A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 433 My Mother is Foolish

"I do not know."

A look of grief appeared on Wang Zhu's face:
“My son has always been cared for by my wife, while I have devoted more of my time and energy to the academy.”

After all, he has made real achievements and wants to achieve even more.

Although he has no title as dean, he has the function of one.

Therefore, there is a lack of time spent with family.

"Ah."

Song Xuan responded, but since his wife had already been buried, it would be impolite to ask any further questions.

He went up to take her pulse first, and after a while, he had someone bring over the dregs of the medicine.

Song Xuan carefully examined it, secretly astonished:
"This is truly a difficult and complicated disease. The tonics prescribed for him are keeping him alive, but they are actually causing parasites to grow and worsening his condition."

It seems that Doctor Wang's apprentice is not quite able to support his shop.

"Master." Song Xuan coughed lightly and extended his index finger:

"My method is only 10% successful."

"One percent!"

Wang Zhu repeated the sentence in a trembling voice.

"Yes, either drink it and it will work, or just burp and die, so that the Master's son won't suffer here any longer."

Song Xuan's words made Wang Zhu tremble all over.

A glimmer of hope had just risen in his heart, only to be dashed again.

He had heard of such cases of young children dying prematurely, but he never expected it to happen in his own family.

The more Wang Zhu talked to Song Xuan in the study, the more he was actually trying to hide his grief and temporarily forget his pain.

Wang Zhu bit her lip, trying to clear her mind.

"Even if it's just a little bit of success, it's better than waiting to die here. It's not like I'll be in trouble if I live a miserable life for a day or two."

Wang Zhu looked at Song Xuan and said:
“As long as it’s not a cure that will kill him, Twelfth Brother, you can go ahead and treat him. Otherwise, my son will only suffer while he’s alive.”

"I've done my best and left the rest to fate. It's not that I, as his father, am unwilling to save him."

Song Xuan didn't say anything more, but instead cupped his hands and left in a hurry.

Wang Zhu leaned against the door frame, sat down helplessly, and covered her face, weeping bitterly.

Wang Family Pharmacy.

With Dr. Wang gone, the store has become much quieter.

"Sir, are you here for a medical consultation or to pick up medicine?"

"Looking for someone."

After Song Xuan went in, he said:

"Has Wang Xiuyong returned from the academy?"

"Young Master has not returned."

"Then I'll wait for him here for a while."

The man quickly led him inside, and felt that Song Xuan had an extraordinary demeanor, clearly a scholar. He then secretly turned around to look at him.

After the tea was served, he tentatively asked:

"But is it the current Song Zhuangyuan?"

Song Xuan looked up at him:
"My name is Song Twelve. I am a classmate and good friend of Wang Xiuyong. Doctor Wang asked me to bring him a letter from home."

"Oh dear, oh dear, I was blind to your greatness."

The servant quickly picked up the teacup: "Let me change the tea for Scholar Song with fragrant tea."

"No need."

Song Xuan put down his teacup: "I have private business to attend to during my trip back home, so I won't make a fuss about it. I'll just sit here for a while."

"Yes, yes, I understand."

He hurriedly carried the tray out, not even bothering to look at the shop, and rushed straight to Yingtian Academy to look for the person.

Song Xuan stood up and strolled around the living room, picking up a medical book at random to pass the time.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Xiuyong didn't even ask for leave and rushed home immediately.

"Brother Twelve!"

Wang Xiuyong yelled and pounced on him:

"Tell your younger brother to miss you dearly."

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan patted Wang Xiuyong on the shoulder:

"Since Zhang Dalang is getting married, I took leave and quietly returned to my hometown for a few days. I only came back today."

"Alright, alright, let's have a good drink together. Who knows when we'll see each other again?"

Wang Xiuyong was overjoyed.

Of the Qinglong Mutual Aid Study Group that Twelve Brother founded, he was the only one who didn't make the list.

Zhu Yu went to participate in the palace examination, but unfortunately failed.

"When you go to the capital city of Tokyo for the provincial examination, you will naturally come to seek refuge with me."

"Yeah."

Wang Xiuyong quickly showed Song Xuan his physique; his arms still had some muscle, unlike before when they were so thin.

"This time, I will definitely not let a cold ruin my future!"

After talking for a while, Song Xuan made a request: he wanted to get some medicine.

"Is Twelfth Brother perhaps unwell?"

Wang Xiuyong observed that Song Xuan had a rosy complexion and a loud voice, and showed no signs of illness.

“How could it be me? I am the son of Master Wang.”

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he handed him a letter from Doctor Wang.

"Twelfth Brother, come with me."

Wang Xiuyong knew about this.

Because his senior brother said there was almost no way to cure it completely, unless Bian Que were alive.

When Song Xuan arrived at the pharmacy, he asked the pharmacist to get the medicine for him.

As for his senior brother, he went out to treat patients.

"Is Twelfth Brother confident?"

"Only one-tenth."

Wang Xiuyong finished bandaging the medicine, but upon hearing this, he did not hand the medicine to Song Xuan:

"Twelfth Brother, I have always known you to be kind and righteous, so there is something I am not sure if I should say."

"You said."

My father always said, "Medicine won't kill you!"

Wang Xiuyong pressed down on the pile of medicinal herbs:
"This matter originally had nothing to do with you, but even a ten percent certainty is far too risky."

“Once a person dies, Master Wang is not a saint, and he will inevitably blame you.”

"Of course I know." Song Xuan took the medicine packet:
"If that doesn't work, then give his son a quick death!"

“Otherwise, if the torment continues for too long, Master Wang’s heart meridian will probably be damaged. It may seem like I’m saving his son, but in reality, I’m saving him.”

Wang Xiuyong sighed.

For a moment, I didn't know whether Twelfth Brother was right or wrong.

After all, not everyone has this kind of open-minded attitude, especially when it happens to them.

"Let's go, we have nothing else to do, come back with me, we'll have dinner together tonight."

"Twelfth Brother, let me carry it."

Wang Xiuyong stopped worrying about it.

The two walked towards Song Xuan's bookstore with smiles on their faces.

He kept telling Song Xuan that the students of Yingtian Academy were getting stronger and stronger, and that the top scholar in the next imperial examination might also appear in their academy.

The only point of contention is whether they will achieve a triple crown again.

Or perhaps the phenomenon of dominating the charts will occur again.

Students of Yingtian Academy achieved top scores in both the provincial and imperial examinations.

Both "winning three times in a row" and "winning three times in a row" are from this academy.

In terms of luck, he's incredibly strong.

Many students come here to study, drawn by its reputation.

This results in a huge number of applicants, and those who can stand out and enter the academy must be the best of the best.

It would be hard for them not to get good grades!
yard.

Wang Xiuyong watched as Song Xuan became so close to "the daughter of his enemy".

The young lady still calls her twelfth brother "father".

He was somewhat surprised.

If something like Zhao Wuxu happens, wouldn't Twelfth Brother be doomed?

"Sisi, be very generous and open."

Song Xuan pointed at Wang Xiuyong, and Sisi called out in a clear, crisp voice:
"Sisi, greetings to Uncle."

He had originally intended to remind Twelfth Brother of the story of the Zhongshan Wolf, but Wang Xiuyong stopped when he heard the little girl call him Uncle.

His eyes lit up with laughter, and he chuckled foolishly, responding incessantly.

Sisi, the young lady, has rosy cheeks and big, bright eyes.

She really looks like my twelfth brother!

If Doctor Wang were here, Wang Xiuyong's seniority would be even lower.

His father and Song Xuan were of the same generation and were friends.

After Sisi finished shouting, she ran to Song Xuan's side and asked to be praised.

"Awesome."

After Song Xuan praised her, Sisi giggled even more, looking as if she hadn't let her father down.

This time, nothing much was prepared; it was just lamb skewers again.

and many more?

Wang Xiuyong was somewhat surprised, wondering why he had thought that way earlier, feeling that they resembled each other!

After all, Twelfth Brother is considered the most handsome man in Lema Town, and he is becoming more and more dashing.

Madam Gu isn't bad-looking either, and then look at little Sisi.

"hiss."

Wang Xiuyong watched as his twelfth brother fed Sisi, the young lady, meat skewers.

The more they look at each other, the more alike they seem!
A thought he dared not even consider suddenly popped into his mind.

Could it be that Miss Sisi is the 12th Brother's biological daughter?

According to the customs of the Song people, they would usually address each other by their surname, birth order, and "little lady," such as "Song Yi Xiao Niang Zi," or simply "Yi Niang."

However, when Twelfth Brother introduced her, he only mentioned her childhood name and did not mention anything about Gu Yiniang.

Wang Xiuyong blinked, his mind churning with turbulent emotions.

Twelfth Brother truly lives up to his name; he managed to get his "enemy's" woman into his own hands, and she even willingly bore him children.

Wang Xiuyong was eating a kebab.

He deduced that the two of them probably had already "colluded" before Twelfth Brother brought down Magistrate Gu!
Otherwise, how could Brother Twelve have gotten such good luck and received the news in advance?
What should I do if I'm a little envious?
Wang Xiuyong was actually of marriageable age, but his father was not in a hurry to arrange it.

The idea is that if you can't succeed in an official career, you should go home and continue studying medicine so that you can settle down, get married, and have children.

Either he succeeds in his official career, in which case someone will inevitably try to find him a son-in-law, and he will have to choose for himself.

In any case, Doctor Wang didn't have much help in officialdom.

At most, everyone treats him politely, just in case they might need his help in the future.

No one can guarantee that he will never get sick in his life.

Wang Xiuyong wanted to ask his twelfth brother about the grand scene of "catching a son-in-law after passing the imperial examination," as he had only heard about it but had never witnessed it firsthand.

Song Xuan gestured, implying that he should drink less sweet water, or his teeth would rot.

"Sisi, don't let your teeth rot."

She quickly covered her mouth and ran to Madam Gu's side.

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan finished the rest of the sweet drink in one gulp, then ate some lamb skewers before looking at Wang Xiuyong:
"What's wrong? Not to your liking?"

"Not really."

Wang Xiuyong didn't bring this up.

Did he know that his twelfth brother had invited him in to eat with them?

There's no need to elaborate on Madam Gu's identity; it's obvious that she's part of the same family.

"Actually, I've reached the age where I should get married. Back then, I refused my father's arrangements and was determined to take the imperial examination, but my father said I wasn't cut out for it."

"It wasn't until my twelfth brother and others topped the list of successful candidates that my father finally relented and agreed to let me give it a try. He said that if I had the chance, I would naturally be chosen as a son-in-law from among those who passed the imperial examination, so no arrangements were made."

"I heard that many people were vying to have Twelfth Brother as their son-in-law, and even the prime minister sent his family to capture you. I wonder what it was like to be caught for a son-in-law after the imperial examination results were announced?"

Upon hearing this, even Madam Gu looked over.

Those who haven't experienced it are curious about this.

Moreover, there was also a witness to the event.

"Nowadays, the imperial examinations are becoming increasingly difficult, so usually after the provincial examinations, a large number of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants from Tokyo will come to compete for them."

"They'll probably be snapped up right now, but once the list of successful candidates is released, there won't be many left to compete for."

Song Xuan seemed lost in memories:
"I feel like everyone has gone mad. If you're physically weak, you'll probably be torn apart like a chicken."

"Hahaha."

Wang Xiuyong couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He couldn't imagine that a person could be torn in half like a roast chicken, and thought that his twelfth brother was joking.

"Don't laugh, passing the provincial exam is a good thing."

"If you get injured because of this, it will affect your participation in the palace examination. So even if you pass the exam, don't make a fuss about it and let others know who you are!"

Song Xuan nodded seriously:
"This is based on experience. Who knows if someone might be jealous of you and use this incident to prevent you from participating in the palace examination?"

Wang Xiuyong kept this in mind; his twelfth brother must know more about the situation in Tokyo than he did.

The fact that the twelfth brother was framed during the palace examination is clear evidence of this.

"Moreover, the list of candidates for the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era drew special attention to the students of Yingtian Academy, and the same will surely happen in the eighth year of the imperial examination."

Song Xuan put the bamboo skewer in his hand aside:
"Sometimes, fairness is only on the surface; there are many underhanded tactics involved."

"I understand."

Wang Xiuyong nodded heavily. Seeing that the child was a little tired, Madam Gu quickly took her to wash up.

Song Xuan gave Wang Xiuyong a few more instructions, and as it grew darker, he washed up and went upstairs shirtless.

"Sister, is Sisi asleep?"

Hearing Song Xuan's rhetorical question, Madam Gu combed her hair and smiled, pursing her lips:

"So that my lord may know, she has already gone to sleep."

Song Xuan hugged Madam Gu, who was sitting, from behind.

Madam Gu felt Song Xuan's firm chest against her back.

Like kneading dough, gently stroke it.

Xiaoyi retreated.

It was icy cold, with a slight chill in it.

It seeped into her feverish skin.

Her body felt weak for a moment.

Mrs. Gu gently bit her lip:

"As soon as my husband comes back, he knows how to cause trouble."

Song Xuan gently blew into her ear:

"The really bad things are yet to come."

Madam Gu swallowed, her face flushed and burning.

Early the next morning.

Madam Gu then smiled and handed the mat that her daughter had wet to the maid to wash.

She planned to make breakfast herself for her young husband, who had worked hard all night.

Song Xuan slept for a long time until his daughter called him to pee.

Song Xuan put on his underwear, walked to the crib, picked her up, and carried her to the toilet next to him.

Mrs. Gu took her daughter to take a bath, while Song Xuan rinsed off quickly before going out for breakfast.

He sat by the window on the second floor, looking down at the sparse crowd below.

When someone came to buy lottery tickets, Song Xuan remembered that he was almost out of drafts for his recently updated Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

He had grown accustomed to the fast pace of Tokyo and the sight of crowds of people as soon as he stepped outside.

Sometimes, places with lower population density are relatively good.

Someone clutched their stomach and yelled, "Excuse me, excuse me! Don't block my way, or I might ejaculate on you!"

As a result, passersby either laughed or cursed, but not wanting to cause trouble, they all made way.

Compared to before, public health in Songcheng has improved a lot.

Because of the existence of the latrine-collecting teams, many toilets were built in the city at their own expense to facilitate their collection of latrines.

After all, this business, though it smells terrible, is still quite profitable.

In this way, people won't just randomly pick a street corner and start urinating.

They also had to pay the government a sum of money so they could wear red armbands and be prohibited from urinating or defecating indiscriminately. They were told to use public toilets, which were free anyway.

But if you urinate outside, you'll be fined.

The dung tyrant isn't just messing around with you.

The government is willing to cooperate with this kind of unexpected money.

This benefit wasn't available before.

After all, if you need a sanitation team to clean your home, you'll have to pay a cleaning fee.

Song Xiang's younger brother, Song Qi, is now the local magistrate.

I've heard he has a good reputation; his only hobby is throwing lavish banquets and indulging in pleasure.

However, this was not a problem. Many of the scholar-officials in the Song Dynasty came from poor backgrounds, and it was common for them to enjoy life when they had a little money.

It's fair to say that the Song Dynasty is currently free from turmoil, and a life of peace and prosperity is perfectly normal.

Moreover, Song Qi believed that if he didn't enjoy life when he was young, he wouldn't be able to enjoy it now that he was older.

Even though Song Xiang often wrote letters to advise him, Song Qi didn't care. He would say in the letters that he knew, but he would just do whatever he was supposed to do.

Song Xuan sat on a high place, which could be considered his hometown, watching the villagers walk by.

He was pondering to himself that since the Khitans hadn't sent any news back, there might be a problem with taxation.

After all, the sudden increase in taxes by the imperial court is no small matter.

In the past, the upper echelons of the Liao Dynasty were in turmoil, with various struggles for the throne, and even regicide had occurred.

However, it will not cause too much harm to ordinary people.

In particular, the Khitan emperors throughout history were very fond of the customs and culture of the Han people.

This led to discontent among the Khitan nobility, and the unrest became increasingly apparent.

Fortunately, Yelü Longxu's father was convinced of the primogeniture law and had a say in the matter, which ensured that there would be no large-scale infighting during each transition between the old and new emperors.

Yelü Longxu is old and no longer wise; this tax will surely be forcibly collected.

It's just that you never know when it will suddenly erupt and unleash a massive rebellion.

"Lang Jun?"

Madam Gu then brought up her younger daughter, who was already clean and fresh:
"Luckily, I put her in her crib beforehand, otherwise she would have peed all over you at night."

"Father, you won't dislike Sisi, will you?"

"How could that be?" Song Xuan said with a smile, "Your mother wet the bed when she was this age."

Madam Gu rolled her eyes at Song Xuan, feigning anger as she clenched her fist.

Sisi's eyes lit up upon hearing this:
"Father, is it possible that Sisi doesn't actually wet the bed at all, and it's Mother who wets the bed at night, but is too embarrassed to say it's Sisi who wets it?"

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan took Sisi, who had changed into her new clothes, and held her in his arms:
“My daughter has been so clever since she was little.”

"Humph."

Sisi leaned against Song Xuan's chest, looking at Madam Gu with a rather smug expression:
“My mother always says I’m dull-witted, but actually I’m very smart, just like my father.”

"Yeah."

Madam Gu watched the father and daughter enjoying themselves immensely, feeling both amused and exasperated. She had been taking care of them for so long, yet they weren't as close as they had been in just the last day or two.

Where are you going to make sense?
Song Xuan carried his daughter on a horse and went to get medicine for Master Wang's son.

"Do we still have some allicin left?"

"Yes, young master."

Xiao Zhihong quickly responded:
"Before Prime Minister Wang died, his son Wang Congyi came to ask for some, hoping to prolong his father's life, but this stuff is not an elixir."

Song Xuan nodded.

Wang Qinruo eventually succumbed to his illness and died.

The imperial court also appointed his son and some of his confidants as officials.

In order to visit his mother's mausoleum, Emperor Zhao Zhen specially allowed Wang Qinruo to be buried next to his father.

As for whether Zhao Zhen would later think Wang Qinruo was truly treacherous and expel him again, that was not something Song Xuan was concerned with.

"Okay, let's do it this way for now."

Song Xuan watched as they prepared medicines using ingredients like areca nut and Quisqualis indica.

Sisi, perched on Song Xuan's shoulders, said, "Daddy, shall we ride a donkey and go fly a kite?"

"Let's go."

Song Xuan didn't need much instruction on preparing medicine; he had mostly assisted Song Xuan with this task.

So after giving Xiao Zhihong some instructions, Song Xuan simply led the donkey, had Madam Gu carry her daughter up, and headed for a stroll outside the city.

Fortunately, Song Xuan had not returned for a long time, and no one expected him to come back.

Madam Gu wore a veil to protect herself from the sun.

"whee."

"Daddy, you're amazing."

Sisi stood on the grass, clapping her hands happily as she watched the kite soar high into the sky.

After showing off his skills, Song Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly started reeling in the line, preparing to lower it so his daughter could hold it and play with it herself.

Madam Gu sat on the blanket and laid out some food and drinks.

Besides flying kites, there were other toys, such as small wooden carts with four wheels that were pulled by ropes.

This kind of thing has existed for a long time. During the Qin and Han dynasties, nobles used bronze vessels in the shape of tigers with four wheels underneath, which were pulled by children and were relatively heavy.

In addition to ordinary puppets, Song Xuan also specially made monkey dolls of the Monkey King.

Mrs. Gu was playing with her daughter's toy cooking utensils, the kind of playful pretend.

Song Xuan, holding the kite, squatted down and handed it to Song Sisi.

"Pull it a little, loosen it a little, yes, yes, yes."

Song Xuan helped pull them along, enjoying this rare moment of parent-child time.

"After Zhang Jun's management, this river is no longer a source of disasters. I used to hear that shallows would appear in the middle of the river, hindering the navigation of boats."

Hu Yuan pointed to the kite with some delight and said, "Nowadays, it's a common sight for people to fly kites by the river."

Hu Yuan and Shi Jie were both students who failed the college entrance examination.

Shi Jie was originally a student at the academy, and he had also temporarily stayed at Song Xuan's house. He was a rigid person.

Hu Yuan had received help from Song Xuan in Tokyo and came to study at the academy, where she never left.

The two of them would come out to the river every month to stroll and discuss philosophy, as a way to relax during their busy study time.

After all, nobody has much money.

Taking a stroll outside the city not only allows you to enjoy the scenery, but more importantly, it provides exercise and saves you money.

When we got back, we had a delicious meal of meat and vegetables together, which was really wonderful.

Upon hearing this, Shi Jie looked at the kite as it was gradually being retrieved, and then his gaze fell on the family of three standing to the side.

His pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly rubbed his eyes.

"Could there really be people in the world who look so alike?"

"What imagination?"

Hu Yuan didn't hear clearly and thought she was imagining the cloud as something else.

"Song Twelve?"

"Or is he his brother?"

Upon hearing Shi Jie's question, Hu Yuan looked over and stared intently: "It's Twelfth Brother, it's Twelfth Brother."

He ran over with great joy, lifting his robe, and called out, "Twelfth Brother, Twelfth Brother!"

Hu Yuan ate Cao's Grandma's meat pie for the first time in Tokyo City, thanks to Song Xuan.

His friend Ruan Yi was able to escape with his life and even pass the imperial examination, all thanks to Song Xuan's help.

Otherwise, Ruan Yi would have died from illness because he had no money for treatment, let alone the good fortune of passing the imperial examination!

Song Xuan was squatting down, teasing the child and trying to make her happy, when he heard someone calling his name. He looked up and saw that she was happy.

It turns out he's a repeat student who failed the college entrance exam.

Hu Yuan and Shi Jie.

"Hu Yizhi, Shi Shijiu."

Song Xuan stood up, letting his daughter lean against his thigh: "You guys?"

"Twelve Lang."

Hu Yuan was extremely excited; he knew Song Xuan was getting married.

"These are your sister-in-law and your daughter. I never imagined your child would grow up so big."

Shi Jie did retain a sliver of wisdom, because no matter how you estimated it, Song Xuan's daughter couldn't be that old.

Madam Gu smiled upon hearing this.

"It has been more than a year since we parted ways in Tokyo."

Hu Yuan only realized what she meant after she said that.

its not right!
Are Shierlang's children so extraordinary?
She's grown up to look three or four years old!

Song Xuan laughed heartily and squatted down:
"Sisi, be very generous and open."

"Sisi, greet your two uncles."

After Song Sisi finished speaking, she hugged Song Xuan and shyly avoided looking at the two of them.

"Hey."

Hu Yuan was more than ten years older than Song Xuan, but she still responded.

Song Xuan pointed at Hu Yuan: "This one with the long beard should be called Uncle."

"Sisi, greet your uncle with the long beard."

"Hahaha."

"Alright, alright, I am Uncle with the long beard."

"I am Uncle with the long beard."

Hu Yuan responded again.

He only had three sons and had always wanted a daughter but could not have one.

Looking at Song Xuan's daughter, so beautiful and sensible, he was completely captivated.

Shi Jie stood to the side, saying nothing.

He didn't know how to talk to Song Xuan.

The main reason is that he is not good at communicating with people. So, despite his young age, he can't say much to people his own age, but he can still have common topics with Hu Yuan, who is older.

Although Shi Jie admired Song Xuan's four lines about responding to the heavens, he was speechless in the face of the current situation.

Song Xuan placed the wheel in Song Sisi's hand:
"Let your mother take you to play together."

"Okay, Father, Sisi will teach Mother how to fly a kite."

"Your mother is silly, she's so old and still wets the bed."

Song Sisi covered Song Xuan's ear and whispered something.

"Don't talk about your mother like that."

Song Xuan gently patted her little bottom.

"Giggle."

Song Sisi ran into her mother's arms, clutching the kite, and kept asking her mother to teach her how to fly a kite.

Hu Yuan sat down to the side, wisely avoiding sitting on the blanket.

"There's been no news at all about when Shierlang returned to his hometown."

“My classmate and good friend Zhang Fangping is getting married, so I asked for leave in advance to come back and attend the wedding.”

Song Xuan explained, "So I didn't make a fuss about it."

Hu Yuan nodded slightly:

“I understand, I understand. We have heard about what Shierlang did in Tokyo. Many of our classmates at Yingtian Academy regard Shierlang as their role model.”

"Hahaha."

Song Xuan chuckled a few times:

"I hope they can all pass the imperial examination smoothly. Since Yingtian Academy became the number one academy in the world, I'm afraid heroes from all walks of life have gathered here."

"The trials and tribulations in the next two years are bound to be exceptionally intense."

"good."

Hu Yuan also sighed; he could only hope that he could pass the palace examination smoothly next year.

Otherwise, when the time is up, he will have to start the exam again from scratch.

"The imperial examinations are becoming increasingly difficult these days."

Hu Yuan is a repeat offender; she has failed the exam five times already.

If things were normal, he would have had two more failures to accumulate before realizing that he was not good at this path and chose to switch to teaching.

"That's true, but what you met at Yingtian Academy were actually the same people you met during the provincial and palace examinations."

Song Xuan didn't offer him any comfort:

"It's just that the reputation of Yingtian Academy has brought us together too early. If there's an opportunity in the future..."

"They should all return to their hometowns to participate in the provincial examinations. Only in this way can they have a better chance of entering the provincial examinations."

Hu Yuan nodded; he didn't need it yet.

If he fails the next imperial examination, he will return to his hometown in the south and try again using Song Xuan's method.

Song Xuan could advise people like Liu Sanbian to switch tracks, but he generally wouldn't advise others.

Having such a wealth of experience in failing exams, if he himself is unwilling to give up, no amount of persuasion from others will help.

Most people, given the opportunity, are willing to follow their own inner thoughts.

Moreover, Hu Yuan was also known as a child prodigy, but unfortunately his family fell into poverty and could not continue to support his studies. Even if he tries hard now, it will be difficult for him to continue.

Instead of striving for success, why not just train two sons instead of pursuing it yourself?
"Why is Shijiu Lang standing here?"

Shi Jie simply cupped his hands and said, "Twelfth Brother, it's me, it's me."

He swallowed and shook his head: "I like standing."

"Hehe, you're still the same stubborn person."

Song Xuan didn't seem to mind and continued talking with Hu Yuan, learning more about Yingtian Academy.

He never wrote a letter to Song Xuan.

However, his good friend Ruan Yi wrote to him; he had been corresponding with Song Xuan.

After all, in this day and age, news doesn't travel as easily, and you might not see someone for years at a time.

After chatting for a while, Hu Yuan noticed that the young girl wanted her father to fly the kite, so he decisively took his leave.

Hu Yuan had a great fondness for Song Xuan.

He intervened to help those in need and even dared to step on the arrogant prince.

Furthermore, after hearing about Song Xuan's achievements after becoming an official, he admired him even more for his ability to accomplish so much at such a young age.

Truly making a name for themselves in Tokyo!
It should be understood that the position of county magistrate in China is not one that just anyone can hold, let alone achieve any notable results.

Hu Yuan exclaimed with emotion, "Twelfth Brother, how magnificent!"

He glanced at Shi Jie: "Don't you usually admire Shierlang's four lines about Yingtian the most?"

Why were you so silent just now?

Shi Jie shook his head: "I do admire his words, but his actions are not as good as he says."

"how?"

"Twelfth Brother is a role model for us scholars, but after getting married, he became entangled with other women, and we don't even know whose child he is?"

Shi Jie shook his head and said, "This is far from being a sage."

"Shierlang has always been happy to help others. If the husband of that lady just passed away, Shierlang would not be able to bear seeing that young lady Sisi grow up without a father, so he would help take care of her."

Hu Yuan looked at Shi Jie: "What do you intend to do?"

"I."

Shi Jie's face turned bright red; he had been thinking filthy thoughts.

“Nineteen, you have a pure heart, but you lack experience and often think about things based on your own limited perspective.”

"When you feel less busy with your studies, you can travel and broaden your horizons. Perhaps this will greatly improve your chances in the next imperial examination."

"Thank you for your kind words, brother. I will go and apologize to Song Twelve."

"Please don't!" Hu Yuan grabbed him.

"Twelfth Brother is such a wise man. If he doesn't say anything and you don't say anything, then this matter will be as if nothing happened."

“But once you say it, it won’t matter to Twelve, but it will hurt the mother and daughter.”

"Ignoring other people's feelings just to make yourself feel better is not an apology!"

"Huh?" Shi Jie didn't quite understand what he meant.

"But I've already apologized."

They don't need your apology!

"Don't disturb the family's good mood while they're enjoying their vacation, come with me quickly."

Hu Yuan was extremely troubled by her younger brother's complete lack of social skills.

Even if one passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, it will be extremely difficult to advance in the officialdom.

“I usually admire Song Xuan’s four lines of 'Responding to Heaven' the most, and I want to act according to his words, but he hasn’t done so yet.”

Shi Jie seemed somewhat confused.

Hu Yuan tugged at his sleeve and urged him to leave quickly: "You haven't even spoken to Song Twelve, how do you know he didn't do what he said he would?"

"Nineteen, I've already told you, don't always try to guess what others are thinking based on your own. That's too narrow-minded. It makes you unhappy and it makes others unhappy too."

Apart from Hu Yuan, no one at the academy was willing to befriend Shi Jie.

It's not that they have low emotional intelligence, it's that they simply don't.

Hu Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief long after leaving Song Xuan and his family of three.

"Even saints cannot always guarantee that their words and deeds are consistent. Moreover, Twelfth Brother is young and it is only natural for him to like women."

"Do you mean you'll never get married and never be able to communicate with women in your life?"

Shi Jie hesitated and dared not speak.

That was his nature, and he always demanded of himself the words and deeds of a sage, leaving behind not even a penny of money, grain, or land.

As a result, if it weren't for Fu Bi and Han Qi jointly contributing money after his death, his wife and children would have frozen and starved to death.

"I heard that Twelve-Lang was framed by the censors, which in turn led to the reform of the censors."

"Although being a censor is a job that can offend people, one should not blur the lines between public and private matters and seek personal gain."

Hu Yuan looked at Shi Jie:

“Nineteen, promise me that even if you pass the imperial examination, you will never become a censor. I’m afraid you’ll offend a lot of people on your first day in office.”

"You will never be able to hold office again and pursue your ambitions, or rather, your desires."

Shi Jie nodded and continued walking in silence.

"By the way, don't tell anyone about what happened today. Since Twelve Lang doesn't want to be disturbed, the news must not leak out from us."

"it is good."

Hu Yuan sighed again, and then let go of her little brother's arm, which she had been holding tightly. She was indeed a little tired.

After they had walked away, Madam Gu smiled and said:

“My lord, that student who is only a few years older than you is quite strange.”

"really."

Song Xuan held the kite string:
"He has a rather eccentric personality. You wouldn't call him slick or smooth; he lacks emotional intelligence, but he's definitely a man of genuine character."

"It's not suitable for someone to work in officialdom; they're easily used as a tool."

"Why not go into teaching and nurturing students? Perhaps you can produce many outstanding students."

"Unfortunately, he will never listen to my advice."

Madam Gu leaned closer and rested her head on Song Xuan's shoulder:

"Young master, there's no need to worry about him. Everyone has their own path to walk. They won't remember other people's advice until they hit a wall themselves."

"really."

Song Xuan nestled in Song Sisi's arms, they pulled on the kite together, with Madam Gu leaning close beside them.

People watching this scene from a distance couldn't help but sigh.

If this scene were painted, it might become a masterpiece.

After eating and drinking, Song Xuan saw that Song Sisi was asleep, so he packed his things, picked her up, and led the donkey home.

"Young master, the medicine has been prepared."

Song Xuan took the lunchbox, nodded, and headed towards Wang Zhu's house.

At this point, Wang Zhu had mostly calmed down.

Ultimately, the worst outcome is what you expect.

His son kept crying in pain, and it broke his heart to see him like that.

One thing is one thing, another is another. At worst, I'll just go with his mother sooner rather than later, so I won't have to suffer.

So after Song Xuan arrived, Wang Zhu took the initiative to speak:
"Twelfth Brother, use whatever methods you have. I've already thought it through."

Song Xuan nodded:
"That's good, Master. My method is to fight poison with poison. If you can survive, you'll live. If you can't, then prepare a coffin."

"It's been prepared a long time ago."

Wang Zhu had already prepared everything after the conclusion was reached by the divine physician Wang's apprentice.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have accepted Song Xuan's method so easily.

“Fight fire with fire.”

Song Xuan led Wang Zhu into the house:
“Master, you also need to find two brave women to serve you, and prepare a jar and chopsticks in advance.”

"it is good."

Two women arrived, accompanied by the old lady.

Wang Zhu told his mother to keep quiet and just sit to the side.

After Song Xuan bowed, he poured a bowl of medicine directly from the bottle:
"Let's see if we force-feed him a bowl."

The old nanny obediently forced the child to drink it, and the child coughed many times, as the taste was rather bland and had a pungent smell.

"Is that all right?"

Wang Zhu looked worried; although he had prepared in advance, he was unwilling to give up hope.

"Just wait, this is an antiparasitic soup, which I found in the 'Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold'. I don't know which effect will come first, vomiting or diarrhea, or even if they will come at the same time."

"what?"

Wang Zhu was shocked; he could smell a pungent odor.

In less than half an hour, Wang Souchen's stomach rumbled like thunder, and he suffered unbearable pain, vomiting and having diarrhea.

It's out of control.

Song Xuan had them help him vomit into the urn and sit on the toilet.

All the people saw was a well-formed, long, and even wriggling worm-like body appearing.

There were traces of blood in the vomit.

Wang Zhu was terrified and couldn't help but vomit at the sight.

Song Xuan was prepared and helped him outside before taking off the mask covering his face.

Wang Zhu retched for a long time, his neck and face were red, and the veins were showing. His mouth was covered with saliva.

"Twelfth Brother, how could he be so terrifying?"

"Terrifying?"

Song Xuan glanced at him:
"Master, if you ever get married again, no matter how busy you are, you should still take care of your wife so that you don't know anything when asked."

"Twelve is right."

Wang Zhu also regretted it a bit. He was also very ambitious. Who wouldn't want to seize the opportunity to soar to the top?
"If my son takes this medicine, will he live?"

Song Xuan stood with his hands behind his back: "Fighting poison with poison? This is nothing!"

(End of this chapter)