Half a month later, when Meng Anzhi saw Licentiate Candidate Li again, he was standing outside Hall of Saving the World with a medicine bag in his hand, chatting and laughing with Shopkeeper Li of the general store across the street.
" Licentiate Candidate Li, you look much better today? Is your father... feeling better?"
Li Yuan smiled easily, "Thank you for your concern. My father is much better these past few days. He coughs less at night and can even eat half a bowl of rice porridge in the morning."
He held up the medicine packet, "Here, I've also gotten a few more doses of mild tonics to help me recover slowly."
Shopkeeper Liu exclaimed, a look of surprise flashing across his face. He glanced instinctively in the Anzhi Hall's direction and lowered his voice, "But... a few days ago, didn't that person at the Anzhi Hall say..."
Li Yuan's smile faded slightly. He waved his hand and said in a magnanimous tone, " Little Doctor Meng is a child, and Shopkeeper Jin is a woman. It's inevitable that they will make mistakes sometimes."
"When it comes to matters of life and death, how can I listen to only one side's opinion? Don't you think so?" He spoke sincerely and with a composed demeanor.
Shopkeeper Liu nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right. With your filial piety, Old Man Li will surely be able to turn misfortune into good fortune."
"... Shopkeeper Liu, I have to go now!"
"Okay, see you later..."
The two separated, and the smile on Shopkeeper Liu's face vanished. He muttered to himself, "Strange... Could it be that Old Man Li really pulled through?"
His wife happened to come out and laughed, "Perhaps they used some kind of good medicine to keep him hanging."
"Hanging there?" Shopkeeper Liu shook his head, his voice low. "Let me tell you, my eyes are sharp. That Licentiate Candidate Li..."
"Alright, alright... You're so capable, aren't you? Hurry up and come inside to help me get something," the two said as they entered the shop.
Meng Anzhi had just emerged from the street corner when she curiously stepped into Hall of Saving the World, "Grandpa Zhou..."
Old Medicine Zhou saw Meng Anzhi on Monday, he joked, "Little shopkeeper, did you go to the free clinic again today?"
Meng Anzhi placed the medicine box on the counter. "I was just taking a stroll out of boredom. Grandpa Zhou, I saw Licentiate Candidate Li come in to buy medicine. Has his father's condition really improved?"
"He didn't buy that medicine from me," Old Medicine Zhou said with a sigh. "I took Old Man Li's pulse a while ago, and it wasn't very good."
The provincial examination is just around the corner. If Old Man Li passes away now, Licentiate Candidate Li will have to observe three years of mourning. He's already in his forties; if this continues, his future will be completely ruined."
Not getting the answer she wanted, Meng Anzhi was even more confused. After saying goodbye to Old Medicine Zhou, she carried her medicine box back to the Anzhi Hall.
Not seeing Jin Shanyao in the shop, she asked, " Qing Yang, where is my aunt?"
Qing Yang, "She's watching the young master read in the backyard."
Although my aunt values their studies, she has never pressured them... So why is she suddenly watching Meng Anci study?
Meng Anzhi put down the medicine box and asked Qing Yang to take out the tools inside to clean them. She turned and walked towards the backyard. The study was empty, so she turned back towards the backyard.
In the backyard, Jin Shanyao, dressed in a robe that looked both real and fake, paced back and forth outside the cell with her hands behind her back and a stern face.
Meng Anci was reciting his essay when he suddenly heard a stern cough. He looked up and saw his aunt glaring at him with a fierce expression. "This is the examination hall, look around like that! Be careful, or I'll record it as cheating!"
Meng Anci was taken aback at first, then his shoulders trembled as he tried to suppress his laughter.
Jin Shanyao, however, rebuked seriously, "What are you laughing at? In the real exam hall, even a cough or a glance could be suspected of cheating."
She suddenly lowered her voice and imitated the examiner's sinister tone, "Especially... when you're sitting next to a candidate like Zhen Shiqing, who can destroy the world."
If you're affected, all your years of hard work will be in vain, and you'll have to wait another three years before you can take the scientific expedition..." Jin Shanyao wanted to say, do you even know how long three years is?
Hmph... little brat, he doesn't know anything.
Meng Anzhi wanted to step forward, but Jin Shanyao stopped her with a look. She quickly walked over and asked softly, "What is it?"
Meng Anzhi looked at her mismatched clothes and her lips twitched. "Auntie, who made this red robe for you...? And why are there cats and dogs embroidered on the patches?"
With a smug voice, Jin Shanyao tugged at her clothes, "These are Dahuang and Xiaoli... aren't they cute?" As she spoke, she glanced at Meng Anci, nodding in satisfaction when she saw him answering the questions attentively.
" Green Mountain Academy provided a set of past exam papers. I simulated the actual exam to prevent him from getting nervous during the real test..."
As she spoke, she waved to Meng Anzhi, "You go ahead and get busy. Anci will finish writing soon. I'll take it to Su Wenqian to take a look. You don't need to wait for me for dinner tonight."
After saying that, he walked back to his cell with his head held high and chest out. When he stood in front of Meng Anci, he coughed twice and nodded in satisfaction when he saw that Meng Anci's attention had not been distracted.
About half an hour later, Meng Anci finally spread the exam paper out to dry the ink.
"Auntie, aren't you tired?"
Jin Shanyao in surprise, "How can standing be tiring? Standing barefoot on the ground, basking in the sun, is the most comfortable."
Meng Anci glanced past the cutting board at her aunt's feet and, seeing that she was wearing shoes, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
A moment later, the exam paper dried completely, and just as he was about to put it away, Jin Shanyao snatched it away.
She carefully folded it and said to Meng Anci, "Write it again, I need this."
"Ah... Auntie, do you know how many words are on a test paper? Auntie... Auntie..." Seeing that her Meng Anci had no choice but to take out the paper again and start writing.
At this moment, Zhou Xiaosi hurriedly ran over, pulling up his pants, called out "Young Master," and rushed into the outhouse... A rushing sound was heard, followed by a soft splatter.
Uh... that feels good...
Zhou Xiaosi's voice came from the outhouse, "Young Master... I'm taking a dump, will that bother you? I really can't hold it in anymore. You know, holding it in is bad for your health."
Meng Anci covered his nose and gritted his teeth, saying, "Just keep talking nonsense... You talk too much."
Zhou Xiaosi covered his nose and chuckled, then... pfft... another loud fart!
Meng Anci silently looked up at the sky. He would just have to endure one more day. Tomorrow was the provincial examination, and once it was over, he would be free from this misery.
Jin Shanyao into the back hall of the government office like a gust of wind, slammed the examination paper onto Su Wenqian's desk, and said, "Quick... take a look at this for me."
Su Wenqian looked up from the case file and said helplessly, "I'm relieved that you're so quick to pay your taxes."
Jin Shanyao's eyes widened. "Nephew... you're lying through your teeth! When have I ever owed you a single penny? I'm a major taxpayer in Qingzhou Prefecture!"
Su Wenqian instantly lost his temper... and even showed a slight smile. It has to be said... ever since Anzhi Hall moved to the prefectural city, the yamen has never lacked money.
He had four or five sets of official robes made at once, living a life of extreme luxury...
Su Wenqian coughed twice to cover his embarrassment. He picked up the test paper and pretended to read it, but after reading half of it, he couldn't help but sit up straight.
After reading the last word, Su Wenqian was silent for a moment, then asked, "Was this written by Anci?"
"Or did I write it?" Jin Shanyao forward, her eyes fixed intently on him. "So? Did it win?"
Su Wenqian didn't answer, but picked up his pen and wrote two words next to the exam paper, "Precipitous".
Jin Shanyao her head to look at the two words, "What does it mean?"
"The article itself is excellent," Su Wenqian said earnestly, putting down his pen. "It has solid reasoning, a clear structure, and a sharp edge between the lines."
"Given his age and experience, he must have read many books and endured a lot of hardship; he's a strong-willed child."
Su Wenqian pushed away Jin Shanyao head, "You taught me that?"
"Ah... I don't know any of these complicated techniques. This is what Green Mountain Academy taught me," she said, looking at Su Wenqian with a smug expression. "Will this level be enough to pass the academy exam?"
"Yes," Su Wenqian answered readily, then changed the subject, "But the essay is too sharp and might offend the examiners. Bring him over here."
Jin Shanyao serious. "I'll go and get someone for you right away."
Su Wenqian was able to break through the siege of the imperial examinations and gain a firm foothold in the officialdom, so he was no ordinary person. With his guidance, Meng Anci would definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort.