...Shangjin, dawn, at the palace gate,
Qiu Ling'er led her three children: her eldest daughter Zhou Yufu, her second daughter Zhou Yuluo, and her youngest son Zhou Jingyi.
This was the third time in seven years that Zhou Zifang had been sent to participate in a scientific expedition.
On his first attempt, Zhou Zifang passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations).
The second time was when Zhou Zifang took the imperial examination... but failed.
This was the third time, and this time, that Zhou Zifang took the imperial examination and became a Jinshi...
Also seeing them off were Zhou Shao and his wife.
By this time, the couple's temples were already gray, and they were quite old.
“Son, you must make our Zhou family proud. Your brother-in-law was once the top scholar in the imperial examination. We can’t be any less than him.” Zhou Shao kept nagging along the way.
In the past, Zhou Zifang would have directly retorted, but now, due to his advancing age, the thirty-two-year-old has lost much of his sharpness.
He nodded earnestly to everything his father said.
Will I be able to pass the exam...?
This time, he was full of confidence!
The reason he failed the imperial examination four years ago is...
The father was seriously ill, and the mother was heartbroken. Ling'er devoted herself to treating the father, which forced him to miss the exam.
Fortunately, Ling'er's medical skills were superb, and she pulled her father back from the brink of death.
Furthermore, because His Majesty did not attend the imperial examination last year and temporarily cancelled it, he was able to take the exam this year.
However, in these five years, his studies have made great strides.
Sometimes, he felt that the cancellation of the palace examination last time seemed to be giving him an opportunity to consolidate his knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics and acquire more knowledge.
He had wasted ten years of hard work studying before he began his formal education at the age of twenty-five.
"Master, please say less." Madam Zhou glanced at Zhou Shao, clearly displeased with what he had said.
Qiu Ling'er smiled and shook her head: "Father, Mother, Brother Zifang has always worked very hard. Even if he didn't pass the exam, at least he tried his best."
Seeing Qiu Ling'er also looking at him, Zhou's father gave an awkward laugh.
"Alright, alright, little daughter-in-law, I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore."
He only wanted to see his son pass the imperial examination with his own eyes before he closed his eyes.
Among his sons who pursued scholarship, his eldest and third sons, though academically successful, could at most only achieve the rank of Juren (a degree in the imperial examination system).
Therefore, he is now waiting for his youngest son to bring glory to the family and completely change the Zhou family's traditions.
In this way, he could show off in front of several Zhou family elders who were about the same age as him.
Having said that, he pulled his granddaughter, Zhou Yufu, into his arms.
“My dear granddaughter, come with your grandfather to Xingyue Tower to check the accounts later.”
Qiu Ling'er's remaining two children, Zhou Yuluo and Zhou Jingyi, looked longingly at their grandfather, clearly wanting to go along as well, but were pulled to their grandmother's side.
"What's the point of checking the accounts? In a little while, we'll go to Bihu Villa with Mother."
Hearing that everyone had been assigned tasks, Zhou Zifang waved to his family.
"Father, Mother, Ling'er, you can go back now, no need to see us off."
Since it was still early, Qiu Ling'er and the others waited for the palace gates to open before leaving.
Zhou Zifang looked at his parents' already hunched bodies and their increasingly poor health.
I don't know how much longer I can stay with them.
He only hoped that he would pass the exam this time.
...The palace examination concluded after three days.
Qiu Ling'er and her parents-in-law were waiting outside early in the morning.
After Zhou Zifang came out, he saw his parents struggling to walk and anxiously waiting at the palace gate. He also saw his sister Ling'er and the children looking up at him with longing. He suddenly felt that if he failed the imperial examination this time, he would really let his family down.
A difficult wait,
Beneath the imperial edict stood a crowd of eager students, and a steady stream of commoners vying to get a glimpse of the imperial examination results.
Zhou Shao, leaning on his cane, couldn't squeeze in, and could only keep looking up with his wife.
Zhou Zifang and Qiu Ling'er were also inside, eagerly looking around.
Qiu Ling'er was the most agile, and her whole body had already squeezed to the front.
Qiu Ling'er read through the imperial edict, which was over ten feet long.
First Class, Second Class, Third Class...
No, it's a first-class...
Finally, Qiu Ling'er, who ranked second in the first division, saw Zhou Zifang's name.
"Brother Zifang!"
Qiu Ling'er was extremely excited, and then she looked at the first place winner...
It was true.
He Jinran?
Over the years, Xiao Ran was forced by His Majesty to become the top scholar.
That's right, He Jinran was forced into this situation entirely by his father, the Emperor.
Xiao Ran, you're already the Crown Prince, why do you still need to participate in the imperial examination?
Otherwise, my brother Zifang would have been number one in the first division.
Qiu Ling'er had always known that Brother Zifang was very intelligent and quick to understand.
However, he doesn't usually pursue his studies.
"Brother Zifang..." Qiu Ling'er rushed out of the crowd and immediately hugged her husband tightly.
"We got it! We've made the runner-up!"
I'm so excited, words can't express it.
The three children beside them were confused, but their parents were happy and excited as well.
"Hahahaha... I got it, I got it!" Zhou Shao laughed loudly, almost fainting from excessive excitement.
Tears streamed down Zhou's mother's face. She sniffed, took Zhou Shao's arm, and together they walked towards the carriage.
"Let's go home and have a proper celebration."
Today, Zhou Zifang entered the palace to meet the Emperor.
On the same day, the Zhou family celebrated together.
Zhou Shao was overjoyed that Zhou Zifang had become the second-highest scorer in the imperial examination. He wished he could invite all the people of Shangjin to his home for drinks and celebration.
The Zhou family elders, uncles, brothers, and sisters were all invited to celebrate Zhou Zifang's success in the imperial examination.
Zhou Zifang was also excited at first.
However, his excitement lasted only a day before he returned to calm.
Having become the second overall pick, nothing else seemed to matter to him anymore.
He only wanted Ling'er's approval and wanted to make his parents happy.
As he wished, Zhou Zifang entered the court as a scholar and began to work diligently and practically.
However, he did not enter the Hanlin Academy.
A year later, he fulfilled his wish and became a painter, painting exclusively for the royal family.
Before long, he became somewhat famous.
During this period, many people sought his paintings, all offering high salaries.
Zhou Zifang couldn't possibly draw all of them, so he politely declined.
In his spare time at home, he still devoted himself to painting his little sister Ling'er and his children as keepsakes.
Today, his parents even sought him out, asking him to paint their portrait as a keepsake.
Thoughts
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zifang happily picked up his paintbrush and began to paint portraits of their parents.
But as he painted, tears streamed down his face...
...Northern Desert, New Year's Eve,
In front of the campfire,
Ling Qi and his three companions
And Ling Chuyi, who was eighteen years old and soon nineteen,
And Gu Chengyin, who is nearly ten years old,
In a few hours, it will be seven-year-old Gu Chengyun...
Together with their trusted generals, they sat together to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.
Throughout the gathering, Ling Chu focused on taking care of Gu Chengyin and Gu Chengyun.
Throughout the entire process, his handsome, sword-like eyebrows remained slightly furrowed.
From as far back as he could remember, he only knew his father, not his mother.
This made him feel that his life was somewhat incomplete.
Ling Qi smiled as she looked at Ling Chuyi, and saw Feng Qi's figure in him. She couldn't help but sigh.
Eighteen years have passed, and I still don't know if she can forgive herself.
"Sigh, Ling Ba, we're already so old, but you're still all alone. Don't stay single any longer. Find a woman from the Northern Desert to live with, and from now on, you'll be husband and wife."
As Ling Qi finished speaking, Ling Chuyi couldn't help but chuckle.
"Uncle Ling is not interested in women."
As soon as he finished speaking, he was hit by a fierce punch from Ling Qi, and could only lower his eyes sheepishly.
Gu Chengyin smiled too.
Gu Chengyun, who was only six years old at the time, was very puzzled and asked in a low voice, "Brother Chuyi, what does it mean to not be close to women?"
Before Ling Chuyi could explain, Gu Chengyin said, "That's right, I don't like women."
After finishing speaking, Ling Ba's expression turned somewhat awkward.
Ling Yun and Ling Zhi laughed heartily.
They echoed this sentiment.
Ling Yun: "Ling Qi is right, Ling Ba, you're already thirty-eight or thirty-nine years old."
Ling Zhi: "Yes, if we don't get married soon, we'll be too old."
Ling Yun and Ling Zhi were a few years older than Ling Qi and Ling Ba. They had already married in Shangjin, but their wives and children were not by their side.
Looking at the fireworks in the sky right now, I really miss my wife and children.
They truly regretted not bringing their wives and children with them when they came.
Ling Ba was teased and found these people quite boring. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Gu Qian and Qiu Yan leading Gu Chengyue and Gu Chengrui toward them. He nodded slightly and sat down again.
“They’re right.” The speaker was Qiu Yan.
At this moment, Qiu Yan, who is nearly 35 years old, stroked her high pregnant belly, hoping in her heart that this time, it would definitely be a daughter.
She had even already ordered people to make a lot of little clothes for her daughter.
She decided that if this baby was a girl, she wouldn't have any more.
It should take a few more days.
Ling Ba shook his head. He had long been used to being alone all these years, and he wouldn't be used to getting married.
"Ling Ba, who do you like? This general will personally arrange your marriage." Gu Qian already has four children, and the fifth one is coming soon, but Ling Ba is still unmarried. This inevitably makes Gu Qian feel that he has neglected them all these years.
"Thank you, General." Ling Ba clasped his hands in thanks and did not argue further.
The smiles on everyone's faces grew even wider.
Suddenly, Gu Qian realized that the area had been largely pacified, and the soldiers were all homesick.
The garrison commanders and the economy are now stable; it's time to send them home.
He then said in a deep voice:
"Ling Qi, you should all go back after tomorrow."
He certainly wanted to go back, but his wife was about to give birth.
“No, we want to go back with the general,” Ling Qi shook his head and said seriously.
“Ling Qi is right, we should follow the general.” Ling Ba and the other two echoed.
Qiu Yan opened her mouth, about to say something, but suddenly her expression changed.
"Gu Qian!" she exclaimed urgently.
Gu Qian's expression also changed...
On New Year's Eve, Qiu Yan was struck by waves of abdominal pain.
Why was it brought forward again?
Qiu Yan had a bad feeling...
...The next day, the first day of the Lunar New Year, Qiu Yan held her fifth child in her arms, Gu Chengye,
She was almost in tears.
You know, other people her age are already grandmothers, but she's still here, competing to have a daughter.
"Gu Qian, how come you can't even have a daughter?"
Is she really destined to lack a daughter?
She complained, but Gu Qian seemed even more aggrieved than she was.
But he still agreed with Qiu Yan's suggestion.
"It's because my husband is useless."
He thought that this time, Yan Yan could finally give up.
Qiu Yan looked at the several figures outside the window.
One, two, three, four,
And this one in my arms,
Five sons,
"Let's go pray to Buddha another day." Qiu Yan put her hands together in prayer.
"Buddha above, in view of my sincere heart, Qiu Yan, please grant me a daughter."
As soon as she finished speaking, she accidentally received a light slap on the forehead from Gu Qian.
"Yan Yan, let's not have any more children! Let's adopt a goddaughter," Gu Qian suggested.
As my wife gets older, her body won't be able to handle having another child.
"The suggestion is good, but I still want a biological child."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qiu Yan received another slap on the forehead.
She glanced at Gu Qian with displeasure, then continued to hold her youngest son, feeling resentful.
"Fine, if we don't want to have children, then we don't have children."
With five children, what is she still doing?
Qiu Yan sighed, no longer thinking about having a daughter, and only thinking about settling down and properly disciplining her five sons.
“From now on, our sons must all be like their father and become great heroes who stand tall and proud.”
"My wife, you've worked so hard all these years." Gu Qian took their sleeping youngest son from Qiu Yan, placed him in the cradle, and said to her:
"What would you like to eat? Your husband will cook it himself." Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and Gu Qian had originally planned to hold a banquet.
But right now, since it's my wife's first time giving birth, she naturally needs to eat some postpartum meals.
"I don't want to eat anything, I just want to sleep." Qiu Yan really had no appetite.
Perhaps it's because their wish was not fulfilled.
"Eat something," Gu Qian said, then went to prepare Qiu Yan's postpartum meals.
The festive atmosphere of the New Year in the northern desert is not as strong as that in the Central Plains.
Qiu Yan and Gu Qian had always thought that when they got older, they would go back to live in Lingnan Village.
More than half a year later, in late summer and early autumn,
The weather was neither too hot nor too cold.
Standing in the vast desert, Qiu Yan recalled her first trip there with Qin Susu, when they nearly starved to death. She wondered how Qin Susu and Liang Yuchen were doing now.
Before she left, Qin Susu and Liang Yuchen had two daughters and lived a harmonious life.
Qiu Yan suddenly thought of her family members who were far away in Shangjin and Baiyang, and sighed at the quiet passage of time.
She is now thirty-five years old.
Looking at the man beside her, although he was nearly forty, he still stood tall and straight, and time seemed to have left few traces on his face.
However, his personality became increasingly calm and composed.
Thanks to her dietary regimen, her husband also enjoys good health.
"Brother Qian, I miss Ah Xu and Ling'er." Qiu Yan said with a smile, but her nose was sore.
In recent years, she returned to Baiyang once, but never went to Shangjin.
I wonder how my younger brother and sister are doing now, whether my sister has been mistreated in the Zhou family, and how their children are doing.
She also missed her second uncle and aunt, wondering how their business was doing and whether they had encountered any difficulties.
"Three days from now, we'll go home and bring our sons with us." Gu Qian gently pulled Qiu Yan into his arms, letting her lean on his shoulder, and lightly kissed her hair.
Qiu Yan: "Of course I'll bring my sons, otherwise I'll just have to stay here."
She turned around, took Gu Qian's wrist, and lay down with him in the vast desert...
"Yan Yan, I'm sorry to have made you settle down in the Northern Desert with me all these years."
"What are you saying?"
Before returning home,
Gu Qian arranged everything in place.
Garrison commanders, trade in the Northeast... and so on.
Led by Gu Qian, along with his wife, children, and other trusted soldiers including Ling Ba, they embarked on the journey to Shangjin.
Only Ling Qi and his son, one person and one horse, headed towards the Western Qin region.
On the way, Ling Chuyi was puzzled.
"Father, why don't we go to Shangjin with the general? My aunt and Aunt Lan'er are still waiting for me at home."
"Go find your mother!" Ling Qi's simple four words caused Ling Chu to abruptly stop the reins. Then...
He raised his whip high and spurred his horse to gallop...
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