【Would you like to activate the profession tutorial?】

【During the tutorial, the host will enter a deep sleep. Please ensure safety precautions are in place.】

Gu Qingyan really wanted to try it, but thinking of the two hungry little sisters waiting, he restrained himself from attempting it.

He had arrived in a rush, being carried on someone’s back, so only now did Gu Qingyan have the leisure to look around.

Meiling Village wasn’t too far from the county seat—running it took about half an hour, walking slowly would take at most an hour.

But the mountain path was rough, and Gu Qingyan regretted it halfway through. Fortunately, he had a good memory; otherwise, he might have gotten lost by now.

After a tough trek, he finally saw the gates of Lingchuan County, the sun already leaning west.

Seeing the guards at the gate starting to pack up, Gu Qingyan hurried over.

A guard glanced at him and reminded, “The city gates close at the first quarter of the You hour [around 7:15 pm]. Don’t miss the time again.”

Gu Qingyan quickly thanked him: “Thanks for the reminder.”

Getting locked outside the city gate wouldn’t be good; the gates wouldn’t open again until tomorrow.

Going back to Meiling Village meant trekking the mountain road again, and at night that would be even more dangerous—he certainly wouldn’t dare to go alone.

He wiped his sweat, grateful for his luck.

Once inside the city, Gu Qingyan relaxed and slowly made his way to the small house.

He only remembered the address from the system’s check-in rewards and asked around as he walked.

“Brother Yan!”

Mama Liu, sitting anxiously at the door looking out, saw him at the alley entrance and shouted with delight.

“You finally came back! Have you seen the Gu family? What did they say? Were they kind? Did they give you a hard time?”

Gu Qingyan saw the worry on her face and felt guilty.

He had rushed off earlier, and Mama Liu must have been on edge.

“It’s a long story, Mom. Have you settled in well?”

“This house is easy to find, just a street away from the government office. It looks safe,” she said, pulling him inside.

“The courtyard isn’t big, just an entrance, but it has three large rooms, a kitchen and a firewood shed in the back, and a well in the yard. The furniture is all complete.”

“I just checked. The rooms have cupboards and beds. Just lay the quilts down and you can sleep right away.”

Gu Qingyan glanced around, pleased. The system’s provision was thoughtful—the house was move-in ready.

There was even a livestock pen in the back, where a black ox was chewing on some bean dregs cakes.

Sitting down, Gu Qingyan told Mama Liu everything about the Gu family.

Mama Liu sighed when she finished listening, “I really didn’t expect they had all left already. They didn’t even know that you, Brother Yan, were their real son before they left.”

She worried inside: with his parents gone early, Brother Yan would have no one to support him. Her concern grew heavier.

Gu Qingyan also felt pity.

After reading Gu Tongsheng’s will, he could feel the father’s deep love for his son, very different from the elusive Lord Li in the capital.

But fate was cruel; Gu Tongsheng had died before Gu Qingyan came.

They were destined to be father and son in name only.

Mama Liu hesitated and asked, “Brother Yan, what are your plans now?”

Gu Qingyan didn’t hesitate. “Though father and mother are gone, two little sisters are left behind. As the eldest son, I naturally must take care of them until they grow up.”

“That’s right, they are your blood sisters after all,” Mama Liu agreed.

Though worried, she felt relieved—Brother Yan, raised by her, wasn’t the kind to be heartless or unfeeling.

Gu Qingyan added, “Mom, since my biological father was Tongsheng, I want to try the imperial examinations.”

Mama Liu immediately said, “Good. You’ve been studying since childhood and are smart. You will definitely top the exams.”

Gu Qingyan hadn’t expected Mama Liu to be even more confident than him.

Besides, he didn’t really count as having studied much before.

He was weak and often sick, barely attending the Li family clan school. Madam Xu feared he would die young and never pressured him to improve.

Thinking of Madam Xu, Gu Qingyan’s eyes darkened. Looking back now, Madam Xu’s attitude toward him had been strange. How could a mother not want her child to study and hold him back?

He couldn’t understand it and decided not to think about it.

Mama Liu increasingly believed studying was the right choice. Since Brother Yan had never suffered hardship and was delicate, farming wasn’t for him. Studying and passing the exams, whether as a Tongsheng, Xiucai, or Juren, meant a less difficult life.

She got up and took out the money Gu Qingyan had given her, saying, “We have savings, enough for your studies.”

She even said, “I went out during the day and saw there’s an embroidery shop here. My skills aren’t bad. I can sew and earn money.”

Gu Qingyan felt warm inside and leaned on her shoulder, calling out, “Mom, you still care for me the most.”

“You’re the one I raised with my own hands. If I didn’t care for you, who else would?” Mama Liu smiled.

Hearing him call her Mom made her very happy.

Gu Qingyan smiled back and said, “But you don’t have to work so hard. I still have silver on me, enough for the exams.”

Mama Liu wanted to ask more but stopped herself and finally asked, “Brother Yan, I’ve never asked—where did the silver you have come from?”

She had thought it came from the Li family. But when he left Qingzhou Prefecture, Brother Yan said he only wore the clothes on his back, which he had returned to the Li family.

Gu Qingyan couldn’t explain the system.

He just said, “I met some friends before. When they heard my story, they secretly gave me some money.”

Mama Liu believed him.

Although Gu Qingyan stayed home most of the time and rarely went out, he sometimes went to the Li family clan school to study.

At first, Madam Xu forbade him, but later Lord Li sent a letter saying how could a Li family son not know to read or write and forced Madam Xu to send him.

But Gu Qingyan was always sick, so he hardly studied consistently.

Mama Liu didn’t know how things went at the clan school but thought Brother Yan must have had many friends because he was likable.

Gu Qingyan, afraid of revealing too much, said, “Don’t worry, Mom, there’s enough money. I’ve hidden some more here.”

“Let’s rest early. Tomorrow morning I’ll go buy some food, and we’ll go back together.”

Seeing him yawn tiredly, Mama Liu didn’t ask more.

Gu Qingyan entered the house and finally opened the system.

There were many items in the backpack, mostly food from signing in on the road, which would all come in handy tomorrow.

【Lingchuan County Gazetteer】

This is the reward for checking in at the government office.

Gu Qingyan curiously opened it, and his indifferent expression completely vanished.

[Lingchuan County Magistrate: Hong Deyun, courtesy name Zhonghuai, ancestral home Cangshan, wife surnamed Zhang, has two sons and one daughter, strict and upright in character, good at calculations, fond of wine.]

[Lingchuan County Registrar: Bai Yu, ancestral home Qingzhou, wife surnamed Xu, has one son, smooth-talking, greedy for money.]

Gu Qingyan took a deep breath. This was no ordinary Lingchuan County record—this was basically a relationship chart of the officials in the Lingchuan county office.

He quickly skimmed down and indeed found the identity of the county clerk Gu Dayan.

[Lingchuan County Clerk: Gu Dashan, ancestral home Lingchuan, unmarried, righteous, loves to eat.]

Though brief, these descriptions were clear and helped Gu Qingyan immediately understand the local government situation.

He scanned through it quickly and got a rough impression.

Although he couldn’t connect with them right away, maybe it could be useful in the future.

Gu Qingyan’s gaze then landed on the line about Registrar Bai.

Today, he had heard Scar several times mention Registrar Bai. Gu Fengmian was able to sell the ancestral home because this registrar had handled it.

Wife Xu?

Could this Mrs. Xu, the registrar’s wife, be related to the Xu family from Qingzhou Prefecture?

Gu Qingyan frowned and then shook his head—maybe he was overthinking. Mrs. Xu was from the capital city, sent away because she offended the Li family. How could she be connected to the registrar’s wife in the mountainous area?

After a moment of consideration, Gu Qingyan put the county record aside.

[Activate profession teaching.]

A figure appeared—sure enough, it was Gu Tongsheng.

Gu Tongsheng’s face was lean and slightly stern, but his eyes looked gentle at him.

Gu Qingyan’s eyes grew a little warm. Of course, biological father is the best—look, so gentle.

An illusion, a complete illusion!

Gu Qingyan opened his eyes; his face was numb, his gaze dull, like a seedling battered by a storm.

The scholarly, gentle-looking Gu Tongsheng was actually so strict.

He only failed to answer one, two, three, four, five questions correctly, and was hit with a long, thick ruler.

He stretched out his palm—no redness, no swelling, but the pain lingered.

Fortunately, it was in the system’s lesson where he got beaten; in reality, his hands would have been useless.

Gu Qingyan couldn’t help but recall Gu Tongsheng’s obsession. Watching Gu Tongsheng’s life, it seemed he was a private tutor who often punished students harshly with a ruler.

At the time, it seemed normal; only when he himself was hit did he realize how severe it was.

Looking at the profession options, Gu Qingyan felt cheated—there was no mention of being beaten before choosing. Could he still quit now?

“Brother Yan, are you awake?” Outside came the voice of Liu Mama.

“Awake.”

Gu Qingyan quickly tidied up and went out.

Liu Mama was packing luggage and said, “Since we’re going to Meiling Village, better leave early. By the way, weren’t you going to buy some things? I’ll go with you.”

“Mom, you stay home and wait for me. I’ll come back once I’ve bought everything.”

Gu Qingyan wouldn’t let her follow. He hitched the ox cart and sped off.

Liu Mama shouted after him, “Remember to bargain!”

Seeing she didn’t catch up, Gu Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief, found a secluded spot, checked that no one was around, then took out all the system’s items.

He had no idea how heavy the food was—once out, he realized there was so much it filled the entire cart.

“Moo.” The black ox looked at him innocently, sensing the weight.

Gu Qingyan emptied his backpack, putting everything except the jade seal and other temporarily unusable items into the cart.

When Liu Mama saw it later, she was startled: “How did you buy so much?”

“The kitchen over there was empty. Bought more so we can eat slowly,” Gu Qingyan explained.

Liu Mama didn’t say more, stuffed the luggage in, and both got onto the carriage.

[Discovered Lingchuan County Meiling Village check-in point, spend 1 point to check in?]

This time, Gu Qingyan wanted to try and see what reward would drop from checking in at his ancestral home.