Chapter 475: Rest assured, it will take effect once this matter is done [Thanks

Xu Zaijing, his brother, and Qingyun exchanged glances for only an instant,

Subsequently, the three of them dismounted, and Zaihang cupped his hands and said: "I don't know the brother's noble surname and given name, when have we had any dealings?"

This new imperial scholar, Shui Brother Jin Yu, hurriedly explained with a smile.

Qingyun was still recalling, after all, he had helped quite a few people during the cold weather and snow.

Xu Zaijing recalled for a moment and then suddenly realized: "I remember! Speaking of which, it was also thanks to the little Princess's blessing! It was just a small effort at the time, I didn't expect the brother to still remember this matter!"

At this time, there were already many Bianjing commoners surrounding them to watch the excitement,

Hearing the conversation of the few,

Someone in the crowd shouted: "The young master is kind and charitable, and this official is also grateful and knows how to repay!"

"Truly a beautiful story!"

"Tian Squire, you have truly caught a good son-in-law!"

The discussion around made Squire Tian, who was successful in 'catching a son-in-law', feel honored, and he smiled and cupped his hands toward the surroundings.

When Squire Tian cupped his hands, he also kept looking at the mounts and attire of Xu Zaijing and the others, with thoughtful eyes.

This new imperial scholar smiled toward the surroundings and continued to Xu Zaijing:

"Speaking of which, I also wanted to do a good deed before, unfortunately..."

Saying this, Shui Brother Jin Yu shook his head.

Xu Zaijing said: "Having a heart to do good deeds is better than many people! Brother has passed the imperial examination today, I don't know where you are staying, if there is time, we might ask for advice."

Zaihang nodded on the side.

Shui Brother Jin Yu looked embarrassedly at the steward who had accompanied him.

That steward cupped his hands and said: "Replying to the two young masters, we are from the Eleventh Branch of the Hat Tian family, living in Tian Lane, Bianyang Ward."

Xu Zaijing nodded and glanced at Qingyun.

Qingyun took out a post from his bosom and handed it to Shui Brother Jin Yu with both hands. The new imperial scholar hurriedly took it and looked at the name on the post, his eyes widening.

The Tian family steward beside Shui Brother Jin Yu also took the opportunity to take a look.

After the few cupped their hands and said goodbye,

The Tian family steward looked at his own master's anxious appearance and hurriedly leaned over to say a few words.

"I didn't expect this kid to be able to establish a relationship with the Marquis of Yongyi's residence..."

"Master, this little one observes that the young lady's dowry might need to be increased."

"Not bad."

After a while,

The classmates from the Sheng family school arrived one after another,

Changbai and Changfeng accompanied Zhuang Xuejiu.

After going to the second floor of the tea house,

Zhuang Xuejiu sat in the chair of the private room: "Before you talk about your feelings, think about the mood when we went to the entrance of the examination hall last month, put yourselves into it, and then think about what you see today."

"Yes, Xuejiu."

Everyone responded.

Zhuang Xuejiu sipped tea and fanned his fan,

A quarter of an hour later,

Changbai and Xu Zaijing had solemn faces, as if they were the ones who had failed the examination today.

Gu Tingye frowned,

Zaihang had a smile on his face,

Qi Heng supported his face with his fist, looking back in a daze,

"Hehe..." Changfeng laughed out loud, obviously having put himself into the shoes of a certain scholar who had passed the examination.

Subsequently, everyone talked about their own feelings.

After Zhuang Xuejiu's teaching according to their aptitude, he announced the end of school.

In the afternoon,

Sitting behind the desk,

Xu Zaijing thought about his previous feelings and only felt that he seemed to need to be more diligent.

In the evening,

Xu Zaijing and his brother returned to the Marquis's residence.

When going to the horse racing track,

He saw Yin Bo directing Alan and Xunshu to move things. 【475-51

After nodding, Seeing Xi Bu also looked outside with interest, then frowned and said, "That scholar surrounded by people over there, why is he so rude! His eyes are staring straight at our carriage."

Ningxiang hurriedly leaned over to take a look, saying as she watched, "That person's clothes look somewhat familiar!"

Seeing Xi Bu was stunned, then looked again from the window: "It really is! When we met Xian Ge'er at the Donghua Gate, this person seemed to have been scolded a few times by him."

Ningxiang nodded and said, "I thought he was just a lecher, I didn't expect him to be a Jinshi."

Rong Feiyan shook her head slightly in the carriage: "Let's go."

Ningxiang said with some reluctance: "Young Lady, are we not going to watch the excitement anymore?"

Rong Feiyan tugged at Ningxiang's ear: "If we don't leave now, your Young Lady here is going to become the excitement."

Seeing Xi Bu spoke to the outside,

and the Rong family party departed toward the side.

As the carriage moved along,

when passing by the teahouse,

Rong Feiyan smiled at the spirited Long Ju at the teahouse entrance, then, holding a 'try it and see' attitude, leaned slightly to look toward the second floor of the teahouse through the carriage window.

Xu Zaijing pursed his lips as he watched the various states of the students and examinees downstairs, feeling quite enlightened in his heart.

While scanning the area, he suddenly noticed a gaze looking over.

Xu Zaijing looked back reflexively and saw the young lady in the carriage looking toward him.

Seeing the astonishment, pleasant surprise, and the shyness she was trying hard to suppress in the young lady's eyes, Xu Zaijing nodded slightly.

Rong Feiyan sat up straight again with a flustered look in her eyes,

and with her back against the carriage wall, she only felt her earlobes and cheeks heating up, and her heart felt somewhat sweet.

"What's wrong, Young Lady? Another lecher?" Ningxiang asked, looking outside.

In Ningxiang's field of vision, Gu Tingye on the second floor was frowning, looking into the distance with a seemingly profound expression.

Rong Feiyan shook her head slightly,

pretended to yawn, and covered her face with her wide sleeve,

then used her hand to rub her face.

Seeing Xi Bu looked at Ningxiang's appearance without speaking; she only glanced at the horse at the teahouse entrance.

At the end of the Si hour (after 11:00 AM),

Scholar Zhuang brought the students back to the Sheng residence.

After everyone was seated, Scholar Zhuang said: "Before you all speak of your impressions, first think about the mood when we went to the entrance of the Examination Compound last month, put yourselves into that situation, and then think about what you saw today."

"Yes, Scholar."

Everyone responded.

Scholar Zhuang sipped his tea and fanned himself.

A quarter of an hour later,

Changbai and Xu Zaijing had solemn expressions, as if it were the two of them who had failed the exam today.

Gu Tingye frowned,

Zaihang had a smile on the corner of his mouth,

Qi Heng supported his cheek with his fist, looking back in a daze,

and "Hehe," Changfeng laughed out loud, clearly having put himself in the shoes of a student who had passed the exam.

Afterward, everyone shared their own insights.

After some instruction tailored to each individual's aptitude, Scholar Zhuang announced the end of the lesson.

In the afternoon,

sitting behind the desk,

Xu Zaijing thought about his previous insights and felt that he needed to be even more diligent.

In the evening,

Xu Zaijing and his elder brother returned to the Hou Fu.

When going to the horse racing field,

they saw Yin Bo directing Alan and Xunshu to move things.

When Xu Zaijing rode his horse closer, he discovered that they were moving wooden boxes, each strip-shaped and over a foot long.

After dismounting,

Xu Zaijing and Qingyun saddled and bridled the Long Ju together.

Seeing the look in his disciple's eyes, Yin Bo said: "These are things sent by Xie Zijue Zhu today. Alan, bring a box over."

"Yes, Yin Bo."

"Sent by Jing Jing Biao Ge?"

Xu Zaijing untied the Long Ju's bridle, then patted its neck to let it go play on its own.

He opened the somewhat heavy wooden box handed over by Alan, and seeing the fish-shaped stones inside, Qingyun had some doubts on his face. Xu Zaijing hesitated and said: "Master, are these whetstones?"

Yin Bo nodded.

Xu Zaijing looked toward the room where his weapons and armor were kept, and seeing the wooden boxes stacked as high as a table, he said:

"For such a whetstone thing, why did Jing Jing Biao Ge send so many?"

Qingyun nodded in agreement: "Sending so many of these stones, we can't use them all."

Yin Bo took the wooden box from Xu Zaijing's hand with annoyance and said: "You two, you really don't know quality."

Xu Zaijing and Qingyun had the same expression: "Ah?"

"Alan, the dagger."

Yin Bo took the dagger thrown over with its sheath, drew it out, and said: "Fifth Young Master, and you too, look closely at the color of this dagger's blade right now."

Xu Zaijing and Qingyun nodded as they looked at the silvery-white blade.

Yin Bo sat to the side, scooped some water from the horse-feeding bucket to wet the stone, and began to carefully sharpen the dagger on the whetstone.

Xu Zaijing and Qingyun squatted to the side, watching curiously.

During this time, the little Li Ju and the two Long Ju kept rubbing their heads against Xu Zaijing, seemingly urging him to go attend to something, but Xu Zaijing pushed them aside.

More than a quarter of an hour later,

Yin Bo handed the dagger in his hand to Xu Zaijing.

Xu Zaijing looked at the sharp dagger with a greenish blade edge and said: "Master, so... is it poisonous?"

Qingyun looked at his uncle with surprise.

Yin Bo gave Xu Zaijing and Qingyun another annoyed look and said: "This whetstone is called the Mi Stone, produced in Tongyuan Army of Gongzhou. Using this whetstone to sharpen weapons makes the blade turn a greenish color and can keep the weapon from rusting."

Xu Zaijing's eyes widened: "Master, really?"

Yin Bo looked at the surprised expressions of his disciple and nephew and said: "Yes! Previously, the Yin family shops also sold this good stuff; a piece of this quality would cost thirty guan."

"Hiss!"

Xu Zaijing looked back at the stack of wooden boxes in the room and said: "Master, a long sword in the army only costs five or six guan; only the officers in the army could afford to use this stone."

Yin Bo touched the stone in his hand: "Fifth Young Master, when I was young, the quantity of these whetstones was not small, and each piece was only three guan. Over these years, this Mi Stone has gradually become hard to find, which is why the price has gone up! I don't know where Xie Zijue Zhu found so many."

Xu Zaijing nodded: "Jing Jing Biao Ge has put his heart into this."

"Qingyun, you and Alan and the others keep a box each for yourselves to use."

"Thank you, Young Master!"

Qingyun and the others said with smiles and bows.

Although Xu Zaijing said they should use them themselves, if they didn't have good swords worthy of them, they would rather have these whetstones lie in the wooden boxes.

In Madam Sun's courtyard,

in the main hall,

Xu Zaijing sat in the lower seat and looked at Zhu Qinghu in the upper seat: "Jing Jing Biao Ge, were those stones all obtained in the city of Dingzhou (present-day Mount Shizui) in the Bai Gao Kingdom?"

Zhu Qinghu laughed: "That's right! I heard from the craftsmen in Dingzhou that these things were originally prepared to be transported to the Keyi Gate fortress to be given as rewards after the Bai Gao army defeated us! But in the end, they fell into our hands."

"At first, because of an earthquake, these stones were all buried in the dust. We rough soldiers didn't understand what they were. It was only later that the steward sent by the Chai family to take over the Wujin coal mine recognized this item; otherwise, they would have been thrown away as ordinary stones."

Xu Zaijing said: "To think there were such twists and turns! This steward is truly an impartial person."

Zhu Qinghu nodded repeatedly in approval.

Xu Zaijing laughed again: "Jing Jing Biao Ge, with such a good thing, when I give gifts to others, I won't be vulgar."

Zhu Qinghu waved his hand: "Go, go, go, what good thing don't you have? Do you still care about this?"

Xu Xingdai slid out of Madam Sun's arms, walked to Xu Zaijing, and said: "Little Uncle, can you not give this stone to Gu Shixing?"

Xu Zaijing pinched his little face and said: "That depends on whether your grandmother agrees!"

Hearing the conversation between the two,

Xu Minghua, Madam Sun, Madam Zhu, and others sitting in the upper seats all laughed.

Hualan was listening to Ni Qiqiu and Madam Xie explaining the function of this 'Mi Stone'.

Hearing the laughter in the hall, Hualan said in a low voice: "Does this whetstone really have such an effect?"

Madam Xie nodded and said: "My father has one, and he always carries it with him." After finishing, she looked at her son who was pestering Xu Zaijing: "Xu Xingdai, get back here!"

Ni Qiqiu said from the side: "I saw my husband sharpening his sword two days ago, and the blade edge was truly greenish."

Hualan nodded and said "Oh."

After saying a few more words, Madam Xie looked at the Mama peeking at the entrance of the hall, handed her son to her mother-in-law, and said: "Let's go, let's go serve the dishes."

As she spoke, the three of them got up and went to the side hall where the banquet was set.

After a lively meal,

the Zhu family got up to take their leave.

When they were walking outside together,

Marquis Yongyi Xu Minghua walked in front, talking about things with his nephew and sons.

Madam Zhu was surrounded by Madam Sun and Madam Xie, followed by Hualan and Ni Qiqiu.

Madam Sun looked at her sister-in-law, who looked a bit worried, patted Madam Zhu's arm, and said in a low voice: "Sister, don't worry. Once Hu Ge'er finishes this matter, you will see results in a month or two."

Madam Zhu glanced at her brother, son, and nephew talking in front and said: "I hope so."

Madam Xie smiled and glanced at Ni Qiqiu: "Aunt, before, your eldest nephew gave Little Wu a ruby dagger..."

Madam Zhu nodded repeatedly, and Madam Sun continued: "An'er had been married for less than a month when she had one."

Ni Qiqiu was walking behind, listening in a daze.

Seeing Hualan's somewhat teasing look, Ni Qiqiu lowered her head shyly, but Hualan wouldn't let this cousin-in-law go, and whispered in Ni Qiqiu's ear: "Sister-in-law, before, the Lu family also sent many good gifts, look at them now..."

Ni Qiqiu nodded, looked at the crowd in front, reached into her sleeve, took out a book of massage techniques she had sewn herself, and whispered: "Hualan, this is the massage technique I drew myself, and there are some insights inside. When you have time, help me give it to Aunt; it can be considered a token of my heart."

Hualan looked down at the book in front of her, her eyes turned, and she said: "Sister-in-law, can I read it?"

Ni Qiqiu raised her eyes, looked a bit confused, and whispered: "Why can't you read it? Just read it. Later, when Jing Jing Biao Ge is tired from working, you can also help him relax."

Ni Qiqiu saw Hualan's strange expression and hurriedly said: "I meant tired from studying."

Hualan: "Ah? Oh!"

Both were married women, and looking at Ni Qiqiu, she asked with a sense of 'revenge': "Sister, what were you thinking about?"

Hualan bit her lip in embarrassment and lightly bumped Ni Qiqiu with her arm.

Watching the Zhu family's carriage go far away,

the Xu family returned to the backyard.

After being seated in the hall,

Hualan handed the drawing book Ni Qiqiu gave her to Madam Sun.

Madam Sun looked at it by the candlelight and sighed: "This child has put her heart into it."

Then she raised her head and called out: "Qingcao!"

"I am here, Madam." Qingcao, who was standing behind Xu Zaijing, responded.

"Come."

Madam Sun beckoned.

Qingcao walked to Madam Sun, and Madam Sun handed the drawing book over and laughed: "You learn it well first."

"Yes, Madam."

At the end of the third month,

the Palace Examination ended.

On the day of the announcement of the names at the Donghua Gate,

for some reason, Scholar Zhuang did not go, only letting Xu Zaijing and the other students go.

That Shui Brother Jin Yu obtained 58th place in the second rank after the Palace Examination.

In the first ten days of the fourth month, the wedding invitation for this person was sent to the Marquis Yongyi's residence on Quyuanjie.

The person who came to deliver the invitation was also somewhat special; he was an official bringing his wife and children, and in his hand, he was clutching a jade pendant to return to Zaihang.

On the eighth day of the fourth month,

Jinming Pool was closed again as in previous years.

This day was also the Buddha's Birthday.

The Sheng family school was on holiday.

In the morning,

Zhu Qinghu and his mother Madam Zhu came to the Xu family with joyful faces. When they saw Xu Zaijing walking into Madam Sun's courtyard, Zhu Qinghu's mouth couldn't stop smiling, and Madam Zhu's eyes were full of joy; the whole person seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden.

Xu Zaijing looked at the expressions of the people in the hall and thought: "It's only been how long... and she's already pregnant?"

Then he thought again, that's right! His cousin returned to the capital at the beginning of the third month, and as the saying goes, a short separation is better than a new marriage...

Receiving this good thing makes one feel a bit guilty.

(End of chapter)