72 Children's Test
◎Going to Beijing to take the imperial examination◎
"Mom, you hit me?" Jiang He looked at Qin E in disbelief, tears streaming down her face as her voice choked with sobs. "You've never hit me since I was little, yet you hit me today for this."
Qin E's hands trembled, and she looked disappointed. "I finally found you such a good marriage, and now it's all over." She lowered her head, "What a sin!"
Jiang He was obviously frightened by Qin E's appearance and forgot to cry for a moment. She was a little scared and felt bad.
She weakly called out "Mom."
Qin E glared at her with red eyes: "Don't call me mother, I don't have a daughter as unfilial as you." After saying that, she wiped her eyes and stumbled away.
Jiang He bit her lower lip and tears fell again. She squatted on the edge of the field, hugged her legs and cried softly. Shu Yao stayed beside her quietly, accompanying her and helping her drive away the small insects at her feet from time to time.
The villagers passing by looked at them strangely, and a few nosy aunties asked, "What happened to He girl?"
Shu Yao explained to them: "The little girl lost something and is sad."
The aunties didn't stop because they didn't know it was a big deal.
Shu Yao squatted down and put her hand on Jiang He's back to help her calm down. She said tentatively, "Xiao He."
Jiang He finally raised her head, her eyes were terribly red, and she pouted: "Sister, why don't you speak up for me?" Then she started sobbing again.
Shu Yao sighed: "Can I tell you what I think?"
Jiang He nodded.
Shu Yao thought for a moment and began to speak: "Xiao He, from an outsider's perspective, the person your aunt introduced you to is indeed quite good. At least he comes from a well-off family. After you marry him, you won't have to worry about food and clothing."
The meaning of her words was very clear, which was to let Jiang He consider Chen Er.
But Jiang He obviously didn't understand. She angrily pulled off a weed from the roadside and rubbed it vigorously, trying to vent her dissatisfaction: "But I don't like him. Chen Er just grins like a fool all day long. He's like a big fool."
Shu Yao looked at Jiang He seriously, and twisted her shoulders. "Xiao He, do you really like Mr. Ji?"
Jiang He opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but finally nodded: "I like him, and I would be very happy if I could marry him."
Shu Yao didn't know how to persuade her. On one side was a well-off "rich second generation" and on the other was a teacher with nothing but bare walls. If she had to choose, she would definitely choose Chen Er. Marriage is more about the daily necessities of life, and love is just the icing on the cake. "You have to think it over and then talk to your uncle and aunt."
Jiang He didn't know whether she had heard it or not. She stood up, shook her sore legs and said goodbye to Shu Yao.
On the way back, they happened to run into the village chief who was distributing wedding candies door to door. The village chief's face was flushed. When he saw Shu Yao, he grabbed a handful of candies and stuffed them into her hands: "Yao girl, my family is having a wedding on the eighth day of the fourth month. Remember to come and have a drink."
The villagers who received wedding candies nearby couldn't wait to open the candy wrapper and eat one, joking with the village chief: "Yue girl married the son of Mr. Liu in town, she will enjoy a happy life in the future."
The village chief's mouth stretched from ear to ear, and he couldn't stop smiling. He was very satisfied with his daughter's marriage. The other party was a wealthy family in the town, with countless fertile fields and shops. His daughter would become a rich wife if she married him, and most importantly, she could help his youngest son in the future.
Shu Yao looked at the wedding candy in her hand, wondering how much she would like to give as a gift.
She did not go home directly, but took a detour to Ji Liang's private school, wanting to help Jiang He find out about Ji Liang's background. She wondered if Ji Liang had a white moonlight in his heart?
It happened to be the end of the private school, and the group of children who had received their enlightenment in the afternoon were walking out one by one. After all the students had left, Ji Liang picked up the broom and began to clean the yard. Seeing Shu Yao coming, he hurriedly moved a chair and said politely: "Why are you here, Miss Shu? Please sit down." He wanted to pour her a cup of tea, but found that the teapot was empty. He felt a little embarrassed and went to boil a new pot.
Shu Yao: "Mr. Ji, don't bother, I just..." How should she ask?
The conversation suddenly changed, and the words that came out of his mouth became: "I just wanted to ask about Ji Shijing's study situation during this period."
While making tea, Ji Liang also moved a chair and sat opposite her, keeping a perfect distance between them: "Mr. Ji is truly a genius." He was not exaggerating. During the time he was teaching, he found that Ji Shijing's insights were not something that ordinary people could understand, and his thoughts were even more unique.
Shu Yao thought he was just being polite, so she smiled and said, "Mr. Ji, you're too kind."
Ji Liang shook his head: "If this boy takes the imperial examination in the future, he will definitely achieve something." He added, "The children's examination will be held on April 6th. He has to go to the capital to take the exam. Miss Shu can prepare more travel expenses for him." Only when he eats well and lives well can he do well in the exam with peace of mind.
Shu Yao was shocked: "Exam!" How come she had never heard Ji Shijing mention it before?
She hurriedly asked, "How many days are there for the Tongshi exam?"
"Two days."
She licked her lips and said, "Mr. Ji, do you think Ah Jing has a chance of passing the exam?"
Ji Liang thought for a moment and replied pertinently: "It's hard to speculate."
Shu Yao chatted with Ji Liang for a while, so much so that when she was halfway back she realized that she had not asked the question she wanted to ask.
When they got home, the craftsmen had already left. Only Ji Shijing was sitting in the yard reading. Shu Yao walked over, feeling a little unhappy: "Why didn't you tell me that you were going to the capital to take the exam?"
Ji Shijing was a little surprised how she knew that.
Shu Yao pulled the book out of his hand, looked him in the eyes and said seriously, "Why didn't you tell me such a big thing?"
Catching the flash of disappointment in her eyes, Ji Shijing suddenly felt a little depressed. He didn't mean to not tell her, but wanted to wait until the results came out. If she passed, he would tell her, and she would be very happy.
He wanted to make her happy.
Seeing that he was also a little unhappy, she tugged at his headband and said, "I was just kidding. By the way, starting today, we have to have a balanced diet, go to bed early and get up early every day, and be in the best condition for the exam."
Tonight, she cooked three dishes and a soup, a combination of meat and vegetables, which was nutritious and healthy.
When going to bed at night, Ji Shijing was still reading by the oil lamp. Shu Yao asked him to rest quickly and get enough sleep, so he had no choice but to put down the book and go to sleep.
For five or six days in a row, Ji Shijing felt that Shu Yao was extremely kind to him. On the fourth day of the New Year, the people in the village who were going to take the exam rented an ox cart together. Shu Yao sent him on the cart, stuffed a small cloth bag into his hand, and told him to take good care of himself.
Along the way, the fellow students on the ox cart were chattering about this year's children's examination. Some people were even guessing the topics, but Ji Shijing just sat in the corner with his eyes closed and did not participate in their conversation.
Others were already used to seeing Ji Shijing like this, because in private school he never said a word unless the teacher asked him, and he had a very strange personality.
They all called him "weirdo" in private.
A young man from the next village was obviously unaware of the situation. He was about to talk to Ji Shijing, but was pulled back by others.
"Even if you talk to him, he won't pay any attention to you," one of them said.
The man scratched his head and said, "Why? Is he mute?"
One sentence made everyone laugh: "Just treat him as a mute."
Ji Shijing still closed his eyes calmly and did not argue with them. In his opinion, what they said was no different from dog barking.
The ox cart slowly drove into the capital and stopped at the gate of the examination hall. Everyone got off the cart and entered the dormitory under the guidance of the examiner. As soon as they arrived at the residence, everyone began to scramble for the beds. In the end, only one shaky and dilapidated bed was left.
Ji Shijing walked over silently, cleaned the bed inside and out, and then put the quilt on it.
Others just spread the quilts directly without wiping off the dust on the beds, and everyone just thought he was being picky.
After they had packed up, the steward came in to collect the food and lodging fees: "Five hundred coins per person."
Ji Shijing opened the small cloth bag that Shu Yao had given him and saw five taels of silver inside. He put the bag away and hid it under his pillow, then took out five hundred coins from his sleeve and handed them to the steward.
When he went to bed at night, as soon as he closed his eyes, Shu Yao's appearance appeared in his mind. He stretched out his hand and traced her outline in the dark.
He didn't sleep well that night.
The next day, it was not yet time for the exam and everyone else was playing and making noises. Ji Shijing picked up a book and found a secluded place to read. He was so engrossed in reading that he didn't even notice someone was next to him.
He didn't come back to his senses until a steady voice came.
"You are reading the Commentary on the Four Classics."
When Ji Shijing looked up, he saw an elegant old man. He was dressed elegantly and had a reserved temperament. It was obvious that he was a man with a long history in officialdom.
Ji Shijing nodded, not wanting to say more to him, and went back to reading.
The old man saw the annotations next to the book and nodded with satisfaction.
Ji Shijing didn't know when he left. It was only when it was time for dinner that he put away his book and walked back.
The food in the examination hall was not bad, with chicken, duck, fish and meat all available, and even some fruits prepared for after-meal. After eating and drinking to one's heart's content, everyone went back to the room for a nap.
Ji Shijing had just taken off his shoes and got into bed. He reached out and touched under the pillow, but found it was empty. He panicked and took the pillow away. He searched several times, even inside the quilt, but still found nothing.
The money Shu Yao gave him disappeared.
He straightened the quilt and glanced at everyone present.
The two people at the door were eating melon seeds and laughing at his embarrassment, as if they knew what Ji Shijing was looking for.
Ji Shijing also noticed them. His face was cold as he walked up to them, stretched out his hand, and said in a gloomy tone, "Give it back to me."
The tall one of them spread his hands and said jokingly, "Do you want the melon seeds in my hand? Why should I be so fierce if I give them to you?" After saying that, he looked at the person next to him and they both laughed again.
Ji Shijing's complexion became worse and worse.
The short man was a little frightened by his appearance, so he whispered to the tall man, "Why don't you give him some back?"
The tall man spat a few melon seed shells on the ground, raised his eyebrows, and looked at Ji Shijing provocatively, as if to say, I won't pay you back the money, what can you do to me?
A chill lingered around Ji Shijing.
The short man rubbed his arms, feeling strange. He felt hot just now, but why did he suddenly become so cold?
Others also looked over here.
"Looking for death." Ji Shijing said these two words very calmly, so calm that it was a little weird.
The next second, everyone opened their eyes wide and rushed over to dissuade them. The short man also slumped to the ground and hurriedly ran outside the crowd to seek shelter.
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