That night, Qin Ke noticed that Lu Youqing hadn't fallen asleep for a long time. He gently turned over and found her staring blankly at the tassels hanging from the bed canopy.
"What's wrong? Can't sleep?"
Lu Youqing slowly turned her face toward him.
Qin Ke guessed she was suffering from pre-exam nerves. Telling her not to be nervous would probably be useless, so after some thought, he decided it would be better to distract her.
"How about I tell you a bedtime story?"
Lu Youqing blinked and assumed an attentive, listening posture.
"Once upon a time, there was a snake spirit who had cultivated for a thousand years. Her name was Bai Suzhen…"
At first, Lu Youqing listened with great interest, occasionally asking questions when something was unclear. As time passed, drowsiness gradually crept over her. Qin Ke deliberately softened and slowed his voice, and by the time he reached the part where Fahai tricked Xu Xian into giving Bai Suzhen realgar wine, Lu Youqing's breathing had already become steady and even.
Qin Ke looked at her peaceful sleeping face, smiled softly, and closed his eyes as well.
Early the next morning, Qin Ke looked at the fluffy head nestled in his arms. Lu Youqing had gone to bed late the night before and was still sleeping soundly. He carefully got up and dressed.
When he opened the door, Han Qi had already lit the fire. The county exam consisted of five sessions, each lasting an entire day, so aside from brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, candidates also needed water flasks and food.
Dry rations were best. The day before, Qin Ke had instructed Han Qi to buy various pastries from the city's pastry shops, choosing some Lu Youqing liked. To avoid excessive sweetness, he also prepared some flatbreads. As for the water, Qin Ke had boiled it himself before pouring it into the flask.
By the time the porridge was ready, Lu Youqing had already changed clothes and finished washing up.
"Have some porridge first," Qin Ke said, setting the steaming bowl in front of her while sitting beside her to peel an egg.
Lu Youqing held the spoon and glanced at the food box and bundle he had prepared early that morning. Then she turned to look at Qin Ke, who was peeling the egg with focused care. A warm current flowed through her heart.
In most households, it was the wife who managed the husband's daily needs, but in their home, the roles seemed reversed. Qin Ke did all these things naturally, and it was hard to imagine a more attentive spouse.
After a simple breakfast, Qin Ke accompanied Lu Youqing to the examination site. Though it was called a "site," Qin Ke felt it looked more like a crude shed with a tiled roof—barely more than that.
Seeing how accustomed everyone else was, he had nothing to say.
By then, the area outside was already crowded with examinees and their families. Before long, Lu Youqing's name was called.
"Wife, just perform as you normally would. Don't be nervous," Qin Ke said with a smile, handing her the bundle and food box.
Lu Youqing smiled back, took them, and stepped forward.
When her name was announced, it caused quite a stir—not for any reason other than the fact that she was the only woman among all the candidates. Some who had been waiting nearby had assumed Qin Ke was the one taking the exam. When they saw Lu Youqing walking toward the examiner with her belongings, their jaws practically dropped.
Although women were technically allowed to take the imperial examinations, the system was still overwhelmingly dominated by men. Families willing to educate daughters were extremely rare, especially in small counties like this.
Facing the astonished and curious gazes around her, Lu Youqing straightened her back, kept her composure, and walked calmly into the examination hall.
Soon enough, however, no one paid her any more attention. As candidates gradually received their papers from the central hall and took their seats according to their assigned numbers, everyone immersed themselves in answering the questions.
Lu Youqing's seat was in the north corner of the hall. This first session was the main exam: two essays on the Four Books and one regulated five-character poem with six rhymes. The grading standard was fairly lenient—clear and coherent writing was enough to pass.
This was quite easy for Lu Youqing, but she didn't allow herself to relax in the slightest.
After finishing, she carefully reviewed her answers. Seeing no mistakes, she stood up and handed in her paper. The candidate seated beside her couldn't help but give her a disdainful look when he saw how early she submitted.
"Are you tired?" Qin Ke asked anxiously when he saw her.
At noon, Qin Ke had had Han Qi buy some simple food, which they ate in the carriage. Not knowing when she would finish, he had waited outside the entire time.
"I'm fine," Lu Youqing replied with a smile, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
"Let's go home," Qin Ke said, helping her into the carriage and ignoring the murmurs around them.
The following days followed the same pattern. The second session was the first review, the third was the second review, and the fourth and fifth were consecutive reviews. The first two sessions tested poetry and prose, while the fourth and fifth examined interpretations of the Four Books and Five Classics, along with memorizing over a hundred characters from the Sacred Edicts Expanded.
Qin Ke felt that the county exam focused more on foundational knowledge. Then again, in ancient times, so few people received education. Literacy relied entirely on rote memorization, and there were no dictionaries to consult.
After the final session, fatigue finally showed on Lu Youqing's face. Qin Ke picked her up and brought her back to the rented courtyard. He had already instructed Han Qi to boil hot water so they could bathe as soon as they returned.
After bathing, Lu Youqing didn't even feel like eating and curled up in bed. Qin Ke had to bring soup to her bedside and coax her for quite some time before she took a few sips.
"I want to keep listening to the story about the White Snake," she murmured.
Just as Qin Ke was about to stand up, he felt something tug at the hem of his robe. Looking down, he saw Lu Youqing's arm—white and translucent like polished jade—gripping his sleeve.
Her eyes were nearly closed, yet she stubbornly wanted to hear the rest of the story.
Qin Ke had no choice but to sit sideways at the bedside and speak softly. "Last time, we were at the part where Bai Suzhen drank the realgar wine…"
He had barely spoken a few sentences when the grip on his sleeve loosened. She had already fallen into a deep, exhausted sleep. Qin Ke couldn't help but smile.
Three days later, the results would be posted, and most candidates planned to wait for the announcement before returning home.
The next day, Qin Ke figured Lu Youqing needed more rest and didn't wake her. Besides, there were some things he wasn't ready to tell her yet.
He went straight to the largest jewelry shop in the city, took out the design drawings he had prepared, handed them to the shopkeeper, and asked, "Shopkeeper, do you think this kind of jewelry can be made?"
"Well…" The shopkeeper stroked his beard, glanced at Qin Ke, and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be worn on the wrist, yes? The pattern isn't particularly difficult. May I ask what materials you'd like to use?"
"The main body should be gold. The central stone should be red agate, and the smaller decorative pieces can be green jade."
…
---
Currently at chapter 204 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08