Men are superior to women: the heartthrob in Yunqi

Mu Yao left half a basket of loquats and said goodbye to Uncle Niu, then kept an eye out for job recruitment notices along the way.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man, so you must first take care of yourself.

The "Fulai Inn" in front of her only cost 500 coins for a regular room with a meal. It was the cheapest hotel she passed by, so she asked for one without hesitation.

The moment she soaked in the tub, she felt extremely comfortable. After a delicious meal, she slept until noon the next day, and Mu Yao instantly regained her energy.

There were still some C cosmetics left in the bag. She knew that she was too pretty and had to cover it up. Soon, a young man with a slightly dark yellow complexion and clean and delicate appearance was done with makeup.

The town center was bustling with people and activity. Mu Yao was like a curious baby, wandering around, overwhelmed by the sights.

The teahouse on the right has elegant and simple brackets and eaves. A deep sniff will give you a faint scent of tea.

On the left are various small stalls and shops lined up in a long line, crowded with people and the atmosphere is friendly.

She looked at the many toys she had never seen before with envy. She stopped several times, weighed the coins in her pocket, pursed her lips and forced herself to look away.

There were many handsome men on the street. Regardless of age or status, they were all dressed neatly and meticulously. No wonder Uncle Niu invited her to eat wontons.

There were very few women walking on the street. The only one I saw today was the back of the lady from the Li family next door to Zuiweilou when she got off her horse. I stretched my neck to take a closer look, and in the blink of an eye, I was tightly blocked by two tall men on the left and right and surrounded by them.

I heard from the old man selling sesame cakes nearby that the lady from the Li family was a famous fertility star in the town. She married eight husbands and gave birth to four sons and two daughters. Her good name spread to the capital.

Not only that, she also received special commendation from the emperor, was named "Lady Xianyang", and enjoyed a fief of 100 households.

She has an ordinary appearance, but thanks to her extraordinary fertility, even though she is only 35 or 36 years old this year, there are still many handsome young men flocking to her to propose marriage!

Mu Yao's heart was shaken as she slowly digested the good news.

The birth rate of girls among women in Yunqi Continent is very low. For someone like the lady of the Li family who has two daughters before the age of 40, it is a blessing better than heaven.

Emperor Qingyuan was over seventy years old and had only five princes.

It was rumored that if Li Jianiang had not already had eight husbands and was quite old, Emperor Qingyuan would have wanted to recruit her as his daughter-in-law. After all, how could the high-ranking princes and those prominent royal relatives be willing to share a wife with others?

Mu Yao returned to the inn exhausted.

She had gained a lot today. She majored in medicine, and the Jishan Pharmacy on Changle Street was her first choice. But this place was recruiting apprentices. Although food and accommodation were provided, there was only one or two taels of silver a month, and I was afraid that I couldn't even buy a decent piece of clothing.

Today I went to the Lanyi Pavilion to make samples. I heard that it was the best ready-made clothing shop in Yangming Town, and the main store was in Shangjing. She looked at a few things at the door. The ones that caught her eye were at least 30 taels. There were cheaper ones, too, such as the linen cloth she was wearing. One hundred yuan could buy two pieces. It was durable and durable. It was still strong even when washed white. The clerks of the Lanyi Pavilion used this kind of material to clean the counter.

Mu Yao had been pampered since she was a child, and this piece of clothing was pricking her skin.

It is difficult to go from extravagance to frugality! Great wisdom from the ancients!

She still remembered the menu in front of Zuiweilou: crystal braised pork, steamed cured meat, braised shark's fin, golden leaf crisps, imperial concubine cake... Her mouth was filled with fragrance and she wanted to eat it, and she wanted to eat it now!

"Oh, I feel like drifting again." Mu Yao sighed.

Suddenly, she remembered that there was a Sanwei Bookstore about two hundred meters ahead of Jishan Pharmacy.

She remembered that a man named Zhang Zhi from Huaxi Village mentioned that he could earn two taels of silver a month by copying books in a bookstore.

She had been taught by Master Congyun "Xie Ruyi" since she was a child, and had received his strict teachings for many years. Her grandfather once let slip that Master Congyun once praised her in front of her when he was drunk, saying that "her writing is unique and has a great wisdom, and she has the demeanor of a great master." So she thought about going to Sanwei Bookstore to try it out.

There are many restaurants and snack shops in the town. Her cooking skills are also good. She was forced to practice her skills after studying abroad for many years. She can recommend herself as a chef or sell some recipes for money.

When she thought about the many opportunities to make money, she couldn't help but feel excited.

Mu Yao decided to try her luck at Sanwei Bookstore first.

This bookstore is very famous in Yangming Town. It is located at No. 72 Changle Street in the center of the town and is a rare golden treasure land.

Sanwei Bookstore not only sells and lends various types of books, but also sells some famous calligraphy and paintings, antiques and collections, attracting a group of dignitaries and literati to frequent it.

A rosewood plaque stands tall on the high roof. The words "Sanwei Bookstore" are written in smooth and vigorous strokes, showing the profound cultural heritage and taste of the bookstore.

In the evening, the sky was full of rosy clouds, and candles were already lit in the bookstore.

There was a tall sandalwood table on each of the four corners, with an incense burner on each. The scent of jasmine flowers wafted up, filling the entire bookstore with a light and elegant fragrance that made people's minds particularly clear.

The basalt floor was spotless, and the candlelight reflected on the stone bricks seemed to be covered with a soft, pale gold carpet.

The bookstore is divided into three floors, each floor is lined with neatly arranged bookcases, and the rows are deep and straight, with no end in sight.

Mu Yao couldn't help but sigh that the owner of this bookstore was really generous! In terms of its scale, even if you look at it in the 23rd century, it is still amazing.

"Young man, do you want to buy a book or borrow one?" A handsome man who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old came up to me enthusiastically at the front desk.

Mu Yao sorted out her thoughts and said, "My name is Mu Yao. I have studied for a few years. I heard that there are students who want to copy books here, so I came here to inquire."

The waiter Wang Hao said with a smile: "Young man, our bookstore is recruiting students to copy books. The payment is calculated by the book, and the payment for each book will be determined according to the number of words. I wonder what kind of books you want to copy?"

"Can you let me see the books I need to copy first?"

Wang Hao pointed to the three rows of large cabinets on the right behind him. On them were densely packed and orderly placed layer upon layer of various books, covering astronomy and geography, unofficial history, miscellaneous notes, mythology and miscellaneous talks.

Mu Yao chose "History of the Great Yun Kingdom", "Miscellaneous Records of Various Countries" and a novel "Four Gods".

Wang Hao was surprised and said, "Young Master, these books are rarely chosen."

"Oh? Then what do they usually choose?" Mu Yao asked curiously.

"Such as The Great Treatise, The Neng Ce, and The Commentary on the Classics. The spring exam is approaching, and most candidates will choose books related to the exam. Young man, you look unfamiliar. Are you here to take the spring exam as well?"

Mu Yao didn't know the rules of the spring exam, nor did she know whether women could take the exam. If there were no restrictions, this might be a good way out, so she asked curiously, "May I ask what are the conditions for taking the spring exam?"

Wang Hao stared at Mu Yao with eyes wide open in confusion, and Mu Yao felt her scalp tingling at his gaze.

The spring exam is a big deal. Who among the students doesn't want to become an official? Women are precious nowadays, and beautiful ones are even rarer. More than half of the top 30 beauties in the list of beauties in Dayun Kingdom live in Shangjing. Most of them are high-ranking officials and noble ladies. It is said that these women have creamy skin, thick hair, tall figures, and can play the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and recite poems and couplets. They are hundreds of times better than those in the town and the countryside.

In Dayun, "a good man should study hard, strive for a good place, go to the capital, hold a high position, and marry a beautiful woman" is deeply rooted in people's minds. How uninformed must this young man be that he doesn't even know these basic things?

How could this be tolerated? Wang Hao immediately explained, "The spring exam is our top priority. Once our sons pass the exam, they will have achieved fame and be eligible to enter the government. Marrying a beautiful bride is no longer a dream. In two months, it will be the annual spring exam. There will also be an autumn exam in the second half of the year, which is usually held in late autumn. There are no restrictions on registration for the exam. As long as you want to take the exam, you can register. However, there will be a three-day test on the eve of the spring exam. Only after passing the test can you take the nine-day final exam. One subject will be tested in three days. The scope is "Da Yong", "Lü Lun" and "Jing Lun". The court has 9 quotas for officialdom every year, but there are tens of millions of candidates from all over the country. So the exam is extremely difficult."

"Can that woman also be used as a reference?" Mu Yao asked further.

Wang Hao was slightly stunned, and thought for a long time before saying, "It's not written in the law, but no woman will take part in the spring exam."

"Never before?" Mu Yao asked in surprise.

Wang Hao shook his head: "At least I haven't heard that women are born without worries about food, clothing, or marriage. Even if their families are in trouble, they can seek shelter in the women's garden set up by the government office."

Mu Yao wanted to ask Nu Yuan further, but seeing the puzzled look in the boy's eyes, she swallowed her words back.

"Young man, where is your hometown?" Wang Hao asked curiously.

Mu Yao smiled awkwardly and said carelessly: "I'm from a small place. Brother, can I choose these three books to copy? Is there a time limit?"

Wang Hao smiled and said, "Don't worry, young man. Please follow me to the studio and write a few lines. I will show it to the shopkeeper and then give you a reply."

Wang Hao brought Mu Yao into an elegant room, where a table with a cloud pattern and a set of four treasures of the study were placed. Mu Yao saw that the pen tube of the wolf-hair brush was carved with hollow bamboo leaves, and the workmanship was very delicate. The inkstone next to it was like a blooming winter plum, pleasing to the eye.

The setting sun outside the window shone on the snow-white rice paper, and Mu Yao's mood gradually softened. With a broad mind, she wrote: The long road reflects the setting sun, and the west wind blows the fragrance of plum blossoms.

Wang Hao is the nephew of the shopkeeper Wang. He has been in the bookstore for five or six years. Over the years, he has learned some skills in appreciation. He was surprised to see such good calligraphy from a plain-looking student. It would be a waste of talent to be a copyist, so he picked up the work and went straight to the backyard.

"Uncle, uncle."

At this time, the shopkeeper Wang Fang was conveying the words of the Prime Minister's wife in Beijing, the eldest princess Ye Jingshu, to his son.

"What's the matter? How can you be so reckless!" Wang Fang scolded.

Seeing that the young master was also there, Wang Hao hurriedly came closer and said, "Young master, it's great that you are here. A young man came up to apply to be a copyist, and his handwriting is very good. Would you like to take a look?" Wang Hao said excitedly.

Shopkeeper Wang took the paper and his eyes widened. It was indeed a good handwriting! The poem was also good! He quickly handed it to the noble young man beside him.

Xu Qingcheng took the paper, gently twisted one end with her slender jade-like fingers, and her eyes and eyebrows as beautiful as peach blossoms sparkled.

"It's indeed good." Xu Qingcheng nodded rarely.

Wang Hao was very proud: "Sir, this young man's surname is Mu and his name is Yao, and his calligraphy is much better than other students.

"You have quite a good eye, kid." Shopkeeper Wang nodded and smiled.

Xu Qingcheng also agreed with Wang Hao's point of view.

This gentleman's handwriting is elegant, vigorous, clear and elegant. His poems are also well-written and suitable for the occasion. He is a rare talent.

Last month, he spent a lot of money to buy a calligraphy work by Master Liu Zhizhang. If you compare Mu Xiaolangjun's calligraphy with Master Liu's, they are not inferior. It's just that one is famous and the other is unknown.

Mu Yao waited for about half an hour, but saw that no one came out, and she felt puzzled.

The setting sun shone through the door and windows onto her. She felt it was a bit dazzling, so she stretched out her hand to block it, and vaguely saw a tall figure walking towards her not far away.

The white straight-collared long gown made the visitor look tall and straight, and the emerald green silk tied on the left side of his waist made him look more elegant and noble. Under the silk was an imperial green crescent wall, and on his feet was a pair of white cloud-soled boots with gold threads. These details showed the visitor's nobleness and extraordinaryness.

"I guess this must be Master Mu Yaomu. I am Xu Qingcheng, the owner of Sanwei Bookstore."

The man's voice was deep and magnetic. Mu Yao slowly lowered her right hand and finally saw his face clearly.