Chapter 148: Future
While Zheng Qi was shouting and screaming, Gu Mingda was also very scared.
This poem used as the title is considered a niche poem, and most of the scholars taking the exam may not have read it.
Gu Mingda didn't know it at first.
Books are expensive, so the Gu family doesn't have many books. But the Luo family has been a scholarly family for generations, so they have a large collection of books.
Three months ago, Niu Niu accidentally found a collection of poems in the Luo family library. Because she didn't understand some part, Luo Zhang and Gu Yan couldn't explain it either, and the Luo family's teacher ignored Niu Niu, Niu Niu borrowed it home to ask Gu Mingda.
After Gu Mingda helped his daughter solve her puzzlement, he flipped through the book casually and accidentally saw this poem. Because he had read the whole poem and the title of the poem clearly stated "Cauliflower", Gu Mingda just casually exclaimed that it was interesting and did not take it too seriously.
When he saw this poem again in the examination room today, he suddenly had a sense of fate that everything was destined, and he had a vague premonition that he would pass the exam.
After the provincial examination, there was a half-month long wait.
Some scholars, like Zheng Qi, who answered almost all of the questions correctly, have returned home early because they felt they did very poorly in the exam.
Gu Mingda was relatively relaxed as he finally had time to check the homework of several children.
This inspection directly stirred up a hornet's nest.
Gu Yan was as excellent as ever, Niu Niu also performed normally, only Gu Zhao.
On the day Gu Zhao was beaten, people in the entire alley could hear his cries.
Gu Mingda is not the kind of parent who likes to beat his children, but Gu Zhao's academic performance is so bad that it drives people crazy.
"Grandpa, grandma, mom, brothers and sisters, please save me!" When Gu Zhao was being beaten, he called out to everyone who could help him.
Zhang Yuniang was annoyed by his noise, so she walked over with a feather duster and turned it into a mixed doubles match, hitting Gu Zhao's mouth shut.
"Ah Zhao has been too careless these days." Gu Yan didn't have a good face towards this lazy younger brother.
Niu Niu looked at her third brother who was being beaten with heartache. She also knew that her parents were doing it for Gu Zhao's good.
After Gu Zhao finished being beaten, Niu Niu gave all the snacks she had saved to Gu Zhao.
While eating, Gu Zhao was so moved that his face was covered with tears and snot: "Niuniu, you are the only one who treats your brother sincerely, wuwuwu, it hurts."
Niuniu didn't really understand and said, "Third brother, the opportunity to study is very precious. Big Sister Ya and Little Sister Ya can't study now. Why don't you like it?"
Gu Zhao said: "I feel dizzy when I see those words. I don't like them."
Niuniu sighed and said, "But if you don't study, your parents will always beat you."
Gu Zhao sighed heavily: "Ah, it's so hard to be a child."
As the two children closest in age in the family, they go to school together, play together, and spend the most time together. Niu Niu doesn't want to see Gu Zhao getting beaten all the time.
She tilted her head and said, "Is there any way to make you read carefully so that you don't get beaten?"
Gu Zhao shook his head: "I feel dizzy when I see books. When I do homework, I feel like there are ants biting my whole body. I can't sit still."
Niu Niu scratched her head and looked at Gu Zhao feeling extremely embarrassed.
"How can I make you like reading and doing homework?" Niu Niu tilted her head and thought seriously.
Gu Zhao, the person involved, said, "My dear, don't think about it. I may not be born to be a scholar. In the future, my elder brother will take the imperial examination and become an official. You have a house in the city. Then you can find a husband in the prefecture. I will go back to Qingshui Village to farm. Every now and then, I will send you some fruits and vegetables to eat..."
Gu Zhao thought about it and actually started to plan seriously: "I will set aside an acre of land for you to grow ginger. You won't have to spend money to buy it then. Big brother likes to eat oranges, so I will plant them in front of and behind the house. I guarantee that he will eat them until he vomits..."
"I can also build a small room to raise insects, and marry a wife who likes insects as much as I do. Life will be so wonderful!"
In his fantasy, Gu Zhao actually had the illusion that he didn't need to study in his life at all.
Niuniu murmured softly, "Bugs... Third brother, you really like bugs."
Gu Zhao smiled and said, "They are my friends."
An idea flashed through Niuniu's mind: "I like reading poetry, so I am happier to see poetry collections than to read those scriptures. I will also look for poetry collections everywhere to read."
Gu Zhao was confused, but still said generously: "Don't worry, my dear. If I see the poetry collection when I go out, I will persuade my parents to buy it for you."
As for why he didn’t buy it for Niu Niu but persuaded his parents to buy it instead, it was of course because he had no money.
Niuniu shook her head and said, "Brother, what I mean is that you can read books about insects and write big words about insects."
"For example, what do you think of when you see the word 'insect'? If you can't write something you like, would you feel uncomfortable?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhao's face actually showed a thoughtful look.
People do prefer what they like. When he thought about it carefully, he really liked writing. When he first read the record about crickets in a notebook, he read it over and over again several times.
"But my father is still looking forward to my imperial examination." Gu Zhao was dejected again. When he thought about having to study hard like his father and Gu Yan, he felt that his future was bleak.
Niuniu was not the type to just get depressed, so she stood up and said, "I'll go ask Dad."
"Don't go, or daddy will beat you too!" Gu Zhao shouted behind him.
But Niu Niu had already run away with a "da da da" sound.
Gu Mingda was reading in the study. When he saw his daughter running towards him, he couldn't stop smiling and hugged her in his arms.
"Dad, are you looking forward to my third brother taking the imperial examination?" Niu Niu asked in a crisp voice.
Gu Mingda was stunned when he heard this and said, "Two or three years ago, I still had this kind of dream about him. Now I just hope he doesn't get mad at me to death."
Niuniu stared at him blankly and couldn't help asking, "Then why does Daddy force Third Brother to do his homework? He really doesn't like studying."
Gu Mingda did not hide anything from his daughter and said, "If he can learn a few more words, he will be able to find an easy job in the future, either as a clerk in the government office or as an accountant for others, and he will be able to make a living."
"Can't Third Brother farm?" Niu Niu was puzzled.
Gu Mingda shook his head: "Farming is too hard, he may not be able to endure this hardship."
"But third brother likes insects, and he wants to farm in the future." Niu Niu expressed Gu Zhao's thoughts.
Gu Mingda frowned and said, "He is too young. If he is really asked to farm every day, I am afraid he will make more trouble than anyone else."
Niuniu thought her father was the most powerful person in the world, so she asked, "Dad, is there any business that can allow my third brother to play with bugs and earn money to support the family, and it won't be tiring?"
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