Chapter 134 Spring Arrives (800 words added) The Goddess Returns to Jinzhou...
Jinzhou.
The cherry blossoms bloomed very early that year, and groups of young students went to the mountain to play.
Some people were enjoying the scenery, some were painting, some were reciting poetry, some were flying kites, and some were playing cards.
The girl tiptoed, pulled over a cherry blossom, and gently inhaled its fragrance.
She smiled gently, "By the time when the cherries on this mountain are ripe, I will no longer be in Jinzhou."
His classmate asked in surprise, "Where are you going to take the exam?"
The girl replied, "I want to go to the southwest."
The classmate suddenly realized, "Oh, then you don't need to worry, there are cherry trees in the southwest region too."
Girl: "..."
She rolled her eyes rather inelegantly. "You've completely ruined my rare moments of melancholy."
His classmate laughed and said, "What's there to be sad about? You're going to the southwest to make your mark, not being exiled there to suffer. You'll leave your wisdom on that land and use your hands to make the people there live a better life!"
The girl released the cherry blossom branch, her eyes widened, and then she smiled, "You're right!"
An eagle-shaped kite took flight on the spring breeze, soaring over the girl's head and into the sky.
Immediately afterwards, kites took flight, soaring higher and higher.
The girl shielded her eyes with her left hand as she gazed at the kite in the sky, feeling exceptionally relaxed.
She will leave her hometown.
But she will have a vast world to explore.
That world awaits her to depict and portray.
The students are full of expectations for the future.
The class monitor held up a bowl full of juice and said to everyone, "This is probably our last gathering. We don't know if we'll ever have the chance to meet again."
“But,” he said, his gaze sweeping over each of his classmates, “if we can achieve something, we can let the ancients, far away in distant lands, hear our news!”
Wishing you all the best for the future!
The students raised their bowls high and shouted, "May your future be bright!"
Let's all cheer each other on.
"We must seize the opportunity, work hard, and live up to our youth!"
"I hope to hear news of you all from afar someday!"
May our wishes come true!
A sharp mountain breeze blew, and pink and white cherry petals flew off the branches and drifted into the air.
It also carried the students' laughter far, far away.
At the foot of the mountain.
The villagers are holding plows, letting water buffalo and yellow oxen plough the fields and land, awakening the fields and soil that have been dormant all winter.
Preparing for spring plowing.
Chickens are pecking at insects in front of the house.
Ducks swam around in the paddy fields.
Several large yellow dogs were chasing each other in the field, barking.
A white sheep stood on the edge of the field, leisurely grazing on grass.
The little boy and girl carried bamboo baskets and collected firewood and pine cones in the mountains.
A child hummed a folk song as he picked them up.
Some children are complaining that their recent homework is too difficult.
Some children dream of one day becoming high-ranking officials in the capital.
...
Further afield, He Qinglan led the Jinzhou army in triumph.
Once she decided to leave, she ignored Lu Hong and Sun Yannan's attempts to persuade her to stay and immediately led her army back to Jinzhou.
They walked from winter to spring, and returned just in time for spring plowing.
Cheng Hui and his group had already received the news and began making corresponding preparations, waiting for the day He Qinglan returned to Jinzhou so they could go to the city gate to welcome her.
The news quickly spread throughout the county town, and many people knew that the goddess had returned!
"The goddess and her companions have been gone for a long time, but they've finally returned!" The pottery girl patiently pinched the petals of a gardenia.
"Yes, it's been more than two years since he left, hasn't it?" The carpenter skillfully carved a phoenix on the wooden board.
"You're finally back. Goddess, you must have had a very arduous journey." The doctor carefully removed pests from the herbs planted in the ground.
"I miss the goddess so much. I must go and fetch her when she comes back!" The teacher frowned and drew an X on the student's exam paper.
"The newspaper says that General Ning killed Prime Minister Lu Wei." The embroidery worker took scissors and cut the fabric.
"General Ning is truly amazing! He has made Jinzhou famous with a single thrust!" The city guards imitated the thrusting motion.
"General Hu and the others are in the Northwest now, aren't they?" A worker at the paper mill took out a new sheet of paper. "I wonder when they will be able to return."
The people who had just moved to Jinzhou from other places in the past two years had never seen He Qinglan before, so they were full of curiosity about the legendary goddess.
"What kind of person is the goddess?"
"She is a female immortal who descended to earth, bestowing blessings and protection upon us poor people who cannot afford to eat!"
"I really want to see the goddess."
"The goddess has been missing ever since I came to Jinzhou. I must go and see her when she returns!"
"I heard the goddess has returned for the state examination."
"State exam?"
"In Jinzhou, to become an official, one either needs to have an exceptional reputation and ability and be appointed by the administrative department, or one needs to take the state examination."
"Is this state exam open to just anyone?"
"No, at least people under the age of fifteen cannot participate."
"..."
An ambitious young woman, a scholar from a poor family, someone who offended a powerful figure in his hometown, a refugee who came to the country...
Everyone who wants to change their destiny through education, and everyone who wants to become an official, has high expectations for the Jinzhou state examination.
They eagerly awaited the goddess's return so that registration for the state exams could begin as soon as possible.
Qiu Tang has been in a particularly good mood lately.
She rode on her horse, looking at the scenery along the way: trees were sprouting new buds, tender green shoots were emerging from the withered grass, and patches of new green appeared on the dark green and withered yellow mountains.
Because of the different season, the scenery we see now is quite different from what we saw when we came.
“It could also be because you’re older and have a different mindset, so the scenery you see is different,” Pi Baoshan said with a smile.
Qiu Tang glanced sideways: What does this obvious difference have to do with my age?
Pi Baoshan laughed heartily. The little girls didn't seem to have much of a sense of growing up; they felt like adults by their early teens.
Qiu Tang: "..."
She pulled on the reins and walked alongside Xi Baolu, who was a few steps behind.
Xi Baolu teased, "Don't worry about it. He's just getting old and gets sentimental easily."
Qiu Tang: "Huh?" Really?
Xi Baolu nodded, "As I get older, I'm also prone to feeling sentimental."
Qiu Tang: "..." Getting old is really scary.
Xi Baolu looked at Qiu Tang's horse and praised her, "You ride a horse very well!"
Qiu Tang was very happy. "This trip wasn't in vain. At least I learned how to ride a horse."
Xi Baolu asked, "How's your archery learning going?"
Qiu Tang proudly puffed out her chest, "Although I can't compare to everyone in the cavalry battalion, at least I can hit the bullseye on a moving target!"
Xi Baolu gave a thumbs up, "Awesome!"
He Qinglan sat in the carriage, playing chess with Xiao Han in her mind's eye.
As Xiao Han placed her pieces, she reported to He Qinglan about her future "crown princess" status.
Xiao Han: [I used to be quite thin and not very healthy, but after taking care of myself for a while, I've gained weight in my body and face, and I look much more energetic.]
He Qinglan: [That's great, you're very suitable for taking care of children.]
Xiao Han: [Regarding her studies, what should I teach her?]
He Qinglan: [Teach her to be a politician.]
Xiao Han: [...Do you want to be a hands-off manager?]
He Qinglan: [Should I ask Cen Ying to teach me?]
Xiao Han: [I'll teach, I'll teach. Just don't blame me later for not raising children who meet your expectations.]
He Qinglan wouldn't think that way.
Even if Xiao Han teaches the child according to her requirements for an heir, the child is still young.
Once she takes her under her wing and raises her personally, she will have ample time to instill her own governing philosophy.
He Qinglan raised her hand, and a white piece landed on the chessboard.
Xiao Han narrowed his eyes and placed a black stone.
He Qinglan smiled slightly, and with her right index and middle fingers holding a white chess piece, she pressed it onto the chessboard with a "click".
Xiao Han: [...] He stared at the chessboard, and after a few seconds, sighed, "I lost."
He Qinglan was very satisfied.
In reality, Fang Wangshu, who was in the same car, only saw the goddess pretending to sleep. He didn't know that the goddess, who seemed to be sitting quietly, had actually played nearly a hundred games of chess with the transmigrators in her mind.
The army continued its march.
The bandits and outlaws along the way avoided them like the plague, having found out in advance the date the bandits would pass through their territory and hiding as soon as they saw the time.
However, the Jinzhou army refused to let them go!
They swept away the thieves' den, captured the bandits, and distributed the gold, silver, and grain they had looted to the local people.
The bandits and outlaws accompanying the army grew larger and larger.
The people along the way praised the Jinzhou army highly, and some even composed songs to sing about it.
The bandits were unwilling to accept this; they hadn't provoked them at all.
“But you’ve offended the local people!” The centurion in charge of guarding the area sneered. “Behave yourselves. Those who obey will go to work in Jinzhou, and those who disobey will be executed on the spot.”
The bandits: "..."
What happened to the goddess protecting all living beings? Who is the real bully here?
Ning Huai'an, mounted on his horse, swept his cold gaze over the captured bandits and outlaws. Those who had heard of General Ning's reputation all became obedient.
He rode his horse forward, inquired about the condition of the wounded soldiers, and chatted with the soldiers from various battalions.
Then, after estimating the time, everyone was allowed to rest.
Qiu Tang looked around curiously, "Where are Strategist Zhu and Minister Yun?"
Fang Wangshu casually replied, "They went to Huai'an County."
The Yun family in Jinzhou had just traveled from Jinzhou to Huaian County in Shengzhou last winter to pay respects to their ancestors.
On the return journey, Zhu Youchuan accompanied Yun Youning to Huai'an County first, and then they would return to Jinzhou together with the Yun family.
Ning Huai'an, unusually interested in gossip, asked, "Did Ji Zhou and Minister Yun get married this time when you returned to Jinzhou?"
As soon as he said that, everyone present turned to look at him.
Ning Huai'an was taken aback. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Qi Shuyu said, "It's just that you, General, don't usually care about these things, do you?"
Ning Huai felt relieved and said, "I'm not that antisocial."
However, when the topic of marriage came up, Xi Baolu laughed and said, "Didn't the strategist say before that they wouldn't get married until Minister Yun had avenged himself? Now that the Yun family has avenged themselves, can they get married?"
Some hesitated, "Will the Zhu family agree?" Isn't the Zhu family a branch of a prominent family?
Fang Wangshu snorted lightly, "As long as the goddess agrees, that's fine."
Zhu Youchuan and Yun Youning are both subordinates of the goddess. The goddess officiated at the marriage, so the Zhu family had to keep quiet no matter how dissatisfied they were.
Shang Xiaorong laughed and said, "Holding a wedding is good too. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I've attended a wedding banquet."
With a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, Pan Songshi asked, "Everyone's at war, where are you going to drink?"
Yu Yan crossed his arms and said, "Since the two of them are getting married, we should send them two gifts."
Shi Zhongliang waved his hand dismissively, "It's just two gifts!"
The more they talked, the more excited they became.
They were already anticipating whether the children Zhu and Yun would have in the future would be good-looking and very intelligent.
So, a few months later, Zhu Youchuan and Yun Youning returned to Jinzhou, and every acquaintance they met would casually ask them a question.
When is the wedding date?
"You must invite me to the banquet then."
Zhu Youchuan: "?"
Yun Youning: "..."
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Author's note: Happy National Day! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
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