After leaving the county seat, Jing Heguang first went to the academy, and then visited Li Wenxin when passing through Fucheng.
The backyard of Li Mansion.
Li Wenxin felt dizzy as he watched his husband order his subordinates to pack boxes after boxes of clothes.
Li Wenxin said aloud: “Lu’ger, you’re just going to the capital for a month. Why are you packing so many clothes? You make it seem like you won’t come back anymore.”
Li Wenxin’s husband, Qin Lu, looked at him with disgust: “You only think of yourself when going out, so wearing one piece of clothing for three to five days doesn’t matter to you. When I take Jiaojiao back to my parents’ house, maybe they’ll even help Jiaojiao take a look at someone, so there must be no mistakes!”
Qin Lu was dissing Li Wenxin being in the way, then Li Tong from the front yard came to look for Li Wenxin.
Li Tong said: “Sir, Jing Heguang, Jing Jieyuan, is going to take part in the imperial examination, so he came here to say goodbye to you today.”
Qin Lu’s eyes lit up: “I know this guy. Jiaojiao mentioned him several times, and you even gave him a year’s worth of drinking silver!”
Then he pushed Li Wenxin, who was standing in the way, and said, “Wenxin, go and greet him!”
Li Wenxin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Okay, okay, I’ll go right now, don’t rush me away.”
***
Li Mansion, front yard.
Jing Heguang was led into the study by his servants.
Before Li Wenxin arrived, Jing Heguang made some plans in his mind.
He came over first to say goodbye. Li Wenxin had given him a sum of money before, but he didn’t seem to reply. Secondly, Jing Heguang wanted to get acquainted with him and get to know Li Wenxin better in order to ‘redress his mother’s grievances’ in the future.
Not long after Jing Heguang sat down, Li Wenxin came over from the backyard.
Jing Heguang stood up and saluted: “Student Jing Heguang met you, sir!”
Li Wenxin waved his hands and said with a smile: “I still remember the fun of chatting with Heguang at the Luming Banquet. Why does Brother Heguang have to be so polite?”
As soon as Li Wenxin saw Jing Heguang, he thought of the very pleasant chat that day, and his mood became visibly better.
However, thinking that Jing Heguang was going for the spring examination, Li Wenxin felt a little disapproval.
Jing Heguang’s test papers were outstanding in the provincial examination. However, during the spring examination, outstanding candidates from all counties gathered together, so Jing Heguang’s provincial examinations won’t stand out in the context of the spring examination.
In Li Wenxin’s view, although Jing Heguang is smart, he really still needs room to grow. He seems a little eager now, which is not quite good.
Therefore, Li Wenxin restrained his smile and asked seriously: “Heguang is leaving, are you sure?”
Jing Heguang said modestly: “I don’t dare to say how sure I am, but I can give it a try.”
However, when he said this, Li Wenxin became even less optimistic!
He thought to himself: I’m afraid that Jing Heguang became a little too confident after becoming a jieyuan. The family is small and there are no close relatives or elders to advise, so he doesn’t know how difficult it will be to try.
Li Wenxin frowned and said mercilessly: “Since Heguang himself doesn’t know how many points he got, I can test you and help you test how confident you will be! I was lucky enough to get second place in the rankings back then.”
Li Wenxin was a Jinshi in his youth, and as he has lived in the official circles for a long time, more of his opinions and ideas have become very mature, so he is even more sharp when asking questions compared to others.
“The previous dynasty used military force to suppress the Meng and Yuan in the northwest, but now they were treated with kindness and leniency. What does Heguang think of this?”
“Now in the southeast, the Marquis of Nanzhen asked to suppress the mountain people 3 times now. However, in the past three years, the grain production in the south has been insufficient. What should we do about this?”
“…”
Li Wenxin asked straightforwardly. It was not like the test questions in the exam were all worded in a formal way, but the questions in succession were relatively big and needed to be combined with the overall situation, so it was not easy to answer.
After Li Wenxin finished asking, he looked at Jing Heguang intently, secretly wondering if it was a bit too much to test Jing Heguang on a question that he had been thinking about carefully.
However, for such a young man, it is good to let him know that the sky is high and the earth is wide, so it’s better for people. Thinking of this, Li Wenxin was determined again.
When Jing Heguang heard that Li Wenxin was ranked second, he admired him very much. It was not easy to be ranked second among thousands of people!
Therefore, Jing Heguang thought carefully about the questions Li Wenxin asked before answering them one by one.
“From Heguang’s point of view, the current friendly attitude towards Meng and Yuan is actually to control the two places. It can be seen that the result is that in recent years, there has been no development in Meng and Yuan, there has even been a slight regression…”
“As for the Marquis of Zhennan, in fact, the request to suppress the mountain people is unnecessary. Since it is known that the southern land has not produced abundant food for many years, the southwest is also the south! This is a great opportunity to turn the mountain people into obedient people…”
Jing Heguang talkedeloquently, because he doesn’t have to think about rigorous wording, it is much faster than studying the test questions.
Li Wenxin listened to the answers one by one, his mood gradually became complicated.
Jing Heguang obviously was not at this level during the provincial examination!
Especially his understanding of the overall situation of current affairs, it has improved by leaps and bounds!
Jing Heguang’s mouths were dry as they talked and finally answered the last question.
Even the last question, Jing Heguang felt was a bit over the top. It really didn’t look like a question that could be passed on in a general examination.
But since Li Wenxin asked, Jing Heguang answered honestly.
Jing Heguang looked up at Li Wenxin to see how his answer was.
Although he is confident that he can pass the spring examination, he is also afraid that his self-judgment will be imbalanced.
He saw that Li Wenxin’s face…was not very good-looking.
Could it be that he really felt too confident about himself, which affected his ability to judge himself?
Jing Heguang was a little panicked and asked cautiously: “Did the student answer poorly?”
Li Wenxin looked at him and shook his head convinced: “It’s not that it was bad. On the contrary, you answered very well!”
Li Wenxin said truthfully: “If you have such a level, you are 90% sure of passing the general examination. The remaining 10% depends on whether you can pass the palace examination!”
Jing Heguang breathed a sigh of relief and was very happy.
Because if he fails this time, he has to study for another three years. And he has to devote himself wholeheartedly to studying, which really will affect his relationship!
After Jing Heguang was happy, he said modestly: “Your excellency, Heguang still needs to work hard.”
Li Wenxin looked at his humble appearance and felt that he had no place to put his face…
Jing Heguang was also so humble just now, but he wasn’t confident in Jing Heguang. Who knows that he is really being humble!
Li Wenxin coughed, pretended to clear his throat, and said: “What a coincidence, my husband and my daughter are also going to the capital. I can’t go with them because of official business. Can Heguang go with them and help me take care of them?”
When family members of a wealthy family are traveling, there are countless servants to take care of them. Why do they need the help of a helpless scholar like Jing Heguang?
Jing Heguang understood clearly in his heart and said gratefully: “Then Heguang will shamelessly occupy one of your carriages and horses. Heguang must take the exam well and live up to your kindness!”
Who doesn’t like smart people? They can understand it as soon as they hear it, so it is easy to talk to.
Anyway, Li Wenxin liked it very much, but he suddenly thought of his husband Qin Lu’s words, ‘Jiaojiao mentioned him several times.’
Li Wenxin, the well-intentioned old father, smiled and said: “I told you, don’t be polite. Your brother-in-law and niece will be in your care along the way.”
Niece?
Jing Heguang was even more satisfied and hit it off with Li Wenxin.
Then, while the backyard was busy, two men were chatting in the front yard. The two men, who had similar views, chatted very happily and regretted meeting each other so late.
***
Li Yujiao went to see her friends to say goodbye during the day, and agreed to bring gifts to her best friends.
After coming back, Li Yujiao saw that his mother was very busy, but the father who said he was helping was nowhere to be seen.
Li Yujiao snorted angrily: “Why is daddy missing again?! We are about to leave for a month, a month is so long!”
Qin Lu smiled and coaxed her: “Jiaojiao, don’t make trouble, your daddy is entertaining someone in the front yard.”
Qin Lu thought for a moment and said: “That’s the scholar you praised last time, the one who won jieyuan! His name is Jing Heguang, right?”
Li Yujiao asked: “Jing Heguang is here?”
Qin Lu smiled and nodded: “Yes. He came to say goodbye to your father.”
Li Yujiao blinked, lifted up her skirt, and looked at Qin Lu flatteringly: “mother, I’m going to the front yard to take a peek!”
After saying that, before Qin Lu agreed, Li Yujiao ran away.
It wasn’t that Li Yujiao had any other thoughts, but that women like her rarely saw outsiders, so she was naturally curious. Thus, she really wanted to take a look.
Li Yujiao ran all the way to the front yard.
She is the little ancestor of the family, so no one can stop her.
Then, she rushed directly into the study with a roar!
Li Wenxin saw his precious daughter and smiled helplessly at Jing Heguang, then looked at Li Yujiao and said: “Jiaojiao, this is your uncle Heguang, don’t be rude.”
Li Yujiao was a little dumbfounded, her eyes widened, and she looked at Jing Heguang, who was at the same age as her. She muttered, then repeated: “Uncle Heguang?”
Jing Heguang looked lovingly: “Yea.”
Li Wenxin looked at Jing Heguang’s action and felt even more satisfied.
His daughter Jiaojiao is still young, but she is already a half-bloom flower. She is so charming and beautiful that many people will lose their minds when they see her.
However, Jing Heguang looked at Li Yujiao as if she were a three-year-old child chewing candied haws on the roadside.
Li Wenxin praised in his heart: Brother Heguang indeed has a noble character! Upright and righteous, he wasn’t disturbed by appearance!
***
Two days later, Jing Heguang set off with the people from Li Mansion.
Along the way, Li Yujiao was not happy to have an uncle who was not much older than herself, and was so angry that she did not look at Jing Heguang at all.
Jing Heguang is…very satisfied with this!
