Chapter 18 The Scientific Expedition is Coming
"ah!"
The next morning, Xiao Que'er exclaimed, and looking at the smiling Jia Cong, she said in annoyance, "Xiao Que'er should have stayed up with the Third Master to celebrate the New Year, but she fell asleep!"
"It doesn't matter! The Third Master also secretly slept for a while!"
"Really?"
"real!"
Only then did Xiao Que'er put away her frustration and became happy again.
"Third Master, hurry up and clean up. Today is the first day of the new year and I want to go and pay my respects!"
In fact , it was supposed that Jia Cong should visit his elders every morning and evening whenever he was in the mansion, such as Jia's mother and Jia She and his wife. However, Jia Cong was not favored, so he was exempted from the daily morning and evening visits, which saved him from being an eyesore, and it saved him a lot of trouble.
Jia Cong went to the old lady first. It was not yet morning, and only two of her granddaughters-in-law, Wang Xifeng and Li Wan, were serving her in her room, with several maids standing by.
"Jia Cong pays respects to the ancestors!"
"Meet Sister-in-law Zhu and Sister-in-law Lian!"
"Look, old lady, isn't your grandson a filial son? He comes to pay his respects so early, and he's the first one today!" Wang Xifeng said with a smile.
The old lady also smiled, "Which of the grandchildren in this family is not filial? This is my blessing! Get up quickly, the ground is cold!"
"I heard that you are going to take a scientific examination this year?"
"My grandson has made some progress in his studies. The Second Master has tested him a few times and feels that his writing is acceptable, so he let him take the test! Fortunately, he is still young, so even if he fails, he can still gain some experience."
"Hmm!" The old lady nodded thoughtfully, "It's good to have such thoughts, but don't eat too much!"
"Yuanyang, bring me twenty taels of silver!"
A voluptuous maid at the side responded, turned and went into the inner room, and came out with a box in her hands.
"Your father is an ignorant man, and has no idea what to do. Take this money and buy some writing materials. If you can pass the exam in the future, it will bring honor to our Jia family."
"Grandson thanks the old ancestor for the reward!" Jia Cong bowed again, then stood up to take the silver, "Please trouble Sister Yuanyang!"
Yuanyang bowed slightly and retreated back to Lady Jia's side.
"Okay, I won't keep you here anymore, go and greet your father and mother!"
Jia Cong bowed and left. After he left, Jia's mother slowly said, "Look at this Cong brother, he is a man who knows his limits and is polite. If he can achieve fame and honor, he can also get an official position in our Jia family. Wouldn't it be best for him to be a helper to my Baoyu in the future?"
"Isn't it that the old lady is the most blessed? With our family background, Baoyu naturally doesn't need to take the imperial examinations, but with brothers like him helping him, who can look down on him?" Wang Xifeng's words made the old lady smile happily. Li Wan on the side was thinking, Jia Cong is not favored on weekdays, and if he becomes an official in the future, how could he possibly help Baoyu who is mixed in with the rouge pile?
After Jia Cong put the silver back home, he went to Jia Sheyuan again.
As soon as I entered the door, I saw a maid with eyes as slender as a fox and a face as rosy as a peach opening the door.
"Qiu Tong greets the Third Master!"
After Jia Cong returned the half-bow, he asked, "I'm here to pay my respects to my father and mother. Is that convenient?"
"The master hasn't gotten up yet, and his wife is in the hall!" Qiu Tong spoke as she led Jia Cong inside.
When I entered the hall, I saw Madam Xing sitting in the main hall. Although she was Jia She's wife, she was his second wife and her family had no status. Therefore, she was not only unpopular, but also had no say in the mansion. Even in Jia She's courtyard, she seldom spoke.
Now she is only less than 40 years old. Although she is not a beauty, she is graceful and elegant. It is a pity that she can only endure Jia She's oppression and beating in this backyard.
"The child greets his mother!"
"Get up quickly!" Mrs. Xing stood up and waved her hand to let the maid help Jia Cong up.
"Your father drank until midnight and just went to bed. You can greet your father another day!" Mrs. Xing said with a smile.
"I heard that you are very good at studying, and your father has already agreed to let you die this year?"
"It's just that I have a little understanding, so I want to give it a try!"
Madam Xing nodded, thought for a moment and said, "Qiu Tong, go get ten taels of silver!"
Qiu Tong took out the silver and handed it to Jia Cong at the signal of Madam Xing. Then Madam Xing said again, "You lost your mother when you were young, and I am a helpless mother. Take this little silver. If you want to take the imperial examination, you will need silver. If you are missing, come to me again."
"Thank you, mother!" Jia Cong expressed his gratitude!
Although Mrs. Xing is the eldest lady of the Jia family's eldest son's house, her status is really embarrassing. Not to mention her power. She is not as good as Mrs. Wang of the second house, and even not as good as her own daughter-in-law. At most, she is slightly better than that wooden Li Wan.
"Okay, you've been running around for the past two days and you're tired. Go back and rest! The imperial examination is coming up soon. Studying hard is important, but you also need to take care of your health!"
"Thank you, mother!" Jia Cong bowed and left.
After Jia Cong left, the maid Jiaohong asked, "Madam, why did you give money to the Third Master?"
"What? I am his mother after all. It is your turn to speak for me to get some silver?" Qiu Tong and Jiao Hong, although nominally her maids, had already done something with Jia She behind her back. In addition, she was embarrassed in front of Jia She, so these maids only showed respect to her on the surface, but no one knew what they would say behind her back.
The reason why she showed her favor to Jia Cong was naturally for her own considerations! She had no children, and the first wife only had Jia Lian and Jia Cong. As the legitimate son, Jia Lian was not close to her mother. In addition, Wang Xifeng helped the second wife to manage the household, so she would not be able to rely on him in the future.
But Jia Cong is different. He is also helpless in the mansion. If he has a status in the future, she will be his mother after all, and will benefit a lot.
Not to mention the calculations in the minds of several people , Jia Cong never went out again after returning to his room. Today, all the sisters would naturally be in front of the old lady, and he was not used to it.
She did find some fruits and other things and asked the little girl to deliver them to the sisters.
In a blink of an eye, it was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. During these days, the Jia Mansion was bustling with people coming and going, and the mansion was extremely busy. However, this had nothing to do with Jia Cong.
Even the fifteenth day of the first lunar month banquet, Jia Cong declined on the grounds that he was studying hard at home.
Just like this, February came in a blink of an eye, and the time for Jia Cong to take the imperial examination had finally arrived.
If it were an ordinary family, they would have to go to the government office to register, but Jia Cong is a member of the Jia family after all, so of course he would have less trouble!
On the eighth day of the second lunar month, Jia Cong did not leave after finishing his study in Mengpo Zhai, but waited for Jia Zheng's return! After all, he had to tell Jia Zheng in advance if he was going to take the imperial examination tomorrow.
As for Jia She, he went there this morning, but still didn't see him. Mrs. Xing only gave him a few words of encouragement.
