For the nine-day courtyard exam, the examination hall does not provide food, you have to bring your own cup, oil lamp, and candles, mainly to prevent cheating.
Aside from the invigilators, even those patrolling and doing odd jobs inside are all illiterate or have speech and hearing impairnts, doing their utmost to avoid cheating.
Therefore, when candidates enter the examination hall, everything must be done by themselves.
Although it’s tough, for the sake of future officialdom, this bit of hardship can be endured.
Of course, speaking of hardship, this might not include Jiang Yu and Liu Ze.
"Brother, flint stones aren’t used like that. One in each hand like this, at an angle, and strike close to ignite the match."
Liu Ze was teaching his brother to use a flint stone. Initially, Liu Bo said to wait until they returned from Fuzhou, then let Liu Qingfeng, which is Liu Ze’s older brother, co over.
Who knew he would co on his own accord, saying with good intentions that, since his brother had not been ho for half a year, he wanted to specifically co to see him. Just as Liu Ze and Jiang Yu were on holiday, Liu Ze caught him to learn to make fire.
Last ti, he heard about his brother’s struggles during the courtyard exam. Because he didn’t know how to light a fire, he couldn’t drink hot water, and afterward, he was vomiting and had diarrhea for a month, rendering him sluggish for half a year.
Thinking about the autumn exam next year, which is another fierce battle, Liu Ze was worried for his brother.
Liu Qingfeng, holding the flint stone, followed his younger brother’s instruction, rubbing it slightly. Only sparks appeared, not igniting a single match, causing him to feel discouraged.
"Xiao Ze, don’t we have a fire striker? Why must we use flint stones?"
Liu Ze’s actions halted, and Liu Qingfeng imdiately reacted, exaggeratingly saying, "No way, Xiao Ze, you don’t know about the fire striker?"
Liu Ze rolled his eyes at his brother. Of course, he knew about the fire striker, but he just forgot earlier.
But he definitely wouldn’t say he forgot, instead, he said, "What if the fire striker goes out? An exam lasts nine days. You might not need it, but you must learn it just in case."
Liu Qingfeng, helpless, could only enviously glance at their grandfather who was fishing not far away.
He ca to the Jiang family originally to relax and bring so things to his brother and grandfather.
Since the Jiang family moved to Cheng County, besides going ho every few days to greet their parents, the second brother has been non-stop, seeing that he is about to take the courtyard exam, he couldn’t not co to give so advice.
As a result, as soon as he arrived at the Jiang family, he was caught by the second brother to learn how to cook.
What a joke, he has grown up without ever entering a kitchen, let alone cooking, starting with learning life’s basics.
Of course, lighting a fire couldn’t be learned at ho, so they ca to the pond with their grandfather, found a pile of dry grass, and had him first use a flint stone to light the dry grass.
Looking around, they were just beside the Jiang family, under the shade of a large cypress tree. The cypress tree blocked the sun completely, plus it was morning, making it very cool.
In front was a pigsty, and next to it, where there should be a large wasteland, many places were now fenced with bamboo, containing wild chickens, wild rabbits, and dostic chickens.
At this mont, Qi Xi and Aunt Yang were trimming the wings of the wild chickens, a task done almost every month, otherwise, the wings would grow back, and they’d fly away.
There aren’t many wild chickens, wild rabbits, and dostic chickens, but the enclosed area is very spacious, showing that the Jiang family’s farming is not limited to this.
Looking back, the small pond in front of them has clear water, with the water hyacinths in bloom, their purple-blue flowers very beautiful, like strings of phoenix eyes.
Occasionally, fish can be seen surfacing to eat insects on the water’s surface or nibble at a leaf on the pond.
A winding creek flows from top to bottom around the Jiang family, leading to waterways in all directions.
At this point, it’s July, and the fields are lush green everywhere, looking very pleasing.
Liu Qingfeng stood up and stretched, "No wonder you and grandpa don’t want to go back. This view is so refreshing, indeed different from the monotonous courtyard at ho."
Liu Ze put away the flint stone, "It’s even more beautiful in spring when the rapeseed flowers bloom, vast fields of yellow rapeseed flowers, much prettier than looking at those two pear trees in your yard."
Liu Qingfeng was a bit tempted, "Xiao Ze, why don’t I build a small courtyard here too? Your sister-in-law always says she feels stifled at ho, and it feels noisy when she goes out, or those ladies are always inviting her for tea."
"Isn’t sister-in-law pregnant?" When pregnant, isn’t it unsafe to run around everywhere?
Liu Qingfeng nodded, "Yes, she’s pregnant, which is exactly why she feels bored at tis. The doctor also said she could go out for walks and strolls more, it’s good for a pregnant woman’s mood."
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