After the three of them boarded the ship and settled in, they soon heard a series of chaotic noises from the dock.
Gu Qingshan frowned and exchanged a glance with He Yingyuan. The group then quickly moved from the cabin to the deck.
The boat captain stood with his back straight, looking into the distance with a somewhat solemn expression.
"Boss, shall we set off now?" a helmsman asked.
The commotion on shore was too great, presumably related to the recent solar eclipse. This meant the government had increased patrols at the docks! What large ship of theirs didn't carry smuggled goods? Although these smuggled goods weren't the prohibited items we know today, they referred to anything not listed on the customs declaration form.
If we get caught, that would be bad!
The captain frowned and said, "Let's set off immediately. The sea has been calm these past few days, so there's nothing to worry about."
Having received the instructions, some crew members quickly went to notify the others.
The large ship set sail, and although it was a bit rushed, it was exactly what He Yingyuan wanted. Gazing into the distance, he thought that the person should also be on his way here, and he hoped to meet him.
Meanwhile, Liao Hongying also received news that this year's imperial examination would be postponed.
This news came from the village head, Chen Sheng. His youngest son, Chen Jinwen, returned and said that the teachers at the academy said so, and lamented that countless students would suffer!
Chen Jinwen was secretly delighted. That Scholar He, wasn't he? He even planned to participate in this year's provincial examination. Look at him, his plans are ruined! What good is knowledge alone? You also need good luck! He believed his own luck was exceptional!
Because he hadn't returned home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, he asked his teacher for leave and happily went home, immediately blurting out the news. However, his father and elder brother were very worried upon hearing this, saying that this would delay their village from producing a scholar!
Hmph, I don't know what's wrong with those two's brains? Once their son becomes a scholar, will they even know who they are? They're just wasting their time worrying about others...
Upon hearing the news, Liao Hongying was not particularly worried. Instead, she calmly comforted Liu and the others.
“Auntie, I think a few more months won’t make a difference. If my husband passes the exam, he will take the provincial exam next year, and our whole family will probably have to go with him. Won’t we have less time to spend together then? I’m quite reluctant to part with him. This is good. If it could be postponed a little longer, I would be very happy.”
After thinking about it carefully, Liu and the others realized that this was indeed the case.
If He Yingyuan passes the provincial examination, Liao Hongying will definitely go with him to participate in the metropolitan examination, which is in Lin'an! The current location of the royal court is not far from He County, but it is not close either, more than two hundred li away!
This isn't like later times, where you can leave in the morning and arrive in the evening. If you're in a hurry, it would take several days to measure the distance!
Unlike most men of this era who were solitary, He Xiucai valued his family highly. Therefore, Liao Hongying's suggestion that the whole family go together was probably a decision made by the couple.
"That's true, I really will miss you all!" Wu Chunhua was walking in from outside when she overheard this and couldn't help but say, "But if Master He passes the imperial examination, could he be assigned to be an official here? Wouldn't that be wonderful for everyone?"
Well, that's a bit of a stretch. After all, who can guess what the emperor is thinking?
However, with some maneuvering, it might not be impossible to send them over from elsewhere. Liao Hongying was also somewhat tempted after hearing this; that would be perfect!
The children have playmates, and she lives a relaxed and comfortable life. Now she can earn some extra money to supplement the family income, and she can also help her third sister brew wine. Otherwise, with her husband's meager salary, they would really be struggling to make ends meet. Neither she nor he intends to embezzle the people's hard-earned money.
"That's great! Let's wait and see if we pass the exam. If we can be sent here, that would be fantastic!"
Qin San Niang chuckled. Everyone knew that with He Xiucai's talent, passing the imperial examination was a piece of cake. However, getting to He County wouldn't be so easy, but they had a cooperative relationship and many connections.
Qin San Niang, of course, wouldn't let go of such a powerful backer, and would inevitably open a shop in his territory.
If it's a prosperous place, business will naturally be booming; if it's a barren place, that's okay too, you can open a grain shop or a seed shop...
Of course, that's a story for another time.
"Hongying, Chunhua, we're destined to be together. We'll definitely be together someday, so don't be sad. Even if Hongying leaves He County in the future, we'll still keep in touch. I'll be opening branches in various places, so how about you two become my managers?"
The two exchanged a glance, both overjoyed. "That's right! How come we didn't think of that! If that were the case, we wouldn't be so distant!"
After this lighthearted banter, everyone felt much more relaxed and went off to do their work.
Liao Hongying also told Qin Sanniang some good news: she had already figured out how to use the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow.
Upon hearing this, Qin San Niang was overjoyed and praised her repeatedly for her skill! Liao Hongying was embarrassed by the praise and quickly put down her work to take her to see.
"This is a model I made based on your drawings, Third Sister. Although it's a bit rough, it's incredibly powerful!"
Speaking of this, even Liao Hongying, who comes from a family of mechanical experts, was amazed! This Zhuge Repeating Crossbow is indeed not something an ordinary person could design! Although the weapon is small, its power is enormous. After pressing the trigger, it can fire six arrows in succession, making it extremely difficult for the enemy to escape! If it is coated with poison, then escaping would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
I wonder if my father's torrential rain of pear blossoms can compare to this? If I could see my father and the others, Liao Hongying felt that she would definitely have to show off in front of them.
Although the crossbow in her hand was a crude product, in Qin Sanniang's eyes it was already very good, very similar to the kind she had seen in the military museum in her previous life.
The only drawback is that the arrows are made of wood, not iron. If arrows with iron tips could be made, they would be an absolute weapon.
Qin San Niang couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "It is truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship!"
Liao Hongying breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the other party's approval. She had been worried that she might not meet San Niang's expectations.
The two got together again to discuss some details, and Liao Hongying nodded frequently. She could always get some better ideas from San Niang.
Qin San Niang asked her to make a few more, and she naturally wouldn't refuse, but she didn't intend to accept any labor fees.
Third Sister helped them a lot, and this was her own hobby, so there was no reason for her to accept money.
Seeing the strong refusal in her words, Qin San Niang had no choice but to give up. However, she and He Xiucai were currently bound by other interests, so there was no need to rush...
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