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In August, during the autumn examination, the test location was in Xingnan Prefecture.
Traveling from Fengyang County to Xingnan Prefecture by horse-drawn carriage along the official road typically took about three to four days.
Following a leisurely pace, stopping for meals when hungry, and lodging wherever it got dark, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun spent six days on the journey before finally reaching Xingnan Prefecture.
Xingnan Prefecture was a larger city compared to Taisong Prefecture, bustling with activity and appearing more prosperous.
Perhaps due to its lively nature, even though the examination hall was situated in the relatively remote southeast corner of the city, numerous inns surrounded the area, all looking clean and elegant.
Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun chose one of these inns for their stay.
The top-tier Tianzi Suite was spacious enough to be considered a suite by today’s standards, complete with a sitting room.
The shelves were filled with various books, and the study desk was neatly arranged with writing materials such as brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Overall, the room was quite impressive.
After settling in, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun took a brief rest. As they prepared to head out in the evening to explore and find a place to eat, they encountered another scholarly-looking individual coming out of the inn.
“Brother, are you here to participate in the Autumn Examination as well?” Jiang Junli, recognizing the well-dressed and refined Song Jingyun, greeted him with a bow. “I am Jiang Junli from Jiang City. May I know your name?”
“I am Song Jingyun from Fengyang County,” Song Jingyun replied, returning the gesture as he found Jiang Junli to be quite amiable.
“Fengyang County, huh?” Jiang Junli’s mouth twitched slightly. “I heard it’s quite impoverished over there, faring much worse than Jiang City. But seeing your attire, I assume your family background is quite respectable?”
“Just an ordinary farming family,” Song Jingyun answered truthfully.
Jiang Junli’s mouth twitched again.
An ordinary farming family, dressing similarly to himself?
His own family was a wealthy merchant with three shops. How could someone claim to be just a farmer and dress so well? Was he being looked down upon?
Although feeling a bit displeased internally, Jiang Junli simply nodded slightly and said, “I see.”
Glancing at Jiang Mixia beside Song Jingyun, Jiang Junli smiled and remarked, “Sir Song, bringing your wife along to the Autumn Examination, quite unexpected, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Song Jingyun nodded, “because I have a wife.”
” Sir Jiang, you must not be married yet. That’s fine. It’s okay to marry a bit later; you won’t be ridiculed for it.”
Turning to Jiang Mixia, Song Jingyun said, “Dear, I just heard from the innkeeper that there’s a restaurant ahead known for its excellent Huaiyang cuisine. Shall we go try it? Or perhaps the Sichuan cuisine there is also good. Do you prefer something mild or spicy?”
“Something mild, please,” Jiang Mixia responded.
Despite having food and drink along the journey, the autumn season was prone to causing bodily discomfort. With the lack of adequate soup and water during the travels, it was best to stick to milder foods to avoid health issues.
“Alright, let’s go for some Huaiyang cuisine then,” Song Jingyun agreed, turning to Jiang Junli. “We’ll take our leave now.”
With that, he and Jiang Mixia walked past Jiang Junli and headed towards the restaurant ahead.
Jiang Junli, “…”
He was annoyed. It felt like he was being spoken to as if he didn’t have a wife.
And was that the implication behind his question?
The Autumn Examination was a significant event in one’s life and should be taken seriously. Yet, Song Jingyun had brought his wife along, clearly appearing like a freeloader, only knowing how to indulge in domestic bliss. It was truly a disgrace to a man’s dignity and a scholar’s reputation.
However, come to think of it, the name Song Jingyun sounded somewhat familiar…
Jiang Junli pursed his lips.
Ultimately, whether it was the common people one saw everywhere or those incomparable to him, he had always been superior from birth.
With a privileged background, remarkable talent, and being on the verge of taking the imperial examination at a young age, his path to success in officialdom seemed assured…
Jiang Junli raised his chin and walked ahead with his hands clasped behind his back.
The innkeepers from the two inns watched as Jiang Junli walked further away before starting to whisper among themselves.
“Should we call out to Sir Jiang?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t. He seems to have a peculiar temper. He might think we are meddling unnecessarily.”
“But he’s a scholar after all, likely very concerned about his reputation. Isn’t it quite embarrassing to have the hem of his robe accidentally tucked into his belt, revealing his undergarments?”
“But now that so many people have seen it…”
On the other hand, the two enjoyed dishes like Dazhugansi (stir-fried silk noodles), Qingdun Shizitou (braised lion’s head meatballs), Xianggu Youcai (aromatic rape greens), and Huangqiao Shaobing (Huangqiao baked cakes).
Each dish was simple yet delicious, with delightful flavors.
After finishing their meal, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun returned to the inn, freshened up, and went to bed.
After a tiring journey by carriage, both of them slept deeply, waking up to the bright light of the second day.
Their rest was interrupted by a loud and urgent knocking on the door, resonating with forceful taps that clearly didn’t belong to an innkeeper.
Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun hastily got dressed and went to answer the door.
Upon opening it, they were met with a familiar face.
“Young Sir,” Xun Yuanbai exclaimed excitedly, “Greetings, Madam.”
“Master Xun?”
Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun were both surprised. They welcomed Xun Yuanbai into the room and asked the innkeeper to bring some tea.
“How did Master Xun come here?” Song Jingyun inquired. “And how did you know that my wife and I were staying here?”
“Hehe, I happened to pass by this place, decided to stay at this inn, and upon hearing from the innkeeper that there were examinees from Fengyang County here, I guessed it must be you, Young Sir. So, I came to take a look, and here you are, the two of you,” Xun Yuanbai explained with a smile, stroking his beard.
“Is that true?” Song Jingyun expressed doubt.
Naturally, it wasn’t true.
Where in the world would such a coincidence occur?
But finding Young Sir was quite straightforward for him. By following the aura, the stronger it got, the closer he was to Young Sir. There was no escaping that.
“Look at you. I’m already quite old, why bother investigating this?” Xun Yuanbai chuckled. “Since Young Sir and Madam are staying here, I’ll book the room next door and stay here with you for a few days.”
Xun Yuanbai called the innkeeper over and arranged for the room next door.
“Why do you want to accompany us, Master Xun?” Song Jingyun asked again.
“Well, Young Sir, you are participating in the Autumn Examination, which is a significant event. Your future prospects depend on today. Your aura is strong, but I fear that ill-intentioned individuals might target you. So, I’ve come to accompany you and safeguard your path, preventing those with malicious intent from disrupting your aura,” Xun Yuanbai explained.
“In simpler terms…”
“The celestial patterns in the capital are unusual. When the Emperor inquires, I dare not say more. I can only claim that I cannot comprehend it fully and must follow this purple light to lift a curse. That’s why…”