Chapter 87 Paper-wrapped Shaomai - Ninth Brother is Number One
As February arrived, the weather grew warmer day by day.
At noon, the big willow tree at the alley entrance sprouted new branches, tender green like smoke. Aunt Gu and several other neighbors sat under the tree doing needlework and picking vegetables, the warm sun shining on their bodies. They also called out to the boy selling apricot blossoms on the street to buy a few flowers to wear.
Taking advantage of the lull in customers at midday, Shen Miao led Lei Ting and Zhui Feng out for a stroll, and overheard them having a very heartfelt and enthusiastic discussion about the variety show that has been a hit since last year and is still packed to capacity this year.
Aunt Gu was sewing shoe soles when she casually asked, "How many acts of 'Lord Wang Divorces His Wife' are they on? I haven't been to see it for two days. The theater is so slow at rehearsing. They only put on one act every seven or eight days. I'm so eager to see the end."
"They've reached the twelfth act, 'Pan Niang Falls into the Water and Loses Her Child.' It's about how Pan Niangzi was slandered by that hateful concubine, fell into the water, and lost her child. That Master Wang even protected the concubine and berated Pan Niangzi. It really made my teeth itch. I wanted to rush onto the stage, drag that actor playing Master Wang down, and give him a good beating!" Grandma Zeng said angrily.
Sister-in-law Gu sighed, "It's so pitiful. Madam Pan shouldn't have been so soft-hearted as to let that maid into the house. If she hadn't, this disaster wouldn't have happened."
Aunt Gu snorted heavily, slapping her shoe sole loudly: "In my opinion, the root of the trouble still lies with that Master Wang. We should tell Madam Pan to go to the yamen to sue him. Last time, when the young scoundrel from the Shen family came to our house, he even muttered something about 'those who take their wives as concubines shall be punished with a hundred strokes of the cane.' We should have the magistrate beat that Master Wang to death!"
Shen Miao was dragged by two dogs past the aunties, managing to greet them briefly. However, they were too engrossed in their discussion, so Aunt Gu gave a perfunctory reply without even looking up: "Oh, eldest sister, walking the dogs... What? That Master Wang actually dared to divorce his wife for his concubine? Damn it! Who wrote this lousy play? It's infuriating! Madam Pan should sue him, give the yamen runners more money, give him a good beating, and then marry someone better! What's the point of keeping such a petty scoundrel around!"
"Even if you don't report him to the authorities, you should send a message back to your parents' home and ask your brothers to come and teach him a lesson with sticks!"
"Exactly! That bastard deserves to be killed!"
The wind carried the increasingly excited voices of the aunties, and Shen Miao, who was busy making money all day and never watched plays, suddenly realized—so there were TV series in ancient times too!
I thought each act of a play was a complete story, but thinking about it, it makes sense. There are also serial plays in Peking Opera, and many Yuan Dynasty plays feature Bao Zheng as the main character. It seems that in the eyes of the ancients, watching plays was probably the same as following dramas in later generations.
Moreover, they were watching live, with the actors right in front of them. They heard that the most popular actor in the theaters, "Mo Ni," was the leading man in later generations. After Mo Ni finished his performance, not only were silks and silver coins thrown all over the stage, but it was also said that even his stage hat was adorned with paper money bestowed by noblewomen.
Shen Miao walked the dog for half an hour and returned home panting and sweating profusely.
These days, she takes Lei Teng and Zhui Feng out for a walk whenever she has a spare moment, which she considers a form of aerobic exercise. The two dogs are getting heavier and heavier. Last time she hugged Lei Teng, she suspected he weighed 70 pounds, and Zhui Feng was about 40 pounds. When the two dogs run together, it's really hard to hold them back.
In the Shen family's courtyard, Atao was sweeping the floor, while three chickens strolled leisurely around, clucking as they searched for insects. The idlers, along with Shiyilang and Shierniang, went out to deliver fast food. Ever since Shierniang arrived, Shen Miao had returned the donkey cart they had previously rented, and now the two of them were pulling two "food carts" together to deliver meals.
Unfortunately, Dwarf Toothbear hadn't found her a good cook yet, which was giving Shen Miao a headache. Fortunately, the stove for the half-shop was almost finished, and the iron pots were made. Everything was ready except for a strong and capable cook.
Fortunately, Aunt Li and Uncle Li had successfully boarded the ship and headed south. Shen Miao escorted them all the way to the outer city water gate, and only went home after listening to Aunt Li's chatter for almost half an hour.
When she returned, the donkey shed was a bit emptier: Zhou Da had already set off for Chenzhou with Jiu Ge'er's thick stack of letters from home and Rolls-Royce.
So, only one calf remained in the donkey shed, standing by the trough eating soft, juicy, and nutritious alfalfa. It was already half-weaned, and now almost all of the milk produced by Twelve Mother was used for human consumption.
After the calf is weaned, Niu Sanshi said that the cow can continue to produce milk for nearly seven or eight months. Although the amount of milk will gradually decrease, she can still produce about ten kilograms of milk by milking twice a day.
When Niu Sanshi was milking the cows, he would sing songs for them, saying that listening to the songs would make them milk more. Although his singing was completely off-key and sounded like a saw, even Zhuifeng covered his ears, but strangely, Shierniang seemed to be fine, and even swayed her tail and shook her head to the irregular tune.
I guess I've been used to hearing it since I was a child.
Thanks to Shen Shierniang, the family has now achieved milk freedom.
Shen Miao made sure her children drank a cup of hot milk every morning, and the effect was remarkable. Ji Ge'er and Chen Chuan grew rapidly. The pillars on the corridor recorded the height of the three children, and when you counted the two of them, each mark was wider than the last.
Xiangjie grew a little slower than them, but she was still quite a bit taller. Atao said that Xiangjie's sleeves were too short, so she would find a time to sew them on. Xiangjie's baby fat had also mostly disappeared as she grew taller, and now she looked like a big girl.
Shen Miao would brew a cup of milk tea every few days, adding old ginger, brown sugar, red dates, and longan, which was very nourishing. However, she couldn't drink it every day, for fear of getting a sore throat.
Once inside, Shen Miao took off the dog leashes and let the two dogs play on their own. Then she went inside to wipe her sweat and change into some clean underwear. She was drenched in sweat from walking the dogs; it was hard to tell who was walking whom.
When she came out, she glanced at the window of Ji Ge'er's room. He was sitting at the table against the wall, writing furiously. The academy was going to start in a few days, and Shen Miao only found out that the professor had assigned them several "winter break assignments". She had enjoyed the Spring Festival holiday, but now she realized that she hadn't written a single one. She was in a hurry and was holed up in there every day to catch up.
Shen Miao never cared whether Ji Ge'er did his homework or not; it was all up to his self-discipline. First, she couldn't teach Ji Ge'er anything at all; she couldn't even write an essay based on a single sentence from the Four Books and Five Classics. Second, studying ultimately depends on oneself most of the time, and cramming education has many drawbacks.
So... you have to do your own homework, and you have to take full responsibility for whether you learn well or poorly.
However, there was someone else in the room watching over Ji Ge'er's homework.
A cat was perched on Xie Qi's head, standing next to Ji Ge'er, bending slightly to read his writing, occasionally tapping the paper and softly correcting something.
The light filtering through the window made his profile appear smooth, fair, and clean; near his ear, one could even see a few fine hairs in the light.
Shen Miao's throat bobbed, and suddenly a word came to mind: fresh and juicy.
Today he was also wearing a wide-sleeved silk robe with auspicious bird and beast patterns, tied at the waist with a belt, so that the skirt was curved and wrapped around his body, making him look tall and thin, as upright as a new bamboo shoot in spring, tender, as if the bamboo still had dew on it.
Shen Miao had already noticed that the Song people also dressed in a style that was both fashionable and nostalgic. Ninth Brother's outfit was a typical Wei-Jin style robe, and all he was missing was a lacquered gauze canopy hat.
As for Ninth Brother, he had been cooped up in his house for the past two days, and only regained his senses after writing a letter home.
Shen Miao had no idea what he wrote in the letter, but it stretched the envelope into the shape of a brick, so thick that the opening couldn't be sealed. Shen Miao watched as he folded another envelope, barely managed to slip it through the opening, and then dripped wax onto it to seal it.
You know, people at that time wrote letters very concisely. Why write so many words when you're just asking Madam Xie to find a matchmaker? Shen Miao, this honest and simple person, couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he thought about it.
Xie Qi still hasn't told her.
But thank goodness he finally recovered and was talking and laughing like usual, only he seemed a little more clingy than before. As long as Shen Miao wasn't busy in the kitchen, Ninth Brother would be within three steps of her.
He didn't do much; he arrived early to teach Xiangjie martial arts, then helped Jige with his homework, groomed and fed Qilin, or helped with bookkeeping and served as a waiter in the shop. He was content and perfectly integrated himself into the Shen family's life.
That's why sometimes when Shen Miao loses sight of Ninth Brother, she can't help but wonder, "Where did Ninth Brother go?"
The clear, melodious voice of Ninth Brother could be faintly heard coming from the window:
"The saying 'A gentleman is not a vessel' is not difficult to break down, but Ji-ge'er, your discussion based solely on 'A gentleman should not be confined to one skill, but should be well-versed in many things to achieve great things' is somewhat narrow-minded. Think about it: 'Vessel' refers to a tangible tool. But is the virtue of a gentleman a tangible and substantial tool? A gentleman aspires to the Way, abides by virtue, relies on benevolence, and roams in the arts; his virtue is vast and boundless, unlike a tool. This aspect needs to be understood. Finally, how can one achieve anything without action? You should also consider how a gentleman puts this into practice."
After a pause, Xie Qi carefully summarized for him:
"Questions involving deconstructing characters and words must be analyzed layer by layer, with both positive and negative arguments; there won't be just one layer of meaning. Ultimately, it must be grounded in reality. Writing about practical matters is impossible if it's all empty talk. Only by having the people's livelihood and the world at heart can you elevate the theme of your writing. Ji-ge, you must remember that taking the imperial examination to enter officialdom means becoming an official. As an official, you must abandon the mindset of being a commoner and view the affairs of the world from the perspective of an official. Keep this in mind when answering exam questions to write well."
Upon hearing this, Ji Ge'er indeed understood and quickly picked up his pen to write.
This not only involved analyzing specific problems but also teaching methodology! Even Shen Miao, listening through the window, understood and felt even more relieved—with a cheat code like Ninth Brother, Ji Ge'er's pressing winter vacation homework was practically guaranteed.
She turned around, stretched as she walked, and quickly went into the kitchen. She glanced around the kitchen, took the fresh ingredients the vendor had brought, and began preparing dinner.
Today is a rare occasion; she is the only one in the kitchen.
Fuxing and Tang Er took Yanshu to inquire about the results, and they haven't returned yet. Shen Miao only sent Tang Er and Fuxing to inquire after hearing that the results were about to be released.
Otherwise, Ninth Brother wouldn't have even thought to inquire about it!
She was even more nervous than him. As for Ninth Brother, he was still in the mood to tutor Ji-ge with his homework, leisurely and carefree, not caring at all. He looked indifferent as if he wasn't the one who had taken the imperial examination before.
Shen Miao originally thought he was very calm and composed, that it was his naturally steady nature. Unexpectedly, Yan Shu, while munching on a pineapple bun with butter, picked up crumbs and stuffed them into his mouth while casually replying, "Don't worry, Madam Shen. With Ninth Brother's fate, it's already a great blessing if he can finish the exam. Whether he passes or not doesn't matter."
A single sentence reveals the person in the dream.
Xie Qi smiled and nodded, "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Shen Miao didn't care; he could finally let go of his worries after the exam, but he still had to check his scores. The outside world was already buzzing with excitement about it. Early in the morning, many scholars lingered near the examination hall, hoping to be the first to see the results. There were even people specifically there to help others check the results, carrying paper and pen, pacing back and forth like donkeys pulling a millstone.
As for Xiang Jie'er, Chen Chuan, and You Yu.
They're all busy too.
Chen Chuan went to learn law from Lawyer Deng. Xiang Jie finished her martial arts practice in the morning by tying sandbags to her stances, then took Yu, Gou'er, and Liu Douhua to play at Gu Dalang's house. She heard that Gu Dalang had also caught a black and white puppy for A Bao and his younger brother. It was just weaned, hadn't even grown teeth yet, and was all fluffy and round. It would trip over its own feet and quickly roll into a ball.
Their own dog was no longer cute, but the three of them adored someone else's puppy. They went to see it for ages and didn't come back, even having lunch at Gu Dalang's house. Shen Miao stuck her head out of the alley and called out, but no one came back. Finally, Gu Dalang poked his head out from his doorway, holding a large bowl: "Sister, don't call anymore, the children ate at my house."
Well, Shen Miao shook his head and let it go.
Now, she started chopping bamboo shoots into small pieces. These days, people are already selling freshly sprouted bamboo shoots on the street; they're at their most tender and fragrant then. Although they're a bit pricey, Shen Miao couldn't resist buying a few.
A few customers came in and ordered soup noodles, so she put down what she was doing to cook noodles for them first. When she brought them out, a familiar customer noticed that she had changed the bowls and chopsticks and praised, "Madam Chen, are the new bowls you changed to Chenzhou pottery? I can tell at a glance. Such good glaze is rare in Bianjing."
Shen Miao smiled and said, "You are a person of taste."
"I'm not particular, it's just that there's a porcelain shop next door to my house, and I've seen this kind of black pottery before, and it's not cheap."
Shen Miao didn't say much, but smiled and cupped her hands in greeting: "Please enjoy your meal."
Then more customers arrived, one after another. Shen Miao made more than ten bowls of noodles in a row, and even the braised meat in the shop was sold out. Suddenly, many people ran towards the Imperial Street, followed by the lively sounds of gongs and drums. It seemed that the results had been announced.
A little while later, Tang Er, carrying the inkstone with his hands gesturing wildly, and Fu Xing, ran back panting heavily. The three of them returned almost at the same time as the messenger who was banging the gong to announce the good news.
Back then, Shen Miao was still wrapping paper-wrapped shumai in the kitchen.
Tonight's main dish will be paper-wrapped shumai, and I'll also stir-fry a couple of side dishes. That'll be a simple meal for tonight. Yesterday, Shen Miao consulted with the whole family and we'll have a barbecue for supper. Even if Ninth Brother didn't pass the exam, it's a Shen family tradition to celebrate as long as he did.
Why did she suddenly crave shumai? Actually, it was because she made lotus leaf sticky rice chicken a few days ago, and while eating it, she suddenly remembered shumai and her craving arose.
I bought all the ingredients today and immediately got to work.
Shen Miao didn't care whether this was more suitable for breakfast or not; she wanted to eat it whenever she felt like it, regardless of whether it was earlier or later.
Since shumai is essentially a staple food wrapped around another staple food, wouldn't it be perfect to eat it as the main dish for a meal?
She had just kneaded the dough with finely sifted flour and was letting it rest under a damp cloth. Actually, the wrappers for paper-skin shumai are just very thin dumpling wrappers, and the method is the same.
Shen Miao did it very skillfully.
As for the filling for shumai, Shenmiao prefers the rich kind. In later generations, there are many ways to make shumai. Some shumai may only use glutinous rice, but Shenmiao will add pork, fresh bamboo shoots, diced shiitake mushrooms, salted egg yolks, and sometimes dried plum vegetables.
First, dice the pork belly and fry it in hot oil until the fat renders. Then, add diced carrots, bamboo shoots, soaked and chopped shiitake mushrooms, and other seasonings and stir-fry until fragrant and steaming. Then, add the following seasonings: soy sauce, five-spice powder, half a spoonful of sugar, and a little homemade bean paste—this is to replace the oyster sauce that you don't have yet.
Next, pour the pre-steamed glutinous rice into the filling and mix well. Use your clean hands to shape it into a ball, place it in a thin, translucent dumpling wrapper, and pinch it to make pleats like you would when making a bun.
Wrap it up and steam it directly in the pot.
It smells especially good when it's steaming, and soon the whole kitchen is filled with the aroma of paper-wrapped shumai.
Shen Miao continued to buy another basket when she suddenly heard music playing outside the shop.
Yan Shu rushed in, excitedly shouting, "Wow! It smells so good... No, Madam Chen, Ninth Brother passed the exam! Ninth Brother got first place! Ninth Brother is first place!"
"First place!" Shen Miao was overjoyed. She immediately put down the glutinous rice balls and dumpling wrappers in her hands, wiped her hands, and came out. Ji Ge'er and Xie Qi also came out after hearing the commotion.
No, everyone in the entire alley came out.
"Scholar, we've got a scholar in our Willow Lane now!"
Yan Shu served the messenger of good news even faster than Shen Miao. When Shen Miao came out, Yan Shu had already skillfully poured tea and collected the reward money for the messenger, his eyes crinkling with joy: "Thank you so much! Please sit down and have some tea—"
Although Yanshu is a glutton, he used to take care of all the meals and lodging when he went out with Ninth Brother, so he had already developed the courage to socialize with people.
When he went out with Ninth Brother, he also had to manage most of Ninth Brother's money. After all, Ninth Brother was often cheated. Sometimes, when people on the street sold themselves to bury their fathers, he would see them crying pitifully and think of giving them some money. But the dead father would immediately jump up, snatch his money bag, and run away.
There were also stories of people trying to commit suicide by jumping into rivers, kidnapped children without money to return home, and pitiful children who had run away from home due to abuse by their stepmothers… After being scammed so many times, Ninth Brother became more wary, but then he would encounter even more outrageous scams. So he developed a habit of giving half of his money to Yanshu when he went out, so that even if he was scammed or robbed of all his money, at least Yanshu would still have some to use.
Yan Shu, encountering such a great event today, was not stingy. He took out a piece of silver as a reward for each of them, which made the messengers beam with joy, and auspicious words seemed to come out of their mouths as if they were free.
After those people left, neighbors came in to offer their congratulations.
Xie Qi was immediately submerged in the vast ocean of the people.
The old women and aunties in the alley pulled him up and down, and several old women held onto his right hand and tried to touch his hair with their other hand, saying they wanted to absorb Xie Qi's good mind and literary talent so they could pass it on to their grandsons.
After being ravaged by the neighbors, Xie Qi's hair was a mess.
Grandma Zeng said regretfully, "If you weren't engaged to our eldest sister, I would really like to introduce my niece to you. Although my niece is not as capable as our eldest sister, she is not bad either."
Xie Qi blushed, but firmly shook his head and said, "Thank you, Granny Zeng, but I only wish to marry Madam Shen."
Shen Miao felt embarrassed as her aunts immediately surrounded her, asking when she would get engaged and when she would get married, and even calculating the auspicious day for her to give birth.
In fact, Shen Miao has no idea how the news spread. It seems that overnight, every household in the alley knows that Xie Qi is going to get engaged to her.
She asked Aunt Gu where she heard it from, and Aunt Gu said it was Aunt Li who told her. She then asked Aunt Li where she heard it from, and Aunt Li retorted, "This is a good thing! What's there to be afraid of! The Xie family is so kind!"
That being said, how exactly did it get out?
Every day, Shen Miao was teased as he went in and out of the alley, his face numb from smiling. But since Ninth Brother's soul had returned, he seemed to revel in these "rumors." People would see him and say congratulations, and he would smile and reply with the same joy. If someone said, "You're so lucky, your eldest sister is so capable," he would naturally reply that he was the one who was lucky to have her. If someone asked when they would get married, he would jokingly say that he would definitely send them an invitation.
The answer was flawless.
But back in the courtyard, he was once again the young man who would blush when he looked at her. Sometimes, when no one was looking, Shen Miao would simply pull his hand and hold it, and he would immediately turn into a boiled shrimp, blushing from his forehead to his chest—of course, Shen Miao didn't see his chest, but since his entire neck and collarbone were red, she could reasonably guess.
The more he acted this way, the more she enjoyed teasing him.
Sometimes when no one was in the yard, she would occasionally hug him from behind, then quickly run away. After that, Ninth Brother would be absent-minded all day, bumping into pillars and doors and tripping over things. It was so funny.
After seeing the neighbors off with good tea and snacks, Shen Miao told Tang Er and A Tao to take Yan Shu into the kitchen to eat shumai, and not to join in the fun. She also asked Fu Xing to go to Gu Dalang's house and call all the children back.
For a moment, only she and Xie Qi remained in the courtyard.
The wind quieted down. The two stood facing each other. Shen Miao noticed that his hair had been loosened by the old women, so she stepped forward and raised her hand to smooth his frizzy hair. Unexpectedly, Xie Qi pulled her into his arms.
He bent down slightly, as if he were holding a Qilin, and rested his chin on her shoulder.
Shen Miao opened her arms and hugged him back: "That's so good. Things will definitely get better and better from now on, and it won't be as difficult as before."
“So it turns out I have moments when I’m blessed by heaven.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the shumai scent on her, and murmured, “I was worried before that I would be a burden to you.”
"How could that be? Ever since I met you, my luck has been getting better and better. I guess you're destined to bring good fortune to your wife." Shen Miao listened to his heartbeat and leaned against his chest with a smile.
Xie Qi's chest was mostly hard, but with some muscle elasticity. Shen Miao couldn't help but rub her cheek against his clothes.
Suddenly, the kitchen door was slammed shut with a loud bang, and there seemed to be chaos inside. Shen Miao blushed and quickly pushed Xie Qi away.
Xie Qi's arm froze in mid-air, maintaining the embracing posture with a hint of regret, but he quickly smiled again as Shen Miao, pretending to be nonchalant, pushed open the kitchen door.
Atao and Tang Er scattered like birds and beasts, pacing back and forth in the kitchen as if they were suddenly very busy.
Only Yan Shu sat blankly on the small stool by the stove, intently eating shumai. When Shen Miao came in, he held up half a large shumai in his hand and excitedly exclaimed, "Madam Shen, this is just as delicious as glutinous rice chicken. I almost swallowed my tongue when I ate it."
Shen Miao was amused by him: "Yan Shu, is there anything you don't like to eat?"
Yan Shu was stumped by the question and thought seriously for a moment before replying, "No."
He laughed heartlessly, "I love them all! Especially the ones made by Madam Shen, they're the best and my absolute favorite!"
Yan Shu's world seemed very simple, consisting only of delicious food and Ninth Brother. After saying that, he contentedly held the shumai and began to chew it heartily.
Shen Miao also went over, used bamboo tongs to take a few out of the steamer, tasted one herself, and nodded.
It's good, no disaster. I originally thought that without oyster sauce, I couldn't make it taste this fresh and flavorful, but using soybean paste instead has a unique flavor.
After steaming, the shumai wrappers are as thin as paper, and the meat oil inside makes them glisten and translucent. They are soft, glutinous, and fragrant, and look beautiful when displayed, making them more delicious than ordinary shumai.
Moreover, the dumplings are quite large, heavy and substantial, and even an adult can be full after eating two or three. Each dumpling in the first steamer contains half a salted egg yolk wrapped around a grain of glutinous rice, giving it a slightly sandy and moist texture.
The second basket of dumplings contained a few more dried plum vegetables. Each bite was full of savory, fragrant, soft, and chewy flavor, and tasted quite good.
Moreover, the preserved mustard greens are incredibly fragrant when steamed. After Shen Miao steamed them, she took them out, and the alley was soon filled with their aroma. The fragrance was so strong that Aunt Gu brought over some of her homemade rice noodles to exchange for a few to take home and eat. She even tugged at her clothes, which had become tighter around her waist, and complained to Shen Miao with a smile, "Big sister, you make so many delicious things every day, even your aunt has gotten fat."
Ever since Shen Miao opened her shop, Aunt Gu has frequently come to buy soup noodles and mutton, and later she also likes to buy roast duck, as she's too lazy to cook at home. Moreover, the two heartless men in her family, having gotten used to Shen Miao's cooking, have become picky eaters and have started complaining that her cooking isn't good anymore.
Enraged, Aunt Gu locked the door from the inside that day and told them both to go to the winery, sleep on the floor, and never come back.
After a while, Aunt Gu brought in some shumai and took one to Gu Tusu, who was minding the shop in the front. She tentatively asked, "Is your eldest daughter engaged to Xie's ninth son?"
Gu Tusu wiped the sweat from his brow with the handkerchief around his neck, picked up a steamed dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth. After finishing it, he nodded and said, "It's pretty good. That scholar from the Xie family seems quite upright."
Seeing his calm expression, Aunt Gu breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that you can let it go."
Gu Tusu carefully rolled the wine jar, muttering, "What's there for me to be upset about?"
After Aunt Gu returned to the backyard, he straightened up and looked at the bustling street at dusk.
Strangely enough, ever since he committed that great act during the Lotus Festival, his feelings for Sister Shen gradually changed, and those old emotions seemed to vanish with the ripples on the water. Perhaps it was because he could no longer find any trace of her in her.
After that, his heart no longer ached. It was as if everything had passed, even the eldest sister in his dreams had disappeared from his dreams.
He never dreamed of her again.
But her eldest sister was right in front of her! She was living her life happily across the street. Gu Tusu was sometimes confused and couldn't figure out what was going on.
***
On the post road from Chenzhou to Bianjing, Cui Wanniang, dressed in Hu-style men's clothing with a mustache, was about to lead her people out of the city on horseback.
She sat on the saddle horse, which was bound with her luggage, her hands gripping the reins tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force. She held back her tears, but never looked back.
The twilight was dim and yellowish.
By the city gate, there was a tung oil carriage with a lantern bearing the character "Cui" hanging on it. The curtain was half rolled up, so the people inside could not be seen. However, the maid standing next to the carriage was the personal maid who served the eldest daughter of the Cui family.
The shadow of the carriage was stretched long and slanted, with half of it falling onto the city wall.
Cui Wanniang swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth, straightened her back, and gently shook the reins to urge the horse forward.
The clatter of hooves kicked up dust.
As the horse sped up, she moved further and further away from the city gate, and the carriage became increasingly blurry and tiny amidst the swirling yellow dust.
Cui Wanniang thought that after handing over the dividend money to Shen Niangzi, she had to return to Youzhou immediately and couldn't delay any longer.
She had secretly visited her mother several times in Chenzhou these past few days, but now they had to part ways. The journey ahead was long and uncertain, and she didn't know when she would see her mother again. But she dared not look back, afraid that even a single glance at her mother would rob her of the courage to continue her journey.
She could only grit her teeth and secretly vow in her heart: one day, she would accomplish something that would be unforgettable, so that she could reunite with her mother in a dignified manner.
Meanwhile, inside the Fu Ning Palace within the Imperial Palace.
After reviewing the memorials submitted today, Zhao Boyun allocated hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to build soup noodle workshops in Yanzhou, Mozhou and other places. The imperial treasury, which had just been filled, was now more than half empty again.
He couldn't help but feel sorry for the money; it was just too easily spent.
Moreover, the remaining ones couldn't be saved either—the mission that opened up the Western Regions for him was also about to depart.
Zhao Boyun sighed silently.
After sitting for a while, I could vaguely hear the hustle and bustle of the marketplace outside the palace walls, which seemed much more lively than usual, with lots of chatter.
By the way, today is the day the results of the provincial examination are released.
He was so busy building a workshop for General Yue that he forgot about it.
After recalling this, Zhao Boyun turned to Liang Qian with some curiosity and asked, "Who was the top scorer in this year's provincial examination? Have the essays of the top three candidates been submitted to the palace yet?"
This year, he added a special examination for officialdom on an unexpected occasion, so he attached greater importance to it than in previous years. Moreover, in order to pave the way for those from humble backgrounds, he had also prohibited several aristocratic families from taking the imperial examinations for three generations. Without the sons of powerful families like the Guo, Xue, Xu, and Jiang this year, it is likely that more talented individuals from humble backgrounds will be admitted to the list.
He looked at Liang Qian expectantly, only to see Liang Qian give a slightly embarrassed smile: "The top spot goes to Xie Qi, from the Xie clan of Chen Commandery; next is Meng Qingyuan, who is the son of a wealthy farmer. His father spent money to buy a position as a junior official, which allowed him to study at the Biyong Academy. But apart from him... all those ranked one through twenty-three on the list are, without exception, sons of aristocratic families..."
Zhao Boyun choked.
He has already increased the number of scholars and even confiscated the titles of the most powerful clans, yet it's still the same! Only one person, only one person.
He let out a long sigh.
It's difficult to expect a child from a poor family to become a successful person in a short period of time!
"Bring in both Xie Qi's and Meng Qingyuan's papers. I want to see just how well Xie Qi can write."
Zhao Boyun was still unconvinced. His face, already as black as the bottom of a pot, sat on the throne with a gloomy expression. He waved his hand and said, "No, bring in all the papers from the top ten of the A-rank list."
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