Finally, at Bai Muqiu's enthusiastic invitation, Xu Mao ate a chicken leg and a small portion of pork knuckle.
It wasn't that he was greedy for food; it was mainly because Bai Muqiu forced him to eat, and he wasn't the type to refuse outright, so he ate more.
Bai Muqiu originally wanted to feed him more, but Bai Hao stopped her.
Xu Mao was originally from an ordinary family, and it was already very difficult for him to be able to study. Later, his parents passed away one after another, and it was his grandfather and uncle's family who supported his studies.
Therefore, he was never extravagant and was even very frugal. As a result, he rarely ate meat. He rented an old house converted from a shack, used a small plot of land in front of the house to grow and eat vegetables, and occasionally cooked a little bit of lard. Most of the time, he did not eat much meat.
Bai Muqiu hadn't seen Xu Mao's past and future, but Bai Hao had. Having not eaten meat for a long time, suddenly eating too much can easily cause an upset stomach.
After finishing her meal, Bai Muqiu washed her hands and returned to sit down for tea.
"Brother Hao, what brings you here? Just passing by?"
"I'm afraid you'll die, so I'll take one last look."
"...You're the one who's dead!"
"...Spit it out."
"No! What I eat is mine!"
"Heh," Bai Hao replied expressionlessly.
Bai Muqiu patted her full belly triumphantly.
Xu Mao watched the interaction between the two brothers, which was warm and comfortable, and they seemed to have a very good relationship.
He suddenly remembered his cousins at home. Although they were farmers and didn't know how to read, they were very kind to him.
Didn't you see my reply?
Bai Hao picked up his teacup and drank some tea, while asking Bai Muqiu a question.
【Huh? Oh, I fell asleep and haven't had a chance to look yet. Is it my fault?】
Yes and no.
【What's the meaning? 】
【Your technique does have some issues, but not major ones. What you want is for people with specific needs to enter when they need it, but you haven't done it correctly; there's no time limit at all.】
In other words, Xu Mao has no demands at the moment; he arrived too early.
Uh... well, how do I change it?
[All revised.]
Oh my god, my brother! You're my brother!
Bai Muqiu looked at Bai Hao with sparkling eyes, her heart filled with joy.
Bai Hao lowered his eyes and drank his tea without any change in expression.
"Oh? By the way, Scholar, weren't you supposed to be studying today? What brings you here to see me?"
"Ah, I gained a lot from our conversation yesterday, and today, reading has given me even more insights. I've come here specifically to seek your guidance, Mr. Bai."
Upon hearing this, Bai Muqiu felt a chill run down his spine. He wanted to chat casually, but not discuss academic matters!
Bai Hao, who was standing to the side, became unusually interested and suddenly became very talkative, stunning Xu Mao in just a few words.
After a while, Bai Muqiu propped her hands on the table and forced herself to doze off.
The classical Chinese phrases and such are so hypnotic!
Unlike Bai Muqiu, who was simple-minded and gave straightforward explanations, Bai Hao answered questions one by one, and Xu Mao would ponder them. Thus, Bai Hao didn't say much, but at least he was leisurely drinking tea, which was in stark contrast to Bai Muqiu yesterday.
Finally, Xu Mao, seemingly lost in thought, hurriedly went home with his books before curfew.
Bai Hao closed the door and turned around to see Bai Muqiu sleeping soundly on the soft couch.
He shook his head helplessly, walked over, and pulled Bai Muqiu up.
"You've slept all day and you're still sleeping? What, are you envious of pigs?"
"Ugh... I'm so bored..." Bai Muqiu rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Brother Hao, why are you suddenly so enthusiastic?"
"Don't you consider his past and future?"
"I won't look... I'll leave it to fate. It's better not to know."
Bai Hao looked at Bai Muqiu stretching and pondered for a moment. He felt that what Bai Muqiu said made sense, so he took back what he was about to say.
"If you're alright, I'll be going now."
"Huh? You're not staying for a couple of days?"
"I'm busy."
"No time? What's the rush?"
"Yes, a little demon stole my things, and I'm chasing after it."
"Huh? That's amazing, he can steal your things?!"
"...Are you happy?"
"No, no, no, no, Brother Hao, you're busy!"
"He who takes a bribe is bound to do his bidding; he who eats another's food is obligated to do his bidding." Having just accepted Bai Hao's favor, I can't just turn my back on him.
Bai Hao was too lazy to complain. With a flicker of his figure, he vanished in a flash of light.
Bai Muqiu looked at the shop, which had returned to its deserted state, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then went back to her room to continue sleeping.
After that, Xu Mao treated Bai Muqiu's place as half a home, often coming to discuss academic matters. In return, he helped Bai Muqiu clean and cook.
If Bai Muqiu hadn't firmly refused, the clothes would have been washed.
Actually, Bai Muqiu could have done all that with a single spell, but since Xu Mao did it this way, he couldn't say anything, and besides, having another person would have made things more lively.
Because Bai Hao modified and improved the formation, Bai Muqiu no longer had any guests.
One year later.
The imperial examinations have begun, and Xu Mao is going to take the exams. If he passes, he will become a Juren (举人), and then he can go to the capital to take the Jinshi (进士) or Gongshi (贡士) examinations.
It's too early to say right now; the closest people to become successful candidates in the imperial examinations are still those who have passed the provincial examination
Passing the imperial examination was not just a title; it also brought many benefits, such as substantial rewards.
Starting from the lowest level of the imperial examinations, as long as one passed, there would be a corresponding reward of money and some special treatment.
For example, a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination was not required to kneel before an official, and a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination could have the title of a local gentry.
In addition to government rewards, many local gentry would provide financial assistance to talented scholars who could be nurtured, which could be considered an investment.
In short, if Xu Mao passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), his life would improve. He would not only bring honor to his ancestors and become famous in the local area, but he would also reduce the tax burden on his family. The spiritual and material gains would be obvious to everyone.
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