Chapter 684: Returning to the Examination
Sun Shan was halfway on the road to Beijing for the imperial examination. He continued walking and the first half was still very familiar to him.
But this time was different from the last time. Sun Shan was not interested in anything. He set out after eating, slept at night, and continued on his journey after waking up.
After passing Zhangzhou Prefecture, we continued walking north and then arrived at Meiguan. We were no longer curious about the No. 1 Scholar Tree or the ancient temples. We just walked with our heads down.
Not only Sun Shan walked with his head down, but Chen Dongling and others also walked with their heads down. It was completely different from the last time. Everyone no longer went out to travel around and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
The middle-aged scholar from the Chen family who had just left the mountain to take the exam asked in confusion: "Why are you just walking with your heads down? Why don't you go out for a walk or a look? Now that you are here, you should have some fun. Don't worry about not making it in time. We set out half a year in advance."
The imperial examination will be held in February of next year, and it is only August now, so there is plenty of time, which can allow those who are in a hurry to take their time.
If there is a cousin who knows the reason, please tell me.
When the middle-aged scholar surnamed Chen heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched, his eyebrows raised again and again, and he glanced at Sun Shan furtively.
How unlucky Mr. Sun was! He got food poisoning. How lucky Mr. Sun was! He didn't die from food poisoning and was able to take the exam again in good health.
There are many wonders in the world. As long as you are alive, there will always be new things.
Poisoning from eating pufferfish is natural, but poisoning from eating crucian carp is rare.
Sun Shan ignored everyone's gazes and continued on his way. This kind of compassionate gaze was seen more than once.
Let the past be the past, live in the present, and take exams in the present.
After passing through the first checkpoint of Nanyue, continue to travel north by boat.
Sun Shan was surrounded by Sun Dali, Sun Dingnan and Gui Ge'er and was not allowed to go anywhere.
Even when he occasionally went out of the cabin to the deck to get some fresh air, Gui Ge'er would chatter incessantly in his ears, making Sun Shan's little head feel like a big white steamed bun with expansion agent added, and his brain would always hurt.
Chen Dongling said with a smile: "Ashan, you are afraid of ropes after being bitten once. Haha, your servant is watching you too closely."
When Chen Dongling saw what the three members of the Sun family did, he raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.
I don't know who proposed the food tasting, but this kind of treatment made me think someone was trying to murder Sun Shan.
Sun Shan said helplessly, "Hey, Brother Ling, don't say anything. My father and mother asked them to do this. There is no other way. They scared them last time, so this time they issued a death order to make sure I reach the capital safely."
He Shujun said with a smile: "Ashan, although it is a bit troublesome to do this, it is also necessary. Haha, when I went to Beijing to take the exam, I often heard that some candidates had outrageous accidents. I thought it was just a legend, but you...haha, let me see that all kinds of accidents really happen."
Children of local big families like He Shujun usually go to Beijing to take the imperial examinations together with children from other aristocratic families they are familiar with.
Use money to pave the way and make careful arrangements, and you will encounter relatively fewer accidents.
At most it's just due to acclimatization or a temporary illness.
Generally, you won’t encounter honey traps, tiger gates, etc.
What is even more bizarre is that Sun Shan did not eat the poisonous fish but instead got poisoned. It also broadened He Shujun's horizons.
Sun Shan looked at He Shujun helplessly and said helplessly: "Brother Jun, let's not talk about the past. Let's hurry to Beijing. It won't be too late to have fun there."
When Brother Chen San heard this, he quickly shook his head and said, "Ashan, you can't go around in the capital. The capital is also very dangerous."
Speaking of danger, one of the dangers is the danger of various temptations.
The second refers to the place where the powerful and wealthy gather. Throwing a brick could hit a high-ranking official, so students like them need to be more cautious.
Third, from the literal meaning, the capital city is indeed dangerous. There are more people and more noise. Some extremists will start fighting if they disagree with something. This is really dangerous.
Chen Mibo, who was honest in character, also said: "Ashan, you can't relax even in Beijing. Beijing has more hidden talents than Guangnan. Hey, we outsiders have to be careful."
Sun Shan looked at Chen Mibo, who seemed much more mature than he was three years ago.
Yes, people always grow up.
Chen Mibo and Sun Shan are of the same age. He went to Beijing for the exam for the first time three years ago and for the second time three years later, so his mentality and thoughts must have changed.
Sun Shan said in agreement: "Yeah, I understand."
The journey to the exam was interesting in itself, but after Sun Shan was restricted in his movements, everything seemed boring.
Sun Shan was either on the boat or in the inn. He never went anywhere and never ate the local specialties.
Since I couldn't fire a fire on my own on the boat, I ate the food provided.
In the inn, Gui Ge'er carried a small stove and cooked his own food, but the meals he made were just ordinary.
A piece of meat, a pair of vegetables and a bowl of rice, the food is pretty much the same as what I eat in Sunjia Village.
Sun Dingnan said: "We should eat common foods. Don't eat unique foods out of curiosity. Who knows if you will be poisoned after eating them."
Even if it is not poisonous, they don't believe it and will not eat it.
Sun Shan felt that this trip to Beijing to take the exam was like being a fugitive. The food was boring and just enough to fill his stomach. It was impossible to be exquisite.
When Chen Dongling invited him to dinner, Gui Ge'er helped to refuse before Sun Shan could even say anything.
He said crisply, "Mr. Chen, my brother Shan is not going. I have already prepared food for him."
Then he kindly reminded: "Mr. Chen, you should not go out to eat. The food outside is not good and you can't eat it with confidence."
Chen Dongling looked at Gui Ge'er with amusement and said jokingly, "Gui Ge'er, you enjoyed your meal at Jiangnan Wangjun the last time you passed by. This is a meal that I know well, so you can eat it with confidence."
Gui Ge'er quickly shook his head and said, "Mr. Chen, last time was last time, this time is this time, they are different."
He Shujun smiled and said, "Okay, let your brother Shan eat vegetables and rice at the inn, and we'll go out for a big meal."
Gui Ge'er said seriously: "Brother-in-law, when you are away from home, you should not eat such a rich meal. It is better to eat simple vegetables and rice."
Chen Dongling and others burst into laughter.
Sun Shan smiled helplessly: "Brother Jun, you guys go eat, no need to call me. Brother Gui is a stubborn person, he only listens to my father and mother, I can't go out with you guys."
He Shujun and others shook their heads helplessly and went out to eat Ji'an cuisine.
As a result, when Brother Chen San woke up the next day, he had diarrhea.
The doctor said that the food was too greasy and my stomach couldn’t take it, so I had diarrhea.
But if you take some anti-diarrhea medicine, you will be fine. Don't worry too much.
When they got back to the inn, Gui Ge'er patted his chest and said thankfully: "Brother Shan, it's a good thing you didn't go out to eat with them. Thank goodness, thank goodness."
Sun Dali, who had been guarding the luggage at the inn, nodded repeatedly and said, "Gui Ge'er, we must keep a close eye on Ah Shan and not let him eat outside. We in Sunjia Village are not used to eating food from other places, especially from outside the province."
Sun Dingnan thought so too, and said firmly: "Ashan, before entering the examination room, you'd better not play around or eat everywhere, and be careful."