The Whole Village Thrives After Adopting a Lucky Girl

Jiang Jie and Mr. Wu had returned home to the joy of the Jiang Family.

“Ajie, where did you travel to in these two years? Share with your grandfather,” the old man of the Jiang family asked cheerfully.

Jiang Jie: “I visited the East Sea, South Vietnam, and toured around the Shu Region with Sir.”

“How did you guys travel?” asked Jiang Sanlang.

“We initially traveled with the trading convoys and later, walked thousands of miles with the armed escorts,” Jiang Jie said confidently, exhibiting maturity.

Jiang Sanlang greeted old Mr. Wu with a smile: “Thank you, Sir, for your kindness. My son has grown so much during this trip.”

Old Mr. Wu stroked his beard and smiled: “A child’s learning cannot be limited within four walls. It is only through travel that one can understand the problems of the world. I have decided to let Jiang Jie take the county examination in February. If he passes, he can take the village examination three years later.”

If he was to truly instruct him, he must shape him into an unparalleled genius.

It would be rare for an eleven-or twelve-year-old to pass the imperial examination.

By then, he was curious about how those old folks in Beijing would dare to look down on him.

On the Chinese New Year’s Eve, the Jiang family had four tables full of food.

The men of the family, Mr. Wu, and Zhang Min shared a table. Yingbao, Dani, Erni, Hong Xiao, Chou Rong, and the girls sat together.

Chunniang, mother-in-law, elder sister-in-law Jiang Yunniang, and sister-in-law sat together. The other table included the children, Jiang Quan, Zhang Yuying, Zhang Xiaolang, and Jiang Jie, Jiang Wu, Yuanbao, Huzi, and others.

Yingbao brought out her homemade grape wine and peach juice and distributed it among the four tables.

She had wanted to bring out a melon, but she dared not.

The foreign melons in the cave, after her repeated cultivation and improvement, had grown from the size of a fist to that of a washbasin, and they were extremely sweet.

Unfortunately, nobody here grew such melons. Otherwise, she would have brought one out for everyone to taste.

After the New Year’s feast, the Jiang brothers went to change the door signs while the children played outdoors.

Lanterns hang at everyone’s door, lighting up the night.

Jiang Sanlang even funded lanterns to be hung on the village path so the children could play on their New Year’s vigil.

Jiang Jie and Jiang Wu, the two brothers, were still inseparable and played with the village children.

As Jiang Jie was scheduled to participate in the county examination in February, Yingbao did not have time to play. She spent every day preparing exam essentials for her brother.

She even consulted Li Xu on what items should be packed in the exam basket.

As for the precautions on the examination site, Mr. Wu explained them to Jiang Jie.

After the Chinese New Year, Yingbao arranged for the making of an exam basket that a child could carry, and tied a strap on it.

Because her brother had to carry his own exam box into the examination room, if he could not lift it, he could still carry it on his shoulder with the strap.

The box contained writing brushes, ink, paper, ink slabs, books, paper, food, and medicinal powder.

A water jug for drinking couldn’t be missed, and there had to be a weatherproof oilcloth and candles and lanterns for lighting.

Li Xu also said that several long nails and a hammer were necessary. At night, the oil cloth would be nailed to cover the door of the exam room. Otherwise, it would be too cold to sleep.

Upon hearing this, Yingbao made some pills for her brother, a little bigger than beans, which could treat indigestion, colds, and other illnesses.

As the county examination was five consecutive exams, lasting over ten days, he would enter the room in the early hours of the morning, and leave the next morning after handing in his paper.

There was a day’s gap before the next examination. The subsequent exams followed the same schedule until all five were completed. Then he could go home and wait for the results.

If the student was not well-prepared, he might suffer from hypothermia and exhaustion.

The February weather was relatively cold, and his brother was young. He had to stay in the examination room for two nights during each examination. He wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Therefore, she must prepare a large size padded robe for him, which could wrap his whole body.

He also needed a hand warmer, or else he wouldn’t be able to write if his hands froze.

A mask was also necessary. In case he drew a number which placed him near the toilet, he wouldn’t be choked by the smell.

Yingbao was pondering these things while preparing finger-sized snacks with five specialties, red dates, and powdered Job’s tear barley, for her brother to eat when he was hungry.

A small charcoal stove and a kettle for boiling water also needed to be prepared, as well as scissors, and a tool for adjusting the wick of the lamp. They also needed a stool.

As her brother was short, when sitting in the exam room, his feet wouldn’t reach the ground. If he didn’t have a stool, he probably couldn’t write properly.

When all the items were prepared, it was the end of January.

Jiang Jie, along with Mr. Wu, went to the county city, to meet a few guaranteed students, and also to visit the guaranteeing student who was also a recipient of a government scholarship. All these matters were looked after by Mr. Wu himself, worrying neither Jiang Sanlang nor his wife.

Chunniang and her daughter also went to the county city and stayed in their own mansion.

After arriving at the county, Yingbao did not visit the medical college or the specialty shops but went to find out where the candidates gathered to understand what preparation the others had done for the examination.

The day of the examination came in a flash. Chunniang and her daughter got up very early to make breakfast for Jiang Jie and Mr. Wu and then accompanied Jiang Jie to the examination hall.

It was early in the morning, and the road was pitch black. When they arrived outside the examination hall, they saw that it was brightly lit, full of people sending the candidates into the examination hall.

They held lanterns, or carried quilts and books, anxiously looking at Dragon Gate in the distance.

The entrance to the Dragon Gate was guarded by a government official who checked and verified the students’ household registration and examination credentials.

Carrying the heavy examination box on his back, Jiang Jie entered the crowd. As he was short, he quickly disappeared in the crowd.

Chunniang, her daughter, and Mr. Wu sat in the carriage, watching as all the candidates entered the Dragon Gate. Only when the Dragon Gate was closed did they return home by carriage.

It was still dark outside. Yingbao climbed back on the kang bed to sleep while Chunniang, unable to sleep, sat on the kang bed mending clothes.

Mr. Wu said that after Jiang Jie passed the examination and became a scholar, he would have to wear a green robe and could no longer wear children’s clothes. Wearing short jackets and trousers was considered disrespectful.

So Chunniang was making a small cotton robe for her son from a piece of blue fabric dyed at home, and also a jacket for spring and autumn.

Old Mr. Wu also went to sleep and didn’t wake up until almost noon. After cleaning up and eating, he left the courtyard alone and strolled outside the examination hall, listening to street gossip.

What he heard frowned him.

A lot of people were saying that a monster had appeared from Dongchen Village in Chuanhe Town, which sucked the essence of humans to survive.

The rumor was detailed, including the name of the monster, Jiang Yingbao.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Wu was furious and reprimanded the person who had spread the rumor: “What right do you have to slander others at will? Come, go with me to the government office, and we will talk about it.”

This person struggled and shouted: “This is not just something I said. Why are you specifically targeting me?”

“Then tell me, where did you hear this rumor from?” Mr. Wu grabbed the man by the collar: “Dare to tell a lie, I will make sure you rot in jail!”