Mu Yi'an's third New Year in the Dali Dynasty was rather dull and tasteless.
I miss Jiang Shuyun, who is far away in Beijing. Jiang Qi has also gotten married, and it feels like so many people have suddenly disappeared.
Before the New Year, I was still busy with things at the farm and the shop.
Although there was some drought in the second half of this year, it was not too severe, and grain production decreased by 10%.
Because Jiang Shuyun passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), all the land under their names was exempt from taxation, and their income was even higher than last year.
After giving the farmhands, workers, and servants a reward, Mu Yi'an led the children, Li Qiu Niangniang and her two wives, Zhao Wu, Fang Saozi and her daughter, Wei San and his son, and Jiang Mo and several young servants and maids back to Jiangjia Village.
Jiang Shuyun and her group, far away in Beijing, were also making preparations for the New Year.
In the courtyard, Butler Li was busy hanging red lanterns and pasting festive paper-cut window decorations on the windows. A delicious aroma was wafting from the kitchen…
On New Year's Eve, the streets were brightly lit!
Jiang Shuyun didn't join in the fun. He sat alone in his room, thinking about Yi'an, the child, and their future life.
After the Lantern Festival, the festive atmosphere on the streets gradually faded, and the upcoming imperial examinations were just around the corner.
Students from all over gathered in the capital, having spent ten years honing their skills, all for this one imperial examination.
In inns, teahouses, and bookstores, students were engaged in lively discussions.
Listen carefully, and you'll hear accents from people from different regions, some quite distinct and others not so different.
The scholars from Jiangnan were very famous. Families like the Chu family, the Wang family, and the He family existed in every dynasty. They were powerful and influential families with deep-rooted connections.
Jiang Shuyun was also a student from a poor family, and her results in the provincial examination were not high, unlike the top scholar in their prefectural city, who had some fame.
That would be best, as Jiang Shuyun is not a person who enjoys social graces and is not good at interpersonal communication.
His goal this time was simple: to make it onto the list of successful candidates. With the title of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), his chances of becoming a teacher at Bailu Academy would be much greater.
He and Mu Yi'an had both lived in warm places, like the capital, for their entire lives, and he didn't plan to stay.
Jiang Shuyun secluded herself to read, while Steward Li would occasionally go to the teahouse to sit and listen to the latest news.
Over the past few months, Jiang Shuwen and his companions have become familiar with the area around the examination hall.
The prosperity of the capital, the nobles of the capital, and the major and minor events of the capital broadened their horizons.
Soon, the imperial examination began.
Early in the morning, after Jiang Shuyun finished breakfast and checked the examination basket again, she set off for the examination hall accompanied by the others.
The advantage of renting a house early is that it's very close to the examination hall, so you don't need to take a carriage; it takes less than 15 minutes to walk.
"Second brother, we're waiting for you outside. May you achieve top honors in the imperial examination!"
"Let's go back."
Jiang Shuyun waved her hand, picked up her exam basket, and walked inside with the flow of people.
Before dawn, the examination hall was heavily guarded, and candidates had to be checked one by one before they could enter. It felt even more serious than the provincial examination.
"What is this? Trying to cheat? Take it away, take it away."
"No, I didn't, I don't know where this came from."
Unfortunately, nobody paid any attention.
"Was this a setup?"
Jiang Shuwen asked the butler in a low voice, feeling his heart racing.
"I don't know, Third Master. Let's leave quickly. These are not things we should be asking about."
Butler Li pulled Jiang Shuwen back, and the others followed closely behind.
Once the gates of the examination hall were closed, the crowd outside dispersed somewhat.
"Li Li, the Third Master and I will wait here. You go back first, and tomorrow we'll take turns, just like in the prefectural city."
"Okay, Dad. We'll go back and rest first. You guys should find a warm place to rest too."
In February, it's impossible to stay outside in the capital.
The ordeal was intense both inside and outside the examination hall. These three sessions tested not only academic knowledge but also physical strength, leaving many feeling as if they had lost half their lives.
The Jiang family members took turns guarding outside the examination hall, just in case something unexpected happened.
Many people shared the same sentiment, and the servants and stewards of each household also came and went in a hurry.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west; day after day passes by, feeling both fast and slow.
In the final scene, Butler Li, along with Jiang Qin and Jiang Shuhai, waited outside the examination hall. Jiang Shuwen was stewing soup in the rented courtyard, while Li Li was heating the bathwater; the group had clearly defined tasks.
Outside the examination hall, crowds thronged, each family anxiously waiting.
"Squeak..."
The gates of the examination hall opened, and the first person to come out was pale-faced and had lifeless eyes, seemingly unaware of what had happened.
"Young Master, what's wrong with you? Let's go back first."
"Sir, here, slow down, let me help you."
"It's over, everything is over..."
The candidates who emerged from the exam displayed a variety of expressions: some were dejected, some were elated, some were numb, and some were expressionless...
Butler Li was used to it; he kept his eyes fixed on the gate, afraid of missing his master.
"She's out, Butler Li, Shuyun is out."
Jiang Shuhai first saw Jiang Shuyun come out, and he tugged at Butler Li's clothes, looking a little excited.
"Master, are you alright?"
"Shuyun, how are you? Are you feeling alright?"
"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired and hungry."
Jiang Shuyun felt alright. Although these exams were quite grueling, he was young and strong, in good health, and exercised regularly, so he could manage.
"Master, let's go back and take a bath first. The Third Master has already prepared the soup, and there's a doctor waiting at home to take your pulse first."
"Butler Li's arrangements are excellent, let's go."
The group squeezed through the crowd, and they all seemed to be sweating.
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