Soon Li Zhong informed the farmhands about the crops to be planted.
This season, naturally, it was only corn, potatoes, and bitter buckwheat.
There were also two fish ponds, where another two thousand fry would be released to be raised carefully.
Even if not for selling, at least they would have food themselves.
It took ten days for Su Xiaoqi to get the manor's affairs mostly in order.
She also invited people to build houses into the manor to construct the dwellings.
Including Li Laotou's family and the farmhands, there were now ten households, about thirty people in total.
Excluding the women and children, twelve able-bodied men could be assigned to the work.
Helping with the repairs, the roofs were topped in just ten days, and now it was time to lay the tiles.
Everyone was very excited.
They had been Li family farmhands their whole lives, thinking their family treated farmhands most kindly, and that they would live out their lives this way.
They never expected to face being sold.
But what was gratifying was that after changing owners, they could actually live a better life.
With Wang Dazhu, that blood-sucking tumor, removed, and the house repairs and production arrangements made, their lives were visibly improving.
In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of September, the day the results would be posted.
Su Xiaoqi had sent Li Zhong to guard the Gongyuan entrance early for the posting of results.
Meanwhile, she and Shen Yun stayed in the manor.
Even though she knew the subsequent plot, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
She paced back and forth in the main hall.
Walking forward, walking back, never stopping for a moment.
Shen Yun was dizzy from watching her pace.
Several times he wanted to call her to a halt, but seeing her distracted state, he couldn't bring himself to do so.
Let her pace, he thought. If she were forced to stop, with nothing to do, she might become even more anxious.
Su Xiaoqi paced a few more rounds, then ran out to look.
The manor gate had been open for a long time.
Beyond the screen wall, she wished she had X-ray vision, to be able to see through the screen wall to the official road and spot the imperial couriers reporting good news immediately.
Any slight disturbance would make her jump for a while.
By the time the real sounds of gongs and drums rang out, she felt somewhat numb.
"Young Madam, my old man is back, he's back!
The yamen officials are here, reporting good news, reporting good news..." Aunt Li shouted exaggeratedly.
Su Xiaoqi snapped back to reality and immediately rushed to the gate to look.
Outside the open gate, a tall horse was tethered. A courier in dark official attire, adorned with red flowers and wearing a peacock feather cap, rushed in quickly, waving a gong and striking it vigorously.
"Great joy, great joy! Shen Yun of Zhaojia Village, Mianzhou City, has passed the imperial examinations, taking the top spot as Jieyuan. Congratulations, congratulations." The yamen runner bowed with both hands and approached Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun.
"Husband, you passed the examination," Su Xiaoqi said, belatedly tugging on Shen Yun's sleeve.
The man she was pulling was handsome, with a calm expression. Her words, to his ears, seemed to be about the fine weather today.
"Husband," Su Xiaoqi called out again, dissatisfied with his reaction.
Shen Yun thought to himself, wasn't this expected?
However, looking at his little wife, who was smiling like a blooming flower, he broadened his smile and replied cooperatively, "That's right, I passed the examination. Next spring, I can go to the capital to take the imperial examination."
The capital, he was finally going.
The Shen family, were they finally going to meet?
After Su Xiaoqi smiled, she saw the expectant courier and quickly reached into her sleeve to retrieve a fifty-tael silver ingot.
This was something she had specifically prepared for Shen Yun passing the examination.
It was for good luck.
The courier, who had been delivering such news for many years, received such a large silver ingot for the first time and was so delighted that his eyes could barely be seen.
A torrent of auspicious and pleasant words poured out.
He predicted that Shen Yun would not only take the top spot as Jieyuan this year but also become Huaiyuan next year, then Zhuangyuan, achieving the Triple Crown.
"I accept your good wishes," Su Xiaoqi said with a smile, accepting the blessings.
After sending the man away, only the couple remained in the main hall.
Shen Yun turned and hugged his little wife, whose sleeve he was holding.
His hands caressed her delicate waist, his heart filled with emotion.
He was finally one step closer to his goal.
But it was only one step.
"Wife, thank you," he murmured softly into her shoulder, his voice gentle.
Su Xiaoqi beamed, "You deserve it."
Whether or not she had transmigrated into the novel, Shen Yun would have passed the examination. However, in the novel, he hadn't taken the top spot as Jieyuan.
This was because he had fainted from exhaustion towards the end of the examination.
He was carried out of the examination hall.
Fortunately, with his strong will, he completed his exam paper, and his name was listed among those who passed.
But this time, thanks to the spiritual medicine from her space, Shen Yun took the medicine immediately when he felt unwell.
Not only did his previous dizziness disappear, but his mind became exceptionally clear.
Therefore, he easily achieved the top spot as Jieyuan, a well-deserved victory.
Su Xiaoqi secretly thought that since she had put in so much effort to help him, she hoped he would remember her kindness once he gained power.
As the couple chatted, the courtyard outside had already become lively.
It turned out that Li Zhong had gone to the back to spread the great news of the master passing the imperial examination.
He had also organized everyone in the manor to come and congratulate him.
Taohua ran to the front, her skirt trailing.
In the blink of an eye, she had been staying in the manor for more than ten days.
Compared to her previous life as Wang Dazhu's concubine, alas, her current life was rather indescribable.
Without servants by her side, she had to wash her own clothes and cook her own meals. One word: tiring, two words: very tiring!
She was starting to miss her days as a concubine.
As Taohua, with plans in her mind, stepped into the courtyard, she saw the handsome male owner gently embracing his young wife.
Her heart faltered, and she felt a pang of sadness.
Such a good man was already taken.
But soon, she regained her composure.
Alas, she was merely a worn-out shoe, a faded flower. Could she ever be a main wife again?
Since she couldn't be a main wife, why couldn't she be a concubine to the owner?
Under Wang Dazhu's tutelage, she had learned the skills of serving men.
Wang Dazhu had doted on her to the extreme, and she believed that as long as the owner experienced her skills, he would also like her.
After all, no man dislikes a bit of illicit pleasure.
That young madam, although beautiful and young, was too thin, and rather reserved. She was certainly not the type to let go in bed.
Men did not like such rigid people.
Therefore, this was her opportunity.
The more Taohua thought about it, the brighter her eyes became.
She unconsciously and quietly walked behind Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun.
However, they were both extremely sensitive individuals.
Sensing someone approaching, they both turned around instantly. Shen Yun's hand immediately grasped her neck, his fingers tightening.
"Cough, cough... Owner, owner, it's, it's me," Taohua stammered, terrified, her lascivious thoughts completely flying away.
Shen Yun glanced at her. Although he couldn't read her thoughts,
all her intentions were written on her face, and he could tell at a glance.
This woman dared to have thoughts about him.