Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 216

Yang Jiyan declared with certainty, “Mother, you must’ve heard from Miss Yu, her elder brother won all three top ranks, a xiaosanyuan three years ago. I’m sure he’ll become the top provincial scholar this time.”

“You say it so easily,” Madam Yang replied. “But becoming a Jieyuan is extremely rare. Even your father was only a second-tier Jinshi back in the day.” 

Still, seeing the hopeful look on her daughter’s face, she didn’t want to disappoint her. “In a few days, I’ll ask Madam Mu of the third household about Miss Yu’s brother. Once your father returns from the exam courtyard, I’ll bring it up with him, but this matter ultimately rests with him.”

Yang Jiyan clung to her mother’s arm, speaking sweetly, “Mother always knows how to take care of me.”

Madam Yang patted her hand with a smile. In truth, she didn’t care for a family like the Yus and was certain her husband would reject the match. She wasn’t the least bit concerned this marriage would go through.

Meanwhile, Yu Jiao and Yu Fuling had already returned to the Mu household. Yu Fuling could sense that Yu Jiao didn’t like Yang Jiyan, and so wisely refrained from asking why she had declined the visit, citing some vague errand.

Having treated Xiao Ning’s injury, Yu Jiao finally closed that chapter. Although she hadn’t received a physician’s fee, she’d managed to acquire a decent set of surgical tools, which she considered a worthwhile trade.

With the silver she had saved, she now had enough to buy a shop in the town of Changkui. Yu Jiao quietly planned that once she returned, she would open a medical clinic there.

Before long, the 16th day of the eighth lunar month arrived, the third round of the provincial exam was complete. Early in the morning, Mu Yan took Yu Jiao and Yu Fuling to wait outside the exam courtyard.

The day before, Second Madam Mu had already instructed the household to purchase many fine ingredients. She said the candidates must have eaten poorly and slept worse at the courtyard, and so a banquet must be prepared to nourish them properly.

By late morning, the gates of the exam compound opened, and candidates slowly began to trickle out. Many carriages lined the entrance, and those who spotted their children ran forward with endless concern.

Most of the examinees looked dispirited and drained, their faces weary, as if half their vitality had been sucked out by the exam.

Yu Fuling held up the carriage curtain, peering eagerly toward the gate. After a while, her eyes lit up, and she quickly dismounted. “Little brother is out!”

Yu Jiao followed her down, lifting her gaze toward the gate.

Yu Jinshu led the group out, looking tired and regretful as he murmured something to Mu Nianjiu, it was clear his exam had gone poorly. Yu Jinyan didn’t appear weary; on the contrary, he carried an unusual air of confidence.

Yu Qizhe walked at the back, his expression unreadable.

“How did it go?” Mu Yan looked eagerly at Mu Nianjiu.

Mu Nianjiu shook his head, unable to meet Mu Yan’s gaze. “The policy questions didn’t go well,” he admitted.

Mu Yan hadn’t expected him to pass on the first try. The tutors at the county school in Changkui couldn’t compare to those in Qingzhou. Since Mu Yan had no sons of his own, he had already considered adopting Mu Nianjiu into their second branch and now planned to keep him in Qingzhou to study at a proper academy.

He patted Mu Nianjiu’s shoulder and said reassuringly, “It’s alright. You’re still young. If not this time, study harder and you’ll have more chances.”

Mu Nianjiu nodded in shame.

Mu Yan turned to the other three and smiled. “You all must be exhausted. Rest well when we get home.”

Just as they were about to board the carriage, someone called out, “Second Brother Yu, wait.”

Yu Jinshu turned to see Chen Zhiqing approaching. He straightened his robes, casting a proud glance at the Mu family’s grand carriage behind him. With a bit of self-satisfaction, he asked, “Zhiqing, what’s the matter?”

Behind Chen Zhiqing stood the short, stout, and unremarkable Li Qiu, along with a few unfamiliar candidates who had also taken the exam.

Clearing his throat, Chen Zhiqing said, “A few of us fellow examinees thought it was a rare fate to test together this year. We’re holding a poetry gathering tomorrow at Bibo Lake in the southern part of the city and wanted to invite you and your brothers.”

Feeling elevated by his newfound association with the Mu family, Yu Jinshu replied with a smug smile, “Of course. My brothers and I will definitely be there.”

With that, he turned and boarded the Mu family’s carriage.

Yu Qizhe and Yu Jiao went to the rear carriage.

Chen Zhiqing watched the Mu family’s carriage roll away and finally exhaled a heavy breath, feeling oddly like he’d been speaking from a lower position.

Li Qiu asked, “The youngest one, is that the fifth son of the Yu family?”

Chen Zhiqing nodded. He assumed Li Qiu had heard gossip about Yu Qizhe and Chen Rou, so he explained, “The girl next to him is the wife they arranged to dispel ill fortune.”

Li Qiu, unaware of the gossip, nodded indifferently. “He won all three top honors three years ago. He may very well pass the provincial exam this time.”

“Unlikely,” Chen Zhiqing dismissed. “He’s been sickly for years and never properly enrolled in any academy.” Confident in his own performance, he’d previously written essays on several of the topics, he believed he had a solid chance at passing.

Li Qiu, however, was optimistic about Yu Qizhe’s prospects. “It’s no easy feat to win the triple honors,” he said. “Let’s head back to the inn and rest. We’ll need our wits about us for tomorrow’s poetry gathering.”

In the carriage, Yu Fuling noticed Yu Qizhe looked thinner and asked with concern, “It rained a few days ago, did you catch a chill? Are you feeling unwell? Let Yu Jiao check your pulse.”

Yu Qizhe gave a faint smile and shook his head. He straightened the wrinkles in his robe and said, “The lodging wasn’t too bad. I’m fine. No need to worry, Sister.”

Still haunted by his health issues after the exams three years ago, Yu Fuling remained uneasy and insisted Yu Jiao check his pulse.

Yu Jiao appreciated Fuling’s priorities, not asking how the exam went first, but caring for Yu Qizhe’s health. She placed her fingers on his wrist, checked his pulse, and said, “Nothing serious.”

Only then did Yu Fuling relax.

Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, Yu Qizhe’s fingers moved and gently caught hers. Yu Jiao froze, her cheeks heating up. She tried to pull her hand back, but Yu Qizhe’s grip tightened.

She glared at him, silently signaling him to let go.

Yu Qizhe curved his lips into a gentle smile. Instead of loosening his grip, he leaned closer, his voice brushing her ear. “I didn’t sleep well at the exam lodging. I’m feeling a little tired.”

Their proximity made Yu Jiao clearly see the faint red veins in his alluring eyes. Her heart softened, and she allowed him to lean against her.

Noticing her yielding, Yu Qizhe’s smile deepened. He closed his eyes, gently kneading her soft hand in his own.

Yu Fuling, blushing at the sight of their intimate closeness, lifted the carriage curtain and pretended to admire the scenery outside.