After sending off Gu Chengyu, Qian promptly went to accompany Min Feng and the others. He didn’t dare to waste much ti either, as after this Imperial Examination, many scholars were coming to the Hanlin Academy. Even though he didn’t need to host them personally, he still had to assist Grand Scholar Zhang Hai in arranging the appointnts of new officials.
"Mr. Gu, I’ve long heard of your exceptional poetic talents and even admired your great works before. It is truly an honor for to be your colleague now."
Once Qian left, Ren Ge began to exchange pleasantries with Gu Chengyu.
"Mr. Ren is really overly praising ; it truly makes ashad. These are re reputations only!"
Gu Chengyu glanced at Jiang Kenan, noticing he was focused solely on writing sothing, seemingly oblivious to the conversation here. However, Liu Zonghan stepped in, maintaining his air of dignity, occasionally joining the conversation.
Ren Ge observed Gu Chengyu’s gaze, looked at Jiang Kenan as well, sneering slightly on the left corner of his mouth before returning to a smile.
Gu Chengyu caught this perfectly; could it be that Ren Ge has a grudge against Jiang Kenan, or is there so conflict between them?
It seems the room only had these four individuals in total, yet there was quite a bit of drama!
"Mr. Gu, don’t be so modest. I hear that your calligraphy is also superb. In the future, we wish to benefit from your proximity!"
This ti, Liu Zonghan chid in. He had heard previously that Gu Chengyu created a new Yan Style, which was highly regarded, and you couldn’t find such calligraphy posts in the workshops.
Now that Gu Chengyu was at the Hanlin Academy, wasn’t it reasonable to ask for a piece?
Gu Chengyu had no choice but to modestly reply a few more tis before finding an empty seat to sit down at. He gently ran his hand over the desk and found no dust, realizing the desk must have been recently added and wiped clean.
Gu Chengyu sighed; this is where he would work from now on. It was only at this mont that he had the most direct feeling of becoming an official.
"Urgent news, urgent news!"
"The Imperial Examination Golden List is announced, make way quickly! Those who disobey will be punished!"
The constables guarding the city gate were checking the citizens entering the city when they suddenly heard the sound of galloping horses approaching. The constables wondered who was so bold as to gallop right outside the gate?
Before they realized, they saw two riders shouting loudly, their horses galloping closer while they waved official docunts in hand, shouting again.
One of the constables quickly snapped back to reality, "Quick! Everyone, clear the way, the Golden List is coming!"
His shout brought everyone else back to their senses. The n roughly pushed the citizens standing nearby to the side, yelling, "Stand aside if you don’t want to die, quick!"
The citizens, unsure of what was happening, thankfully obeyed. They quickly stood aside, watching as the two fine horses sped through the city gate, the Tokens sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight.
The horses’ speed left everyone present with lingering fear; the timid ones patted their chests with relief, realizing they might have been seriously injured if trampled.
"Who are these people, acting so recklessly?" so citizens couldn’t help but murmur.
"What do you know? Those are officials from the Capital, bringing celebration news to our Jingyuan Prefecture; one of our scholars has passed the Advanced Scholar exam."
Hearing this, the constables were very disdainful and imdiately began to show off with smug expressions.
He suddenly rembered that Jingyuan Prefecture wasn’t a place known for scholarly achievents; it had been years since even a scholar had erged, let alone an Advanced Scholar. Yet today, it happened.
However, recalling Gu Jieyuan’s fa from the past three years, wasn’t he from our Jingyuan Prefecture? Everyone praised him as a manifestation of the celestial Wenquxing; perhaps it was Mr. Gu himself?
The constable felt he had uncovered the truth and waited eagerly to relay this news to his colleagues in the governnt office.
"Wow! So our Jingyuan Prefecture is going to have a new official!" The citizens understood what an Advanced Scholar ant, and upon hearing the constable, they beca happy, even though it wasn’t their own family, they felt proud as citizens of Jingyuan Prefecture.
Jingyuan Prefecture, Shangling Village!
"Madam, please have so more," urged a coarse-voiced old woman, carrying a bowl of lotus seed soup to the woman lying on the bed.
"Dumb Granny! You say Xiao Bao hasn’t returned for over a year; I wonder if he can co back this year." The speaker was none other than Gu Chengyu’s mother, Mrs. Lv.
Dumb Granny had been rendered mute by poison years ago; it was Gu Chengyu who had provided an antidote. Unfortunately, the damage was permanent, and though her voice recovered slightly, it could never regain its previous clarity. Nowadays, her voice was a bit coarse.
Mrs. Lv gazed absentmindedly at the exquisite furnishings added recently in the room. Since Xiao Bao went to the Capital, she had been constantly worried. The Capital was too far from Shangling Village; she had no idea how distant, since the farthest she’d ever been was the provincial capital.
Seeing her youngest son only once every year or two made her sowhat regretful. A mother’s worries for a son traveling far - she now wished Xiao Bao wouldn’t pursue that top scorer title, as long as he could be by her side often.
Dumb Granny sighed, ever since the second lady married and left for the Capital, the mansion had beco increasingly lifeless. The elder house had already moved out of the old residence, choosing a plot in the village to build a new house.
The second house, after using up its reserves three years ago, wasn’t financially well off and still lived in the old residence.
Now, with the marriage to Wang Yue, days had beco more tumultuous. The Second Master seed to indulge more in won, and after recovering his health, even took a concubine.
"The Imperial Examination days are over, if Fifth Master passes as an Advanced Scholar, the official recognition and celebration news should arrive in Jingyuan Prefecture these days, Madam you should wait for the good news!"
Dumb Granny knew Mrs. Lv was thinking of Fifth Master again; she had noticed Mrs. Lv’s increased interest in the affairs of the Capital lately.
"I hope so!" Mrs. Lv said with low spirits, her gaze unfocused, her thoughts a mystery.
Suddenly she continued, "The Third Son and his wife are now content with having a son, why shouldn’t Wan stay with ? Rather she goes back to help take care of her brother, being sent around once back. The Fourth Son doesn’t return either, staying at his pharmacy all day, never coming back to see , I’ve not seen my two dear grandchildren for so long."
She shifted uncomfortably, lying down and began to lant about her children at ho.
"I’ve not seen Wan’s Xiao Baozi, he’s already over a year old, the perfect age for playing. Thankfully Xiao Bao drew a picture, otherwise, I wouldn’t recognize even if I saw him!"
Mrs. Lv had been bringing this up often recently, and Dumb Granny knew it was because she felt lonely. However, to say the Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master never ca to visit was untrue; they had co just a few days ago, and even if they did not co frequently, they visited at least five tis a month.
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