Spring Drunk Chang'an

A long line formed at the entrance to the Liyuan. Time passed slowly until daylight broke. The door opened, and a clerk in a navy blue uniform emerged, saying, "Scholars, please come forward in the order you line up. The rest of you, irrelevant people, please leave."

A noisy voice suddenly arose in the team. Most of them were parents urging their sons to do well in the exam. Liu Laishun and Liu Changan were no exception.

"You can do it, Wang'er, you will definitely succeed."

Liu Laishun, who was not good at speaking, repeated it.

Liu Wang'er nodded heavily, then picked up the exam basket and turned to walk into the reception room.

This was the beginning of his journey towards the imperial examination.

Liu Wang'er was rigorously examined. Her entire body was searched, her headscarf was undone, and the steamed buns in the examination basket were broken in half to check for any slips of paper. Every wicker in the examination basket was carefully checked to see if there was anything hidden...

Everything went smoothly, and Liu Wang'er finally entered the venue under the guidance of the clerk. He went to the room according to the number that had just been assigned.

There are rows and rows of cells that look like small pigeon cages. They are short and narrow, and you can't even straighten your back when you enter them.

But Liu Wang'er was still glad that he didn't get a bad number.

He entered the examination room, took out the oilcloth from the examination basket and spread it on the table to prevent the examination paper from getting dirty. He then took out the brush, inkstone, and paperweight and placed them in order, and began to grind ink.

As he ground the ink in circles, the thick black ink spread out. Smelling the faint scent of ink and looking at the cramped room, Liu Wang'er suddenly took a deep breath.

"Work hard!" He murmured to himself, his eyes filled with excitement. "Liu Wang'er, the imperial examination is not only for Dad, Mom, Big Sister, and Sanxi'er, but also for yourself."

"The only thing you gained from the hardships you endured at the hands of the Second Young Master was a body of knowledge."

“Don’t let it down, and don’t let yourself down.”

After that, a gong sounded and a clerk came forward with the test papers to distribute. Liu Wang'er suddenly calmed down, took the papers and examined them carefully.

There was silence in room number 1.

Only the rustling sound of writing remained.

-

Outside the room, Liu Laishun and Liu Changan did not go home, but sat outside the gift room at a small stall selling buns.

Wait quietly.

Liu Laishun bought ten buns and handed them to his daughter, saying with sullen concern, "Eat some. Wang'er has several hours to take the exam!"

He didn't say to let his daughter go home first.

This is Wang'er's first step to break away from the shadow of the second young master and move towards a new future. His daughter definitely wants to be with him.

"Okay, Dad, you eat too!" Liu Changan smiled, took the bun and took a bite.

Just bite a crescent shape into the bun.

Then he ate it slowly again.

Liu Laishun looked at it before taking the bun and eating one in one bite.

The two were eating when Liu Laishun suddenly asked, "Chang'an, it's not difficult to do something for the Madam, right? You've been coming home lately, sometimes not even coming home on your days off!"

"Last time, were those bandits you encountered really bandits? Or were they provoked by you while carrying out your mission?"

"If you have any trouble, tell Dad..."

"Dad, what are you thinking about? This is not happening at all!" Liu Changan was stunned, his almond-shaped eyes drooped, and he evaded vaguely.

The affairs of the Ningguo Mansion are too messy and complicated, and they involve her too!

Liu Changan was afraid that his family would be implicated by her, so he only reported good news and never bad news.

Her adoptive parents had suffered greatly because of her in their previous life. In this life, she just wanted her family to live in peace and safety, just like Wang'er, and get out of their way.

All the best.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me!" She pursed her lips.

Liu Laishun was a quiet man who didn't like to talk. He didn't know how to deal with his daughter's 'perfunctory' attitude. He could only say sullenly, "Gaining the master's trust has its pros and cons."

"I trust you, so I want you to do it. Dad knows you're tight-lipped, but if it's really dangerous, it's too difficult. Even if there's an order, Chang'an, you can't keep it to yourself. You have to tell me and your mother."

"We raised you with our hands in our arms. The masters see you as a slave, but your mother and I see you as a treasure. If anything were to happen to you... We are too old to handle such setbacks."

Since entering the mansion, his daughter has been highly valued by the lady and treated like a confidant. Their whole family has benefited from her, and people everywhere give him face, which makes it easier for him to do things in the shop.

The old people in the mansion praised him for being "good at picking up things" and said that he could help raise a little girl.

While he was relieved, he was also really scared.

The child was often covered in wounds, from being tied up and stabbed, with scars piled up layer upon layer.

He looked genuinely distressed.

"...your mother and I still have some face in front of the Madam. If you think it's not going to work, just tell us. Your mother and I will go and ask the Madam for help. At worst, our whole family will leave the capital and move south!"

"Madam has property there too. I'll go and look after the shop for her, and your mother will look after the farm. Wang'er can go to the south and study. Your mother and I don't expect you to achieve great things or become rich. We just want our family to be complete and peaceful."

"You know what? Chang'an!"

Liu Laishun spoke from the heart.

People who are taciturn are often the most sincere, and the truth spoken by honest people is the most heartwarming.

Liu Changan's eyes felt hot and she almost cried. She quickly blinked away the tears and choked with sobs, "Dad, don't worry, I know what to do."

"I won't be in any trouble. I want to see Wang'er get into high school, Sanxi get married, and then I'll take care of you and mother in your old age!"

"Your mother and I have Wang'er, why do we need you?"

"Just find a husband who is stable, loving, and has a good family and is easy to get along with. Give me and your mother a few grandchildren, and we will live in harmony and happiness!"

Liu Laishun waved his big hands, and a gentle smile appeared on his rough face. "Eat, eat quickly, or the buns will get cold soon."

"Yeah!" Liu Changan nodded heavily and took big bites of the bun.

Time flies.

In the blink of an eye, it was afternoon. The first day of the county examination was over. The door of the ceremonial room opened and Liu Wang'er staggered out. Seeing this, Liu Laishun and Liu Chang'an quickly stood up and trotted to meet her.

"Wang'er, how did you do in the exam?" Liu Laishun asked.

"I, I think it's okay. I answered all the questions!" Liu Wang'er's eyes and eyebrows showed joy.

Liu Laishun was also naive. He believed whatever his son said. He couldn't help but grin, "That's great. I've answered all the questions. It must be right. We are going to have a scholar in our family!"

"If you become a scholar master, I will be a scholar father."

For a family of generations of slaves to have a scholar was truly a great honor. Liu Laishun was overjoyed and said to his daughter, "Chang'an, you are also a scholar. Find a scholar in the future!"

"Okay!" Liu Changan chuckled.

Liu Wang'er touched his head, a naive look on his pretty face.

On the side, the parents who were also waiting for their children looked at the coarse cloth clothes of the Liu family, curled their lips in disapproval, and thought to themselves: What can such a little sprout, which hasn't even grown all its hair, do?

If you are having fun now, you might lose hope soon!