No matter how lively it is, there will be a time when the music comes to an end and everyone disperses.
Those who failed the provincial examination were the first to leave one after another. For example, Wu Chengen went home sadly after recuperating in the old Qinhuai hospital for a few days.
In September, the new imperial examination candidates also left Nanjing one by one, and the rural examination in the 13th year of Jiajing became history.
Of course, after these new imperial examination candidates returned home, local officials and fellow villagers must still have some rituals of "returning with honors", and those are the last lingering effects.
But for Qin Dewei, this etiquette is a bit redundant and even embarrassing.
Imagine what the scene would be like if the Jiangning County government held a ceremony to "celebrate the successful candidates of Qin Dewei in our county."
The host was Shen Zhixian, Zanli County Xue Ding Jiaoyu, and Gu Dongqiao, the representative of the squire at the ceremony... And then there was only Qin Dewei who took the new imperial examination.
forget it.
But the government of Nanjing City is not only Jiangning County, but also Yingtian Prefecture. Prefect Chai Qi still wants to make a difference and boost morale.
Therefore, according to Qin Dewei's instructions, Jiangning County did not hold such an awkward ceremony, but Yingtian Mansion wanted to hold a ceremony again.
Adding up the whole city of Nanjing, the number of new imperial examination candidates could increase to three, which is still a bit embarrassing.
Qin Dewei couldn't control Chaifu Yin, so he had no choice but to attend. Suddenly he was looking forward to seeing Mr. Gu as a country squire.
But two days before the ceremony, a big event happened in Nanjing's literary world.
Mr. Gu Dongqiao, the leader of Jinling Literary Circle, left Nanjing and went north. I heard that he was going to become an official again and play his remaining role in the Ming Dynasty again at the age of fifty-eight!
Without Gu Lao, leader of the League, attending the ceremony, Qin Dewei suddenly felt that this ceremony to "celebrate three people in Nanjing City who passed the provincial examination" was boring, and even the Nanjing literary world was boring.
When the provincial examination has become a thing of the past, Qin Dewei now faces the same decision as his stepfather.
If you plan to take the exam in February next year, you should be ready to go.
The Northern Canal will be frozen in November. If you want to get to the capital before it freezes, you have to leave in early October at the latest.
According to this timetable, there is only about half a month left.
Thinking of this, Qin Dewei sighed, he had too many bonds in Nanjing.
Not to mention Mrs. Gu, who is already pregnant. If she goes to the capital to take the examination, even if she fails, she may not be able to come back in time to see the child born.
Moreover, Wang Lianqing has become more and more resentful, and now he is a little afraid to go to her.
Amidst this trouble, Qin Dewei received a document from Liaocheng County.
This was sent privately by the Liaocheng County Government Office to Jiangning County, and then the scribe handed it over to Qin Dewei.
In the document, Zeng's father-in-law said three things. First, he warmly congratulated his son on winning the provincial economic examination title and promised to continue his efforts to reach new heights.
Secondly, Zeng's father's biological son had already been born, so there was no need to think about asking Qin Dewei to change his surname. From then on, Qin Dewei had a half-brother.
Third, Zeng's father is resigning from Liaocheng County and is going to Beijing next month to resume his duties. This should be a precursor to promotion.
Qin Dewei ignored the first point, and Qin Dewei couldn't say anything about the second point.
Mainly on the third point, Qin Dewei thought more about Zeng’s stepfather’s career.
According to the original historical trajectory, at this time, the censor of Liaodong was vacant, and his father Zeng, who was interested in the frontier, took the place.
Then next year, the governor of Liaodong ordered two officials to rush into the streets to commit suicide, and a mutiny broke out in Liaodong.
So Zeng Hou's father turned the tide like the protagonist of an Internet article and single-handedly quelled the Liaodong Mutiny.
From then on, Zeng's stepfather soared onto the fast track for promotion and became governor-general in just ten years.
Qin Dewei didn't know whether the butterfly effect he brought had affected this crucial step, and there was also the issue of how to arrange his mother's care.
After much deliberation, I could only write in reply: "If I have great ambitions and no fixed residence as an official, please temporarily place your mother in the capital, and ask Sister Xuan to help take care of her."
The implication is obvious. Officials like the patrol censor do not have a fixed location. They have to patrol continuously within their jurisdiction and cannot bring their families with them.
After replying to Zeng's father, Qin Dewei thought about it and went to find Wang Lianqing.
There shouldn't be much problem for Mrs. Gu, she can be stable. Firstly, she will have a child, and secondly, she has a career. She will have to stay in Nanjing for at least one or two years.
But if he is not in Nanjing for a long time, what should his old lover Wang Lianqing do in the future is a question, and he may be responsible.
After meeting, Miss Wang said: "You must want to go north again."
Qin Dewei asked: "I didn't say that, why are you so sure?"
Wang Lianqing sighed: "You haven't come to see me for several days in a row, which is enough to show your thoughts!"
Qin Dewei said: "How about you come with me?"
Wang Lianqing chuckled and said: "You may not be able to pass the exam next year. If you fail, won't you have to come back again? I won't bother with you now. We'll talk about it next year."
Qin Dewei couldn't help it. With the current traffic conditions, leaving one's hometown is a big deal for anyone.
Qin Dewei asked again: "Then do you want me to compete in Chinese style next year, or do you want me to fail?"
Wang Meiren said very philosophically: "Whether you are Chinese or failed, it is just a cloud. What can it do to me? In the final analysis, it is not about you as a person."
Qin Dewei joked: "Your state of mind has improved a lot. In the past, you only said that you hope I won't get pregnant in my life."
Beauty Wang responded: "Whoever made me fall in love with you is fate."
Qin Dewei continued to ask: "Then do you think this is a good life or a bad life?"
Wang Lianqing said with a bit of sadness: "Anyway, I didn't care about my wife's life."
Mrs. Gu can give birth to children openly, and Qin Dewei will definitely accept it, but Wang Lianqing knows that she is not good enough, so she doesn't even mention it.
After all, she has a Leji status. No matter whether she gives birth to a male or female, she is still a Leji, Qin Dewei will never accept it.
Qin Dewei thought for a while and said: "We can think of a way to let you deregister."
Wang Lianqing was silent for a moment, but still said the same thing: "We'll talk about it after you finish the exam next year."
Qin Dewei said strangely: "Don't you want to?"
Wang Lianqing saw it clearly: "Although this status is humble, it is also a stable career and relatively comfortable.
Even if you are old and lose your appearance, you can still find a living in this industry. If not, you can still become a violinist or something like that.
But if you quit your citizenship and join someone else's family, you won't be able to help yourself. Once you become an abandoned wife, your fate will be even more miserable."
Qin Dewei thought, why is this beauty Wang so insecure? Reluctant to leave her comfort zone? Or does she have no confidence in herself?
When he was about to say something else, Wang Lianqing slapped Qin Dewei on the bed and said upset:
"Why are you so verbose tonight? When I wanted to talk to you, you shouted back and pretended to be dead.
Today I talk about it endlessly, let me see if you can't do it anymore?"