Chapter 1040: Chapter 1039 Finished the Exam

Qingzhou Prefecture.

The outside of the Imperial Academy was crowded with people at the moment.

Today was the last day of the autumn examinations. Since the morning, people had been waiting at the door, awaiting the students who finished the exam to come out.

Yang Zongbao had already inquired, got up early, asked the cook to prepare light food for digestion today, and hired a carriage to wait at the entrance of the Academy.

Finally, when the door of the Academy opened, the students inside, looking haggard, staggered out one by one.

They were originally frail scholars, now tortured by the three exams into resembling wilted cabbage, with yellow faces and trembling legs, ready to collapse at the slightest wind.

Especially among them, a few barely managed to support themselves to the exit of the Academy before their eyes rolled back, and they fainted to the ground.

The government officials guarding the door were used to this, two of them stepped forward, lifting those fainted students and carrying them to the nearby pharmacy beside the Academy.

The fainted students who had family members to pick them up were followed by crying relatives.

Those alone were naturally taken care of by the pharmacy attendants.

The small commotion caused by the fainting students quickly subsided. Everyone’s attention was still mostly on the students coming out one after another.

When Song Chongjin came out, he saw Yang Zongbao standing on the carriage, waving at him. Seeing Song Chongjin spot him, Yang Zongbao quickly jumped down from the carriage, squeezed through the crowd, took the things from Song Chongjin’s hands, then squeezed out again, taking him to the carriage.

Signaling the carriage to go home, Yang Zongbao carefully studied Song Chongjin’s face, which was slightly haggard but because he was so tanned, it wasn’t very noticeable.

The smell on him wasn’t pleasant, but it was understandable. Stuck in such a small compartment, though the August evenings and mornings were cool, the midday sun was still dizzyingly hot.

Three days without changing clothes naturally wouldn’t smell good.

Mentally he was fine, he could still climb onto the carriage himself, seemingly physically okay.

Yang Zongbao was slightly relieved.

Once they arrived at their residence, the cook, already experienced, had prepared a large pot of hot water. As soon as Song Chongjin got home, he got a good bath, and the cook had made a large pot of egg noodles, garnished with green scallions, which was served smelling fragrant.

While in there, Song Chongjin had hot water with pancakes and mushroom sauce, days much better than other students who could only gnaw on cold buns and drink cold water.

But upon seeing this pot of noodles, he couldn’t help but gulp.

In a few swift motions, he cleaned the large pot of noodles thoroughly, then set down his chopsticks, barely able to keep his eyes open.

He hadn’t slept well these past days, the compartment was too narrow, unable to fully stretch his legs at night, though he was weather hardy, even able to lean against the wall and make do.

But he couldn’t endure the surrounding people, some snoring, some talking in their sleep at mid-night, and one unknown person crying quietly after everyone had fallen asleep.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it was incessant, always aggravating at his ear.

Even with an iron physique, Song Chongjin could hardly bear it.

Seeing this, Yang Zongbao hurriedly assisted Song Chongjin onto the kang, and once he set him down, saw him fall into a deep sleep.

This sleep, Song Chongjin slept until noon on the third day before waking up, his stomach growling with hunger.

Yang Zongbao came to check on him every so often, and seeing Song Chongjin sitting on the kang, still a bit groggy, hurried out to have the cook prepare dinner.

He then rushed back, gesturing to ask Song Chongjin how he was feeling.

With his heart full of concern, once Song Chongjin had eaten dinner, Yang Zongbao finally relaxed.

Song Chongjin slept through the previous night and hadn’t woken up, which worried Yang Zongbao greatly. He was planning on calling a doctor today if he still didn’t wake up.

If anything happened to Song Chongjin, how could he explain to Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu’s mother and daughter?

Hearing Song Chongjin finally woke up, that afternoon classmates came to visit.

After some idle conversation, the main question was whether Song Chongjin would wait for the results in the Provincial Capital or return to Jing County to wait there.

Song Chongjin was eager to go home, the results wouldn’t be affected whether he was in the Provincial Capital or not.

Thus, he said he wanted to return to Jing County. His classmates tried to persuade him to stay for a few more days to meet more people, as they’d be useful in the future.

Seeing off his classmates, Yang Zongbao also suggested staying two more days to return with good news.

Song Chongjin thought it over and agreed.

As for Wang Yongzhu’s side.

When Wang Yongping and Liu Xiaoqiao spoke about returning to Chongzi Gou, quite a few people were interested.

Ultimately, Father Liu and Wang Yongping carefully selected three families. The main men of the houses were injured; while not impacting daily life, they couldn’t go hunting with others in the mountains. However, there were no issues with guarding the forest or planting trees.

These families had many children but couldn’t hunt, with fewer earnings, they lived tight lives.

Upon hearing these spots were given to them, everyone knew Wang Yongping and Father Liu were giving these families a lifeline, so naturally, they wouldn’t compete.

Thus, the matter was settled. Wang Yongping brought the people back and met Wang Yongzhu.

Wang Yongzhu took a brief look and agreed.

Anyway, those left by Song Chongjin to look after Tea Mountain, along with promises from the Wang Family Brothers to check in the mountains occasionally, would likely prevent any issues.

After handling matters, Wang Yongzhu felt restless at Qilidun and packed her luggage to go to Jing County with Old Granny Zhang.

Not knowing how Song Chongjin’s examination went?

Over these days, Old Granny Zhang was deeply concerned about her son-in-law’s exam, refraining from gossiping with people outside, only praying at home.

Hearing her daughter planning to go to the county, if not for it being so late, she’d have set off overnight.

The Wang Yongfu brothers had gotten used to Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu staying for a while before going to the county, though they were reluctant, especially Wang Yongfu, as Jindou’s marriage was much thanks to his own mother.

Having seen the family of the potential daughter-in-law, every now and then, that soon-to-be daughter-in-law would even send shoes over for him and his two sons, showing her filial piety.

This daughter-in-law was also extremely filial to Old Granny Zhang, always putting her first, which Wang Yongfu found exceptionally pleasing.

He mused that, for the future marriages of Jinhoo and Jinguan, his own mother would still be the most reliable.

Hearing Lin had helped match Jindou with a daughter-in-law whose mother had died early and father was useless, she tried to make a fuss, calling Jindou to the old house, tearfully accusing Old Granny Zhang of bad intentions, bullying their family and Jindou.

With Jindou’s conditions, couldn’t they find a much better girl? Matching him with someone like this was a slap to them and Jindou’s face.

On the one hand, she incited Jindou to argue with Wang Yongfu, suggesting canceling the engagement and finding someone better for Jindou.

Jindou, currently head over heels, held that family girl dearly, eager to settle this marriage, couldn’t care less about Lin’s suggestions.