Chapter 867: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 867: The Death of Chen Ji (1)
Mo Yan had always expected her father to be listed among the successful candidates for the imperial exams, and she had imagined that his results would be near the top, but when she saw that he had actually been crowned the huiyuan (top scholar), she still felt a sense of disbelief.
The title of huiyuan was not the same as that of xiangyuan (provincial top scholar). While more than twenty provincial top scholars were crowned each year across the country, the huiyuan was as rare as the zhuangyuan (first-place scholar) – only one could be selected every three years. It was an extraordinary achievement.
Not just Mo Yan, but Xin'er and Sheng'er were also in a daze. Forget about shopping or visiting the Liu family, all thoughts of these were thrown out of their minds. Eagerly, they dragged their father to the carriage, brimming with excitement to return to Liuyang Village and share the good news with everyone.
Before long, news of Mo Qingze’s success as huiyuan spread, causing another stir in Liuyang Village. Villagers, busy with the spring planting or the construction of new houses and schools, immediately put down their tools and rushed to Mo’s household to offer their congratulations. Among them were also villagers from other villages who had come to help build the school.
If passing the provincial examination was akin to obtaining a pass to enter the official world, becoming the huiyuan was a sure thing — a solid entry into the officialdom. Although becoming huiyuan did not guarantee one would be crowned zhuangyuan after the palace exams, or even secure a spot among the top three, being in the second class was all but assured. With good fortune, one might even stay in the capital and be promoted by the imperial court.
Could the villagers not be excited at the thought of having an official emerge from their midst? Not to mention that in the future, if anyone in the village faced a legal issue or had to deal with officials, having someone in the government would mean they wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.
Of course, this was just one aspect; the more significant, invisible benefits were even greater. The village’s social standing would increase dramatically. Even if it remained poor and remote, outsiders wouldn’t dare to bully them, and villagers would be able to hold their heads high when they left.
Mo’s family’s celebration continued for an entire afternoon. Had it not been for the approaching nightfall and the late arrival of the news to the surrounding villages, they would have likely continued celebrating well into the evening. It wasn’t until the evening, when everyone began to tire and the reality of the day set in, that they finally retired to their rooms to rest.
Mo Yan, lying on her bed, suddenly felt as though she had forgotten something very important. After some thought, she realized she had forgotten to visit Liu’s family to check on her friend. She slapped her forehead in frustration, sitting up with an expression of regret.
Given that the construction site required everyone’s attention and there wasn’t much time for a visit, Mo Yan quickly put her concerns aside, wrote a letter to Liu Tinglan, and had it sent by Mao Mao that very night.
Just as she was about to turn off the lamp and lie down to sleep, there was a knock on the door to the small hall. The six beasts, who usually made noise when something was amiss, remained silent, so Mo Yan assumed it was a family member. She quickly threw on a thin coat and got up to answer the door.
To her surprise, as soon as she opened it, she was greeted by the tall and striking figure of Xiao Ruiyuan.
“What are you doing here?” Mo Yan’s face lit up with joy as she quickly stepped aside to let him in.
Xiao Ruiyuan stepped into the room. The light from the lantern illuminated his face, and his gaze, intense and scorching, swept from Mo Yan’s face down to her body.
Seeing her wearing only a loose outer robe, with a thin silk nightgown underneath, he felt a sudden dryness in his throat. He reached out and pulled the outer robe around her more tightly, his face stern as he said, "How can you be dressed like this? What if someone sees you?"
Mo Yan lowered her head and saw that her clothing wasn’t see-through, and nothing inappropriate was exposed. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "Am I supposed to sleep in my clothes? Besides, who’s going to see me, except you, sneaking in at this hour?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruiyuan felt a strange, inexplicable happiness stir within him. After shutting the door behind him, he turned around and pulled her into his arms. Breathing in the fragrant scent of her, something inside him shifted, causing his embrace to tighten.
(End of Chapter)
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