Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 749 Too much oil won't spoil the dish, my lord, you should also say goodbye [Thank you! Goodbye again! 34k words owed]

Xu Zaijing sat comfortably in the chair, watching the faint morning light outside the examination hall.

On a cold morning, a hot breakfast made him feel warm all over.

A small porcelain stove sat on the table in front of Xu Zaijing, with embers still glowing inside the stove's firebox; one could feel its warmth by touching it.

The inkstone was still warm on the small porcelain stove, and a faint fragrance of ink wafted through the air.

Xu Zaijing opened his palm and looked at the remaining ginseng slices in his hand by the candlelight.

The idea of ​​eating all the ginseng slices kept popping into Xu Zaijing's mind from the moment he woke up in the morning.

"To eat or not to eat, that is the question."

After saying this, Xu Zaijing, who was sitting behind the table, smiled.

After a moment's hesitation, Xu Zaijing said softly, "Forget it, let's just keep a calm mind! I think one slice of this quality ginseng is enough!"

As he spoke, Xu Zaijing put a slice of ginseng into his mouth, and put the rest back into the wooden compartment.

If Yu Huguang, who was well-versed in medical principles, or Old Madam He were here, they would surely give Xu Zaijing a thumbs up and praise his decision.

It should be noted that the Xu family has received numerous royal gifts over the years.

The ginseng slices that Xu Zaijing brought into the examination hall must have been top-grade tribute ginseng, so the slices were cut as thin as cicada wings.

Even if Xu Zaijing ate just one more ginseng slice, let alone all of it, he would most likely experience a dry mouth, palpitations, and anxiety.

In a worse scenario, Xu Zaijing might also experience uncontrollable hand tremors and nosebleeds.

Any of these negative conditions, if they occur, will most likely affect Xu Zaijing's performance during the exam.

As Xu Zaijing tasted the bitterness of the ginseng slices, his nose twitched a few times, and he vaguely smelled a hint of snow in the air.

"when!"

A gong sounded.

The questions for the "policy essay" section of the third day of the imperial examination were announced.

As the ginseng slices in his mouth began to taste sweet, Xu Zaijing looked at the essay question on the table and began to think about how to answer it.

At this time,

A slight breeze could be heard outside the examination hall.

Xu Zaijing looked up and saw a few snowflakes passing by the entrance of the examination hall in the wind.

Looking at the few snowflakes outside, Xu Zaijing shook his head and said in a low voice, "Changfeng, you're lucky, kid. You went to the Gu family that day too. It looks like you won't fail the exam this time."

Changfeng Examination Hall.

Wrapped in the blanket, Changfeng looked at the scattered snowflakes blown by the cold wind outside the door and touched his chilly waist.

Feeling his stiff fingers and head, Changfeng felt a pang of regret.

One regretted not bringing knee pads to the exam room.

Another incident occurred the night before he was to enter the examination hall, when he had two unrestrained sexual encounters with the maid in his room.

To be honest, Xu Zaijing was also partly responsible for this.

Because whether it's green grass, clouds, or flowers, they are all beautiful maids with outstanding looks and figures.

After meeting several times, Changfeng's standards for selecting maids naturally improved significantly.

Therefore, the maids selected to serve as personal attendants in Changfeng Courtyard are not like the original Ke'er and Mei'er; their appearances have improved considerably.

As a result, Changfeng was at the age of youthful infatuation and budding romance. Having tasted the sweetness of love, and with the pressure of the imperial examination, he simply couldn't control himself.

The examination hall was already quite cold, and the food was rather poor. In the past two days, the cold had seeped into his body, making Changfeng feel like his waist was about to freeze through.

"Heh—" Changfeng breathed on his hand.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Changfeng didn't feel any more warmth.

Despite such distress, he still had to write policy essays.

"God, please have pity on me and let the weather get better soon!"

"This topic looks familiar...where have I heard it before?"

Changfeng muttered to himself, casually putting down the brush and tucking his hand into his armpit.

"Ouch, it's so cold!"

Changfeng shuddered, then looked somewhat confused: "What were you thinking about just now?"

Qi Heng's place,
Qi Heng's situation is much better than Chang Feng's.

Princess Pingning was always strict in managing the maids in her household, and Qi Heng was also virtuous and had no physical weakness like Chang Feng.

However, Qi Heng used up all the charcoal he brought in very early.

In the morning, Qi Heng couldn't heat up his food, so the dry rations he ate were always cold and stuck in his throat.

Looking at the question in front of him, Qi Heng took a deep breath and said softly, "This is really difficult!"

At Gu Tingye's place,

Sitting behind the table, Gu Tingye kept rubbing his hands together, his eyes full of joy: "Big brother is indeed big brother, you can even guess the general idea of ​​the policy essay topic."

As he spoke, Gu Tingye touched his cheek again, taking advantage of the warmth in his hands.

While pondering how to answer, Gu Tingye reached into his robes and pulled out some pastries that had been warmed for a long time and still retained his body temperature.

"So what if we run out of charcoal? We've got plenty of ways to make a living!"

As he spoke, Gu Tingye took two bites in three quick bites and stuffed the pastry into his mouth.

Although the snacks weren't hot, they were still warm to the touch, so they weren't too cold when eaten and wouldn't make you feel too uncomfortable.

"Jing-ge'er, how do you know so many methods! I'll thank you when I get out of here!" Gu Tingye muttered to himself.

finished,

While savoring the taste of the pastries, Gu Tingye continued to ponder how to answer the question.

A quarter of an hour later, Gu Tingye dripped some water onto the inkstone and began grinding ink to answer.

Perhaps Changfeng's prayers worked, or perhaps it was a snowflake version of "rain in the morning, sunshine in the day."
Anyway,

The snowflakes only drifted sporadically for a short while, and didn't even soak the ground.

The snow stopped around 9:00 AM.

Noon,
The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, casting a warm glow.

at the same time,

Jiying Lane, Sheng Family Residence, Weirui Pavilion, Jingtang Hall.

In front of the paintings of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, there was an incense table with candles lit on it. In the incense burner, the red dots of the incense sticks glowed faintly, and wisps of smoke curled upwards.

Wang Ruofu knelt on the prayer mat in front of the incense table with his eyes closed and his hands clasped together, muttering something under his breath.

After saying a few words, Wang Ruofu waved his clasped hands twice.

After saying this, Wang Ruofu shifted his knees and then began chanting incantations towards another ancient sage or immortal.

suddenly.

"hehe--"

A light laugh was heard.

Wang Ruofu opened her eyes and turned her head to see her husband, Sheng Hong, laughing at her.

Seeing Wang Ruofu's expression, Sheng Hong, who had been smiling, immediately stopped, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Confucius said, 'The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits.' You've worshipped all three of them, so which one are you actually seeking help from?"

Wang Ruofu, who was kneeling, curled her lips: "More oil won't spoil the dish, and more courtesy won't offend anyone. No matter which deity it is, I will offer plenty of incense. The deity will naturally bless our Changbai and son-in-law!"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong shook his head in strong disagreement and laughed, "If Changbai and the son-in-law have real talent and learning, they will surely pass the exam. If they are illiterate commoners, even if they beg the gods, it will be useless!"

Wang Ruofu scoffed, "Whether it's useful or not, I've done my best! The Duke and Duchess of Qi even went to the Daxiangguo Temple to burn incense, and they spent over a thousand strings of cash on incense money!"

"I just pray to the gods and Buddhas at home, I'm not being extravagant, and you're still not happy about it!"

After saying that, Wang Ruofu looked at Sheng Hong, and while getting up from the prayer mat, frowned and said, "Oh dear! My lord, why don't you come and pay your respects to the gods too!"

Walking up to Sheng Hong, Wang Ruofu shoved him and said, "Bye-bye! Sir, you should bow too. You're an official; your bowing will be more effective than mine!"

Sheng Hong shook his head, waved his hands, and leaned back, saying firmly, "I won't bow. Didn't I just say it's useless!"

At this time,

From next door came the sound of Rulan calling for Wang Ruofu.

Wang Ruofu nudged Sheng Hong again: "My lord, please say goodbye!"

Sheng Hong flicked his sleeves, his expression one of disgust: "Go away, what are you praying for?"

Wang Ruofu rolled her eyes at Sheng Hong, gave up helplessly, and then shouted outside, "Coming!"

With that, Wang Ruofu strode outside.

Stroking his beard, Sheng Hong caught a glimpse of Wang Ruofu leaving the meditation hall. After making sure Wang Ruofu was far away, he quickly walked to the incense table, clasped his hands together, and knelt on the prayer mat.

Sheng Hong gestured with his hands clasped together towards the three schools of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and said urgently, "Dear gods and holy masters, please bless my sons Changfeng and Changbai, and my son-in-law Zaizhang, so that all three of them may pass the imperial examination with flying colors and bring glory to our Sheng family!"

“God bless you!”

"May the Holy Master protect you!"

Praying, Sheng Hong repeatedly kowtowed. He had just finished praying when...

"That silly child, Ru'er."

Wang Ruofu's voice came from outside the quiet hall. Sheng Hong was startled and quickly got up, pretending to check the quality of the painting.

When Wang Ruofu stepped into the room, Sheng Hong already looked indifferent, as if he had never prayed for blessings.

Upon seeing this, Wang Ruofu frowned again: "My lord, you should say goodbye. It won't hurt for the sake of your son and son-in-law!"

Sheng Hong flicked his sleeves and said with a look of disgust, "Go away! Alright, what are you praying for! I have official business to attend to."

Saying,

Sheng Hong turned and walked out of the quiet hall.

"laugh--"

Before leaving Jingtang, Sheng Hong still gave a disdainful sneer.

Wang Ruofu gave Sheng Hong a disdainful look before continuing to kneel on the prayer mat, chanting a prayer: "May the gods and holy teachers bless my son, Changbai Zaizhang, so that he may pass the imperial examination with flying colors and be listed on the honor roll."

As he spoke, Wang Ruofu closed his eyes and swung his clasped hands forward twice.

Jin Anzhai
inside the house,

Very similar to those in Wei Rui Xuan, there are also three paintings of deities and saints hanging on the walls, but they are about two sizes smaller than those in Wei Rui Xuan.

The long table, potted plants, embroidery frame, bookshelf, and other items in the room were quite well matched.

The room wasn't big enough to have an incense table like the Wei Rui Xuan.

Incense burner, lit candles, and incense sticks were all placed on the long table under the hanging painting.

In front of the table,
Wei Shuyi, with her hair loose and wearing clean, light-colored winter clothes, knelt on the prayer mat with her hands clasped together.

As the curtain fluttered, the room briefly brightened.

But Wei Shuyi remained unmoved and continued chanting incantations on the prayer mat.

The maid Qiujiang carried the food box to the side and said softly, "Young lady, it's time to eat."

As she spoke, Qiujiang took out a bowl of rice soup from the food box, the rice grains of which were barely visible.

"Mmm." Wei Shuyi gave a soft "Mmm."

When Qiu Jiang served the rice soup, Wei Shuyi glanced at Qiu Jiang.

Qiu Jiang looked at Wei Shuyi's dry lips with heartache and said, "Don't worry, young lady, I specially had someone filter it with a fine cloth, there isn't a single grain of rice."

Wei Shuyi nodded and took a small sip.

"Young lady, why are you being so hard on yourself?" Qiu Jiang said softly.

Wei Shuyi smiled and said weakly, "My sister said that the Taoist priest of Yuqing Temple said that only by bathing and eating vegetarian food in this way can one move the gods with sincerity."

Taking a breath, Wei Shuyi continued, "I imagine I'm not the only one in the capital like this these past two days."

Qiu Jiang nodded and said softly, "Little sister, will you pray for Feng-ge'er?"

Wei Shuyi looked at the rice porridge in his hand and said calmly, "Those who should pray for blessings should naturally pray for blessings."

Qiu Jiang nodded as if he understood, and said, "Last night, Qi Lang didn't quite understand why you did this."

Wei Shuyi smiled slightly: "It is very beneficial for him that his brother, brother-in-law and several classmates were able to pass the imperial examination."

“What you say is true, young lady.”

Wei Shuyi drank the rice soup in one gulp and said, "Alright, go and eat your meal."

After Qiu Jiang left, Wei Shuyi closed his eyes and continued praying, faintly hearing the names 'Bai, Xu, Gu'.

Linxi Pavilion
Zhou Xueniang stood in the courtyard, looking at the compass in the hand of a servant beside her.

After glancing at it twice, Zhou Xueniang pointed to a spot and said, "Someone, quickly sweep that area clean! If you're interfering with the Third Young Master's important imperial examination, you'll be in for a beating!"

"Don't worry, Madam Zhou, we will do our best to clean up."

Zhou Xueniang nodded, flicked her handkerchief, and walked towards Changfeng's courtyard.

After entering the house,
Lin Qinshuang, who was fiddling with feng shui ornaments, turned around and smiled, "How about it? Doesn't this bronze Wenchang Pagoda look good here?"

Zhou Xueniang nodded repeatedly: "It looks beautiful! The positions you arrange every day have all been calculated by the Taoist priests. I believe it will surely bring good fortune to the Third Young Master's imperial examinations."

Lin Qinshuang nodded, looking at the bronze Wenchang Pagoda with a smile.

At this moment, Changfeng's personal maid came closer and used a duster to sweep away non-existent dust from the top of the Wenchang Pagoda.

"You little rascal, you'd better be careful."

Upon hearing Lin Qinshuang's voice, the maid quickly turned around to look.

Not finished yet.

"Watch out!" Zhou Xueniang stepped forward and caught the small bronze pagoda that was about to be swept away.

South Lecture Hall Lane

Rong family

Rongxian Courtyard

Inside the room, Mrs. Dou sat in a chair, comfortably sipping a hot drink.

Seeing the maidservant who had accompanied her to the room lift the curtain, Dou put her teacup aside, waved her hand to dismiss the servants, leaving only her personal maidservant by her side.

After everyone had left, Madam Dou asked, "How is it? Sister Feiyan hasn't left the house for three days. What has she been busy with?"

The maid curtsied and said, "Reporting to Madam, according to the cleaning lady of Huixue Courtyard, there has been a constant scent of incense coming from Feiyan's room these past few days, as if she is truly praying for blessings behind closed doors."

"Praying for blessings behind closed doors? That puts my mind at ease! Go ahead." Madam Dou waved her hand with a smile.

"Yes, madam."

After the maid left the room, Dou's expression changed, and she sneered, "Ha, what kind of blessing is she praying for? She's just being delusional."

The mother, who was standing nearby, chimed in, "What you say is true, Madam! You, as her sister-in-law, invited her out to enjoy the spring scenery, but this younger sister-in-law is being pretentious, using such an excuse to brush you off."

"To be honest, neither our family nor our relatives have ever taken the imperial examinations. Who should we pray for with such a noble lady?"

Lady Dou smiled and said, "Who else could it be but His Highness the Second Prince?"

Upon hearing this, the maid quickly covered her mouth with her handkerchief and laughed, "Girl, who would believe such a reason! Our master was out on the day of the examination too."

They said they were going to Yuqing Temple!

Madam Dou nodded: "You all need to keep a close eye on my sister-in-law! Lest she one day climb into someone else's carriage and cause an accident, ruining the reputation of the women of our Rong family."

"Don't worry, Madam!"

Dou picked up her teacup, took another sip, and then mocked, "She's really stupid! If her prayers had worked and the Xu family's son had passed the imperial examination, he would have been a true scholar and warrior! With the Second Prince in our family, how could the Xu family possibly let her in?"

"Just you wait! She's getting older and older, and we might have to trouble my family with her marriage arrangements in the future."

The mother forced a smile: "Madam has a long-term vision."

Then, Dou's personal maidservant thought about Rong Feiyan's appearance, glanced at Dou again, and thought to herself, "This noble lady is quite different from you."

in the afternoon,

The last quarter of the Wei hour (after 3 PM)

As Changfeng was transferring his answer from scrap paper to the answer sheet, he suddenly paused in his writing.

Looking at the half-written content, Changfeng closed his eyes in anguish.

A moment later, Changfeng opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "I knew it, I must have forgotten something!"

"When I visited the Gu family before, Brother Gu mentioned something related to this topic. What did he say again?"

After racking his brains for a while, Changfeng began to scribble and revise on the scrap paper, adding and deleting as he went.

Changfeng finally breathed a sigh of relief after handing in his answer sheet before sunset.

Outside Bianjing City,

Yuqing Temple
Beidou Hall
Near the palace, seven or eight burly guards stood at intervals, surrounding and protecting the main hall, while four strong women guarded the entrance.

In the palace,

Yunmu and Ziteng knelt on the prayer mats behind Chai Zhengzheng, handing their daughters copies of prayer scriptures one by one.

If you look closely at the ink on the paper, you can faintly see shimmering gold specks, which are gold powder mixed into the ink.

The scripture paper in Chai Zhengzheng's hand burned to ashes in the brazier, and there were still bandage marks on the fingertips of Chai Zhengzheng's hands.

Night falls,

The candle holders inside the hall were lit by a handkerchief.

Looking at the ashes in the brazier, Yunmu said softly with heartache, "Miss, I suppose the candidates in the examination hall have all handed in their papers by now."

"Ah."

Chai Zhengzheng, who had been clasping her hands together, opened her eyes, glanced at the star officials in the hall, and said, "Then let's leave too."

"Yes."

Yunmu struggled to his feet and, together with Ziteng, helped Chai Zhengzheng to his feet.

"Ouch—my leg is numb," Chai Zhengzheng said, frowning.

(End of this chapter)