NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 91 - I
What Jing Xingzhi thought about was how happy it would be to work on the questions together.
But Wu Mingrui listened to Jing Xingzhi’s sentences that were not even limericks, and he imagined the deep brotherly love.
He wouldn’t let others see his questions, he would just hide it, for fear of being noticed and there would another opponent on the way to the imperial examination.
But what about his good friend? His friend rushed to send him questions to do!
What kind of friend would treat him this good like this?!
He was lucky enough to become good friends with Xingzhi.
As a result, Wu Mingrui thought for a while, and his eyes, when he looked at Jing Xingzhi, became moved, and his mood was as exciting as if he had eaten the Queen Mother’s priceless peach.
“Okay, I will definitely do the questions well. I will never let you down!” Wu Mingrui said with a serious tone, as if he were swearing to the real Buddha in the temple.
Jing Xingzhi smiled and encouraged Brother Mingrui: “Well, you must do it well. When you finish this wave of questions, I will help you send gifts to Yaojun.” Then he added, “And I will send you the next wave of questions.”
The questions were only done once? No way, impossible to accomplish. Chief Fang’s exercise was endless!
When Fang Yaojun was mentioned, Wu Mingrui’s seriousness just now was shattered. He sheepishly thanked him: “Thank you very much.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to help you deliver it.” Jing Xingzhi grabbed a spiced melon seed, peeled the flesh out, and threw it into his mouth.
“The teacher said that he will keep Yaojun for two years, but you can only take the exam once in two years*. If you want to be more glamorous and marry Yaojun in a grand way, you have to work harder.”
[*it will another three years later for the imperial examination to open again.]
“Is it enough to work harder?” Wu Mingrui was a little unsure.
He only ranked fourth in the provincial examination and felt that he was still far behind the top ones.
Furthermore, the ranking was only for Hanbei Prefecture. In addition to Hanbei Prefecture, there were also so many prefectures. How high could he be ranked nationally?
“I watched the sky last night. Brother Mingrui, your career is going very smoothly. As long as you work hard, you will definitely be the Jinshi this time!” Jing Xingzhi, who was good at reading faces, started to use feng shui method to fool people again.
But his deception, which knew the result, was really a magic weapon.
‘If you know the direction of your efforts, you will get results if you work hard, which is the best thing. How many people have tried, how many times they have sweated, how many tears they have shed, but it still didn’t work! What’s the difference? It is the correctness in direction.’
Wu Mingrui was like a classmate who looked ordinary at first but worked very hard.
He had always been very humble, just keeping his head down and working hard silently.
Then one time, he suddenly looked up and realized that he had reached the very front of many classmates who were once better than him.
Today, Wu Mingrui had been working hard for a long time. If he continued to work hard, and with Chief Fang’s “favor”, he would definitely be a sure shot at becoming a Jinshi.
So, Jing Xingzhi could give him a positive result and tell Brother Mingrui – ‘you can do it.’
Wu Mingrui lowered his head, but asked himself in his heart: ‘Can I do it?’
‘Can I do it without falling behind among a group of geniuses?’
‘I can do that. My friend said I can do it, and… I have worked hard for so long.’
‘I have read so many books, done so many exam questions, burned countless candles, written with many pens, and used countless pieces of paper…’
The scenes in the past finally strengthened Wu Mingrui’s heart.
‘I can! I would definitely be able to be a Jinshi and marry Yaojun in a glorious manner; I could also make my mother proud and tell everyone that even if she was a divorced woman, she raised the best son!’
Wu Mingrui raised his head and looked at Jing Xingzhi with a smile.
He thought to himself, he could still walk with his friend, instead of being left behind by him and being a stupid brother who could only be anxious.
Wu Mingrui still remembered the scene in Taibai Tower where he was clumsy and tongue-tied and couldn’t help Xingzhi. He thought that he had not done what a good friend and brother should do!
So, after that, he worked harder behind Jing Xingzhi’s back.
During these days, while Jing Xingzhi went to the capital to deliver congratulatory gifts, Wu Mingrui concentrated on his studies.
When Wu Mingrui thought about it, his heart became clear.
It turned out that his friend initially said he was regressing because he was the one making progress!
Wu Mingrui raised his hand and patted Jing Xingzhi’s shoulder happily: “Don’t be lazy and ruin the reputation of our Hanbei Prefecture.”
“I don’t know how many students have remembered it. I want to see how you prove your self-confidence!” Wu Mingrui laughed when he thought of the countless students who had offended his friend’s uprightness.
Jing Xingzhi snorted: “Confidence and strength, only by being stronger and confident can I earn face for Hanbei Prefecture!”
When Jing Xingzhi said these words, it was a pity that Wu Mingrui was the only one in the audience. Otherwise, if his words got out and he failed in the exam later, it would still be an honor even though he failed.
How about… finding a chance to say it in public? Jing Xingzhi started to make up his mind.
Wu Mingrui recited these words silently twice and memorized them.
Jing Xingzhi watched him and after he finished asked, “Brother Mingrui, why did you remember it?”
Wu Mingrui smiled: “I will have to write it down later to avoid any mistakes or omissions. When someone writes your biography in the future, I will tell them these things so that you can be famous for future generations. For such a good person, it would be a pity for the world to miss your famous sayings!”
Jing Xingzhi felt like he was going to be blown away by Brother Mingrui. Were scholars so powerful? Was it so easy for them to be famous for generations at every turn?
‘If you praise me like that, I will… not want to lose face.’
Jing Xingzhi blushed, smiled, and pushed Wu Mingrui’s shoulder: “Don’t remember it, I don’t want anyone to write any biography. In the end, after I die, those people will write something either way.”
Jing Xingzhi cleared his throat and put on a calm face: “Right and wrong will be judged by future generations.”
“That makes sense!” Brother Mingrui slapped the table, “It’s so easy to say something good, but it should make sense!”
Wu Mingrui said, and asked the book boy Xiao Wen to get the wine.
Jing Xingzhi: !!!
‘You want to drink to celebrate? That won’t work!’
Jing Xingzhi quickly grabbed Brother Mingrui’s arm, shook his head, and said, “Don’t drink, don’t drink. If Liu Fang smells the smell of alcohol, he is going to feel uncomfortable.”
Wu Mingrui shook his head helplessly: “That’s okay, let’s have tea instead of wine and have a glass of tea in honor of Jing Xingzhi!”
“I wish you the best in the imperial examination!”
“Secondly, I wish you good luck in the coming year!”
“Third, I wish you a harmonious and beautiful family, and be envied by others!”
“Hahaha, then I also offer three cups to Brother Mingrui!” Jing Xingzhi cheerfully raised his teacup.
“I wish Aunt Wu and you good health!”
“Secondly, I wish you a high ranking and a glorious marriage!”
“Third, I wish that everything you wish for will come true, Brother Mingrui!”
Three cups of tea per person, without a drop of wine, was satisfying and made them feel more awake.
.
Liu Fang held two pairs of tiger-head shoes given by Hua Amu and listened to the enthusiastic congratulations in the yard. He said with a smile, “Did that two people still drink?”
When Liu Fang arrived in the yard, Wu Mingrui saw him and said, “Sister-in-law, in the future, I will definitely find Xingzhi for a drink. Don’t stop me!”
Liu Fang’s nose moved, but he didn’t smell any alcohol. He understood and nodded with a smile, “Okay. I didn’t let Brother Mingrui enjoy himself today, so you can get him drunk later on!”