The next day.
Before dawn, Nian Jiaojiao was woken up by Yu Chuan. Xing Yun and Xuan Yi had prepared a table full of food. However, Nian Jiaojiao did not overeat, only having a simple and light meal.
"Wife, why aren't you eating meat?"
Seeing Nian Jiaojiao about to put down her chopsticks, Xing Yun became anxious. This was the chicken he had spent a long time preparing.
Nian Jiaojiao glanced at the oily chicken.
Hmm, it was spicy too...
But she still couldn't bear to disappoint Xing Yun. Having already eaten something earlier, a little spice should be fine.
With this thought, Nian Jiaojiao started to pick up her chopsticks.
However, before her chopsticks could even touch the meat, Nan Qing stopped her.
"Wife, I'll save the dishes for you. Eat them after the exam returns." Kai Shu Ge.
Nian Jiaojiao, considering the examinees, did not want to cause a "stinky bomb" in the examination hall. So, she apologized:
"Xing Yun, your chicken is so fragrant! Really! I will definitely eat it tomorrow night when I get back!"
The backyard of Nian Jiaojiao's current residence had an ancient well. Although it was summer, the well water was very cold, and the household commonly used the well water to preserve food.
Just as Nian Jiaojiao finished speaking, Tong Ziyao suddenly said:
"After Jiaojiao returns, Fu'er and I would like to host a welcome feast for you at a nearby restaurant. We wonder if Miss Tong would do us the honor."
Tong Ziyao's words put Nian Jiaojiao's four husbands on high alert.
Nan Qing's eyes darkened slightly and he said:
"During this period, Third Brother has learned to make many delicacies, and Wife has not yet tasted them. There is no need for Young Master Tong and Miss Tong to spend money."
Nian Jiaojiao nodded in agreement:
"It's not that much trouble, really. Restaurant food is expensive, and eating at home is also quite good."
Tong Ziyao said calmly:
"Fu'er and I have been deeply indebted to everyone's care. If we don't reciprocate, our consciences will be uneasy. In that case, Fu'er and I will not trouble everyone further."
Tong Fu, completely unaware of the subtle competition between her elder brother and Nian Jiaojiao's husbands, was diligently eating.
However, when she heard her third brother suggesting they move out, she became anxious. Regardless of the oil stains on her face, she said:
"Third Brother, we're living so well here. Why move out? I'm not leaving anyway, I want to be with Jiaojiao!"
As she spoke, she turned and looked pitifully at Nian Jiaojiao.
Nian Jiaojiao quickly said:
"If you don't leave, no one leaves."
Saying this, she sighed and said to Tong Ziyao:
"Since that's the case, we thank you for your kind intentions."
Then, she turned to her four husbands and said:
"It's good for everyone to gather. Xing Yun, make the dishes you made for me. I'll eat them in rotation every day from now on. You guys eat this chicken today. It's lost some flavor overnight."
Xing Yun and Xuan Yi didn't seem to mind.
However, Nan Qing's face broke into a smile. He said to Tong Ziyao:
"Heh heh, it was my oversight. Then tomorrow, we will have to trouble Young Master Tong."
Tong Ziyao nodded and smiled back.
Nian Jiaojiao always felt a strange undercurrent flowing between the two of them. Although she couldn't pinpoint it, she was all too familiar with Nan Qing's professional fake smile.
Nan Qing harbored hostility towards Tong Ziyao...
Yu Chuan remained silent, appearing preoccupied. When Nian Jiaojiao got up to leave, he simply followed her with his bedding.
As the imperial examination lasted two days, Nian Jiaojiao had to spend the night at the examination venue.
Just like previous exams, the ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones were provided by the examination hall. Water and food were distributed by the patrolling invigilators, and Nian Jiaojiao had to bring her own bedding.
After getting into the carriage, Nian Jiaojiao took the bedding from Yu Chuan and lightly tickled his palm.
Her action made him shiver.
Nian Jiaojiao smiled slightly, leaned forward, and whispered into Yu Chuan's ear, her warm breath on his skin:
"Chuan'er, don't be sad. I'll be back tomorrow, and I'll make sure to compensate you well for what I owe you tonight, really, really well~"
Yu Chuan, his face flushed red, took a few steps back.
When did he mean that!
...
At this moment, the entrance of the Qingzhou Examination Institute was crowded with people. Nian Jiaojiao was startled when she arrived.
Qingzhou was not comparable to Shanshui Town.
You must know that the number of candidates in Fengcheng was hundreds of times more than in Shanshui Town, and the number of candidates in Qingzhou was thousands of times more.
Of course, the examination venue in Qingzhou was also hundreds of times larger. The examination venue in Qingzhou was specifically built as a complex of courtyards for the examination.
These complex courtyards together formed the Qingzhou Examination Institute.
The Examination Institute had four gates: North Gate, South Gate, East Gate, and West Gate.
Which gate to enter through was determined by the examination courtyard to which one was assigned.
Nian Jiaojiao was assigned to the South Gate of the Examination Institute.
...
"Wow, there are so many candidates! If I were taking the exam, I'd be so nervous I'd faint!"
Tong Fu also came to see Nian Jiaojiao off to the examination hall.
But when she saw the scene of thousands of people outside the South Gate, she couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate.
Fortunately, she had escaped the pitfall of studying early!
Otherwise, today she would have been added to the pyre, roasted by fire!
Nian Jiaojiao couldn't help but pat her little head upon hearing this.
"Little Fu, you can raise your voice a bit more."
Tong Fu didn't understand Nian Jiaojiao's meaning at first. But then, following Nian Jiaojiao's gaze around, she saw large groups of candidates nearby casting "resentful" glances at her.
It seemed to say: You are free, but what about us?
Tong Fu: ...
Although Nian Jiaojiao and her group arrived early, there was still a rather long queue in front of them.
Due to the large crowd, the scene became noisy.
Nian Jiaojiao frowned. She didn't like such a noisy environment.
Half an hour later, it was finally Nian Jiaojiao's turn. She held her bedding, nodded at Tong Fu, who was still waiting nearby, and turned to walk towards the examination hall gate.
Before entering the main gate, there was an inspection, which was to identify people based on their portraits.
After arriving in Qingzhou, through Senior Sister Lei Juan, Nian Jiaojiao had easily obtained a completely new portrait from the government.
The yamen runner holding the portrait looked at the drawing in his hand and then at the person standing in front of him, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
Such looks, such demeanor, were considered outstanding among the candidates.
Of course, this was also because Nian Jiaojiao was wearing a concealment charm.
Fearing being mistaken for carrying contraband, Nian Jiaojiao had asked Yu Chuan to embroider the concealment charm into her clothes beforehand and seal it.
As it was sealed at her waist, and there was a belt there, as long as she didn't make a move to take it out, no one would be able to discover it.
After entering the compound, Nian Jiaojiao was not immediately taken into the examination hall. Instead, she was with the other candidates who had passed the inspection in the outer rear area.
About half an hour later, as dawn was breaking, the gates of the examination hall closed, and Nian Jiaojiao and the others were led by different guiding yamen runners to their respective examination rooms.
The examination rooms were composed of small rooms, but the left, right, and back of these small rooms were sealed, leaving only a very narrow half-height front door for the distribution of examination supplies.