The yellowing leaves fall off the branches and onto the river surface, creating ripples.
The bleakness of autumn was clearly felt inside and outside Hegu County. The main street outside the government office in the city and several adjacent streets were crowded with people.
The book boy, wife, daughter and servants standing on the street were looking forward to the closed academy in the distance. The armed yamen runners and soldiers in the city were guarding the surroundings tightly.
Occasionally, the courtyard gate opened and a man who looked like a scholar was forked out and thrown outside, causing a burst of laughter.
"Cheating in the exam..."
"It's lucky that it didn't get shut down. I don't know if there will be a next time."
The cheating scholar got up from the ground in a panic, not even bothering to brush off the dust on his body. Amid the sound of people pointing and talking all around, he lowered his head and quickly squeezed through the crowd and fled.
The provincial examination is the second threshold for selecting talents for the country and is a top event for all states and counties. Candidates with student status gathered in the city as early as the beginning of summer. Even Lu Liangsheng arrived early to avoid wasting time.
By this time, the third round of the exam had already been held. Each round lasted one day, and the nearby restaurants were often packed with guests. Some literati and elegant guests were discussing whether the questions were difficult this year, or making bets on who would be the top scorer in the list.
"If you ask me, it must be the Four Scholars of Nanxiang. Those four people came from poor backgrounds, but they were very knowledgeable."
"...That's not necessarily true. I've seen those four people from a distance once before. They were dull-witted and bookish. I heard that they were almost eaten by a fox demon on the way here."
"It's fake. The government has said that there are no fox demons. They are just a bunch of bandits pretending to be demons."
"... Oh, by the way, have you heard that there is also a candidate staying at the residence of Grand Secretary Zhou? I heard that he is from Fushui County."
"Living in Mr. Zhou's house? Oh, then he will definitely be the first place this year."
"I heard his last name is Lu... and he was a student of Mr. Shuhua, who was famous in the capital, ten years ago."
"Who is Lord Shuhua?"
Amid the noisy discussions, the waiter who was delivering dishes carefully squeezed past a man dressed as a Taoist priest with a tray. The latter smelled the aroma of food around him, smacked his lips, and locked his eyes on a table near the river.
There were two middle-aged scholars sitting opposite each other at the table, looking at the river scenery, chatting and laughing, chewing their food slowly. Suddenly, out of the corner of their eyes, they saw a gray figure approaching. When they turned their heads, they saw a Taoist priest with a pointed chin and a monkey face, with a yellow silk bag slung over his shoulder.
It was common for monks to beg for alms, and if they chased them away, it would appear that they were too narrow-minded and ungentlemanly. So they pretended not to know and continued to chat and eat.
However, after another glass of wine was finished, the Taoist was still standing beside them, and one of them couldn't help but speak.
"Master, you are standing here, can you beg for alms?"
The Taoist twirled the sparse tips of his beard on his chin and glanced across the dishes on the table with a smiling expression.
"I am not here to beg for alms, but because I see that you two are very graceful, and your manners and conversation are very different from those of ordinary people, I want to perform a magic trick for you two."
The two people at the table looked at each other, clapped their hands and laughed.
"Haha, great, we can watch magic shows while having a meal, but I wonder what magic the chief is going to perform?"
The Taoist's eyes flickered across the dishes on the table, then he looked left and right at the two of them.
"This trick is called Apparition. Please watch carefully, both of you."
As he spoke, he reached out and pressed the wine glass that the man on his left had just finished drinking, and his other hand pressed the half-full wine glass .
The Taoist smiled and said, "You two should watch carefully."
These words also made the guests at the nearby tables look over curiously, and saw that the Taoist withdrew both hands at the same time, and the empty wine glass in front of the scholar on the left became half full, and the half-full wine glass was now empty.
"Oh, this Taoist priest is amazing!"
"…What, what happened just now?"
The two middle-aged scholars were also staring at the wine glasses in front of them in a daze, unable to understand why the wine was clearly on the right, yet it moved to that side in the blink of an eye.
"This Taoist priest may have some Taoist magic..."
When one of them was thinking, his friend suddenly looked around and asked, "Where is the Taoist priest?"
On the second floor, everyone suddenly came to their senses. The Taoist priest who had been there just now seemed to have disappeared in the blink of an eye. Just as everyone was surprised and looked around, a sudden shout was heard from the table where the Taoist priest had just stood.
"Where's my pear blossom wine... Where's my steamed chicken with honey sauce? Why are they gone?!!"
The voice floated over the guardrail, willows on the river bank swayed gently, and at the top of the restaurant, the missing Taoist priest was lying on the ridge of the roof facing the street.
Bathed in the autumn sun, the wine jug is hanging, and the wine reflects the sunlight and draws a sparkling arc into the mouth. I grab a plate of sweet and sticky chicken, chew it with big mouthfuls, swallow it, and let out an "ah." with satisfaction.
Next to it, a toad wearing a long gown with Tongbao coin holes printed on it looked at the sky and stuffed a piece of delicious meat from its webbed feet into its mouth.
"It's been such a long exam, it should be out by now."
"It should be soon." This Taoist was none other than Sun Yingxian. He had brought the Toad Taoist with him to wait for the three sessions of the provincial examination. They had lunch on the spot. He shamelessly said that since those people ordered so many dishes and couldn't finish them in the end, it would be better to help them share some of the burden...
"Old Toad, if there is a next time, you go. I was the one who cheated... ugh, and took it these past two days."
The Toad Taoist slightly squinted his eyes and looked at the Taoist who was lying there lazily.
"Think about it carefully. Are you sure you want me to go?"
The Taoist raised his face and spat out a chicken bone into the air. He looked sideways for a moment, then turned his head and looked towards the academy.
"Forget it. You might already be in a steamer when we meet again..."
"That ... I'm not afraid of everyone in the restaurant dying..."
The Toad Taoist didn't seem to want to argue with him today. He put his webbed feet into his sleeves, crossed his legs and turned to the side. Not long after, a voice from the crowd below shouted, "Here he comes out."
In the distant academy where the provincial examination was held, the door opened and a group of students filed out. Among the crowd, Lu Liangsheng walked out leisurely, carrying a small bag containing pens and ink, and sniffed the air outside.
He quickened his pace, his figure seemed non-existent in the eyes of others, he squeezed out vaguely, and could sense the position of the Taoist and his master from afar.
He leaped over the eaves of a nearby shop, and his figure quickly landed on the roof of the restaurant. He threw the book away and sat on it.
"It's finally over."
Lu Liangsheng leaned against the roof, completely relaxed, and reached out to take a chicken leg handed to him by the Taoist priest.
"The exam is finally over. Let's go back to Lujia Village after the results are announced."
"Aren't we going to the northwest to take a look?" Sun Yingxian turned her head in surprise.
Over there, the scholar smiled, watched the bustling crowd below gradually disperse, sighed, raised the pot of pear blossom wine in his hand, and took a sip from the spout.
"Yes, but I have to go back to see my parents first. I have never been away from home before, and I have been away for nearly three months. I miss them so much."
Sun Yingxian wanted to slap herself. She had no parents, so why was she talking about all this?
"Okay, I'll go back with you."
After eating a little of the wine and meat in his hand, Lu Liangsheng rubbed his fingertips, and the oil stains disappeared by themselves. He clapped his hands and stood up.
"Let's go back to the Zhou residence. We'll say goodbye to Mr. Zhou after the results are announced in two days."
The Toad Taoist frowned, "Liangsheng."
The scholar, who was about to leave, stopped and looked at his master's expression, feeling a little hesitant.
"Master, what do you think is wrong?"
Toad pointed to the half-eaten chicken.
"I haven't finished eating yet, take it with you."
Lu Liangsheng was a little amused and picked up the half chicken and wrapped it up. During this period, he found that his master liked to eat chicken more and more. If it hadn't looked like a toad, he would have thought it was a fox in disguise.
…
He found a secluded corner, got off the street, and walked through the downtown area back to the Zhou Mansion. The old man Zhou Zhen moved a big chair and sat under the eaves in the middle of the front yard. When he saw Lu Liangsheng coming back, an expression appeared on his face.
"How did you do on the 'Strategy and Countermeasures' test today?"
Although he had only been teaching the scholar in front of him for a short time, he was still considered a mentor, so it was not rude to ask this question.
Lu Liangsheng bowed.
“I can still handle it.”
The old man knew that this was just a humble remark and laughed out loud. It was an honor to have a successful candidate come out of his school wherever he went. Moreover, this young man was very much to his liking in terms of both appearance and conduct.
His wife often whispered in his ears.
"Rong'er's marriage has been cancelled, and she has been sad for a few days. I saw her running to the side yard from time to time to see Mr. Lu. Could it be that she is interested in him? Anyway, Mr. Lu is a top-notch person in terms of character and appearance. Although his family is poor, he is a decent, polite, and talented person. Why not pair him with Rong'er..."
With this in mind, Zhou Zhen liked Lu Liangsheng more and more, and taught him as much as he could in his studies. However, his mysterious skills made him feel difficult to master. After all, the thoughts of people who practiced cultivation were very difficult to guess.
What if, if you don’t like love between men and women, it would be very embarrassing to ask.
Lu Liangsheng naturally noticed this, so he told Sun Yingxian that he would leave immediately after the results were announced. He couldn't say that he disliked the eldest lady of the Zhou family, but her diligence in coming here every day made him feel uneasy.
Just after saying goodbye to the old man and returning to the side yard, in front of the crescent-shaped gate, Zhou Rong, dressed in a green dress, stood gracefully. Upon seeing the scholar coming, she hurriedly took a bowl of ginseng soup from the maid and greeted him.
"Mr. Lu, did the last match today go smoothly?"
Lu Liangsheng took the ginseng soup and said with a smile: "It went smoothly."
After saying this awkwardly, he suddenly looked at her expression and asked quickly, "By the way, have you been having trouble sleeping recently?"
Hearing this, Zhou Rong touched her cheek and lowered her head slightly.
"Your Excellency has noticed it... I don't know why I've been having nightmares lately. I've dreamed of a woman in a red dress with long sleeves singing a song. It's very strange. Master Lu, have I been contaminated by something unclean?"
Wearing red clothes with long sleeves and singing a song?
If we stay any longer... something might happen.
Lu Liangsheng glanced at the courtyard subconsciously and laughed, "There is nothing unclean, but this side yard is cold and gloomy. Plus, you have a weak constitution, so coming here often has some effects."
After talking nonsense for a while, without waiting for the other party to react, Lu Liangsheng quickly said goodbye and hurried into the crescent-shaped door, which made the woman stompling her feet in anger.
"Just left like that without even saying anything to me."
Sun Yingxian, who was following behind, turned around and looked at Miss Zhou who was tilting her head in thought.
"Hey... girl, why don't you consider this path?"
Zhou Rong glanced at him and snorted, "There are also lechers among monks."
"Hehe, since you don't consider it, then I'd better advise Miss Zhou not to think about Lu Liangsheng. Be careful that the nightmare will come true."
"What nightmare came true? Hey, explain it clearly!"
Zhou Rong shouted to the Taoist who had already left, but he ignored her and went straight back into the house, shrugged at the scholar who put the toad on the desk.
"I'll get rid of her for you."
"What did you say?" Lu Liangsheng lit a stick of incense and placed it in front of the portrait.
Sun Yingxian jumped onto the desk and sat next to the toad, laughing.
"I told her that you have a good relationship with Long Yang..."
Lu Liangsheng: “…You!”
Bang!
The incense stick inserted in the incense burner flew directly towards him. Fortunately, the Taoist reacted quickly, jumped off the table nimbly and dodged it.
Hong Lian poked her head out and glared at him viciously.
"Disgusting! Don't make such jokes about my son."
"Hey, what's yours?"
"You want a beating!"
The room suddenly became noisy with laughter.
Not long after two days, the bailiffs from the government office came to Zhou's house with the good news beating drums and gongs. Zhou Zhen knew what was going on when he saw the scene, so he took out some congratulatory money and distributed it to them. Zhou Rong also followed her father to the side yard with a happy face, but when they got inside, no one was there, even the old donkey in the backyard was gone.
There was only a letter left on the table.
Dear Mr. Zhou Zhen:
When the student saw this letter, he was already on his way home. He had been studying for more than two months and missed his parents at home very much. So he had to leave without saying goodbye. He would go to Beijing for the imperial examination next spring and then come to your house to apologize... and so on.
well……
Zhou Zhen put away the letter, looked at his daughter again, and sighed with some regret.
On the other side, Zhou Rong, who had also seen the contents of the letter, twisted the silk handkerchief between her fingers and lowered her head in silence. As a lady from a wealthy family, it was definitely not possible for her to elope to find the other party. But after all she had finally found a man who seemed to suit her, he had no interest in her.
Walk out of the crescent gate.
She looked at the place where the peach tree once appeared, as if it were a dream.
"It's a pity that I will never have the chance to see the peach blossoms in the yard again."
…
As the daylight faded away to the south, an old donkey ran madly and happily.
The Taoist priest clung to the scholar's back, his ears filled with the whimpering sound of the wind, his words becoming blurred in the wind.
"If we just leave like this, isn't it a bit thick... thick... way... ah... ah... ah..."
Lu Liangsheng turned his head and shouted as well.
"Mr. Zhou seems to want to have a double happiness. If he doesn't leave, will he wait for Miss Zhou to die on the bed?"
Hearing this, Sun Yingxian and the Toad Taoist who was lying on his back with his legs crossed in the cloth bag laughed out loud.
The old donkey neighed with a grunt, as if he was laughing.
On the official road, an old donkey carrying two people and two bookshelves sped away in a cloud of dust.