A Poor Man's Son-in-Law: He Picks Up the Daughter of a Duke's Mansion at the Start

Winter nights come early in the capital; just past dusk, the sky is completely dark. Lanterns gradually light up the streets, swaying gently in the cold wind.

Lu Qingyan and his two companions carried their luggage and walked south along the Imperial Street. According to Zhou Wenyuan, the inns in the "Juzi Lane" area in the south of the city were cheap and not far from the Ministry of Rites.

After walking for about 15 minutes, the noise gradually subsided. The street narrowed, and the shops became simpler. Finally, we saw a slightly worn wooden signboard, creaking in the wind, with the words "Yuelai Inn" written on it.

The storefront was small, with oil lamps lit inside. Behind the counter sat a shopkeeper in his fifties, fiddling with abacus beads. Hearing the door open, he looked up and saw three men dressed as scholars. A smile spread across his face: "Gentlemen, are you here to take the imperial examinations?"

"That's right." Zhou Wenyuan stepped forward. "Are there any rooms available?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The innkeeper came out from behind the counter. "You've come at the right time. There are many candidates coming to the capital these days, and many inns are full. We still have a few rooms left, and the price is fair."

"How can it be fair?" Zhang Zhiqing asked.

The innkeeper pointed to the price list posted on the wall: superior room 200 cash a day, middle room 120 cash, lower room 80 cash, shared room 40 cash.

Lu Qingyan did the math in his head. They planned to stay in the capital until the imperial examination in February, which would be about three months. Even if they stayed in the cheapest shared dormitory, it would cost three or four taels of silver per person. For three people, that would be more than ten taels.

"Are there any berths left in the dormitory-style dormitory?" Zhou Wenyuan asked.

"Yes, there are three left," the innkeeper said. "They're in the large room on the second floor. There are already seven scholars living there, and with you three, that makes ten."

"Show us around."

The large room on the second floor was spacious, but simply furnished. A row of large communal sleeping platforms lined the wall, covered with straw mats and thin blankets. Seven people were already living there; some were reading under the lamp, some were packing their luggage, and one was soaking his feet. When someone entered, they all looked up, nodded, and said hello.

The room was fairly clean, the window paper was newly pasted, and there was a charcoal brazier in the corner, burning cheap charcoal, and the smoke was a bit choking.

"This will do," Zhou Wenyuan said to the shopkeeper.

They booked a room for a month and paid a deposit of one tael of silver. After receiving the money, the innkeeper became even more enthusiastic: "Gentlemen, haven't you had dinner yet? There's hot porridge on the stove; five coins is all you can eat."

The three of them put down their luggage and went downstairs to eat.

The kitchen was located in the corner of the courtyard, covered by a thatched shed. An old woman was cooking porridge, the large iron pot bubbling away. Next to her, a bamboo basket held coarse flour buns, three coins each.

The three of them each ordered a bowl of porridge and a steamed bun, and ate them with the pickles they had brought themselves, sitting down at a small table under the awning.

The porridge was made of brown rice mixed with corn grits; it was very thin, but hot. The steamed buns were hard and could only be swallowed with the porridge.

As they were eating, the innkeeper brought over a bowl of porridge and sat down opposite them: "Are you all from the south?"

"Yongning Prefecture," Lu Qingyan replied.

"Oh, that's quite a distance." The shopkeeper broke open a steamed bun and soaked it in the porridge. "There are more candidates taking the imperial examination this year than in previous years. I heard there are five or six thousand people from all over the country, but only three hundred will pass. It's not easy."

Zhou Wenyuan nodded: "It wasn't easy."

"However, now that you've arrived in the capital, there's something you might want to try," the shopkeeper said in a low voice. "There's a temple called Nanwu Temple in the south of the city, which is extremely popular. Master Mingjing in the temple is a highly accomplished monk, said to have the ability to predict the future. Every year before the imperial examinations, many candidates go to the temple to pray, draw lots, and inquire about their future."

Zhang Zhiqing's eyes lit up: "Does it work?"

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"Everyone says it's accurate," the shopkeeper said. "The year before last, a scholar from Shanxi went to draw a fortune stick, and the stick said, 'The carp will leap over the dragon gate today.' As a result, he really passed the imperial examination that year. Last year, there was a scholar from Jiangnan whose fortune stick said, 'Storms will hinder your future.' He refused to believe it and ended up catching a cold on the way and failing the exam."

Lu Qingyan listened without saying a word. He didn't believe in these things, but he saw that Zhang Zhiqing and Zhou Wenyuan both looked thoughtful.

"Is it expensive to draw lots at the temple?" Zhou Wenyuan asked.

"Donate as you please, any amount is fine," the shopkeeper said. "However, to see Master Mingjing, you have to wait in line. There are many people going these days, so you may have to wait."

After finishing their meal, the three returned to their rooms. The communal sleeping area was already laid out, and the seven who had arrived earlier had each taken their places. Upon their arrival, a scholar in his thirties, with a thin face, rose and bowed, saying, "Greetings, gentlemen. My name is Chen Yan, from Huguang."

They exchanged names and hometowns. There were ten people in the room, from eight different provinces, the youngest being twenty-two and the oldest forty-one. They were all poor scholars who had passed the imperial examinations, and since they were sharing a room, no one had to look down on anyone else.

As night fell, the charcoal brazier burned out, and the room grew cold. Lu Qingyan wrapped herself tightly in a thin blanket, listening to the rising and falling breaths around her, and the faint sound of the night watchman's drum coming from outside the window.

And so, my first night in the capital passed.

The next morning, Zhou Wenyuan suggested that they report to the Ministry of Rites. The three of them quickly washed up, ate breakfast, and headed to the Ministry of Rites according to the directions given by the shopkeeper.

The Ministry of Rites was located on the east side of the Imperial City, with a grand main street in front of it. A long queue had already formed in front of the vermilion gate, filled with candidates who had come to register. Some were dressed in fine clothes and accompanied by servants, while others, like them, were dressed simply.

While queuing, I overheard two candidates in front of me talking in hushed tones:

"Have you heard? This year's chief examiner might be Grand Secretary Xu."

"Grand Secretary Xu was known for his strictness and his tendency to find fault with articles."

"It's better to be stricter, so that those who rely on connections can't take advantage of the situation..."

Lu Qingyan listened silently. The selection of the chief examiner for the imperial examination has always been the biggest suspense before the exam, and it directly affects the direction of the questions and the preferences of the graders.

They waited in line for over an hour before it was their turn. They handed in their documents, registered their place of origin and name, and received a wooden "examination number plate" engraved with "Xinmao year" and a number. Lu Qingyan's number was "Di Zi 327".

After leaving the Ministry of Rites, Zhang Zhiqing said, "Shall we go take a look at Nanwu Temple?"

Zhou Wenyuan nodded: "It's good to go and take a look. We won't draw lots, but we can pray to Buddha and find peace of mind."

Lu Qingyan did not object. The three asked for directions and headed south of the city.

Nanwu Temple is located five li south of the city, not far. By the time we arrived at the temple, it was nearly noon. The temple gate was magnificent, ancient cypress trees reached the sky, and pilgrims came and went in an endless stream. Just as the innkeeper had said, many people dressed as scholars were coming and going from the temple, either alone or in groups.

Upon entering the mountain gate, incense smoke wafted in front of the main hall. In the center was a statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva, and many people, mostly young scholars, were kneeling before it, their eyes closed and palms clasped in prayer, their expressions devout.

Zhang Zhiqing bought incense and gave some to Zhou Wenyuan and Lu Qingyan. The three of them lit the incense and knelt down to pray.

As Lu Qingyan stood up, she saw a long queue in front of the side hall, all waiting to draw lots. Among them was a familiar figure—her roommate Chen Yan, who was silently reciting something.

"Do we need to sign?" Zhang Zhiqing asked.

Zhou Wenyuan hesitated for a moment: "Since you're here, can I have one?"

The three of them joined the queue. After waiting for about half an hour, it was their turn. The bamboo container was polished to a shine. Zhou Wenyuan shook it first, and a stick fell out. He picked it up and looked at it, his brows furrowing slightly.

Zhang Zhiqing shook the lot again, got a fortune stick, and his face lit up with joy.

It was Lu Qingyan's turn. He held the bamboo divination stick container and shook it gently. A bamboo stick jumped out and landed on the prayer mat.

I picked it up and looked at it; the fortune slip contained four lines of poetry:

The dragon lies hidden in the abyss, awaiting its time to soar.

**The clouds parted, the moon shone brightly, illuminating the brocade robes.**

Do not say that the road ahead is full of obstacles.

**The help of a benefactor is a matter of destiny.**

The monk who was interpreting the divination slip looked at it, put his palms together, and said, "This divination slip is very auspicious, benefactor. 'Hidden dragon in the abyss' means waiting for the right time to act. 'The clouds part and the moon shines bright' indicates a bright future. 'Help from a noble person' means there will be assistance along the way."

Lu Qingyan thanked him and paid twenty coins as incense money.

Upon leaving the temple, Zhang Zhiqing eagerly asked Zhou Wenyuan, "Brother Wenyuan, what kind of fortune stick did you draw?"

Zhou Wenyuan shook his head: "Not good. It's said that 'rowing against the current requires much effort.'"

"Mine is 'Riding the Spring Breeze with Great Momentum'!" Zhang Zhiqing exclaimed, beaming. "Qingyan, what about yours?"

Lu Qingyan read the fortune slip aloud. Zhang Zhiqing clapped his hands: "Great fortune! It seems all three of us will win!"

Zhou Wenyuan smiled wryly: "One cannot completely believe in divination slips, nor can one completely disregard them. In short, do your best and leave the rest to fate."

On the way back to the inn, Lu Qingyan remained silent. The four lines of poetry from the fortune slip swirled in his mind: "A hidden dragon lies in the abyss, the clouds part to reveal the moon..." A benefactor's support?

He thought of Lin Guangbiao, Chen Jiaoyu, and all those who had helped him.