Chapter 424: Chapter 164: Childish (2)
"You should go back and get some rest too."
"Alright, I’ll go now."
De’an returned to his room, and Zhao Jing led Chen Wanqing by the hand into theirs.
Once the door was closed, Zhao Jing said softly, "Mr. Wang has failed the exam three times now. He’s dejected, so he gets drunk the moment he touches wine."
And this inn was full of men dejected by their failures in the examination hall.
The smell of wine drew everyone over. With a few words here and there, the conversation took off, and the room was instantly abuzz with chatter.
Zhao Jing loathed such rowdy occasions. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t have stayed for even a moment.
But this time, he stayed for a long time.
’You can’t underestimate the talented people of this world. Take Mr. Wang, for instance. Even though he failed, his approach to the essay question had merit. And all the other Scholars who dare to take the Provincial Examination are skilled in their own right.’
Although their scholarly talents couldn’t match his, they had decades more reading under their belts and had taken the Provincial Examination multiple times. Their experience was vast, and listening to them proved to be immensely beneficial for him.
Chen Wanqing caught the faint scent of wine on Zhao Jing. It was just a trace—not enough to be intoxicating or overwhelming.
But for some reason, she felt that Jing seemed drunk at that moment. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be so distracted, and his speech wouldn’t be so rambling and disconnected.
Chen Wanqing took the towel from his hand and carefully wiped his face and hands. Zhao Jing didn’t resist, letting her tend to him.
His gaze was fixed on her. Chen Wanqing waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you sure you’re not drunk?"
Zhao Jing shook his head, clasping her fingers in his palm. "I’m really not."
Chen Wanqing chuckled. "Alright then, why don’t you compose an essay for me?"
"An essay about what?"
"Weren’t you just listening to Mr. Wang and the others talking? Did they mention the topics from this exam? Just compose an essay on one of them."
"I suppose I could. I’ll write you an essay on water management."
Seeing Zhao Jing pause and then open his mouth to actually begin, Chen Wanqing’s scalp prickled. "I was just joking! Oh, you... from the looks of it, are you regretting not taking part in this autumn’s examination?"
Zhao Jing returned after emptying the basin of foot-washing water. He pulled her onto his lap and rested his chin on the crown of her head.
"I have no regrets. If I had taken it, I’m certain I would have passed. I just can’t guarantee I would’ve been the top scorer in the provincial examination."
Chen Wanqing rested a hand on his chest, sighing inwardly.
’Look at him. This is the man I married. Jing is so young, but his ambition is immense. The rank of a scholar is no longer enough for him—he actually wants to be the top scorer in the provincial examination.’
"You really are ambitious. In three years, you’ll only be twenty. If you become the top scorer in the provincial examination then, it would be enough to earn you a place in the official records of Xinghuai Prefecture."
Zhao Jing chuckled. "By then, merely being the top scorer in the provincial examination won’t be enough to satisfy me."
"What more could you want? Surely you don’t also plan on becoming the Metropolitan Examination Champion and then the Champion Scholar?"
"My love, let’s not talk anymore. It’s getting late, and we have to travel tomorrow. We should get some rest."
Zhao Jing changed the subject, just as Chen Wanqing was beginning to feel sleepy. She yawned, undressed, and climbed into the far side of the bed.
The mattress beside her dipped as Zhao Jing lay down to rest as well. Breathing in his familiar scent of ink, Chen Wanqing quickly drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of the night, a sudden draft of cold air slipped under the covers. Chen Wanqing shivered uncontrollably and woke with a start.
She opened her eyes and was surprised to see a light on in the room. The space beside her was empty, and the sheets were cold to the touch. Jing wasn’t in bed.
Chen Wanqing sat up, slipped on her shoes, and got to her feet. Only then did she see Zhao Jing in the corner of the room, sitting at the desk and writing with a flourish.
He was so focused that he didn’t hear her get out of bed. He was only startled when she was standing right beside him.
"*It is said that Heaven gives birth to water as One, and Earth completes it as Six. The virtue of water is to correspond with the celestial bodies above and to nourish the terrestrial sphere below. But when in excess, it brings disaster...* Jing! It’s the middle of the night and you’re not sleeping, but are in here writing an essay on water management? Are you positive you’re not drunk?"
Exasperated, Chen Wanqing reached out to feel Zhao Jing’s forehead. "You’re not hot, you don’t have a fever... then you must really be drunk."
Zhao Jing finally noticed her, and for a moment he grew flustered, like a guilty child trying desperately to hide the evidence of his misdeed.
But she had already seen it; his attempts to hide it now were futile.
’Rather than have her suspect something is off, it’s better to be upfront. It’ll be easier to bluff my way through.’
"Wanqing, I just couldn’t sleep. All I could think about were the examination topics. So I figured, since my mind is clear, I might as well write an essay. When we reach the Prefecture, I can show it to Mr. Wang and ask for his guidance."
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