Zhou Shuren held up three fingers. "The first place in the county exam was Ming Qing and I. The three of us passed. I am still a student, and I can receive food every month, and four taels of silver a year!"
Zhulan smiled, "You are awesome."
Zhou Shuren liked to hear Zhulan praise him, and then he sighed, "It will be difficult to get first place in the future. It's not only a matter of grades, but also luck and the examiner's favor."
Zhu Lan looked at Zhou Shuren's face and said, "So, you have to work hard to be the top scholar. There is no chance for you to be the third place scholar. The third place scholar is usually the one with the best looks. You won't even have a chance to be the second place scholar!"
Zhou Shuren was depressed. "I asked around. The top two scholars in the last two worlds were both young and good-looking."
Zhulan burst out laughing. There was really nothing she could do. This was not a matter of writing hard, but mainly depended on the emperor's opinion. If Zhou Shuren was ten years younger, he would have more confidence in competing for the first place. However, she was not happy. "I have heard of catching a son-in-law under the list. You are doing well this way."
Older, safer.
Zhou Shuren's eager claws had already grasped Zhulan's hand, and he was determined to take advantage of her!
In the evening, the whole family went to Wu's house. Ming Qing was in high spirits, with a big grin on his face. After becoming a scholar, he no longer had any pressure and also got a benefit as he no longer had to pay taxes on the family's land. Ming Qing was in an excited state.
The Wu family also invited Zhao Bo, who arrived first.
Zhulan brought a few children into the house. The women's table was a kang table, and the food was already prepared. The Wu family prepared ten dishes not only to celebrate but also to express their gratitude. They were all Wu Li's specialties.
Mrs. Wu Li cooked for Zhulan's family. Knowing Zhulan and the children's preferences, she prepared two fish dishes. Zhulan also saw mutton and was surprised, "Is there mutton for sale in the market today?"
Mrs. Wu Li wiped her hands and said, "These are sheep that my relatives sold to the restaurant. They knew that Wu Ming passed the imperial examination, so they sent some here specially."
Zhulan understood that the Wu family had no land, but Wu Ming had 20 acres of land that did not have to pay taxes. "Aunt, you don't have to spend money on food in the future."
Mrs. Wu Li was beaming with joy. Although it was a pity that her grandson didn't become a scholar, she still had many benefits. "I met a lot of relatives today. We divided up the 20 mu of land. This year, we can save money on food and vegetables. How about your family?"
Zhulan said: "My family has exactly 20 acres of land, and we don't have any extra."
"That year, we can earn a lot of extra money."
Zhulan nodded, "Yes, food prices have not dropped in recent years."
In ancient times, grain production was already low, and when the weather was bad, the common people suffered. In fact, whether in prosperous times or troubled times, the lives of the common people were never easy.
It was dark when Zhulan and her family returned home. At night, Zhou Shuren was very obedient and did not drink much. Instead, Mingqing was happy and drank too much. Zhulan vaguely heard Mingqing crying in the house.
The child was under a lot of pressure. After going through a difficult period, he finally cried due to the stress.
After washing up in the evening, Zhulan asked, "When are we going back?"
Zhou Shuren reached out and hugged Zhulan, "We have to wait a little longer. I have met many people in Pingzhou. I am a scholar now, so I have a stepping stone. I can't leave for a while, but it will cost a lot."
Zhulan knew the necessity of socializing. Now it was not a matter of worrying about money. Zhou Shuren was a farmer and scholar, and he had no connections with anyone above him. For future considerations, it was necessary to be selective in who he would meet. He also had to be careful about how to make friends. Fortunately, Zhou Shuren was only a scholar, and he was not at the level of someone who needed help. "Should I go with you to socialize?"
Zhou Shuren couldn't bear to see Zhulan suffer with him, "Not for now, wait until next year when you come to Pingzhou."
At least when he gets used to it, no one will make Zhulan angry after screening.
Zhulan nodded, and seeing Zhou Shuren's eyes drifting upwards, Zhulan snorted in her heart. She really thought that she hadn't noticed that Zhou Shuren had become bolder today and didn't even spread out his own bedding. This guy could really start a business by just dyeing the room with color.