Zhao Qingyan rambled on for a while before finally finishing what she wanted to say.
Yunyou watched Zhao Qingyan's departing figure with a look of reluctance.
"You brat, you're just trying to make this old man cry."
"I'm not going to cry, old man, I'll make you angry!"
After saying that, Yunyou quickly locked the door and then started looking for the hidden compartment on the floor.
Zhao Qingyan was quite thoughtful; she put the traveler's silver notes in a sealed bag to prevent them from getting damp and becoming unusable.
Having hidden the money, he could travel in peace.
That was a keepsake left to him by Zhao Qingyan.
The night before the Zhao family was to depart, Zhao Qianci announced a major decision.
That was his old man's plan to give up the imperial examination next spring.
This was like a depth charge; the whole family was stunned.
"Dad, are you sure what you're saying is true?"
"Father is so knowledgeable, wouldn't it be a huge loss if he didn't take the exam?"
Zhao Qianci shook his head.
"You all know what I went through from my very first exam."
My misfortune is beyond description in just a few words.
Now that I have passed the imperial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), it is something I never dared to dream of in my life.
Besides, I am already 60 years old. Even if I pass the imperial examination, it is impossible for me to become an official in the court.
That's why I'm so healthy; other people my age might not even be able to walk properly.
Therefore, I would be satisfied with having the qualifications of a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) for now.
I don't want to go through those bizarre and unlucky things again.
Now I want to go to Beijing with you all and see the prosperity of our capital city.
When you all pass the imperial examinations and are officially appointed officials, I will accompany you to your respective places for a while. Then we will move on to the next place.
Take your mothers and grandmothers with you and let them appreciate the magnificent landscapes of our Divine Dragon Kingdom.
Your mother has suffered with me all these years…
Blah blah blah, the old man fed his children and grandchildren a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for public displays of affection).
If you don't want to take the exam, then don't take it. Why force-feeding us dog food?
Zhao Qianci decided not to take the exam, and Zhao Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief, though only she knew how nervous she was every time.
Huang felt the same way.
Although the old man couldn't pass the imperial examination and become an official's wife, it was still somewhat of a regret.
But her own children and grandchildren still have the opportunity to make her, this old woman, a high-ranking official's wife, just as glorious.
Imagine if the old man became an official, then she would be an official's wife.
When they went out for social engagements, the wives of officials of the same rank were all young women in their teens or twenties, at most thirty.
As a woman in my sixties, sitting in the middle, on equal footing with everyone else, it just felt so awkward.
Fine, if I don't want to take the exam, then I don't want to take it.
Going to a county, a prefectural city, or a county seat is always fraught with troubles.
It will take two or three months to get to the capital, and who knows how many troubles await us.
If there's no exam, there's no need to worry. You can relax and feel at ease.
That night, Ms. Huang slept incredibly soundly.
Normally, Huang would be so nervous the night before she went out that she couldn't sleep well.
Seeing that Huang was sleeping soundly, Zhao Qianci felt that his decision was right.
The next day, as dawn broke, the Zhao family got up.
After breakfast, he instructed the family to take good care of the household and for the cook to do her best to prepare meals and serve Yunyou well.
They then visited the workshop and pigsty, among other places.
Only after making sure nothing was left out did the Zhao family members board the carriage.
Because of the presence of female relatives, this trip involved a total of seven carriages, including Xu Dongsheng's.
Xu Dongsheng's carriage was driven by a coachman specially sent by Han Xuri.
For his younger brother's safety, a ten-person bodyguard team was assigned to accompany him.
A large entourage of carriages and horses set off.
As we approached the village entrance, almost the entire village, young and old, came out to see us off.
The second great-uncle, leaning on his cane, looked at Zhao Qianci.
"Qian'er, well done! This old man is waiting for you to bring back good news."
Zhao Qianci shook the old man's hand.
"Don't worry, we will work hard and make sure you can enjoy the wine of a successful candidate in the imperial examination."
"Good, good, you've always been the smartest and most clever kid among your peers since you were little."
Unfortunately, you're unlucky; you ended up with such a father and such a stepmother.
And you have such an unlucky constitution. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel so down.
But now things are better; you've finally overcome your hardships.
Do you still remember where our ancestral home is?
If you happen to be passing through Beijing on your way, you should visit our ancestral home.
Burn some paper money for our ancestors.
You've had so much bad luck before, I suspect someone tampered with your mother's grave.
I remember when your mother was buried, the coffin we bought was the thinnest one in the coffin shop.
Now that your family is doing better, if possible, you should get your mother a new coffin.
If possible, find a beautiful place to bury your mother.
I think she definitely wouldn't want to be buried with your father.
With your stepmother around, your mother isn't disgusting enough.
Zhao Qianci never expected that the old man would send off such a message.
The old man must know something.
However, after fleeing the famine to this place, the journey of thousands of miles was not something that could be easily reversed.
After we talked things out today, the old man seemed to have a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.
The villagers didn't have much to say; they saw the Zhao family off in the most simple and heartfelt way.
“These are eggs laid by my old hen. I cooked them early this morning. Take them with you on your way.”
"These are wheat pancakes I made this morning. They're delicious, take them with you."
"This is me..."
One neighbor has a basket, another a small crate.
I don't know if these people planned it together or what, but all the baskets they brought to hold things looked exactly the same.
They have flat bottoms and flat lids, and all of them are the same size, so there's no need to worry about them falling off when piled up in a carriage.
The Zhao family was deeply moved by the sincerity of their fellow villagers.
This time, instead of returning the items, they were selectively accepted, taking about half of what was delivered to each household.
We hadn't set off very early to begin with, and we ended up being delayed at the village entrance for about half an hour before finally leaving.
Yunyou leaned against the wall of the clan school, watching the departing convoy with a sense of loss.
"Hmph, let them leave. They'll be back sooner or later anyway."
It's unclear whether Yunyou was trying to comfort herself or if he had actually calculated it.
Considering there were children in the carriage, the Zhao family's carriage did not travel very fast.
At this rate, if someone is impatient, they'll probably get blisters all over their mouth.
In order to ensure that they could stay at the inn every day, the Zhao family had a firm grasp on the speed at which they could do so.
Sometimes, even though they could easily travel for another half day, they absolutely refuse to agree.
We had to stay at the inn, and then set off early the next morning, before dawn.
Then, before the town's curfew that evening, they checked into an inn.
This puzzled the members of Xu Dongsheng's protection team.
What do these Zhao family members do, and why do they have such precise knowledge of the routes?
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