Chapter 74: Extra: Su Yunting Becomes the Top Scholar (Zhuangyuan)

When Su Yunting took first place in the imperial examination, his joy with Qiu Yurou was deep and quiet but compared to them, the people around them were even more overwhelmed with emotion.

When the news reached Mingshun County, Yunche and his two sisters were delighted, of course, but they remembered their elder brother’s past reminders. They knew that with their humble family background, the path ahead for him would still be difficult. So, even while their hearts were bursting with pride, they managed to remain calm and humble in front of others.

Da-fei, Ersheng, and the apprentices who stayed behind in Qiu Yurou’s pastry workshop had also been warned by her countless times before. When they heard that Su Yunting had become zhuangyuan (top scholar), they were even more composed than Yunche and his brothers; in fact, they became even more diligent in their work.

They had to be diligent. Qiu Yurou had reminded them many times: once a man entered officialdom, the household’s expenses would soar.

Even as the zhuangyuan, Su Yunting’s first post would be in the Hanlin Academy, at most a sixth-rank position.

The Hanlin Academy, praised as an elite and noble office, was in truth rather poor. Without family wealth, life there was far less comfortable than it was now.

Influenced by Qiu Yurou, Da-fei and the others believed that as long as Su Yunting focused on his career, the family would handle the business side of things so he would never have to worry about money.

Whether his future rank was high or low, they were determined to manage the household’s enterprises well, confident that they could provide for him.

Overall, those closest to Su Yunting were modest and hardworking even after his success; whereas everyone else connected to the family was nearly delirious with joy.

No one was happier than the people of Sujia Village. Except for the Old Man Su and Second Uncle Su, the entire village erupted into celebration.

——

In town, at Qiu Yurou’s pastry workshop, the second apprentice, Su Chao, handed over his duties to Su Dani as he was preparing to accompany his master to the capital.

Before leaving, Su Chao asked, “Aunt Dani, do you want to go visit your two daughters?”

Su Dani froze, and then gave a bitter smile.

“You forgot? The people in that village won’t let me step foot there.”

Su Chao lifted his chin proudly.

“That was before. Ever since you started working in Master’s workshop, when I go deliver things to your daughters, plenty of people have been asking about you. I told you back then, aside from that family, no one else dares meddle in whether you visit or not. Now that our village has produced a zhuangyuan, and you work for his household, even your ex-husband wouldn’t dare tell you to leave!”

Su Dani knew that working for Qiu Yurou had earned her respect, but she had never imagined her status could rise even higher.

Her heart began to waver.

At last, with Su Chao’s encouragement, she decided to go to see her daughters with her own eyes.

Since the workshop still had enough staff, their temporary absence wouldn’t cause any issues.

They hired a carriage and rode straight to Su Dani’s ex-husband’s village.

When they entered, Su Chao opened the carriage door.

Su Dani trembled with nerves, but Su Chao said cheerfully, “Look around, even if they see you, who would dare say a word?”

Under his reassurance, she slowly lifted her head.

As the carriage rolled through, she noticed that some villagers, upon seeing her, instinctively stepped back, while others actually greeted her warmly.

Amid those greetings, Su Dani finally realized that things truly weren’t the same anymore.

When they reached her ex-husband’s house, she didn’t go in. She stood outside the gate and called for her daughters.

The girls ran out, crying and laughing as they clung to their mother.

Neighbors gathered to watch; only her ex-husband’s family stayed hidden inside.

Just as Su Chao had said, no one dared mistreat her anymore.

Su Dani hugged each child tightly and handed them the food and supplies she had brought.

While she chatted with her daughters, Su Chao spoke to the nearby villagers, asking them to help look after the girls and telling them that if anything happened, they could go to Sujia Village and find his father, Su Huai.

After all, since Su Yunting’s story had spread, Su Huai’s name as the uncle who had always supported the zhuangyuan had grown even more respected than the clan leader’s.

At the mention of Su Huai, the neighbors’ attitudes turned even warmer. To be on good terms with Su Huai was practically to be connected to the zhuangyuan himself!

They all promised to take good care of Su Dani’s children.

After chatting a while longer, Su Dani didn’t linger. She promised her daughters she would bring them to their grandmother’s house next time and then returned to the carriage with Su Chao.

As they waved goodbye to the last of the villagers and left the village, Su Dani said softly,

“Today’s scene reminded me of an old saying.”

Su Chao asked, “What saying?”

Su Dani smiled. “When one person rises to glory, even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.”

Su Chao laughed awkwardly. “…That doesn’t sound too flattering, but I guess we really are the chickens and dogs flying up with him.”

Su Dani couldn’t help but laugh.

Afterward, she said earnestly, “If we are to ‘rise’ along with him, we must also keep our hearts grounded.”

This time, Su Chao grinned.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Dani. Between Master’s constant lectures, my father’s reminders, and my senior brother’s threats, if I ever start acting arrogant, he’ll probably chop off my hands himself! Besides, the capital’s full of officials. Compared to them, my master’s rank is nothing. Even if I wanted to get proud, there’s no room for it!”

—–

At that very moment, Su Yunting was telling his clan elders much the same thing.

“Everyone must restrain our clansmen. To us, becoming the zhuangyuan feels like a great honor. But to the nobles in the capital, a zhuangyuan appears every three years. It’s not something they consider extraordinary.”

Only after everyone repeatedly assured him that they would maintain discipline did Su Yunting move on to discuss two matters; establishing ancestral land and founding a clan school.

Both tasks, he entrusted fully to Su Huai.

The clan elders of the Su family were all shrewd old men, they immediately understood what Su Yunting meant without him having to spell it out.

Before long, someone proposed that the next clan leader should be Su Huai.

The current clan leader’s son was competent enough, but nothing remarkable. If Su Yunting hadn’t achieved such glory by becoming zhuangyuan, the leader could still have used his authority to ensure his son’s succession. But now, with the whole clan celebrating Su Yunting’s success, he could only go along with the popular will and agree to make Su Huai the young clan leader.

The clan head consoled himself in silence: Well, at least this happened while I’m still in charge. Our clan produced a top scholar and my own grandson passed the county exam. Who knows? Maybe my grandson will be the next zhuangyuan!

And when that happens, he thought smugly, who’ll care about being some small-village clan leader?

With that bit of self-comfort, his mood finally settled. But not everyone could find such peace of mind.

For example, Old Man Su; while the entire Sujia village was celebrating, his family had no choice but to keep their doors shut tight.

He and his second son were eaten alive by regret and to make matters worse, their own children wouldn’t stop complaining, blaming them for being too ruthless in the past.

Another family just as miserable was that of Qiu Yurou’s eldest uncle.

His own attempts at the imperial exams had gone nowhere, and his son’s performance was even worse. His father lay bedridden, needing constant care, and his mother, who had once favored him now criticized him endlessly.

When Eldest Uncle Qiu felt his life had truly hit rock bottom, he heard the news that Su Yunting had become zhuangyuan.

That news was the final straw that broke the camel’s back. When Old Lady Zhou scolded him yet again for neglecting his father’s care, he completely lost his temper and fought back.

Later, when Su Yunting returned home for his short family visit, he and Qiu Yurou traveled together to her maiden home at his insistence.

By then, Eldest Uncle Qiu’s reputation for unfilial behavior had spread throughout the village.

When a person no longer cares about reputation, moral persuasion loses all power. So, from that point on, whenever he and Old Lady Zhou clashed, she could no longer win against him.

Hearing this, Qiu Yurou decided to “help” her grandmother. After all, a fair fight made for a lively household and that, in her eyes, was better than quiet misery.

So, accompanied by the clan leader and her third uncle, she went to visit her grandfather.

In front of everyone, Qiu Yurou promised that aside from paying for medical expenses, she would personally provide twenty taels of silver a year for her grandparents’ living costs.

As before, this money would be managed by her third uncle.

Twenty taels weren’t much to her now, not even close to a drop in the bucket but it was more than enough to restore Old Lady Zhou’s confidence.

With that annual allowance behind her, Old Lady Zhou’s tone would naturally grow firmer. And since Eldest Uncle Qiu still relied on her for money, he would be forced to yield during their next quarrel.

Power in a household always shifts when one side weakens, and the other grows stronger.

Qiu Yurou was sure that her grandmother’s regained dominance would sting Eldest Uncle Qiu’s pride, reopening the wound of his repeated exam failures.

Once again, the house would be full of lively shouting and that, to Qiu Yurou, was oddly satisfying.

—-

When Su Yunting’s family leave ended, the entire household along with Qiu Yurou’s apprentices and several villagers who worked with them, set off for the capital.

Even at the village entrance, clansmen gathered to see them off.

Qiu Yurou looked back at the little food stall she had once set up there. For the first time in a long while, she felt a twinge of reluctance.

That past life and the people standing there slowly receded behind the departing carriage.

Su Yunting closed the window and drew his wife into his arms, comforting her gently.

Qiu Yurou leaned against him and said softly, “It’s only a little sorrow. I can’t help feeling attached; this was the place where I once struggled, and where we began. That’s why it’s hard to leave.”

Holding her on his lap, Su Yunting brushed his cheek against hers, the warmth of her skin softening his heart.

“I feel the same,” he murmured. “It’s worth missing only because it’s where our story began.”

Qiu Yurou smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Though the road ahead was long, her heart felt peaceful and sure.

Su Yunting kissed her gently on the cheek and whispered,

“No matter what lies ahead, smooth road or hardship as long as you’re with me; that is my home.”

—End of the story—

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