Notes on Longevity

Chapter 77 These words are witnessed by Heaven and Earth, and recorded by the gods.

"Whether it's the civil service exam or the military exam, even if he becomes the top scholar, he won't become an official."

"As long as it doesn't involve the imperial examinations, I'll tease you however I want," Zhang Ze'an said, clapping his hands as he downed a full cup of wine.

"Of course, the imperial examination is the most important thing for scholars, and it cannot be taken lightly," Yang Youan said seriously.

"I've also studied and taken the imperial examinations, so of course I understand."

Upon hearing Zhang Ze'an's words, Yang You'an suddenly remembered something and asked, "Brother Zhang, weren't you first in the imperial examination? Why didn't you become an official?"

“You don’t know,” Zhang Ze’an poured water and wine into two more cups, picked up one of them and handed it to Yang You’an, but Yang You’an just looked at it and didn’t drink it, “Although the bet between Wen Ren and me was to be in the top three in the provincial examination and to win the first prize in the palace examination, in reality, our examination results were not counted among the candidates.”

"What does that mean?" Yang Youan looked at the cup, seemingly understanding but not quite, and asked, staring at the stripes on it.

Zhang Ze'an smiled and said, "In other words, even if Wenren and I get the top two spots, it doesn't count. The third, fourth, and fifth place candidates are the third-ranked candidates in the provincial examination. That means the third-ranked candidate is a member, and so on."

Upon hearing this, Yang Youan downed his drink in one gulp, feeling somewhat annoyed. "So that's how it is. No wonder he was angry back then. He said what a little kid like me would know."

Although he realized after that day that everyone has their own ambitions, Li Chengru got into the position through his own ability, and even if he didn't become an official, it was none of Yang Youan's place to criticize him.

"And I remember Brother Li telling me back then that he could have won first place."

“That’s right, he basically gave up on the scientific expedition at that time. I remember you came to me to complain after you had a fight with him that day.”

In the fourteenth year of Wen Shang's reign, on the twenty-fifth day of the spring, at the first watch of the night.

"What does this little brat know? Why does he have to argue with me?" Li Chengru said in Zhang Ze'an's spacious room, one foot on the armrest of a chair, drinking his wine in silence.

"What does this have to do with whether someone is sensible or not?" Zhang Ze'an sat opposite him, fanning himself with a folding fan, and laughed.

"How can it be nothing? He doesn't know anything and he's just pointing fingers. I've lived this long, when have I ever been told what to do by someone? Even the emperor wouldn't dare say anything to me." Li Chengru looked at Zhang Ze'an angrily, his expression full of grievance.

"You're acting all wronged? You didn't explain things to them, and you still have the nerve to come here and complain?" Zhang Ze'an said to Li Chengru in an annoyed tone, his words completely biased towards Yang You'an.

"No, whose side are you taking?" Li Chengru couldn't believe that the person in front of him would actually speak up for Yang Youan. Wasn't it always Yang Youan who sided with him? And the one who even dared to speak against the emperor.

"What do you mean by taking sides? I'm just telling the truth, okay? Besides, Li Chengru, you've been in this world for so many years. How many friends do you have besides me? How many people can put up with you? I'm only saying this because You'an considers you a friend. Do you think I'd take sides with anyone else? Really, I'm just trying to advise you and apologize to him, otherwise you'll lose another friend."

Zhang Ze'an spoke righteously and eloquently, tearing Li Chengru to shreds.

"Apologize? That's impossible! Although I was wrong, I can't bow my head." Li Chengru truly considered Yang Youan a friend. It wasn't just because he was young and he was teasing him; Yang Youan was the most unique scholar he had ever met.

Normally, when a scholar travels to the capital, setting aside the encounters along the way, the brothels there are known for their extraordinary and unrestrained atmosphere. Most scholars would find them utterly irresistible. But what about him? He treated them like tigers and leopards, and even when drunk, he would spout classic texts from his books.

But asking him to apologize? That's impossible, absolutely impossible. No matter how much Li Chengru considers him a friend, he would never apologize. Even Zhang Ze'an is the same; when he broke Zhang's father's favorite painting, Li Chengru chased him for days and nights, beating him so badly he couldn't fight back, and he'd rather die than apologize.

"You're just too strong-willed. If it weren't for the fact that you're to my liking, I wouldn't bother being friends with you," Zhang Ze'an said, speechless.

"Who cares?" Li Chengru rolled his eyes at him and continued drinking.

"You're so stubborn."

"If you're not tough, how can you withstand that blow?"

"So you're saying you're not going to apologize?" "No."

"Sure?"

"determine."

"Hey? What are you doing?"

Go apologize.

In the fourteenth year of the Wen Shang era, on the sixteenth day of the plum month, the imperial examination ended.

“You just sit here. I’ve already made plans with You’an. I let it go since you ran away before. But if you dare to run away again today, believe me, I’ll break your legs.” After the exam, Zhang Ze’an followed Li Chengru all the way. As soon as he finished speaking with the two adults, he immediately caught up with him.

However, Li Chengru's lightness skill was superior to Zhang Ze'an's, but fortunately, he had arranged for someone to intercept Li Chengru halfway. Since they were already not far from their own inn, they simply threw him into their room.

"Fine, I won't run anymore." Li Chengru looked at the furious Zhang Ze'an, his heart pounding. In this world, the only person who could frighten Li Chengru was Zhang Ze'an.

When Zhang Ze'an brought the people over, he spoke first, gesturing for Li Chengru to apologize quickly. Li Chengru did indeed apologize as expected. Yang You'an also apologized to Li Chengru, saying it was his oversight.

"So that's how it is. I was thinking that with Brother Li's personality, how could he possibly apologize to me?" Yang Youan sat on the stone bench, looking at the gradually brightening sky, and smiled at the Pear Garden disciples who had already started to get up.

"You two got up so early?" Xie Xiaoshuang, dressed in traditional Chinese painting, came to the two of them after finishing her makeup. She frowned as she looked at the wine on the table. "Why are you drinking today for the imperial examination?"

Yang Youan picked up his half-full wine glass and handed it to Xie Xiaoshuang, "Try it. It's actually all water, but Brother Zhang added a little wine because he was worried I'd be nervous."

Xie Xiaoshuang took the wine glass and tasted it, finding that it really didn't taste like wine. She was relieved, because scientific expeditions are not child's play and can't afford any mistakes. If someone finds out, she might be disqualified.

"It's getting late, let's pack our things." Xie Xiaoshuang stood behind Yang Youan, smoothing his clothes and patting off any dust that wasn't there.

"Ah."

When it was almost time, Xie Xiaoshuang, the old squad leader, Zhang Ze'an, and Zhang Wanyi stood at the entrance of the pear garden, looking at Yang You'an, who was holding a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone and standing next to the carriage.

"Child, don't worry too much. Just do your best." The old troupe leader looked at Yang You'an, who was full of energy and had an excellent scholarly air, with satisfaction and smiled.

"Master, Young Master Yang will definitely come in first place and then enter the palace examination to become the top scholar," Zhang Wanyi said, standing beside the old master, offering words of encouragement to Yang You'an.

"Hurry up, I'm still waiting for you to drink your wedding wine with Xiaoshuang." Zhang Ze'an prepared a carriage for Yang You'an. He stood there, holding a folding fan, teasing Yang You'an.

"Definitely!" Yang Youan bowed deeply to the group.

Yang Youan bent down, and Xie Xiaoshuang slowly walked to him. She helped Yang Youan up, her eyes full of his, and softly said, "No matter what, I'll wait here for you to come back and marry me."

"I am going on this journey, and regardless of the outcome, I will surely marry a beautiful woman. Heaven and earth bear witness to this, and the gods will remember it."

The two bowed to each other, and then Yang Youan got into the carriage and drove away slowly.

"And then what?" Ping An asked.

"The Second Prince did come by once in the following days. If I hadn't been there, something terrible might have really happened."

(End of this chapter)