"Fifth brother is going to take part in the imperial examination?" Xu Siyu was a little surprised. His hand holding the handkerchief paused in the air, and the water on his face flowed down his cheeks and fell onto the new white Songjiang cotton shirt that he had just put on, which still had wrinkles. However, the corner of his eye fell on his wife's gentle and calm face.
At the end of the year, they had been married for three years, but they had only been together for five months. Although they exchanged letters every month, Xiang was still nervous when she saw her husband again.
I wonder if he thinks her outfit is too bright today? Just now, everyone went up to greet him, but she was afraid that her parents-in-law would think she was frivolous, so she stood silently behind her mother-in-law. It was her mother-in-law who asked her to greet him, and she bowed to him. I wonder if he would misunderstand that she was too cold to him.
I was feeling very nervous and had to talk about something familiar to ease the uneasiness.
"Yes!" She took the royal blue plain silk gown from the maid, her voice a little tense, "Mother even went to Gongxian Hutong in person and asked my uncle to recommend a tutor for my fifth uncle...Now my fifth uncle studies hard until midnight every day!"
"It is very hard to take the imperial examination." Xu Siyu pondered, "But I admire your determination, fifth brother." As he spoke, he thought of what he had just seen with Xu Sizhun at his grandmother's place, "I heard from fourth brother that he has now begun to help father manage the chores. Every day when father has nothing to do, he tells sixth brother to copy the red characters and plays double chess with him..."
"Yes!" Xiang helped Xu Siyu put on his robe, "Many managers and servants say that Fourth Uncle is kind-hearted and gentle to others!"
I used to think that my younger brother was timid, but I didn't expect that after not seeing him for a few years, he had won the support of the housekeepers and servants in the mansion.
Xu Siyu was slightly stunned.
Xiang came over to help him get dressed.
Xu Siyu quickly came to his senses.
This time when he came back, he felt particularly deeply.
The brothers who were still ignorant of the world seemed to have grown up in the blink of an eye! Especially Xu Sijie, who chose to pursue a career in politics just like him.
"My husband! My mother-in-law heard that you were coming back to take part in the provincial examination. She was afraid that you would get hot, so she had the Chui Lun Waterside Pavilion cleaned up early." Xiang helped Xu Siyu put on his clothes while whispering, "She said it's cooler over there, so you can study with peace of mind. She asked me to move there at the beginning of summer. But I thought that my father-in-law and mother-in-law were still living in the original house, and how could I, as a daughter-in-law, move there just to enjoy the coolness, so I didn't move for the time being. I wanted to wait for my husband to come back and make a decision..."
"Since it's mother's wish, let's move there!" Since it was his mother's good intention, he gladly accepted it.
"Then I will report to mother and pack up the boxes with the maids!" Xiang said, "You should go to mother's place and thank her! Speaking of which, mother-in-law has taken good care of me in the past two years. Not to mention asking me to set rules, she never even spoke loudly. Even if she were her own child, she would be no more than this."
As the two were talking, a little maid came in and said, "Second Young Master, Second Young Madam, the elder sister from the Madam's side came over and said that the banquet is ready. Please go and take a seat with you and the Second Young Madam."
* * * * * *
"What are you looking at?" Shiyi Niang was sitting in front of the mirror, tying her hair up. Through the mirror, she could just see Xu Lingyi sitting on the kang by the window. "Is it a letter from Mr. Jiang?"
Xu Lingyi took the letter and said, "No! It's Xiang's family!"
Eleventh Lady turned around and asked: "What did you talk about? Was it about Brother Yu's provincial examination?"
"Hmm!" Xu Lingyi said, and walked to the brocade stool next to Shiyi Niang's mirror table and sat down, whispering, "Let me find out who will be the examiner and who will be the accompanying examiner this year, and send someone to tell him as soon as possible. It's important to please him!"
Eleventh Lady was a little surprised.
"Mr. Jiang said the same thing." Xu Lingyi's voice became even lower. "It's just that Mr. Jiang hasn't been involved in the officialdom for so many years, so he's a little unfamiliar with those people. We have to find out what the examiners like. But from what Xiang said, it seems that as long as we can find out who will be the chief examiner in advance, he can find out the examiner's preference!"
This kind of thing is unpredictable, and Eleventh Lady couldn't say much: "Anyway, both families asked you to find out, so why don't you find out!"
Xu Lingyi nodded, and went out for several days, but he always came back before the afternoon to check Jing'er's copying. Seeing his father's attention to it, Jing'er also took it seriously and completed his homework meticulously.
The provincial examination, to be held on August 9, was not announced until the end of July, and the examiners would be the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Instructor of Shuntian Prefecture.
At 12:00 pm on the evening of the eighth day of the first lunar month, before the city gates closed, Lord Xiang and his entourage arrived at Xu's residence.
"My master said that Minister Liu admires the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties and likes the saying 'In times of chaos, severe punishments must be implemented to calm people's hearts; in times of prosperity, benevolence and righteousness must be practiced to stabilize people's nature.'"
Xu Lingyi personally delivered the message to Xu Siyu.
Xu Siyu closed the door and sat in the study, carefully pondering what Lord Xiang said.
The next day, all the Xu family members got up early. After visiting the ancestral hall, burning incense and kowtowing to the ancestors of the Xu family, Xu Siyu went to the examination room carrying the examination basket and food prepared by Shiyi Niang for him.
After three exams, Xu Siyu felt pretty good about himself. It was also the Mid-Autumn Festival, so the family watched the moon and ate mooncakes at Qiongling Villa.
Xu Sijie asked Xu Siyu about the imperial examinations, while Xu Siqin and Xu Sizun sat aside and listened with great interest.
Fang, Xiang, Shiyi Niang and others chatted with the lady dowager about daily life.
Jing'er and Shen'er were jumping around there, making Cheng'er jealous. He refused to be held by the Fifth Lady and wanted to play with his two brothers.
Sister Xin scolded her brother with a stern face: "You only know how to play."
Chen Geer laughed, turned around and ran away with Jing Geer again. Xin Jieer was so angry that she stamped her feet. The adults, however, found it funny and laughed.
Qiongling Villa was filled with laughter and was very lively.
Jing'er wanted to go back to his room to sleep: "I have to get up early tomorrow morning to do horse stance!" As he said this, he yawned.
Eleventh Lady was so happy when she heard this that she hugged Jin Ge'er and kissed him left and right: "Mother will take you back!"
After hearing this, Brother Chen also clamored to go back.
The old lady was happily guessing riddles with Xu Sizhun, Shiyi Niang, Wu Furen, Fang Shi and others. Now, the riddles could not be guessed. The old lady could not help but laugh and said, "Then let's go!" There was some reluctance in her tone.
Xu Sizhun kept Jing'er and said to Shiyi Niang, "Mother, let Jing'er play for a while before leaving! When you leave, the Madam's party will also disperse. It's rare that everyone is so excited." He added, "If it really doesn't work, take a day off tomorrow. It won't be too late to start squatting the day after tomorrow."
The lady did not stop Xu Sizun's attempt to keep them, and it was obvious that she wanted everyone to stay and play for a while.
When Chen Ge'er looked at Jin Ge'er, he saw Jin Ge'er with a bitter face: "No! Master Pang said that we can't give up practicing martial arts for a day. If we give up, all our efforts will be wasted. I want to go back to sleep." As he said that, he pulled his mother's hand coquettishly, urging Shiyi Niang to leave quickly.
Eleventh Lady thought about it, and then she smiled and discussed with Jing'er: "How about, mother stays here with grandma, and father goes back with you to rest. What do you think?"
Jinger likes to be with Xu Lingyi the most now. Upon hearing this, he immediately ran to the other side of the screen and pulled Xu Lingyi, who was talking to Xu Lingkuan, and said, "Daddy, take me back to bed!"
Xu Lingyi had already heard the noise over there. In such a lively scene, Jing'er took the initiative to go back to sleep. As a father, he was both relieved and proud.
He happily agreed to Jing'er's request.
After seeing this, Brother Chen also asked Xu Lingkuan to take him back to sleep.
Xu Lingkuan looked at him and said with a smile: "You are alone at home, don't ask to come again."
Chen Ge'er puffed up his cheeks and said, "If Sixth Brother can do it, so can I!"
"Okay!" Xu Lingkuan said, and simply carried his son on his shoulders and went down the Qiongling Villa.
Xu Sizhun looked at it and shook his head.
The second wife, however, looked at Xu Lingyi and Jing'er's receding backs, seeming to be lost in thought.
* * * * * *
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the results of the provincial examination came out.
Xu Siyu failed the exam again.
The second wife was slightly disappointed.
Xu Sijie was shocked: "Second brother, with such good knowledge, failed the exam!"
"Good things take time!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "It seems that our Yu Ge'er still needs to work harder!"
Xu Siyu smiled awkwardly and was depressed for several days.
Xu Lingyi went to climb the West Mountain with him, and when he came back he received letters from Mr. Jiang and Mr. Xiang, and his mood improved.
After spending the Double Ninth Festival at home, Xu Siyu prepared to return to Le'an.
The lady was a little reluctant: "Go back to Le'an after the New Year! You've been gone for three years, and everyone at home misses you very much."
"When God gives a man a great mission, he must first make him suffer mentally and physically." Xu Siyu said with a smile, "Grandma, you have to believe me, I will definitely pass these tests from God."
He was full of confidence, so the lady could only encourage him.
Eleventh Lady, however, discussed with Xu Lingyi: "How about letting Xiang accompany him to Le'an? Young couples can't always be separated like this, right? As long as he doesn't pass the imperial examination, can't the couple be reunited?"
"Okay!" Xu Lingyi thought for a moment and said with a smile, "With my wife by my side to take care of us, we can rest assured!"
The lady nodded when she heard about it, and said to Mother Du in private: "This way, I can also have a great-grandson!"
Mrs. Xiang was naturally very happy and went back to her parents' home to say goodbye. Mrs. Xiang had mixed feelings. She could not stop her son-in-law from going to Anle to study for the sake of his studies, but her daughter had been married to the Xu family for three years and had no children. The worry and anxiety in her heart were unimaginable to others.
The day before Xu Siyu left for Anle, Mrs. Xiang came to visit Shiyi Niang, gave the children some clothes and accessories, said a lot of flattering words in front of the old lady, and had dinner at the Xu family before leaving. The next morning, she and her son sent her daughter and son-in-law out of the city, and did not return until Xu Siyu and his wife's carriage disappeared.
Xu Sijie worked harder because of this.
In the blink of an eye, it was the fourteenth year of Yonghe.
"The ninth young lady of the Jiang family has reached the age of marriage," after the third day of the third lunar month, Eleventh Lady and the Madam discussed going to the Jiang family to propose marriage, "We also need to arrange the marriage with the Jiang family. Let's ask Third Madam Huang to go to the Jiang family to sound out the situation! We can also prepare for the marriage here."
Eleventh Lady agreed with a smile, picked out eight colored gift boxes and went to the Yongchang Marquis Mansion.
Grandma Huang San agreed readily.
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Happy Teachers' Day to everyone!
PS: There will be more updates for everyone to read tomorrow at noon!
O(∩_∩)O~
Because I want to speed up the progress, I have deleted a lot of text and the updates are relatively late. I hope you can understand.