Chapter 68: Entering August, Da-fei Came…

At the start of August, Da-fei arrived. He brought along Su Yunting’s study boy, and together they went to find the study boys or family members of other candidates who had participated in the autumn provincial exam, asking about the matters that those accompanying examinees during the exam period needed to pay attention to.

After two days of inquiries, most of the candidates had already begun their journeys. Many had even reserved lodging places much earlier.

As for Su Yunting, ever since Magistrate Lu had been promoted to Deputy Prefect of the prefectural government, arrangements had already been made; when taking part in the autumn provincial exam, he was to stay at the separate residence the Lu family had prepared.

Thus, all Su Yunting needed to do was bring his attendants and belongings over. Lodging was not something he had to worry about.

On the morning of the third day of the eighth month, he departed from the county. By dusk they arrived at the prefectural city. At the city gate, Lu Yide had already been waiting for a long time.

And not just Lu Yide, he had also brought along the Deputy Prefect’s son, fifteen-year-old Lu Yihe.

Though young, as the son of the Deputy Prefect, Lu Yihe was owed proper respect. Seeing him, Su Yunting said to Lu Yide, “How could I trouble the young master himself to come greet me!”

Lu Yide only smiled. “He insisted on coming. Could I have stopped him?”

Lu Yihe was especially modest. He said to Su Yunting, “Elder Brother Su, please just treat me as your own younger brother, and never call me young master again!”

Su Yunting: “Since that’s the case, then I’ll simply call you by name.”

Lu Yihe smiled and said, “Elder Brother Su can call me Xiao He, as my elder brother does. When Elder Brother Su achieves jinshi rank in the future, the younger brother who claimed kinship with you first will surely be closer to you than any who come later.”

Every word Lu Yihe spoke was sincere. When Su Yunting had once given his father counsel, he himself hadn’t known. Only later, after magistrate Lu was smoothly promoted to Deputy Prefect, did he learn from his father’s mouth that it was Su Yunting who had helped strategize.

Now his father had gained further merits in office, all thanks to Su Yunting’s aid.

Just two plans had outweighed his father’s ten-odd years of service as an official! Lu Yihe had long admired Su Yunting to the utmost.

Previously, while Su Yunting was observing mourning at home, he rarely went out. The two had met only once.

Lu Yihe had long wanted to draw closer to him. Today he finally seized the chance, following his cousin to greet him.

Looking at this boy with such a clean and open smile, Su Yunting couldn’t help but feel some extra fondness. And because of his ties to Deputy Prefect Lu, he said directly, “Since you call me brother, then don’t dislike it if I sometimes meddle as an elder brother should.”

Lu Yihe was overjoyed. “Please rest assured, Elder Brother, I will certainly listen to you!”

Fearing that Su Yunting might be exhausted from the journey, the Deputy Prefect had instructed his nephew to escort him straight to the residence.

It was a two-courtyard estate. Lu Yide arranged for Su Yunting to stay in the main house of the rear courtyard. But how could Su Yunting take someone else’s main quarters? In the end, according to his own wishes, he stayed only in the side chamber of the front courtyard.

The separate residence was quiet and comfortable. The household staff consisted of only two attendants, a couple in their forties: the husband served as gatekeeper and kept the outer courtyard clean, while the wife did the cooking.

Once Su Yunting was settled, Lu Yide and Lu Yihe took their leave.

The very next day, before Su Yunting even set out to pay respects, the Deputy Prefect himself came over.

Hearing the commotion, Su Yunting hurried out to greet him. “To trouble Your Excellency to come in person, this student has been far too discourteous!”

The Deputy Prefect strode quickly forward, taking his arm. “Your preparation for the exam is what matters. There’s no need for such empty formalities.”

The two entered together. Once seated at the head, the Deputy Prefect said, “Your studying is without issue. As long as you can endure to the final session, this exam will surely yield good results.”

Su Yunting rose, bowing with clasped hands to acknowledge his words.

The Deputy Prefect had him sit and shared some of his own experiences from when he himself had taken the imperial exams, offering reminders on what should be noted.

Once nearly everything had been explained, the Deputy Prefect said, “Before the exam, focus solely on reviewing. There’s no need to come to me again. After the exam, once you’ve rested, then come visit.”

Toward Su Yunting, the Deputy Prefect truly offered nothing but guidance and sincerity.

Back then, Su Yunting had sought to live in the county without being overly constrained. Knowing that Deputy Prefect Lu’s character was at least decent, he had deliberately befriended him.

After they truly became acquainted, Su Yunting had repeatedly received Deputy Prefect Lu’s support and care.

In their later dealings, the Deputy Prefect treated Su Yunting as though he were a family elder.

Compared with the Sun family in his past life, the difference in sincerity and respect was vast beyond measure.

Having lived anew, Su Yunting valued sincerity above all else. Once again he rose and answered the Deputy Prefect with respect, “Yes.”

After seeing him off, Su Yunting went only once to inspect the examination compound, and then stayed in the residence without venturing out again.

He conserved his energy in the quiet estate for several days, until at last the day of the exam arrived.

……

Ever since Su Yunting had gone to the prefectural city, Qiu Yurou had grown anxious. As the exam day drew closer, her anxiety became ever more evident.

On the day of the exam, the wives of Su Yunting’s classmates came by, inviting her to the temple to pray for blessings together.

Qiu Yurou had no objection to others going, but she herself would not go. It wasn’t about belief but it was about avoiding possible trouble.

She declined their invitation. Left alone at home and unbearably anxious, she busied herself with copying texts.

After copying for an entire day, her hands were swollen, but her mood had gradually calmed.

With Qiu Yurou so uneasy, Yunche and the other two also felt restless.

Seeing their worried faces, Qiu Yurou forced herself to lighten up, pulling them along to imagine together what life would be like after their eldest brother passed the exam.

After this bit of daydreaming, seeing their spirits much improved, Qiu Yurou sent them off to bed.

As for herself, when she returned to her room, she forced herself not to think about how he was faring in the examination cell. Lying in bed, she muttered “maintain peace of mind” countless times before she gradually fell asleep.

The next day, Qiu Yurou still rose at her usual hour. She sent Yunche to the academy, checked in on her two younger sisters, and, seeing they were well, went off to the workshop.

Resuming her usual routine, her siblings’ moods also relaxed again.

Thus she remained calm throughout the entire exam period.

……

When the autumn provincial exam ended, Su Yunting was among the first examinees to come out of the cells. Compared with others who were sick or utterly drained; his own state merely mentally fatigued was actually considered good.

Met by Da-fei and Lu Yihe, he was escorted onto the carriage and brought back to the residence, where a physician was already waiting.

But Su Yunting first instructed his study boy to grind the ink. Before anything else, he wrote a letter to his wife to report his safety. Only after that did he allow the physician to take his pulse.

The physician, after checking, confirmed that there was no serious problem with his body. After eating a meal and giving himself a simple wash, he lay straight down on the bed and fell asleep.

The three sessions of the exam lasted nine days. Even though Su Yunting was strong and had been well prepared, after completing the whole process he was utterly exhausted.

That sleep lasted directly until noon the next day. After getting up, he first ate a meal, and then wrote another letter to his wife.

The previous letter had been just a short note to assure her of his safety. This one was much more detailed.

The provincial exam ended on the seventeenth day of the eighth month. The announcement of results would come as soon as the end of the month, or as late as the beginning of the ninth month.

Most candidates who had managed to endure until the end of the exam generally stayed and waited for the results to be posted before returning home.

But after Su Yunting wrote to his wife, he no longer wanted to remain in the prefectural city waiting. After paying a visit to Deputy Prefect Lu, he directly had Da-fei arrange a carriage.

On the third day after leaving the examination hall, Su Yunting boarded the carriage bound for home.

……

In Mingshun County, it was also on the third day after the exam that Qiu Yurou finally received his first letter.

Though it was only a few short sentences, the heart she had been holding in worry finally relaxed.

Sister-in-law and her younger sisters together were rejoicing at home, when noises came from the front courtyard.

At that hour, Qiu Yurou first thought it must be Yunche coming back, making such a clamor out of eagerness for news of his elder brother.

But when the sounds spread to the inner courtyard gates, Qiu Yurou heard from the footsteps that this was different.

Her heart was full of both disbelief and hope, yet she couldn’t help walking toward the gate.

When Su Yunting entered the inner courtyard and passed the screen wall, he saw his beloved coming out to greet him.

Qiu Yurou stopped in her tracks. Though they had only been apart for half a month, during that time her worry had far outweighed her longing. Only now, upon seeing him in person, did she realize just how much she had missed him.

From behind came her younger sister’s joyful cry, “Eldest Brother has come back!”

The younger sister ran to him and said, “Just now we were still guessing with Sister-in-law about the date the results would be posted. We were all hoping it would be early but we never thought you would return before the posting!”

Su Yunting withdrew his gaze from his wife and turned to his younger sister, smiling, “I missed you all. So once I’d rested after the exam, I came straight back.”

The second sister, standing beside Qiu Yurou, said, “It’s good you came back early, Eldest Brother. Even though your letter said everything was well, without seeing you in person we were still worried.”

After smiling and reassuring his two younger sisters, Su Yunting walked to his wife’s side and said: “It’s only been half a month, how have you lost so much weight?”

The younger sister covered her mouth and laughed, “And you even need to ask, Eldest Brother? Isn’t it all from worrying about you?”

Qiu Yurou teased her with a smile, “Then tonight there will be no fish-and-meat soup for you.”

At those words, the younger sister’s smile vanished.

Only then did Qiu Yurou add, “I’ll make it for you tomorrow. Tonight I’ll cook what your Eldest Brother likes.”

Younger sister: “Oh.”

……

That night, after passion, Su Yunting held his beloved in his arms and softly spoke of how much he had missed her these days.

After a while, he again bent down to kiss her.

Qiu Yurou, worried that his kisses would ignite his fire again, shifted away and changed the subject, “Tell me about the exam instead.”

When his wife dodged, Su Yunting propped himself up, caging her between his arms. “The exam wasn’t much different from before. The questions were simple, nothing new.”

After saying so, he again lowered his head to kiss her.

This time Qiu Yurou had to speak plainly, “You stayed in the examination cells for so many days. Rest properly for two days first. After that, I promise to let you be fully satisfied.”

Gently stroking her face, Su Yunting coaxed, “I’ve already recovered. Only if you let me be satisfied will I be able to sleep peacefully. Otherwise my heart keeps burning, and I can’t rest well.”

Qiu Yurou was always easy to coax and besides, after half a month apart, it wasn’t only he who longed without end.

Now, hearing him say this, her heart softened. In the end she still gave in, letting him be satisfied.

The two of them tumbled together until midnight, releasing all their longing and love, and only then did they fall asleep in each other’s arms.

At some unknown hour, rain began falling outside.

Autumn rains usually came in fine, misty drizzles, but this one slowly grew heavier.

Awakened by the sound of rain, Su Yunting suddenly recalled a great rainstorm years later, one that would shake the entire court…

Cultural Notes: