Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 1239 Epilogue : It’s my turn, it’s my turn
"Brother!"

Xie Yan hurried back from the rubber vulcanization laboratory.

Xie Hong was quite emotional: "It's only been a few months since we last met at the beginning of the year, and I didn't expect that there would be such a big change. When you got married, I had to prepare for the exam in my hometown, so I was really sorry that I couldn't attend the wedding."

Xie Yan smiled and said, "Congratulations, big brother, on passing the exam."

Xie Hong was naturally happy when he mentioned this, but he still said modestly: "It's just a juren. If I don't pass the jinshi exam, everything will be over."

The two brothers sat down to talk, and the maid brought them tea.

Xie Yan said: "I heard that big brother is engaged?"

"My cousin from my fifth uncle's family will be coming of age next year. The wedding date has been set, next autumn." Xie Hong smiled brightly and seemed very satisfied with his fiancée.

Xie Yan said congratulations, but in his heart he was thinking: Why doesn't Brother Zhu prohibit marriage between close relatives?
In fact, even in the 21st century, there are still a number of developed countries that allow cousin marriage, not to mention the even larger number of developing countries.

Eighteen states in the United States even allow cousin marriage.

Taizu and Taizong were too lazy to care about customs that did not cause much harm to society, because they would encounter huge resistance and would not bring any good results.

If we really want to talk about genetic risks, does being mixed-race mean there are no risks?
As an agronomy expert, Zhu Guoxiang is very familiar with hybridization. Hybridization can indeed produce good varieties, but there is also a high probability of problems, and it is easy to cause the offspring to degenerate in many aspects.

This phenomenon is called "hybrid decay"!
There is no difference between humans and plants.

It’s just that people tend to pay more attention to good breeds and high-quality hybrids.

After chatting about their recent situation for a while, Xie Hong said, "I am going out this time to study at Yuxiu Academy, and will return home to get married next autumn. After marriage, I will study hard at home to see if I can pass the imperial examination in one fell swoop."

Xie Yan said, "I happen to know a young scholar at the Meng family of the Yuxiu Academy in Gong County. You can take my letter and visit them."

"That would be better." Xie Hong could only sigh in his heart that his sixth brother is no longer the same as before.

The two brothers were chatting when Zhu Tangxi came over from the inner house.

She had come here before, but because her husband was not at home, it was inconvenient for men and women to spend too much time together. After a brief chat, she arranged for Xie Hong to take a bath to wash off the dust on his body.

Xie Hong and his entourage will stay in the guest rooms of the front house for the next two days and are not allowed to stay in the inner house and gardens of the princess's house.

Zhu Tangxi said: "Yuxiu Academy is also very good, the mountain is quiet and peaceful. Longmen Academy is not so good, it is too close to Luoyang City, there are always students who can't stand the loneliness and run to the city for entertainment every few days."

"That's exactly the reason," Xie Hong said with a smile, "so the number of Jinshi graduates from Yuxiu Academy always surpasses that of Longmen Academy."

Zhu Tangxi said, "I heard that you will be leaving in two days. Why don't you stay a few more days? I will let Liu Lang accompany you around."

Xie Hong smiled and said, "I appreciate your kindness, sister-in-law. I have been to Luoyang at the beginning of the year and have visited all the places I should visit. This time I made a special trip to Luoyang to make up for my regret of not attending your wedding."

"Brother, you are too polite." Zhu Tangxi said.

Xie Hong said: "I just heard from Liu Lang that your sister-in-law is pregnant. What a coincidence. I wish you a happy baby."

"Thank you for your good wishes, brother." Zhu Tangxi was very happy. The more people who bless the baby in her belly, the better.

After chatting for a few more words, the conversation turned to other things.

Xie Hong asked, "Sixth Brother, do you still remember the young master of Minister Chen's family?"

"Of course I remember, he's Chen Shilang." Xie Yan said.

Xie Hong smiled and said, "He passed the imperial examination this year. He had passed the imperial examination before, but he failed three times in a row, and then he took the exam again when his status as a juren expired. Passing the imperial examination is as easy as drinking water and eating, but he just couldn't pass the imperial examination. How strange!"

"He took the provincial examination in Shaanxi." Xie Yan guessed the reason immediately.

In the provincial examinations of provinces with a large number of imperial examinations, the admission rate of Juren is much lower than that of Jinshi. For example, in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Huainan, Sichuan, and Shandong, it is really a huge battle to cross a single-plank bridge.

The candidates from these provinces came to the capital to take the imperial examinations, which were actually more about their performance on the spot, because their levels were all very high!
The Juren from Shaanxi Province passed the examination much more easily, but those with lesser knowledge could never pass the Jinshi examination.

Fortunately, they were admitted based on the specific list, otherwise they would have no chance.

In the Ming Dynasty of another time and space, the Jinshi candidates were divided into three lists: Southern, Northern and Central.

In the current Ming Dynasty, there are five lists: East, West, South, North and Center.

The Western List is for candidates from the various protectorates and Anxi Province.

The Eastern List includes candidates from the territories under the jurisdiction of each Governor-General's Office and the Korean province.

The number of candidates for the Eastern and Western lists was the least, and even candidates from other ethnic groups were encouraged to participate. This was because even for science subjects, one had to take the Four Books and Six Classics and receive the teachings of Confucian sages.

This approach is to take care of the old, young, remote and poor areas. Its core significance is to maintain the regional balance of officials' hometowns.

If you want to immigrate through the imperial examination, you can do so. As long as you change your household registration for more than fifteen years, no matter where you live, you will be regarded as a native of that province!

……

Xie Yan took his eldest brother to play in the gardens in the inner house, and also took a walk with the pregnant princess.

This garden opened Xie Hong's eyes and made him yearn for his brother's life.

However, he quickly criticized himself, saying that we are the ones who are supposed to govern the country and bring peace to the world, so how can we envy the prince consort who cannot participate in politics?

After walking for twenty minutes, Zhu Tangxi said, "I'm a little tired. Sorry I can't keep you company for long."

Xie Hong said: "My sister-in-law should have a good rest."

Xie Yan wanted to personally help her go back, but was rejected by the princess, who asked him to stay here to accompany the guests.

The princess quickly went away.

Xie Hong praised: "My sister-in-law is a very good person, and she doesn't have the airs of a royal noble at all. You must cherish such a virtuous wife, Liu Lang."

Xie Yan smiled and said, "How dare I not cherish it?"

"That's true." Xie Hong laughed.

Wang Sheng, who grew up with Xie Yan, also followed Xie Hong to Beijing this time and was behind them. Xie Yan asked, "Are you not going to take the exam again?"

“No more exams.” Wang Sheng shook his head.

There was no lowly class in the Ming Dynasty, so it was natural for book boys to take the imperial examinations.

But most of the book boys could not even pass the exam to become a scholar. And if they failed the exam for the first time, they would often choose to give up, otherwise they would inevitably cause displeasure to their employers.

Only the real genius among the book boys, who passed the examinations for the title of scholar and the title of juren, would receive full support from the employer, because such people are worth investing in!

Xie Yan said: "Then you can stay in the front house first, and get familiar with Wang Xing, Xie Changshou and the others. You can stay with me when I go out, and you can go to the cement factory next year."

"I'll listen to Liu Lang." Wang Sheng said quickly.

Xie Yan continued, "You are new to the cement factory, so you definitely can't be in charge. You should learn more while doing odd jobs, and understand every aspect of production and sales. When your current employment period expires, you will sign an employment contract with the cement factory instead."

"Yes, sir!" Wang Sheng was overjoyed.

This is to train him towards the management level of the cement factory. From now on, he will no longer be a slave, but a senior manager of the cement factory.

Wang Sheng is willing to work in the cement factory for the rest of his life, get married, have children, start a family, and settle down in this prosperous place in Beijing.

The current director of the cement factory is a loyal servant who has followed Xie Yiqin for many years.

To be honest, the management level is just so-so.

Instead, it was my fourth and fifth uncles who stayed there who helped with a lot of ideas and helped formulate the factory's rules and regulations.

But my fourth and fifth uncles were leaving Beijing before the snow fell. They were already familiar with the cement factory process and were about to go to Baoding to build another cement factory.

As long as Wang Sheng behaves cleanly and doesn't make money recklessly, Xie Yan plans to make him the factory director in the future.

Finance, purchasing and sales are all the princess's business for the time being.

This is not a good idea as it could easily lead to problems. Xie Yan plans to change his finance manager in the future.

They had dinner early that night and the couple drank with their eldest brother.

Zhu Tangxi used water instead of wine to apologize, saying, "Liu Lang said that a doctor told him that drinking alcohol can cause fetal deformities. After being scared, I don't care whether it's true or not, I dare not drink anymore."

Xie Hong said, "Since the famous doctor said so, then I must not drink. From now on, when my fiancée gets pregnant, I will not let her drink."

While the three were having dinner, Wang Sheng and Xie Hong's servant went to find Wang Xing, Xie Changshou and other male attendants to reminisce about the past.

After eating and drinking, and chatting for a while, Xie Yan, slightly drunk, accompanied his wife back to sleep.

"Don't come close to me. You reek of alcohol and go wash yourself off." Zhu Tangxi pushed away Xie Laoliu who wanted to kiss her.

Xie Yan said with a smile: "I wrote to a famous doctor and asked him that when a woman is five or six months pregnant, she can still have sex with her husband. Sister, just bear with it for another two months."

Zhu Tangxi was embarrassed when she heard this: "How could you write to the doctor about this? It would be so bad if it got out. People would think I couldn't even endure being pregnant for ten months. How is that different from that... that whore?"

"Sister, don't you want to try it? Just be gentle." Xie Yan winked.

Zhu Tangxi's ears turned red. "I don't want to try. It's not good to have a miscarriage. You think about these things all day long. It's not serious at all. Go take a shower, come back and play chess and chat with me, and then you can go to Qingluan's room to rest."

Xie Yan went to take a bath as ordered, and Qingluan hurriedly followed to serve him.

Zhu Tangxi began to think seriously, is it really possible to be pregnant for five or six months... Forget it, forget it, can't take the risk.

Zi Feng watched the two of them leave and wanted to take the opportunity to talk to the princess, but she didn't know how to start, and she was also afraid that the princess would be angry.

Anxious and conflicted.

"Massage my waist." Zhu Tangxi felt a little sore in his waist.

Zifeng immediately went to prepare and called Jinhua over.

A few days ago, the doctor said that it is normal for pregnant women to have back pain. He taught her the corresponding massage techniques and also asked her to apply hot compress for a quarter of an hour before the massage.

Jinhua and Yucai were originally the ones who held umbrellas for the princess.

Their arm strength is pretty good. After leaving the palace, Yucai became the manager of the incense tower, while Jinhua became the princess's masseur.

Well, sometimes I also give Xie Laoliu a massage.

After a while of hot compress, Jinhua began to massage the princess' waist, and she closed her eyes in comfort.

Zifeng stood quietly beside him, but her mind was thinking about the bathroom. Could Qingluan be flirting with Liulang at this moment? Maybe they were playing in the water together.

Humph, you only know how to eat alone. We are still good sisters in vain.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Tangxi suddenly spoke up: "Zifeng, you should discuss this with Qingluan."

"Ah? Yes!"

Zi Feng was stunned at first, then she was overjoyed.

Zhu Tangxi likes Qingluan the most because they have the best exchange of ideas. Just by her giving her a look, Qingluan knows what to do.

It is not easy to be the chief maid, you must be in tune with your master!
A few years ago, Zhu Tangxi often suffered from insomnia in the middle of the night, and always asked Qingluan to sleep with her. It was also at that time that the master and servant became as close as sisters, and they could even talk about anything.

But Zifeng has been with her since she was a child after all.

Since the husband's demand is great, let Zifeng have a share. Anyway, the bad women outside can't get it for free.

"Sister, I'm done washing." Xie Laoliu walked over quickly.

Zi Feng's face suddenly turned red, and she lowered her head in shame, not daring to look at her husband.

In fact, the prince consort didn't even look at her. He was just being sentimental.

(End of this chapter)