Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 745 Youth and Reflections on Youth [Thank you! Thank you again! 34k words owed]

The next day,

morning,

It was still dark.

In the dark blue sky, stars twinkled and the full moon sank in the west.

Xingguo Ward in the inner city
"Oh oh oh-"

The sound of a rooster crowing came from a courtyard somewhere.

"Dang Dang!"

"It's time of Mao (5-7 AM)!"

"Dangdang"

The watchman's voice came from the time.

Looking at the gate of the Duke of Qi's mansion, which was lit up with lanterns, the watchman struck the gong in his hand again.

"Dang Dang!"

Just then, the watchman passed by the stone lion in front of the gate and was about to shout again, "Oh dear! Heavens!"

The moon-white figure that suddenly appeared behind the stone lion startled the watchman.

"You watchman, what kind of way are you looking at the road?"

Behind the moonlit white shadows, a servant from the Duke's mansion, carrying a book box, sternly reprimanded someone.

"I"

"You? What do you mean, 'you'? Are you blind?" the servant of the Qi family questioned.

The white figure in the moonlight waved his hand: "Li Chong, that's enough!"

Then, the white figure bowed slightly: "I'm sorry I startled you. Please, give me some money for the tea!"

"Yes, young master."

Buwei, who was standing not far away, stepped forward.

"Young Master, you..." Li Chong hesitated, then stopped himself.

"Young Master Qi?" The night watchman looked at the white figure in the moonlight with considerable surprise, bowing and scraping as he said, "It was my rudeness."

"Hmm." Qi Heng nodded, then turned away and stopped talking.

After accepting the dozen or so coins for tea from Buwei with both hands, the night watchman bowed and left.

"Ding ding! It's the hour of Mao (5-7 AM)!"

Watching the watchman walk away, Qi Heng silently exhaled a breath of white air, then took a couple of steps with his hands behind his back in front of the door.

"Tap tap tap tap".

The sound of horses' hooves came from not far away, and Qi Heng quickly turned his head to look.

After a while,
Gu Tingye stopped his horse in front of Qi Heng: "Yuan Ruo? What's going on?"

Qi Heng bowed and clasped his hands in a salute: "Second Uncle."

Gu Tingye glanced at the servant carrying the book box behind Qi Heng and asked, "Yuan Ruo, where is your carriage?"

Qi Heng shook his head: "Second Uncle, I... how can I possibly have the face to go to the Sheng family?"

As he spoke, Qi Heng turned around and waved to Li Chong.

After Li Chong handed over a stack of papers, Qi Heng took them and tilted his head back to hand them to Gu Tingye: "Second Uncle, these are the assignments left by the scholar."

Gu Tingye took the paper and nodded, saying, "Okay, Yuanruo, I understand."

"Thank you for your trouble, Second Uncle." Qi Heng bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.

Gu Tingye turned around and told Zhique to put the papers away. He said softly, "Yuanruo, you can just have the servant deliver them to my house. Why wait for me at the door in this cold weather?"

Qi Heng shook his head and gave a self-deprecating smile: "Second Uncle, I've gotten used to waking up at this time over the past few years, and I can't fall back asleep even if I want to."

After a moment of silence,
"Sigh!" Gu Tingye looked at Qi Heng and sighed, "Alright! If the scholar has anything to say, I'll come to the manor to find you this afternoon."

"Thank you for your trouble, Second Uncle." Qi Heng bowed again.

"No need to be so polite, I'll be going now."

Gu Tingye nodded and rode away.

Zhi Que, who was following behind Gu Tingye, and Shi Tou, who was driving the carriage, also nodded to Qi Heng as they passed by.

Looking at Qi Heng, who had been watching Gu Tingye leave without moving for a long time, Buwei said softly, "Young Master, let's go back."

"Ah."

Qi Heng withdrew his gaze and turned back to the Duke's mansion.

Jiying Lane,
The Sheng family,

Smelling the coal smoke in the cool air, Xu Zaijing lifted the cotton curtain and entered the school.

Inside the house, where the floor was heated, a warm and cozy atmosphere filled the air, along with a hint of incense.

"This"

By candlelight, looking at the school that had undergone such a dramatic change, Xu Zaijing was stunned.

There were ten tables in the classroom, with a screen standing in the middle.

At this moment, the screen was gone, and the three blue desks also disappeared.

"Changbai, what is this?" Xu Zaijing asked in confusion.

Changbai looked at Xu Zaijing and said helplessly, "This is the intention of my grandmother and father."

Qingcao, who was following behind Xu Zaijing, also had a look of regret in her eyes.

Aside from Changfeng and Changzhen, both Zaizhang and Gu Tingye were deeply moved after seeing the changes at the school.

Everyone was there, but there were only a few servants and maids on the wooden platform at the back.

Zhuang Xuejiu clearly knew about this in advance.
When they arrived at the school,
Their expressions didn't change much.

The backyard of the Sheng family

Wei Rui Xuan
Rulan suddenly opened her eyes on the bed.

Looking at the bright window, Rulan sat up and cried out in a panic, "Magpie! Magpie!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the magpie rushed into the house: "Miss, what's wrong?"

Rulan asked urgently, "What time is it?"

The magpie hadn't spoken yet.

Rulan continued, "Isn't that right? Oh, I forgot, we don't have to go to school today!"

"Yes, young lady!"

"Hmm! Go on, go on, it's alright now," Rulan waved her hand.

Subsequently,

Rulan lay back on the bed, comfortably rolled over, and said lazily, "Good heavens! Thank you, Brother Yuanruo! I can finally sleep in!"

After saying that, Rulan wriggled around in the quilt several more times.

"Gentlemen, please hand in your assignments first," Zhuang Xuejiu said in a deep voice after taking his seat.

Amidst the voices of Scholar Zhuang commenting on the assignments

The morning passed by leisurely.

At noon,

Brothers Li Du and Li Yu arrived at the school with their mother, Liu, who was delivering meals.

After paying their respects to Scholar Zhuang and handing in their homework, the Li brothers chatted with everyone.

After the meal,
Before leaving,
Qingcao walked up to Xu Zaijing and whispered, "Young Master, Mama Cui said that the Old Madam and Mama Fang have something to discuss with me."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Go!"

The green grass should go away.

Seeing the smile on Cui's mother's face as she left, Xu Zaijing frowned slightly in confusion.

Leaving the school,

Mother Cui and Qingcao walked towards Shou'an Hall in the backyard.

As you step onto the promenade,
Zhou Xueniang, dressed in a bright pink outfit, walked towards them from the opposite direction, clutching a handkerchief. She appeared to have just come from the direction of the second gate.

Upon seeing Aunt Cui and her entourage, as well as Qingcao, Zhou Xueniang was taken aback for a moment before quickly stopping and bowing with a beaming smile: "Aunt Cui, Qingcao, Happy Lantern Festival."

Mrs. Cui nodded with a forced smile, while Qingcao offered no smile at all, merely nodding perfunctorily.

After Cui Mama and the others left, Zhou Xueniang followed behind and continued walking towards the inner courtyard.

Arriving at an intersection,
After curiously glancing at the backs of Qingcao and the others, Zhou Xueniang strode towards Linxi Pavilion.

Linxi Pavilion
inside the house,

"Madam Zhou has arrived."

As the maid announced her arrival, Mo Lan, sitting on the embroidered stool by the table, turned her head to look at the scene, her mood rather sour.

Mo Lan's eyes were a little red, indicating that she had just been crying.

Lin Qinshuang, who was standing aside watching Mo Lan, had a look of heartache and regret in her eyes.

After Zhou Xueniang entered the house, Mo Lan asked in a slightly hoarse voice, "How was it? Did you see Brother Yuanruo or his personal servant?"

Zhou Xueniang shook her head: "Young lady, my husband has been waiting outside the Duke of Qi's mansion all morning, but he hasn't seen a single person."

Upon hearing this, Mo Lan was on the verge of tears, saying, "I suppose it's because of me that Brother Yuan Ruo is currently under house arrest by Princess Pingning!"

Lin Qinshuang sighed, holding the hand warmer, and advised, "Alright, Mo'er! Let's wait a little longer. We won't see him in the first month, but the young master will have to go out for the imperial examination next month!"

"If you cry and ruin your eyes, you won't be able to see any hints the young master gives you!"

Mo Lan sobbed for a moment, then blinked and said, "Mother, I..."

Lin Qinshuang touched her daughter's cheek and said, "Mo'er, you've taken good care of yourself these past two weeks. Next month, surprise the young master, and you might still have a chance!"

"Mother, I will listen to you," Mo Lan nodded.

Lin Qinshuang smiled and nodded, then beckoned to Lu Zhong: "Take good care of Fourth Miss."

"Yes, little girl."

After Lin Qinshuang finished speaking, she walked outside and gave Zhou Xueniang a look.

Zhou Xueniang hurriedly followed. In the side room furthest from Mo Lan, Lin Qinshuang, holding a hand warmer, glanced outside and whispered, "How is it? Have the people who went to Yingchang Prefecture returned?"

Zhou Xueniang nodded and whispered, "Little Madam, you're back! Our people spent some money to find out that Hu Mama, who went to the Kang family, along with her three sons, two daughters, and grandchildren, are all on the farm under Old Madam Wang's name."

"Is he the farm manager?" Lin Qinshuang asked.

Zhou Xueniang shook her head repeatedly: "No! It's said that Hu Mama's three sons used to be shopkeepers in a certain shop, but somehow they were moved to the estate."

"Oh?" Lin Qinshuang's eyes were full of thought: "From shop manager to farmer, it seems that Hu Mama's son has made some serious mistake."

Zhou Xueniang nodded in agreement: "That's what I think too!"

Lin Qinshuang rubbed her hands on the heater, frowned, took a few steps, and hesitated before saying, "Is Kang Yuan'er, the daughter of Madam Kang, having trouble with her marriage?"

Zhou Xueniang said in a low voice, "Young lady, things are very unfavorable! Families with even a little bit of standing in the capital look down on this woman."

After pondering for a moment,
"Hmph!" Lin Qinshuang sneered, "That makes sense!"

“Young lady, what’s acceptable?” Zhou Xueniang chimed in, trying to smooth things over.

Lin Qinshuang glanced at Zhou Xueniang: "According to what Honglang said before, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Fifth Miss is going to marry back into the Wang family."

Zhou Xueniang thought for a moment, then said urgently, "Young lady, are you saying that Granny Hu did this for her own children?"

“Yes! If Kang Yuan’er marries into the Wang family, Hu Mama’s relatives will have hope of turning their lives around,” Lin Qinshuang said calmly.

Zhou Xueniang: "Little sister, then let's..."

Lin Qinshuang smiled wryly: "This concerns the Fifth Miss's reputation, so naturally we will firmly refuse! But can they find a suitable person?"

As she spoke, Lin Qinshuang gave Zhou Xueniang a meaningful look.

"The servant understands."

Returning home in the evening,

After getting off the carriage,
Qingcao followed behind Xu Zaijing, carrying her book box.

"What brings you to Shou'an Hall today?" Xu Zaijing asked softly.

Qingcao raised her head, a little embarrassed, and said, "Young master, Mama Fang asked my younger brother if he has any plans to get married."

"Oh?" Xu Zaijing smiled slightly: "What did you say? Did you agree on his behalf?"

Qingcao shook her head: "This servant said that I will ask around in a couple of days and then tell Madam Fang."

"Hmm! It sounds like Madam Fang is looking for a husband for her granddaughter?" Xu Zaijing said with a smile.

Green Grass nodded: "Mm!"

As dusk fell, Xu Zaijing glanced back at Qingcao, who seemed to be in a bad mood and was walking with his head down.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Zaijing said softly, "All good things must come to an end. The date has only been brought forward by half a month."

Qingcao pursed her lips: "Young master is right."

They returned to Xu Zaijing's courtyard.
Green Grass and Clouds thought of telling Flowers what the school looked like today.
After listening, Yunxiang and Huaxiang's expressions didn't change much because they hadn't put themselves in the other person's shoes.

But the next day, Yun wanted to go to school with Xu Zaijing, and her expression when she got home was just like Qingcao's.

at the same time,

The Duke of Qi's Mansion

backyard,

Unconsciously carrying a stack of papers, she walked into Qi Heng's study.

"Young Master, this was sent in by Second Young Master Gu."

Qi Heng, who was sitting behind the table, quickly got up and took it.

After sitting down, Qi Heng took a deep breath, filled with emotion, and began to examine the paper carefully, looking at the dozen or so red annotations written by Zhuang Xuejiu.

The Sheng family,

Shouantang,
Outside,
Minglan sat on the embroidered stool in front of the Luohan chair, patting the old lady's legs lightly.

The old lady glanced at Minglan and said softly, "What's wrong, Ming'er? Is something on your mind?"

Minglan looked up at the old lady and nodded in agreement.

"What's on your mind?"

Minglan hesitated for a moment, then continued massaging her legs while saying softly, "Grandmother, my stepmother said that I should embroider knee pads for my older brothers and brother-in-law at the school these days."

"But my granddaughter thought that her brothers all came from good families and had personal maids or wives by their side! If I embroider these, my brothers and brothers-in-law might already have them, so I won't need them."

The old lady nodded in agreement and said softly, "Whether they have knee pads or not, and whether they can use them, is not up to you to decide."

"But whether to do it or not, whether to send it or not, is up to you!"

Minglan opened her big eyes and looked at her grandmother in front of her.

The old lady said kindly, "You might have been able to meet a few times before you got married."

"Once you get married, who knows when we'll see each other again."

"After being classmates for many years, it's always good to have a keepsake."

"Yes!" Minglan nodded heavily, and after a moment she asked, "Then, Grandmother, what about Young Master Qi?"

Seeing Minglan's hesitation, the old lady shook her head and said, "The Qi family? Let's forget about it! It'll only make people think that our daughter is shameless and trying to curry favor with the powerful."

Minglan pursed her lips and nodded in agreement.

"The lord has arrived."

The little girl at the gate preached the word.

Minglan quickly put down the old lady's leg and stood up from the embroidered stool.

Sheng Hong, dressed in official robes, entered the room and bowed respectfully, saying, "Mother."

"Hong'er is back, come and sit down," the old lady said with a smile.

Minglan bowed respectfully from the side.

After sitting down,
Sheng Hong said excitedly, "Mother, the chief examiner for next month's imperial examination has been decided. It's the second-place scholar from the late emperor's time!"

Listening to Sheng Hong's words, the old lady sighed, "The children have studied hard for many years, and next month we'll see the results!"

Sheng Hong nodded repeatedly.

daytime,

Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and others were attending classes at the Sheng family home.
When Gu Tingye returned home in the evening, he would bring Qi Heng his 'class notes', the day's homework, and annotations on the homework.

The days passed like this day by day.

Time flies like water.
February arrived quickly.

At the beginning of the month,

The day before the imperial examination.

In the morning,

Instead of giving a lecture, Zhuang Xuejiu carefully explained the things to pay attention to before and after the imperial examination.

After he finished speaking, he distributed the booklet he had written himself to everyone.

Finally, Zhuang Xuejiu said with a smile, "Everyone, see you after the imperial examination."

"Yes, scholar!"

Xu Zaijing and the others stood up, bowed, and clasped their hands in a salute.

noon,

Xu Zaijing and his classmates had lunch together again in the main hall of the Sheng family's backyard.

Each dish on the table has an auspicious name that symbolizes success in the imperial examinations.

in the afternoon,

On the way out of Shou'an Hall,

Qingcao held the finely stitched knee pads in her hands, following behind Xu Zaijing.

Just now,

Xu Zaijing was at the back of his classmates' line in Shou'an Hall. He talked with his great-aunt for a while without making his classmates and brothers wait for him.

Therefore, Xu Zaijing was alone at this time.

Leaving Shou'an Hall,
Xu Zaijing, carrying Qingcao, habitually walked the path from Shou'an Hall to the school.

By the time he realized what was happening, he was already at the school gate.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Zaijing did not continue walking towards the outer courtyard, but instead turned around and continued towards the school.

at this time,

The chimney on the roof was no longer smoking, so the underground heating had obviously been turned off.

The cotton curtains at the school entrance were removed, and the insulating partitions around the school were also taken down, so the interior and surrounding scenery could be seen at a glance from the outside.
It felt just like a few years ago when Xu Zaijing first came to the Sheng family to study.

Xu Zaijing and the others' desks were still there, but the candlesticks, writing implements, and other items on them had been removed, and the cotton quilts on the stools were also gone.

The place where Zhuang Xuejiu used to sit is now only a screen, a table, and a chair. The Luohan bed on one side, which used to be furnished with pillows and tea sets, is now completely empty.

At first glance,
The room suddenly felt empty.

After watching for a while,
Xu Zaijing stepped into the house,
He walked over to his own table and chair, which were covered in signs of wear and tear, and sat down.

As the sun set, Xu Zaijing gazed at the scenery of the school where he had spent six or seven years.

The scenery in the courtyard changed in Xu Zaijing's eyes and heart, reflecting the changing seasons, sunshine, rain, snow, blooming flowers, and falling leaves.

Qingcao understood her young master's feelings very well. She sat quietly on the wooden platform and stroked the tableside next to her.

Over the years, the servants and maids had sat and stood up repeatedly, and several places on the table had been worn smooth, resembling the shape of their buttocks.

Just by looking at the smooth, shiny spots, the grass can tell which spot belongs to whom.

Looking at the green grass, Xu Zaijing took a deep breath and smiled happily.

He remembered someone saying that one cannot simultaneously possess youth and the understanding of youth.

He was lucky to have both of them, and he cherished them deeply.

He sat there blankly for a while longer.

Xu Zaijing stood up and said, "Qingcao, let's go."

"Oh!"

Green Grass got up and followed.

(End of this chapter)