"Godfather and Godmother," Xiao Heng called softly.
Niu Da nodded and said, "It's getting late, don't catch a cold, come inside quickly."
A dozen or so people were sitting in the main room.
Niu Dadao: "Did the prefectural government say when the results would be released?"
Xiao Heng replied, "Father, they said the results will be released three days after the exams, which should be the morning after tomorrow."
Niu Da nodded.
The day of the results announcement arrived.
Niu Da, Shen Yu, and Niu Cuihua were searching for the list of successful candidates at the entrance of the county government office. Shen Yu saw Xiao Heng's list first and excitedly exclaimed:
"Dad, our Heng'er passed the exam! He's at the top of the list!"
Niu Da smiled happily.
"Dad, Second Uncle passed too! He passed!" "Dad, I just saw Mr. Niu's name!"
“Let’s not go to the shop today, let’s go home!” Niu Dadao said.
“Okay, let’s go home!” Chen Yu said.
As soon as Niu Da and Shen Yu returned, they had silver and copper coins prepared.
Before long, the messenger from the county government arrived with good news.
"Your village has produced three scholars who passed the imperial examinations at once! Your adopted son even topped the list, and your younger brother is also quite talented. It's truly a cause for celebration!"
"Thank you both for making the trip. Please stay and have a good drink! I'll have someone prepare a couple of side dishes," Chen Yu said.
"No, no," he said. "After delivering the good news, we still have to go to Haijia Village to deliver the good news. That old man Zhuo has been taking the exam for decades, and my father's generation has known him. He's finally passed at the age of fifty-four."
The yamen runner said.
Chen Yu was slightly taken aback:
What was his ranking?
The constable said, "The last person on the list has still passed, hasn't he?"
If you pass the imperial examination, you can become an official.
Shen Yu subconsciously looked at Xiao Fu Bao, who was practicing his light-footed skills in the backyard.
She is the granddaughter of Grandpa Zhuo.
Chen Yu hurriedly stuffed the silver into the yamen runner's hand.
The constable happily accepted the reward money and left.
Niu Da, being carefree and grinning foolishly, asked, "Mom, why do you look unhappy?"
Chen Yu said:
"I...I'm not unhappy at all! Both of our children passed the imperial examinations; three scholars from one family have achieved this! How could I not be happy?" "Happy, happy!"
The clan places great importance on clan power. Even if Niu Daxiucai is not from the Niu family, he will still be a useful force in the clan if he becomes an official.
Xiao Fubao asked Yuan to make dozens of small purses to hold the copper coins that Chen Yu had prepared. Each purse contained five copper coins, symbolizing the arrival of five blessings.
Xiang'er hung a big red lantern at the door and set off two firecrackers. Xiang Jinlan, Xiang'er, and Cuizhu stood at the door and gave lucky money to the children in the village.
"The Niu family has really struck it rich. They passed the imperial examination, and they're throwing money around for their celebration. There are five copper coins in each bag!" said the villager who brought the child.
"My family has five children, and we received half a catty of meat as payment! I heard they passed the imperial examination. Is a 'juren' the same as the 'zhuangyuan' (top scholar)?"
Mr. Niu's mother, Zhang, said:
“I heard from my son that being a Juren (举人) is not the same as being the Zhuangyuan (状元). Next, you have to take the Jinshi (进士) exam. After passing that, you have to meet the emperor and take another exam in the palace to determine who will be the Zhuangyuan, Bangyan (榜眼), and Tanhua (探花)!”
"Oh, the scholar's wife knows so much, no, she's the mother of the successful candidate in the imperial examinations now! Congratulations, Miss Zhang! From now on, you'll be the master's mother, and you'll be enjoying a life of luxury with your son!"
Aunt Zhang is someone who enjoys flattery.
“It seems Niuzhen didn’t win this time,” Niu Meihua said.
Niu Yong said:
"Even if he doesn't pass this time, who dares to say he won't pass next time? During the imperial examinations, out of hundreds of candidates, there were twenty or thirty who took the exams until their temples were gray, and one of them who passed was already seventy years old." "Didn't our teacher take the exams several times before he finally passed?"
Everyone present exclaimed in surprise, "Seventy?"
Niu Cuihua asked:
"You can still take the exam at seventy? My cousin Ming'er's grandfather passed it too, I think." "He's in his fifties this year."
Chen Yu said, "Fifty-four."
"Second Uncle, if I pass the imperial examination, will I be able to become an official?" Niu Cuihua asked.
Niu Yongdao:
"Yes, given Old Master Zhuo's age, he probably won't take the imperial examination again. At the very least, he'll likely become an eighth-rank county magistrate."
Shen Yu felt very uneasy and couldn't sleep at night. Niu Dadao said:
"Why aren't you asleep yet? We have to hold a celebration for Heng'er and Second Brother's promotion tomorrow."
“Her father, Xiao Fubao is not our biological daughter,” Chen Yu said.
"Didn't we agree not to talk about this? Why are you bringing it up again?" Niu Dadao asked.
"Her father, do you still remember what the eldest sister of the Zhuo family looked like? Who is her husband?" Chen Yu asked.
Niu Da thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't remember. She's been dead for several years. Besides, I only saw her once when my second sister got married. How could I remember?"
“Little Fu Bao is the child of the eldest sister of the Zhuo family,” Chen Yu said.
Niu Da suddenly rolled over: "What did you say?"
"I remember, the eldest sister of the Zhuo family married Wang, the county magistrate who was a butcher at the time. Little Fu Bao was Wang's youngest daughter, who was abandoned by him."
The path to sinking fish.
“What makes her mother think our daughter is that Zhuo family woman’s child?” Niu Dadao asked.
"Although I only met Sister Zhuo once, I thought she was really beautiful, especially with that little cinnabar mole between her eyebrows." "Our little Fu Bao also has one on her forehead. When she was younger, it wasn't very noticeable, but as she's gotten older, the cinnabar mole on her forehead has become a little more obvious."
"When my second sister was still alive, I saw that eldest sister of the Zhuo family once. She seemed to have one on her forehead, but that doesn't prove she's Xiao Fubao's biological mother."
Niu Dadao.
Shen Yu said, "When my second sister was still alive, Grandpa Zhuo came to our house once. Judging from his appearance, he clearly came to cause trouble, but as soon as he saw Xiao Fubao, his emotions became much more agitated, and in the end, his attitude completely changed."
Niu Da moved his arm and said, "Why haven't I heard you mention this before?" "So you're worried that he'll take Xiao Fubao away after he passes the imperial examination and becomes an official?"
Chen Yu breathed a sigh of relief:
"I'm just a little reluctant to part with our fifth daughter, but honestly, if Grandpa Zhuo really wants to take Xiao Fubao away, we have no reason to stop him." "Her father, I'm not trying to be polite."
"My second brother and Heng'er have now passed the imperial examinations and are considered officials, but our parents are long gone. The brothers and adopted sons have divided the family property; ultimately, they are them, and we are us, even if we benefit from it." "Little Fu Bao is different from Old Master Zhuo; Old Master Zhuo is her maternal grandfather."
"She's her only direct descendant in this world. Once our little Fu Bao passes away, she'll be a daughter of an official. I just can't bear to part with her. You know, we've raised her for so many years."
As Chen Yu spoke, she began to cry.
Niu Da patted Chen Yu on the back: "Don't worry, Grandpa Zhuo is old and we don't know where he will go to take up his post. I think he might not take Xiao Fubao with him." "Even if he does go, our house is close to Haijia Village. When he comes back in a few years, we can visit him. I can talk to him and let Xiao Fubao go back and forth. She is still our daughter, isn't she?"
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