Four hundred and twentieth chapters osmanthus fragrance (six)
On the fifth day of September, Renchen Day, the results of the Nanzhili Township Examination were released.
Because the results were released at dawn, on the banks of the Qinhuai River, people of all ages at Shen Yan's house got up early before dawn. Mrs. Bai stroked her chest, with a mix of expectation and worry on her face. Shen was also restless, looking out the window from time to time. .Although he did not go to look at the list in person, he sent the boy next to him over.
In other geographical boundaries, the "Gui List" issued by the rural examination should be posted in front of the governor's office, but this is Nanzhili and there is no governor, so the list is posted outside the Gongyuan.
The number of candidates for the Nanzhili Township Examination is fixed. One hundred and thirty-five people are admitted each time, of which thirty are supervisors and five are miscellaneous students. According to the admission ratio of one out of thirty, students and supervisors who have obtained the qualifications to take the township examination are That's more than four thousand people.
How easy is it to stand out among more than 4,000 people?
This is the south of the Yangtze River, a place where all the beauties from all over the world gather. Many great talents who became famous among the scholars were unable to make a living and failed in the imperial examinations.
Shen became more and more confused as he thought about it, with a sad look on his face.
Mrs. Qiao came in with tea and saw that both her mother-in-law and her brother-in-law looked wrong, and she couldn't help but feel uneasy. She really didn't understand why her mother-in-law didn't understand why she was so impatient. Her brother-in-law was only eighteen years old this year, even if he was in this subject. If you fail, there will be another subject?
Although the provincial examination is important, how can it be compared with Chunwei? For her brother-in-law's provincial examination, her husband put aside Chunwei and traveled thousands of miles to prepare for the examination. It was inevitable that she had some minor concerns in her heart.
Shen Yan patted Shen's shoulder and said: "You have tried your best and responded as usual in the examination room. What are you worried about? It is certainly a joy to be on the list; even if you are not ranked, you can still know your shortcomings..."
Shen Sansan said: "I'll come back alone. My tired family will follow me south, and my mother and sister-in-law will also have to work hard, and it will delay my elder brother's preparation for the exam..."
If only he had struggled for once, he wouldn't feel too guilty even if he failed. Now the whole family is worried. If his grades are not good, how can he live in peace?
Shen Yan shook his head and said: "I am the one who made the decision to come back. I am not sure at all in the spring of next year... Now that I have returned to Nanzhili, it is because of the flourishing literary style and the mutual benefit of teaching that it is more convenient than in the capital..."
Shen glanced at Mr. Qiao who was standing next to him and said nothing.
The Nancheng Academy in the capital has a good reputation. There are several well-known northern scholars in it. Why can't the eldest brother prepare well for the exam there? It's not because the Qiao family is bothering him. The eldest son of the Qiao family wants to let his son enter Nancheng Academy. The second master of the Qiao family wants to He promised his niece to himself, but the serious father-in-law, the Third Master, made insinuations and always used Shen Jue's sorrow to talk about the difficulties of the second son of the Shen family.
The condescending and calculating attitude of the Qiao family's elders really made Shen sick. If it weren't for the fact that his elder sister-in-law had a really soft temper, and the housekeeper also understood, Shen and his elder sister-in-law would be sick of it.
How could Ms. Qiao not know the face of her mother-in-law's family? She was just upset before and could not think of this. Now after listening to her husband's words, she lowered her head and looked ashamed.
Bai Shi didn't know anything about the world and said: "Brother is right. I also think Nanjing is good, but the capital is still too cold... People in the north are vulgar and far less refined than people in the south..." The last sentence was said while looking at Mrs. Qiao. .
Although Qiao's figure is slender, she is taller than the Jiangnan women, and is a little less than half a head taller than Bai.
A year after the bride came to the house, Mrs. Qiao was not picky, but she could not win the heart of her son. Seeing that the eldest son and daughter-in-law Qin Se were in harmony with each other, and the eldest son was relieved to entrust all the housework to Mrs. Qiao, Mrs. Bai was inevitably uncomfortable. But Mrs. Qiao was respectful and filial. , no matter how impeccable, Bai Shi has nothing to say recently, so she can only talk about Qiao Shi's stature and half-bound feet.
Shen Yan couldn't help but frown when he saw Bai's old talk. Shen saw his sister-in-law's head drooping lower and lower, and sighed inwardly, and said sternly: "Mom, you must never say that in the future, it is disrespectful to the Tian family... If I was overheard, but I have to be held accountable..."
Bai Shi was startled and said, "Is this also a crime? Did I say something extraordinary?"
Shen said: "It means people from the south and people from the north. You must know that today's family lives in the capital. Are they considered people from the south and people from the north? To say that they are from the south, it has been more than a hundred years since the capital was moved; to say that they are from the north, too The ancestor emperor is from the south..."
Mrs. Bai was a little confused when she heard this, but she had always been timid and was afraid that her words would bring trouble to her sons. She covered her mouth and whispered, "It's just a few common words, so that's not allowed?"
Shen knew that his mother was a bit petty towards her sister-in-law, and it was difficult for her elder brother to say anything. If he didn't dissuade her, the rift between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law would become worse and the family would not be peaceful, so he said, "I can't say that. This is Nanjing, and there is a Jinyiwei Yamen." When... we disembarked from the boat this year, my mother also saw the royal guards in flying fish uniforms on those boats, whizzing past, looking majestic, but they could call anyone to task at any time..."
Bai was afraid and looked gloomy, but she didn't dare to say anything.
Shen Yan glanced at his younger brother and quickly made a begging look.
Shen Yan moved his eyes away and did not expose his younger brother's lies. Although Bai was a little petty and ignorant, she was their mother after all. Regarding the dispute between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Shen Yan did not argue with Bai in public, but in private. The wife is so comforted. Now that the younger brother comes forward, it is much better than him speaking for his wife himself.
It was bright and bright outside, and suddenly there was a loud noise outside.
Shen suddenly stood up.
At this time, I heard a messy knock on the door from ahead.
"Brother..." Shen felt as if his heart was in his throat, and Bai couldn't sit still, so she grabbed her eldest son's sleeve.
Shen Yan's face couldn't hide the joy, and said: "Go and have a look, it's time to announce the good news..."
Before he finished speaking, he heard a burst of firecrackers outside.
Bai couldn't hide his excitement. Seeing that Shen was still stunned, Shen Yan pulled him and the two of them went out.
But Mrs. Bai was still worried. Seeing her two sons going out, she didn't care about her daughter-in-law's sudden attack. She looked at Mrs. Qiao eagerly and said: "My dear, could it be the movement next door? Could it be Bai Huanxi?" Right?
Mrs. Qiao looked gentle and said softly: "How could it be? There has been movement ahead..."
While he was talking, a woman came in with a happy face and said: "Congratulations to my wife, the second master has won, the good news has arrived..."
This place is not far from the Shen family's house in Nanjing. If there is a commotion, news will naturally come to them over there.
Shen also got up at this time, and took Shen Jin to have tea in the front yard, also waiting for the news of the results. There were also several relatives and in-laws who had passed away this year, and they all looked anxious and restless.
Hearing that the boy came to report that Shen had won the 89th place in the provincial examination, Shen was happy for Shen, but also a little worried. If it was still like three years ago, an eccentric son who did not enter the family tree won the examination, the authentic Shen family was the ninth However, the house was left empty-handed, but it was a loss of face.
However, Shen Jin remained as calm as ever and only said: "Brother Yan can finally feel at ease..."
The eldest brother is like a father. Although Shen Yan is only a few years older than Shen, he has always had a close brotherhood, which makes outsiders envious. This brother has won the imperial examination one after another, which is also a good story.
Shen lamented: "When their family returned to Songjiang, they were in such a mess. It's really not easy to be where we are today."
There was Liang Xiucai from his in-laws' family next to him. Hearing this, he couldn't help but asked curiously: "Are you talking about the Shen Yan brothers? It seems that their brothers are also very proud. Although their family background is not much, they all have fame and fame. They also married the daughter of a high family. At the beginning, Have you ever been down and out?"
Shen did not elaborate, only said: "It was really difficult for a young man to lose his father, but luckily he got through it..."
Shen Jin was beside him, but although he didn't answer, his heart was burning. His biological mother was still alive, but his flesh and blood could not be reunited; his biological father was also there, but he showed no kindness because there was a rift between Jin Yin and his son.
My biological grandmother has been hurting me for more than ten years, but in the end I don’t know whether it is true or not.
Shen Jin is now alone, no different from an orphan. If he were a real orphan, he would be able to survive when he was named on the gold list, but now he is pursuing an official career, but he may not be able to have a stable career.
He remembered clearly that Shen Yuan originally left his bedridden grandmother in Songjiang and took his step-brother to Yangzhou. However, at the end of last year, he changed his mind and sent his confidant butler back to Songjiang to pick him up.
Although the person picked him up, how could Shen Jin rest assured? It was only when someone from Yangzhou came again and made some insinuations that he found out why Shen Yuan was like this. It was not for anything else, but to "celebrate her birthday" for the old lady.
Yangzhou is rich, with not only many literati but also merchants. Poor parents in the world, for the sake of the future of their children and grandchildren, parents of students are naturally extremely "courteous" to professors in official schools.
After hearing this, Shen Jin was shocked, but there was nothing he could do. He wanted to persuade, but thinking about Shen Yuan's temperament, which was the most paranoid, he could only sigh secretly.
This time he left the job in a hurry instead of going to Yangzhou to persuade his father, because he knew that it would be futile. Now he was trembling with fear, for no other reason than to worry about what happened to Shen Yuan. If Shen Yuan became a sinner before he left, then he, a sinner His son is not even qualified to end the game.
Perhaps for other students, the provincial examination is held once every three years, but for Shen Jin, not being able to guarantee it is the last resort.
Thinking of her biological mother who had already settled in the capital, Shen Jin's heart began to tighten.
Two quarters of an hour after arriving, there was another noise in the street.
Shen Jin's expression remained unchanged, but the hand holding the tea cup was trembling.
Liang Xiucai couldn't wait any longer and trotted out to watch the excitement.
The noise passed by Shen's house and did not stop here.
After half a cup of tea, Liang Xiucai came back sadly and said: "I went to the second to last house in the alley to announce the good news. I am the thirteenth in the provincial examination..."
Shen couldn't help but have worry on his face, and Shen Jin's expression also turned a little pale.
Time passed slowly, and the hustle and bustle in the alley gradually stopped.
The atmosphere in the room was so depressing that Shen could no longer sit still. He felt restless and restless. He walked to the door and called the servant: "Go and see if Qian Wu is back..."
The boy responded and went down, and as soon as he came out of the alley, he bumped into a pair of men and horses.
Seeing that the person leading the way was his own money manager who was leading the way to several officials who were announcing the good news, the young man didn't even bother to step forward to speak, and immediately turned around and ran into the house.
"Second Master, Manager Qian has brought someone to bring good news..." the boy reported loudly.
Shen hurriedly came out of the room and said, "What's your rank?"
On the sidelines, the in-laws knew that their family had little hope, but they still had some thoughts, so they all came out of the house and looked at the gate.
"..." The boy's neck got stuck.
At this time, someone at the door shouted loudly: "Is Master Shen Jin of Songjiang Mansion here..."