Chapter 282: Chapter 283: This Lady
Shangjing was placing great importance on this year’s imperial examinations.
Because so many people had registered, construction crews were working day and night to build additional examination stalls.
Many wealthy families even cleared out one or two of their smaller courtyards to accommodate the scholars who couldn’t find lodging. Whether or not these men became Advanced Scholars, it was a good way to build favorable connections.
From that day on, Ancient Wen Heng truly shut himself away from the world. He would occasionally enter Jin Qianqian’s pocket dimension to take advantage of the time differential, using it to study all the case files Shan Ke’an had sent over.
Jin Qianqian had also been spending all her time in the kitchen. Ancient Wen Heng would be in the examination stall for nine days this time, and many things had to be prepared in advance.
She had been in the kitchen developing instant noodles. Her pocket dimension contained many brands of vegetarian noodles, but she couldn’t just produce them out of thin air.
Using information she had gathered previously, Jin Qianqian experimented over and over again. Only after her senior maids praised her work repeatedly did she finally stop.
After arranging the neat blocks of dried noodles in food containers, Jin Qianqian switched to making various types of jerky.
When Ancient Wen Heng and Liu Wenping emerged from their seclusion, they were greeted by the sight of four food containers, each half a man’s height, standing before them.
"There’s a share for each of you in here. You’ve probably sampled all the different ways to prepare these things over the last few days, but come over here. I want to go over it with you," Jin Qianqian said, worried that these two men, especially Liu Wenping, would have all this food and not know how to enjoy it.
Liu Wenping said, "This is far too much trouble for you, sister-in-law. I was just about to send my Attendant Student out to purchase supplies."
"I’ve been eating and lodging here at your residence for days. It wouldn’t be right for me to take your things as well."
Ancient Wen Heng replied, "Brother Liu, you’re being too formal. Why don’t you take a look first and see if these provisions are suitable? If anything is lacking, you can always prepare more later."
"We’ll be in the examination stalls for a long time, so you’ll need to bring enough warm clothing."
Ancient Wen Heng offered the friendly reminder because of the current late-spring cold snaps. A sudden drop in temperature could be a huge disruption, and one could even fall ill from the chill.
"I’ve already packed them," Liu Wenping said. He had already received plenty of advice from the academy headmaster and his teachers, but he was still immensely grateful for Ancient Wen Heng’s thoughtful reminder.
Ancient Wen Heng glanced at Liu Wenping, who had grown a bit plump, then looked down at his own stomach. ’Thankfully, I still found time to get some exercise,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, with how much Qianqian feeds me, combined with all the sitting, I’d have a paunch just like Brother Liu.’
Liu Wenping, completely oblivious, was quietly listening to Jin Qianqian explain how to prepare the various foods.
"Sister-in-law, you are truly a genius! To think you came up with so many simple and quick ways to prepare meals. I don’t even know how I can possibly thank you."
Seeing that the scholar was about to start spouting pleasantries again, Jin Qianqian quickly waved her hands. "Brother Liu, you and my husband are fellow students."
"Besides, this was no trouble at all for me. It’s not worthy of such thanks."
"I don’t have much experience with this, however, so you two should see what else you might need. We can have the housekeeper prepare it all later."
Ancient Wen Heng said, "We’ll need to prepare some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Since we enter the stalls tomorrow, I’ll go for a walk with Senior Brother Lin and pick those things up."
Going into the examination felt like being sent to prison—stuck in a tiny stall for nine days. If he didn’t go out and relax a bit now, Ancient Wen Heng figured the days to come would be even harder to endure.
Liu Wenping was about to refuse, but on second thought, he agreed it was a good idea to get out and relax, so he went along.
"Madam, I’m not sure if Mr. Liu understood everything. If he doesn’t know how to prepare the food, won’t all your kind intentions go to waste?" the observant Qing Lan quietly reminded Jin Qianqian.
They weren’t worried about the master; they had seen him cook for the Madam on more than one occasion.
Mr. Liu, however, was a different story. His hands had probably never touched a drop of water in a kitchen.
Jin Qianqian replied, "Have the kitchen make preparations. Later, bring all these things to the main hall. Tonight, we’ll have the master and Mr. Liu do a live demonstration."
Jin Qianqian then turned to Housekeeper Fu. "Did you check the markets? Are there really no other fruits besides some small plums?"
Housekeeper Fu’s face was grim. "I’ve already sent people to watch all the markets, but there’s still no news."
Jin Qianqian knew that fruit was hard to come by at this time of year. ’My pocket dimension is piled high with it, but I can’t just take it out,’ she lamented internally.
Just as she was fretting over this, Ye Yi arrived at their door, requesting an audience.
Jin Qianqian looked at the two baskets of fruit on the table, her brow furrowed slightly. ’This fruit arrived far too conveniently.’
Ye Yi explained, "I ran into Hong Da on the road earlier. He told me that you, Madam, had asked them to search everywhere for fresh fruit. As it happens, the estate sent some over recently, so the Young Master had me bring it to you."
"...I am grateful for the Young Master’s consideration. I will be sure to pay a visit and thank him personally another day."
"...The Young Master also instructed me to wish Gu Juren success in the examinations."
"Thank you!" Jin Qianqian had someone prepare a red envelope. "Thank you for your trouble, Night Guard."
***
Ancient Wen Heng had just stepped out of a bookstore when, to his surprise, someone blocked his path.
"Miss, if you would please step aside," Ming Feng said, immediately moving to stand in front of Ancient Wen Heng.
"Scholar Gu, I never expected to run into you here today." Xiao Wanyu tried to step forward, but Jiang Milie moved to block Ancient Wen Heng’s other side.
Ancient Wen Heng frowned. "I don’t believe I know you. You must have mistaken me for someone else."
"How could I be mistaken? You’re Scholar Gu from Fu County. We met at the Prefect’s Office."
Frowning, Ancient Wen Heng reminded her again, "I truly don’t recall meeting you. You’re blocking our path."
"How can you be like that?" Yu Xiaoju said, protectively stepping in front of her mistress. "Even if you don’t remember our Miss, you should at least remember Mr. Xiao."
"Now what you’re saying makes no sense," Ming Feng said, taking a step toward Yu Xiaoju. "Knowing Mr. Xiao doesn’t mean one has to know Miss Xiao. What is the meaning of this? Our master has already said he doesn’t know your mistress. It’s quite rude of you to block our way like this."
Xiao Wanyu gazed at Ancient Wen Heng, her eyes full of infatuation. "My father wanted to arrange a marriage for us back then."
Ancient Wen Heng quickly took a step back. "I married and had children years ago. What talk could there be of matchmaking?"
It was then that Ancient Wen Heng remembered: this was the illegitimate daughter Lu Ping had mentioned.
’But wasn’t Prefect Xiao banished to a poor county to serve as a County Magistrate?’ he wondered. ’How could she be here in Shangjing?’
Liu Wenping cleared his throat. "Young lady, since the man is already married, there are some things you shouldn’t say so lightly."
Prompted by the reminder, Ancient Wen Heng said, "Miss, you should choose your words carefully. First, I truly do not know you."
"Second, stopping a man you don’t know in the middle of the street to talk like this will do no good for the reputation of your husband’s family, nor your own."
