Chapter 160: Someone Beside the Bed
Because both Mr. Ning Caichen and Mr. Ma Junji had to take the academy examination, and they could only come back to continue teaching after the examination.
In fact, after returning from the provincial examination, if I pass, I will have to prepare for the autumn examination next year. I am afraid that I will not have much time to teach the foxes in the Fox Academy.
Ning Caichen and Ma Junji even suggested to Gong Mengbi, "We're going to take the imperial examinations. To avoid delaying the studies of the fox children, why not hire another teacher? We all know some trustworthy friends who can introduce you to a teacher."
But Gong Mengbi said, "That's not necessary. These foxes have been working hard for a year, so let them rest. It's not too late to recommend a teacher to me after you pass the exam. I actually hope you don't have to come back. You can pass the college entrance examination this year and go all the way to Jinshi next year."
Ning Caichen and Ma Junji were both delighted and said, "Thank you for your kind words."
After all, she is a fox fairy, so even a verbal blessing is a very auspicious thing.
Especially during the year at Fox Courtyard, they naturally joined in the worship of the Goddess of Mount Tai, and they also felt a sense of closeness to foxes.
Gong Mengbi thought for a moment and said, "You're going to Jinhua together to take the exam. After all, it's a long journey, and you might not be safe along the way. Take this with you. If you encounter anything strange, burn it, and it will protect you from danger."
Gong Mengbi handed Ning Caichen an amber-like bead. Ning Caichen took it and looked at it. It felt warm to the touch, like a precious jade, and it also had an indescribable fragrance that made one's mind gradually clear when one sniffed it. It was an incense pill.
Ning Caichen carefully put away the amber fragrance pill, thanked Gong Mengbi, and then happily went down the mountain with Ma Junji.
The college entrance examination is approaching, and they have to go to Jinhua in advance to prepare for the exam. The treasures and auspicious words given by the fox fairy make them very excited.
Gong Mengbi watched them going down the mountain and sighed softly.
It would be the best if they could really pass the imperial examination and become Jinshi. These two gentlemen have a deep connection with Gong Mengbi. Gong Mengbi would be even happier if they were dressed in red and purple.
It’s a pity that Gong Mengbi used the method of looking at qi to observe that although the two gentlemen have great literary talents, they have not yet achieved official positions and their luck has not yet been improved. It is hard to say whether they can pass this time.
But there is no way to say this to their faces, let alone to dissuade them. Otherwise, it would be difficult to talk about gratitude, and it might even create a rift.
Gong Mengbi could only give them a blessing and hope that their wishes would come true.
Ning Caichen and Ma Junji returned to their respective homes and said goodbye to their families.
Ning's mother had already packed his boxes and kept telling him to be careful when he was out there, passing on the advice Ning's father had once given her: "Money is only a thing outside of your body. Protecting yourself is the most important thing."
Ning Caichen said, "Ma Junji and I will be together to look after each other."
Ning's mother said, "Okay, you know each other well, so you should discuss things more when you encounter problems."
Mother Ning sighed, "My son has made it big. I was thinking of finding you a wife, so that I wouldn't be gone too soon without someone who would care for you. But now there's no rush. Let's wait until you pass the college entrance examination."
Ning Caichen said, "The imperial examination is still the most important thing now. I only hope to pass the imperial examination and bring honor to my family."
Ning's mother laughed and said, "My son will definitely be admitted to high school."
Seeing his mother's healthy appearance now, Ning Caichen felt quite emotional.
At this time last year, Ning's mother was in poor health. The family had no rice or food, let alone medicine. With her old illness incurable and her health declining, Ning's mother was worried about being a burden to Ning Caichen. She had long wanted to find a marriage for Ning Caichen while she was still able to move.
Later, Ning Caichen received a monthly salary at Fox Hill. The salary was generous, he had enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear, and he had money to see a doctor and buy medicine, which helped him to restore Ning's mother's health.
Although the old illness cannot be cured in a short time, it no longer affects my life and I don’t have to worry about it.
Ning Caichen was rich and bold, and his mother even thought of waiting for him to pass the autumn imperial examination or even become a Jinshi, and then find a better marriage for him.
Such a change was all due to the fox fairy's appreciation. Ning Caichen and Ma Junji were not fools and knew the fox fairy's kindness to them, so they were very grateful.
But after a few days of not coming home, Ning Caichen discovered that there was a new shrine in the house, and the deity enshrined was a deity that Ning Caichen was very familiar with. He couldn't help but ask, "Mother, where did this statue come from?"
Ning's mother said, "This is a statue of the Goddess of Mount Tai. It is very effective. I asked a fortune teller to bring it back."
As she spoke, Ning's mother took Ning Caichen to burn incense to the Queen Mother of Mount Tai. Ning Caichen bowed to the Queen Mother of Mount Tai, feeling both amused and annoyed.
He often worshipped the Goddess of Mount Tai in the Fox Courtyard, but he never expected that when he returned home, his mother was also worshipping the Goddess of Mount Tai.
It’s just that it’s hard to talk about the experience in Fox Courtyard, otherwise I would definitely tell Ning’s mother about this coincidence.
After resting at home for a night, Ning Caichen set out for Jinhua with Ma Junji the next day.
The journey to Jinhua was indeed not peaceful. Ning Caichen and Ma Junji set out by water, taking a boat to Jinhua, but encountered pirates who stopped them and demanded tolls.
The boat owner was helpless, but he could only spend money to avoid disaster.
When we arrived in Jinhua, we changed from water to land. We didn't have time to enter the city, so we had to stay in a guesthouse and wait until the next day to find a place to stay in the city.
Fearing the high cost of living in the city, Ning Caichen and Ma Junji lived in the same room to save money.
Tired from the journey, the two went to bed early.
Until late at night, Ning Caichen felt a slight breeze blowing in his ears. It did not sound like the cool breeze coming in through the window, but rather like the damp and heavy sound of human breathing.
Ning Caichen originally thought it was Ma Junji, but he vaguely felt that Ma Junji was sleeping on his right side, while the breathing-like sound of the wind came from his left side.
There was someone beside the bed! He woke up immediately with a cold sweat, but he didn't dare to move, not even to move his eyes. He only secretly opened his eyes a crack and looked in the direction of the breathing.
It was a dark figure, with a strange shape, like a blown-up bladder. It had a vaguely human form, but it was definitely not human!
Unable to see clearly what kind of face was underneath the strange outline, Ning Caichen was sweating profusely and did not dare to move.
The black shadow's breathing was so heavy that there seemed to be the sound of saliva dripping onto the ground.
In the darkness, the shadow seemed to notice Ning Caichen's gaze and looked into Ning Caichen's eyes.
Ning Caichen immediately closed his eyes and tried to slow down his breathing and pretend to sleep, for fear of being discovered by the monster and triggering its ferocity.
The monster seemed a little excited and slowly approached, but for some reason it was afraid of something and did not dare to cross the limit.
It wasn't until a faint fragrance lit up his nostrils that Ning Caichen's heart moved. He knew what the monster was afraid of.
That was the amber perfume pill given to him by Gong Mengbi. He put it in his pocket and hung it on the head of his bed before going to bed.
So the monster only dared to watch secretly but did not dare to get close, because of the subtle fragrance emitted by the amber fragrance pill.
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