The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 362 Writing Spring Festival Couplets

“Alright, one at a time,” Gu Jingzhe said without looking up as he wrote.

"The characters for 'Awakening of Insects' are written so beautifully," said Zhang, Gu Xiaocao's mother, with a smile.

"That's right, otherwise how could Jingzhe become a student of the Imperial Academy?"

"The characters for 'Awakening of Insects' are said to have been praised by the education officials of the past."

The villagers began to discuss how beautiful Gu Jingzhe's handwriting was. Although not many people in the village were literate, everyone thought Gu Jingzhe's handwriting was beautiful. From his excellent handwriting to his handsome appearance, they praised Gu Jingzhe to the skies, almost dropping their pens.

Tong Huaqiong has a direct impression of Gu Jingzhe's calligraphy, comparing it to the works of calligraphers that she later admired in museums.

No wonder in Tong Dajiao's memory, Gu Jingzhe's calligraphy and paintings in his previous life were sought after by everyone in Shengjing, and some people were even willing to spend a thousand gold pieces to acquire his works.

Gu Dashu, Yaozu, and others secretly made a lot of money by taking advantage of Gu Jingzhe's fame in calligraphy and painting, which later became the straw that brought Gu Jingzhe down.

Er Gouzi, who was helping to lay out the paper, suddenly said, "Jingzhe will be taking the imperial examination next spring, right?"

Gu Jingzhe nodded.

"Will I pass the exam on the day of Jingzhe?"

"That goes without saying. If only one person from Pingchuan County can pass the imperial examination next year, it will definitely be the day of the Awakening of Insects."

"What's so great about being a Xiucai? In the future, Jingzhe will be a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), and who knows, he might even become the Zhuangyuan (the top scholar in the imperial examinations) or Tanhua (the third-highest scholar in the imperial examinations)."

The villagers are very confident in their knowledge of Gu Jingzhe.

Gu Jingzhe blushed at the praise and said softly, "Nothing is certain. There are many outstanding students in Pingchuan County."

Everyone's lips twitched. When did the youngest son of the Gu family become so humble?

Village Chief Liu said, "Anyway, no matter what, Jingzhe, your scholarship has been praised by the education commissioner. Try your best to pass the imperial examination this time, and our village will hold a banquet to celebrate for you."

Now that Qinghewan has a village private school, Village Chief Liu was highly praised by Magistrate Liu, who commended Qinghewan for its strong academic atmosphere, saying that it would be unreasonable for such a strong atmosphere not to produce a scholar.

Next year, we're counting on Gu Jingzhe to bring honor to the village.

Seeing her son's flushed face, Tong Huaqiong said to Village Chief Liu, "Whenever the village chief hosts a banquet in the future, he will pass the county-level imperial examination next year, the provincial-level examination the following year, and the third-highest scorer in less than five years. The village chief should really think carefully about whether he has enough money in his pocket."

Village Chief Liu's beard trembled with laughter as he said, "If Jingzhe really does become the third-ranked scholar, I'd be willing to empty my family fortune to throw a banquet."

Gu Jingzhe was utterly speechless.

It's one thing for others to say they passed the imperial examination and became the third-ranked scholar, but why is my own mother so unashamed and so convinced that he would become the third-ranked scholar?

Gu Jingzhe felt that his mother, who used to have such a strong positive view of him, had returned.

"If the 'Third-Rank Scholar' tree were really planted during the Awakening of Insects, that would be wonderful. It would be so prestigious to go out and say that we came from the village of the Third-Rank Scholar."

"If I were the emperor, I would appoint Jingzhe as the third-ranked scholar. There are learned people everywhere. The key point is that Jingzhe is beautiful. When I went to the prefectural city, I saw that the young masters of Wanliu Academy were not as good-looking as Jingzhe."

Everyone was chatting and laughing, as if Gu Jingzhe would be the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination tomorrow.

The head of the Gu family stood in the crowd waiting for Gu Jingzhe to write the Spring Festival couplets, feeling quite uneasy.

What's so good about Gu Jingzhe becoming the third-ranked scholar?
The Gu family doesn't enjoy the glory of being the third-ranked scholar at all.

He now doubts whether Tong Dajiao's parents-in-law actually received his letter.

He was truly unwilling to let Tong Dajiao have a peaceful and happy New Year.

If Tong Dajiao's parents-in-law did not receive his letter, he planned to go there after the New Year to personally pick them up.

"Hey, Tanhua, I'm not putting the character 'Fu' on my pigsty this year. Can you write one that looks like your pigsty?" When it was Liu Village Chief's turn to write Spring Festival couplets, he made his request.

The Spring Festival couplets to be pasted on Tong Huaqiong's pigsty were laid out to the side, waiting for ink to dry, when the village chief saw them.

The first line reads: "May your family be wealthy and blessed with good fortune." The second line reads: "May your house be filled with a thousand lucky pigs." The horizontal scroll reads: "May good fortune fill the world."

Village Chief Liu thought it was better than just a single "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune). "Good," Gu Jingzhe said calmly, "similar to my family's style, but not the same as ours."

After pondering for a moment, Gu Jingzhe said, "Village Chief, how about writing it like this? The first line reads: 'Abundant harvests and prosperous year;' The second line reads: 'Fat pigs and abundant blessings fill the household;' The horizontal scroll reads: 'May every family be blessed.'"

Village Chief Liu slapped his thigh and said, "He's a scholar after all; he writes like this."

Gu Jingzhe was once a recognized child prodigy in the village. He was always arrogant and never asked for the opinions of the villagers. Whatever he wrote, the villagers would put up.

If anyone tries to make a request regarding the Spring Festival couplets, Gu Jingzhe immediately throws down his pen, puts on a stern face, and spouts, "Write it yourself."

The villagers immediately fell silent.

Fearing that he might anger Gu Jingzhe, who might not write Spring Festival couplets for his family, he wondered how it could be New Year without them.
But this year's Gu Jingzhe is completely different from the past. He not only wrote Spring Festival couplets for everyone in a serious manner, but also took the initiative to ask everyone if they had any couplets they wanted to write.

If not, he would thoughtfully ask where the written Spring Festival couplets should be posted.

For example, the main couplets pasted on the door frame have couplets, and the words written on the pigsty, chicken coop, and sheep pen have phrases like "the six domestic animals prosper," which are more than the simple "Fu" character of the past.

Seeing how kind and approachable Gu Jingzhe was this year, inspired by Village Chief Liu, everyone wanted to customize their own Spring Festival couplets.

With more demands, writing naturally becomes slower.

Gu Jingzhe only wrote about a few companies all morning.

“Jingzhe writes quite slowly by himself. Hey, Laifu, you can write too, can you help me write?” Aunt Qin called out to Su Chengmin, who was playing with Xiaolong Man’er and the other children.

Aunt Qin's words reminded Village Chief Liu.

Gu Jingzhe can't write it all by himself, but Lai Fu can.

Laifu was the village's teacher; writing Spring Festival couplets was a piece of cake for him.

So Su Chengmin was pulled over by the crowd to write Spring Festival couplets.

Su Chengmin didn't stand on ceremony; he washed his hands, picked up his pen, and began to write.

"Laifu's handwriting is quite good, no worse than Jingzhe's," someone said, peering at the calligraphy.

Tong Huaqiong's lips twitched.

This is nonsense from someone who knows absolutely nothing.

Su Chengmin's calligraphy is far inferior to Gu Jingzhe's.

Tong Huaqiong sighed, "If the villagers knew that one of Gu Jingzhe's calligraphy and paintings would be worth a fortune, they would probably cut off all the Spring Festival couplets they had pasted up and keep them, just like speculating on futures."

With Gu Jingzhe and Su Chengmin working together, the Spring Festival couplets for the villagers of Qinghewan were completed.

Every household received the Spring Festival couplets they wanted. On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, except for two families who were observing mourning, everyone in Qinghewan put up Spring Festival couplets.

Although it hadn't been three years since Old Man Gu left, according to the rules of mourning, Tong Huaqiong's family was not allowed to put up Spring Festival couplets.

But Tong Huaqiong decided to break this rule. She wasn't really Tong Dajiao. She had already been forced to become Old Man Gu's widow, so she definitely couldn't keep a mourning period for him.

However, considering her children's feelings, Tong Huaqiong made a compromise: the old houses of the Gu family would not have Spring Festival couplets pasted on them, but the new house that was expanded in the fall would.

Not only was the new house decorated, but the farm tools, yard, and fence inside the new house were all covered with bright red "福" (good fortune) characters.

Of course, the pigsty was also covered up.

At dusk, snowflakes were flying in the sky.

The next day was New Year's Eve, and big red lanterns were hung in the courtyard, under the eaves, and on the fence.

As dusk fell, lanterns were lit, their red glow creating a serene and warm atmosphere against the snow.

Tong Huaqiong gazed at the swirling snowflakes, her heart filled with turbulent emotions. This was her first Spring Festival in this world, yet it felt like an eternity had passed, so long that she had forgotten how she felt when she first opened her eyes to face this world.