Chapter 51 Good News from the Fifth Young Master
When Zhao heard Lu Qiniang mention the head of the village, she became frightened and got up from the ground.
"Just wait, Lu Qi Niang, you don't have to be so arrogant. Wait until Zhang Heyao sees you like this, and see if he wants you or not!"
Daya frowned and looked at Zhao's fleeing figure with disgust in her eyes.
She took Lu Qiniang's arm and said, "Mom, don't listen to her."
"No, who would listen to her barking?" Lu Qiniang said, "Your father and I grew up together, and he's not that kind of person."
But then she said to herself, "Why do I feel like I'm losing weight so slowly lately?"
Daya looked worried.
She knew that Lu Qiniang was somewhat inferior.
"Mom, take your time. Your health is more important."
"Yeah, I know." Lu Qin's mother said, "At worst, before I lose weight, I won't go with your father when he goes out, so as not to embarrass him."
She felt that Zhang Heyao would not dislike her.
But people outside don't know her, so they naturally judge her by her appearance.
In order not to embarrass Zhang Heyao, she had to hold on even if Zhang Heyao insisted on taking her out.
No matter what high-ranking official Zhang Heyao holds in the northwest, he has just arrived in Beijing and is unfamiliar with the place. He still needs to consider all aspects carefully.
"By the way," Lu Qiniang warned Daya again, "you must not tell your second sister about what happened today. She has a quick temper and is unforgiving. If she goes to Xiao Dashan's house to make a scene, it will not be good for you or your father either."
Daya nodded.
"I'm sorry to have wronged you. I actually arranged such a marriage for you before." Lu Qin's mother said guiltily.
She liked Hu Tou, but she didn't expect Zhao to be so inhumane.
"Mother, I'm not wronged. You don't have to always think about treating everyone equally, feeling that this one is wronged and that one is not taken care of." Daya spoke frankly, just like how Lu Qi's mother reasoned with her. "We are all family. If we care too much, we will become estranged. We share the happiness and the troubles of our family together."
Lu Qin's mother was very pleased and patted Daya's shoulder: "It's okay if it doesn't work out. Let your father find you a good one in the future. But you can't say you won't find one. Let's not rush. Let's look for it slowly. There's no need to worry if we find twenty. Mom can make money!"
The imperial court stipulated that if a woman did not marry before the age of 15, the head tax would be doubled annually.
Lu Qiniang counted on her fingers: "Five hundred coins, one ounce in the second year, two ounces in the third year, four ounces in the fourth year, eight ounces in the fifth year... I'll keep it for you until you're twenty. I'll save this little bit of money for you."
"And my dad." Daya said with a smile.
To her, her father Zhang Heyao is the most familiar stranger.
Although I have never seen him, I seem to have heard about him from Lu Qiniang too many times, which is enough to outline a flesh-and-blood person.
He was smart and hardworking, very good at studying, and had a handsome appearance. He was a handsome man who amazed all the neighbors.
He was also very kind to Lu Qi Niang, buying her flowers and secretly sending her food...
"Yes, and your father!"
Thinking about the future, Lu Qiniang felt it was bright and beautiful, and it was something to look forward to.
In the evening, Erya was very excited when she came back.
Lu Qiniang thought she had heard about Zhao's troubles and was about to persuade her to calm down when she heard her say, "Mother, it's done, it's done!"
"What do you mean?" Lu Qin's mother scolded while she was setting the table. "Can't you even speak properly? You're so jumpy."
"The Fifth Young Master passed the exam!" Erya's eyes were bright, her expression was joyful, and she felt proud.
Lu Qiniang also became excited when she heard this and wiped her hands on her apron. "What did you win? Tell me quickly, did you win the first place or the third place?"
She had heard a story before, not knowing whether it was true or not, that said there was a young scholar in the previous dynasty who should have won the top spot in the imperial examination, but the emperor said that the third place winner was too old and not good-looking, so he asked the two to switch.
The top scholar became the third place scholar.
Although the third place in the imperial examination was also a good thing, Lu Qiniang always felt that this scholar was too wronged, as he lost the first place in the imperial examination.
At that time, she was worried about Zhang Heyao.
She had not met many scholars, so she had no basis for comparison, but she firmly believed that Zhang Heyao would become the top scholar in the future.
So she nervously told him about her concerns.
Zhang Heyao laughed at her and told her to think more about things and not to believe everything she heard.
He said that the imperial examination was a major matter for the court and not a joke, and that things like those in the play could never happen.
Lu Qiniang felt relieved after hearing this.
But later, she witnessed and experienced some things, became more mature than before, and doubts arose in her heart again.
——Although the emperor is the true dragon emperor, isn’t he just a human being?
As a human being, you will experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and you will have your moments of madness.
What if, when choosing the number one scholar, the emperor feels that someone is particularly suitable for his taste and has a good eye for it, and the difference between them is not big, how could he not choose the number one scholar randomly?
She didn't dare ask Zhang Heyao again, for fear of appearing stupid.
Later, Zhang Heyao gave up writing and joined the army, and this problem was no longer a problem for her.
But she didn't expect that there was someone she was familiar with who was also very beautiful among the candidates for the Spring Examination, which aroused Lu Qiniang's worries again.
"Nothing."
"Ah?" The smile on Lu Qiniang's face suddenly disappeared. "How come I didn't win anything?"
Zhou Xiaoyao, that thin young man, studies hard, gets up earlier than a chicken and sleeps later than a cow. If he can't do this, then who can?
Do I have to keep my eyes open for twelve hours without eating or sleeping?
That is a god.
"Why are you so happy if you didn't succeed!" Lu Qiniang patted Erya on the back. "I really want to beat you up. There are some bad people in the Zhou family, but the Fifth Young Master treats us so kindly! How can we not hope for the best for him? He deserves a beating!"
"Mother, I was just teasing you, really." Erya said, "The palace examination hasn't even started yet, so how can there be any top scorers, second place winners, or third place winners? Those have to be chosen by the emperor himself."
"It hasn't happened yet, what are you yelling about?" Lu Qiniang felt ashamed of her own narrow knowledge, and then scolded Erya.
"I've passed the imperial examination! Only those who pass the imperial examination have the opportunity to take the palace examination, and then they may become the top scholar in the future!"
The spring examination is called the joint examination, which is a "qualifying competition" and those who pass it are called Gongshi.
(Author's note: Reference to the Qing Dynasty system)
Gongshi took part in the palace examination, and then the top three were selected.
The first class is awarded the top three places; the second class is awarded the title of Jinshi; the third class is awarded the title of Jinshi.
Daya's uncle was one of the top three students.
Lu Qiniang finally understood where Zhou Xiaoyao was at in his journey to the imperial examination.
"That's great news, very good news." She said with a smile, "I knew the Fifth Young Master would definitely pass. We must prepare well, and then he will win first place and bring honor to our family."
The most important thing is to improve his status in the Zhou family so that he won’t be bullied all the time.
"Mom, what gift should we give?" Erya asked.
Lu Qiniang was stunned.
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