Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 746 Before Entering the Examination Hall [Thank you! Thank you again! 34k words owed]

Wei Shi (after 2 PM)

The sun was setting in the west, and the sky was bright.

Quyuan Street,
The Marquis of Yongyi's Residence

backyard,

"The two young masters have returned."

As the maid announced the arrival with a smile, Xu Zaijing and Zaizhang bowed their heads and passed through the curtain into the hall.

Go around the screen,

"Mother, elder brother, sister-in-law."

The two bowed and greeted the person with clasped hands.

The younger children of the Xu family also hurriedly left their parents' arms and greeted them politely.

The exception was Xu Xingdai, who walked up to Xu Zaijing with his head down and said in a low voice, "Uncle, good afternoon. I was wrong. I shouldn't have ruined your reputation."

Upon seeing Xu Xingdai apologize, everyone in the room suppressed a laugh.

Xu Zaijing nodded with a deliberately stern face: "Yes! You still have to apologize to me for twelve days."

“Okay, Uncle,” Xu Xingdai said in a muffled voice.

“Go,” Xu Zaijing said.

After everyone was seated, Zai Duan turned his gaze away from his son, looked at Madam Sun, and smiled, "Mother, I never expected that two members of our Xu family would be entering the examination hall for the imperial examination tomorrow."

Mrs. Sun shook her head and laughed, "Who told you not to study hard when you were young? Now you're envious?"

Zai Duan chuckled, looking at Dai Ge'er standing next to Xie Shi, and said, "I'm envious! My son is getting old, so it's up to your grandson to take care of him."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xingdai forced a smile.

At this moment, the maid standing by served warm tea.

Xu Zaijing took it and lowered his head to sip a mouthful.

Zai Zhang looked up at the small wooden table standing next to Sun Shi.

A small wooden table was placed in the middle of the Luohan chair, with a small wooden box about the size of a wine jar on it. The box was very well made.

"Mother, what's on the table?" Zai Zhang asked, puzzled.

Upon hearing this, several people in the room turned their gazes toward Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing looked at everyone blankly and asked, "What's wrong? What does this have to do with me?"

Dai Ge'er's smile became much more genuine as he nodded and said, "Yes, Uncle! This was brought by Grandma and Aunt from the Chai family."

If you buy delicious food and fun toys for your child, they will remember it very clearly.

Chai Zhengzheng had bought Dai Ge'er a slingshot before, so Dai Ge'er had a very good impression of this aunt.

"Oh?" Zai Zhang also turned his head to look at Xu Zai Jing and said, "What did you send? Didn't you send a belt for the Lantern Festival?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zaijing glared at Zhong Ge'er, who was smiling obsequiously at him.

Neither of these two nephews is easy to deal with; they tell everyone everything.

Madam Sun waved her hand and explained, "The belt is a token of gratitude from the Chai family for Jing'er's previous act of kindness."

As she spoke, Madam Sun patted the wooden box and said with a smile, "This is something that the Chai family specially commissioned to be carefully fired in the charcoal kiln of Hejian Prefecture, knowing that you two brothers are about to take the imperial examination."

Looking at Xu Zaijing and Zaizhang, who were still somewhat bewildered, Hualan smiled and said, "Madam Chai said that we can prepare other things at home, but top-quality pear wood charcoal is rare."

"So, the Chai family's charcoal kiln was used to burn some jujube wood and pear wood charcoal, and the craftsmen selected the best ones and sent them to Bianjing."

Upon hearing this, Zai Zhang nodded repeatedly and said, "That's so thoughtful!"

Xu Zaijing, who was standing to the side, also had a lot of feelings in his eyes.

Looking at her youngest son, Madam Sun waved her hand and said, "Alright, while the weather is still bright, Mama Zhu, come and distribute them."

"Yes, ma'am."

As Mama Zhu stepped forward to open the wooden box and began to pack the fruitwood charcoal, Madam Sun said kindly, "Zhang'er, Jing'er, the maids and servants in your respective courtyards are more experienced than I am in taking care of your daily lives."

"At noon, as your brother-in-law instructed, I watched them put away all the items."

"Check it yourselves in a moment."

Xu Zaijing and Zaizhang stood up and said, "Yes, Mother!"

Sensing the atmosphere inside, the children all looked at Zai Zhang and Xu Zai Jing.

"But I think you two shouldn't be too nervous! People from different backgrounds have more options than just this one path!"

"During the imperial examination, all you need to do is your best! Just be worthy of your years of hard work!"

“Alright! While it’s still light, you can go and take a look! Take these fruitwood charcoal with you,” Sun said with a smile.

Xu Zaijing and his elder brother agreed again.

Xu Zaijing's courtyard
main house,

Xu Zaijing stood in front of the table, on which were the things he needed to bring the next day.

The three maids, Qingcao, Yunxiang, and Huaxiang, stood to one side. Yunxiang pointed to the table and counted, "Young master, this is the porcelain water container you used. It's already filled with water. You'll need this when you're adding water to the inkstone."

Xu Zaijing nodded, picked up the small porcelain bottle, uncorked it, examined it carefully, and nodded, saying, "Good! The stationery inventory is complete."

Green Grass, who was ticking off a piece of paper, said, "Yes, young master."

"Put it back."

After Xu Zaijing finished speaking, Hua Xiang carefully put the things into the book box.

After placing it,
Yun Xiang continued pointing to the items on the table, saying, "Young master, this small wooden compartment contains six slices of top-grade wild ginseng; this is twelve slices of old ginger to ward off the cold."

"A small ceramic stove and pot set, pan-fried slices of marinated meat, pickled vegetables, fried dough cakes, sugar cakes, and sugar cubes."

As Yunxiang tallied the items, Qingcao nodded and ticked them off repeatedly.

Hua Xiang, who was following behind, said softly while packing up the things, "Fruitwood charcoal, young master, the jujube wood charcoal is in this red cloth bag, and the pear wood charcoal is in this white cloth bag. Please be careful when taking it."

Green Grass, who was ticking things off on the paper, shook her head and said, "Flower, don't put it down yet! I'll go get a needle and thread and sew the words onto the bag."

Xu Zaijing smiled and shook his head: "Qingcao, what are you thinking about? What kind of things can you bring into the examination room with words on them?"

Qingcao was taken aback upon hearing this: "Uh, young master, this servant forgot about this detail."

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "Continue."

"One pillow, one rolled-up wolfskin rug, one rolled-up mink quilt, and one pair of knee pads."

"."

"A thin-skinned wooden bucket."

Hua wanted to place a wooden bucket next to all the books and luggage.

Qingcao glanced at Xu Zaijing and whispered, "Young Master, there are so many things, have you memorized them all?"

Hua Xiang and Yun Xiang both looked at Xu Zaijing, their eyes showing a hint of worry.

Looking at his maid, Xu Zaijing laughed and said, "When I went to the Northwest, thousands of miles away, I didn't see anyone who couldn't get water or food."

Green Grass smiled sheepishly: "Young Master is right!"

In the dead of night,

Chai Family Residence

Autumn Sound Garden
The stove, heated by an underfloor heating system, was not burning very brightly; the orange glow of the flames reflected on the windowpanes.

"Yunmu".

Chai Zhengzheng's voice rang out from the bedroom.

"Miss, what's wrong?" Yunmu stepped on the carpet, holding a candlestick, and walked quickly toward Chai Zhengzheng's bed.

When Yunmu arrived at the bedside, Chai Zhengzheng had already sat up and lifted the bed curtains.

Seeing that Chai Zhengzheng was clearly not asleep and had her brows furrowed, Yunmu said softly, "Miss?" Not far from Chai Zhengzheng's bed, the lacquered armor worn by the puppet was faintly illuminated by the candlelight.

After taking a breath, Chai Zhengzheng said, "Yunmu, do you think the fruitwood charcoal that my mother and I delivered won't implicate him and cause him to be stopped by soldiers when he enters the examination hall tomorrow?"

Seeing Chai Zhengzheng's worried expression, Yunmu said softly, "Miss, you're overthinking it! It won't happen. The Lord and Madam have considered it. They even asked several officials from the Ministry of Rites beforehand, and they all said that the charcoal pieces cannot exceed two inches."

"If it's too big, we'll have to cut it open for inspection. The ones we send in are all a little over an inch long, so there won't be any problems."

Chai Zhengzheng looked at Yun Mu who was speaking and nodded: "You're right."

Seeing that Chai Zhengzheng did not lie back down, Yun Mu did not say anything and just stood quietly to the side.

Do you think he'll be nervous tonight? How did he sleep?

"Don't worry, young lady! The entrance exam will be tomorrow, and the actual exam will begin the day after tomorrow."

Chai Zhengzheng: "If he stays in the exam room tomorrow night, won't he have an even harder time resting?"

Yunmu smiled and said, "My dear girl, Young Master Xu is not from a pampered background! As you know, Young Master Xu used to be a scout in Bai Gao!"

"They were all living outdoors, enduring wind and rain, but they didn't achieve any great deeds in front of Young Master Xu, did they?"

"Staying at the examination hall tomorrow might actually be a good place for Young Master Xu to shelter from the wind and rain!"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded repeatedly as she listened to Yunmu's words: "Yes, yes, I misunderstood. Listening to what Madam Xu and Sister Hualan were saying today, the Xu family's preparations are quite thorough."

Yunmu: "Who says otherwise! The heir of the Marquis of Gu, who passed the imperial examination, is the brother-in-law of Young Master Xu. Lord Sheng has also experienced this, so you can put your mind at ease."

As he spoke, Yunmu's eyes darted around, and he chuckled softly, "Starting the day after tomorrow, you'll be praying for blessings. You can't miss a night's sleep! If you fall asleep while praying, the gods will see you."

"Go to sleep! Go to sleep now!" Chai Zhengzheng crawled into bed.

Yunmu quickly placed the candlesticks and helped Chai Zhengzheng tuck in the blankets.

The next day,

The first quarter of Chen Shi (after 7 a.m.)
Jiying Lane,
The Sheng family,

Jin Anzhai
Nagamaki and Wei Shuyi stood outside, listening to the commotion coming from Wei Rui Xuan and Lin Xi Ge in the backyard.

Looking up at Wei Shuyi beside him, Changzhen asked, "Little Madam, when I go to take the imperial examination, will you be able to leave the hospital to see me off?"

Wei Shuyi smiled at his son and shook his head, saying, "Zhen'er, I'll be able to see you off when you take the prefectural and provincial examinations."

Seeing Nagamaki's happy expression, Wei Shuyi sighed softly and said, "But you have to pass the exam on your first try before I can continue to escort you to the provincial examination."

Nagamaki looked at Wei Shuyi with a puzzled expression in her eyes.

Seeing that her mother didn't seem inclined to explain, Nagamaki could only figure it out herself.

After thinking for a moment, Nagamaki's eyes lit up, and he said softly, "Little sister, if I don't pass the exam, will Father think that you're the one who's dragging me down? And then he won't let you come with me anymore?"

Wei Shuyi touched his son's little face: "Your father has worked his way up through the exams, so he probably wouldn't think that way."

Nagamaki pursed her lips, glanced at Wei Shuyi, and didn't say anything more, but her eyes were already full of fighting spirit.

Shouantang,
Changbai sat to the left of the smiling old lady, leaning forward as he said, "Grandmother, Mother has thought things through carefully. The quilts she prepared for her grandson are all thick and warm."

The old lady smiled and nodded: "Your mother is right! It's fine if our blankets are thicker, we can use less if we get hot, but if they're too thin, we'll be freezing, and then there'll be no way to keep up."

“Grandmother is right.” Changbai nodded and continued, “Speaking of which, Wulang has the best ideas! If he hadn’t reminded me, I wouldn’t have brought ginseng slices, ginger slices, and sugar.”

The old lady smiled and said, "Ginseng slices are refreshing, and ginger slices are for dispelling cold. We may not need them, but we can't be without them."

Changbai nodded in agreement.

After saying that, the old lady let out a sigh of emotion.

Xu Zaijing's ability to consider things so thoroughly shows that he has experienced a lot.

Linxi Pavilion
Seeing Mo Lan fidgeting and fidgeting with her handkerchief in her hand, Chang Feng frowned and said, "Sister, can you please stop turning around? You're making my eyes dizzy from walking back and forth in front of me!"

Mo Lan stopped and looked at Lin Qinshuang, who was tidying up Changfeng's book box: "Mother, look at brother."

Lin Qinshuang glared at Mo Lan and said, "Your brother is taking the exam today, so you better behave yourself!"

"I," Mo Lan hesitated, then sat down in the armchair in a huff.

Lin Qinshuang stroked the book box and said to Changfeng, "My son, you must study hard and become a Jinshi! Then, those guys in Weiruixuan will no longer be able to get in our way!"

"Mother, don't worry! My writing has been praised by Scholar Zhuang more than once!"

"Even if he doesn't pass the imperial examination, my son has a wide circle of friends and knows many sons of prominent families in the capital! They are all legitimate sons of dukes and marquises! He has plenty of opportunities!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qinshuang frowned and looked at Changfeng: "Don't say that! It's so discouraging!"

Changfeng pouted: "Mother, your son knows!"

"Mm!" Lin Qinshuang nodded with a smile.

At this time,

Standing to the side, Zhou Xueniang asked, "Young lady, should these knee pads be placed inside?"

Mo Lan peeked inside and said, "Hmm! The material looks pretty good, but the design is a bit ugly! Tsk! Judging from this, Jin An Zhai has really made a fortune!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qinshuang pouted angrily: "What is that little bitch Wei Shuyi doing, showing off in front of me!"

As the mother and daughter were talking, Changfeng raised an eyebrow at the maidservant in his courtyard.

The beautiful maid, teased by Chang Feng's raised eyebrow, lowered her head shyly, biting her lip lightly, which made Chang Feng's breathing quicken twice.

When the maid looked over again, Changfeng smiled and moved his lips, silently saying, "Greedy cat."

The maid glanced at Lin Qinshuang, blushed, and left the room.

"Third Young Master, do you have your knee pads with you?"

Changfeng, whose gaze was fixed on the maid's waist and hips, was completely oblivious to what was said and just smiled foolishly.

"Changfeng? What are you looking at?" Lin Qinshuang glanced outside and asked in confusion.

Changfeng quickly straightened up and said, "Ah? Mother, it's nothing! What's wrong?"

"Brother, Mother is asking you, should we wear these knee pads?" Mo Lan asked with a look of disdain.

"No way! These knee pads are too ugly! Besides, it's not that cold in the examination hall! Only a fool would wear them!"

If you go straight south from Xuande Gate of the palace along the Imperial Street, you will reach Zhuque Gate, the south gate of the inner city.

Outside the Zhuque Gate, west of the Imperial Street, lies the Examination Hall of the Ministry of Rites.

Starting in the morning,
On the streets near the Examination Yuan of the Ministry of Rites
The candidates who came to take the imperial examination arrived in the vicinity in an endless stream.

They used various modes of transportation, including riding horses, donkeys, carriages, and walking.

Many of the candidates' family members, relatives, and friends also came, making the nearby roads even more congested.

Despite the crowds, passersby would quickly make way for anyone dressed as a scholar and carrying a box of books or luggage.

Helping others in their time of need is one thing, but not knowing whether some unknown scholar will rise to prominence is another.

Outside the Examination Yuan,

Xu Zaijing stepped out of the carriage.
Gu Tingye, who was talking to Gu Tingyu not far away, smiled and came over, saying, "Fifth Brother, why did you come by carriage today?"

Xu Zaijing smiled and said, "It's just to keep a low profile."

Gu Tingye raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

In front of Xu Zaijing's carriage,
After getting off the carriage, Zai Zhang reached out to help Hua Lan, who was standing on a horse stool.

After Hua Lan got out of the car, Zai Zhang stood on tiptoe to look around and pointed to a spot not far away, saying, "Look, my parents-in-law are over there!"

Upon hearing this, Hua Lan looked in the direction Zai Zhang was pointing, and then smiled and waved.

Xu Zaijing had his back to his brother and sister-in-law, so he didn't see any of this.

Seeing this, Gu Tingye said, "Fifth Brother, let's go! Let's say a few words to my mother, and then we'll go and greet the Sheng family. We'll go into the examination hall together later."

Xu Zaijing nodded and said, "Okay! By the way, didn't you come with Yuan Ruo?"

Gu Tingye shook his head: "The Duke of Qi said he was waiting for the Chai family relatives, so he let us come first."

Xu Zaijing turned around and glanced at Qingyun and the others who had unloaded their books and luggage, and said, "Let's go."

(End of this chapter)