Chapter 42 Mock Exam
Visiting hours are limited. He Zheng waited outside the cell for almost half an hour. The jailer on duty grew increasingly anxious, fearing that his superior might suddenly come down to inspect. Finally, he could no longer bear it and came in to drive him away.
Xie Sanlang and He Erlang had been looked down upon and ostracized to some extent in the circles of the powerful and wealthy, but to a lowly official like a prison guard from a poor background, they were already top-tier nobles.
The fact that these two men vied to bribe their way in to get in and see her shows that the woman surnamed Yu inside was no ordinary person, so he had to take her very seriously.
"Has the young lady finished writing her letter? Would you like me to deliver it for her?"
Yu Mingshu chuckled inwardly. This man had been speaking harshly and rudely, pushing her toward the cell in the morning, and demanding those few pieces of paper from her as if she wanted his life. Now, he was being so attentive.
Looking down at the densely written letter, he hesitated for only a moment before folding it up and putting it away, saying, "No need."
The jailer said with an exceptionally kind smile, "If you need anything else, please call me anytime."
Cui Hongli watched this scene coldly, and after the people had walked away, she spat at the door and said, "You snobbish bastards!"
Yu Mingshu chuckled: "His job seems to be quite lucrative, better than selling milk tea."
Cui Hongli also wanted to say something sarcastic, but then she thought that the jailer was getting paid to let people in, so she was also benefiting from it.
He swallowed his grumbling and changed his tune, saying, "On the other hand, as the saying goes, true friendship is revealed in times of trouble. Your two friends are quite good and worth befriending. Especially that He Erlang."
"Just because he brought food in?"
Cui Hongli shook her head slightly. "Xie Sanlang visits you for his own peace of mind, but He Erlang is different. I think he treats you quite differently."
Yu Mingshu remained noncommittal, flipping through the books He Zheng had slipped in before leaving, and his earlier restless and anxious emotions gradually subsided.
…
The pardon for his release came sooner than expected. He was imprisoned in the morning and released without charge that same evening. Such a situation was unprecedented in the entire Liang Dynasty.
It wasn't that the Empress's intercession had any effect, but rather that good news came from Qingquan Palace: Consort Wei had awakened, and the imperial heir had been barely saved. Upon hearing this news, the Emperor regained his senses and finally understood that Fengyang Tower had been wronged, so he ordered her release.
As he walked out of the yamen bathed in the glow of the setting sun, looking up into the distance, he could vaguely see the towering rooftops of the imperial palace. Yu Mingshu burst into laughter for no apparent reason.
Cui Hongli glanced at her and sighed, "It's fortunate to have survived such a disaster."
Yu Mingshu shook his head. "I just suddenly miss something called non-dairy creamer." If Wei Zhaorong had drunk the high-tech version of milk tea last night, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.
Because the pardon came so quickly, the Yu family didn't even hear the news, let alone send anyone to pick him up. Yu Mingshu returned to Yongningfang on his own.
Luo Yan opened the door at the sound and was overjoyed to see her young mistress had returned. She burst into tears of joy and quickly called Wu Qiu Niang and Yu Dan out. Yu Ming Shu only wanted to take a bath and change her clothes, but Luo Yan stopped her in the courtyard and wouldn't let her into the house.
"What's wrong?" Yu Mingshu asked, puzzled. "I'm only gone for a day. Is there anything in the house I can't see?"
Luo Yan comforted her, "Please wait a moment, young lady."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qingque hurriedly came out carrying a copper basin filled with dry branches, interspersed with mugwort leaves.
Xia Man, holding a torch, followed behind her. After Qing Que placed the copper basin on the ground, she poked the flame into the basin from a distance.
"Stepping over a fire basin, is that right?"
Qingque said, "The elders often say that strong fire drives away evil spirits. Miss, please step over it. We mustn't let such an unlucky thing happen again."
Superstitions are sometimes just for psychological comfort. Yu Mingshu glanced at the red-hot branches in the pot, decisively picked up her skirt, and strode over.
"Can you check if there's any cigarette ash on my trouser legs?"
"No, no, young lady, this step you took was spotless, all bad luck and misfortune have been shaken off!"
Yu Mingshu smiled and praised Luo Yan for her sweet talk, then looked up to meet the delighted faces of her mother and Yu Dan.
She ran towards her family, shouting, "Mom, I'm home!"
"Good, good, it's good that you're back safe and sound." Wu Qiuniang's eyes reddened, and she immediately ordered Qingque to add two more main dishes to the dinner.
From the front yard to the main hall, in just a few steps, Wu Qiuniang looked back at her many times, feeling a lingering sense of unease.
When Yu Zhui was ordered to inspect the waterways and encountered a flood on his way, she felt just as uneasy when the news reached Chang'an. Yu Zhui was destined to die, but fortunately Ming Shu was blessed and escaped danger this time.
"Your milk tea, or you shouldn't sell it at all," Wu Qiuniang said worriedly.
Yu Mingshu could feel the sticky sweat on his mother's palms, so he said in a relaxed tone with a smile, "Mother, this is just a coincidence. How can one give up eating because of a minor incident?"
Having said that, fearing that Wu Qiuniang would try to persuade him to give up the tea business, Yu Mingshu changed the subject and talked about the scene in the prison cell, focusing on the fun Xie Huaijin had with He Zheng, without mentioning at all his extravagant behavior of spending a gold coin to buy ink and paper to write his will.
Hearing that insects and rats were scurrying around in the cell, Wu Qiuniang's attention was indeed diverted, and the hairs on her body stood on end.
"It's a good thing you came back today. The conditions in prison are so bad. If you had stayed there for several days, how could a young lady like you have survived!"
Yu Mingshu said, "It's fortunate that you returned today. Otherwise, the authorities would have arrested Miss Yu, and Erlang Yu would have also asked for leave tomorrow. How would I explain this to my classmates at the academy?"
Yu Dan stared in disbelief, looking at her as if she were a monster: "You're in a prison cell, and you still remember going to school tomorrow!"
Yu Mingshu shrugged. "What am I thinking if I don't want to go to school? Does going to prison mean I should be constantly anxious and fantasizing about how I'm going to die?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Wu Qiuniang picked up her chopsticks and tapped her hand with them. "Pah! Don't say such unlucky words. Did you waste the time burning the brazier?"
Yu Mingshu, embarrassed, also spat three times.
…
The next morning, the two carriages met at the street corner. Yuan Yi lifted the curtain and saw the figure sitting in the opposite carriage, which surprised him.
"We just went through a turmoil, I thought you were going to take the day off."
"How could I possibly ask for leave for six hours of jail time?"
Seeing her so calm and composed, Yuan Yi couldn't help but sigh, "Your willpower is extraordinary. If you were born as a man, you would surely achieve great things."
It was clearly a compliment, but it sounded particularly jarring.
Yu Mingshu released the curtain, ending the unpleasant small talk, and said, "See you at the academy."
The two families' cars arrived at Chang'an Academy one after the other. Some students recognized Xia Man, who was driving for the Yu family, and excitedly came up to greet him with concern.
Yu Erlang was praised by the emperor at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, and the next day, Yu Dagu went to prison. The news of the Yu family's dramatic rise and fall spread throughout Chang'an overnight.
Upon seeing Yu Mingshu, everyone couldn't help but gossip about it.
Yu Dan stepped forward to block the way, seemingly clearing obstacles for his 'brother', but in reality, his arms couldn't stop many people. Several short men slipped under his arms and eagerly approached Yu Mingshu to curry favor.
"I had long recognized that Brother Yu possessed extraordinary talent, and at this Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Brother Yu truly made a name for himself!"
"I've heard that His Majesty speaks highly of your writing. It's a waste of your talent for you to remain in the Wu Zi Hall. Why not seize the opportunity and ask His Majesty for a position?"
"Speaking of your elder sister, she was wrongfully imprisoned yesterday. Yu Erlang must have put in a lot of effort to mediate between them, right?"
Yu Mingshu was completely baffled.
Zhang Jun, who was sitting some distance away, laughed out loud, his tone full of contempt, "Some people haven't even made it big yet, but they've already learned to put on airs."
Xie Ansheng, though recovered from his injuries, still harbored resentment over the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Yu Mingshu. Taking advantage of the chaos, he mocked, "Du Zhiya, you chased after him like a dog, but unfortunately, Yu Erlang only associates with noble families and doesn't even look at you!"
He Zheng arrived a little later than the others. He heard the commotion inside as he walked in from outside. When he returned to his seat, he saw Du Zhiya standing awkwardly next to Yu Mingshu's table with a flushed face. He then threw a scroll of scriptures at him.
"Yu Erlang never talks to underachievers. You guys go back to your studies and disperse!"
Thanks to Yu Mingshu's book "The Study Master's Notes", everyone in the academy now understands what a "study master" and a "study failure" are.
Du Zhiyai's grades weren't among the top in Wuzi Hall, but they weren't at the bottom either. Naturally, he was unhappy about being called a slacker.
However, when he looked up and met He Zheng's impatient gaze, he suddenly remembered that this young master seemed to have a criminal record for beating up classmates. Du Zhiyai shrank back, silently taking two steps back and moving towards his seat.
He Zheng looked around and saw that a few people were still harboring wicked intentions, glancing at Yu Mingshu with gossipy eyes from time to time.
His face immediately turned cold. "The preliminary exam is just around the corner, and you still have the leisure to gossip about trivial matters? Are you all so eager to replace me and become the last place?"
Children are actually the most perceptive creatures when it comes to reading people's expressions. Seeing that He Zheng's attitude was unfriendly and his tone was sharp, they naturally abandoned their desire to watch the show and slunk back to their places.
When Yuan Yi entered the classroom, he was met with an eerily quiet scene.
In the corner of the classroom, Yu Mingshu turned to face the back row and whispered to He Zheng, "Thanks."
For more than an hour afterward, He Zheng's lips curled up repeatedly, and his smug look was really an eyesore.
…
At the beginning of September, Chang'an Academy held its preliminary examinations.
For ordinary students, this exam is like a midterm, used to assess their recent learning progress. For students who have made significant progress and are about to take the winter exam, it is a mock exam.
Based on the preliminary test scores, we can basically predict the results of the major exam two months later.
Compared to Yu Mingshu's confidence, He Zheng's nonchalance, and the relaxed state of the other younger students, Yu Dan was the most nervous one in the entire Wu Zi Hall.
The school was dry and cold in late autumn. Yu Dan sat in the examination room, facing the exam paper, but he had to wipe his sweat every fifteen minutes.
When he left the academy after the exam, he looked gloomy and miserable. Caught between Yu Mingshu and He Zheng, anyone who didn't know better would have thought he had been bullied.
"The exams are over, don't think about it anymore," Yu Mingshu said.
Yu Dan was dejected. "I've messed up my writing again today."
He Zheng tore open the paper bag, took out two chestnuts he had just bought from the roadside, handed one to Yu Mingshu, and stuffed the other into Yu Dan's hand, saying casually, "It doesn't matter if you messed up the draft, maybe you'll get it next time."
"What should I do if I do poorly on the big exam in November?"
“You’ve been working hard on your studies these past few months,” Yu Mingshu said, softening her tone to comfort him gently. “No matter the outcome, at least you tried your best, and that’s enough to have a clear conscience.”
Even so, on the afternoon of the day the results were announced, the atmosphere in the Yu family courtyard was still somber, filled with a sense of melancholy.
Yu Mingshu performed consistently, achieving an A grade in all three modules: Moyi Tiejing, Policy Essays, and Essays. However, despite her best efforts, she only managed a B grade in Professor Lin Qingxian's Poetics course.
He Zheng only received a first-class grade for his policy essay; all his other essays received a second-class grade.
In contrast, Yu Dan achieved an A in the calligraphy exam, a B in the essay exam, a D in the policy essay, and the lowest grade, E, for his poetry. Based on these scores, even without the poetry exam, his D-grade writing would have been absolutely insufficient to pass the provincial examination.
The three sat around the stone table. Yu Mingshu and He Zheng looked at Yu Dan's exam paper again and again, and the two took turns explaining their answering strategies to Yu Dan.
Yu Dan listened in a daze, feeling his head getting heavier and heavier.
Yu Mingshu noticed his younger brother's absent-mindedness first. After hesitating for a moment, he slowly laid the test paper down and said, "You can't concentrate today, let's talk about it another day."
Hearing this, He Zheng also stopped. Upon closer inspection, he saw Yu Dan frowning and clutching his head in pain, clearly suffering from a lack of knowledge.
"Relax, how old are you? How many people in the history of Chang'an Academy have passed the exams at this age? I think Yang Cong'en is just scaring you and forcing you to study hard. Even if your grades are not good, just say a few nice words and he will agree to let you stay."
"Really?" A glimmer of hope finally appeared in Yu Dan's eyes.
Yu Mingshu sensed something was wrong, fearing that he would just give up. "I'm telling you this to put your mind at ease, not to sit and wait for your death."
Yu Dan nodded emphatically: "I know, do your best and leave the rest to fate."
Yu Mingshu picked up the exam paper again and said patiently, "Are you ready? I'll continue explaining the questions."
Not long after she said those words, the person who had just perked up seemed to wilt again, burying their head in their hands and lowering it.
Yu Mingshu caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of her eye, and the scripture she was about to recite caught in her throat. After a long while, she put down the exam paper again and looked at He Zheng helplessly.
"Alright, alright, let's let him go today. Let's go get something good to eat," He Zheng said.
Seeing that Yu Dan seemed relieved, Yu Mingshu couldn't help but advise, "If all else fails, you can apply to the academy to transfer to another department."
Upon hearing this, Yu Dan jumped up from the stone bench: "No, absolutely not!"
“If you don’t want to transfer, then forget it. Why are you in such a hurry?” Yu Mingshu frowned.
Yu Dan sat back down dejectedly. "Sister, where were we?"
Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard.
"Speaking of having a good meal today," Yu Mingshu rolled her eyes at him, got up and walked towards the door.
As the door was opened, Yuan Yi, who had just returned to the manor, stood outside. His plain clothes shone warmly in the setting sun, and his long, slanted shadow was reflected on the floor tiles.
"Why is Mr. Yuan here?" Yu Mingshu was slightly taken aback.
Behind him, He Zheng also saw the figure outside the door and quietly whispered in Yu Dan's ear: "Why is that Yuan guy here again?"
Yuan Yi reacted exactly the same way he did. Upon seeing the two people in the courtyard, he frowned. "I came to deliver a letter... Why is he here again?"
Yu Mingshu, puzzled, turned around and glanced at the two people who were whispering to each other.
"Sanlang and He Erlang are like brothers. They used to skip classes together, but now they've both reformed and often study together. What's wrong with that?"
The Book of Rites says, "Men and women should not sit together for seven years." This is not only to avoid suspicion, but also to keep them at a distance.
Yuan Yi said seriously, "At the academy, people only know you as Yu Erlang, which is fine. But at home, you are still a young lady confined to your quarters. Moreover, your mother has been widowed for many years. What kind of behavior is it for an outsider like him to come and go in your home every day? If word gets out, it will be bad for your reputation."
He spoke quite loudly, and He Zheng and Yu Dan heard him clearly.
He Zheng laughed out of anger, and whispered provocatively, "Can't stand it? You'll get used to it after you look at it more often."
Yu Mingshu didn't like hearing such words either, but still, mindful of Yuan Yi's status as a division commander, he politely replied, "Thank you for reminding me, sir. I will pay attention in the future."
Yuan Yi softened his tone: "I know you are just classmates, so I won't overthink it, but others might not."
After saying that, he changed the subject and handed her a collection of questions.
"Yu Dan's performance in this preliminary examination was unsatisfactory. This is an article I wrote when I was a student; I told him to read it more often when he has free time."
Yu Mingshu accepted the scroll, thanked Yuan Yi, watched him leave, then closed the gate and returned to the courtyard, tossing the scroll to Yu Dan.
Just as Yu Dan was about to reach out to take it, He Zheng was one step ahead, stretching out his long arm and pulling the collection of questions into his arms.
Yu Dan pursed his lips and said, "You like watching this? You can have it."
Yu Mingshu asked in surprise, "Your essay has already been awarded first prize, do you still need tutoring?"
He Zheng raised an eyebrow and said, "I've always heard people say that Yuan Yi is Yang Gong's prized disciple. Today I'll open my eyes and see just how good his writing really is."
From the moment he unfurled the scroll, the Yu siblings stared at him from both sides.
A moment later, He Zheng looked up and met Yu Mingshu's starry eyes, offering a brief comment: "Slightly inferior to you."
Yu Dan snatched the collection of questions with some skepticism, glanced at it briefly, closed it, and tossed it back to Yu Mingshu.
"Is it really that bad?" Yu Mingshu asked, puzzled.
If even Yu Dan would find Yuan Yi's level of expertise lacking, how could he possibly stay and teach at Chang'an Academy? How could Yang Congen be at ease letting him take over?
Yu Dan frankly said, "It's not Mr. Yuan's fault, it's just that I don't understand it."
Yu Mingshu was speechless and decided to taste it himself.
She carefully read Yuan Yi's article before she understood why Yu Dan reacted that way.
In fact, Yuan Yi's writing is not bad, but his writing style is archaic and obscure, and he likes to cite a lot of sources. If you don't have enough knowledge, you will be completely confused when reading his articles.
"See? Was I right?" He Zheng asked with a smile.
Yu Mingshu glared at him and said, "Mr. Yuan and I have different styles. Don't flatter me too much."
He Zheng changed his tune, saying, "In my opinion, he is slightly inferior to you."
That's really stubborn.
But who doesn't like to be praised? Yu Mingshu couldn't help but smile.
He Zheng pointed to the scroll, "What do you plan to do with it?"
"I'll return it in a couple of days."
Yu Dan stared at the collection of essays and muttered, "Could it be that the Emperor removed him from the list of successful candidates because he couldn't understand these essays..."
Imagine the scene: a group of learned examiners praise Yuan Yi's essay to the skies, but when the emperor takes the paper and sees that he doesn't understand it, he'll inevitably be furious.
Yu Mingshu was speechless: "Your Majesty only uses military force to pacify the world, but he is not illiterate."
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