The Daily Life of a Rich Peasant's Boy in the Imperial Examination

Sister Yun helped Hu Ming wash up first, then led him into the house and asked gently, "My dear son, what did you learn today? Did you learn well?"

Hu Ming nodded and said, "Foster mother, I learned a lot today. Master Xiao Zheng also gave me a private lecture. I understand everything he said."

Little Master Zheng is Zheng Hongwen, who passed the examination to become a Tongsheng at a young age. Now he is still a Tongsheng, so he follows Zheng Tongsheng as an assistant.

Sister Yun looked at Hu Ming with satisfaction, then took out her textbook.

The mother and son asked and answered each other, and the scene was quite harmonious.

After a long while, Sister Yun finally finished asking questions.

He smiled and said, "Hu Ming is a good student. He is just like your adoptive father when he was a child. He is a hardworking and studious student."

When Hu Ming heard his adoptive mother say that he looked like his adoptive father, he smiled happily in his heart.

But she was very shy, her face flushed, and she said modestly: "Mother, I am not as good as you, father. I must learn from you and pass the imperial examination."

At this moment, little Hu Ming has set a small goal for himself, which is to pass the imperial examination, or at least become a scholar.

As for going to Beijing to take the imperial examination and become a high-ranking official like my adoptive father, I dare not think about it at the moment.

Sister Yun touched Hu Ming's little head, and then asked the maid to bring a piece of brown sugar cake.

He smiled and said, "Good son, are you hungry? Come and eat."

Hu Ming looked at the brown sugar cake, then turned around and looked at the Sun family members busy in the yard.

I asked, "Mom, have Grandma and the others eaten?"

Then he looked at the little fat girl on Su's back: "Did your sister eat?"

Hu Ming was afraid that if he ate too much, the little fat girl wouldn't have enough to eat. His little sister had a loud voice, and if she started crying, the neighbors would look down on her.

Sister Yun'er's smile revealed two dimples, and she said more tenderly, "Good son, they've all eaten. You're the only one left."

Hu Ming asked again: "Did stepmother eat too?"

Sister Yun would let the little fat girl down, but she would never let herself down, so of course she ate it.

Nodded: "Eat it all, good tiger, eat quickly."

After asking these questions, Hu Ming finally picked up the brown sugar cake and started eating.

Sister Yun sighed. Hu Ming was indeed well-behaved, but because of that, he seemed too cautious, which made people feel distressed.

Sister Yun didn't know how to deal with it, so she just pretended not to see it and continued to treat Hu Ming well.

Then he said, "Good son, just eat one piece. We still have to eat dinner later."

Hu Ming nodded repeatedly: "Mom, I understand."

After a pause, he said, "The brown sugar cake is delicious and sweet."

Pointing to the Sun family in the yard, he asked cautiously, "Mom, when will Grandpa and Grandma leave to find my foster father?"

Thinking of this, Hu Ming was very unhappy. He also wanted to go find his adoptive father, but he didn't dare to bring it up. He was afraid of causing trouble for his adoptive father and mother.

I eat and live at the Sun family's house, and most of my studies are also at the Sun family's house, which is enough to cause trouble to my adoptive parents.

His cousins ​​in Yangjia Village all said that he was lucky to become the godson of an official, and told him not to forget them when he became rich in the future.

Hu Ming pretended not to hear the latter part of the sentence, but the former part was actually correct.

He was indeed lucky. He was adopted by his adoptive father as his adopted son. He had enough food to eat, warm clothes to wear, and he could go to school. He was also loved by the Sun family.

Even though Grandma Su said she disliked eating plain rice, she still held the lunch box tightly, fearing that he would not have enough to eat.

Hu Ming knew that he should not make any demands, lest he become too demanding, become ungrateful, and displease his adoptive father and mother.

Sister Yun smiled and said, "We'll set off in a few days."

At this point, she suddenly remembered something, patted her head, and said in annoyance, "My dear son, how could I forget about this? I haven't asked Master Zheng for leave yet. Oh, I've been so busy lately, and your sister has been causing trouble all day, so I've been forgetful."

Hu Ming's eyes sparkled, and he asked curiously, "Mother, what did you forget? Why did you ask the teacher for leave?"

Sister Yun chuckled innocently, "You shouldn't say 'asking for leave,' you should say 'drop out of school.' You have to come with us to Yuanlu County, so you have to tell Master Zheng in advance. You can't just leave without saying goodbye."

Hu Ming's eyes widened as he asked in disbelief, "Foster mother, you said I should go to Yuanlu County to find foster father too?"

Ever since Sun Shan came to Yuanlu to serve as an official, the small Yuanlu County has been deeply engraved in Hu Ming's heart.

When Yuanlu is mentioned, you know he is talking about his adoptive father.

Sister Yun tapped Hu Ming's head and said cheerfully, "You're definitely going to come with us. Who's going to take care of you at home? You can't just rely on Grandma, right? Grandma is old and still needs Second Grandpa and Third Grandpa to take care of her."

Hu Ming's heart trembled, and his face flushed. He asked excitedly, "Mom, will it be troublesome if I go with you? Otherwise, I'll stay in Sunjia Village."

After a pause, he added: "I can take care of myself. I don't need my grandmother to take care of me."

Sister Yun shook her head repeatedly and said, "You are still young, and your stepmother is worried if she doesn't look after you. Besides, your stepfather misses you too, and hopes you'll go find him."

Hu Ming was both happy and afraid of causing trouble. He thought for a moment and said, "Mother, the journey is long. It will be troublesome to bring the child with you."

After a pause, he added, "Taking me with you will cost money. It's better for the child to stay in Sunjia Village."

He added, "The child can also help adoptive father take care of grandma."

Sister Yun looked at Hu Ming, who was saying one thing and thinking another, and felt both amused and distressed.

Just now, he heard me say that I would take him to find Brother Shan. His eyes were bright and it was obvious that he wanted to go with me.

Hu Ming thinks too much in his little head. He needs to stay with the open-minded Shan Ge so that his temper can be corrected.

So she pretended to be angry and said, "My dear son, tell me honestly, are you afraid that when we get to Yuanlu County, your adoptive father will assess your academic performance and find out that you haven't studied seriously? Are you afraid of being scolded by your adoptive father?"

Then he pretended to be depressed and said, "Hu Ming, my stepmother is a woman, not very knowledgeable. She usually tests you and thinks you are good. But my stepfather is different. He is a real Jinshi. Once he tests you, he will know whether you are really good at learning or just pretending to be good.

Hu Ming, are you afraid that your godfather will find out that you are not serious enough and are just sloppily learning like a cowboy, so you are afraid to see him?"

Hu Ming anxiously defended himself, "Mother, I haven't. I've studied very hard. I'm not afraid of meeting you, father, or being tested. You said, learning is about asking questions and getting tested, and only then can you make progress. I'm not afraid of being tested at all."

Seeing Xiao Huming's anxious look, Sister Yun smiled secretly.

He said seriously, "Whether you are afraid or not, you won't know until you get to Yuanlu. Good son, follow your adoptive mother peacefully to find your adoptive father."

Then he instructed, "My dear son, you must study hard and prepare well these days. When we arrive in Yuanlu County, your adoptive father will definitely test you. If you do well in your studies, your adoptive father will be very happy."

Hu Ming nodded hastily and agreed: "Stepmother, I will work hard and will not let stepfather down."