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Sun Huaiqing lived in Courtyard No. 4 of Splendorous Garden, having arrived early, but in this year’s spring examinations, he ranked 231st on the list.
The list for this year’s spring examinations had a total of 232 names, so Sun Huaiqing was literally at the edge.
Making the list should have been a joyous occasion, but seeing that everyone’s ranking was higher than his, Sun Huaiqing felt quite uncomfortable.
Moreover, those people were one after another younger, especially the one who won the top scorer, Song Jingyun, who was two years younger than his youngest son.
At such a young age, he was able to achieve the top scorer, and in the palace examination, he would certainly not rank low due to the current emperor’s preference for young talents, and his future prospects would undoubtedly be limitless.
But at this moment, Sun Huaiqing already had a long beard, and in two years, he would probably be a grandfather. Even if he excelled as a gongsheng and secured an official position, he probably wouldn’t have many years left to enjoy it.
Comparing oneself to others can truly be infuriating.
Sun Huaiqing sighed deeply.
“Why the sigh, Mr. Sun, when everything is fine?” a fellow scholar asked with concern.
“It’s nothing,” Sun Huaiqing waved his hand, trying not to let others see the dejection and jealousy on his face at this moment. His eyes darted around, and he sighed again, “I was just feeling a bit emotional.”
“Emotional about what?” someone else asked in surprise.
“Young Scholar Song is talented and handsome, and now he’s the top scorer in the examinations. He’s sure to shine in the palace examination, and his future prospects are limitless. It’s just a pity…” Sun Huaiqing deliberately paused.
The scholars around him looked at each other, not knowing what Sun Huaiqing meant by “a pity.”
Seeing that everyone was waiting with wide eyes to hear what he had to say next, Sun Huaiqing deliberately cleared his throat, “It’s just a pity that I’ve heard Scholar Song is actually a son-in-law, which truly buries his talent.”
“Our dynasty has no explicit law prohibiting a son-in-law from taking the imperial examinations and serving as officials. Being a son-in-law shouldn’t affect Scholar Song’s future prospects,” someone expressed confusion.
“You’re still too young and don’t understand the treacherous nature of the world,” Sun Huaiqing said earnestly. “A son-in-law, living in his wife’s family, relies entirely on his in-laws for food and shelter. He’s completely dependent on them, and the hardships he faces are something others can’t understand.”
“Moreover, ordinary families only marry off their daughters. Those who take in a son-in-law are usually calculating and meticulous. Allowing Scholar Song to study for the imperial examinations means they have high expectations for him. They’re probably just waiting for the day he succeeds in the examinations to tightly control him and reap all the benefits. Scholar Song’s future days will surely be difficult!”
Although the others had not personally experienced the life and feelings of being a son-in-law, they had seen or heard about the circumstances of some. Now, hearing Sun Huaiqing’s words, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for Song Jingyun.
But someone frowned, “However, I’ve seen Madam Jiang, and she seems gentle and virtuous. Although she’s a common farmer’s wife, she appears very knowledgeable and reasonable, not like someone raised by a difficult family.”
“You can know a person’s face but not their heart. And Scholar Song will have to move around outside in the future, especially here in the capital. As a mere village woman, she naturally wouldn’t dare to act rashly, but if they were behind closed doors…” Sun Huaiqing sneered.
“Just a few days ago, I saw Scholar Song and Madam Jiang buying a lot of bamboo. I heard Scholar Song was going to weave something with it. Just listen to that—it’s not something a scholar should be doing.”