Chapter 619: System for Rising in the World via Imperial Examinations (28)

So, when Song Yanqing was on break and returned home, Lin Shi seized the opportunity to quietly brainwash her son: "Son, you must strive! Try to pass the exam and become a Juren, don't let your wife down."

Song Yanqing: "..."

Is his wife's expectation for him merely a Juren?

That night, the scholar Song, who had been dry for half a month, plowed the field of his delicate wife with great effort, not calling a halt until the rooster crowed. He exhausted Xie Yang so much that, in her daze, she vaguely heard him ask: "What official position does my wife hope I attain?"

Xie Yang guessed muddledly: "It has to be a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, right?"

Otherwise, how could one be called "Highest Official Rank"?

Then she curled up in his arms and fell into a deep sleep.

Song Yanqing lowered his eyes to look at her charming, naive sleeping face and suddenly smiled.

A Grand Secretary of the Cabinet?

So in his wife's heart, he was actually worthy of such a high official position?

This really is... flattering!

However, a life full of challenges is more interesting, isn't it?

At that moment, all sleepiness vanished. He hugged her fragrant, soft body tighter, stroking her delicate, jade-like skin—which he couldn't get enough of—every now and then. His consciousness had already called up the System Library, and he immersed himself in it, frantically absorbing knowledge that the instructor at the County School had never taught...

Xie Yang woke up to find the sky already bright.

She hurried to get out of bed; today she was going back to her maiden home with him!

But seeing the faint dark circles under his eyes, Xie Yang asked puzzledly: "Did you not sleep well last night?"

Song Yanqing: "..."

He dared not tell the truth that he hadn't slept all night and had been studying until dawn.

Originally, he had only intended to study for an hour or two, but he hadn't expected that once his consciousness entered the System Library, he wouldn't feel a shred of sleepiness, and he became self-forgetful once he entered a state of study. By the time he realized it was late and he should sleep, the sky was already turning light.

Seeing that his mental state was fine, Xie Yang didn't ask further and urged him to wash up quickly, as they still had to return to her maiden home today!

Seeing her son-in-law accompany her daughter home during his rare break, Fang Shi was naturally very happy.

She let her son and daughter-in-law look after the stall and shop, then dragged her husband home to entertain their son-in-law.

Song Yanqing remembered the spiced meat and spiced pig trotters he had promised to bring for his fellow students, so he asked his parents-in-law if they were troublesome to make. If they were, he would act as if he hadn't mentioned it: "This matter was my rashness; I should have returned to ask for your opinions before answering my fellow students."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shi was overjoyed: her family's braised food business had actually reached the County?

"Oh my! What kind of trouble is this? Perhaps other people can't buy high-quality pork belly, but would our family ever lack meat?"

Fang Shi was too happy to be bothered; how could she think her son-in-law was rash? He was basically a God of Wealth introducing business!

"Ten catties of spiced meat and two pairs of pig trotters, right? I'll go make them now. It doesn't matter if it's too late today; just stop by to pick them up on your way to the County tomorrow."

"Thank you, Mother-in-law!"

Fang Shi smiled from ear to ear: "You're too polite, son-in-law! You sit and have a drink with your father-in-law; my daughter can just accompany me to the kitchen."

Fang Shi pulled Xie Yang to the kitchen.

Ever since the braised food stall opened, the business for both braised and spiced goods had been good. Fang Shi didn't know how many pots she made every day, so she was already very proficient at it.

She quickly prepared the braising liquid and seasonings needed for the spiced meat and spiced pig trotters and set to work efficiently.

While doing so, she didn't forget to praise her daughter: "Our girl has a good eye! You picked a son-in-law who doesn't look down on our family!"

Xie Yang laughed: "Our family isn't bad, why would he look down on us?"

"You can't say it like that. Your husband is the top scholar of this year's exam! With that ability, passing the Juren exam is only a matter of time, so it's normal for him to be a bit arrogant. Didn't you hear your eldest sister? There's a scholar next door to her who looks at merchants with disdain, hiding far away as if he were afraid the smell of Copper would defile him."

Xie Yang was speechless: "Does he live on dew? If not, doesn't the rice he eats, the porridge he drinks, and the clothes and shoes he wears all cost money? And he still dislikes the smell of Copper? I think his head was kicked by a donkey!"

"..."

Fang Shi burst out laughing.

"Mother, what are you laughing at? Isn't what I said right? Isn't this the classic case of 'eating from the bowl and cursing the cook'? Don't worry, your son-in-law is definitely not that kind of person!"

"I can tell!" Fang Shi laughed, unable to hold it back. "That's why I'm praising your good eye."

"..."

There was no need to praise her that much.

To make the spiced meat flavorful, the braising time couldn't be short, so after lunch, Fang Shi went to the kitchen to check and said it still needed more time.

"If you have things to do, go ahead. You have to pass the town entrance to get to the County anyway, so just stop by to pick them up tomorrow. Mother will pack them in one-catty portions with oil paper, and the pig trotters will be packed separately, don't worry."

As Fang Shi spoke, she pondered that since her son-in-law helped her earn this money, she would get up early tomorrow to braise a fresh pot of food for him to take to the County School to eat.

"Thank you, Mother. We'll head to town now; if we're late, we'll just head back to the village."

"Got it, just remember to come by tomorrow."

The young couple went to town together and strolled around for a while.

Song Yanqing went to the bookstore as usual to sell a batch of books he had copied over the past half month.

It was still a batch of rare, unique collections. After deducting the cost of brushes, ink, and paper, he made a net profit of four taels and six hundred Copper. As usual, he handed the change to the family fund and gave the four taels to Xie Yang.

Xie Yang pulled him to the carriage shop to pick out a horse and carriage: "I've long wanted to get a carriage for our family. Now that you're studying at the County School and traveling back and forth twice a month, it's more convenient to have our own carriage. Besides, after spring, there will be more work on the farm, and there will be many times when a carriage is needed."

Song Yanqing didn't know what he was thinking, but a blush appeared on his handsome face: "I... have never learned to drive a carriage."

Xie Yang patted her chest: "Don't worry, I can!"

"..."

His wife could even drive a carriage? Was there anything she couldn't do?

Xie Yang didn't know his inner thoughts. She bought the big black horse she had taken a fancy to, and while smoothing its fur, she fed it a few black beans soaked in Spirit Spring.

She saw it snort spiritedly and lick Xie Yang's hand affectionately.

Xie Yang was so tickled she couldn't help but laugh: "Since you're black all over, how about I call you Night Wind?"

The big black horse seemed to accept the name, rubbing against her affectionately and trying to lick her hand again, but was blocked by Song Yanqing.

"Wife, it's getting late, we should go home."

The big black horse licked nothing but air, and unhappily snorted at Song Yanqing.

Xie Yang: "..."

Has this horse become a spirit?

"Ye Feng, he is your male master, you cannot be rude."

Xie Yang patted the big black horse's head and stuffed a handful of black beans into Song Yanqing's hand: "You feed it; once it eats what you feed it, it will be familiar with you."

Before Song Yanqing could react, Ye Feng had already leaned in to nudge the black beans in his hand, and even cast a disdainful glance at him with its wet, large eyes, as if saying: Why are you so dawdling? The female master has already told you to feed the horse fragrant beans, what are you still stalling for?

Song Yanqing: "..."