The next day, Qin Baitang added a table next to Physician Su. Su Mu asked in confusion, " Shopkeeper Qin, is the groom coming?"
"No... Young Master accompanied Juren Meng to take the imperial examination. He will be seeing patients at the shop for the next few months." Qin Baitang straightened the table, asked the servant to bring two chairs, and personally placed the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on it.
Su Mu recalled the three people who came in last night, and then guessed their ages. "Young Master, you're not talking about that Miss Meng, are you?"
Qin Baitang clapped his hands, lowered his rolled-up sleeves, and laughed, "Yes, that's her..."
Su Mu was displeased. Was this some kind of joke? The girl looked to be only thirteen or fourteen years old; she was too young even to be an apprentice, how could she possibly treat patients independently?
After much deliberation, he reminded him, " Shopkeeper Qin, it's already difficult for the Anzhi Hall to establish itself in the capital, let alone here, which is right under the emperor's nose, unlike the border towns."
If the young master accidentally offends some important person..." Su Mu didn't spell it out, but the meaning was easy to guess: he was afraid of misdiagnosis causing trouble.
Qin Baitang glanced at him. " Physician Su, Meng Anzhi is Jin Shanyao's apprentice. Her medical skills are widely recognized in Qingzhou Prefecture. What you're worried about will never happen."
Su Mu only learned what Dongjia looked like yesterday, and as for his medical skills, he didn't believe Qin Baitang's words at all, taking it all as flattery.
Seeing that he couldn't reason with them, he gave up and didn't bother arguing any further. After all, he was just a quack doctor, and if Anzhi Hall's reputation was ruined, it wouldn't concern him. He was just worried that it would be hard to find such a good place again.
Meng Anzhi was completely unaware of what was happening in the shop. At that moment, she was in the room with the Jin Shanyao, chatting with Fu Congxi.
"Master's wife... you must be more than eight months pregnant."
"Today marks exactly nine months," Fu Congxi, touching her belly. "My body feels very heavy; I get tired after just a few steps... Your master wanted to come with me, but the Crown Prince summoned him, so I had to come alone."
As soon as Fu Congxi finished speaking, a small bulge suddenly appeared in his stomach.
Meng Anzhi extended a finger and gently pressed it on the bulge. The next moment, the little one inside her shifted position. Her fingertip followed.
Fu Congxi watched her interact with the child in her womb, a smile playing on his lips, before turning to look at Jin Shanyao.
"Boss, the end of the year is just around the corner, why don't you come home with me for the New Year? The courtyard we stayed in last time has been kept in good condition, so we can move in right away."
Jin Shanyao and said, "I'm not going... Anci has two months until the provincial examination, it's too tight a schedule to bother him."
Fu Congxi then realized that he hadn't seen Meng Anci. "Where is he?"
"I went to pay my respects to Lord Su early this morning."
Fu Congxi a little tired from sitting, and as soon as she moved slightly, Meng Anzhi immediately pulled the blanket over her so she could lean against it.
Fu Congxi leaned against the bedding, all his strength instantly dissipating. "If you're not coming to my place for the New Year, how about I come to yours?"
Jin Shanyao out and massaged her side, laughing, "Of course you can. Anyway, there are still a few days until the New Year, why don't you just stay here?"
Fu Congxi's eyes lit up, and she was about to agree when she suddenly stopped. She looked down at her pregnant belly, a hint of helplessness in her smile, "Never mind."
Jin Shanyao an eyebrow, "What?"
Fu Congxi touched her belly and sighed, "I don't know when my body will give birth early, and then you'll have to go through a lot of trouble."
Anci will be taking the imperial examination in two months. I'm here with my big belly, how can he possibly concentrate on studying?
She reached out and took Jin Shanyao. "Eldest sister, after the imperial examinations are over and I'm out of confinement, let's have a proper get-together. I'll bring the baby then, and you can have the kitchen make me some chicken soup."
Jin Shanyao her hand and laughed, "Alright."
As the two were talking, there was a knock on the door, and then Qing He came in carrying amber walnuts. She placed the walnuts next to Fu Congxi and stood aside to listen to their conversation.
She secretly sized up Fu Congxi; she was truly beautiful, with skin as smooth as a peeled egg. She'd heard she was the legitimate daughter of a general's family, raised in luxury since childhood. She wondered how Lu Chi had managed to marry her; he was so lucky...
Fu Congxi seemed to sense something and turned to look, only to see Qing He staring at him with infatuation.
She chuckled, "What are you doing standing there...? Move a chair over and sit down. I've heard Lu Chi mention you guys so often, it's great to finally meet you in True Person today."
Qing He's cheeks were burning. She had just seen that the maid had been standing the whole time, and since she was new to the capital and didn't want to embarrass her mistress, she followed the maid's example and stood to the side.
Qing He looked at Jin Shanyao, and only after seeing her nod did she pick up a chair and sit down. At the same time, she cursed Lu Chi in her heart. What husband always mentions other women in front of his wife? Isn't that just stupid?
Meanwhile, in the study of the Su Household mansion.
Su Wenqian looked at Zhao Zhiyuan's test paper and felt very gratified. He hadn't expected these children to have grown so much in the places he couldn't see.
He put down the exam paper and said to Meng Anci, "Your two essays are about the same, but Zhao Zhiyuan's essay is more clever, perhaps because of his upbringing."
Zhao Zhiyuan's family was the richest in Willow and Poplar County, and his uncle was a scholar who had passed the Imperial Academy examinations. He had been with his great-uncle Zhao Cheng since he was six years old. Zhao Cheng had served as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy and was now the Dean of the Green Mountain Academy.
Zhao Zhiyuan can ask whatever he wants anytime; there's no need to wait until the next day.
Su Wenqian looked at Meng Anci and sighed inwardly. This child had returned to the capital less than a year after becoming an apprentice, and for the rest of the years, he had been burying himself in his studies.
To have come this far, one's character and temperament have long surpassed those of ordinary people.
Su Wenqian comforted you, saying, "You two are about the same in the other subjects, only slightly inferior in the policy essay. But that's not your fault. This year's provincial examination policy essay topic was 'On Governance of Officials,' which concerns how to manage officials, rectify the bureaucracy, and govern the country."
"Although you answered very well, you lacked Zhao Zhiyuan's tact. This is related to your upbringing. If you were asked about people's livelihood, you would definitely answer better than him."
Meng Anci lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then said seriously, "I've always been puzzled. I always get first place in the academy's small exams, so why am I always outshone by him in the big exams?"
A smile flashed in Su Wenqian's eyes. After all, he was just a child, and his competitive spirit was much stronger than his own.
" Anci... you have to believe that some people can perform exceptionally well at crucial moments; perhaps that's Zhao Zhiyuan's talent. Similarly, you also need to recognize your own strengths, such as the better approach you take in your strategy than Zhao Zhiyuan's."
Meng Anci and said, "Thank you for your comfort, teacher..."
"I'm not just trying to comfort you; it's truly your talent. Every time I see your exam papers, they're a revelation. The provincial examination is in two months. If you're worried about your chances, you can move in with me. I'll use this time to talk to you about the issues of officialdom."
Meng Anci's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up and bowed to Su Wenqian, "Thank you, teacher."
Seeing his quick wit, Su Wenqian couldn't help but burst into laughter, "You, you..." He didn't believe that Meng Anci couldn't see the deeper meaning in Zhao Zhiyuan's exam paper.
The meaning couldn't be clearer: showing it to him was perfectly understandable. Su Wenqian relaxed and leaned back in his chair, making small talk. "Where's your aunt? Why didn't she come with you?"
Meng Anci replied, "My aunt said some people are coming to visit today, so she'll come see you when she has time."
Su Wenqian thought of how Jin Shanyao had helped Zhu Huaizhang solve a major case, and scoffed, "Come if you want, don't come if you don't."