Chapter 151: Looks are worth it

Zhou Shuren held up three fingers, "The first place in the county exam was Mingqing and I. The three of us passed. I am still a student, and I can receive food every month, and four taels of silver a year!"

Zhulan smiled, "You are amazing."

Zhou Shuren liked to hear Zhulan praise him, but then he sighed, "It will be difficult to get first place in the future. It's not just a matter of grades, but also luck and the examiner's favor."

Zhu Lan looked at Zhou Shuren's face and said, "So, you have to work hard to get the first place. There is no chance for the third place. The third place is basically a face-value test. You won't even have the chance to get the second place!"

Zhou Shuren was depressed, "I asked around, the top two scholars in the last two worlds were both young and good looking."

Zhulan burst out laughing. There was really nothing she could do. This was not a matter of writing hard, it mainly depended on the emperor's opinion. If Zhou Shuren was ten years younger, he would have more confidence in competing for first place. However, she was not happy. "I've heard of catching a son-in-law from the list. You're doing great."

Older, safer.

Zhou Shuren's eager claws had already grasped Zhulan's hand, and he was determined to take advantage of her!

In the evening, the whole family went to the Wu family. Ming Qing was in high spirits, grinning from ear to ear. After becoming a scholar, he no longer had any pressure and he also got a real benefit: he no longer had to pay taxes on the land at home. Ming Qing was in a state of excitement.

The Wu family also invited Zhao Bo, who arrived first.

Zhulan brought a few children into the house. The women's table was a kang table, and the food was already prepared. The Wu family prepared ten dishes not only to celebrate but also to express their gratitude, all of which were Wu Li's specialties.

Mrs. Wu Li cooked for Zhulan's family. Knowing Zhulan and her children's preferences, she prepared two fish dishes. Zhulan also saw mutton and was surprised. "Is there mutton for sale in the market today?"

Mrs. Wu Li wiped her hands and said, "These are sheep from my relatives' family that were sold to the wine shop. They knew that Wu Ming passed the imperial examination, so they sent some here specially."

Zhulan understood that the Wu family had no land, but Wu Ming had 20 acres of land that was tax-free. "Auntie's family will no longer have to spend money on food in the future."

Mrs. Wu Li was beaming with joy. Although it was a pity that her grandson didn't become a scholar, she still got a lot of benefits. "I met a lot of relatives today. We divided up the 20 acres of land. This year, we can save money on food and vegetables. How about your family?"

Zhulan said, "My family has exactly 20 acres of land, so we don't have any extra."

"I can make a lot of extra money that year."

Zhulan nodded, "Yes, food prices have not dropped in recent years."

In ancient times, grain production was already low, and when the weather was bad, the common people suffered. In fact, whether in prosperous times or in troubled times, the common people's lives were never easy.

It was dark before Zhulan and her family returned home. At night, Zhou Shuren was very obedient and did not drink much, but Mingqing was happy and drank too much. Zhulan vaguely heard Mingqing crying in the house.

The child was under a lot of pressure. After he got over the difficulty, the pressure finally came out in tears.

After washing up in the evening, Zhulan asked, "When are we going back?"

Zhou Shuren held Zhulan in his arms and said, "We have to wait. I have met many people in Pingzhou. I am a scholar now and have a door-knocking brick. I can't leave for a while. However, the expenses will be high."

Zhulan knew the necessity of socializing. Now it was not a matter of worrying about money. Zhou Shuren was a farmer and scholar, and he had no connections. For future considerations, it was necessary to be selective in who he met, and he had to know when to make friends. Fortunately, Zhou Shuren was only a scholar, so he was not at the level of seeking refuge. "Do I need to go to the socializing with him?"

Zhou Shuren couldn't bear to see Zhulan suffer with him, "Not for now, wait until next year when we come to Pingzhou."

At least after he gets used to it, no one will make Zhulan angry after screening.

Zhulan nodded, and seeing Zhou Shuren's eyes looking up, she snorted in her heart. She really thought that she hadn't noticed that Zhou Shuren had become bolder today and didn't even make out his own bedding. This guy could really open up a room as long as he was given some color.