Chapter 148 [VIP]
Upon hearing the sound, Li Shi immediately got up and hurriedly left the house. Passing through the hanging flower gate, she saw her two nephews standing in the courtyard, and tears of excitement streamed down her face.
"Bingwen, Bingchen, what brings you here?"
The two men cupped their hands and said, "Greetings, Aunt. My second brother also plans to take the provincial examination this year. It just so happens that you are in the prefectural city, so we have come to stay with you."
"Come in quickly." The two followed Madam Li to the backyard, secretly glancing around as they went. It seemed that their aunt and cousin were doing well in the city, which put their minds at ease.
Wang Ying came out shortly after. The two sides exchanged greetings. Wang Ying still remembered her two cousins. They had come when Yuanbao was a month old. More than two years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Li asked her servants to make tea, while she inquired about the situation back in her hometown.
"How are your elder brother and sister-in-law doing? They didn't mention it in the letter they sent last year, and I've been thinking about it."
Li Bingwen said, “My mother is in good health. My father just has a bad back. He was injured years ago and has a chronic condition. It flares up on rainy days. He originally planned to come with us, but his back problem flared up again two days before we left, so he couldn’t come.”
Upon hearing this, Li's heart clenched. "Didn't you take him to a doctor for a proper check-up?"
"I've seen the doctor, but he doesn't have any other options. He can only prescribe some mild tonics, which won't cure the root cause of the illness."
Wang Ying said, "After the provincial examination, I'll wander around the prefectural city and see if there are any doctors who can prescribe some medicine for my back pain."
The two nodded in agreement, and Li Bingchen asked, "Where are my cousin Qingyan and the others?"
"The school hasn't started its holiday yet, so they might not be back for a few more days. There are guest rooms in the front yard, so you can stay here for now and study together when they return."
After traveling for more than half a month, the two were exhausted. Uncle Chen took them to a place to settle down and rest, and then they would have dinner together that evening.
*
The school didn't close for the holiday until the third day of the eighth lunar month, giving the students five days to make their own arrangements and adjust their mindset.
Before their departure, the dean gathered all the candidates who were about to take the provincial examination and gave them a speech.
"Listen, students:"
Learning is like farming; the diligent reap the harvest, while the lazy leave their fields overgrown with weeds. Thinking is like dredging a well; the deep find the spring, while the shallow run dry.
With the exams approaching, you must study diligently day and night, strengthen your resolve, and not let time be wasted or your youth squandered.
Su Qin, who pricked his thigh with an awl to stay awake, eventually became the prime minister of six states; Kuang Heng, who carved a hole in the wall to become a renowned scholar, ultimately became a master of classics. Their achievements were not due to extraordinary talent, but rather to tireless study.
You are young and full of vigor. You should emulate the ancients' dedication to learning and live up to the expectations of your teachers and the trust of your parents.
However, the purpose of taking an exam is not merely to compete for rankings, but to test the depth of one's knowledge. Therefore, one should remain calm and focused, think carefully and discern clearly, and avoid being impatient or flustered.
When answering questions, the words flow like a spring; when examining a question, the mind understands as if reflected in a mirror. Gain and loss, honor and disgrace, all reside in one's own heart; as long as one seeks to be without shame, what else is there to worry about?
Strive on, students! May your writing flow like the wind, your answers as plentiful as snowflakes, and may you achieve the highest honors in the imperial examinations, your names inscribed on the Wild Goose Pagoda! I will then prepare a feast to celebrate your success!
Overwhelmed with emotion and with tears in their eyes, the examinees exclaimed in unison, "Yes!"
During the school's holiday, not all students went home. Most of the candidates from other places stayed at the school, otherwise it would be difficult to find a place to stay now.
To make life easier for these students, the academy's canteen continues to provide meals, and teachers are available to help with guidance and answer questions.
The three Chen brothers didn't need to stay at the academy, since the environment there wasn't as good as their home. They had just moved into a newly purchased courtyard a few days ago, which was much more spacious than the rented house.
Wang Ying even specially reserved a large study for the three of them to read and write in. They could use screens to separate themselves, or they could move them aside to discuss issues together.
When Chen Qingyan returned home, he was delighted to see his two cousins visiting and spent a long time asking them questions. Upon learning that his second cousin was also taking the provincial examination this year, the group excitedly began to discuss it.
My older cousin, Li Bingwen, is giving up on the imperial examinations. He's twenty-eight this year, and his eldest son is already ten. In a few more years, he'll be old enough to take the exams himself. Besides, he's been involved in officialdom for the past few years, which has long since ruined his studies, so he abandoned the path of the imperial examinations long ago.
However, my younger brother has been studying diligently all along. His failure in the previous two provincial examinations did not affect his spirit. He studies hard from dawn till dusk every day, which is not easy. I hope he can achieve his goal this time.
Chen Qingsong felt no pressure because he wasn't taking the provincial examination this year, so he spent his vacation playing wildly at home with Yuanbao.
Chen Qingyan, Chen Qinghuai, and Li Bingchen worked on the test questions from dawn till dusk. Even Liang Boqing joined them, staying up late and getting up early, which was extremely tiring for the old man.
*
There are only three days left until the provincial examination.
Early in the morning, Liu Changyi's mother arrived by carriage, inviting Li Shi and Fang Ling to Qingfeng Temple to worship Wenchang Dijun.
The two had been planning this for a while, so they quickly changed their clothes and hiking shoes, and the three of them set off by car to Qingfeng Temple outside the city.
Unlike the last time I came, Qingfeng Temple was very lively this time. As soon as the carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain, we encountered many people, most of whom came to worship Wenchang Dijun.
The three of them slowly walked up the mountain. Halfway up, they encountered a woman selling amulets. It was the same little girl who had sold water last time. She was quite good at doing business.
"May you ladies be blessed with good health and happiness. Please purchase a talisman from the God of Literature to ensure your son passes the imperial examination with flying colors."
Li accepted the amulet, a small wooden plaque about the size of a child's palm, with an image of Wenchang Dijun on the front and the words "Peace" on the back.
A good luck charm costs ten coins, and the three of them each bought one, hoping for good fortune.
When we arrived at the Taoist temple on the mountain, wow, the usually deserted Wenchang Hall had a long queue today, with dozens of people holding incense and waiting to go in and worship.
The maid and the old woman went to donate money for incense, and soon after, they went to queue up with three bundles of tall incense sticks, presumably because each family had donated ten strings of cash.
After waiting in line for nearly an hour, it was finally their turn. The three of them took the incense and entered the Wenchang Hall. They first placed the incense in the large incense burner and then began to kneel and pray.
Qin Furong muttered softly, "With so many people coming to beg, I wonder if he can even hear us."
Li clasped her hands together devoutly and bowed to the statue of the god, saying, "It's just for peace of mind. Whether they pass the exam or not depends entirely on their own abilities. I just hope they can finish the exam smoothly."
Fang Ling also bowed, saying, "That makes sense."
After paying their respects to the deity, the three went to the abbot of Qingfeng Temple to have their divination results checked. Surprisingly, all three of them had the same divination result: Tai.
The old Taoist priest stroked his beard and said, "A very auspicious divination. All your wishes will be fulfilled."
Qin Furong was overjoyed and donated another thirty strings of cash for incense, hoping that her son would pass the provincial examination and become a Juren, just as the Taoist priest had said!
*
The provincial examination is just two days away, and these past few days everyone has been extra careful about what they eat, trying to eat simple, healthy, and easily digestible foods to avoid suddenly getting an upset stomach during the exam and affecting their performance.
On the day before the exam, Liang Boqing forbade the three of them from studying anymore, telling them to rest well, get a good night's sleep, and conserve their energy to make a name for themselves in the exam.
That night, Chen Qingyan was lying in bed while Wang Ying was packing his exam basket.
She selected three brushes that he usually used and was comfortable with, two ink sticks and an inkstone. Wang Ying also carefully checked the middle of the brushes, the gaps in the inkstone and the whole body of the ink sticks to prevent anyone from harming her husband.
Chen Qingyan quietly looked at her husband under the candlelight. The orange light outlined him with a golden edge, giving him a more sacred feel.
This person seems to have come into this world specifically to save me. From feeling out of place at first, I gradually adapted and have now become an integral part of my family.
"Are you all packed up? Come and go to sleep."
Wang Ying put the things into the exam basket, covered it with a blue cloth, climbed onto the bed, and lay down next to him.
"Don't be nervous for the exam tomorrow. Just perform at your usual level and you'll be fine."
"Yes, I know." Chen Qingyan played with Wang Ying's fingers, thinking to himself that she was clearly more nervous than he was.
"Don't be discouraged if you get a bad number. If it's really bad, we can wait another three years. We've already waited this long, so what's a little longer? Don't lose heart."
"Don't worry."
Wang Ying rested her head on his shoulder, took a deep breath to relieve her anxiety, and felt even more nervous than when she was taking the college entrance examination.
I remember that during my college entrance exam in my previous life, I finished it in a daze. After finishing the exam in the morning, I went home in the afternoon and helped my grandparents tidy up the vegetable garden for a while. I wasn't nervous at all.
When the scores came out, it was 620 points, just enough to get into a local 211 university. Wang Ying applied directly, so she could stay at home and take care of her two elderly parents.
Recalling my past life felt like a distant memory. Listening to the deep, even breathing sounds of the person beside me, I gradually drifted off to sleep.
Half asleep and half awake, Wang Ying had a dream in which she returned to her village in Qingshui Town.
In the morning, I showed the wheat to the villagers in the fields and taught them how to prevent pests and diseases. Around noon, Qingyun came to bring me lunch.
Wang Ying washed her hands by the river. As she washed, she suddenly noticed that many fish had come to swim in the river. These fish were big and fat and were jumping around in the river.
In his haste, he jumped into the river to catch fish, but he couldn't catch them no matter what he tried. Wang Ying then ran after him. When they reached the bridge, they saw a large golden carp leap out of the water, jump across the bridge, and swim away to the other side of the river.
In her dream, Wang Ying murmured, "Could this be the carp leaping over the dragon gate?"
*
The next day, before dawn, the whole family got up.
Chen Qingyan changed into a dark blue Confucian robe, tied up his hair, put on a Confucian hat, and walked out looking clean and refreshed.
Chen Qinghuai and Li Bingchen were dressed the same as him. This scholar's robe was required for the exam, just like a school uniform. Everyone who participated in the provincial examination would prepare a set.
Unlike the county examination, the provincial examination was held in August, a pleasant time of year with clear skies and crisp air. One only needed to wear an undergarment underneath, without needing to wear more clothes.
The provincial examination consisted of three sessions over a total of nine days. During these nine days, the examinees were not allowed to leave the examination hall; they had to eat, drink, and relieve themselves all within the examination hall.
Therefore, everyone should prepare enough food for the next nine days. Most people bring flatbread and dried meat, which can be stored for a long time.
Aunt Chen also made flatbreads for the three of them, ten flatbreads for each person, and one flatbread was enough to last them a day.
The dried meat is all homemade. Wang Ying marinates it with spices in advance, then steams it and dries it. This method not only makes the dried meat last longer but also tastes better.
Hot water is available in the examination room, so you don't need to bring a water bag; just bring your cup.
In addition, Aunt Si prepared a medicine packet for everyone, which contained menthol tablets to refresh the mind, pills to stop diarrhea and treat headaches and fever, and ointment to prevent mosquito bites.
These things were specially instructed by Chen Jingxin last time. When he participated in the provincial examination, there was a candidate who fell ill midway and had to give up the exam. Bringing these things is better than nothing, since missing this one means waiting another three years.
With everything prepared, the family saw the three candidates off in their carriage as they headed towards the examination hall.
A note from the author:
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