At night it was late. After finally dealing with the guests, Xu Fei began to apologise again to the other examinees sharing the same room.
He apologised for the many holes burnt into the mattress. This was considered taking the blame for Yu Qing.
The examinees sharing the room were very generous. They said it was fine and did not affect sleeping. Such a small matter was not worth mentioning.
Xu Fei originally thought Yu Qing would be grateful to him. Who knew that before he scalded his foot and lay down to sleep, Yu Qing gave him a sentence. Xu brother, do you really have an uncle in the capital doing business?
Xu Fei was stunned. As soon as he heard it he understood. Yu Qing would not ask this without reason. This was reminding him about the matter of four thousand taels of silver.
He felt a bit emotional. Today he had seen what was called a petty person. He had just helped take the blame, yet the other party could not even wait to mention it after one night. He would not even let him have a peaceful sleep. As soon as he turned his face he started settling accounts.
Words of dissatisfaction stayed in his heart. He dared to renege on the promise of four thousand taels to others, but he did not dare to renege on Yu Qing.
He knew this person was one who opened his eyes wide at the sight of money. For money he could turn into a mad dog.
For two thousand taels of silver he dared to risk his life. Four thousand taels could be imagined. He also knew this Shi Heng brother was a ruthless fellow. He really did not dare to renege, fearing he might not reach the capital alive.
However, on the other hand, if it were not for this Shi Heng brother this time, he feared he really might not have come back alive.
One point must be admitted. As long as the money was given in full, this Shi Heng brother was someone worth entrusting.
There was no choice. Xu Fei could only find someone to borrow pen, ink, paper and inkstone. Avoiding other ears and eyes, he wrote an IOU for four thousand taels of silver and presented it.
Yu Qing accepted the IOU while talking about other things.
Once the IOU was in hand he immediately tucked it into his bosom. He lay down to rest. His mood was quite good. He thought that once he reached the capital and cashed in these four thousand taels, then sold the fire cricket at a high price, and after smoothly muddling through the exam, he could return to Linglong Temple in grand style.
His world was not big. His mind was also very small. His vision could not see far. Linglong Temple was his world. It was the place where he had grown up since wearing open crotch pants. He had always lived there. Then he became the temple master. Before even reaching the capital he was already thinking of going back.
In the early morning, hearing the movement of officers and soldiers organising outside, the bug on the floor mat woke up in a daze. He vaguely saw a human figure in front of him.
He rubbed his eyes and opened them to look. He saw a mans face pressed close in front. He was immediately startled. He sat up with a whoosh, retreated to lean against the wall, pulled the worn quilt to cover his chest tightly, and also saw clearly who it was. It was actually Young Master Shi Heng. He could not help but be stunned.
Yu Qing knocked on his forehead. Had a nightmare?
The bug shook his head. Seeing many people had not yet woken, he said in a low voice, Shi Heng young master, is there something?
Yu Qing immediately smiled again. That, Chong Er, from last night until now there has been no discomfort, right?
Chong Er thought for a bit, then shook his head blankly. He was a bit slow to react to what this meant. It did not sound like concern.
Yu Qing smiled. That is good. That, remember, if there is any discomfort in your body immediately tell me.
Yes. Chong Er nodded.
Patting his shoulder, Yu Qing got up and left.
The sun rose. After having breakfast, the group heading to the capital left the post station and set off again.
Yu Qing sitting in the carriage again felt a bit uncomfortable. He could not help reaching out to feel around the carriage. Only after discovering there was no hidden refined steel cage did he feel at ease.
The few people in the same carriage from time to time sized up this strange Ah Shi Heng. He openly covered his face running around, and did not speak. Whatever others asked he did not answer. No matter how one looked he seemed weird.
Yu Qing using this dont want face lower strategy was also without choice. Who told him to be greedy for money and mess things up, yet still want to continue fulfilling Ah Shi Hengs entrustment. Now when seeing people again he could only cover his face, openly making everyone unable to remember his appearance.
As long as one did not care about others opinions, what matter could not be done.
The speed of the carriage was not fast. After all there were many accompanying personnel who were walking. In fact it had always been at walking speed.
Walk during the day, stop at night. Walk during the day, stop at night again. After walking for two days, the group finally left the territory of the ancient tomb wasteland. Villages, towns and city walls gradually appeared ahead, with the human bustle belonging to the mortal world.
The first stop after leaving the ancient tomb wasteland was resting in a small county town. Quite a few people said that the human world was good.
Xu brother, why are you picking up bones again? Have you raised a dog?
After a meal of food and drink, seeing Xu Fei again carrying a small hand bag to collect leftover bones from the table, Su Yingtao who was eating and drinking together could not help asking curiously.
No, just want to practise carving. Xu Fei casually dealt with it.
He was a person who did not like lying much. Now he had gradually developed the habit of lies coming casually from his mouth. He had practised to the realm where his heart could still remain calm.
He picked up bones also without choice. He did not want to do this embarrassing thing either. It was just that Yu Qing insisted on him helping.
The place where Chong Er ate had no such food treatment. He also could not enter the place where the examinees ate. Yu Qing covered his face all day and was unsociable. He always made him bring food. The matter of collecting bones could only be done by him.
He had not raised a dog. Yu Qing however had raised a little mad dog that gnawed bones wildly. That thing could eat so much. No matter how much it ate there was no problem. It farted and everything disappeared, digested away. He had really opened his eyes wide. There was actually such a strange thing in the world.
In Yu Qings words, the little mad dog could jump on the ground, fly in the sky, drill into fire, swim in water. It was simply a four habitat divine bug.
That Shi Heng brother praised that bug to the skies. Then he always tried to persuade him to buy the fire cricket at a high price. He even said a friendship price of ten thousand taels of silver would do.
Was ten thousand taels a small sum of money? How many people could not earn so much money in a lifetime.
The problem was what could he do after spending ten thousand taels to buy such a broken bug? Bad temper, fast speed. He was not a cultivator so it was hard to control. It could easily burn the house down. It had no use at all. It might even bring him trouble. What was the point of buying it? That person really thought he had money and treated him as a sucker.
Fortunately that Shi Heng brother still had a bit of conscience. Now he knew to boil water and make tea for him to drink every day. It could be considered not in vain helping to pick bones.
Sun rose and sun set. Along the way wind blew and rain hit. After more than three months of long and arduous journey, the group finally arrived at the capital city of Jin country.
The curtains of one carriage after another were lifted open. The windows on both sides also had the heads of examinees poking out, gazing at that towering and vast capital city. Just from the atmosphere of peddlers and people coming and going by the roadside, it was not comparable to other places.
Finally arrived. The examinees chattered noisily, extremely excited.
They were all looking forward to the future. If they could achieve fame on the golden list, if in the future they could become one of the personnel holding power in this vast capital city, how glorious that would be.
Before the convoy even approached the city gate, a troop of capital garrison soldiers came rushing to stop them. On the spot they transferred away the Lie prefecture troops and temporarily did not allow them to enter the city.
This was the rule. Apart from the capital garrison troops, once the armoured soldiers from various places exceeded one hundred, without permission they could not enter the city wearing armour and holding weapons. They would be taken to another place for placement.
The Lie prefecture soldiers had no objections. Instead they looked very happy. The hardships and rushing along the way were about to receive their reward.
After going to the temporary station and removing their armour and weapons, they could enter the city to play. They were on holiday. They had to wait until the grand exam ended before their holiday counted as finished, because they needed to escort the examinees returning to Lie prefecture back.
The mountains were high and the road far. Ordinary soldiers in their lifetime rarely had the chance to come to the capital to see it once. With food, lodging and military pay, to them it was naturally sweet after bitterness.
After transferring away the Lie prefecture soldiers, the capital garrison divided off a small team to escort and accompany.
The examinees from various places needed to be placed in the guild halls of each prefecture in the capital. The chief official of the Lie prefecture guild hall had already come personally to welcome them. He talked very happily with the escort envoy Fu Zuo Xuan, Lord Fu. The group thus entered the city this way.
The prosperity of the capital need not be mentioned. After the convoy一路 arrived at the Lie prefecture guild hall, suddenly someone outside the guild hall shouted loudly, They have come, the juren from Lie prefecture have come.
Then immediately a burst of cheers sounded. From the nearby shops, teahouses and wine shops quite a few people immediately ran out and surged over.
All retreat. Those who charge forward will be severely punished without mercy.
The capital personnel accompanying the team loudly shouted reprimands, ordering them not to approach.
Small officials also immediately ran out from inside the Lie prefecture guild hall. They cupped their hands to the people squeezing forward and said, Everyone, everyone, please allow the handover first. After the procedures are completed, it will not be late to lead people away. If something is stirred up at this time and the qualification to sit the exam is cancelled, do not blame me for not warning in advance.
These words scared the people who had surrounded them. They all obediently retreated to make way.
Yu Qing inside the carriage was a bit dazed. He did not know what was going on. He was completely puzzled.
When everyone got off the carriage and one by one verified their identities to enter the guild hall, seeing quite a few examinees waving and greeting people waiting outside, Yu Qing then roughly understood what was happening. They should all be relatives and friends of the examinees heading to the capital. They had calculated the approximate day of arrival and waited here in advance.
After all the examinees had completed the handover, the escort envoy Fu Zuo Xuan could be said to have heaved a sigh of relief. He went inside the guild hall with the chief official here.
Yu Qing sized up the internal environment of the guild hall, waiting for arrangements to stay. Who knew the guild hall did not hurry to arrange lodging first. Instead it let the people waiting outside line up first. It allowed those with official documents to come in one by one to handle some procedures. After handling it they could take one examinee away.
Yu Qing completely did not understand. He was impersonating, so he had no confidence in his heart. He must figure it out. Looking left and right, his gaze found Xu Fei. Xu Fei was chatting with people beside him. Fortunately Chong Er happened to be looking this way. He gave Chong Er a look. Chong Er understood and immediately pulled Xu Feis sleeve. Shortly after he came over together with Xu Fei.
What is it? Xu Fei approached and asked in a low voice.
Yu Qing raised his chin, indicating the place handling procedures. What does that mean? How come they are still taking out official documents to lead people away?
Xu Fei gave an oh sound and slowly explained.
Actually it was nothing. It was just that for examinees who had relatives and friends in the capital, the relatives and friends had come to receive them.
Examinees in principle, for convenience in all aspects and also for safety, staying uniformly in the guild hall was most suitable. Food and lodging were also free. However this after all was a public place. It was still that saying. Although going to the capital for the exam was a big matter, the officials had no way to specially care for each persons living habits. After all there were so many people.
So in order for everyone to achieve better exam results, it was allowed for families who had conditions in the capital to receive the examinees and take care of them. But it was also impossible for just any person to come and take an examinee away. Otherwise a big matter would turn into child play. If something happened the responsibility would not be easy to bear.
First all aspects must make complete proofs, proving the relationship with the examinee. Guarantors must be found. There must also be detailed addresses and so on, so that if there was any news people could be found and notified at any time. All this in the end must be turned into a certificate issued after verification by the capital government office.