Chapter 106 Passing the Imperial Examination (1)
The two walked slowly home. As they entered the city gate, they heard gongs and drums beating in the street, creating quite a lively atmosphere.
Biyang County is a tiny place; any commotion will draw everyone out to see what's going on. Seeing the throng of people ahead, Li Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "What's happening?"
Meng Guanqi's eyes lit up; he had already vaguely guessed what had happened.
A smug smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.
Li Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "What are you laughing at? This—" She suddenly realized something, her eyes widening, "Could it be—"
A gong sounded, and the messenger's booming voice carried from afar: "Good news! Master Meng Guanqi, a candidate from Biyang County, has passed the imperial examination in the Xin-You year and ranked ninth!"
The streets were filled with the sounds of people shouting joyfully, "He passed! He passed! It's Young Master Meng! He passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, ranking ninth!"
"Wow, the God of Literature has descended to earth! I heard that Young Master Meng is only fourteen or fifteen years old?"
"Is it true? Let's hurry to the county government to ask for the reward. Young Master Meng has passed the imperial examination, and the magistrate and his wife will surely give him a reward."
"Let's go, let's hurry and grab a good spot to soak up the festive atmosphere!"
"I won! I won!" Li Xiaoxiao excitedly hugged Meng Guanqi's neck and jumped up.
It's not easy, it's really not easy. Her child was harmed like this and still got ninth place. If he hadn't been drugged, he would have gotten first place!
Meng Guanqi was somewhat dazed as Li Xiaoxiao hugged his neck and jumped around. His heart was pounding, and questions kept popping into his mind: Is this right? Is this okay? In broad daylight, in front of everyone, and she was even wearing women's clothing, was it inappropriate for her to hug him like this?
A blush involuntarily crept onto his face, and his body stiffened slightly. Reluctant to push her away, he hesitantly reached out and loosely encircled her, lest she lose her balance from jumping around.
Li Xiaoxiao didn't notice anything amiss. She jumped up and down excitedly, then grabbed Meng Guanqi's hand and ran home: "Quick, quick, quick! The messenger has arrived with good news! If you, the scholar, aren't here, your parents must be worried sick!"
Looking at the congested road ahead, Meng Guanqi was somewhat worried: "How are we going to get across?"
When Li Xiaoxiao saw that they couldn't get through, she immediately pulled him into the alley. After taking a long detour, they finally made it home through the back door.
The servants in the backyard were being run around like mad by Liu Shi. Granny Qi spotted Meng Guanqi and Li Xiaoxiao entering through the back door and rushed over, pulling Meng Guanqi towards the door. "Oh dear, my little darling, where have you been? I was so worried..."
Turning her head, she called out to Liu Zhi at the top of her lungs, "Liu Zhi, Liu Zhi, quickly go and tell Madam that the young master is back. He's in the backyard. I'll change him into a new set of clothes and then go out. Tell the master and madam to attend to the servants from Lin'an first!"
Although she was scolding Meng Guanqi for running around on such an important day, her wrinkles deepened and her eyes were almost closed with laughter. She personally pulled Meng Guanqi into the house to pick out new clothes for him: "From now on, our young master is a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. It's truly a blessing from heaven for the Meng family. Our young master has passed the imperial examinations today, and in three years he will pass the metropolitan examinations..."
Granny Qi was Liu's wet nurse and had watched Meng Guanqi grow up since he was a child, so she was almost like an elder to him. Meng Guanqi smiled and let her do as she pleased. He changed into a new set of light blue clothes with bamboo leaf patterns and put on a scholar's cap. A handsome young man with a face like jade and a graceful demeanor stood in front of Granny Qi.
Granny Qi's eyes welled up with tears: "Good, very good! Our Qi-ge'er has grown up. He's only fifteen years old, but he'll be a scholar in the future. With you in my life, I can walk with my head held high from now on."
Meng Guanqi smiled and raised his sleeve to wipe away Qi Mama's tears: "Don't cry, Mama. When I pass the imperial examination in three years, Mama will dress me up again."
Granny Qi, afraid of soiling his sleeves, quickly moved away, wiping her tears with a handkerchief, and said repeatedly, "Alright, alright, three years from now, on that day, this old woman will prepare ten sets of new clothes for you to change into~"
Just as she finished changing her clothes, Liu Zhi rushed in: "Grandma, Madam asked if the young master is ready yet. The messenger is already waiting in front of the yamen to deliver the good news!"
Granny Qi hurriedly said, "Alright, alright, young master, please go to the front quickly."
Meng Guanqi straightened his clothes, his face turned serious, and his usual slightly childish gentle smile vanished. His aura immediately transformed into a strong scholarly air, and he walked confidently toward the front yard.
Magistrate Meng and Lady Liu were already waiting. The messenger carrying the good news stood to one side with a large plaque. A young gentleman walked out from the corner of the porch. He was tall and elegant, with a face as white as snow, eyebrows and features as beautiful as a painting, and eyes brighter than the stars in the sky.
The officials were immediately struck by his striking appearance and couldn't help but marvel at how exceptionally handsome and beautiful this fifteen-year-old scholar was, truly surpassing all others in his charm and elegance.
Upon seeing the scholar emerge, the crowd erupted in cheers: "The scholar has come out!"
"What a beautiful face!"
"So young, so fair-skinned, and so cute!"
"This must be the God of Literature descended to earth! A fifteen-year-old scholar who has passed the imperial examination!"
"They really are from the capital, they're quite extraordinary..."
The officials exchanged a smiling glance, raised the plaque high, and announced again, "Good news! Master Meng Guanqi, a candidate from Biyang County, has passed the imperial examination in the Xin-You year and ranked ninth!"
The drums and gongs rang out, and the onlookers clapped and cheered wildly. At Magistrate Meng's command, his servants brought out a basket of copper coins and scattered them into the air.
"Hey, you've received your lucky money!"
The people laughed and shouted, squatting down to collect the copper coins. Magistrate Meng accepted the heavy purse handed over by Madam Liu, giving one to each of the messengers who came to announce the good news: "Esteemed officials, you have worked hard. Today my son has achieved a minor success in the imperial examination. Please don't be offended; share in my son's joy!"
The official took the purse, weighed it briefly, and his smile widened. He uttered a string of auspicious words. Soon, several wealthy families from the city, including Master Zheng and Master Li, heard the commotion and came over to offer their congratulations and gifts. The area in front of the yamen was even more lively than during the New Year.
Magistrate Meng and Meng Guanqi invited the officials who came to deliver the good news and the wealthy families who came to offer their congratulations to a banquet at the best restaurant in Biyang County. After distributing the congratulatory money, Madam Liu led several wealthy ladies, including Madam Zheng, Madam Li, and Madam Zhang, into the backyard and instructed Mama Mao to prepare several tables of food and drink, as the whole family was to celebrate today.
This was the first time Liu had received such a generous congratulatory gift since she came to Biyang County. Her hands trembled when she saw the list, but it would be unlucky to return it on such a joyous occasion. So she could only instruct Granny Qi to keep it safe and return it to these wealthy people at a similar value when they held their own weddings in the future.
Madam Mao showed off her skills, preparing three large tables of dishes. Fearing she wouldn't be able to handle it all, Li Xiaoxiao went back to the kitchen to help. Madam Liu sat at the head table, being flattered by a group of wealthy ladies, and was given several cups of plum wine, her face flushed with a rosy glow.
While the ladies flattered Madam Liu, they secretly glanced at Meng Liniang at the next table. Meng Liniang was thirteen years old this year. Although she was not as outstanding as Meng Guanqi, she was in the prime of her youth and had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Madam Liu had often taken Meng Liniang out to social events and had also hinted at finding a wealthy family in Biyang County for Meng Liniang to marry into. Among them, Madam Li from the west of the city was probably the most promising. At that time, the two had both thought about arranging for the other's children to meet. However, rumors spread that Magistrate Meng had offended Prefect Song. Not long after, Madam Liu was exposed on the spot for the scandal of pawning her dowry to supplement her family's income. Madam Li avoided the matter and immediately nipped the marriage in the bud, even refusing to invite Madam Liu to the gatherings.
Liu was so ashamed that she didn't dare to leave her house for nearly half a year. The noble ladies stopped associating with her, but behind her back, they often mocked her family's decline. Who could have imagined that fortune would turn around like this? Meng Guanqi inexplicably became the Crown Prince's savior. When the royal gifts arrived, they stunned the noble ladies, who all regretted their neglect of Liu.
With the imperial gift in hand, Liu's status was naturally extraordinary. Everyone thought she would take the opportunity to show off and vent her anger. The ladies were also prepared to apologize to her. However, Liu was surprisingly low-key. She still rarely went out, and every month she would go to the temple to pray to the Bodhisattva without fail. She also stopped taking Meng Liniang out for social events, as if she had no intention of finding a son-in-law in Biyang County.
Everyone was still observing, wondering how long Liu could keep up the act of arranging a marriage for Meng Liniang, who was nearly thirteen. They were bound to bring up the matter again. But then Meng Guanqi actually passed the imperial examination and became a scholar.
Meng Guanqi only passed the county-level examination at the age of thirteen. Who would believe that he would pass the provincial-level examination on his first attempt at fifteen? Moreover, he ranked ninth, which directly elevated the status of the Meng family.
The ladies could no longer sit still, so they shamelessly came to offer their congratulations with generous gifts, hoping that Liu would forgive and forget about the past because of the valuable gifts they had given.
As expected, Madam Liu was in a very good mood and did not mention any unpleasant things from the past during the meal. This made Madam Li, who had previously been interested in discussing marriage with her, start to get restless.
Her second son is fourteen years old this year and studies at a private school in Lin'an Prefecture. He is preparing to take the imperial examination for the title of Xiucai next year. If she can arrange a marriage with the Meng family, with this future brother-in-law who is a star of literature helping him, he might be able to pass the exam. If he can become an official in the future, he will have an extra helper...
After Liu came to Biyang County, Madam Li saw her in her impoverished state. In private, she couldn't help but compare her own food, clothing, and daily necessities with Liu's, feeling that she was no less than Liu in every way. She was very arrogant. Unexpectedly, Meng Guanqi passed the imperial examination and realized that the foundation of a noble family was something that her family, a nouveau riche, could not compare to at all. Apart from being richer than the Meng family, in terms of official connections and influence, she probably couldn't catch up with the Meng family even if she chased for three lifetimes.
If the Meng family could form a marriage alliance with her family, she could give the Meng family a dowry of no less than five thousand taels of silver, and Meng Liniang wouldn't need to be brought back. Her own son would marry the concubine's daughter of Lord Meng, and Meng Liniang would become the head mistress of the household upon entering the family. Wouldn't that be sincere enough?
Having made up her mind, she smiled and said, "I've come rather hastily today. It's such a joyous occasion for Young Master Meng, and I've come unprepared to ask for wine. How rude of me! I must return the favor by inviting Sister Liu. My family recently sent me several pots of white peonies from Luoyang, and they're in full bloom these days—perfect for admiring them. I wonder when Sister Liu is free? I'll send someone to invite her, and also invite Miss Meng to come along. My second sister still asks her to be her attendant; it's been quite a while since they last saw each other..."
The other ladies present felt a chill run down their spines. They were all shrewd and knew exactly what Madam Li was up to. It was true that she had invited Madam Liu, but her real intention was to find Meng Liniang. She had acted swiftly!
But Madam Li acted quickly, and Madam Zheng was not to be outdone. Her son, Zheng Yang, had been classmates with Meng Guanqi for a time. Unfortunately, Meng Guanqi's time at the county school was short; he was quickly taken home by Magistrate Meng for personal instruction. Later, he was even sent to Wanshan Academy. Zheng Yang had already passed the county and prefectural examinations last year and was just waiting to pass the provincial examination to obtain the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations). Unexpectedly, he failed the exam again this year. She regretted not making better use of her status as the richest woman. She should have encouraged her son to interact more with Meng Guanqi and have him mentor him. Even if he didn't want him to become a Juren (a scholar who passed the provincial examinations), she hoped he could at least pass the Xiucai exam first…
Meng Guanqi was a year younger than her son. After studying at Wanshan Academy for half a year, she returned home with the ninth-ranked Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations). This made her even more anxious. If she could arrange a marriage between her son and Meng Liniang, her son could gain access to the Meng family and receive guidance from his father-in-law, Magistrate Meng, who was also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest-level imperial examinations). After he passed the Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations), he might even be able to enter Wanshan Academy through Meng Guanqi's recommendation. This would greatly increase his chances of passing the Juren and Jinshi examinations in the future…
She glanced at Madam Li without showing any emotion, thinking that her family's wealth was comparable to that of the Zheng family, the richest family in Biyang County. As long as Madam Meng agreed to let Meng Liniang marry her son Zheng Yang, she would become the matriarch after entering the family. The Meng family had few assets and not much wealth, but her family could still provide two thousand taels of silver every year for Meng Guanqi's expenses.
With such favorable conditions, Madam Meng would probably give priority to her family, right?
Having figured out the obstacle, Madam Zheng immediately said, "Oh dear, the peonies in Madam Li's house must be of unparalleled beauty. If Madam Meng would do me the honor of going, I would certainly accompany her. I've never seen peonies from Luoyang before. Speaking of peonies, I just remembered that we recently acquired two half-person-tall red coral trees. At night, under the lamplight, it seems as if golden sand flows on the blood-red coral branches, which is dazzlingly beautiful. I wonder if Sister Liu would be interested in bringing Young Master Meng, Aunt, and Miss Meng along to see this rare sight?"
Madam Li's face immediately froze. If we're talking about cleverness, Madam Zheng was even more clever, actually thinking of inviting Meng Liniang's own mother to her mansion to see the coral tree! Her family was well-off, but compared to the richest man in Biyang County, they were still a notch below!
But she wasn't entirely without a chance. At least she had previously shown signs of proposing marriage with Liu. If she could just bring it up, Liu wouldn't be able to deny it, would she? Not to be outdone, she said, "I've never seen such a rare item before. When Madam Zheng hosts the banquet, please don't forget to invite us to broaden our horizons!"
The richest man and the second richest man's wife started their open and covert attacks right there at the table. The other wives watched in fear, not daring to say a word, and could only awkwardly eat their food with forced smiles.
Madam Zheng and Madam Li went back and forth, neither willing to give in. The more they talked, the more heated they became. Each of them grabbed one of Liu's arms, as if they were about to drag her into their own homes, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
Liu looked left and right, then suddenly slammed his head on the table with a thud, and passed out drunk.
Madam Zheng and Madam Li were startled and quickly let go of her hand, then rushed forward to ask, "Sister Liu, Sister Liu, what's wrong?"
Granny Qi, quick-witted and agile, immediately gestured for Li Xiaoxiao to step forward and said with a smile to the two ladies, "Our lady is clearly drunk. We appreciate your kindness, but today is the young master's joyous occasion, so let's not talk about anything else and just enjoy our meal. The lady can't hold her liquor, so I'll help her down to rest. Please enjoy your meal, ladies~" She winked at Li Xiaoxiao.
Li Xiaoxiao stepped forward and helped Liu Shi up, then led her directly into the main room.
After laying Liu down on the bed, Granny Qi instructed Liu Zhi to brew a hangover soup. Liu suddenly opened her eyes and said, "No rush, Liu Zhi, brew it slowly, the slower the better."
Li Xiaoxiao smiled, pursing her lips: "Madam, you're faking it?"
Liu didn't get up either. She turned over and found a more comfortable position: "Of course I have to pretend. Look how anxious they are. They can't wait to force me to arrange a marriage for Liniang."
She said lazily, "When our family was down on its luck last year, everyone avoided us like the plague. Now that my son has passed the imperial examination, it's natural that I can't choose a husband from these families with no connections. Even if I don't find a supportive brother-in-law for Qi-ge, I can't find someone who will hold us back, can I?"
Both the Zheng and Li families were merely wealthy households in Biyang County. No one in their ancestors had held official positions for generations. Even if they poured all their resources into it, they couldn't produce a single scholar. How could they be expected to help Meng Guanqi in the future? Forget about helping him; their real intention was to get Magistrate Meng and Meng Guanqi to help them. Not to mention Magistrate Meng, even Liu, who wasn't very bright, understood the implications and naturally avoided it.
Magistrate Meng has already established himself in Biyang County and no longer needs to cater to the whims of these wealthy households.
They thought that marrying their legitimate son to Meng Liniang, a daughter born out of wedlock, would be more than enough. They didn't even consider that Magistrate Meng only had one daughter, so what difference was there between her and a legitimate daughter? How could her marriage be something they could just casually arrange?
Li Xiaoxiao gave a thumbs up: "The timing of Madam's drunkenness is just right. If no one is there to keep them company later, they will leave on their own."
Liu didn't really care about that anymore. Did they expect her to "sober up" before going out to chat with them? She wasn't in the mood for that; she just wanted to stay inside and not go out.
Sure enough, seeing that Liu was still drunk and hadn't come out, the ladies took the initiative to leave with their servants after finishing their meal. Before leaving, they said many things about meeting again. Granny Qi smiled and said that she would definitely pass on the ladies' words when Liu woke up, telling them to be careful on their journey.
When Magistrate Meng returned from outside after finishing his drink, Madam Liu immediately told him what Madam Zheng and Madam Li had said.
While drinking the hangover soup, Magistrate Meng listened to Liu's words, put down the bowl and patted her hand: "Li Niang's marriage is not urgent, I have other plans. What is urgent now is how to solve Qi Ge'er's marriage."
Liu was taken aback: "Chess's marriage?"
Her expression changed: "Master, you didn't drink too much and just casually promised Qi-ge'er off in marriage, did you?"
Magistrate Meng smiled helplessly: "Am I that kind of person?"
Liu quickly sat down beside him: "Did someone mention marriage to you? Which family?"
Magistrate Meng paused for a moment before speaking, "No, it was Qi-ge who told me."
Meng Guanqi told him that? Liu was stunned: "What did he say?"
Magistrate Meng looked up at Liu and said, "Qi-ge'er said that he will devote all his energy to studying for the next three years and will not propose marriage until he passes the imperial examination."
Madam Liu was shocked: "This, how can this be? He'll be eighteen in three years, and how can he know he'll definitely pass the imperial examination in three years? What if, oh, I mean... what if he doesn't plan to marry me?"
Magistrate Meng remained silent.
Madam Liu stood up: "No, how can we let him act recklessly like this? I can understand if he wants to wait until after the imperial examinations to get married, but we can arrange for him to marry someone younger, three years later after he takes the examinations. I'm sure his future in-laws will understand. If he passes the exams, it will be a double blessing of success and a happy wedding night—a good omen. If he doesn't pass, he can get married first and then take the next imperial examinations; it won't affect his studies..."
Magistrate Meng smiled wryly: "Don't you know your son's personality? Once he's made up his mind, how many times can you go against his decision?"
Madam Liu said sternly, "Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers. He can't act recklessly. His marriage is naturally our decision."
Seeing that Magistrate Meng looked preoccupied, her firm words suddenly became less confident: "Sir, did you agree to him? What kind of twisted logic did he use to persuade you?"
Magistrate Meng's gaze deepened: "He didn't say anything, only that we should inquire whether any of our cousins in the capital had passed the imperial examinations. If they all did, that would be fine; if not, we needed to figure out how to deal with it..."
Upon hearing this, Liu's expression changed.
When it comes to matters concerning the family, how could a woman like her have any say?
Not to mention that she couldn't speak, even Magistrate Meng probably couldn't speak.
Meng Guanqi's concerns were valid. If his cousins from the second branch of the family in the capital also passed the imperial examination, the clan's attention would naturally be focused on them. He was far away and naturally not in their sight. But what if none of them passed and only Meng Guanqi did? Would they still remain indifferent?
I'm afraid they'll immediately interfere with Meng Guanqi's future arrangements.
Unfortunately, when they encountered trouble with the Lu family before the new year, they had to use the power of their own family to handle the matter. Now that their son has a bright future ahead of him, if their own family wants to intervene and make arrangements, they have no reason to object.
If the main family insists on arranging a marriage for Meng Guanqi...
Liu felt a chill run down her spine; she was unwilling.
In these large family marriages, only the most suitable family is chosen, one that maximizes the interests of both parties. They don't consider whether the two young people like each other or whether they are doing well.
In front of these patriarchs, what does personal preference matter? If they don't like someone, they can just take in a few more concubines. As long as they treat their wives with respect and don't make a big fuss, that's fine.
Magistrate Meng's older brothers were all married off in this way. Their wives were all plain-looking but from distinguished families. As a result, one concubine after another was brought into the household. On the outside, everything seemed peaceful, but in reality, the courtyard was a chaotic mess.
These first wives were magnanimous. As long as their husbands helped them maintain their public image and their sons were the eldest legitimate sons, they would not object to any number of concubines they were willing to bring into the household. However, only their own family members who lived with them knew how they treated their concubines and illegitimate children in private.
Magistrate Meng was an exception. He was an illegitimate son and was not valued. Even if he had the talent of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), Madam Meng would not allow him to marry a woman with a powerful background. However, all three of her legitimate sons had married daughters of officials with real power. If she went too far, she was afraid that people would gossip about her.
Therefore, Madam Meng arranged for Magistrate Meng to marry Liu. Liu's father was just a minor official in the Ministry of Agriculture, who had no connection with power at all. Liu was also an illegitimate daughter in the family.
Logically speaking, the daughter of a minor official in the Ministry of Agriculture should not be able to match the son of a concubine in the Ministry of Rites. However, Liu had an advantage that no one else had: she was very beautiful, much more beautiful than the wives of several of Magistrate Meng's elder brothers. It was precisely because of this that Old Madam Meng could claim that her son and daughter-in-law were a perfect match made in heaven.
Such an obvious reason is precisely what makes it impossible for outsiders to find any fault with it.
Liu's marriage to Magistrate Meng was a result everyone wanted to see. A son born out of wedlock should give way to a son born out of wedlock. After their marriage, Magistrate Meng and Liu treated each other with respect and harmony. She knew nothing; she neither knew how to employ people nor manage a household. She lived off the monthly allowance the manor gave her.
Madam Meng was very satisfied with this concubine's daughter-in-law. She was very strict with her other sisters-in-law, but very kind to her. She never asked her to do anything. She didn't even care when Magistrate Meng only took one concubine. Liu was very grateful to Madam Meng, feeling that her mother-in-law always favored her, which was why the third branch of the family was peaceful and stable.
However, after being demoted from the household, Liu suffered several great losses and finally realized that her harmonious marriage with her husband was not due to the kindness of Old Madam Meng, but rather the result of a carefully planned scheme.
She would not allow Magistrate Meng to marry a powerful wife, nor would she allow them any opportunity to threaten the position of her legitimate son.
After realizing this, Liu felt a chill run down her spine. The head of the Meng family treated the marriages of the family's eligible sons as pawns on a chessboard, planning every move to be made to gain political leverage. No one considered the feelings of these young men; their lives seemed destined to be sacrificed for the family's glory.
But Liu was unwilling. She only had one son, and she was unwilling to let Meng Guanqi be manipulated and become a victim in their power struggle.
Her current harmonious family is entirely due to her deep affection for Magistrate Meng, which is why they were able to raise such an outstanding son as Meng Guanqi. If she were like Magistrate Meng's elder brother, who was like the emperor, choosing which concubine to visit every day, the house would be in chaos and she would be furious. How could she possibly have the mind to manage the household?
She was short-sighted; all she wanted was for her son to marry someone he loved and live a peaceful and happy life. As for him becoming a high-ranking official, she never demanded it.
If he can pass the imperial examination, at the very least he can be appointed as a county magistrate like Magistrate Meng, and become a respected figure in the county.
The lofty goals of being ennobled and promoted were too far removed from her; she had no interest in them whatsoever.
Thinking of this, she solemnly grasped Magistrate Meng's hand: "Brother Qi's consideration is correct. We need to take this matter seriously and think carefully about what to do next."
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