He hasn't gone out to ask for candy on the first day of the New Year for several years.
This behavior is a custom in Taoyuan County.
Adults generally do not visit neighbors on the first day of the New Year, but children can. Every household prepares candies, melon seeds, peanuts, etc. for the children who visit.
Wealthier families would also put a red envelope with one penny in it.
After a round of asking for candies, Cheng Minhong's small bag was full of candies.
When they went to the temple fair together in the afternoon, all the sisters in the car happily ate the candies she brought.
The entire Cheng family went to the temple fair, except Cheng Yue and Cheng Jinyan.
Shanshui originally didn't want to go because he wanted to accompany Cheng Yue, but was dragged there by Jiang.
To go to the temple fair to worship Buddha, Cheng Yue, the child's mother, will not go, but Shanshui, the child's father, has to go!
…
"Jinyan, we haven't talked for a while. Come chat with your aunt for a while!"
After everyone left, Cheng Yue came to Cheng Jinyan's room and said.
"Auntie, I didn't sleep well last night and I want to sleep."
Cheng Jinyan sat at the desk and didn't want to talk to anyone at all.
"But Auntie is so bored alone! The sun is so nice today, why don't you follow Auntie and bask in the sun in the yard?"
Cheng Yue said.
"All right!"
Cheng Jinyan nodded.
Zi Su and Fu Ling had already moved out two lounge chairs and placed them in the middle of the dam. They also brought a small table with a pot of hot water, a plate of dessert, a few oranges, and a plate of peanuts and melon seeds on it.
"The exam is in two months. How are your preparations going?"
Cheng Yue peeled an orange for herself and asked.
"fine."
Cheng Jinyan said absentmindedly.
"Are you sure?"
Cheng Yue asked again.
"Um?"
Cheng Jinyan was stunned.
"Have a good chance of passing the exam, or be number one in Yunzhou Prefecture. What do you call that?"
Cheng Yue couldn't think of what the first place in the provincial examination was called.
"Aunt, that's called Jieyuan. The examination in Beijing is called Huishi, and the one who gets first place is called Huiyuan. Then, the emperor will go to the main hall and personally set the questions and select the candidates. The one who gets first place is called Zhuangyuan! Jieyuan, Huiyuan, and Zhuangyuan are collectively known as the "Three Great Prizes." Since the founding of the Great Qi Dynasty, in all the imperial examinations, only two people have ever won the "Three Great Prizes" consecutively."
Cheng Jinyan explained.
"Then you have a chance too! If you can get first place in the exam this time and then take first place in the exam this fall, our Cheng family will be glorious."
Cheng Yue nodded to show that she understood.
"I think so too! But it's hard to say for sure. The teacher said it depends on who the chief examiner is this year. Every chief examiner sets different questions; they have their own style. Even for those who have won the first and second place in the imperial examinations, no one knows what questions the emperor will ask in the palace. Moreover, some candidates are well-educated, but they will be nervous when they see the emperor in the palace, which will affect their answers and prevent them from performing normally."
Cheng Jinyan said again.
The teacher that Cheng Jinyan mentioned was not the teacher from Taoyuan Academy, but the same teacher as Cheng Jinxing, a knowledgeable and talented person specially found by General Ji to guide Cheng Jinyan.
He is indeed better than the teacher in Taoyuan County. Cheng Jinyan learned a lot about the imperial examination from him.
"Are you nervous about going to the temple to meet the emperor?"
Cheng Yue asked again.
"Of course not. But I don't think I'll be so nervous that it affects my performance."
Cheng Jinyan said very confidently.
"That's great! I knew my nephew was amazing!"
Cheng Yue smiled.
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