Chapter 175 Chen Yu
The sun was still scorching in the first few days of the beginning of autumn, and Chen Yu hurried all the way to the pharmacy.
She looked up at the faded plaque of "Renjitang" and the copper bells on the eaves jingled in the wind, as if urging her to come in quickly.
The bitter aroma of aged mugwort and atractylodes lancea wafted through the drugstore. Faded red paper was pasted on the walnut cabinets, with the words "Danggui" and "Forsythia" written in tiny calligraphy.
A gray head popped out from behind the counter. Shopkeeper Wang was weighing Poria cocos on a scale.
"Sister Yu is here to test your father's medicine. Is it your leg that hurts or is the cough coming back?"
"I had a bad cough last night..."
"Three grams of astragalus, two grams of apricot kernel, honey-roasted licorice..." The old shopkeeper turned and grabbed a handful of loquat leaves from the celadon jar. "The dry air of the beginning of autumn hurts the lungs. Use these to make pear soup."
When the oil paper package was pushed over, there was a piece of frosted malt sugar underneath.
Seeing Chen Yu take out his purse, he quickly reached out to stop him, took out the "credit account" booklet underneath, and quickly wrote down a few entries.
"Don't worry, it's just a small amount, so just write it down first and pay it back later."
Manager Wang wrote a few words, glanced at it hastily for Chen Yu, and then closed the book.
But Chen Yu's body was as stiff as a statue in a temple.
"The provincial examination has been postponed, so Old Chen will definitely not allow you to go out and look for work at this time.
Let's keep some extra money on us and book a ride to Fengjing as soon as possible. We mustn't delay our important business."
Chen Yu clenched her fists. The three words "business" sounded so harsh to her.
"Sister Yu?"
Chen Yu suddenly came back to his senses and reached for the medicine bag on the counter, but did not twitch.
"Let go!"
The old shopkeeper raised his lips and smiled kindly, "Brother Liu is still waiting at home, no wonder he is so anxious."
"Don't worry, during the scientific expedition, we old neighbors will take good care of your father and your brother. Go with peace of mind."
After he finished speaking, he let go of her hand. Chen Yu snatched it away and ran out of the pharmacy without looking back.
Shopkeeper Wang laughed, shook his head, took out the account book again, and crumpled up the page with the bill privately.
He looked out the door, and fine sand-like powder leaked out from between his fingers.
The sun shone over the bluestone alley, and beads of sweat slid down Chen Yu's neckline into the cross collar, leaving dark water marks on the coarse linen lapels.
She leaned against the mottled door frame and panted for a long time, then tucked her messy hair behind her ears.
After finally catching his breath, he tidied up his clothes, wiped the sweat from his forehead and neck, and then pushed the door open and walked in.
The autumn sun shines through the twisted branches of the crooked persimmon tree, giving the hunched figure on the bamboo stool a golden edge.
Father Chen had split bamboo strips piled on his knees, and his rough knuckles were twisting the strips into hexagonal patterns.
The five-year-old brother was lying on the stone table, reciting the Thousand Character Classic in a crooked manner:
"The sky and earth are dark and yellow, the universe...is vast and boundless!" The last syllable suddenly jumped with joy, "Sister is home!"
The bamboo strips rustled as they fell to the ground. Father Chen raised his cloudy eyes and glanced over his daughter's head:
"The sun is so strong, why don't you wear a hat?"
He stood up with the help of a bamboo stick, and his limping foot made a dull rustling sound as it dragged across the blue bricks.
The slanted shadow covered Chen Yu, carrying with it a bitter fragrance mixed with mugwort and bamboo shavings.
"I want to go home early."
Chen Yu placed the medicine bag on the well platform, and the shadow of the green persimmon swayed in the light cast by the windlass.
Her father's cracked palm covered her wrist, his body temperature was cooler than the morning dew, like linen soaked in well water.
The hands that once wrote plaques are now cut by bamboo strips, leaving grooves all over them.
The corners of his robe were no longer stained with fresh ink, and when he walked, there was no longer the fragrance of pine smoke, but it was covered with bamboo shavings.
"Father, I have bought some food. The rice cooker will deliver it to me soon. I will make some medicine for you first."
The sparrows on the eaves fluttered in the air, accompanied by the dull thud of a bamboo stick knocking against the ground:
"Don't worry, there's some corn porridge warming up on the stove. I'll bring you a bowl.
Go back to the house and change into dry clothes first. Don't catch a cold at this time of year.
My legs and feet are not very flexible, but my hands are still useful, so I don’t need you to boil medicine or cook.”
Chen Yu looked at his father's back as he limped into the kitchen. Every time he tapped the ground with the bamboo stick, his shoulder blades would rise abruptly, like an old crane with broken wings flapping its broken wings.
The old people in the county would often grumble that her father was the one who had the best chance of passing the imperial examination back then.
Unfortunately, he broke his leg, ending his career as an official.
In the past, people who copied books and wrote letters could also make money.
However, after the current emperor ascended the throne, the Tiangongsi developed mulberry paper and a new printing technology.
As more people became literate, books became much cheaper, and poor scholars could not make much money.
There are schools and academies in the county, but people don't want a scholar with a lame leg.
There was no other choice, so my father had to open a school at home.
The neighbors would give them some money for daily necessities to educate their children, and in their spare time they would make bamboo baskets and other things to sell.
Life was originally okay, but three years ago her mother fell into a river and drowned, and the burden of life fell on her.
While studying for the imperial examinations, he also had to take care of his father and younger brother, and his life became increasingly difficult.
The hot wind blew through the persimmon tree. Chen Yu didn't dare to stare at his father's back. He lowered his head and stroked his younger brother's head.
"Be good, sister will go change clothes first."
Children over five years old are at the age of being naughty, and are forced by their father to study.
But he had been taught so many times recently and knew the importance of the imperial examination for his sister, so he nodded and released her legs.
Rushing into the house quickly and closing the door, Chen Yu slid down to the ground, leaning against the door.
His nails dug deep into his palms, and a rusty taste rose in his throat.
Everyone told her that as long as she passed the provincial examination, everything would be over.
But...why her?
In the imperial study, Qin Minghuang rubbed his forehead.
"Is this her idea?"
Yinzhe shrugged his shoulders and said, "The Sixth Prince only made two requests, but you can guess what his intention is."
Knock, knock, knock. The sound of knuckles tapping on the table was heard and stopped after a long time.
"What do you think?"
"It's better to be prepared. Time is tight and we are just being forced to do something.
Your Highness, if you can reason with it and it works, that would be great, but if it doesn't, it's still a solution."
Qin Minghuang looked up at the figure standing opposite him, "When did Thirteenth Sister become so...flexible?"
"You learn from the kind of people you follow.
If Your Majesty feels that this is excessive, I will pass on the message and reject her proposal."
"What's the use of reasoning? Go and get ready."
Obviously, Qin Minghuang didn't think that Zhao Wan's "poetry meeting" tomorrow would achieve any results, otherwise he would not have given orders to Zhao Yue alone.
She read over and over again the details of the disaster relief report submitted by her eldest daughter. Xiaoliu often had unexpected ideas at the key points.
No matter what secrets she was hiding, after Zhao Qiong was poisoned and fell into a coma, she was the one who stepped forward to take charge of the situation.
After the sorcerer exposed the bad money, she was the one who suggested to immediately unite King Rui and the governor to stabilize the situation for the time being.
Although it all comes down to "delaying", it is not easy to immediately assess the situation and make a decision.
The second princess of the Shuofeng Dynasty requested to take part in the imperial examination. There must be some unknown purpose behind it.
There are too many possibilities and Qin Minghuang cannot confirm it.
So on the one hand, Zhao Qiong was sent to the northern border to strengthen the army;
On the other hand, he wanted to take advantage of the situation and drag those women from the gentry into the imperial examinations to consolidate the national policy.
Ordinary methods are difficult to achieve results, so I thought of Zhao Yue.
It turns out that Xiaoliu's ideas are indeed unique.
"yes!"
Yinzhe went to find someone by himself. It would take a lot of effort to meet Qin Zhaoyue's requirements, so he had to act quickly.
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