Dashi Village.
"Are you kidding me? Xiaomai is engaged?"
"Yes, she is indeed engaged to a young master in Kyoto."
Wheat actually booked a young master from Kyoto! Doesn't this person think Wheat is stupid?
There are caravans from Linzhen heading to Shasha County, and the caravans will naturally bring the news back.
"Is there something wrong with this young master?"
"This person is no ordinary individual!"
"You passed the exam at such a young age? That's incredible!"
"He's a Jinshi (进士), not a Xiucai (秀才)? He's not even eighteen years old yet; it's not easy to pass the Xiucai exam!"
"He is indeed a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination). After all, he is from the capital. He should be different from the students here."
"Is it really settled? It can't be a rumor, can it?"
"The engagement banquet has already been held, so it must be real, right?"
The villagers were all talking about it, sighing with regret. When they chatted, they would talk about Chen Xiaomai. Many people felt that although Lu Lin had power and Chen Xiaocai had money, Chen Xiaomai was foolish and probably wouldn't find anyone good. Even if Chen Xiaomi found Chen Xiaomai a good match, she would most likely be someone who was loyal to one side but not to the other.
Upon hearing that Chen Xiaomai had also married so well, the villagers were speechless.
“This young man that Chen Xiaomai chose has passed the imperial examination at a young age. Isn’t he destined to become an official?”
"If someone passes the imperial examination and becomes a Jinshi, they should be able to become an official. I've heard that they have connections above them, so becoming an official will probably be easier for them than for others."
"If Chen Xiaomai becomes an official, then Xiaomai will become an official's wife."
"Wow, this is incredible! I never expected Chen Xiaomai to be so amazing."
Lu Lin and Chen Xiaocai are both highly capable, a fact widely acknowledged by the villagers. However, Chen Xiaomai is seen by many as a lazy bum, and the fact that someone who does nothing has risen to such heights is hard for many villagers to accept.
Tang stood to one side, listened to the villagers chat for a while, and then left silently.
Lu Chengyu also participated in the autumn imperial examination, but still failed.
Perhaps it was Lu Lin's appointment as an official that gave Lu Chengyu a great sense of urgency. After the last autumn imperial examination, Lu Chengyu had been studying. However, the autumn imperial examination was a matter of great chance.
The students in Kyoto had access to past exam papers and exquisite essays written by renowned scholars, while for a country student like Lu Chengyu, such things were expensive and difficult to obtain. The two sides were simply not on the same starting line.
Lu Chengyu failed the exam again, but he was still single-mindedly focused on his future.
However, Tang hoped that Lu Chengyu would open a school and become a teacher.
While Tang hoped that Lu Chengyu would pass the imperial examination and be promoted to a higher official rank, the possibility of him failing was also quite high.
Lu Chengyu's spending was too extravagant; the family's hard-earned savings were used up by buying more than half of the money on a single book.
Tang hadn't seen meat in a long time and was craving it. She heard that in the next village, there was an old scholar who hadn't even passed the county-level imperial examination, but he was making a lot of money teaching a few children to read. People in the village would give him fish and meat every day. Tang was tempted. If an old scholar could make so much money, her son, who was a county-level imperial examination graduate, would surely be no worse off.
Although Tang was tempted, she dared not mention it to Lu Chengyu, fearing that she would upset him.
When Tang heard that Chen Xiaomai had actually found a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), her first reaction was disbelief. In recent years, the villagers had always thought that Lu Lin was promising, and Tang secretly thought that Lu Lin was capable as well. However, she deceived herself into thinking that Lu Lin was nothing special, just someone who took a crooked path, not the proper way, and that her own son was the proper scholar.
Upon suddenly hearing that Chen Xiaomai, that fool, had found a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), Tang felt extremely uncomfortable, and also simply couldn't believe it.
Lu Lin's official position was bought. Tang Shi always thought that Lu Chengyu was the most studious person in the village. In the end, Chen Xiaomai, that fool, was able to find a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), while her own son had worked hard for so many years but had not passed the Jinshi exam. Although Tang Shi was reluctant to believe it, she felt very uncomfortable seeing the villagers talking so confidently.
When Tang returned home, she saw Li Fangyue feeding the chickens, with two maids circling around her.
Tang became somewhat angry upon seeing Li Fangyue, "Where is Cheng Yu?"
"I'm reading a book."
After the Li family's downfall, Li Fangyue's status in the Lu family plummeted. The story of Lu Chengyu giving Li Fangyue dozens of taels of silver back then has now become a joke. The relationship between Li Fangyue and Lu Chengyu has become increasingly strained in recent years, and the couple can't stand each other. Tang Shi walked into the study and saw Lu Chengyu.
Lu Chengyu's hair was a little messy, her eyes were sunken, and she looked somewhat haggard.
Mrs. Tang was vaguely worried. For the sake of the autumn examination, Lu Chengyu had become so engrossed in his studies that he neglected to eat and sleep. Mrs. Tang was naturally happy that her son was focused on his studies, but she always felt that her son was going a little overboard. Before, she saw Lu Chengyu staring at his books without turning the pages, and he would be looking at them for a whole day.
"Mother, you're back."
Mrs. Tang nodded, and said with some concern, "Yes! Cheng Yu, don't work too hard."
Lu Chengyu slammed his fist on the table. "This is so unfair!"
He tried so hard, but still failed miserably. Lu Lin, on the other hand, just because he had some money, became an official, and his position kept getting higher and higher.
Without Lu Lin as a comparison, Lu Chengyu, this scholar, would be considered a figure in the village. However, with Lu Lin as a comparison, Lu Chengyu becomes a joke.
Lu Chengyu was quite confident about participating in the autumn imperial examination, but he failed again. Lu Chengyu didn't think it was his fault at all. He felt that officials protected each other and the court was corrupt, so there was no chance for a poor boy like him to stand out.
Seeing Lu Chengyu like this, Tang was quite worried.
Lu Chengyu glanced at Tang Shi and said, "They said that Chen Xiaomai found a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)?"
Mrs. Tang smiled awkwardly and said, "Yes! But it was probably just a joke."
Lu Chengyu gritted his teeth and said, "It may not be a joke. I heard that a Jinshi named Ji Yun'an came from the capital this year. This guy is only sixteen years old and is the youngest among those who passed the imperial examination this year. After passing the examination, he was dissatisfied with his ranking and gave up his ranking to prepare to take the exam again in three years."
Mrs. Tang stared in astonishment, unable to comprehend that there could be such a person. He had clearly passed the exam, yet he gave up his ranking. This person was utterly despicable.
"This person is so capable, it's unlikely he would be interested in Chen Xiaomai," Tang murmured.
Lu Chengyu thought to himself: Ji Yun'an's uncle is a member of the border patrol battalion, and Chen Xiaomai is in Shaxian. It is possible that they have come into contact with each other. The merchants who returned from Shaxian spoke with such confidence, so it is probably not just empty talk.
Lu Chengyu gritted his teeth, feeling as if his internal organs were being twisted into a knot. He could tolerate Lu Lin, but Chen Xiaomai was an idiot, so why should she be allowed to do this?
Looking at Lu Chengyu's face, Madam Tang murmured, "This is just an engagement, not a marriage. Even if it were a marriage, she might be divorced. I think this young master is probably just playing with Chen Xiaomai. With such good conditions, why would he marry a fool?"
Lu Chengyu squinted and said, "Perhaps there is some hidden ailment."
The Chen family.
Old Mrs. Chen said sullenly, "Is everyone in the village saying that Chen Xiaomai is going to marry a young master from the capital?"
Zhang Yuehong nodded and said, "Yes! It's said that the news was brought back by a caravan that went to Shaxian."
Old Mrs. Chen snorted and said, "It's mostly nonsense. Back then, when Lu Chengyu married Li Fangyue, Old Mrs. Lu was bragging that she had married a daughter of an official. In the end, she married a jinx. She was ugly and useless. It had something to do with the registrar, and she even went to jail."
Zhang Yuehong nodded and said, "That's right. If this young master from an official family were really a good man, why would he marry someone as stupid as Chen Xiaomai? He's probably a fraud."
Although she said that, Zhang Yuehong was also having doubts in her heart.
Back then, when Lu Chengyu married Li Fangyue, it was Lu's mother who insisted on marrying a wife from an official family. However, Chen Xiaomai is different this time. It is said that she passed the imperial examination at a young age and is truly a man of great talent, destined to become a high-ranking official.
Old Mrs. Chen said angrily, "Chen Xiaocai is no good, and Chen Xiaomai is a scoundrel too."
When Chen Xiaocai came back last time, Old Madam Chen also went to look for her. However, Chen Xiaocai didn't want to pay attention to the old lady, and the old lady didn't even get to see her. The Chen family members were afraid that the old lady would offend Chen Xiaocai too much and not get any benefits, so they dragged the old lady away who had been throwing a tantrum.
Zhang Yuehong felt that their Chen family seemed to be isolated by the clan, which was truly inexplicable. "Yes! They are all heartless bastards."
Butcher Zhang cut the pork and handed it to the customers.
Two years ago, when Zhang Rui returned, he brought Zhang the butcher some money. Zhang the butcher also had some savings, so he pooled them together and opened a pork shop in town, specializing in selling meat.
Many people in Lin Town know that Zhang the butcher's son is now working for Lu Lin and has even met the prince.
Thanks to his son, Butcher Zhang's pork business is the best in town.
"Butcher Zhang, when is your son coming back?"
Butcher Zhang said helplessly, "He's busy in Shaxian, how could he have time to come back? But it's good that he's busy, he can earn more money."
Yes! Making money is the most important thing.
"Butcher Zhang, I heard that your son has already met the Prince."
Butcher Zhang said with some pride, "I've not only seen him, but this prince stayed at the county office for a few days. My son even brought him food. The county magistrate really values my son."
Butcher Zhang thought to himself: His son said that the prince had stayed at the county government office for quite some time. However, at the time, his foolish son did not know that the man was a prince. He had only met him twice. His son was afraid that he would offend the distinguished guest because he was not good with words, so he hid away when he learned that there was a distinguished guest at the county government office. By the time he found out the truth, it was too late.
Although Zhang Rui didn't have that opportunity, it didn't stop Zhang the Butcher from boasting. Zhang the Butcher wasn't afraid of being exposed. Lin Town and Sha County were far apart, and the prince was traveling incognito, so not many people dared to pry into the prince's affairs.
"Butcher Zhang, your son is really amazing." The person buying the meat was actually an acquaintance of Butcher Zhang. This person had often mocked Zhang Rui, the butcher's son, for being afraid of blood, but this time he didn't dare to do so.
Zhang the butcher was somewhat smug, thinking to himself: "The title of the prince is indeed very useful!"
"It's not that my son is particularly capable, it's just that he's followed the right person!"
"Butcher Zhang, I heard that Xiaomai found a scholar who passed the imperial examination. Is that true?"
Butcher Zhang nodded and said, "That's true. They're already engaged. He's the nephew of a general over there, and he's known Young Master Chen for several years."
"What did that person see in Young Master Chen?"
Butcher Zhang stomped on the pork and said, "There's a lot of this. Young Master Chen's cooking skills are absolutely superb! It's said that the Prince really likes it. So, Young Master Chen has certainly made a lot of money. I bet Young Master Chen's dowry will be quite generous."
"Young Master Chen is amazing! He actually found such a capable person."
Butcher Zhang nodded and said, "Yes, he was a great talent."
Zhang the butcher thought to himself: This Chen Xiaocai is quite a capable person!
It's said that he manages businesses on several streets and makes a fortune every day. His wife's mother-in-law's family is truly blind to his talent. The second son's family is so promising, yet they were forced out of the family early on. Now, the three Chen brothers are all doing better than the last, while the Chen family doesn't benefit from it at all. The old lady must be regretting it to the core.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
