Chapter 5, Worrying about the examination and abandoning contemplation

But Cui was still saddened, "How can it be just half a year, and another one has grown."

When Awu put down her chopsticks, she realized that everyone was staring at her as if she were a monster. Fortunately, Awu's eating posture was quite elegant, and others were merely surprised by her large appetite, without any further comments

Cui's expression was extremely unpleasant as she stood by, her lips tightly pressed together. After the meal, the three generations of the family chatted for a while longer, and Cui, along with Awu, naturally became mere decorations, unable to interject a single word, nor did they show any intention of doing so

No matter how you change, I will always like you. Master Rong quickly changed the subject, fearing that he might upset the Cui family.

After Master Rong San left, A Wu's health had also improved considerably. Since she had returned to the Cui family, she needed to go to the old lady's quarters to pay her respects.

Old Master Rong naturally understood the reason behind the wrinkles on Mrs. Cui's face. After embracing her, he kissed her on the cheek and said, "If I fail again this time, I will no longer take the exams and will heed my father's advice to assist with the household affairs."

"May the ancestors be blessed with peace and prosperity." Awu paid his respects to Lady He, then quietly stood beside Rong Wu without saying a word

Awu coldly observed Rong Si and Rong Wu, one resembling the straight man in a comedic duo, and the other resembling the comic. The old lady naturally represented the audience, but the marks around her mouth were too deep; even when she smiled, it carried a sharpness. It was indeed a challenge for Rong Si and Rong Wu to go to such lengths to please her

For you, for these few children, I am willing to endure any hardship. I only ask that Master San must not lose heart or become discouraged, for our household is counting on you.

In discussing calligraphy up to the present, Master Rong San, feeling a sudden urge, wrote a piece of calligraphy that reads, "Worry before the world worries, and rejoice after the world rejoices." Typically, these two phrases do not reside in the hearts of ordinary people; only those who strive to rise above and seek to benefit the common people will remember these words. It is evident that Master Rong San's political ideals are quite noble, yet he has not found an opportunity to express them.

In the past, Ah Wu enjoyed having a bowl of shad soup for breakfast, either stewed with tender bamboo shoots or made with a wine-marinated shad. This shad is renowned as one of the three delicacies of the Yangtze River and is indeed quite precious. Because it dies immediately upon being caught, its value increases significantly by the time it reaches the capital, where it is presented as a tribute to the palace every year. Due to its sweet and warm properties, its ability to stimulate the appetite, moisten the lungs, and replenish vitality, the Grand Princess spared no expense in providing it for Ah Wu's health, ensuring that several baskets of it were sent directly to the Grand Princess's residence each year

Rong Si was surprised that Rong Liu no longer learned from Rong Wu. In the past, whenever Rong Wu put down his chopsticks, Rong Liu would not stop either. Even if he was so hungry at noon that his stomach hurt, he still had to learn the graceful and delicate demeanor of Rong Wu, like Xi Zi holding her heart.

Awu was renowned for her talent during her time at the princess's residence, and she held herself in high regard. She was unwilling to compose the typical poetry and verses of young ladies, always seeking to compete with men. Therefore, she followed her brothers' tutor to study, and she also wrote contemporary essays for examinations. She often imagined that if she were a man, her splendid and ornate writings would catch the emperor's eye and achieve great fame, making all men feel ashamed.

Rong Si is the illegitimate daughter of the second branch, yet she receives the same monthly allowance and seasonal clothing as Rong Wu. Since the first three daughters of the Rong family have all married off, there are now few girls in the Rong family, making them naturally precious.

Rong Wu felt full after just half a bowl and set down her chopsticks to rest, while A Wu did not pay her any attention and continued to eat on her own. It is often said that being able to eat is a blessing; in her previous life, she could not enjoy food. Now that she has finally earned a good body in this life, she naturally cannot let it go to waste. Thus, she deemed it sufficient after consuming two bowls of porridge, a piece of golden cake, and a meat bun that morning

Moreover, it is not a solution to remain cooped up in the small courtyard of the Cui family. She wishes to go out, to see her parents at the princess's residence once more, and to understand what would become of her own body, Ah Wu, if she were to be reborn in the body of Rong Wuyou.

Old Master Rong San did not speak, but affectionately caressed Cui's cheek

I pity you for your hardships; for my sake, you have not added a single piece of jewelry over the years. I truly feel unworthy of you, Yilan. " Master Rong San sniffed the temples of Cui.

Therefore, Awu is quite familiar with contemporary writing, being adept at various formal structures such as introducing the topic, developing the theme, and delving into the subject matter. The articles of Master Rong San are characterized by subtlety and restraint, conveying substantial meaning, and embodying a sense of great skill that appears unrefined, while significantly differing from the ornate and extravagant style favored by the lower classes.

"Sixth younger sister seems to be doing well." Rong Wu approached with a beaming smile and took Awu's hand, demonstrating her usual affection and respect for her elders and love for her younger siblings

Rong Jie and Rong Yan were naturally delighted to see Old Master Rong's eagerness to write, and they eagerly urged him to provide guidance. Meanwhile, A Wu picked up a stack of manuscripts from the table; these were the recent essays written by Old Master Rong in the classical style. A Wu read through them carefully, gaining a deeper understanding of Old Master Rong.

Of course, Awu was also reluctant to face the old lady's expression, but as her health improved, avoiding people was not a reasonable course of action. She did not want to be someone who lacked reason.

Cui led Awu into the room, and immediately the room fell silent, as if Cui were a wild duck that had suddenly flown into a flock of cranes

For this matter, Ah Wu's previous self has cried countless times. Cui's heart aches for her daughter, and she always finds various excuses to let her avoid going to the main house to pay her respects, which in turn has further drawn the old lady's displeasure

Ah Wu set down Master Rong San's manuscript, letting out a faint sigh in his heart

The second lady wore a sauce-colored floral robe paired with a black horse-face skirt, looking rather old-fashioned, comparable to the elderly lady. With a round face and a kind expression, she sat to the right of the elderly lady, engaging in casual conversation with her.

Cui was truly anxious at this moment, turning over and looking up at Master Rong San, "How can this be? I know that Master San is talented, and even if this time does not work out, we still have next time, and the time after that. Master San must not lose heart."

"Yes." Awu obediently replied, and in such quiet compliance, no one could say anything further.

Currently, it is Lady Rong Wu who presides over the household affairs, and among the three daughters-in-law, she is the most skilled at flattering others, as the voices of the two of them can be heard throughout the entire house along with that of the old lady

Moreover, in Ah Wu's memory, there has never been any mention of someone from the An Guo Gong residence passing the imperial examination.

On this day, Awu rose early in the morning. Ziyan styled two small buns for her on either side of her head, with two shiny little braids intertwined with pink satin ribbons cascading down her shoulders. The ends were tied with two bunches of pink tassels, enhancing her lovely and delicate appearance, making her look so charming that one could hardly know how to express their affection.

Awu recalled the chief examiner of the spring examination in the twenty-fourth year of the Longqing era, who should have been the cabinet grand scholar Xu Lizhai. This individual had a literary style that favored a flamboyant and eccentric approach, characterized by ornate and intricate language. Although the entire text was rich in expression and easy to recite, upon finishing it, one could only feel a sense of emptiness. Clearly, Master Rong's writing did not meet this gentleman's standards.

Cui understood that he had made up his mind this time; otherwise, he would never have said such words. This man is as stubborn as a mule, and he cannot be changed. One can only follow the circumstances, marrying a chicken if one is to marry a chicken, or a dog if one is to marry a dog

It was also said that the pickled appetizers on that table, prepared by the pickler from the princess's residence, were specifically made with pickled vegetables from Yuyuan Mountain, using a sauce that was transported all the way from Sichuan, known as "He Sauce Fragrance." The pickled vegetables produced were crisp, delicious, and appetizing, aiding digestion, and could not be compared to the skills of the pickler from the Duke's residence.

Well, it seems fine, but one must not neglect their studies. The girls from our family cannot be like the village women who lack knowledge and experience said the old lady in a lukewarm tone

Cui felt the touch of Master Rong's fingers at the corner of her eye and nervously said, "What, has another one grown?"

Cui led Awu, and they entered the courtyard of the main house, one in front and the other behind. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they could hear a young girl's crisp voice saying something, accompanied by bursts of laughter coming from inside the house

However, this was merely a fleeting moment, and soon every person's eyes in the room were drawn to Awu

Why are you in such a hurry? Your health has not yet fully recovered

Rong Si looked at A Wu with a mix of surprise, envy, and a hint of jealousy, feeling as if she had transformed into a different person after falling ill. A Wu had always been a beauty in the making; although she used to behave timidly, no one could deny her beauty. Wherever she went, people would steal glances at her. Now, A Wu was even more beautiful, as if the sunlight itself had become her backdrop.

Most importantly, Rong Wu has never learned to dress like Rong Wu again, and this is the focal point in Rong Wu's eyes

This time, Master Rong San stayed at the Duke's residence for only four days, during which he took the time each day to offer guidance to the three siblings, A Wu. When he left, Cui Shi stood at the corner gate, watching until the dust raised by the horse's hooves was no longer visible before she withdrew her gaze

After lowering the bed curtain, the candlelight from outside faintly illuminated, making Cui's face appear even more delicate, stirring the heart of Master Rong San. Just as he leaned in closer, he suddenly noticed a new wrinkle at the corner of Cui's eye, causing a pang of sorrow in his heart

At breakfast, the elderly lady's third daughter-in-law served tea and arranged the chopsticks, while the granddaughter sat down to accompany the elderly lady during the meal

It turns out that Rong Si and Rong Wu are narrow-minded, often indicating to the maid to place the silver-toothed fried shrimp, which Rong Liu loved to eat, in front of her, provoking Rong Liu to pick up her chopsticks, inevitably leading to ridicule.

Rong Wu gazed at Awu's attire. The pale yellow embroidered coat adorned with large red climbing roses, paired with a deep water blue skirt featuring intricate stitching, such a combination of red and green, along with the style of large, densely embroidered flowers, could only be carried off by someone like Awu, who could truly support and showcase the lively and charming essence of a young girl before the eyes of others

Ah Wu naturally did not understand the reason behind it, but he also comprehended the old lady's words, and the bias in between was self-evident

Soon, the house was lively again. Rong Wu was particularly good at making the old lady happy, sharing many jokes he had read in books, including those from "Ancient and Modern Jokes" as well as from "The Forest of Jokes"

"Fifth Sister." Awu raised her head and sweetly smiled at Rong Wuyi, allowing herself to be pulled along as she followed Rong Wu to the old lady, clearly still the same little follower of Rong Wu from back then

Awu silently consumed the food before her, eating whatever Cui offered her, as these dishes held no distinction in Awu's eyes. The rice was premium Bijiang rice, yet it could not compare to the Lake Field Bijiang rice, which was exclusively supplied to the royal princess each month.

Cui's family is unwilling to allow Awu to go to the main house to pay respects. This is primarily because the old lady has always looked down upon the third branch and has an even greater dislike for Cui. Moreover, Awu's previous identity was of such a lowly status that she was deemed unworthy, which naturally intensified the disdain for the third branch. On ordinary days, the old lady never showed any kindness to Cui, and she never even regarded Awu's previous self as a granddaughter.

After the three siblings of Awu left, the Cui family prepared a late-night meal for Master Rong San. After they finished eating together, they helped him take off his shoes, wash his feet, and made him comfortable as he went to bed

The calligraphy in this piece is similar to the two pieces hanging on the wall behind Master Rong San. It was only then that A Wu realized that Master Rong San had the self-styled name "Nanshan," likely derived from the phrase "Leisurely gazing at Nanshan." However, it is unclear whether this name was given to him by someone else or if he created it himself. It seems that he must have used it to encourage himself during times of dissatisfaction, as even if one does not achieve fame and success, there is still the option to retreat to Nanshan.

The old lady glanced at Awu and said, "Today, Liu Yatou is right. In the future, you should learn well from your fifth sister. In our family, there are rules for dining. If it is not placed on your plate, it does not belong to you. Insisting on taking it will only make people laugh at your lack of upbringing"