Green Lotus Peasant Girl

123

Mrs. Xu and Li Qinghe were basking in the sun in the yard when a carriage arrived at her house. It was the town magistrate. His face was filled with happiness as he said, "Mrs. Xu, I went to your house but I didn't find you there, so I knew you would be here. I'm so overjoyed ah! Congratulations to scholar Zhang. He has passed the county exam. He is now a scholar and has a bright and promising future… Ha ha ha… I rushed to announce the good news to you as soon as I received the official document."

The magistrate was so overjoyed that he spoke a little incoherently.

He passed the exam!?

Mrs. Xu was stunned. She then grabbed her daughter's hand and said, "Qinghe, your brother passed!"

Li Qinghe was also very happy, and asked, "When will he be back?"

"I don't know." The magistrate spread his hands and said, "If a candidate passes, then the senior government officials will arrange a banquet for them. And when they go to the county to receive the title, they will have to attend a banquet there too.  It will take half a month at the earliest for him to come back."

It can still be considered early. It was a big achievement for them. Not to mention their village, even from their county there were not many officials. They can't really consider Hu Yanxi as he goes to town to give an exam each year but fails it.

When he goes, it gets quite lively, but when he comes back, he quietly starts to collect the scriptures again. The school fees were getting more and more expensive, rising every year, and not many of these students in the village were sent to the schools. It was really not affordable for the villagers to send them.

Within half a day, the entire Wang village, including the town, knew about it. All of a sudden, many people came to congratulate her. Even those wealthy businessmen who she was not very familiar with from the town came in person to congratulate her.

As they were at Mrs. Xu's house many people gossiped that many good and bad things happened to her as a widow. Although Mrs. Xu was not a widow, she could be considered similar. She and her daughter are neighbors all these years and two years after moving here her son was selected as a scholar. Even though Mrs. Xu was a leftover concubine, no one dared to gossip about her.

Li Qinghe also went to help entertain, with eight-year-old Jun'er by her side. He didn't need anyone to look after him, and he ran to the dog house to accompany the dog. This kid didn't like reading, but he liked to study pharmacology. Although he was only eight years old, he liked to run around in the medicinal forest in the back mountain, and sometimes he stayed there for a whole day.

As for Xiyu, he was also selected as a scholar last year, and after he came back, he went to Fucheng with his uncle, purely to see him.

After a few days of excitement, everyone's enthusiasm gradually dissipated.

Half a month later, at night, when Li Qinghe and Zhou Chengkang were about to go to bed, there was a knock on the door.

Zhou Chengkang went to see and then came back in a few seconds, "Qinghe, Xiyu is back."

Li Qinghe turned over and sat up. At this time, she was in her thirties, but she looked like she was in her early twenties. Her spirit and temperament were good, her eyebrows and eyes were stretched, and one could tell from her complexion that she had lived a good life these years.

After walking a few steps, she saw the uncle and the nephew standing at the door. Their book boys beside them were still carrying their luggage.

"Mother!" Xiyu's voice was full of joy. Li Qinghe went to his side and rubbed his head. He was taller than his mother now. "My son is back."