Then how come you've become someone who's been through it all?
Old Fan, who was lying on another large rock, turned his head.
"That's right, if I had to say who's been there, it would be me."
"Someone who doesn't even have a wife has the nerve to spout nonsense here."
Master Sanqing glared at Lao Fan.
"So what if you have a wife?"
Isn't she just a wife?
"I don't want to get married. If I wanted to, I could marry ten or eight, let alone one..."
After Mu Zhaodi's wedding was over, the day of the Xiucai examination arrived in the blink of an eye, and this time the examination location was still Pingchuan County.
All the students from Chuyun Village participated in the exam this time. Since the children were not too old, they all thought that it would be best to pass and if they didn't pass, they could just use it as a way to get familiar with the exam venue. So they didn't feel any pressure about the exam.
With three days left until the exam, everyone packed their bags early that morning and prepared to go to Pingchuan County.
Anyway, there's a place to stay in the county town, so settling down there sooner will put her at ease. Ningbao glanced at Master Chen inside the carriage and then at Lin Huixin seeing them off at the village entrance.
"Master, you really don't have any worries. My sister Huixin is about to give birth, and you're still going to the county town with her?"
Master Chen sighed.
“I am indeed worried. Although this is Huixin’s second pregnancy, childbirth is too dangerous. Although Huixin lives at her parents’ home and is taken care of by everyone, I am still worried when I am not by her side.”
But now that you're back, I feel much more at ease knowing you're with me to take you to the exam. I'll drop you off in the county town this afternoon and be right back.”
"Master, so you didn't come here to accompany your brothers during the exam?"
I've heard that students in other schools are accompanied by their teachers during exams.
Master Chen glanced at Ning Bao.
"Having you with me is enough. I'd better come back and stay with your sister Huixin."
..............
Upon arriving in the county town, Master Chen gave Mu Cheng'an and the others who were taking the exam some more instructions before purchasing many things that Lin Huixin would need during her postpartum period. Then, he hurriedly drove the Mu family's carriage back to the village.
Master Chen left, and Ningbao looked at her brothers.
"Alright, you guys go study now. I'll take care of all your food, lodging, and transportation for the next few days."
Ningbao, acting like a little adult, arranged accommodations for her brothers and then went shopping with Leng Xue, Leng Wu, and the servants from the manor.
It's worth mentioning that no one has been living in the Mu family mansion in the county town for many years, so Mu Chunping directly asked a couple, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang, to help take care of the courtyard.
The imperial examination for scholars in Longyuan Kingdom lasted for nine days, during which candidates had to eat and sleep in the examination hall.
The candidates' food for nine days required considerable effort, although Ning Bao had instant noodles and bread provided by Bai Ming.
But we can't let everyone eat this for nine days straight; that would be too unnutritious.
Ningbao felt that exams were exhausting, and that proper nutrition was absolutely essential...
Ning Bao's companion, Leng Wu, was a good cook, so the responsibility of cooking fell on Leng Wu during their stay in the county town.
The group strolled through the market, discussing their ideas.
"Master, we brought a lot of eggs from home. We can boil some hard-boiled eggs so that everyone can take them with them. It's convenient and nutritious."
Ning Bao nodded.
"Great, it would be best to get some more meat, especially beef if possible..."
"Master, look..."
As soon as Ning Bao finished speaking, Leng Xue pointed to an old man pushing a cart.
"That looks like beef!"
"Beef?" Ning Bao quickly walked over.
"Sir, what kind of meat is this?"
Hearing Ningbao's question, the old man immediately stopped in his tracks.
"Little girl, I have meat in this."
Ning Bao was overjoyed.
"Sir, may I ask where this beef came from? How did the cow die? Is the meat fresh?"
"Sigh!" the old man sighed.
"Where else could it be? It's one of my own pets."
Don't worry, little girl, my cow isn't sick. It's all my fault for being so careless. The main beam of the cowshed broke without me even noticing. The cowshed collapsed last night, and the cow was directly injured.
The injury was so severe that several ribs were broken, and the doctor said that internal organs might have been damaged.
I killed it before it died, otherwise the meat wouldn't taste good.
"Sigh! My family finally managed to raise a cow, and now it's died. Now I'm just hoping to sell the meat for some money so I can buy a calf."
In those days, cattle were extremely important to farming families, and the government of Longyuan Kingdom did not allow the arbitrary killing of draft cattle.
Therefore, cattle can only be eaten if they die of old age or disease; otherwise, you'll be in jail.
Ningbao had heard from his senior brother that chickens, ducks, pigs, cattle, and sheep that died of disease should not be eaten casually, as some patients would become infected if they ate them.
Animals that die from disease are best either burned or buried in a deep pit.
Ningbao carefully examined the beef and found that, just as the old man had said, it hadn't died of disease. She simply waved her little hand dismissively.
"I want them all..."
It's already autumn and the weather isn't very hot, so beef is scarce. Ningbao simply bought a whole cow.
Half of it was sent back to Chuyun Village by Uncle Zhang in a horse-drawn cart, and the other half was kept to be made into braised beef.
Anyway, with so many of them, they're not worried about not being able to finish the food...
Three days later, after seeing her brothers off into the examination hall, Ningbao breathed a sigh of relief. She then waved her little hand and looked at Leng Xue and Leng Shuang.
"Anyway, there's nothing to do back home. Come on, your master will take you shopping."
So the three girls strolled and ate their way through the streets. Ningbao, having eaten and drunk her fill, was rubbing her full belly and preparing to go back to the Mu residence for a nap when she was bumped into by a young woman running towards her, who was covering her face and crying.
Fortunately, Ning Bao was skilled in martial arts and nimbly dodged the woman's collision.
"you..............."
When Leng Xue and Leng Wu saw someone bump into their master, they were about to get angry when the young woman turned around and they were stunned.
Ning Bao also looked at Mu Zhaodi in shock.
"Sister Zhaodi, what are you doing here? I think I saw you crying just now, is something wrong?"
"Ningbao, I...I'm fine."
Mu Zhaodi was stunned when she saw Ning Bao; she hadn't expected to run into Ning Bao here.
Ning Bao and his group arrived in the county town after Mu Zhaodi's three-day homecoming. Logically speaking, Mu Zhaodi had only been married for a few days and the young couple should have been enjoying a sweet relationship. So, if she was crying in the street at this time, she must have suffered some grievances at her husband's family.
Ning Bao's eyes turned cold as she thought of this.
"Sister Zhaodi, did the Zhang family bully you?"
We're family, so if you've been wronged, you must speak up, and Ningbao will help you get revenge!
"Our Mu family's daughters must never be bullied!"
Hearing Ning Bao's words, Mu Zhaodi's eyes reddened.
"Ningbao, I want a divorce!"
...............
Ningbao brought Mu Zhaodi back to the Mu residence, where Mu Zhaodi recounted the whole story while crying.
Mu Zhaodi's husband's family originally ran a restaurant in the town, but in the past two years, business has been so good that they opened a small restaurant in the county town.
After the marriage, the Zhang family handed over the restaurant in the county town to Mu Zhaodi and her husband to manage, while the Zhang family elders stayed at the restaurant in town.
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