Chapter 148, seventh place
Li Xiaoxiao's voice clearly reached the ears of the Meng family through the crowd.
Overjoyed, Liu clasped her hands together and bowed repeatedly: "Seventh! Chess boy, you came in seventh place! It's truly a blessing from Buddha and Bodhisattva. If Master knew, he would be overjoyed! Seventh place..." By the end, her voice had choked with emotion, and she could no longer utter a complete sentence.
The servants in the private room all congratulated Meng Guanqi: "Congratulations, young master! Congratulations, madam!"
Meng Guanqi immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times to Liu Shi, his eyes moist: "Mother, your son has finally lived up to the expectations of father, mother and teacher, and passed the exam on the first try."
Liu helped him up, her beautiful eyes filled with tears: "You are very good. From childhood to adulthood, you have never caused your parents any worry. On the contrary, your parents are the ones who are not up to par and have made you suffer a lot. Now you have passed the imperial examination with flying colors and have a bright future ahead of you. No one can look down on you anymore."
He's only just turned eighteen this year, and he passed the imperial examinations at the county, provincial, and metropolitan levels on his first try. She wanted to shout in front of everyone, "My son is a genius!"
But she couldn't bring herself to shout out in the crowd like Li Xiaoxiao, yet she was also overjoyed. She said repeatedly, "When we get back today, I'll add more dishes and cook all your favorite dishes. When you get back, remember to write a letter to your father and tell him the good news. Although this isn't the final ranking, it's a sure thing that you've passed the imperial examination. You should tell him as soon as possible and make him happy too."
Meng Guanqi smiled and agreed to each one. A moment later, Li Xiaoxiao squeezed back in, excitedly saying, "Madam, did you hear what I said? The young master came in seventh place!"
Liu laughed and said, "We heard it, we heard it! Not only us, everyone heard it. It's a good thing you didn't call out Qi-ge'er's name on the spot, otherwise he would probably want to crawl into a hole."
Li laughed and said, "What's there to hide in? My name is written in big letters on the imperial edict, known throughout the land. What's wrong with me speaking loudly?"
Liu could only say, "Yes, yes, I misspoke. We have something great to do in our family today. Let's go back and add some dishes. Xiaoxiao, tell me what you like to eat, and I'll tell the cook to make it right away..."
Li Xiaoxiao began to think seriously. Seeing that she had completely forgotten what he had told her, Meng Guanqi couldn't help but ask, "I asked you to help me check, are there any that are correct?"
Li Xiaoxiao snapped out of her daze and shook her head regretfully: "I looked for a long time, but I couldn't find it."
Meng Guanqi recalled what Headmaster Gu had said. He had thought that apart from him, no other classmate had a chance this year, and he never expected it to actually come true.
But there are advantages to not passing the exam. At least you can go back and study for another three years to solidify your knowledge and take the exam again. Otherwise, if you are ranked around 300th, you will inevitably be considered a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination).
Since none of them passed, there was no need to go and provoke them. Meng Guanqi thought that since there was still the palace examination to take, he might as well go home and continue studying.
They checked out and left quietly, unaware that the news of his passing the imperial examination had spread like wildfire, causing a huge uproar.
In the Prince's mansion, Wang Liuniang walked carefully with the help of a cane. More than four months had passed since her leg fracture, and it had already healed, but she accidentally fell and twisted it again, which scared her half to death. She had Liu Taiyi come to see her and told her to rest for another month. Now she was very careful, for fear of being injured again and affecting her walking.
Not walking at all won't work either; if you don't move, your muscles will atrophy, and you'll end up with calves and thighs that are too big and too small. Wang Liuniang was very afraid of this, so she practiced at home every day.
But she only stayed in her room. She didn't dare to go outside until her leg was fully healed, for fear of falling again like last time before she was fully recovered, which would mean all her previous efforts would be wasted.
Today the results were announced, and she was extremely nervous. She had already sent two groups of people to check the imperial edict. Following the example of Madam Wang, she set up a statue of Guanyin in her room and burned incense every day, praying for her blessing so that Meng Guanqi could pass the imperial examination in one fell swoop.
She was restless and anxious, craning her neck to wait for the servants to return, but the servants who went out never came back. She then threw a tantrum, frightening the maids into silence.
Ever since Chunli was sold by Madam Wang, the work in Wang Liuniang's room became a nightmare for all the maids. They would rather be the lowest-ranking cleaning maids than serve in her room. Before, when Chunli was around, they could try to persuade Wang Liuniang, and Wang Liuniang was willing to listen to her. But after Chunli was sold, Wang Liuniang didn't say a word in her defense and let the slave trader take her away. The maids were all disheartened. They usually did their jobs very carefully and didn't dare to say a word. When Wang Liuniang was angry, they would lower their heads and not speak until her emotions subsided.
As a result, Wang Liuniang, whose temper was so bad that no one dared to disobey her, became even more outrageous, causing Wang's wife a great deal of headache.
Yingxiu rushed in from the front yard, her face beaming with a joy she hadn't seen in a long time.
Upon seeing this, Wang Liuniang almost forgot to use her cane. She hurriedly asked, "How is it? Has the imperial edict been released? Did Young Master Meng pass?"
Yingxiu gasped, "He got it! Young Master Meng came in seventh place!"
Seventh place! My God! Seventh place!
Wang Liuniang couldn't believe her ears. He actually ranked seventh! That handsome young man with fair skin was actually a genius!
How could he be so amazing! He's only eighteen years old, yet he's already passed the imperial examination and achieved such an excellent result, ranking seventh. Although there's still the palace examination to come, unless he dares to argue with Emperor Jian'an on the day of the palace examination, he's absolutely guaranteed to become a second-class Jinshi.
Overjoyed, Wang Liuniang immediately limped back into the house, saying, "Quickly bring me incense! I want to personally fulfill my vow to the Bodhisattva. Young Master Meng has passed the imperial examination!"
Yingxiu hurriedly took the incense, lit it, and handed it to Wang Liuniang. Wang Liuniang carefully knelt in front of Guanyin and murmured, "Thank you, Bodhisattva, for your blessing that my wish has been fulfilled. I will donate my entire year's monthly allowance to help the poor as promised. Thank you, Bodhisattva, for your blessing."
After praying to the Bodhisattva, she was filled with joy. She paced around the room several times before she could calm down. She immediately instructed Yingxiu, "Go and see if my father has returned. I want to see him."
Meng Guanqi has already passed the imperial examination, so her father should keep his promise now. She wants him to find a matchmaker to propose marriage to Meng Guanqi!
Although it's usually the man who proposes marriage to the woman, is Wang Liuniang an ordinary person? She likes him and feels she should take the initiative, otherwise what if those noble ladies in the capital also have their eyes on him?
She has a keen eye for talent; she was the first person to discover him, and she was the one who decided she would marry no one but him even before he took the imperial examination. She has waited so long and doesn't want to wait any longer.
Yingxiu dared not advise her, and upon hearing her instructions, she went to the outer courtyard to find a servant to inquire about Minister Wang's situation.
It wasn't time to leave work yet, so Vice Minister Wang hadn't returned. Instead of waiting for Vice Minister Wang, Wang Liuniang waited for Madam Wang first.
"Mother!" Wang Liuniang was overjoyed and walked quickly with her cane. "Mother, have you heard? Young Master Meng came in seventh place! He's so amazing. He's so young. I thought that even if he came in, he would probably be in the lower ranks, but I didn't expect him to come in seventh place. I'm so happy."
Madam Wang's expression was also peculiar. She murmured, "Seventh place. He's only eighteen years old. He's truly a young genius."
Hearing Madam Wang praise her beloved, Wang Liuniang was overjoyed: "Mother, am I good at judging people? You were so against me being with him back then, but he passed the imperial examination at such a young age. If he manages things well, he could very well become a high-ranking official or enter the Grand Secretariat. Maybe he'll even become a higher-ranking official than Father!"
Lady Wang did not refute Wang Liuniang's words. Moreover, she was more knowledgeable than Wang Liuniang. Meng Guanqi ranked seventh in the provincial examination. When he entered the palace examination, the emperor saw his appearance and knew that as long as he performed normally, there was a more than 60% chance that he would be appointed as the third-ranked scholar. If he really became a first-class scholar, his future would not be limited to a minor official position.
Her opinion of him improved dramatically.
Although his family was rather poor, Wang Liuniang's argument was not without merit. Being poor had its advantages; he could make his own decisions and didn't have to be subservient to others. Moreover, Wang Liuniang had such a powerful family of her own, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to lend a little support to his future.
Her attitude softened: "When your father comes back, I will have a proper discussion with him."
Wang Liuniang knew that her mother's attitude had softened and that she genuinely agreed to the marriage. Overjoyed, she hugged Madam Wang tightly and wouldn't let go, showering her with sweet words, hoping that Madam Wang would say a few good words for Meng Guanqi.
Madam Wang already doted on her youngest daughter, and with Meng Guanqi proving himself to be so capable, the more she talked to him, the more she felt the marriage was a good match, and she was genuinely inclined to agree. However, since everything in the household was decided by Vice Minister Wang, she still needed to gauge his attitude.
Vice Minister Wang returned very late that day, his face gloomy and looking extremely unhappy. Madam Wang, who had been quite excited, couldn't help but lose her smile upon seeing her husband's expression: "My lord, what happened? Why do you look so pale?"
Wang Shilang remained silent.
How could his face not look terrible?
Meng Guanqi actually passed the imperial examination and ranked seventh!
How could he pass the imperial examination? Doesn't the Emperor recognize him? Has he forgotten that it was because of him that the Sixth Prince has been imprisoned and hasn't been released to this day?
Or perhaps the emperor simply didn't recognize his name, but allowed him to pass because his essay was beautifully written. In that case, he would have another chance in the palace examination. If the emperor recognized him, he might still be rejected.
But Vice Minister Wang knew in his heart that this possibility was unlikely. The top ten in the provincial examination were people who were approved by all the examiners in the court, including the emperor. Even if the emperor deliberately made things difficult during the palace examination, the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academy, and the Grand Secretariat would not agree. Moreover, the Censorate was watching closely. The possibility of Meng Guanqi failing the exam was extremely small!
Unfortunately, he never had the chance to meet the Emperor, all because of that accident two months ago!
Emperor Jian'an accidentally fell from the city wall. He was also at the scene, but with the Crown Prince, the Grand Secretary, and the commander of the Imperial Guards present, he couldn't even see how badly Emperor Jian'an was injured, even if he stood on tiptoe. From that moment on, he never saw Emperor Jian'an again.
He had already gathered a great deal of evidence that would help release the Sixth Prince. Once he presented it to Emperor Jian'an, the emperor would no longer be able to let the Crown Prince live so carefree. At that time, he could then suggest that Emperor Jian'an use the Sixth Prince's marriage as a pretext to legitimately release him from the palace, and everything would proceed smoothly...
But now he can't even see Emperor Jian'an. He has been hiding in the palace for two whole months because of his injury and has not appeared in public. He has handed over all state affairs to the cabinet, and only a few cabinet ministers and the crown prince have the opportunity to see him.
But he was just a minor official, not even the Vice Minister of Rites. Otherwise, he could have used the pretext of the imperial examination to request an audience with Emperor Jian'an. With the Minister of War blocking his way, he had no chance to meet Emperor Jian'an in private.
Therefore, when he learned that Meng Guanqi had passed the imperial examination, he was extremely upset.
Why is the Crown Prince able to overcome difficulties time and time again? Is it simply because he is the Crown Prince?
Minister Wang recalled everything the Crown Prince had experienced. He had miraculously escaped every seemingly inescapable calamity, as if divinely aided. These meticulously planned schemes were the result of others spending countless human, material, and financial resources to create them.
Wang Shilang was extremely depressed. Meng Guanqi had passed the imperial examination and become a Jinshi, giving the Crown Prince another capable assistant. Although he did not know Meng Guanqi, the Crown Prince had escaped danger several times because of him. He did not believe it was all luck. Meng Guanqi must have considerable strength. This dormant young tiger had now passed the imperial examination and would soon be released.
He couldn't help but feel restless, his mind racing, trying to think of any other way to see Emperor Jian'an.
Madam Wang asked him several times, but he didn't respond. She couldn't help but raise her voice: "Master, what's wrong?"
This startled Vice Minister Wang, who immediately frowned and said sternly, "What do you want?" His tone was full of displeasure at being interrupted.
Madam Wang was also startled, and dared not ask any further questions. Instead, she forced a smile and said, "It's nothing. I just noticed that I seemed to be in a bad mood. Would you like me to have a cup of ginseng tea?"
Vice Minister Wang waved his hand: "No need, you go about your business. I'll sleep in the study tonight."
He needs to carefully consider what to do next.
Wang Liuniang was eagerly awaiting Wang Shilang's reply, but all she received was a reply from Wang Furen: "Your father is in a bad mood, so I didn't dare mention this matter."
Wang Liuniang was filled with disappointment: "Mother, it was just a matter of asking a question..."
Madam Wang said, "Forget it. Your father's bad mood isn't something that's only been going on for a day or two. Anyway, your leg hasn't fully recovered yet, and Meng Guanqi hasn't taken the imperial examination. It's only a little over a month away. If the results are announced by then and your leg is healed, even if your father doesn't agree, I'll find a matchmaker to help you find a husband."
Wang Liuniang cheered, "Thank you, Mother!"
At the Meng residence, the elderly Minister Meng stared blankly at the old servant who had come to deliver the news: "What did you say?"
The old servant exclaimed excitedly, "Sixth Young Master! Sixth Young Master ranked seventh on the imperial list!"
Sixth Young Master, it took Minister Meng a while to remember that the Sixth Young Master was referring to Meng Guanqi.
He is the only member of the Meng family to participate in the imperial examination this year.
Minister Meng chuckled and said, "How could that be? Could it be someone with the same name?"
The old servant said, "Master, there's no mistake. It's our sixth young master, Meng Guanqi. His place of origin and age match perfectly. It's impossible for it to be such a coincidence."
Minister Meng remained silent for a long time, staring blankly at the teacup in front of him, his eyes not even moving.
Meng Guanqi passed the imperial examination and ranked seventh. How is that possible?
He suddenly felt a little short of breath. He ranked seventh in the imperial examination. Even he, who was known as a genius that the Meng family had only seen once in a hundred years, only ranked nineteenth in the imperial examination. Meng Guanqi was the son of an illegitimate son and had never even entered the Imperial Academy. How could he possibly have achieved such a good result of seventh place?
Yet his two grandsons, whom he had painstakingly nurtured with so many resources, failed to even pass the imperial examinations.
Footsteps were heard outside the door, and the maid standing guard at the door said, "The old lady has arrived."
Madam Meng took the lead and walked into Minister Meng's tea room: "Everyone, step back."
"Yes." The maids withdrew.
Looking at the tea in front of Old Master Meng, which was no longer steaming, Madam Meng realized it hadn't been changed in a long time.
She personally brewed him another cup: "Master, stop daydreaming. Meng Guanqi has passed the imperial examination. The news is absolutely true. We made a mistake before."
She was even more open-minded than Minister Meng. When the news that Meng Guanqi had come in seventh place reached her ears, she was shocked, but she accepted it immediately after regaining her composure.
Minister Meng raised his eyelids and looked at her.
Madam Meng said calmly, "A mistake is a mistake, there's no point in denying it. Whether it was the fourth son deliberately concealing Qi Ge'er's abilities or he suddenly became enlightened after arriving in Biyang County, he still passed the imperial examination. We made a mistake back then and shouldn't have separated them."
Minister Meng's face was very ugly. Madam Meng was a woman, and she was only facing women from the inner quarters. Moreover, she was of a higher generation. Who would dare to expose her to her? Even if she admitted her mistake, others would probably think that she was just trying to save face for him. After all, he was the one who had pushed for the division of the family.
But he had to face the men who were in charge. Ever since he retired at the age of fifty, even though he stubbornly refused to admit that he had gone too far in putting on an act and that it had become real, the strange looks from others never stopped.
Especially after his fall from power, his eldest son proved to be mediocre, and despite the entire clan's efforts, he could only be promoted to the position of Right Vice Minister, with little chance of him becoming Minister in the future. Meanwhile, this grandson of his, who had been separated from the family, passed the imperial examination at the young age of eighteen, ranking extremely high. If he performed well in the palace examination, it wouldn't be impossible for him to break into the top tier. Wouldn't a grandson with the potential to be among the top tier be more worthy of the family's attention than someone like Meng Rong?
But no matter how much he regrets it or what he thinks in his heart, it's impossible to hear him admit his mistakes.
Madam Meng didn't need him to speak, and continued, "This time, the eldest and third branches of the family are definitely going to be restless. We don't need to put on such a high and mighty attitude. If they have any objections, we can always let the fourth branch of the family come back, and everyone can live like before. If you feel embarrassed, you can leave this matter to me. I will apologize to Liu Shi and Qi Ge'er and bring them back from outside. We will still be a family."
Minister Meng finally raised his head: "Do you think they would be willing?"
Madam Meng said, "We'll only know if they're willing after we ask them. The worst outcome is just like now, with the two families living their own lives. But if they're willing to come back, it will be very beneficial for our children."
Old Madam Meng's eyes flashed with a strange light: "You know, Qi-ge'er is not engaged yet. Shouldn't we have a good talk about his marriage? Given his current status, what kind of daughter-in-law can he find?"
Minister Meng said, "Back then, I had already promised Meng Ying that I would no longer interfere in Qi Ge'er's marriage and that he would make all the decisions."
Madam Meng said, "Times have changed. Back then, they weren't family to us, so Qi-ge'er's marriage was naturally his decision. But now that we've brought them back, the marriage will naturally be based on the family's wishes, and he can't do whatever he wants."
Breaking promises and betraying trust is something Minister Meng despises most, but faced with this temptation, he had to admit that he was tempted.
An old servant came over and reported, "Master, Madam, the eldest master and the third master of the main branch have arrived."
Madam Meng said, "They've come so quickly. Luckily, we've already decided what to do. Well, they're here now..." She called out, "Please come in quickly."
Clan Chief Meng and Third Grandfather Meng arrived together, accompanied by their respective wives, Madam He and Madam Chen. The four of them were invited into Minister Meng's tea room.
Seeing that Old Madam Meng was also there, the Meng clan leader said, "Since your sister-in-law is here, it saves us the trouble of looking for you. To make a long story short, second brother, do you know why we came?"
Minister Meng still had a gloomy look on his face, while Madam Meng said calmly, "You've come because of Qi'er's passing the imperial examination, haven't you? My husband and I were just discussing bringing the fourth branch of the family back to live here. Qi'er passing the imperial examination is a great joy, and we need to hold a grand ancestral worship ceremony. We haven't even finished discussing it yet, and here come my eldest brother and third brother."
He and Chen exchanged surprised glances, but Chief Meng was pleased: "You know how to do it, that's good. Now it's just a matter of whether they agree or not."
Chief Meng was quite emotional. He hadn't really agreed when the old Minister Meng insisted on separating them because Meng Ying had made a mistake, but the second son was very firm and said a lot of hurtful things. It was impossible for Meng Ying to stay in the same household as him anymore.
Everyone thought that Meng Ying, being weak and demoted to a county magistrate a thousand miles away, would be stuck with that for the rest of his life. But who knew that after arriving in the local area, he not only achieved great things, but his son also made a name for himself. In just four years since leaving the capital, he passed both the provincial and imperial examinations, as if he had absorbed all the good fortune from his ancestors' graves. Meanwhile, Meng Guanyun and Meng Guanfeng, who were the most promising members of the family, were overshadowed by him...
Before he and the third brother came, they discussed how to get closer to Meng Guanqi. They couldn't continue to get along like before. He was becoming the most promising junior in the family, and it was time for the family's resources to be tilted towards him.
Of course, having received benefits from the clan, it's only right to offer help when necessary. The third brother suggested that the house given to his family back then was too small. Now that he had passed the imperial examination, it was no longer appropriate for him to live in the east of the city. He should be given another house in the west of the city so that it would be closer to his workplace in the future.
Chief Meng readily agreed. The house would be the face of the business. Meng Guanqi ranked seventh in the provincial examination and was expected to be in the top ten or twenty after the palace examination. If he were to be appointed as an official, he would be a seventh-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy, which would be the most prestigious position. However, it would be difficult to buy a house in the west of the city with only that meager salary. This would require the wealthy Third Master Meng to sponsor him.
Grandpa Meng readily agreed. The higher the official rank of a member of the clan, the better his business would be. He didn't care about the small amount of money spent on the house. As long as Meng Guanqi was willing to accept, he could give away the three-courtyard mansion without hesitation.
However, since they had separated from the second branch of the family, the two uncles, who were a generation apart, couldn't make decisions without consulting the second son's family. They still had to ask for his opinion. They thought they would have to put in some effort to persuade this stubborn old man, but who would have thought that before they even opened their mouths, he had already changed his mind and proposed to bring the fourth branch back to the mansion. As the head of the clan, Grandfather Meng was naturally delighted. Separating the mansion and the branches would only make the relationship more and more distant. Only by living together could there be cohesion. Clan Chief Meng was extremely satisfied with the second son's pragmatism.
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