a shadow on her face, hiding all her expressions.
Lu Shang was silent for a moment, then asked about the common symptoms.
Jiang Wanning said: "It's just the common cough and fever, sometimes with chest tightness and shortness of breath, and weakness in the limbs is also common."
Lu Shang didn't know whether the doctor's diagnosis was accurate, but he really scoffed at the old Taoist's idea of marrying a wife to bring good luck.
In front of Jiang Wanning, he couldn't show the contempt in his heart, but just slowly knocked on the bed, thinking about how to change his weak body.
He remembered that he once had a partner whose little daughter was in poor health. Later, he found an old Chinese doctor, who prescribed a special prescription for her and designed a set of physical exercises for her. She practiced for half an hour every morning and evening, and in just over two years, her physical condition improved a lot.
Lu Shang didn't know the prescription, but he was fortunate enough to have seen the physical training technique.
He looked up at Jiang Wanning, sizing her up for a long time, and then made a final decision: "Starting tomorrow, you will train with me."
"Aha?" Jiang Wanning was stunned.
Lu Shang didn't want to explain any further, and just said, "You'll know tomorrow."
"……All right."
After talking about physical fitness, Lu Shang had to focus on the imperial examination that the whole family cared about. When he asked about books, Jiang Wanning hurriedly went to the cabinet in the corner to find the books.
I thought Lu Shang was going to review his lessons, but he just opened the book and closed it within a few breaths.
Lu Shang's expression was complicated. He opened the book upside down in front of Jiang Wanning and asked, "Do you recognize the words on it?"
Jiang Wanning didn't understand what he meant. She hesitated for a long time before nodding slightly.
“I know it…” Lu Shang took another look at the book, but still couldn’t recognize a single one of the complex characters on the book.
Fortunately——
It’s okay, it’s okay. Although he can’t read, Aning can still recognize him.
Lu Shang was extremely grateful, and there was a hint of gratitude in his eyes when he looked at Jiang Wanning.
Otherwise, he wouldn't know how to explain to the Lu family how the scholar who was once considered a genius became an illiterate who couldn't read a single word.
Lu Shang wanted to learn to read, but he didn't know whether it was because of his illness or he was naturally resistant to it. After just a few glances at the book, he felt dizzy and couldn't continue learning.
He was never one to let himself be wronged, so he stuffed the book under his pillow, rubbed his hands, and called Jiang Wanning to his side again.
"Please sit down." Thinking that she was not only his nominal wife but also his future teacher, Lu Shang valued Jiang Wanning even more.
"how?"
Lu Shang smiled and brought up the matter at the dinner table again: "I'm thinking that the imperial examination can't be rushed, but the situation at home is obvious. Instead of burying my head in books, why not... make some money first and improve our family's conditions?"
Lu Shang didn't even dare to ask a farmer who had to rely on his elders to pay for his coffin just to eat a chicken, whether he had even a hundred coins in savings at home.
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