"Wait, come back first."
Old Chen paused, looking puzzled. "What's wrong now? You're so jumpy, you could scare someone to death."
Old Mrs. Chen glared at him with a stern face, then carefully took out several dozen copper coins from her money bag and handed them to him. "Scatter the wedding money first, and remember, don't keep any for yourself!"
"Don't worry, old woman, I guarantee not a single penny will be left."
Old Chen's face was full of smiles as he turned and happily went out the door.
He looked at the few dozen coins in his hand, feeling conflicted, his eyes filled with reluctance, and muttered to himself.
This is money! It would be a waste to give it away for nothing!
But his son said that this was a matter of face for the Chen family, and it couldn't be skimped on.
Who cares? I'm usually broke, but I finally got this chance. I'll pocket a few coins and save them to buy some sesame cakes later.
Having made up his mind, he was so excited that he danced with joy and dashed out of the house like a gust of wind.
The old hen that was eating in the yard was so frightened that it started clucking and flapping its wings, flying around wildly.
When the villagers saw Old Man Chen rushing out of the house as if his pants were on fire, they all greeted him warmly.
"Uncle Zhonghou, scholar's father, congratulations!"
"Congratulations, Scholar Father! Your son Zhancai is truly remarkable. He passed the county-level exam and will soon pass the provincial-level exam as well. Don't forget about us peasants in the future."
"Yes, Zhancai has made a name for himself, but don't forget about us."
........
Old Chen was overjoyed by the compliments. Although he didn't usually like being flattered, he had to admit that being fawned over was a real treat, making him feel incredibly good.
He was so happy he could hardly see his eyes, his wrinkles all bunched up, and he hurriedly bowed to the villagers who were watching.
"Everyone is giving my son Zhancai too much credit. He's only passed the county-level imperial examination and is still a tiny bit away from achieving great success."
But don't worry, as long as my son passes the imperial examination and becomes a high-ranking official, he will never forget his fellow villagers.
If anyone has any difficulties, just say the word, and I, as their father, will stand up for you...
Old Chen spoke with great enthusiasm, spitting as he pounded his chest.
"Alright, Uncle Zhonghou, you'd better remember what you said today, don't try to fool us."
"Don't worry, I will never forget what I promised you."
Old Chen, smug and self-satisfied, gradually lost himself in the flattery. With a wave of his hand, he scattered all the copper coins in his hand, shouting as he did so.
"They're giving out lucky money, everyone can share in the joy."
When the villagers saw the copper coins scattered all over the ground, they immediately erupted in excitement, their eyes shining as they rushed to bend down and pick up the coins.
The children in the crowd used their nimble bodies to weave between the adults' legs, their little hands quickly grabbing the copper coins on the ground.
The young and strong men were not to be outdone; they stretched out their arms, wishing they could grab all the coins at once.
The women, while chanting "We're going to get rich! We're going to get rich!", carefully picked up the coins, afraid of missing a single one.
Erdanzi charged too fast and accidentally collided with Dalongzi. Both of them stumbled and almost fell to the ground.
But they ignored each other and immediately bent down to continue picking up the money.
The sixth son's wife simply lay down on the ground, groping around haphazardly with her hands, completely oblivious to her disheveled hair...
Looking at the chaotic scene before him, Old Man Chen felt both proud and a little heartbroken.
What makes them proud is having such a powerful position, but what they feel sorry for is the money they've spent.
In no time, all the copper coins on the ground were picked up.
Those who found the coin beamed with satisfaction, while those who didn't looked annoyed, blaming themselves for being too slow.
Old Chen suddenly felt superior and sneered in his heart, "These poor bastards have always been sarcastic and mean. From now on, you can come and fawn over the Chen family to your heart's content!"
Thinking of this, he suddenly realized something, hurriedly and nervously patted his pockets, so angry he wanted to slap himself, filled with remorse.
Oh dear, I had planned to save a few coins to buy some sesame cakes, but in a moment of impulsiveness, I spent them all. I was so careless.
But then I thought, my son is now a scholar, and it won't be long before he achieves great success. In the future, he'll have no shortage of food to eat.
Smashed cucumber, shredded potatoes, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and every now and then a stew of fatty pork belly—one bite and your mouth is filled with juicy goodness; isn't that much better than a big sesame flatbread...?
Just as he was in a daze, Wu Baoan squeezed in from outside the crowd, his face full of smiles and his eyes narrowed into slits. "Uncle Zhonghou, congratulations! Your Zhancai has really brought you honor."
"Security guard, you're too kind. Congratulations! Please come inside and have a seat. Your aunt just asked me to invite you over."
As he spoke, Old Chen grabbed Wu Baoan and turned to go inside.
Inside the house, Old Mrs. Chen was chatting happily with Mr. and Mrs. Chen Zhancai.
Upon seeing Wu Baoan enter, he quickly stood up to serve tea and water, warmly greeting him, "Baoan, please have a seat."
After a few words of flattery, Old Mrs. Chen spoke first.
"Security guard, you are knowledgeable and experienced. Zhancai has passed the imperial examination and become a scholar. We want to invite all the villagers to celebrate. So we need your help to decide how to arrange the banquet so that everyone is satisfied with the food and the Chen family's reputation is not lost."
Wu Baoan frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he said...
"Auntie is absolutely right. Zhancai passing the imperial examination is a momentous occasion for our Nanshan Village, and we should celebrate it properly. But if we hold a grand celebration as you suggest, the cost will be considerable. It would be better to have a simple feast with just a few tables..."
"No, no, this is a joyous occasion for our family. How can we just set up a few tables? That would be fooling people!"
Before Wu Baoan could finish speaking, Old Lady Chen interrupted him.
"Security guard, as you just said, Zhancai passing the imperial examination is a momentous occasion for our Nanshan Village. We must celebrate it properly with lanterns and decorations, and we absolutely cannot treat it lightly."
Wu Baoan's face stiffened. He had only passed the imperial examination and become a scholar; was it really necessary to show off like this? What a ridiculous display!
But Chen Zhancai was, after all, the first scholar from Nanshan Village to pass the imperial examination, and it was no easy feat to achieve that. So he still had to give him some face.
Thinking of this, he forced a smile.
"Auntie, don't rush. We definitely have to have a banquet, but in my opinion, we shouldn't be too extravagant. Let's just invite our relatives and friends together to celebrate."
"After the provincial examination in the autumn, if Zhancai comes out on top, we'll hold a grand celebration and invite all the villagers. Wouldn't that make you all even more proud?"
......
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