Xiao Yuan squatted anxiously at the city gate, unable to find a solution.
His servant was so anxious that blisters ford around his mouth.
"Young master, we have to think of sothing."
Xiao Yuan wiped his face, "What can be done? Now, even if you offer a lot of silver, no one dares to open the city gate for you."
The servant squatted down as well.
"If only the gate could open at the third night watch, then we wouldn’t be delayed. You could go to the exam hall first, and I could ride back to prepare the exam materials for you."
"It’s a pity..."
Xiao Yuan sighed deeply: "I don’t know how Ningning is doing now. Without my return, she must be extrely anxious."
At the Xiao Family ho
Mr. Xiao and Mrs. Xiao were truly anxious.
Especially Mr. Xiao, who paced ceaselessly around the house: "What should we do? Is Yuanyuan really going to miss this Imperial Examination?"
Mrs. Xiao could only cry.
Anning stood up, supporting her waist: "Father, Mother, don’t panic. My husband will definitely make it in ti. I will pack up the things soon and will go to wait for him near the exam hall."
How could Mr. Xiao let Anning wait at the exam hall?
Anning was currently carrying the Xiao Family’s treasured grandchild, what if sothing went wrong?
Not to ntion the child, if anything happened to Anning, he couldn’t bear it either.
No matter what, Mr. Xiao and He Juren were close friends who would die for each other. As the only daughter of a close friend, Mr. Xiao was sure to protect Anning.
Moreover, Xiao Yuan also cherished Anning dearly, treating her as the apple of his eye. If anything happened to Anning, who knows what Xiao Yuan would do upon his return; he might be devastated.
With this thought, Mr. Xiao quickly said, "You should not go, your health is more important now. I will go. Just have soone prepare the things, and I will wait outside the exam hall."
That could work.
Anning nodded: "Thank you, Father."
Mr. Xiao waved his hand: "What’s there to thank for? It’s all for my own son, after all."
Mrs. Xiao stopped crying, and hurriedly helped Anning pack.
They prepared dried food, as well as ink, paper, inkstone, and the thick exam robe to be worn in the exam hall.
Anning had actually prepared everything earlier, and she with Mrs. Xiao checked each item again to ensure nothing was amiss before handing them over to Mr. Xiao.
Additionally, Anning asked the kitchen to prepare so hot food, wrapped it with cotton pads, and placed it in the carriage.
Although it was springti, the nights were particularly cold, so Anning also had a furnace placed in the carriage, fearing that Mr. Xiao might get cold.
Everything was ready, and by the second night watch, Mr. Xiao hurriedly urged the coachman to head towards the exam hall.
anwhile, after squatting for a while at the city gate, Xiao Yuan suddenly stood up and slapped his forehead: "I’m so silly, how could I not have thought of this."
Si Mo quickly asked, "Young master, do you have a plan now?"
Xiao Yuan took Si Mo and made a detour to Xizhi Gate.
"We’ll wait here, we can definitely make it in ti."
Si Mo also realized, his eyes shining: "Yes, how did I not think of this, the young master is truly clever."
It turns out that Xizhi Gate opens every day at the third night watch to allow the water transport carts into the city.
The one residing inside the Imperial Palace drank water not from any well, but from Yuquan Mountain. Every day, carts went to fetch water from there and entered the city through Xizhi Gate during the third watch, making sure water from the mountain spring was available by daybreak.
Xiao Yuan was bold, planning on this very opportunity.
He thought of sneaking in behind the water transport convoy; if he could get in, he’d definitely make it to the exam. Even if he was stopped, he had brought silver with him, and also had jade pendants and silver notes. If he offered a sum of money to the gatekeeper, he might just be able to sneak in.
His plan seed perfect, but upon arriving outside Xizhi Gate, he saw that there was another group of people waiting there.
Xiao Yuan was then amused.
He greeted them with a fist hug: "Are you guys also scholars who were delayed in entering the city?"
The leader of the group was a young man in his twenties, who actually looked quite handso, tall and slim, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exhibiting a sharp deanor, very much like that of Xie Jue.
The young man was stunned for a mont and then smiled at Xiao Yuan: "So, are you the scholar who was delayed and didn’t get in?"
Xiao Yuan humd in agreent: "Exactly. My wife had a craving for spinach, and I went out to find it. With all the back and forth, I was delayed and couldn’t enter on ti. No choice but to think about sneaking in by coming here."
At this point, Xiao Yuan familiarly patted the young man’s shoulder: "You’re pretty smart too, knowing to co here looking for opportunities."
This was the first ti the young man had been treated this way, and he found it quite refreshing, laughing even louder: "Yes, I’m quite smart."
"Then you’re almost catching up to our young master."
Si Mo, that interesting young man, also ca over to join in the fun: "Our young master is indeed very clever, our young madam always praises how bright our master’s mind is, and how quickly he learns anything."
"Oh?"
The young man seed quite interested: "Are you confident about the Imperial Examination this ti?"
Xiao Yuan threw his head back, quite complacent: "Of course, otherwise I wouldn’t be in such a hurry waiting here. I aim to be the top scorer, if I miss this chance, it’s not my loss; it’s Dajing Dynasty’s loss."
That statent.
The young man’s attendants almost glared at Xiao Yuan.
It was dark, and Xiao Yuan couldn’t clearly see the faces of those people, but he always bragged about himself. Since he was waiting there doing nothing, he started boasting to the young man: "I tell you, our Dajing Dynasty since its founding till now hasn’t had anyone win the Six Elents in a row. I will definitely be the first top scorer to achieve Six Elents in succession; I am unparalleled, past or future. Though I’m not sure about future top scorers achieving Six Elents, they won’t be as smart or talented as ."
This really was exaggerated boasting.
The young man coughed several tis, and Xiao Yuan pretended not to hear, continuing to boast: "Do you know what it ans to ’not crow for three years, but stun the world with one cry’?"
The young man nodded.
Xiao Yuan smiled: "That’s . Before I got married, thinking my family is wealthy, I could afford to be reckless and lived comfortably without caring about studies. But after getting married, you wouldn’t believe it, my wife is too wonderful, even better to than my mother. I thought since I’ve married such an excellent wife, I couldn’t just waste my ti. I had to do sothing for her, at least ensure she could receive an imperial decree in the future, so I started studying. In just a few months of studying, I ranked first in the county examination, prefecture exam, and college examination, effortlessly achieving the Little Trivium."
Xiao Yuan bragged here, while Si Mo kept teasing him.
"Our master is right, what the master says is great. Our master studied for just a few days, and Xu Juren, who is very close to our father, tested our master once and said our master’s level was too high, even surpassing him. Our master’s level, not to ntion becoming a scholar, even becoming a scholar is feasible."
The young man listened and frowned.
Xiao Yuan kept talking: "After that, I studied for another year and beca the top scorer in the rural examination. I already have four yuans now, just think if I score one yuan in the provincial exam and another in the imperial examination, won’t that be Six Elents?"
"Are you speaking the truth?"
The young man initially thought Xiao Yuan was boasting, but hearing about the top scorer in rural examination, he knew this fellow must have comndable skills.
You know, even in provinces where literary style is not prominent, achieving the top scorer is extrely challenging; at least the scholarship must be outstanding, and the essays well-written.
Xiao Yuan pat the young man hard: "Would I lie about this? It’s about the top scorer badge, you can easily verify it, how could this possibly be a lie?"
That indeed made sense.
The young man’s attendants also looked at Xiao Yuan with so admiration.
"I’ve indeed been disrespectful."
Thinking further, the young man also laughed: "According to what you said, if you really were delayed, it would indeed be a big loss for the court."
As they were talking, the gates on Xizhi Gate side opened, and several water carts successively entered.
The young man spurred his horse and moved forward.
Xiao Yuan quickly followed.
The gatekeepers, who initially wanted to block Xiao Yuan and his group after the water cart entered, were so intimidated by the appearance of the young man and his group that they shrank back again.
Thus, Xiao Yuan smoothly entered the city.
Once inside, the young man told one of his attendants: "You go take this gentleman..."
Xiao Yuan clasped his hands: "Xiao Yuan."
The young man nodded: "Take this Xiao Jieyuan to the exam hall, and if it’s late, use my card to find this session’s chief examiner."
His attendant quickly complied, following Xiao Yuan as they rode straight to the exam hall.
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