After roasting his hands, he took off his boots and stretched them out to roast, alternating between the two boots, roasting one for a while and the other for a while.
Zuo Ming couldn't help but chuckle.
He remained silent, watching Liu Zi slowly warm himself by the fire, while secretly glancing at Zhao Changqing's movements.
Bang--
Zhao Changqing finally couldn't hold back any longer and slammed the official document in his hand heavily onto the table.
"Have you roasted enough?" Zhao Changqing asked coldly.
Even if Liu Zi was slow to notice, he could hear the impatience in his master's tone.
"I've roasted enough... no... I mean, not enough. I'll go back to my tent and continue roasting later."
Zhao Changqing let out a long sigh of relief.
"Hmm, what letter did you bring from Jizhou? Let me see it."
Liu Zi didn't dare to dawdle. He quickly took out a letter and a cloth bag from his bosom and handed them to Zhao Changqing.
Zhao Changqing took the item and immediately frowned.
These two items had been in the man's arms for several days. With the journey going on for days and Liu Zi not having a chance to take a bath, you can imagine what they smelled like.
He suppressed his nausea, took the letter out of the envelope, and tossed the smelly envelope far away on the other side of the table.
The letter was a very ordinary letter.
The handwriting is neat and elegant, and the words are beautiful; it is clearly the work of Han Wenzheng.
The letter contained nothing special, only mentioning the things he had sent and expressing his gratitude.
He inquired about the well-being of those on the border, reminding them to wear warm clothes in the cold weather, and so on...
Finally, he mentioned that everyone in his family is well and there is no need to worry.
The letter was written with sincere emotions and excellent literary style.
However, it wasn't as memorable as the little note from the housekeeper who complained.
He put down the letter and picked up the small cloth bag again.
After opening layer after layer, what finally appeared was a small bottle of medicine.
It was the bottle of hemostatic medicine that he wanted to buy, but He Youyou refused to sell no matter what.
Zhao Changqing looked at the medicine and couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile: Didn't they say there was only one bottle left? Why are they giving it to me again?
Did she say anything when she gave the medication?
Liu Zi thought carefully: "When they gave the medicine, they said there was only this one bottle, and there weren't any more."
Zhao Changqing: "..."
"However... when I was leaving later, it seemed that the lady suddenly remembered the medicine and gave me a few more instructions."
"……explain!"
"The powder can be applied externally, and the capsule can be taken internally to save lives."
"That's... all?"
Liu Zi scratched his head: "That's all."
Zhao Changqing, clutching the medicine bottle, waved to Liu Zi: "You can go."
He then waved to the left guard: You go too.
The two men, sensing the situation, immediately withdrew from the main tent.
Zhao Changqing sat on the couch, took the plain brocade pouch from his belt, and stuffed the bottle of medicine inside.
The medicine bottle wasn't big, so it fit perfectly inside.
This brocade pouch was the red envelope that He Youyou gave him during the Chinese New Year.
The five taels of silver inside were still there; he hadn't touched them.
His money bag was given to Han Wenzheng as New Year's money.
Zuo Ming left the main tent and, without delay, headed straight for the messenger's tent.
"Eagle, oh eagle..."
He has to go and get two falcons for his grandfather.
February was also the time when Han Wenzheng took his first formal exam.
Steward Qian had registered him at the county government's ceremonial office well in advance.
(In some dynasties of ancient my country, officials were granted official titles for three generations, stipulating that those who had left their lowly status to become free were barred from taking the imperial examinations for three generations, starting only from the fourth generation. This article does not use the three-generation system of official titles, and therefore does not use the setting that only the fourth generation after leaving their lowly status was allowed to take the imperial examinations. Please be aware of this.)
The imperial court had six ministries: the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Works.
The county government also has six departments: the personnel department, the military department, the household department, the rites department, the criminal department, and the public works department.
The rites room was responsible for managing examinations and school education.
The preliminary examination for candidates to become students was the most basic level of the imperial examination system.
First, one must take the county-level examination, then the prefectural-level examination.
The county examination consisted of five sessions. After each session, a group of people were eliminated, and then the second session would begin.
These five exams, taken in a row, will take a lot of time.
He Youyou simply had someone book an inn near the examination venue so that Han Wenzheng could rest properly and wouldn't have to travel back and forth.
This time, she specifically asked Butler Qian to come along.
Steward Qian was a scholar who passed the imperial examinations. He often taught Han Yu classical literature at home.
Having exam experience, he could offer Han Zheng some pointers before and after the exam.
He Youyou looked at the sky.
"Old Qian, are you about to make your appearance? Is the carriage to pick up the young master ready? Shall we go pick him up now?"
Butler Qian chuckled: "Mistress, please relax and don't be so nervous. There's still an hour before the performance. We can go later. If we go too early, we'll just be waiting outside."
He had rarely seen his mistress so nervous.
Since He Youyou came to the Han family, in his memory, the mistress has always been calm and composed, without any worries, and never panicked in the face of trouble.
He comforted him, saying, "I've been teaching Han Wenzheng for so many days, I know him well. A mere preliminary examination won't stump him. Don't you remember what Master Wei said when we went to Yun Jing Academy last time?"
"What did you say, Master Wei? Which sentence are you referring to?"
"Master Wei said that with the young master's current knowledge, he would have a chance to be in the top three if he participated in the provincial examination."
Headmaster Wei did indeed say that.
He Youyou felt a little relieved.
She sat for less than a short while before her bottom finally gave way.
"Let's go, let's go wait there. What if Ahri finishes her test quickly and hands it in early?"
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