After knowing that Master Hong agreed that Wei Cheyu would take the exam next year, Wei's father and mother said nothing more.
The county examination will start in February next year, and there are examination centers in each county. Niuwei Village, where Wei Cheyu is located, is located under Wuguang County. Niuwei Village is far away from the county seat, and it takes about ten days to go there by carriage.
Master Hong suggested that they set off early. "The journey is long. If you set off early, you can find an inn to stay for a few days to rest. This way you can have enough energy for the next exam, which will be more conducive to your performance."
"Then Brother Yu and I will go together." Father Wei said.
Because they had to discuss Wei Cheyu's next exam next year, Wei's father and mother came to Master Hong's house to consult him on relevant matters.
"Let's go together as a family then," Wei's mother was not worried about Wei's father and Wei Cheyu. She felt that Wei Zhenzhen was not around when traveling far away, and even with Wei's father around, people felt insecure. "Anyway, there is nothing going on at home. Zhen Zhen and I will go together."
Father Wei thought for a while and felt that with Wei's mother here, Wei Cheyu should be cared for more carefully, so he agreed, "That's fine, let's go as a family, but..."
"Just what?" Wei's mother didn't understand what Wei's father was hesitating about.
"We have never been to the county town, so we don't know what the prices are like there," Father Wei expressed his worries, "I'm afraid we won't have enough money..."
"I was just about to tell you this," Master Hong said, "The county town is expensive, and a meal there costs at least ten cents per person, so you'd better bring more dry food."
"Ten Wen?! We only have two Wen in this town," Wei's father and Wei's mother were shocked at the same time. They looked at each other and saw the disbelief and worry in each other's eyes.
Master Hong did not look down upon Father Wei and Mother Wei because of their fuss. Instead, he explained very patiently that in his heart, Wei Cheyu and Wei Zhenzhen were both born with extraordinary talents. Father Wei and Mother Wei should not be underestimated.
"The county town is not a remote place like us. It is very prosperous there. There are teahouses, taverns, and workshops on both sides of the streets. There are also many vendors setting up stalls in the alleys. Ten coins is nothing to the people there."
Father Wei was worried: "How much does it cost to stay in an inn for a day?"
"It depends on what kind of inn you stay in. There are expensive ones that cost more than one tael of silver, and there are also the cheapest ones that cost a hundred cents. But the environment in those hotels is very harsh and not suitable for Brother Yu to rest before the exam." Master Hong suggested, "You'd better rent a hotel for three hundred cents." Wen will stay at the inn for one night for Brother Yu to rest before the exam."
Father Wei still found it hard to believe: "There are people staying in an inn with one tael of silver? The average family here only earns one tael of silver a year."
"Yes," Mr. Hong wanted to say that he returned to live in a remote place because he couldn't afford the high prices in cities and towns. "No, you will have to prepare for more expenses by then. The money for inns before and after the county examination." The charges will increase, and a room that usually costs 300 cents may cost 500 cents."
"What the hell..." Wei's father glanced at Wei's mother, leaned close to her ear, and carefully whispered, "How much money do we have at home?"
"The child's father..." Mother Wei frowned and whispered back, "I don't know. I'll go back and count."
In fact, Wei's mother felt that it was not enough, but she didn't want the children to know and worry about it. She planned to go back and find someone to borrow if it was not enough.
"If you don't have enough money, I'll lend it to you," Master Hong said. "But I don't have much money. I don't know if it will be enough for your trip. The county examination requires five consecutive exams, each taking one day, so you must at least Staying in the inn for ten days, plus the daily food expenses and Cheng Yi’s round trip..."
This is why there are few scholars from farm families, and it is often necessary to devote all their efforts to support one person, because the various expenses are too huge.
It seems a bit difficult to rely solely on Wei's father and mother to support Wei Cheyu in taking the imperial examination.
At that time, when Wei's father and mother asked Wei Cheyu to study, they only thought about the cost of repairing pen and ink. They did not expect the cost of the exam, let alone that the cost would be so huge.
They couldn't bear to disappoint Brother Yu, but they were very troubled by the expense.
At this time, Wei Cheyu spoke up, "Mom and dad, there is no need to worry about the money issue. The child has a way to solve it."
Wei's mother was puzzled: "What solution do you have?"
"My child has copied some books before, but has never sold them. I think selling these copied books will be enough to cover my expenses for this exam."
Wei Zhenzhen took the opportunity to ask for praise: "Zhenzhen also copied it, Zhenzhen can also make money."
Mother Wei couldn't help but smile, "Zhen Zhen is awesome!"
Wei Cheyu: "..."
He felt that not only did he have two faces, but Wei Zhenzhen also had two faces. She behaved completely differently in front of her parents and in front of others.
Master Hong praised: "This is a way to make money. Brother Yu, when did you think of it? How long have you been copying it?"
"Students treat copying books as calligraphy practice," Wei Cheyu answered ambiguously, "So some copying is average, and some copying is better. I asked the bookstore owner before, and he said he accepts them all. It's just a matter of price. I After some calculations, selling the books I copied in the past two years should be enough to cover the expenses this time."
Upon hearing this, Master Hong sighed inwardly, why is this not his child? Smart and profitable.
Father Wei was overjoyed: "Really? Then we will sell it."
Afraid of having long nights and many dreams, Father Wei wished he could turn those copied books into cash right now.
"There's no rush," Wei Cheyu reassured, "let's wait until next time dad goes to town to sell the prey. We don't need to make a special trip."
The most troublesome and worrying trouble was solved. On the way back, Wei's father and Wei's mother couldn't help but be overjoyed. The villagers who passed by and met asked them what happy event they had. Wei's father and Wei's mother just kept smiling but did not answer, because They didn't want people to know that Brother Yu was going to take the exam next year to avoid rumors.
When the family returned home and were about to start cooking, Linyou suddenly came to the door and told, "I saw smoke in your house and I knew you were back. Where have you been all day? Mrs. Wei came to see you." "
"Why are you looking for us?" Mother Wei was confused. Now, except during the holidays, they basically have no communication with them. Mrs. Wei has not come to the door in the past two years. Why did she come to the door all of a sudden?
Father Wei was worried: "Are they in a hurry?"
Linyou waved her hands to express her ignorance: "I don't know, she didn't say, she just told me to let you know when you come back and ask you to go to their house tomorrow."
Mother Wei frowned: "It's so strange..."
"By the way," Linyou suddenly remembered something and said quickly, "She specifically told her to bring Brother Yu with her."
"What?" Mother Wei was even more puzzled, "Why?"
"I don't know. Anyway, this is what she has repeatedly told you to do, so you must take Brother Yu with you."
Linyou informed him and left.
Father Wei guessed: "Did mother come here specifically to see Brother Yu because she hasn't seen him for a long time?"
In fact, the only one who goes to the master's house to give gifts during holidays is Father Wei. Whenever there is a festival, Wei Cheyu will be "sick" at home, and then needs Wei's mother to take care of him, so the only one who comes to give gifts is Father Wei, and Wei Cheyu has to go to other villages all year round. It is impossible to meet other members of the Wei family by chance in the village, so speaking of it, Wei Cheyu has not seen other members of the Wei family for two years.
"Do you think this is a possibility?" Mother Wei couldn't help but roll her eyes at Father Wei, "I haven't mentioned it on various festivals before, and I didn't even ask you to come down for dinner. Don't you think it's strange that you suddenly mentioned that you want to see Brother Yu? ?"
Father Wei also felt that his guess was unreliable, "Then do you want to take Brother Yu there tomorrow?"
"Of course, she mentioned it specifically. If I don't take it with me, she will definitely catch her and talk about it everywhere."
Seeing that Wei's mother and Wei's father had agreed to go to Mrs. Wei's house tomorrow, Wei Zhenzhen whispered: "Then Zhenzhen will stay at home and take care of her tomorrow."
Wei's mother: "No, Zhen Zhen, you go too."
"But grandma doesn't like Zhenzhen. If Zhenzhen follows her, grandma will be angry."
Wei's mother didn't take it seriously: "It doesn't matter if she's angry, you are our daughter, why can't we come together? If she wants to see Brother Yu, she must also see you, otherwise she will never see Brother Yu."
Wei Cheyu: "..."
Why do you feel like you are the one being adopted?
Wei Zhenzhen felt her eyes were astringent and couldn't help lowering her head. She stepped forward and buried her head in Wei Mu's arms.
At noon the next day, Wei Ergen came to the door before Wei's father and Wei's mother could go out.
Father Wei was surprised: "Second brother, are you here?"
Wei Ergen has dark skin and wrinkles on his face. He is only two years older than Wei Sangen, but years of hard work have made him look more than ten years older than Wei Sangen.
Father Wei felt a little sad. He felt that he had escaped from the sea of suffering, but he left his second brother alone in the sea of suffering.
Wei's father once tried to persuade Wei Ergen not to be so obedient and to stop doing all the farm work by himself, but his foolish filial piety made Wei Ergen not know how to resist and could only be obedient.
It's just that Father Wei himself was much more stimulated by the injury, so he got rid of Yuxiao.
Wei Ergen smiled honestly and explained, "Mom was afraid that you would forget, so you asked me to come and pick you up?"
Wei's mother asked, "What's the matter?"
Wei Ergen rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and replied, "I don't know either. Mom didn't tell me. She told me to come over, so I came over."
Mother Wei: "..."
Because Wei Ergen came to the door in person, Wei's father and Wei's mother could no longer linger at home, so they locked the door and took Wei Cheyu and Wei Zhenzhen out.
Because the family separation was very tense at that time, Wei's father and Wei's mother built the house far away from the main house. One family was at the head of the village and the other was at the end of the village. It took a quarter of an hour to walk to get there.
When they arrived, they thought there was no one at home, but they heard a lot of excitement inside, as if someone had come to the door.
Father Wei asked: "Is someone coming?"
Wei Ergen also felt strange: "No, no one came to the door when I went out."
"Didn't the eldest brother, the fourth brother and the younger sister go out?"
"The fourth brother has gone out, and the eldest brother and the younger sister are at home."
"It's so strange. Aren't they both away from home every day?"
"Yes, but they are all at home today," Wei Ergen said as he opened the door and looked inside, "Mom, we are back."
"Oh! You are finally back!" Mrs. Wei came out specially to greet them, with a kind smile on her face, looking like a kind old lady.
This kind of old lady Wei made Wei's father and Wei's mother deeply uneasy.
"Mom, why are you calling us here so urgently?" Mother Wei asked uneasily.
Mrs. Wei replied in a friendly tone, "It's nothing urgent. I just haven't seen Brother Yu for a long time and want to see him."
After saying that, she looked at Wei Cheyu and couldn't help but praise happily: "Oh! I haven't seen Brother Yu for so long, and he looks so handsome now! Come over a little more and let grandma take a closer look."
Wei Cheyu did not step forward, but called filially, "Grandma."
Mrs. Wei didn't care and led them into the house. As she walked, she said, "Come in and see who's coming. What a coincidence, you guys bumped into each other."
Seeing the people sitting inside, Wei Zhenzhen couldn't help but cast a vague and strange look somewhere.
Oops, I’m going to grow up.
