Chapter 507 A Dream of Youth 39
Prefect Xia cursed the old fox inwardly, while Prince Duan secretly asked Mr. He, "Sir, do you know why I came here? Why...?"
Prince Duan was not in a good mood. He had set this question to send a signal, but He Qing'an did not take sides.
After returning home to rest, Mr. He turned his attention from his book back to Prince Duan. “You are all too impatient. Quanzhou is a good place. If you have time, go out and explore more, but bring more people with you.”
Otherwise, he might encounter danger; who knows?
These words were a sign of his support, and Prince Duan's expression relaxed. He began to ask Mr. He about matters concerning Quanzhou, and then added, "Sir, are you really not returning to the capital? His Majesty intends to..."
Mr. He interrupted Prince Duan, his tone flat, "Your Highness Prince Duan, I am past the age of knowing one's destiny and can no longer contend. His Majesty's path is one he must walk himself."
He didn't want to go back. His heart was already broken when he was transferred to Quanzhou.
Prince Duan sighed and said nothing more. His Majesty was a good person, but he had indeed spoken without thinking back then.
It seems the relationship between teachers and students is beyond repair.
In that case, it's better not to meet.
After Prince Duan left, Xie Wangzhi slowly walked out of the inner room. He had heard the conversation between the two of them.
Mr. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and after a long while, he finally spoke with a sore voice, "Wangzhi, I can't walk anymore."
Xie Wangzhi stood respectfully to Mr. He's left, his eyes firm and clear. "Sir, I will walk your path."
New bamboo shoots grow taller than old bamboo branches, relying entirely on the support of the old trunks.
After the rain, the flowers are once again ablaze with color. Xie Ning listened to the lingering raindrops outside, and the dampness after the spring rain seemed especially refreshing.
Xie Qi ran over carrying a basket of books, his smile widening. Although he didn't know if he would pass the exam, he felt so relieved to be done with it!
After looking around for a while, Xie Qi asked, "Where is Father?"
"Isn't that it?"
Chen pointed outside, and in the distance, a figure dressed in a blue robe gradually became clearer; it was Xie Wangzhi.
His blue robe fluttered gently in the wind, and the oil-paper umbrella in his hand resembled a flower blooming in the rain, adding to his refined and scholarly air.
Xie Qi excitedly ran to Xie Wangzhi's side, "Father, the topic of this poem is 'River'!"
He could simply polish up his previous poem and write it down. As for whether Fang You, who was in the same examination room and had heard his poem before, would copy it, there was no need to worry.
After all, it wasn't just their family and Fang You on the deck back then.
"But I feel that my poetry and prose are much worse than others."
Xie Qi had secretly observed the other candidates, many of whom were quite skilled at composing poetry and prose, and some were even somewhat famous.
"Don't underestimate yourself; your poetry and prose are quite good." Xie Wangzhi did not choose to take a carriage, but instead led his wife for a walk along the street, enjoying a moment of tranquility.
The restaurant was bustling with activity today. The lobby on the first floor was packed with people, and even the seats on the second floor were full. Many private rooms of all sizes were also reserved.
Other restaurants and eateries nearby were also bustling with activity. After all, students had just finished their exams and wanted to relax, so some were hosting banquets and others were having group meals.
Xie Wangzhi had asked Mo Shu to reserve a small private room in the morning, so as soon as they entered, a waiter led them to the private room.
The waiter, all smiles, invited the group to sit down and bowed, asking, "Is this your first time at Zhenxiu Pavilion, esteemed guests? Would you like me to recommend some of our signature dishes?"
Xie Wangzhi said, "One vegetarian roast goose, one egg white pork, one braised fish with scallions, and you can order the rest. Five dishes and one soup, plus three servings of tea and snacks."
"Alright." The waiter knew that this person must have eaten at their Zhenxiu Pavilion before, but he didn't remember. Perhaps he had been here before.
The waiter bowed and smiled as he recommended, "How about I also bring you a smoked chicken, a seasonal vegetable dish, and a golden jade soup? For tea and snacks, how about persimmon pastries, white dew lily cakes, and bite-sized pastries?"
Xie Wangzhi nodded. "Then so be it."
The food at Zhenxiu Pavilion was served fairly quickly; Xie Ning finished half a cup of tea before the dishes arrived.
"This vegetarian roast goose is quite good."
Chen took a bite and her eyes lit up. The vegetarian roast goose wasn't a real roast goose, but rather a yam wrapped in thin tofu skin and then roasted.
Xie Ning nodded frantically and immediately reached out to grab the second piece.
She's very skilled with chopsticks now. This tofu skin tastes just like roasted goose skin, savory and flavorful. The yam filling inside is soft and tender, a perfect blend of textures. It tastes really good.
Xie Qi preferred the lotus-shaped pork, which, as the name suggests, resembled a lotus flower but was not quite a flower; it was very elegant. He had wanted to eat it ever since he saw the painting outside.
Now that he's tasted it, it has indeed won his heart.
The pork and river fish complement each other perfectly, and the broth is so flavorful that he can easily finish two bowls of rice with it!
Seeing Xie Qi engrossed in his meal, Chen couldn't help but place a large chicken leg on his plate. The smoked chicken, infused with the aroma of tea, was more fragrant than other roasted chickens, yet not greasy.
Even the flaky crust on the surface is extremely delicious.
Xie Ning also received a chicken leg from her father.
Seeing that Xie Ning had almost finished eating, Madam Chen scooped a small half bowl of soup for her, saying, "This is made with chestnuts, yams, and lamb chops. It's very nourishing. Bao'er, have a taste."
"Uh-huh."
Xie Ning put down her chopsticks with a hint of regret. She really wanted to eat two bowls of rice, but her stomach couldn't hold it. Every time she ate, she would eat a little more than half a bowl, then eat a little of each dish and drink half a bowl of soup.
After the meal, I ate some tea snacks, which satisfied my stomach, but left me with an unquenchable craving.
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