According to Comrade Xu Changqian, who has experienced it, each person takes the exam in a small room, where it is difficult to even stretch or turn around. Each person has to stay in this small room of less than one square meter for seven days. There are candidates who are in poor health and faint in the examination room. Many of them have to be carried out.
Who said that scholars in ancient times were weak? Mingyu secretly complained that it was clearly more demanding to develop morally, intellectually and physically than in modern times!
After passing the imperial examination, if Xu Mingye performs well and passes the examination, he can enter the palace examination. If he does better in the palace examination, he can directly take office. Xu Changqian and Madam Xu saw their son coming back from the examination as if he had peeled off a layer of skin and fell asleep. Although they did not dare to ask more questions, they were both anxious in their hearts.
The family waited anxiously for the results to be announced. Xu Mingye was ranked eleventh among the Gongshi, while Qi Su was ranked ninth. With such results in the joint examination, it would not be a problem for him to pass the palace examination and become a Jinshi.
Xu Changqian and Madam Xu were very satisfied that Xu Mingye could get such a good ranking at the age of less than 10. However, since Xu Mingye knew that Qi Su ranked two places higher than him, his handsome face became as stinky as a stone in a toilet. Mingyu looked at her brother's arrogance and secretly sighed that it seemed as if he was really suppressed by Brother Qi.
After the results of the imperial examination were announced, many people came to the Xu residence to congratulate him. Xu Changqian's colleagues and old schoolmates all came to congratulate him. Xu Changliang and Li from the third house also brought a few packages of fruit wrapped in hemp rope and red paper to congratulate him. For a while, the door of the Xu family's main house was crowded with people coming and going, and there were congratulations and compliments everywhere, which was very lively.
Mrs. Xu was in charge of entertaining the female guests. Whenever a lady came to congratulate her and praised Xu Mingye for his hard work and determination, Mrs. Xu would smile in a reserved and decent manner, "Look at what you said, Mingye is just lucky, but he doesn't deserve your praise!"
She was so modest. Mrs. Xu was so happy that she felt proud. Her son was so good because of her land. The more people came to congratulate her, the more relieved Mrs. Xu felt. Her son was so promising, so why would she be worried about not finding a good wife
Although the Xu family had split up, they actually still lived together. If the first house coughed loudly, the second and third houses could hear it clearly. Seeing the first house was bustling and joyful, even the third house went to curry favor with them. Xu Changgong from the second house could not sit still and asked his wife, Mrs. Hu, to bring gifts to congratulate them.
Mrs. Hu's face was not warm, she mumbled a few words, and reluctantly packed up some old materials and took Xu Mingrui to the yard of the eldest house. However, she was looking forward to going there, and wanted to take this opportunity to say a few good words. The bumps and bruises between the two families were over. After all, the eldest house had two Jinshi, and her two sons would inevitably rely on Xu Changqian and his son for support in the future.
When Mrs. Hu and Xu Mingrui arrived, it was already late, and most of the people who came to congratulate had left. Mrs. Hu hurriedly handed the wrapped cloth in her hand to Mrs. Xu, and said with an eager smile: "Don't be disgusted, sister-in-law, keep it to make two sets of clothes for Mingye. It's rare for the child to be so hardworking, this is a little gift from me and his second uncle."
Compared to Mrs. Hu's enthusiasm and flattery, Xu Mingye and Mrs. Xu were not enthusiastic. Thinking of these two people plotting against Mingyu behind her back, Xu Mingye could not be happy at all, and there was no smile on his face. He responded coldly with a few words, then said that he had to review his studies and ordered them to leave.
Mrs. Hu felt embarrassed and took Xu Mingrui back to her courtyard. When she went to bed at night, she couldn't help complaining to Xu Changgong. She said sourly: "Isn't it just a tribute? He is not even an official, but he is so proud of himself!"
Xu Changgong felt a little annoyed when he heard this. What did he mean, it was just a test for a scholar? He had never been a test for a scholar in his life.
Seeing Xu Changgong remained silent, Mrs. Hu became unhappy and grumbled, "Xu Changqian was a Jinshi in the past, but he has been living in the countryside for decades. He is just a seventh-rank official! Being a Jinshi doesn't mean you are great. My father is useless, and my son won't be much better!"
Xu Changgong was furious and slapped him, shouting, "How dare you scold my father?" He was even more useless than Xu Changqian. After all, Xu Changqian got his position by passing the imperial examination, while he bought it with a large sum of money. This stinky woman, Mrs. Hu, was so reckless with her words that she was cursing her own son to be even more useless!
Hu's words were simply a map cannon, insulting three generations of the Xu family.
On the morning of July 15, Madam Xu took Mingyu to pay her respects to Old Lady Xu. Although the family had separated, Old Lady Xu was still nominally Xu Changqian's stepmother, and she had to go to pay her respects every few days. The store had just received finely woven white cotton cloth from the Western Regions, which was delicate, soft and sweat-absorbent. Madam Xu used this cloth to make a close-fitting sweatshirt for Old Lady Xu as a gift.
Because Xu Mingye passed the imperial examination, Old Lady Xu looked at Madam Xu with a much warmer look. No matter how close Xu Mingye was to her, he was nominally her grandson after all and had to call her grandmother.
When Madam Xu took Mingyu to pay her respects, Xu Mingrui was there too. The two of them sat on the high pavilion in the old lady's yard. Xu Mingrui was lying in the old lady's arms and acting like a spoiled child. Madam Xu paid her respects and went back first, leaving Mingyu to talk to old lady Xu. Seeing Mingyu sitting alone and feeling lonely, Xu Mingrui tried even harder to please her, making the old lady laugh heartily and barely even glancing at Mingyu.
Mingyu glanced at Xu Mingrui coldly. The little girl was young, but she had a lot of thoughts, and they were all small and unpleasant. Old Madam Xu was not her real grandmother, so why should she care whether she liked her or not? Even if she was her real grandmother, she didn't like her, and she was not her real father or mother who was partial to her. Why should she care
While they were talking and laughing, Xu Mingrui accidentally glanced at the pavilion, was stunned, pulled the old lady's sleeve and whispered: "Why is he here?"
Mingyu was sitting aside feeling bored. She followed Xu Mingrui's gaze and saw Lu Hao, dressed in a bright red official robe, walking on the path under the pavilion, with Xu Changgong, who was smiling and nodding, behind him.
The autumn morning sun was shining brightly, and the golden morning sun shone on Lu Hao's face and body, giving him a layer of soft golden light. The collar of his bright red official robe revealed the snow-white collar of his inner shirt. He was tall and slender, with a warm smile on his handsome face, and he was gentle, elegant, and indescribably handsome.
When Mingyu turned around to look at Xu Mingrui and the old lady again, Xu Mingrui had already retracted her gaze and was lying on the old lady's shoulder, her face slightly flushed, her heart beating like a deer, her eyes lowered to the ground, and her feet in embroidered shoes were restlessly drawing circles on the ground.
He must be taking this opportunity to come see her! Xu Mingrui guessed secretly, otherwise why would he come to their house specially
The old lady knew from the beginning that Hu wanted Xu Mingrui to rely on Lu Hao. Hu told her everything, and the old lady agreed with both hands and feet. Lu Hao was young and promising, and if Mingrui became Mrs. Lu, the Xu family would also rise to prominence. What? Wait for a male member of the Xu family to pass the imperial examination and bring honor to the family? Oh, forget it, that's too slow, she can't wait. Besides, even if he passed the imperial examination, he would not necessarily rise to prominence. Xu Changqian was a bloody example. He had been an official for so many years but didn't make a penny, and he was still sour and pedantic.
"Let's go." Old Madam Xu made a prompt decision. "Since Lord Lu is here, we should go down and pay him a visit."
Lu Hao had a smile on his face, but he listened to Xu Changgong's flattering words with some impatience. He had been too busy recently and didn't know that the Xu family had split up and the courtyard of the main house was separated from the second house, so he still came in through the main gate of the Xu Mansion, thinking that he could go directly to the courtyard of the main house like last time. Looking at Xu Changgong's non-stop chatter, Lu Hao suddenly felt as if there were dozens of crows buzzing in his ears.
Xu Mingrui helped Old Lady Xu down from the pavilion, her heart beating so fast that it almost jumped out of her chest. She glanced at the handsome and elegant Lu Hao in the sunlight and mist, and lowered her head with a slightly red face.
Seeing someone coming over, Lu Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and saluted Old Madam Xu, and said with a smile: "Junior greets the old lady."
Old Madam Xu's face was as bright as a chrysanthemum. The more she looked at Lu Hao, the more satisfied she was. She said in a humble tone, "No, no, no! Sir Lu, you are of a high status. I am not worthy of your courtesy."
Lu Hao smiled, looked at Xu Mingrui beside Old Madam Xu, and nodded, "Miss Xu."
Xu Mingrui's face was filled with a burning glow. She bowed to Lu Hao and said softly, "My humble servant greets you, Lord Lu."
"No need to be polite, Miss Xu." Lu Hao said in a gentle voice. "An old friend gave me some deer placenta donkey-hide gelatin a few days ago. I don't need it. It's in the carriage outside. I'll ask someone to give it to the old lady and Miss Xu later."
Xu Mingrui felt as if a hand had pushed away the mist in front of her eyes, revealing the radiant sun, and in front of her was a broad road leading to a bright future. He came here specially to give her supplements?! Xu Mingrui was surprised and happy, her hands began to tremble with excitement, and she didn't know what to say. She lowered her head, feeling pleasantly surprised, but she felt that happiness came too quickly and too suddenly, and she began to panic again.
It was still Old Lady Xu who was able to control the situation. She thanked Lu Hao and couldn't hide her happiness on her face. She vaguely felt that since Lu Hao had this intention, Mingrui's matter was 70% certain. She just didn't know if Mingrui was good enough to be Lu Hao's wife. Old Lady Xu felt elated when she thought of the end and had already started to count the treasures in her bottom of the box, preparing to make up for Xu Mingrui.
Even though he thought about the fierce little girl who sat on him with a brick in her hand, ready to hit him on the forehead with it at any time, Lu Hao deliberately looked at Mingyu last. The little girl had a clean and fair face, like a fragrant orchid in autumn. He couldn't take his eyes off her after just one look. He wondered with some evil taste whether the little girl would feel bad if he talked to Mingyu last.