Chapter 220 Extra 1[Extra]
The third day of the third month in the third year of Jing'an
Two years after the new emperor ascended the throne, the Great Qi Dynasty swept away the decline of previous years and flourished.
On the occasion of the Shangsi Festival, the capital city was already bustling with activity several days in advance, with streets and alleys decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.
Xie Yingchen and Gu Zhizhuo left the palace together and went to Taiqing Temple.
Wuweizi is going back to Tianxin Temple.
Wuweizi came to the capital for Gu Zhizhuo, and after protecting her through a life-or-death ordeal, it was time for him to return.
Actually, he had planned to go back after Gu Zhizhuo's wedding, but Gu Zhizhuo was reluctant to let him go and coaxed him to stay for another year and a half.
"You've arrived."
Hearing footsteps, Wuweizi turned around and smiled.
His luggage was already packed, and Gu Zhizhuo brought some homemade snacks for him to eat on the way.
Wuweizi was full of energy, but looking at his white beard and hair, Gu Zhizhuo couldn't help but feel uneasy.
“Master.” Gu Zhizhuo tugged at the sleeve of his Taoist robe and shook it. “I’ll go back with you. Look at you, with just this little bundle, it’s a thousand miles from the capital to Jiangnan! You’re not my senior brother, you’re not tough as nails.”
Qingping: ? ? ?
Junior sister, if you're talking about Master, just say Master, don't bring up your senior brother.
"Nonsense."
Wuweizi's silver whisk gently brushed against her face: "If your master hasn't passed away in two years, I'll come to the capital to see you again."
"No way~ Master lives to be two hundred years old."
In her previous life, she died but her master was still alive, and he even cried for her.
"Good, good, good, live to be a hundred years old."
"Two hundred years old!"
"Wouldn't that make him an old monster?"
"Master~"
"Okay, okay."
Wuweizi readily agreed, thinking that the delicate little girl was much more endearing than the rascals in the temple.
He was a good teacher and never showed favoritism.
Gu Zhizhuo's phoenix eyes were moist. Reluctantly, she helped him sit down, smoothed her skirt, and knelt in front of him.
Master, Master, is both a teacher and a father.
Xie Yingchen also knelt down beside her.
Even Wuweizi was startled: "Oh dear, Chen'er, Zhuo'er, get up quickly."
"Master, please sit properly!"
Gu Zhizhuo pressed him down to sit, and he respectfully kowtowed three times.
In both her past and present lives, she was willful, defiant of fate, and headstrong. It was only because her master protected her that she did not suffer the fate of having her soul scattered.
Wuweizi felt a warm glow in his heart after receiving their gifts.
Gu Zhizhuo helped him up and picked up the flat bundle.
Qingping: "There are only a few Taoist robes and ordination certificates, which Master can carry."
"How dare you say that!" Gu Zhizhu glared at him angrily.
Qingping touched his nose and suddenly felt that even his breathing was wrong.
"My good disciple."
Wuweizi smiled and patted her arm that was supporting him, "For a monk to engage in worldly practice, it should be simple."
The three of them saw him off at the mountain gate. Wuweizi gave Gu Zhizhuo and Xie Yingchen each a lucky bag containing a talisman he had drawn himself. He didn't even bring his little Taoist attendant. Instead, he mounted a small donkey, told them not to see him off any further, and leisurely rode down the mountain.
Gu Zhizhuo stood in front of the mountain gate, watching him gradually disappear into the distance.
“I’ve had someone secretly protect him,” Xie Yingchen said, “so that Master won’t find out.”
Gu Zhizhuo nodded: "I want to go to Tianxin Temple next year."
Tianxin Temple is located in Jiangnan. In her previous life, Gu Zhizhuo never had the chance to visit her master's sect again until the very end.
Xie Yingchen readily agreed.
Gu Zhizhuo was delighted: "It's settled."
She extended her pinky finger to him, and the two hooked their fingers together, making it a promise.
There was a Buddhist ceremony at Taiqing Temple, and the abbot asked a young Taoist to call Qingping over to lend a hand. Since it was a rare opportunity to go out and play, Gu Zhizhuo wasn't in a hurry to leave. Instead, they returned to Taiqing Temple, and the two of them went to the Sanqing Hall together to draw wishing slips.
"The wishing slip will only come true if it is hung on the ancient cypress tree in front of the Sanqing Hall."
Gu Zhizhuo took his hand and walked out briskly.
The ancient cypress trees towered into the clouds, their branches lush and verdant, adorned with all sorts of wishing slips, red ribbons fluttering gently in the wind. Gu Zhizhuo looked up at them, directing him to hang them high.
"A little higher! That branch, that branch is higher."
"Should I climb up?"
Xie Yingchen glanced at her sideways: "Don't even think about it."
He estimated the height, then leaped lightly and grabbed the branch that Gu Zhizhuo had chosen. The branch bent under his pull, its leaves rustling.
He smiled and urged, "Come on."
Okay!
Gu Zhizhu carefully tied the wishing slip with a red ribbon.
Xie Yingchen released his grip, and the branch snapped back to its original position, causing the leaves to sway.
Gu Zhizhuo stood on tiptoe to look, and the wishing slips swayed with the branches and leaves, the red ribbons fluttering, reflected in her pupils.
Is it high enough?
A gentle voice sounded in her ear, tinged with amusement. Xie Yingchen wrapped his arms around her from behind, his breath brushing against her earlobe.
That's enough.
Gu Zhizhuo was satisfied. She leaned back against him as usual, letting him hold her.
Pointing to the wishing slips on the ancient cypress tree, she said proudly, "We are the tallest."
The Shangsi Festival was bustling with worshippers, and before they knew it, the crowd around them had grown even larger. Xie Yingchen helped her to her feet and they walked towards the mountain gate. Returning to the palace was out of the question, but going back to the capital now would allow them to secure a good spot to watch the fireworks.
"Brother Chen, I've heard that the most efficacious temple in the capital region is this Taiqing Temple?"
"Of course, even the Imperial Preceptor is staying at the Taiqing Temple. What kind of fortune stick did Brother Liu draw?"
"Auspicious sign."
"Congratulations! Brother Liu's writing is exquisite; you are sure to pass the imperial examination with flying colors this year."
Gu Zhizhuo looked in the direction of the voice and saw several young men dressed as scholars, wearing turbans on their heads.
The imperial examinations were originally held every three years in the first year of the Jinghe era, so Xie Yingchen postponed the special examination to this year, at the end of March. The candidates had already arrived in the capital around the Lunar New Year.
"Alas, the current emperor is very pragmatic. The articles written by the top three scholars are simple and unadorned, yet every word is precious. My article is still a bit too complicated."
Hearing them talking about Xie Yingchen, Gu Zhizhuo turned her head to take another look. Huh? Her brows twitched slightly, and she released Xie Yingchen's hand, silently calculating.
“Chenchen,” she whispered in his ear, her breath brushing against his hair, “look at that guy in blue, he’ll pass the exam.”
Xie Yingchen glanced at them discreetly: "What about the others?"
"The others... something's not quite right, let me figure it out."
Gu Zhizhuo became interested. She took out the compass she always carried with her, leaned against him, and let him wrap his arms around her, turning the outer disc in his own unique rhythm.
The compass needle suddenly stopped and pointed in a certain direction.
While Gu Zhizhuo was studying with Wuweizi over the years, Xie Yingchen would occasionally come to listen in, and now he was able to understand some of the compass divination symbols.
"The ninth line of the third hexagram... a mirage?"
Yes, yes.
Gu Zhizhuo gave him a thumbs up.
"Those of them either rose to the top overnight or lost their official positions. This special imperial examination was nothing but a mirage to them."
"All of them?"
“Except for the one in blue, they were all like that.”
Something's definitely not right. Xie Yingchen said thoughtfully, "Let's go ask them."
"You go ahead, I'll play with the turtle."
Gu Zhizhuo sat on a large rock by the lake. The giant turtle in the lake recognized her and swam over to her, where it lay down to bask in the sun.
Gu Zhizhuo patted its head, and it didn't flinch.
She placed the compass on her lap, her fingers resting on the Tianchi (Heavenly Pool) surface, gently stroking it with her fingertips.
The stationary magnetic needle began to tremble without warning, and the hexagram changed.
Gu Zhizhuo looked at Xie Yingchen's back. He was chatting happily with several students. From a distance, she could even hear them affectionately calling him "Brother Gu".
The hexagrams on the compass are still changing.
Gu Zhizhu waved to the passing young Taoist boy and asked him for some fish food and apples.
Before long, Xie Yingchen returned and sat down next to her. Seeing that she was feeding the turtles apples, he casually sprinkled some fish food as well, and the koi in the pond swam over, shaking their heads.
"How about it?"
"They look like ordinary students. The one in blue does have some talent, and the others don't seem to have anything particularly wrong with them."
After the giant tortoise finished eating the apple, Gu Zhizhuo wiped his hands with a handkerchief.
Several students have already walked away.
Xie Yingchen smiled, his voice as gentle as ever: "Those students who have made it to the provincial examination are all quite good. Those who pass with flying colors, apart from the top few, are more fortunate the further down the list they go."
As he spoke, his gaze fell on the compass in Gu Zhizhuo's hand, where the direction of the magnetic needle had changed.
"Does Gen represent a mountain?"
"The divination changed after you finished talking to them," Gu Zhizhuo said, linking her arm with his. "What did you say to them?"
"They are all from Yizhou, students of Qingyang Academy in Yizhou. They asked me to go with them to the poetry gathering in three days."
"I'll bring you shrimp next time." Gu Zhizhuo said goodbye to the turtle, took his hand and jumped up, talking as they walked towards the mountain gate.
As they walked along the cobblestone path and through the hanging flower gate, a strange man called out from behind them, "Young master, please wait."
The man was in his early thirties, wearing a round-necked long robe. In the March weather, he was also pretending to hold a fan, slowly waving it back and forth.
"I heard that you also came to the capital for the imperial examination?" he said with a familiar smile. "My surname is Jiang, and I am a student at Ruhe Academy."
Ruhe Academy is located in the capital, and Gu Zhizhuo has heard of it.
Xie Yingchen smiled and replied, "Yes." He had mentioned to the students that he was an undergraduate applicant. However, they hadn't seen him when they were talking.
"Young master speaks Mandarin quite well. Where are you from?"
"I'm from the northern frontier," Xie Yingchen said in a northern frontier accent. "Because of this special imperial examination, my parents kicked me out of my home right after the New Year."
Scholar Jiang asked warmly, "Does the young master have relatives in the capital?"
"I don't have any relatives." Xie Yingchen waved his hand and said uninterestedly, "My parents saw that I was unruly and were afraid that I would be left unsupervised in the capital, so they sent my wife along to keep an eye on me."
Jiang Xuezi has been watching them for a long time.
The couple was dressed in fine clothes, so they didn't seem to come from a poor family. They were either from an official family, but officials' children wouldn't go out without a servant.
He tentatively asked, "Are you a merchant, young master?"
Xie Yingchen smiled but remained silent.
Jiang Xuezi repeatedly apologized.
It seems they really are a merchant family!
Merchants are not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations according to the law. However, in recent years, the current emperor has granted a few quotas for the sons of several wealthy merchants. Everyone knows about this, and there have been several impeachments in the court.
Xie Yingchen said casually, "I'm too lazy to even study, how could I possibly pass the exam? If it weren't for my parents' earnest expectations, I really wouldn't want to go through this."
Jiang Xuezi's triangular eyes darted around, and he chuckled, "You can't say that. If you can pass the imperial examination with flying colors, then your parents' wishes will be fulfilled."
Xie Yingchen stopped beating around the bush and said, "Well, Brother Jiang, please speak frankly."
After looking around and making sure no one was around, Jiang Xuezi leaned closer and said, "If you could offer some silver, I can guarantee you will pass the imperial examination this year."
Gu Zhizhuo touched the compass in his sleeve, lost in thought.
Xie Yingchen asked, puzzled, "Could it be that Brother Jiang has some connections?" He quietly tugged at Gu Zhizhuo and beckoned her with his finger.
Jiang Xuezi saw this and thought to himself: It seems that this young wife is indeed here to keep an eye on him, even managing his money.
Gu Zhizhu reluctantly took out a silver note: "Here you go."
Xie Yingchen handed over the silver note, his attitude suddenly becoming warmer: "Please have some tea, Brother Jiang. Ah, if you really pass the imperial examination, it will be worth spending any amount of money."
Jiang Xuezi took it and saw that it was a full one hundred taels! Merchants really do have an inexhaustible supply of silver.
He shook his folding fan and said calmly, "Brother, you are absolutely right. All our years of hard study are for the sake of passing the imperial examination. I wonder how much silver you are willing to contribute?"
As he spoke, a greedy glint appeared in his eyes.
"One hundred taels!"
Before Xie Yingchen could speak, Gu Zhizhuo said first, "I've already given you a hundred taels, consider it giving money to a beggar. Why are you still nagging? What, you're not trying to say you have exam papers, are you? Are you trying to take advantage of us?"
"My master is easy to please, but I'm not. Are you getting out of here or do you want a beating?!"
When Gu Zhizhuo spoke in fluent and standard Northern Xinjiang dialect, the last trace of doubt in Jiang Xuezi's heart dissipated.
Everyone says that women in northern Xinjiang are fierce and have men under their thumb. And it's true! They are indeed very fierce.
"Go away, go away, don't talk to scammers."
Seeing that they were about to leave, Jiang Xuezi quickly called them back. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said, "To be honest, my brother, I do have this year's exam papers."
Xie Yingchen paused, feigning surprise: "Really?"
"Genuine quality, guaranteed." Jiang Xuezi patted his chest and said in a very low voice, "It comes from the Eastern Depot, absolutely genuine."
Gu Zhizhuo: ? ? ?
"My dear brother, you may not know this, but the current emperor trusts the Eastern Depot greatly and has entrusted it with important responsibilities. The imperial examination papers are kept secret from others, but that gentleman from the Eastern Depot has seen them."
"One..." Jiang Xuezi held up one finger, seeing him as a sucker, and demanded an exorbitant sum, "Ten thousand taels. My worthy brother can then obtain this special imperial examination paper."
A note from the author:
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