There are only nine chocolates in a box, each with a different flavor. The provincial examination lasts nine days in the Imperial Examination Hall, which is exactly one chocolate per day.
The one in his hand contained crispy hazelnut kernels, which were bitter at first but sweet later. It was smooth and not cloying in the mouth. Both the bitterness and the sweetness were controlled just right, as if meeting the right person at the right time.
I couldn't help but sigh, no wonder Xiao Chen was willing to spend so much effort to find the raw materials of this chocolate, it really is a wonderful taste.
The slightly bitter sugar is like the moon with its waxing and waning phases, and it reflects the emotions of men and women filled with joys and sorrows.
In the moonlight, after savoring the small piece of chocolate in his hand, Zhao Yiming turned around and put down the bed board in the dormitory, ready to start resting and adjust his state to continue to face tomorrow's test.
He was lucky this time and was assigned to a cell in the middle, where he couldn't smell the unpleasant odor from the stinky cell at all.
Even though two years have passed and I've grown a little taller, I feel cramped sleeping in this small cell and can't help but feel sore in my back when I wake up.
Fortunately, Tian An thoughtfully prepared a plaster for him. When he woke up the next day and applied it, the soreness and pain disappeared in less than half an hour.
Zhao Yiming was writing furiously in the examination room, while Tian An was busy making mooncakes in the workshop. Both of them were very busy.
When Zhao Yiming finished the last piece of chocolate, nine days passed in the blink of an eye.
After Tian An arranged a celebration banquet specially prepared for Zhao Yiming, he saw that it was almost time, so he took his two younger brothers to the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall to pick him up.
There were many families coming to pick up people, and there was no one in charge today. The road was chaotic and congested. They left home early and were delayed on the road for more than two hours before the carriage finally squeezed to a few feet away from the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall.
It was too chaotic outside, so Tian An could only wait in the carriage with Xiaokang and Xiaoqi, and let A Bing and Chen Feng squeeze to the front to pick them up.
The three of them were not idle either. They stood on the carriage and looked towards the entrance of the tribute hall.
"Eh? Brother Xiaokang, look over there. Is that person coming out from inside Brother-in-law Yiming?"
Xiaoqi searched the crowd for a long time, and finally pointed to the front and said excitedly.
"Where is it? Where is it? Why can't I see it?" Xiaokang immediately looked in the direction Xiaoqi pointed.
"Right there! Brother-in-law Yiming has walked to the door, but he's blocked by the people next to him." Xiaoqi was so excited that she immediately went down to pull away the people who were blocking Zhao Yiming.
Following the direction Xiaoqi pointed, when the person next to him passed by, Tian An also saw Zhao Yiming who just walked out of the door.
"Yes, yes, yes, it's him, it's him!"
"Brother-in-law Yiming, this way, we are here..."
After confirming that they were the right person, the two boys excitedly stood on the carriage, shouting and waving.
Zhao Yiming actually noticed this.
Then, they saw Chen Feng and A Bing finally squeeze into the crowd and pick up Zhao Yiming.
The two men took Zhao Yiming's exam basket, protecting him from left and right, and finally managed to bring Zhao Yiming out from the crowded crowd at the door.
Although A Bing's hair was messed up and one of Chen Feng's shoes was squeezed off, Zhao Yiming was intact, not even his sleeves were wrinkled.
Seeing them coming out, Tian An and the other two hurriedly got off the carriage and headed over there.
"How's it going? Are you tired?"
"Are you thirsty or hungry?"
"Are you feeling unwell? Are you sick?"
"How's the cell I was assigned this time? It's not a stinky one, is it?"
......
Tian An asked a long series of questions in one breath.
Zhao Yiming kept smiling, and waited until she had finished asking before he slowly said, "I'm not tired, thirsty, or hungry. I'm in good health and not sick. I was lucky this time and didn't get a bad number..."
After hearing him answer all his questions one by one, Tian An breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm glad I didn't suffer."
Xiaokang pushed Chen Feng aside, came to Zhao Yiming with a smile, and pulled Zhao Yiming and said, "Brother-in-law Yiming, you don't know how worried I was about you during the past few days when you took the exam. Now that you came out well, I can finally rest assured."
"Yes! Ever since brother-in-law Yiming took the imperial examination, I have been worried and unable to sleep every day! I even eat half a bowl less of rice at every meal!" Xiaoqi also squeezed to the other side of Zhao Yiming and said like a little adult.
"Yes, and..."
......
Tian An was dumbfounded as she watched the two boys drag Zhao Yiming along with them, chattering away. What the hell was going on? When had she been unable to sleep? When had she skipped half a bowl of rice at every meal?
Why do you make her sound like a girl in love?
It’s obviously because I was too busy making mooncakes to eat or sleep.
Listening to the shocking words of these two boys, Tian An had become in everyone's eyes an image of a sweet wife who was looking forward to her husband coming home from away.
Even Zhao Yiming kept turning his head to examine her, as if to confirm what Xiaokang and Xiaoqi said.
Tian An was staring at him and it was difficult for her to admit it or deny it. She could only lower her head and glare at Xiao Kang. "You little bastard, you've learned to tease your sister, haven't you? Do you still want some chocolate?"
"Sister, I was wrong."
When it comes to chocolate, Xiaokang immediately gives in. He can't get along with anything, but he can't get along with chocolate!
She had just warned Xiaokang when she looked up and saw Zhao Yiming looking at her with a smile.
Tian An held his forehead with his hand, this was a big misunderstanding.
"Oh! By the way, did you see my cousin Yichen when you came out?" Tian An could only change the subject awkwardly.
Zhao Yiming shook his head. "There were too many people. Everyone was following me out. I didn't meet anyone I knew."
"We didn't meet grandma and the others either."
The main reason was that she was too busy these two days and didn't even think of asking the An family to come and pick someone up.
Besides, it’s really crowded here. Even if we come together, we will probably be squeezed apart in the end.
"Should we wait for them?" Zhao Yiming looked at Tian An, as if she was the one making the decision.
Tian An looked back at the crowded streets surrounding the Imperial Examination Hall and shook his head decisively, "Forget it! There are too many people here, and we may not be able to wait for anyone. Let's leave quickly and not cause trouble here.
Besides, you've been in there for nine days, so you must be tired. Let's go back and rest first, and then go to the Duke's Mansion another day."
Zhao Yiming nodded. He must go to the Duke's Mansion. He had already memorized the answers. He could then check the test questions with An Yichen and ask Duke An to comment on the article.
Although he was confident, the provincial examination was followed by the metropolitan examination, which did not allow for any carelessness.
The carriage was stuck in traffic and swayed all the way, and they only returned to the general's mansion when the sun was setting.
After Zhao Yiming took a bath in the medicinal bath that Tian An specially prepared for him to relieve fatigue, he finally felt refreshed and relaxed.
Living and eating in such a small place like the Imperial Examination Hall for nine days was very suffocating even for him, even though he was in good physical condition.
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