Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 39 Daiyu’s Dream.

……

The next day, Jia Rong got up just after four o'clock in the morning.

Qingwen helped to change clothes and wash up, while Xiaoxiao checked the examination basket.

The examination was held in Shuntian Prefecture's Imperial Examination Hall, and admission began at five o'clock in the morning. The Jia residence was not far from the Imperial Examination Hall, so there was still time to have breakfast.

After a while, Xichun came over in high spirits, followed by Lin Daiyu, who looked listless and could not even open her eyes. It was obvious that she was dragged over by Xichun.

As soon as Lin Daiyu entered the room, she leaned back on the recliner in the outer room, covered her face with a handkerchief, and seemed to have fallen asleep immediately.

Xichun took out a food box and said with a smile, "Look, Rong'er, this is the old man's cake I made last night. It must be better than the last time you tried it."

"And that time you won the second place because of the cake I made. Now that you have a better cake, it's safe for you to win the first place in the college examination, right?"

"That is!"

Jia Rong's hands shook unconsciously, and he smiled calmly, "After eating my aunt's cake, I will definitely pass the imperial examination."

"whee."

Xichun looked at Jia Rong with a smile, took a cake with her own hands, and said with a smile: "Then eat one first, I haven't even tried it yet."

"No!"

Jia Rong shook his head and refused, "It won't work if you take it now. You have to take it in the examination room."

"OK then."

Xichun no longer insisted and put all the cakes into Jia Rong's examination basket.

"When are you going to the Imperial Examination Hall?"

"Let's go now."

It was still dark outside. Jia Rong personally checked the test basket and found that there was no problem. He smiled and said, "Aunt, take Miss Lin back to bed. I'm leaving now."

Judging from his previous performance, he was sure to pass the exam this time, so Jia Rong felt more relaxed at the moment.

"What did you say? What Miss Lin?"

Lin Daiyu, who was leaning on the recliner, suddenly opened her eyes and sat up.

He doesn't look sleepy at all.

Jia Rong stretched himself and said with a smile, "Maybe you heard it wrong, or maybe you dreamed that I was talking."

"Pah, who dreamed of you!"

"You said that yourself?"

Lin Daiyu was about to get angry, but suddenly waved her hand and said with a smile: "Forget it, since you have to take the exam today, I won't bother with you for now as your aunt."

Xichun smiled and said, "Sister Lin is still very generous."

"Brother Rong, go quickly and make sure you pass the imperial examination!"

"Ok!"

Jia Rong nodded and was about to go out when he saw Jia Jing already there.

Two servants were holding lanterns in front. Jia Jing was wearing a bright red official uniform. Although his hair was gray, his eyes were bright and his expression was dignified.

At this point, it’s time to prepare for the morning court session!

"Master."

Jia Rong hurriedly bowed.

"Daddy."

"Uncle."

Xichun and Lin Daiyu also hurried out to pay their respects.

"Ok!"

Jia Jing nodded and said to Jia Rong, "Take the exam seriously and don't worry about your family, especially your father. It's all your own fault. You don't need to care about it!"

Jia Rong said solemnly, "Master, rest assured. I will do well in the exam and live up to the reputation of our Ning Mansion as a family of scholars."

"Haha, okay, okay!"

Jia Jing stroked his beard with relief.

"Go! The future of Ning Mansion still depends on you..."

……

Xichun stood there, staring blankly ahead. "Silly girl, stop being so blank."

"Let's go back to bed."

"Daddy said Rong'er's essay was good, how could he fail a mere college entrance examination?"

Lin Daiyu was obviously not worried at all.

Xichun shook her head gently and said, "I'm not afraid that Rong'er will fail the exam. I'm just thinking that it's really not easy for Rong'er. The master is a loser. Grandpa has placed all his hopes on Rong'er. Every day, apart from studying, he has to take exams and fulfill his filial duties in front of the master. He really doesn't have a moment of leisure."

Lin Daiyu curled her lips when she heard this.

Why did she feel that Rong Ge'er was very idle? She didn't know where she got another sign girl to come in!
Lin Daiyu suddenly thought of her home again.

Ningguo Mansion has Rong'er as its successor, so what about the future of their Lin Mansion?

Daddy doesn't seem to have any intention of remarrying.

She is a daughter...

My health is still not good...

Taking medicine every day is like a medicine jar...

"Sister Lin, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, just a little sleepy."

"Come on, let's go to bed!"

Lin Daiyu had a dream. She dreamed that she took part in the imperial examination and won the first place in the examination. She brought honor to the Lin family. Her father Lin Ruhai was very pleased. But at the end, he sighed:
Although your father has raised you as a boy since you were young, and hired teachers to teach you the Four Books and Five Classics and the writings of sages, you are still a girl after all!
What a pity!

……

As Shuntian Prefecture was located under the emperor's feet, the academy examinations were naturally different from those in other places.

The venue was set up in the Imperial Academy used for the provincial examinations. The chief examiner was Zhou Zhengguan, a graduate of the Imperial Academy appointed by the emperor. There were also two censors who were responsible for supervising the discipline in the examination hall.

"Shunzhi, this way!"

The entrance to the Imperial Examination Hall was brightly lit, and there were thousands of people, both taking the exam and sending their children to their exams, crowding the area, almost blocking the entrance.

Fortunately, the soldiers from the Five Cities Military Division tried their best to maintain order, so the situation was not too chaotic.

"Brother Ye, Brother Li, Brother Song, Brother Dai, Brother Hua, you all came early." Jia Rong stepped forward and bowed to them one by one.

They are all classmates from Xishan Academy. Although they are a little competitive at ordinary times, they naturally become closer and get together at this time.

"Shunzhi, have you been studying hard at home these days? It seems that you will definitely get the top spot in the college examination this time." Ye Mengshu walked up and said with a smile.

There were only ten people who ranked first in the college examination.

They do not have to take the imperial examination in the year of the provincial examination and can go directly to the provincial examination. The other students on the second list and those who have failed in the provincial examination before need to take part in an imperial examination to earn the qualification for the provincial examination that year.

"No, no." Jia Rong said modestly, "I have been entangled in trivial matters at home these days. I really haven't read a single word. Brother Li, have you been studying hard recently? Why do you still have dark circles under your eyes?"

Xie Jiwen smiled awkwardly and said, "I stayed in Mingyue Tower for two or three days, but Miss Yue and I only talked about eight-part essays and sage articles, not other things. I feel that I benefited a lot."

"Then the A-rank is stable, right?"

“Maybe it’s not stable anymore…”

"how?"

"My hands are just a little shaky, not very steady."

"..."

"clang!"

Following a slight sound, the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall slowly opened.

A dozen inspection clerks stood out from inside.

The entrance examination begins!
The inspection of the academy examination was much stricter than the previous boy's examination. The several inspecting clerks were obviously veterans. In a short while, they had found more than a dozen brothers who tried to bring cheat sheets into the examination room. They all stood at the gate of the examination hall with dust on their faces.

Some are placed in shoes, some are tied in hair, and some are hidden in pants. It is really varied and eye-opening.

"Dude, hurry up and move on."

A Confucian scholar in his twenties who was standing in front of Jia Rong was too timid to move forward. The rows next to him had already moved a long way forward, but their row did not move a few steps.

"Brother, why don't you go first? I suddenly... need to go to the bathroom. Ah, yes, I need to go to the bathroom."

After saying this, he ran to the back without waiting for Jia Rong to speak.

……

(End of this chapter)