De'an pouted. "Dad, you're such a buzzkill."
Chen Song then turned to Zhao Jing. "And you, Jing? How did you do?"
"It went well. I passed, too."
"Of course I know that. You're much sharper than De'an. If even that rascal managed to scrape by and pass, there's no question you would. What I wanted to ask was..."
"You don't have to ask. I'll say it for you," De'an said with a pout. "Jing took first place in the prefecture. Are you satisfied now, Dad?"
Chen Song burst out laughing. "Satisfied? I'm more than satisfied! Come, Jing, you worked so hard for this. Let me toast you."
The other two constables—Qi Lan and Mr. Wang, the one who had searched the boys during their county exam—also raised their teacups to join in the fun, wanting to toast Zhao Jing and soak up some of his good fortune.
Of course, Zhao Jing couldn't accept such a toast. He rose to his feet humbly and, in a show of great respect, toasted them instead.
