Meng Anci took the number plate, found the corresponding location, and hung the wooden plate on the wall.
Turning around, I saw Shiyan bending over and squeezing into the cell, his fat waist making his clothes bulge.
Shiyan huffed and puffed as he crawled through the cover, and when he stood up, he saw Meng Anci standing in the opposite cell.
He gestured for him to look, then gently lifted the cover and closed it again.
It's open... it's open??
Shiyan stared at the cover plate in disbelief. Was this thing alive? Could it move? Then why had he crawled through it?
Seeing his ashen face, Meng Anci with satisfaction. "Little fool, he's so much fun!"
He took out his pen and ink, set them out, stopped paying attention to Shiyan, and obediently waited for the examiner to hand out the test papers.
Shiyan rolled his eyes and said, "Load the goods!"
He sat in his cell, glaring at Meng Anci. During this time, Shiyan been studying diligently in Shiyan, determined to defeat Meng Anci in the prefectural examination.
One after another, candidates from Willow and Poplar County entered. Zhao Zhiyuan hung his number tag next to Meng Anci's, lifted the cover, and went inside.
The Xiao Pang from Shiyan clenched his fists. Damn it... didn't he know the cover was movable?
Time passed slowly, and after the last candidate was seated, the examiner checked the guarantor and his/her family history for three generations. Once everything was verified, the exam papers were distributed.
After receiving the exam paper, Meng Anci secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it contained content he had already reviewed.
Su Wenqian was the invigilator. He yawned and walked through the cells with his hands behind his back. When he came to Meng Anci's side, he couldn't help but stop and look at him for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction.
For such a young child to be able to write so many words is already quite impressive.
Continuing on, upon seeing Zhao Zhiyuan's answer, one couldn't help but admire him, thinking, "No wonder he's the grandson of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy; he's truly intelligent."
You could hear a pin drop in the examination hall.
Outside the examination hall, Jin Shanyao, holding a cloth banner, stared at the guards.
She tilted her head, pointing indignantly at the entrance of the examination hall.
"You won't let me squat there, and you still won't let me squat here. So where do you think I should squat?"
The constable recognized Jin Shanyao and knew she had some skills, so he kindly advised, "Miss Jin, fortune-telling stalls are not allowed at the entrance of the examination hall. Why don't you take down your banner?"
"Listen to what you're saying! Do you know how much it costs to raise two children? Do you know how much it costs for writing materials and academies?"
Jin Shanyao in anguish, "You young lad, you know nothing! Life's going to be tough for you."
She used to be a carefree tree, basking in the sun and absorbing nutrients every day, living a carefree and happy life. Now, she not only has to raise children, but also a mountain.
Do you know how big that mountain is? How desolate it is? How long the water source has been cut off, how much vegetation has died? You humans know nothing about any of that.
Jin Shanyao a 45-degree angle, gazing helplessly at the sky. Suddenly, she understood what "life is worse than bitter herbs" meant. She had only wanted to set up a stall outside the examination hall, but she was being chased by the yamen runners.
She wanted to cry in front of the yamen runners, but after blinking, no tears came out.
Never mind, Jin Shanyao the cloth banner into her arms.
"There are many people in the examination hall, so there are many opportunities. One person who catches an adulterer gets fifty taels of silver, ten people who catch an adulterer get five hundred taels, and twenty people who catch an adulterer get five thousand taels."
A constable beside him corrected, "It's one thousand taels!"
Jin Shanyao her head stiffly and said, "I don't care about several thousand taels. If you don't let me set up a stall here, you're blocking my path to wealth, do you understand?"
The constable didn't know any better; all he knew was that if Jin Shanyao didn't leave, he was blocking his path to wealth.
If the official is gone, his whole family will starve! He never imagined that a master with extraordinary skills could also be a local ruffian.
Taking a deep breath, "Miss Jin, Master Jin, my ancestors... it's not that I don't want you to set up a stall here, but look at the way people around you are looking at you."
Jin Shanyao glanced around out of the corner of her eye and saw that the Madam Shi was almost tucking her head into her belt, so she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
They were both from the same county, and she didn't mind that the Madam Shi was dressed in a tacky way, but the other party felt that she had embarrassed her.
Jin Shanyao said to the yamen runner looking down at her, "How about this, I'll give you a free fortune telling, and you let me squat here for a while."
The temptation was too great, and the constable was somewhat tempted... He glanced around, and greed overcame his professional ethics.
"You can set up a stall, but you can't just shout to attract customers."
"What are you saying? My child is also taking the exam inside, can I just yell at them?"
The two agreed, Jin Shanyao squatted on the ground with a smug look on her face, waiting for business to come to her.
Seeing the group of parents opposite them, they stood up, sat down, stood up, sat down, but not one of them dared to come over.
Jin Shanyao, unable to bear it any longer, poked the constable's thigh and glared at him angrily, "Are you glaring at me, a customer, with your eyes?"
The constable wasn't angry when he was exposed; he just waved a silly grin at the Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao pointed to a spot not far away, "Go stand over there, don't stand next to me like a door god."
The constable chuckled sheepishly, "Miss Jin, I've already let you set up your stall. As for where I stand, don't worry about it."
Hey... you shameless bastard.
The bailiff said in a servile tone, "Could I pass on the divination you gave me to Lord Su?"
Jin Shanyao stared wide-eyed speechlessly. She had seen shameless people before, but never anyone this shameless. She hadn't closed a single deal and had even lost money on a divination.
Humans really are the most cunning beings.
Seeing that she was sulking and not saying a word, the constable glanced around, squatted down and was about to get closer when a small hand pressed against his shoulder.
Meng Anzhi said coldly, "My aunt doesn't like people getting too close to her."
The constable coughed twice and took two steps to the side. "Miss Jin, I was wrong. I'll apologize to you, okay?"
My husband is really sick. He hasn't been feeling well lately, and he falls into a deep sleep every night. We've seen many doctors, but nothing seems to work.
The lady has somehow hired a wandering Daoist priest to perform some fancy dances in the inner quarters. I'm truly afraid that if this drags on any longer, something bad might happen to Lord Su."
Jin Shanyao, filled with resentment, didn't want to talk to this treacherous villain.
The constable took out a handful of copper coins from his purse, intending to give them to Jin Shanyao but not daring to, and instead gave them to Meng Anzhi.
Meng Anzhi was stunned, holding the copper coin in her hand!
The yamen runner looked at the road in front of the examination hall and sighed, " Qingzhou Prefecture wasn't like this before. The people lived a very hard life. It wasn't until Lord Su was transferred here that we had a few good days."
As he spoke, he stole glances at Jin Shanyao. Seeing that she remained unmoved, his eyes darted around, and he stood up and respectfully bowed to Meng Anzhi.
"I would like to ask Miss Meng to take my father's pulse."
Meng Anzhi pointed to herself, her eyes filled with surprise, "Me? How did you know I could treat patients?"
The constable smiled and turned the banner over. To his surprise, the Jin Shanyao medical consultations, would not charge five coins. It must be this young girl who was seeking medical help.
Jin Shanyao her eyes, a hint of admiration flashing within them. "Quite clever."
The yamen runner felt a little embarrassed after being praised for his cleverness by a young woman. After years of struggling in the government office, this was all the perceptive thing he had left. "I had no choice," he said. " Lord Su has been falling asleep as soon as he finishes eating lately."
Jin Shanyao pulled the cloth banner he was holding out of her hand, thinking that her subordinate had made a mistake and she should seek retribution from her master. This young man dared to deceive her.
Jin Shanyao narrowed his eyes, a sinister calculation in his eyes. It was time to make his master bleed a little!
She glanced indifferently at the yamen runner, "The prefectural examination is over. Wait for me at the yamen gate."
"Hey... hey, don't worry, I'll be waiting at the door all day, I won't leave for even a moment."
The constable stood up excitedly, and to express his gratitude, he shouted to the crowd, "Miss Jin is a famous fortune teller! She's accurate every time she catches someone in adultery, finds a mistress, or investigates a mistress's affairs!"
The Jin Shanyao swayed, and a murderous intent arose within him. "With your publicity like this, who would dare to openly seek my fortune-telling?"
"Fine, fine..." She stood up and slapped the constable on the back of the head. "Shut up, or I'll make you pay."