Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 57 - Qiao'er is the Most Tight-lipped

Song Yan had guessed correctly. Mingyue was indeed from the Hehuan Sect.

Anyone with a bit of power, whether in the imperial court or in the Jianghu, knew about the relationship between the Jade Gathering Garden and the Hehuan Sect.

Many people even went to the Jade Gathering Garden specifically because of the Hehuan Sect's reputation, wanting to experience just how exquisite the women of the Hehuan Sect were. It's just that no one ever openly publicized it. This was pretty much a tacit secret.

There was no helping it. Although they liked it in their hearts, the Hehuan Sect's reputation was, after all, not very good. In the words of those old scholars, the ethos of the Hehuan Sect was like a flood or a fierce beast, harming the ambitious youth of the Ning Kingdom.

Even though those old pedants' hair and beards had all turned white, they still held a lot of sway.

Speaking of which, in the stereotype of the masses, the disciples of the Hehuan Sect were all enchanting young women. But they didn't know that in the beginning, the Hehuan Sect had male disciples. Even that Great Grandmaster ancestor was a man.

The secret arts of the Hehuan Sect were also divided into two parts, one for male cultivation and one for female cultivation. Only by merging the two could one achieve the Great Dao.

The lost secret manual was the one used for male cultivation. It's just that without male disciples to cooperate with, the female side also declined.

Shaking her head, Mingyue stopped letting her thoughts run wild. She casually took the 'Linjiangxian' manuscript from the table. The original manuscript of such a masterpiece passed down through the ages had extremely high collection value.

Cui Shi'an, who was a step too slow, stamped his feet and beat his chest. If this manuscript were in his hands, with a little maneuvering, he could at the very least earn back a hundred gold leaves. A loss, a huge loss.

Even while walking, Mingyue's attention was fixed on the words on the manuscript. The characters were beautiful, the verse even more so. Her whole person seemed to be immersed in some kind of scene, unable to extricate herself. It wasn't until several calls came from beside her that she was finally startled back to reality. Looking up, she found she had already reached the small bridge.

Beside her was a pretty girl of seventeen or eighteen, dressed quite gorgeously, lively and cute. She was one of the Jade Gathering Garden's top courtesans, Jin Qiao'er.

"Sister Mingyue, who has stolen your soul? You're so entranced?" Jin Qiao'er's voice was very crisp, like a lively sparrow.

"I almost thought you were going to jump into the water and commit suicide for love."

Startled awake, Mingyue shot an irritated sideways glance at Jin Qiao'er. Before Mingyue could speak, Jin Qiao'er began to chatter again, vividly describing what had just happened in the front hall.

“Oh right, oh right, Sister Mingyue, just now, Song Yun admitted it himself! That 'A lonely person stands alone, in the light rain, a pair of swallows fly' was written by him. What a pity, it's only a fragment. If there were a whole poem, I wonder how beautiful it would be."

"That Song Yan is so detestable, to actually take the poem written by his elder brother and run around putting on airs... And to think I quite liked him before."

Mingyue was stunned: "You're saying that Song Yun personally admitted that line of poetry was written by him? And that it's only a fragment?"

Jin Qiao'er nodded her little head.

"Yes, yes! That Young Master Song is truly a gentleman. Even when he came to the Jade Gathering Garden, he only drank tea and listened to songs. You don't know, just now there were so many hussies in the building who offered themselves to him, but they were all refused by Young Master Song. Weren't you also always trying to find this talented scholar? A pity you weren't here. Young Master Song just left."

"Heh..." Mingyue's delicate brow furrowed slightly, and she let out a sneer:

"Such a fine line, and him? Is he even worthy?"

Jin Qiao'er was stunned. She hadn't expected Mingyue to have this kind of attitude. Sister Mingyue had always held that talented scholar in high esteem. Why was she so disdainful now... no, it was disgust.

Inadvertently, she caught sight of the paper in Mingyue's hand. Her little head squeezed over. The moving verses, accompanied by her crisp voice, had a unique charm of their own.

"...The bright moon was there then, once shining on the colorful cloud as it returned!"

When the ci poem was finished, Jin Qiao'er also stared with wide eyes.

“This, who wrote this?”

"Song Yan..." Subconsciously, she opened her mouth.

The words had already come out before Mingyue remembered Song Yan's previous instructions. She quickly pressed a finger to Jin Qiao'er's mouth.

“Shhh! Qiao'er, you absolutely must not spread this around. Young Master Song doesn't want others to know that he wrote this ci poem."

Jin Qiao'er was full of confusion: "Why?"

With such a good ci poem, you wouldn't even have to pay to visit a brothel.

Mingyue tilted her little head: "Perhaps it's their deep brotherly bond?"

"Anyway, just don't go around gossiping."

Jin Qiao'er immediately puffed out her chest.

"Don't worry, Sister Mingyue. You know me. Qiao'er is the most tight-lipped."

……

In front of the low-rise pavilion.

Cui Shi'an's eyes were full of envy.

"Brother Song! Did you see that? The look Miss Mingyue just gave you was all sticky."

Sticky? What kind of adjective is that? It feels a little sleazy.

Zhao Anze also said with a chuckle:

"That's true. Although I've known Miss Mingyue for two years, this is the first time I've seen her look at a man like that. Young lad Song, put in some effort. It wouldn't be bad to marry her and take her home as a concubine."

"You two old sirs, please don't joke with me."

"What's the matter? Could it be you look down on the girl Mingyue? Although the girl Mingyue has committed herself to the Jade Gathering Garden, let alone the girls in the Shuyu, even those top courtesans are all virgins. There's nothing to worry about."

Song Yan let out a breath: "Have you ever seen a live-in son-in-law who can take a concubine?"

"That's true. For a kid like you, it's a pity to be a live-in son-in-law." Lu Changqing shook his head, walked into the room, and familiarly picked up a wine pot to warm a pot of yellow wine.

After three rounds of drinks.

Everyone was slightly tipsy. Only then did Lu Changqing say:

"Young lad Song, do you know about the Spring Examination next year?"

This change of topic was so abrupt... Song Yan complained in his heart and shook his head.

Lu Changqing and Zhao Anze then gave Song Yan a popular science lesson on the imperial examinations. The imperial examinations in this world were quite different from the one in his original world.

The Ning Kingdom's imperial examinations are held once every three years, generally in the spring and autumn, as the temperature in these two seasons is suitable.

Unlike winter and summer, which are either too cold or too hot. An exam often lasts for two or three days, with eating and drinking all done within the examination cells.

The physical requirements for the candidates are extremely high. If it were held in winter or summer, the candidates' performance would be severely affected.

The spring examination is the 'Chunwei', the autumn one is the 'Qiuwei'.

"In the Ning Kingdom, the imperial examinations are divided into five stages. The first is the Township Exam. Passing that makes you a 'Tongshan'."

"The second is the County Exam. Only a 'Tongshan' can participate. Passing that makes you a 'Xiucai'."

"The third is the Prefectural Exam. Passing that makes you a 'Juren'."

"The fourth is the Capital Exam, to become a 'Jinshi'."

"The last is the Palace Exam, which ranks the 'Jinshi' into 'Zhuangyuan', 'Tanhua', 'Bangyan', First Rank, Second Rank, and failed."

"If you place first in every exam, that is a 'Quintuple First'."

Song Yan pursed his lips and listened silently. The imperial examinations in the Ning Kingdom were indeed complex. In his past life, the ancient system had the 'Triple First,' but here it had become the 'Quintuple First.'

In the hundred-plus years since the founding of the Ning Kingdom, there had not yet been a talented scholar who had achieved 'Quintuple First'.

Lu Changqing took another sip of yellow wine, poked at the willow charcoal in the stove, and sparks sizzled out:

"The Township Exam and County Exam are relatively simple. Each candidate is given a bound set of test papers, ten sheets in total, with one hundred questions. This includes thirty questions on classics, thirty on law, twenty on mathematics, and twenty on calligraphy!"

He hadn't expected that the imperial examinations would actually test calligraphy. But that makes sense; the ancients placed extreme importance on calligraphy. If one's handwriting was poor, the examiner probably wouldn't even have the interest to read the answers.

"As for the Prefectural Exam, first there are one hundred questions on classics, law, and mathematics. This is the first session. The second session tests poetry and prose. The third session tests policy discussion."

Each session is one day.

At this point, the difficulty increased.

Putting other things aside, just writing out the complete answers to one hundred questions on classics, law, and mathematics with a writing brush was not something an ordinary person could do.

"The Capital Exam has two sessions: one for poetry and prose, one for a policy discussion essay."

"When it comes to the Palace Exam, the Son of Heaven himself sets the question, and all candidates write a policy discussion essay based on this topic."

It seems the simplest, but it is the session with the most pressure. There's no way around it; the emperor, acting as the proctor, is sitting on the dragon throne staring at you.

The pressure is immense, just like that.

"So, what does this have to do with me?"

"Young people just have no patience. Let me finish." Old Lu took another drink of wine:

"Although the Ning Kingdom's examinations are complex, the questions... year after year, it's just the same few things."

"The law questions are just the same few cases over and over. The mathematics questions are nothing more than changing 'chickens and rabbits in a cage' to 'ducks and sheep,' or 'wild geese and water buffaloes,' at most changing a few numbers…

Those students don't need to be proficient in law and mathematics. As long as they remember the fixed problem-solving methods, they can turn in a pretty good paper. It's really quite uninteresting. Therefore, this year, the imperial court has decided to add a few special questions to the exam papers..."

"This old man once served in the Court of Judicial Review, and later transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. Lord Zhao served in the Ministry of Punishments." Old Lu glanced at Zhao Anze:

"Therefore, the matter of creating new questions for law and mathematics has fallen on the two of us."

"It's just that we have traveled through several prefectures, but the cases we've encountered are all largely the same and not too different from the old exam questions. However, that 'Zhang San' case the young friend mentioned made our eyes light up. I just wonder if the young friend has any more similar, bizarre cases?" Old Lu said with a grin, as if he had discovered a treasure.

What do you mean 'bizarre'?

Can't you use a better word?

"As for this young lad from the Cui family, in the entire Ning Kingdom, I'm afraid no one can surpass his attainments in mathematics."

Song Yan understood. They wanted him to be Ge Jun.

"Then if we participate in the imperial examinations, wouldn't it be unfair to the other scholars?" Song Yan blinked his eyes.

Zhao Anze clicked his tongue: "You're a live-in son-in-law, and he's a merchant. What do the scholars' imperial examinations have to do with you?"

"Aren't you afraid we'll leak the questions?" Song Yan pointed to Cui Shi'an beside him.

“I definitely won't, but I seriously suspect that as long as enough silver is offered, let alone just the exam questions, Brother Cui would sell his own sister without hesitation."

Cui Shi'an's eyes widened as if to refute, but after thinking about it seriously, he tacitly agreed with Song Yan's statement.

Lu Changqing had a kind face: "You don't need to worry about that either. In the Ning Kingdom, the management of the imperial examinations is extremely strict. There have been people who dared to leak questions, but they all lost their heads.”

Never mind what I said.

"Besides, we are only using them as a reference. The questions that actually appear on the exam papers will definitely be changed somewhat. Even if they are leaked, the impact won't be great."

"Of course, we won't let you work for free." Lu Changqing knew very well how to handle Song Yan. He took out a stack of bank drafts from his bosom and placed them on the table:

"One hundred taels for one question."

Song Yan's eyes narrowed. A bank draft from the Qian Clan Bank, redeemable right here in Song Prefecture, and it even came with the secret code.

After thinking for a moment, Song Yan said:

"Old Lu, what is the meaning of this? As a citizen of the Ning Kingdom, it is my bounden duty to help the students of Ning improve their academic standards. How can I accept money?"

Lu Changqing felt a little moved in his heart. He had originally thought this Song Yan was a greedy person, but he never expected him to be so righteous. He had truly judged a gentleman by his own petty standards.

If he insisted on giving the money, it would seem like an insult. Thinking this, Lu Changqing prepared to take back the bank drafts.

But he pulled, and the bank drafts didn't move an inch. Looking down, he saw that at some point, Song Yan's fingers were already pressing down on the drafts, slowly but firmly pulling them from his hand.

"It's just that, a gift from an elder, I dare not refuse. Old Lu has already taken them out. If I don't accept, wouldn't that be disrespectful to Old Lu?"

Old Lu was stunned, then immediately slapped his thigh and cursed with a laugh: "You whelp... Take them, take them all."

The test papers I did in my last life, stacked up, would probably be several meters high. I really never thought there would be a day where I would be the one writing questions for others. For some unknown reason, a wicked thought welled up in his chest.

Students of the Ning Kingdom, your good fortune has arrived!

Thinking this, the smile on Song Yan's face deepened. Twenty drafts, each worth one hundred taels, along with the paper recording the secret codes, were all silently tucked into his bosom. He suppressed the upturned corners of his mouth:

"However, I have one more request!"

"Speak."

"I can create the questions, but I will absolutely not sign my name to them."

"And why is that?" Old Lu and Old Zhao were a little puzzled. After all, to have one's name on the imperial examination papers was an extremely glorious thing for a scholar.

"I'm afraid of getting beaten up." Clearing his throat, Song Yan spoke: "Please listen to the first question."

The two old men hurriedly found paper and a brush, preparing to record:

"There is a person named Zhang San..."

Old Lu frowned: "Why is it Zhang San again? Can't you change the name?"

Song Yan shook his head: "Everything else can be changed, only Zhang San is immutable."

"Alright, as you wish."

"There is a person named Zhang San, who encounters Li Si forcing a woman. He asks Li Si: 'May I enter?' Li Si replies: 'You may.' Zhang San then enters Li Si..."

As Song Yan's voice echoed faintly in the room, everyone stopped what they were doing. Even Old Zhao, who was recording the question, was no exception. They all stared dumbfounded at Song Yan.

"May I ask, has Zhang San violated the law? If so, what crime has he committed? If not, does it count as a heroic act of justice, and why?"

Pfft!

The yellow wine Old Lu had just drunk was finally sprayed out. In his forty years as an official at court, this was the first time he had lost his composure like this. Pity the white paper, where the characters Old Zhao had just written were now smudged.

Is this a question a human can come up with?