At last, Old Lady Wang couldn't bear it any longer. On the day before they set off, she knocked on the gate of the small courtyard as dusk approached. Liu Yizhu went out to greet her, while Li Mingwei didn't disturb them, allowing mother and son to spend some quiet time together.
Since they had already said what needed to be said and made the necessary arrangements the previous night, the two remained silent as they looked at each other at the western city gate the next morning.
During these few days, quite a few people had departed from the county town for Chengzhou. Tang Shan watched the other carriages and horses that had already set off, patted Tang Jue's shoulder, and waved: "Off you go, off you go. The road ahead is still long."
Turning around, he instructed his steward: "Take good care of the young master, and don't let him misbehave."
"Dad~" Tang Jue's face flushed with embarrassment. He was already grown up, how could he misbehave!
Li Mingwei chuckled softly and patted Liu Yizhu's shoulder, mimicking Tang Shan's gesture as she waved: "Off you go, and don't misbehave."
The group burst into laughter, dispelling some of the sadness of parting.
Liu Yizhu looked at her helplessly, sighing lightly. He caressed the little face of the child in his mother's arms, bowed to everyone, and boarded the carriage without turning back.
"Go!"
Once they were seated, the coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage gradually disappeared from their sight as it traveled farther away.
Old Lady Wang stepped forward holding the child, repeatedly bowing to Tang Shan to thank him for helping to arrange the carriage and rent the courtyard. Li Mingwei frantically signaled to Tang Shan with her eyes, as her mother-in-law didn't know they had given him their share of the money.
Tang Shan caught her gaze and nodded with a smile: "It's only right, it's only right."
In truth, Tang Shan didn't lack those ten or twenty taels of silver. However, none of them wanted to take advantage, and since they had agreed to pay, he couldn't refuse.
He gazed into the distance: "I wonder how their journey will unfold."
Old Lady Wang naturally spoke words of encouragement: "Of course, it will be smooth sailing. They'll go happily and return happily."
Wang Chunhua chimed in: "The best outcome would be for all five of them to return happily."
Li Mingwei laughed and shook her head. How could that be possible? Did they really think the provincial examination was that simple?
Tang Shan noticed this and approached her, speaking softly: "How many do you think will return happily?"
"It's hard to say. I'm not too familiar with the officials in Chengzhou."
Although she had her own assessment, she didn't want to voice it in front of Tang Shan. She felt that with their current level of knowledge, at most two or three of the five would likely be listed among the successful candidates, with Tang Jue being the third most likely.
"Indeed," Tang Shan lowered his gaze. Having served as an official in Anhui for many years, he had some understanding of the officials in Chengzhou, but even he couldn't be certain. How could she possibly know?
Seeing the rising sun on the horizon, Li Mingwei took her leave from Tang Shan. They still needed to return home that day, or else the heat would become too intense if they delayed further.
"Very well, I'll send someone to inform you if there's any news."
"Thank you, Sir Tang."
Tang Shan smiled and watched them depart, then headed back to the county yamen with his attendants.
The days of waiting turned out to be more agonizing than expected. Li Mingwei had initially thought it wouldn't be much different from usual, but her heart constantly felt an emptiness that she couldn't express.
"Crash~"
She sighed as another bowl shattered. If Liu Yizhu didn't return soon, Old Lady Wang would have broken all the bowls in the house. It seemed she really wanted to go to the capital, as she no longer cared for the bowls at home.
Although she understood what was happening, Li Mingwei still went out to check: "Mother, are you hurt?"
"No, no." Old Lady Wang dropped the broom and deftly raised her hands, showing Li Mingwei her palms and the backs of her hands to prove there were no injuries. She smiled sheepishly: "I just didn't hold it steady."
Li Mingwei stepped forward and picked up the broom: "Then you'd better hold it steady next time."
Old Lady Wang tried to snatch it back, but Li Mingwei dodged her: "Let me do it. I'm afraid you might not hold the broom steady again."
She swept up the broken pieces of the bowl, then noticed her mother-in-law sitting on the edge, propping her chin up and staring blankly, her mood somber once more. Li Mingwei turned and went back inside.
"Sigh~" Li Mingwei lay on the bed and grasped her son's little hand, sorrowfully saying: "Little Bun! Your mother is heartbroken, yet you're still able to sleep so soundly. Quickly get up and cheer me up, or else when you grow up, I won't let you marry a wife."
Three-month-old Liu Simei couldn't respond to her, but she didn't need a response. She was just trying to find someone to vent her bitterness.
She wasn't the only one feeling bitter. Tang Jue considered himself a carefree person, but he was also extremely restless during the waiting period before the results were announced. Originally, he had planned to stay and experience the sights of Chengzhou after the examination, but he ended up not even setting foot outside the courtyard for several days.
This wouldn't do!
He knocked on the doors of the other four candidates one by one, leaning against the doorframes with a smile: "Shall we visit the brothels?"
"Slam!"
"No."
"No, no, no, Tang, you should find someone else to accompany you."
"Yes, why not!"
After being rejected by three people, Tang Jue's heart was shattered into pieces. Thankfully, there was still one person who shared his enthusiasm.
He complained: "Those few people have such vulgar minds. Visiting a brothel doesn't necessarily mean doing that kind of thing. Just listening to music and watching dances would be great too. With so many beauties to admire, it would be truly delightful for the heart."
"Just listening to music? In that case, I won't go either."
Tang Jue kicked the door that slammed shut with a "slam," angrily exclaiming: "It turns out you're the most vulgar one!"
With no one willing to accompany him, Tang Jue's gaze fell on the approaching steward: "Would you like to join me?"
"Young Master, the results will be announced tomorrow. Can't you just wait patiently for one more day?"
The steward was drenched in sweat at the moment. The teahouses along the street near the Imperial Examination Hall were almost fully booked. After searching for a long time, he had finally secured a table further inside at a high price, ensuring they had a place to wait for the results.
Seeing the steward's breathless state, Tang Jue waved his hand, allowing him to go and rest, before knocking on the next door.
"What do you want now?"
"I just want to chat. Is that not allowed?"
Yang Jingyuan stepped aside to let him in, then closed the door again, trying to keep the scorching sun outside.
He tugged at his collar: "It's really hot in Chengzhou!"
Tang Jue waved his fan with a smile: "What's there to be afraid of? It'll be cooler tomorrow."
Yang Jingyuan gritted his teeth. Why did he let this infuriating person in to ruin his mood and appetite?
The next day, the steward sent servants to secure spots in the front rows even before the rooster crowed. Then he gathered all five of them and led them to the teahouse, where they squeezed into the crowd, their restlessness growing as they listened to the discussions around them.
Who had the heart to drink tea at a time like this? Tang Jue tightly gripped his teacup, repeatedly asking: "How much longer?"
"How much longer?"
The steward could only keep replying: "Soon, soon."
"How much longer?"
He asked again, but no one answered him this time, as the sound of gongs resonated from outside. Everyone knew what that meant.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, holding their breaths. Then, following a loud cry from afar, countless people began pushing towards the windows to catch a glimpse.
