continuation [farming]

On the third day of the provincial examination, a scholar was carried back to the inn where Xia He and the others stayed.

When Xia He heard the letter, he ran out the door, looked downstairs, and saw that the man's face was pale, he was still muttering, he refused to give up, if he hadn't lost his strength, he might struggle to run back.Xia He couldn't help feeling a little worried, and went to the waiter to inquire, "Is this kind of thing...common?"

"I have to bring out a few every time, some have eaten bad food, and some have mental illness." The waiter said yes.

"Then they have to wait three years?" Xia He asked again.

"Oh, no problem, come back in three years." The shop clerk shook his head, although he saw such a poor person every time, but every time he saw him, he couldn't help but sigh twice.After all, the second child comforted Xia He and said, "But I see that you are the head of the family, whether it is knowledge or mentality, you should be first-class, and nothing will happen."

Even though Xiaoer said so, Xia He became more and more worried.I don't know if the things he packed for Li Mu are enough to eat, will they be broken, whether the thickness of the quilt is appropriate, whether it will be cold or hot?

No, one day, Li Mu will also be carried back.

Thinking of this, Xia He felt a little unable to sit still, and called the driver to come and ask him to take her to the gate of the court to wait.

To wait every day is to wait until the end of the township examination.

Xia He specially boiled hot porridge with her, so that Li Mu, who had eaten cold food for nine days, could have something hot.The entrance of the imperial court was rarely crowded, and Xia He couldn't squeeze to the front, so he had to stand on the carriage and look with his feet up.Not long after, the scholars inside went out one by one, all staggering.Xia He finally saw Li Mu in the crowd, and hurriedly waved: "Brother Mu, here!"

Li Mu vaguely heard someone calling him, and raised his head to see Xia He not far away, holding the outer edge of the hood of the carriage, leaning out most of his body, waving vigorously.

He staggered, ignoring his frivolous steps, and hurried over. As soon as he approached, he said: "Xia He, sit back quickly, what should you do if you fall down?"

"No, no." Xia He bent down and entered the hood, took out the hot porridge, and held it in front of Li Mu, "Come on, let's drink the porridge. I wrapped it in several towels and kept it warm. care about it."

Hot water can be heated in the camp, but there is not enough firewood.Li Mu hadn't even had a sip of hot water for a few days. Seeing that Xia He removed the scarf that had been wrapped several times, and the yellow porridge inside was exposed, Li Mu felt tired, hungry and thirsty.

At this moment, he couldn't care less about being particular, he picked up the bowl and pulled it into his mouth with a snort, eating it deliciously.After eating the warm porridge, Li Mu sighed, feeling like he was alive again.

Xia He asked Li Mu to sit in the car: "Let's go, let's go back to the inn." After finishing speaking, he sized up Li Mu, "Brother Mu, you've lost weight."

"It's okay." Li Mu felt warmed up by Xia He's concern.

Immediately afterwards, Xia He said with disgust: "It also stinks."

Li Mu: "..."

For nine days, I ate and drank in a small cubicle without hot water, so it stinks.I didn't notice it when I was tense inside, but when Xia He mentioned it, Li Mu sniffed it and disliked himself.

He had no choice but to sit beside the coachman and said: "I won't go in, let's go back quickly."

Xia He, however, was a little embarrassed, and probed and said, "Brother Mu, come in, I don't despise you."

"You sit down and go." Li Mu had no intention of moving, "It's just such a short distance." Although he doesn't have the energy to walk this short distance now.

Xia He said "Oh", went in and sat for a while, then leaned out carefully, and said, "Brother Mu, I was wrong, I forgot about taking a bath, I should have known it before I left. Tell Xiao Er to boil the hot water."

"It's okay, there's still time to go back and shout." Li Mu said yes.

This inn is used to doing business with scholars, so there is no need for people to order them one by one. Early in the morning, the inn had already boiled hot water. Bucket for bath.

Xia He asked for a bucket of water, and said, "Brother Mu, I'll stand guard at the door, if you want to add water, just call me."

Li Mudao said: "There's no need to go out, you just sit here."

"I...I still have to cook." Xia He made excuses for himself, his eyes rolling.

Li Mu smiled: "I'm afraid it's not convenient for me to wipe my own back, and I will trouble you later."

"...Oh." Xia He replied slowly.

He just had a strange dream a few days ago. In the dream, Li Mu's face became more and more clear, and the things he did became more and more strange. Li Mu is rubbing his back.Although rubbing his back was not a difficult task, Xia He still mumbled for a while before rubbing the opponent's firm back a few times.I turned my face away and didn't look at it.

After Li Mu let him go, Xia He immediately dropped the soap in his hand and ran away: "Xiaoer brought water up again, I'll get it!"

Li Mu smiled, and saw Xia He's obscene trousers hanging aside from the corner of his eyes, and said, "Are your clothes dry? I will change and wash my clothes later. If they are dry, you can take them away, otherwise you can wait I have no place to hang out for a while."

When Li Mu mentioned it, Xia He remembered that she was drying a pair of dirty pants, and rushed over like a gust of wind, rolled up the dirty pants, and put them away.

He found clean clothes for Li Mu, and said, "I'm going down to cook."

"At this point, the kitchen must be busy." Li Mu said.

"...Let me go and have a look first." Xia He said.

Sure enough, as Li Mu expected, there are many people waiting to use the small kitchen that can be lent to guests.Xia He had no choice but to order some ready-made ones because she was afraid that Li Mu would starve.

Li Mu had already tidied things up, seeing that Xia He didn't make the food for today, he felt a little regretful in his heart.

After eating, Li Mu said to Xia He: "There is still half a month until the list is released. I will take you out for a stroll these days."

"Go to the temple and ask for it? I heard from Aunt Huang that the temple here is very effective." Xia He suddenly thought, "I hope Brother Mu can get the first place again!"

"Don't be too greedy." Li Mu shook his head, the first place in the county examination is not the same as the first place in the township examination, there is no such thing as a good one.

Although Li Mu said that Li Mumo should be proud and read well when Li Mu was not studying, but Xia He was full of confidence in Li Mu in his heart. ——It's just a little less confident than Mrs. Li's confidence in her son. Mrs. Li hopes that Li Mu can get three yuan.

Li Mu said that it was greedy for Xia He to ask for the first place in another country, but Xia He held his cheeks, pondered for a moment, and then said: "I don't think you need to ask for this—Brother Mu can definitely do it! "

Li Mu smiled and waved his hands. Fortunately, Xia He didn't say this before he entered the room, otherwise he might not be as relaxed as he is now when he enters the room, and maybe he would be carried out.

Most of the scholars gathered in Qingyang didn't leave, they were all waiting for the rankings to be announced, so that they could immediately see whether they were selected or not.Only those who are disheartened or too poor will leave early and go home to wait for news.Li Mu had already made up his mind to stay longer, but there were only two other scholars from Qingjun Academy who came to rush for the exam.

The inn was deserted a lot, and the shopkeeper breathed a sigh of relief, the busiest day every three years had passed.

When the list is released half a month later, it will really calm down.

On the first day before the announcement of the rankings, Xia He couldn't fall asleep.

He poked Li Mu who was sleeping next to him, and said, "Brother Mu, are you nervous?"

"It doesn't matter whether you win the exam or fail, it's a certainty, so why be nervous?" Li Mu asked.

"..." Xia He pouted, "You are not nervous, but I am."

It wasn't just Xia He who was nervous, Li Mu was the exception.On the second day, the two of them thought they had gotten up early enough, but the place where the list was released was already crowded with people, and they were usually the most polite people, but now they couldn't care about anything, they piled together and tried their best to drill forward.

Xia He and Li Mu looked anxiously at each other.It can only be blamed on Li Mu rushing for the exam for the first time, and he did not expect such a scene when the rankings are announced.The two of them didn't want to squeeze in, so they simply waited outside.

Li Mu's saying is right, the moment the provincial examination is over, everything has already been settled. Now if you look at it earlier or later, it will not change anything.

The two waited for a long time, but they saw that there were more and more people in front of them, but they didn't seem to decrease at all.Xia He was impatient, so she became impatient first, and asked Li Mu, "Why don't I squeeze in to have a look? ——Anyway, I am stronger than these scholars."

Li Mu glanced at Xia He's women's attire, shook his head and said, "Wait a little longer."

After waiting for a while, Li Mu's acquaintance squeezed out from the crowd in embarrassment.Even though his clothes were disheveled and his crown was not straight, they couldn't hide the joy on his face.

Li Mu jumped out of the car, bowed to him and said, "Brother Wang, congratulations."

"Hahaha, same joy, same joy! —Brother Li is young and promising, and he won the first place!" Wang Shusheng said cheerfully when he saw Li Mu.

When Xia He heard it, she almost jumped up in surprise.

Then Wang Shusheng saw Xia He who was beside Li Mu, and remembered that Li Mu had brought relatives this time, so he said, "Brother Li, is this your Madam?"

"It's Zhuojing." Li Muqian said.

Wang Shusheng didn't say much, but Xia He faintly felt that this person seemed to look down on him.

But it wasn't the first time he was looked down upon by Li Mu's classmates. Xia He took half a step back, not to have any conflicts with these scholars, and when Li Mu finished flattering each other, he told him to get in the car and leave.

However, he never thought that just after the list was released, someone found out that the number one on the list is 19 years old and is a rare young talent, so they sent an invitation card.Several family members have begun to ask euphemistically, is the number one married?

Xia He was rather displeased.

Not long ago, he was still asking Li Mu if he should find a girl from a good family in Qingyang, and find a stepmother for Jin Bao.But now, as soon as the relationship between the two changed, Xia He dragged Li Mu and said, "We've seen everything we should watch, let's go home earlier."

He packed up his clothes and put away a few stalks of corn that were too precious, and hugged them in his arms to show his determination.

Li Mu followed him and said, "Okay, let's go."

Although after sending Xia He back to Raonan, Li Mu will come back immediately to study at the government school.But now the most important thing is to take Xia He back home. After returning, he has to find a place for Xia He so that he can concentrate on planting his corn and writing what he wants to write.

After thinking about the things to do after returning home, Li Mu felt that time was still very tight, so he arranged for a driver and set off quickly the next day.

The good news has just set off and is about to send a letter to Anle Village.This small village has not had a Juren for decades.As for the last top spot in the provincial examination, no one still remembers when such a great honor fell to this small village.