Shen Yun held Su Xiaoqi so tightly that she could barely breathe. She panted, "Husband, husband..."
What was he going crazy about? Was he worried he wouldn't pass, and that's why he was so nervous?
Su Xiaoqi secretly wanted to look at Shen Yun's face. How could that be possible?
What she saw was Shen Yun's most composed face.
He even smiled and comforted her, "Since Madam has confidence, then listen to your husband and wait here patiently."
As Shen Yun spoke, he pressed her down and firmly held her flustered, grasping hands in his. He then instructed Zicao to make a cup of coffee.
Su Xiaoqi drank the bitter coffee, her mind finally calming down a little.
She realized that if someone was likely to pass, the government officials would directly send people to deliver the good news, and there would be no need to rush to the examination grounds to squeeze.
However, she was still uneasy. Shen Yun, helplessly, summoned Zhang Lei in front of her and asked him to run to the examination grounds.
Su Xiaoqi shouted from behind, "You need to look from the front to the back. Your master will definitely be in the front."
Zhang Lei was startled by Su Xiaoqi's sudden voice, stumbled, and walked with his feet out of sync, almost tripping himself.
He looked up to meet Zhang Yu's amused gaze, and his rough face twitched.
Su Xiaoqi was restless for the entire morning.
She pulled Shen Yun along and walked around the second gate several times.
Finally, they heard Zhang Yu's excited voice. "Master, Master, Zhang Lei is back."
When Su Xiaoqi saw Zhang Lei's figure appear at the courtyard entrance, she immediately called out to him, "Speak."
Zhang Lei was stunned for a moment before reacting and quickly said, "Reporting, reporting good news, Master, Master passed, passed..."
"Nonsense, I know my husband passed. What place did he get?"
Zhang Lei was a bit flustered. He looked at Zhang Yu, then at Shen Yun.
What place was the Huiyuan?
He hadn't even dared to tell his masters that as he galloped all the way there, he realized he couldn't read the characters.
Then he asked others for information. When they heard him asking for Shen Yun's name, they immediately told him loudly that Shen Yun had passed, and he was the Huiyuan.
Afraid that his masters would wait too long, he didn't ask for further details and rushed straight home.
Upon returning, he hadn't expected Madam to ask like this.
"Uh, that..." Zhang Lei scratched his head, suddenly feeling his scalp go bald.
He regretted it. When the organization asked him to study, he went to the back mountains to catch birds and climb trees.
If he had known this day would come, he would have diligently sat there and followed the nodding teacher, reading the classics.
Seeing Su Xiaoqi lose her usual composure, Shen Yun smiled, hugged her, and said calmly, "Zhang Lei, don't be nervous. Speak properly."
At this critical moment, Shen Yun's words had a calming effect, and Zhang Lei finally managed to calm down.
He took a deep breath and said, "Master, Master passed the Huiyuan. What place is this Huiyuan?" Zhang Lei was still very curious, but it was good that he passed.
"Ah, Huiyuan, Huiyuan. Husband, you are the Huiyuan!" Su Xiaoqi grabbed Shen Yun's arm, jumping with joy three feet high, her happiness evident.
Shen Yun remained calm, his eyes smiling, everything as expected.
"Ah, right, the officials delivering the good news will be here soon. I need to prepare the reward money."
Su Xiaoqi had originally thought Shen Yun would at most get into the top ten or twenty.
Therefore, she had only prepared twenty taels, but now it was different.
For the top scholar of the Huiyuan examination, she went back to her room and took out a hundred taels of silver notes.
Shen Yun helplessly touched his forehead and whispered, "Madam, that's too much."
Even wealthy families wouldn't give so much.
There were certain subtleties to this. Passing the Huiyuan was already a great display of talent; there was no need to outshine that with reward money.
"Then how much should be given?" Su Xiaoqi looked at Shen Yun with her bright, dark eyes.
"Fifty, perhaps," Shen Yun said.
This was considered a moderate amount, not too much and not too little, leaving no room for criticism.
"Okay," Su Xiaoqi nodded.
The couple, having discussed and agreed, had their preparations ready when thunderous gongs and drums sounded outside the door.
"Reporting—Good News—"
With each drawn-out voice, an official in a dark shirt and adorned with a red flower, beating gongs and drums, walked in.
He moved extremely fast, as if his feet were propelled by the wind. Seeing Shen Yun, he recognized him at a glance due to his extraordinary demeanor and said to him:
"Victory report, victory report, bringing good tidings, great joy! Shen Yun of Zhaojia Village, Mianzhou, Bashu, passed the Xin Chou year imperial examination as the top scholar, Huiyuan. Bringing good tidings..."
"Thank you, you've worked hard!" Shen Yun smiled calmly, glanced at the victory report in the official's hand, and watched him post it on the door.
A crowd of neighbors, who had come to watch the excitement, followed.
"Wow, our alley has produced another great scholar. We live on the same street as the Huiyuan."
"Who says not? I saw it long ago. The master of this house is dignified and extraordinary, definitely a person of great talent."
"Tch, Wang San, damn it. You didn't say that last time when that flower girl came."
"Pah, pah, pah! Jia Dabai, you old bastard. Don't hit people in the face, don't expose their shortcomings. Can you even chat?" Wang San shouted, his face red, pulling at his neck.
"Hahaha, Jia Dabai, don't say it, you didn't say anything pleasant to hear last time either." A passerby, unable to bear it, joined in the laughter.
Meanwhile, Su Xiaoqi had already given the reward money to the official who delivered the good news. He secretly looked at it and thought, "Wow, it's quite a lot. Everyone will get something."
This was considered a good start for them. He smiled, cupped his hands in thanks, and hurried to another house.
It was only once every three years, and today he could really make a good sum.
The person who delivered the victory report happily led someone else with gongs and drums and left.
They were rushing to the next house to ask for reward money, or rather, to deliver the victory report.
Su Xiaoqi was overjoyed, completely forgetting that in the previous plot, Shen Yun had not obtained the Huiyuan.
But who cared?
"Husband, only the Zhuangyuan is left, and you will be the top scholar in three examinations."
Since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty, only two people had achieved this.
One of them was Shen Yun's teacher, Mr. Gu.
"Madam, be cautious," Shen Yun pulled her, warning that some things could not be spoken casually.
Even at home.
"Okay, okay, okay. I'm just too happy and confused," Su Xiaoqi patted her forehead.
Indeed, she was confused. Earlier, she had been admonishing Du Yiyi not to speak carelessly, but now she herself couldn't help it.
"Husband, you rest here for a while. I need to go to the storeroom to prepare some return gifts. The Duke of Yu's manor will surely send gifts soon."
Su Xiaoqi said and hurried away.
Shen Yun shook his head, looking at Su Xiaoqi's busy back with a smile.
It seemed his little wife was very adept at handling household affairs and social interactions.
But this was also thanks to the Old Madam. A few days ago, Su Xiaoqi had been going to the Duke of Yu's manor every day.
It was so that the Old Madam could teach her how to manage household affairs and deal with the social interactions of the noble families in the capital.
Su Xiaoqi was clever. In the past, she was bewildered by the noble families of the capital.
However, after being taught by the old madam, she now knew all the noble families and influential families like the back of her hand. Many of them, even if she hadn't met them, she remembered their temperaments and characteristics.
In this regard, Du Yiyi envied her greatly.
She could truly remember everything she heard.
But she couldn't.
She spent a long time trying to memorize the relationships of one noble family, but her mind was still blank.
Su Xiaoqi had to comfort her, saying that it was enough for the servants to know these relationships. When they met, the servants would remind them, so there was no need for them to memorize everything themselves; they would be overwhelmed.
As expected, Su Xiaoqi had just finished rummaging through the storeroom when she heard that the Duke of Yu's manor's cousin, along with Madam Lin, had arrived.
"Congratulations, congratulations! I knew my brother-in-law would definitely succeed." Du Yiyi smiled heartily, directing people to move the gifts box by box inside.
Su Xiaoqi was accustomed to the generosity of the Duke of Yu's manor and did not stand on ceremony. She asked Guo'er to lead people to move them down and prepare the return gifts.
She pulled Du Yiyi aside to talk and poked her forehead, asking, "You're so happy, is there any other good news?"
Du Yiyi widened her eyes at Su Xiaoqi, looking a little dejected, "Me, is it that obvious?"
She had clearly hidden it well.