Farmhouse Green Plum

Chapter 707

It turned out that the chief examiner for the provincial examination had been appointed. Song Ying suddenly realized what was going on and knocked on the door and went in.

Seven pairs of eyes in the room looked over at the same time. In addition to Shen Jing, there were Bai Heng, Pu Yan, and the other four were Yuan Qing County School's classmates.

"How's the sister-in-law?" Everyone stood up and saluted.

Pu Yan seemed worried that Song Ying would misunderstand that they were delaying Yuan Qing's studies, and he took the initiative to explain, "The provincial examination has been decided, and we are here to discuss with Brother Yuan about going to the Chengdu Municipal Examination. We should all go together so that we can look after each other."

Bai Heng added, "We have another unwelcome request. I heard from Brother Yuan that you are accompanying us on this provincial examination. Could you please take care of our health?"

"Of course," Song Ying nodded without hesitation. Then she felt something was wrong. She looked at Bai Heng, then at Shen Jing, "You two... are going too?"

Shen Jing and Bai Heng failed the last college entrance examination again and were not scholars. She thought they were here to deliver a message.

In an instant, the house fell into a subtle silence, and the chirping of cicadas outside the window suddenly became clearer, with waves of sound coming one after another, making people's eardrums swell.

Shen Jing lowered his head and stared at a crack on the cover of the Spring and Autumn Annals, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the pattern, as if trying to dig out an answer from it.

Bai Heng shifted her feet uncomfortably, her brocade boots making a rustling sound on the blue brick floor, and the tassel of the jade pendant at her waist got entangled in the corner of the desk.

Song Ying had guessed some of this situation and regretted his hasty words.

Fortunately, Yuan Qing came over with a cold towel and said, "It's hot, wipe it quickly."

As he spoke, he took the food box from Song Ying and placed it on the table.

The embarrassed crowd finally found the stairs, and Shen Jing hurriedly said, "It's already noon. You guys eat, we'll take our leave now and talk again another day!"

"Yes, yes, we'll discuss this another day. Brother Yuan, sister-in-law, goodbye..."

Song Ying touched the tip of his nose and swallowed back the words "stay for dinner".

This is clearly not the time to be hospitable.

After the chaotic footsteps faded away, she asked Yuan Qing: "So, why were they allowed to take part in the provincial examination?"

"They took the path of pretending to be Confucian scholars."

Yuan Qing opened the lunch box and took out the food while saying:

"A scholar filling the room?" Song Ying was puzzled. What was this thing?

"According to the Daqian Huidian, the imperial examination rules state that any official in charge of education may select outstanding students to fill the examination, without limiting the number of students who can be added to the stipend."

"No limit..." Song Ying savored the last sentence, stunned. "Does that mean I can skip the Boy's Exam and directly take the Provincial Exam?"

Yuan Qing nodded, his face full of complexity. As a friend, he was very happy that Shen Jing could take the provincial examination, but this blatant unfairness still made him feel uncomfortable.

"This is too..." Song Ying didn't know what to say. What does it mean to select the best? How can a truly outstanding person fail to pass the examination to become a scholar?

Why do we need this useless scholar to fill the room?

This is clearly a backdoor opened by the powerful for their own children to take shortcuts!

Yuan Qing slowly exhaled, "This was implemented at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, when the imperial examination system was not yet perfect. The original intention was for local officials to listen to public opinion and recommend virtuous people to participate in the provincial examinations to serve as talents for the country. However, it later changed its nature."

Moreover, initially only the Imperial Censor could select candidates, but now, the governor, prefect, and county magistrate all have vacancies.

After a brief moment of silence, Yuan Qing quickly adjusted his mood and opened the lunch box: "I'm hungry, let's eat first."

The moment the food box was opened, the aroma of ginseng soup mixed with the sweetness of osmanthus candied lotus root filled the room, and Yuan Qing's depressed heart suddenly felt much lighter.

Song Ying also felt that these troubles were useless except for affecting her mood, so she put them aside and moved the third layer of the food box. "I asked Aunt Xu to make your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, marinated in aged plum juice and added freshly picked perilla."

Yuan Qing paused the tip of his chopsticks in the sweet and sour sauce, and the amber liquid slowly slid down the grain of the ribs.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes curved gently. "Although Aunt Xu's cooking skills are good, I still look forward to the ginseng soup you make. The taste is different every day."

Song Ying's face lit up immediately, and he took out the ginseng soup from the bottom layer. "Of course, the medicinal food I make is priceless."

She lifted the lid of the celadon stewing pot, and the clear aroma of medicine, mixed with mist, rose in the air. "This is a ginseng and poria soup made according to an ancient recipe. Ginseng replenishes Qi, and poria dispels dampness. Adding the lotus seeds cooked in morning dew will help inspire creative thinking."

Yuan Qing smiled and took the stewing pot. The soup was as clear as autumn dew, and the lotus seeds floating in it were plump, just like ink balls scattered in an inkstone.

Gently stirring with a spoon, he revealed ginseng slices as thin as cicada wings at the bottom of the bowl. He said seriously, "No wonder my mind has been so clear while studying lately. It's all thanks to this soup of yours!"

He stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed, imitating the tone of the patient who was seeking treatment: "Thank you, Divine Doctor Song, for your miraculous healing. If I pass the exam in the future, I will definitely repay you for your kindness."

Song Ying was so amused that she almost choked with laughter. The chopsticks in her hand hit the edge of the bowl, making a crisp "ding" sound.

After a while, she finally held back her laughter and said in a serious tone, "Well, then you should think carefully about how to thank me."

Time passed as the two of them talked and laughed. After dinner, they rested for a while. When it was almost time for the afternoon consultation, Song Ying packed up his lunch box and returned to the clinic.

While taking a patient's pulse, Luo Yanxing came to the door and peeked in. Seeing Song Ying taking the patient's pulse, he paced under the ginkgo tree in the yard. His apricot-yellow shirt fluttered in the wind, and he looked like an oriole that couldn't restrain itself.

This is good news!

Song Ying quickly finished examining the patient, then stood up and left. "What's the good news?"

"How do you know it's a good thing?" Luo Yanxing's mouth was almost stretched behind his ears.

"You're like a fluttering magpie, almost ready to fly."

"Is it that exaggerated?" Luo Yanxing muttered, then quickly put it aside and pulled Song Ying around to the side of the ginkgo tree against the wall.

He also stuck his head out to look and saw that in the clinic, Doctor Ma was taking a child's pulse, and Lin Wenxuan was busy writing a prescription; Yuan Shan, Tong Yunshu and Miao Yufu were all busy in the pharmacy, and the patients were either waiting in the clinic or in the pharmacy.

She then leaned close to Song Ying's ear and said, "Yun Ze and I have set the wedding date. It's the seventh or eighth day of next month."

"Next month?!" Song Ying was so shocked that his voice changed.

Luo Yanxing reached out and covered her mouth with her hand. Then she looked over and found that everyone in the clinic and the pharmacy was looking at her. She laughed twice, quickly retracted her head, and glared: "Keep your voice down."

Song Ying nodded quickly, and when she released his hand, he lowered his voice and said, "Isn't this too soon? Aren't weddings usually held in the twelfth lunar month?"