Di Ming

Chapter 174 Good News of the Provincial Examination
They were all very happy to be reunited with their old friends.

Zhu Yin stepped forward, took Xu Xiaobai's arm, and said very warmly, "Thoughts of clouds and trees, moonlight on roof beams, I have been looking forward to seeing you for a long time, Brother Xiaobai."

"Come on, let's go inside and talk."

He could tell that Xu Xiaobai now resembled a prince even more than before. Every gesture he made exuded confidence.

Yes, becoming the heir to the title really makes a difference.

Xu Xiaobai laughed and said, "I didn't expect that Brother Little Tiger came to Nanjing last year. I was under house arrest at the time and had no idea."

He then bowed to Ning Caiwei and said, "Lady Caiwei, I've come to bother you again."

He knew that Ning Caiwei was far less easy to talk to than Zhu Yin.

Ning Caiwei smiled and said, "Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar? I couldn't ask for that more, so how could I possibly bother you?"

Xu Xiaobai laughed heartily, "I'm right here in the city, I didn't come from afar. Hey... hey you two, your falcons won't attack me, will they?"

Zhu Yin stroked Fei Hu's feathers. "No, that won't happen. This is a well-trained eagle, very obedient."

The group chatted as they entered the courtyard. When Xu Xiaobai saw Ning Qingchen, her face lit up with joy. "Qingchen's all grown up now! She was still breastfeeding back then… Ouch! Why are you playing with snakes? Aren't you afraid they'll bite you?"

Ning Qingchen gave him a look as if he were an idiot, then turned her little body arrogantly and ran into the courtyard.

"Haha." Xu Xiaobai was in an even better mood. "Qingchen is so cute."

It was nearly noon, so Ning Caiwei simply instructed Jin Yunniang to prepare a banquet to entertain Xu Xiaobai.

The group entered the central courtyard hall, and seeing that no one else was there, Xu Xiaobai said:

"It's been over a year since I returned to the Central Plains from Liaodong. Looking back now, the Jurchen tribes had quite a unique charm. The north was bitterly cold, and the south was weak and frail. It truly evokes the image of Su Wu herding sheep."

“If it weren’t for your ‘I like Beile’, I, Xu Xiaobai, would have been a slave to the Jurchens and would probably have died in Jianzhou, never to return south. Brother Little Tiger, you are my benefactor.”

Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei couldn't help but smile when they heard "I like Prince".

What the hell is this "I like Baylor" nonsense?

Zhu Yin personally poured tea for Xu Xiaobai, saying, "Brother Xiaobai, why be so polite? We have a deep friendship built on our shared hardships in the icy and snowy lands beyond the Great Wall. Saying such things is too formal."

"That's for sure!" Xu Xiaobai picked up his teacup and said with a smile, "But you can't not let me repay your kindness. To be honest, I've already been appointed as a nobleman, it's a done deal."

"It's quite a coincidence. My half-brother Xu Hongji, who wished I were dead, was implicated in the Wang Ruifang case. Although Wang Ruifang escaped with his life, he was exiled to Shangyangbao in Liaodong and was not pardoned. My brother was also expelled from school and stripped of his title."

"And that Wang Ruifang, I heard you two are at odds the most. He even made a bet with you to compete for the title of child prodigy. Brother, could it be that Wang Ruifang was...?"

Zhu Yin put down his teacup and said seriously, "Brother Xiaobai, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Wang Ruifang's affair with his mother and his sister-in-law is his own fault, what does it have to do with me?"

Xu Xiaobai smiled knowingly, "Uh... I was overthinking it. Hehe, maybe I just had a couple too many drinks."

Ning Qingchen sat to one side, looking at Xu Xiaobai with the same gaze one would give an idiot.

You drank too much after just two cups of tea, didn't you?
In fact, Xu Xiaobai knew what was going on. He was an old friend who had spent half a year with Zhu Yin.

He knew far more about Zhu Yin's methods and scheming than most people did.

He speculated that the Wang Ruifang case was most likely the work of Zhu Yin.

If that's the case, then I was able to become a nobleman thanks to Zhu Yin.

He is truly my greatest benefactor.

But then Zhu Yin said, "Brother Xiaobai has been appointed a nobleman, which is truly a cause for celebration. Come, young master, let me offer you a cup of tea!"

Zhu Yin was also somewhat speechless at this point.

The Ming Dynasty was quite peculiar. Only the heir to a princely title could be called "Shizi" (世子), thus turning the broad term "Shizi" into an exclusive privilege reserved for the heir to a prince.

This meant that even the heirs of dukes and marquises could no longer be called heirs, but only dukes, or young dukes and marquises.

"Haha!" Xu Xiaobai laughed. "Don't call me Young Master, not even as a joke. I can't accept that."

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "I don't want to call you that either. According to the rules of the dynasty, I am now a commoner, and when I see a young master like you, I should kneel and kowtow."

Xu Xiaobai laughed and said, "If you kneel before me, then I'll kneel before you too. Let's bow to each other and become sworn brothers."

After saying that, he took out a gift list and handed it to Ning Caiwei, saying, "This is a small token of my appreciation; you must accept it no matter what."

When Ning Caiwei looked at the gift list, she was surprised to find:

"A villa in the Lakeside Garden of Xuanwu Lake, two hundred taels of gold, two thousand taels of silver, two fine horses from the Western Regions, ten bolts of kesi (silk tapestry), ten bolts of Lanzhou velvet, two liters of pearls, ten gold-inlaid Japanese swords, ten Suzhou fans, ten Duan inkstones, a set of mutton fat jade artifacts, ten catties of styrax, ten catties of pepper, one coral from the East China Sea, ten sets of crystal tassels, ten catties of old ginseng, and ten sets of carved horse harnesses."

Ning Caiwei looked at it and calculated in her mind. After reading it, she estimated that it was worth about 20,000 taels!

Even though the Prince of Zhongshan's mansion is the richest in Jiangnan, boasting a fortune of tens of millions, Xu Xiaobai's generosity is still remarkable.

They actually gifted me a garden by Xuanwu Lake! This garden alone is worth over ten thousand taels of silver.

That's quite a generous gesture.

Indeed, there is no such thing as the richest; there is only the richest.

I originally thought the Zhu family was already very wealthy with hundreds of thousands in assets, but compared to the Xu family, they were poor.

Zhu Yin took the gift list, his face immediately darkening. "Brother Xiaobai, who are you looking down on? We're brothers, what are you doing! Making a scene with these material things!"

"What, do you have to be so embarrassed about our friendship? Take it back now, I'm not short of food."

"Oh dear!" Xu Xiaobai smiled wryly, "You absolutely have to accept it! Do you still consider me a brother? If you do, then accept it! Otherwise, you're looking down on me."

He put down his teacup, his expression serious. "To be honest, I'm not showing off, but this is really nothing special in the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion. It's just that I'm only a nobleman now, not a duke, otherwise I wouldn't be able to present this much."

Zhu Yin sighed, "You, you... never mind. Don't let it happen again. Otherwise, I won't be able to face you, the lord, anymore."

Ning Caiwei quickly put away the gift list and urged the preparation of the banquet.

Xu Xiaobai immediately ordered all the gifts to be carried into the Zhu family's courtyard, saying:
"After I was released from house arrest, I heard about your story. You've made quite a name for yourself. I also heard that you participated in the provincial examination."

He heard that when Zhu Yin left the examination hall yesterday, many people saw that he was in low spirits and said that he had failed the exam. Now many people are pessimistic about Zhu Yin, saying that it is impossible for an eleven-year-old to become a successful candidate in the imperial examination and surpass Yang Tinghe.

But today he discovered that Zhu Yin was in a very good mood, which was completely unlike what the outside world had rumored.

What's going on? Is the little tiger deliberately keeping a low profile?
Zhu Yin laughed and said, "What's going on about me in the city?"

Xu Xiaobai's expression was a bit strange. "What do you mean? You're not living up to your reputation. You can only compose poems and essays, but you're mediocre in the exam. Uh... and you're a child prodigy, but you may not be a great adult. The title of child prodigy is just hype. You deserve to fail this time. In the more than two hundred years of our dynasty, it's impossible for a lower-ranking scholar to emerge than Yang Tinghe... In short, no one has high hopes for you."

"And the betting odds at the Grand Fortune Casino are nine times higher than the bets on whether you'll win or not. The odds of betting on whether you'll fail the exam or succeed are nine to one."

"Of course, I definitely have high hopes for you. That's why I placed a huge bet of one thousand taels at the Grand Fortune Casino... well, the casino only allows a maximum bet of one thousand taels."

"Little Tiger, did you really fail the exam?"

Zhu Yin chuckled, "Whether I failed the exam or not, I don't know myself. Maybe I really failed, maybe I didn't."

What kind of talk is this? Xu Xiaobai was speechless. He had also been a student at the Imperial Academy and had taken the exams.

Based on his own experience, he knows perfectly well whether he did well or not. How can he say he doesn't know? Little Tiger, you're clearly just being deliberately modest.

But Xu Xiaobai was a smart man; he didn't ask Zhu Yin for the reason, but changed the subject:
"I am already seventeen years old, and it is long overdue for my coming-of-age ceremony. September 15th is my coming-of-age ceremony, and I would like to invite you to be my guest of honor."

The so-called "guest of the coming-of-age ceremony" refers to the person who performs the capping ceremony for the person being capped.

According to etiquette, the guests were selected through divination, and were generally chosen from the elders and friends of the person being crowned, who were considered to be blessed with good fortune and virtue.

But divination can be merely a formality. Xu Xiaobai could certainly make Zhu Yin his guest at his coming-of-age ceremony if he wanted.

"Me?" Zhu Yin looked astonished. "Brother Xiaobai, I haven't even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet, and you're here to be my guest at your coming-of-age ceremony?"

"Do you think it's appropriate for someone my age, with my hair in a double topknot, to crown you on such a solemn occasion? Isn't that indecent?"

The coming-of-age ceremony was common in the Ming Dynasty. According to the regulations of Emperor Taizu, anyone between the ages of fifteen and twenty could undergo the ceremony. This has been a Chinese tradition for over two thousand years.

The coming-of-age ceremony for commoners was very simple. But for a prince like Xu Xiaobai, it was a grand and solemn ceremony.

"Hehe!" Ning Qingchen couldn't help but laugh when she heard this.

The little tiger was still a child, yet he was invited to crown someone.

Difficult to stretch.

"Indecent?" Xu Xiaobai shook his head and said seriously, "How important is the National Talent Selection Ceremony? You can participate in the provincial examination, so why can't you be a guest at my coming-of-age ceremony?"

“You are my benefactor. I think you are very fortunate. We have a good relationship, so I invited you to be the guest of honor at the coming-of-age ceremony.”

Although Zhu Yin wanted to be a guest, he still politely declined, saying:

"Isn't this too hasty? Didn't the guest want to consult divination? Without tortoise shells and divination sticks, you shouldn't make a decision on your own."

"Haha!" Xu Xiaobai laughed, "The ancestral temple has already chosen the most auspicious guest.

"Little Tiger Brother, you wouldn't refuse to be my guest at my coming-of-age ceremony, would you?"

“Alright.” Zhu Yin nodded with a troubled expression. “Then I will be a guest. However, the coming-of-age ceremony at the Prince of Zhongshan’s residence is a very grand affair, with many officials and nobles attending. If anyone makes a fuss about it on such a large occasion, that will be your own responsibility.”

Upon hearing Zhu Yin's reluctant agreement, Xu Xiaobai raised his glass and laughed, "Then I thank you in advance, brother. You can't go back on your word."

Ning Caiwei couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Damn it, this little tiger has his own pair of horned hairpins, and he's going to crown someone else? Is he trying to be funny?

But she did not object.

Xu Xiaobai is the lord of the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion, and the future Duke of Wei.

His coming-of-age ceremony was a grand occasion. As the guest presiding over the ceremony, he would be the center of attention. It was an excellent stage to showcase Zhu Yin's image. In later generations, it would be a chance for exposure. By successfully presiding over this coming-of-age ceremony, he could at least demonstrate that although Zhu Yin was young, he was capable of doing adult things.

After chatting for a while, the banquet was ready.

After finishing his banquet, Xu Xiaobai invited Zhu Yin to a banquet at the Prince of Zhongshan's residence, where they set a date to meet again. Only then did he take his leave, slightly drunk.

After seeing Xu Xiaobai off, Zhu Yin discussed with Ning Caiwei the military forces currently under the control of the Duke of Wei.

The two of them understood each other without saying a word.

Xu Xiaobai will have a chance to take control of the Nanjing Garrison in the future. Five years later, the current Duke of Wei, Xu Weizhi, will die. At that time, with a little maneuvering, Xu Xiaobai will become the commander of the Nanjing Garrison.

How many articles will there be to write then?

Do I even need to explain the importance of befriending Xu Xiaobai?

Ning Caiwei immediately sent people into the city to place bets at Hongyun Casino, the largest casino in Nanjing.

Although each person could only bet a maximum of one thousand taels, she sent three people into the city and they placed a total of three thousand taels in a high-stakes gamble!
I bet the little tiger will pass the exam!

.........

After resting at home for a few days, Zhu Yin went to Nanyong to teach again.

After all, he was still a student at the Imperial Academy, so he couldn't keep skipping classes unless he had already passed the imperial examination.

This time when he arrived at Nanyong, most of the students, apart from the members of the Propaganda Society, were much colder towards him.

Many senior students who were very enthusiastic towards him before the exam now treat him with indifference. Some even become sarcastic and cynical.

This immediately made Zhu Yin realize the coldness and indifference of the world.

It's true what they say, only the person drinking the water knows whether it's hot or cold.

Conversely, those who were considered top candidates for the imperial examinations were sought after everywhere.

Nanyong has a fixed number of admissions, so someone is bound to be admitted; it's like the meat is rotten but still in the pot.

The most popular candidate is Hao Yunlai.

Because after Hao Yunlai finished the exam, he was radiant and full of confidence.

He wrote out his exam essay, and even the instructors said he had a 90% chance of passing, and his ranking might even be quite high.

As a result, Hao Yunlai, who comes from a poor family, has been in the limelight these past few days.

Even his creditors dared not press him for repayment. Not only did they not dare to press him, they also tore up the IOU in front of him.

This is exactly the effect Hao Yunlai wanted. He wasn't being high-profile for no reason; he was being high-profile with a purpose.

On August 25th, with the results about to be released, some confident candidates simply went home early to wait for the good news!
The greatest honor, of course, is when the good news arrives back home.

Hao Yunlai also went back. Before he went back, he invited many classmates, dozens of them, to his home on the 28th of this month, under the pretext of his birthday.

Among them were Zhu Yin and others.

He wanted Zhu Yin and the others to see the good news delivered to his home. But this was only a very minor reason.

His biggest goal was to take advantage of this opportunity to invite a large group of students to his home, and then, with the prestige of passing the imperial examination and the strength of the students, eliminate the local tyrant and the enemy who had blinded his wife!
He wants revenge! Revenge from a high vantage point, looking down from above!

Zhu Yin and the others agreed to Hao Yunlai's request.

Zhu Yin agreed to go mainly because he wanted to visit the historically famous Moling and, incidentally, fly eagles. Secondly, he wanted to give Hao Yunlai face and avoid a falling out with Hao Yunlai, who might become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations.

……

August 28th.

Moling, Pinggangdu, Jiuxili.

It was early morning.

The Hao family compound, which was originally deserted and simple, is now bustling with activity, with carriages and horses crowding the entrance.

Dozens of scholars dressed in traditional Chinese robes arrived at the Hao family's residence together as arranged.

So what if my room is humble and simple? I can still chat with learned scholars and have no uncultured people among my friends.

In order to curry favor with Hao Yunlai, they no longer cared about the simplicity of Hao's home.

Many people looked at the lintel erected in front of the Hao family's courtyard with complicated expressions.

According to the customs of Jiangnan, before taking the exam, candidates would place a flag called "Mei" at their door. If they passed the exam, the flag would not fall.

If you fail the exam, the flag must be taken down; this is called "bad luck" or "misfortune."

Seeing Hao Yunlai's imposing manner, everyone estimated that the chances of him "getting into trouble" were slim.

The neighbors, seeing the Hao family's lively atmosphere, couldn't help but come to watch, and soon a large crowd gathered.

Many villagers thought the Hao family was celebrating a happy occasion.

On this day, even the Hao siblings, who worked at the sugar factory, took a temporary leave to go home and help their sister-in-law, Meng Yuniang, cook and entertain guests.

Hao Yunlai's parents-in-law and their family also came to help.

The rice, noodles, wine, and dishes served to the guests were all provided by the father-in-law's family.

Hao Yunlai has been very busy lately. He only knows that his younger brother and sister-in-law went to work at a sugar factory, but he hasn't had time to ask what kind of sugar factory it is or who the employer is.

Although the good news had not yet arrived, he was in high spirits because of the joyous occasion.

As soon as he left the examination hall, he had already performed a divination for himself. He had connected several hexagrams, and they were all auspicious omens.

This indicates that he is influenced by the destiny of a great benefactor, and his luck will turn around, ensuring his success in this examination!

The woman went to the temple to draw a fortune stick and drew a very auspicious one.

This is unprecedented, indicating that the auspicious star brought by the destiny of a great person has already shone brightly upon the Hao family.

The matriarch, Madam Meng, was overjoyed. Although the family was poor, the arrival of forty or fifty guests made them very proud, as all the uncles had come to show their support.

Let's see who in the village will dare to bully her or mock her for having only one eye.

Seeing that most of the guests had arrived but Zhu Yin was nowhere to be seen, Hao Yunlai couldn't help but laugh and say to everyone, "Is the little tiger still at home nursing? Did he stand us up today?"

The crowd laughed and said, "That's hard to say. Perhaps they know they're bound to fail and don't dare to come here to embarrass themselves and be ridiculed."

Many of those present were former members of the Chrysanthemum Society and harbored resentment towards the Propaganda Society and Zhu Yin.

These people previously followed the lead of Wang Ruifang and others, and looked down on the poor scholar Hao Yunlai.

But times have changed. Now that Hao Yunlai is the most popular candidate to pass the imperial examination, they naturally change their tune and come to support him.

While serving tea to everyone, Madam Meng smiled and said:
"I've met that little tiger uncle before; he's a very nice person. Since he's agreed, he should be arriving soon."

Meng Yuniang's mouth seemed to have been blessed; as soon as she finished speaking, the sound of bells rang out, and a luxurious carriage drawn by two horses, surrounded by several guards, arrived at the Hao family's gate.

Immediately, a young boy, with a falcon perched on his arm and a large black dog following at his feet, leisurely stepped down from the carriage.

Then, a radiant young woman with a golden hairpin stepped off the carriage, carrying a falcon.

As soon as the two got out of the car, a pair of falcons suddenly spread their wings and soared into the sky.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to the two falcons, their expressions filled with envy.

In a moment, a pair of falcons swooped down and landed in the arms of the boy and girl respectively.

This scene was a powerful and imposing first impression.

The boy and girl then took out blindfolds and put them on the falcons. Immediately afterwards, a boy in black stepped forward and respectfully accepted a pair of falcons.

Only then did the young man smile brightly and say, "I apologize for being late. I've kept you all waiting."

"Uncle, please come in!" Madam Meng quickly greeted the guest.

Hao Yunlai turned his gaze away from the falcon and said with a smile, "Hehe, little tiger, you are a distinguished guest. Please come in, please come in."

"It's an honor to have a child prodigy grace my humble abode. And with your falcon and hunting dogs, are you going hunting?"

He didn't expect that not only Zhu Yin came, but also a woman.

Zhu Yin entered the courtyard as if no one else was there, strolling leisurely and ignoring the various gazes of the crowd.

However, just as Zhu Yin sat down, he suddenly heard cheers from the villagers, followed by the sound of gongs and drums.

A voice faintly drifted over: "It's good news! The invitation to Jin Hua has arrived!"

Then the drums and gongs sounded even louder, and someone shouted:

"Your esteemed son, Mr. Hao Yunlai, has achieved the fifth-highest rank in the provincial examination of Yingtian, and has now passed the imperial examination again in the spring! Congratulations! Congratulations!"

Everyone was startled upon hearing this.

Hao Yunlai won!

P.S.: That's all for today, so busy, boohoo... my eyes are tired. Thank you, goodnight! Many readers will be disappointed, as this isn't good news from Little Tiger.

(End of this chapter)