Chapter 166 The hero's best mother (Fifty-three)
A pinch of rice is a favor, a pound of rice is a grudge! The Zheng family gave too much and praised Ji Keji too much.
Ji Keji was too young, and after experiencing so many surprises all of a sudden, his heart was dizzy.
On the first day that Zhao Qingyun traveled with Ji Keji, he discovered that something was wrong with him.
This person is very dangerous.
One foot has already stepped on the edge of the cliff.
If we can wake up in time, maybe there is still hope.
But if he continues to get carried away, he will step on empty air! Zhao Qingyun doesn't want to contact such a person for the time being.
It's not that he has a bad character, but that he is not sober enough and not smart enough! Zhao Qingyun is no longer the innocent boy he was back then, and his world is no longer black and white, with right and wrong.
Whether a person has good or bad character is not important.
The key is to be smart! "Let's go!"
Zhao Qingyun jumped on his own carriage and said to the driver, "Go to Pingkangfang!"
There are a total of 108 wards in the capital city. Pingkangfang is a well-known "red-light district", but the Imperial College is also located in this ward.
Therefore, many scholars or candidates taking imperial examinations would come to Pingkangfang.
Zhao Qingyun is a person who thinks three steps ahead before taking one step.
Since I have decided to come to the capital to take part in the Spring Examination, I will make preparations in advance.
More than a month ago, he asked his cousin Zhao Qingyang to go to the capital first.
Investigate the East and West Markets to find suitable houses.
Zhao Qingyang has his mentor Mr. Tang’s family in Beijing, so he is not unfamiliar with the place.
Zhao Qingyang is very capable and has gained a lot of experience in Heyin County over the past few years.
After arriving in the capital, with the help of the Tang family, he bought a suitable courtyard and shop in less than half a month.
The house is located in Pingkangfang, a courtyard with three entrances.
"yes!"
The driver agreed, raised his whip, and cracked it loudly in the air, and the carriage started moving quickly.
Pingkangfang.
"Mother, what are you looking at outside?"
The person who spoke was a young man in his twenties. He was wearing a long robe, had a fair face and a scholarly air.
His accent had a hint of his hometown flavor, and one could tell at a glance that he was a scholar coming to Beijing to take the imperial examinations.
His mother was an old woman in her fifties, with gray hair and fine wrinkles around the corners of her eyes and mouth.
The corners of the old woman's lips couldn't help but droop, and she looked a little stern and difficult to approach.
"The neighbors next door should be here! Someone came to clean up early in the morning."
The old woman sat outside the door of the small courtyard she rented, pretending to be working while watching what was happening next door.
"Is it the courtyard on the east side? I heard that it was also bought by a scholar from another place."
This scholar was not a "aloof" person. After hearing his mother's words, he also showed his enthusiasm for gossip.
"Yes! I have already asked clearly, and I heard that this family also had a widowed mother raising her son."
When the old woman mentioned her "widowed mother", her serious expression seemed to soften a little.
"A woman who has never remarried, who has acted as both a father and a mother to her son, and who has even helped him pass the imperial examination, must be a very good person!"
The old woman seemed to be praising her new neighbor next door, but there was a hint of pride between her eyebrows.
Anyone who knows her a little knows that she is also bragging.
The old woman did have reason to be proud because she was a widow.
She became a widow at a young age and had to support the entire family by herself.
Not only did she raise her four children, she also paid for her son's education.
His son was also promising and passed the imperial examination at the age of 25.
A juren, in their hometown, is definitely the first one.
Now that her son has come to Beijing to take part in the Spring Imperial Examination, the old woman has sold her belongings and brought her daughter-in-law, grandson, and others to accompany him.
She believed that her son would definitely pass the imperial examination and stay in the capital to be an official! However, "it is not easy to live in the capital", so the old woman sold her belongings, and her son received "filial piety" and subsidies from his daughter-in-law's family.
After adding up all the factors, I still can't afford to buy a house and can only rent one.
However, it is not easy to rent a neat courtyard in Pingkangfang.
The old woman is very proud. This family cannot do without her!
Then the house to the east changed its neighbors.
The old woman ran to inquire and found out that it was also a widow who brought her son to Beijing to take the exam.
Hey, this is the “same kind”.
While the old woman was happy, she also had some comparative thoughts.
So, when she heard the noise today and saw several people busy coming in and out, the old woman knew that it was probably a new neighbor who had arrived.
She hurriedly changed into the new clothes she had made for her son after he passed the imperial examination, combed her hair neatly, then took a needle and thread basket and sat outside the gate in a pretentious manner.
"The son of that family should not be as young as my Erlang."
The old woman only realized how difficult the imperial examination was when her own son took it.
Many people are still just students when they are in their forties or fifties.
My son passed the imperial examination and became a juren when he was in his twenties. He was definitely the youngest in their county.
Moreover, the new neighbor’s house was not rented, but purchased.
If you are too young, you probably won’t be able to earn such a large sum of money.
Maybe, the Yue family also helped here.
Just like their family, in order to let their son continue his studies, they gritted their teeth and married the daughter of a wealthy businessman in the county.
Now it seems that they don't match each other very well.
A dark and inexplicable light flashed in the old woman's slightly sharp eyes.
However, today it’s more important to just watch the fun.
She must make her "old sister" next door, who is also a widow, envious.
"Yes! Just like my mother!"
The young man had great respect for his widowed mother, so when he said "just like my mother", it was already a great compliment.
The mother and son were talking and laughing when they heard a rolling sound.
It was the sound of a carriage! "Here we go!"
The old woman perked up, and her droopy back straightened up instantly.
Soon, two or three carriages drove in slowly.
The mother and son were a little surprised. They knew that the family might have some wealth, but they didn't expect that their display would be so grand.
There are several carriages. Even if we hire them, it would cost a lot of money.
"Whoa! " With a long groan from the driver, the carriage came to a steady stop.
Creak!
The car door opened and a handsome boy of about seventeen or eighteen jumped out.
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
"Is this the son of a juren? He is quite handsome!"
There was a flash of amazement in the eyes of both the old woman and the young man.
Everyone loves beauty.
The old woman winked at her son.
The young man nodded. After all, they were neighbors and it was inevitable that they would have interactions in the future.
When a neighbor comes, he should go over to say hello and see if there is any way he can help.
However, the young man did not set off immediately. He was waiting for the scholar of the same generation as him.
However, no!
As the handsome young man got out of the car, two little girls also jumped out.
Then, an incredibly beautiful and frail woman was helped out of the car.
"Marry a virtuous wife. She is beautiful but weak. What's the point of marrying her?"
"Fortunately, I was able to give birth to a son, otherwise, my husband's family would have been devastated!"
The old woman glanced at Gu Qingcheng, her heart full of disapproval.
She has been a daughter-in-law for many years and finally became a mother-in-law, and her mentality has long been distorted.
I instinctively dislike seeing this kind of weak, delicate and timid woman.
However, Gu Qingcheng and Zhao Qingyun have very similar eyebrows, and anyone who sees them would know that they are mother and son.
The old woman speculated that Gu Qingcheng could still give birth to a son, which was finally of some use!
"Eh? Where's the scholar?"
"Yes, and his widowed mother?"
Why are there only a few people?
The carriage at the back was mostly filled with luggage.
Just when the two were confused, Zhao Qingyun caught a glimpse of the mother and son out of the corner of his eye.
There was a warm smile on his handsome face, but it was a very formulaic smile that didn't extend to his eyes at all.
"My surname is Zhao, and my given name is Qingyun. I passed the imperial examination in the year of Yiwei. What's your surname, my neighbor? Are you also a candidate who went to Beijing?"
Zhao Qingyun was very polite, but his words made the mother and son who were watching the fun open their mouths in amazement.
This young man, who had not even reached the age of twenty, was actually a juren? And the Yiwei year was three years ago.
How old was he at that time, and he passed the imperial examination? !
The young man reacted faster than the old woman. He suddenly woke up and bowed in return, "My name is Zhao Zhi, and I passed the imperial examination in the year of Wuxu."
The two families are related by chance as they both have the surname Zhao.
It’s just that Zhao Zhi is this year’s juren, one year later than Zhao Qingyun.
"Brother Zhao, this must be your mother. How is your aunt?"
Zhao Qingyun continued to greet his neighbors with a warm smile.
"An, An!"
The old lady of the Zhao family, who could scold her daughter-in-law to tears, was now stuttering.
She suddenly looked at Gu Qingcheng who was walking towards them gracefully and asked, "She, she is——"
Zhao Qingyun stepped aside, made way, reached out to support his mother, and then introduced her with a smile: "My mother, Gu, has ruined her health by supporting me in my studies. Please forgive me if I am disrespectful in the future!"
Old Mrs. Zhao stared at Gu Qingcheng, who looked younger than her own daughter-in-law, and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Is this also a widowed mother?
After working so hard to raise your son, you ended up betraying a scholar?
But, why is it completely different from what she imagined? She even “ruined her health”.
Old Mrs. Zhao didn't believe a word of it.
Her old eyes were the most venomous. Gu's ten fingers were white and delicate, like young spring onions.
There are no calluses or roughness on his face, and one can tell at first glance that he is a pampered person.
My daughter-in-law is the daughter of a wealthy merchant family. She has been married to my family for more than ten years and has calluses on her hands.
"...Old, old, can I call you elder sister?"
Gu Qingcheng started to show off her acting skills again.
She seemed not to notice the complexity in Old Mrs. Zhao's eyes, and deliberately spoke heartbreaking words in an innocent manner.
Logically, since both sons were juren, they were of the same generation.
Gu Qingcheng politely addressed Old Lady Zhao as "Sister", and there was absolutely no problem with that.
But, but these two people don’t look like they are from the same generation. Even if they are two generations, it would be a bit unfair to Gu Qingcheng.
She is so young and so beautiful, yet she calls a mean old woman in her fifties or sixties "sister".
Old Mrs. Zhao herself was a little embarrassed to agree.
“Puff!”
The neighbor on the other side heard the noise and quietly came out to watch what was going on, and happened to see this scene.
Haha, this is so funny. Even that old widow who always thinks highly of herself can sometimes be choked and speechless!
PS: First update in the morning, please give me a monthly vote!
(End of this chapter)
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