Su Xiaoqi took advantage of Shen Yun going to Zhao Shi's room.
Finally, she had time to enter and see her upgraded space.
This time, she had advanced two levels consecutively.
The first upgrade was on the carriage when they returned after taking down the kidnappers.
The second time was during the intimate contact with Shen Yun just now.
Level nine space, blue sky and white clouds, birds singing and flowers fragrant.
Four acres of paddy fields with fragrant rice, four fen of ponds with fish wagging their tails.
Su Xiaoqi squinted her eyes, comfortably enjoying everything.
At the same time, she looked around to see if there were any hidden features to unlock.
Unfortunately, none for now.
The next morning, the sound of birds chirping began.
As soon as Su Xiaoqi served the breakfast she had prepared, she saw Zhao Liushun arriving with his bundle.
He had come to ask Shen Yun to go to Mianzhou City together for the imperial examination.
In terms of seniority, they were uncle and nephew, but in terms of academic examination, they could be considered fellow sufferers.
They had successfully passed the first two steps of the Tong Sheng exam, the county and prefectural examinations.
However, the courtyard examination, held twice every three years, they had failed time and again.
This was already the fourth time.
Zhao Liushun had vowed that if he failed again this time, he would roll up his trouser legs and go home to farm.
"Little Uncle, so early, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Let's eat together." Su Xiaoqi added a pair of chopsticks and bowls to invite him.
Zhao Liushun rubbed his stomach. He indeed had not had breakfast.
When he left, he grabbed a dark flour bun and a boiled sweet potato, planning to eat them on the way.
As he was about to politely refuse, Shen Yun directly pulled him to the table.
Zhao Liushun lived with his eldest uncle's family. He knew his eldest aunt, Madam Qian, better than anyone.
Zhao Liushun dared not sit down and first paid his respects to Old Madam Yu and Zhao Shi: "Mother, third sister."
"Sit down and eat quickly, Xiao Qi's cooking is excellent."
Zhao Shi took the shredded pork noodles handed by Su Xiaoqi, picked out a poached egg, and stuffed it into Zhao Liushun's hand.
The fragrance of the noodles wafted to his nostrils. Zhao Liushun couldn't help but swallow with a gulp and started eating with his chopsticks involuntarily.
Because Shen Yun had to rush to the examination, Su Xiaoqi had prepared an exceptionally rich breakfast.
She had boiled a large bowl of shredded pork noodles and fried eight poached eggs.
Including Zhao Xiaozhu, there were originally seven people planned to eat in the Shen family.
Su Xiaoqi intentionally fried an extra egg to pair with two noodles for Shen Yun, symbolizing a perfect score.
Now that Zhao Liushun had joined them, there were not enough to go around.
Su Xiaoqi then picked out her own egg and gave it to Shen Yun.
She also stubbornly arranged a "one hundred" in the coarse porcelain plate in front of him.
She emphasized that he should eat the noodles in front first, then the two eggs.
Otherwise, it would be all for naught.
"No need." Shen Yun stopped her.
He couldn't eat that much anyway.
Moreover, she had been busy early in the morning and worked so hard; she should be the one eating more.
"No, you must eat it. I wish you and Little Uncle a smooth passage through the courtyard examination, and it would be best if you could achieve the top score." Su Xiaoqi had only thought of Shen Yun initially.
Seeing Zhao Liushun, she paused and rounded off her words.
However, a hundred for Zhao Liushun was out of the question, as he didn't believe in such things anyway.
She would absolutely not admit that she was playing favorites.
After the meal, the two rested for a while before preparing to leave.
Su Xiaoqi looked at the Shen family and felt something was not quite right.
She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she felt that they all appeared quite nervous.
Before she could ask, she saw Shen Yun, who had just walked out of the courtyard gate, suddenly stiffen and tilt to the side.
Zhao Liushun seemed ready, raised his hand, and caught him, shouting inside:
"Not good, Ah Yun has fainted again."
The Shen family quickly gathered around, some supporting, some lifting, and got him back to bed.
Su Xiaoqi stared blankly as they fussed over Shen Yun, but he showed no reaction.
She suddenly remembered that the book had vaguely mentioned that Shen Yun had bad luck.
Despite his scholarly knowledge and talent, his accursed dizziness had caused him to miss imperial examinations perfectly time and again.
Therefore, Shen Yun had never failed to pass; he had never even had the chance to enter the courtyard examination hall.
The family cried around Shen Yun, and Zhao Liushun also shook his head regretfully.
With Shen Yun not going, he felt that this year might also be hopeless, just like in previous years.
The atmosphere was extremely somber. Su Xiaoqi thought for a moment and said:
"Little Uncle, please trouble yourself to hail a mule cart.
Little Sister, go to the kitchen and pack the dry rations I made.
Mother-in-law, please take care of household matters. I will take him to the examination."
For a good while after Su Xiaoqi finished speaking, everyone just looked at her, and no one moved.
Su Xiaoqi said firmly, "Believe me, I will definitely make him wake up."
"Xiao Qi, you didn't know before. Last year, the year before last, and six years ago... it was always like this.
He can't take the exam, he can't take the exam!" Zhao Shi said, tears streaming down her face.
"It won't happen. Didn't you forget? I know medicine; I am a doctor. He will wake up."
Su Xiaoqi's eyes sparkled as she stared at Zhao Shi.
Her confidence and determination convinced Zhao Shi.
The mule cart arrived, and everyone directly lifted Shen Yun onto the cart.
Su Xiaoqi accompanied him in the cart.
Zhao Liushun, to avoid suspicion, sat on the shafts.
Facing the family's worry, Su Xiaoqi lifted the curtain to comfort them:
"Don't worry, this time he will definitely be able to wake up and enter the examination hall, and he will definitely perform well."
"Yes, yes, yes, I believe my eldest sister-in-law," Shen Xiaomei said hurriedly.
"I believe my eldest sister-in-law too," Shen Erdan said innocently, with his big eyes wide open.
Zhao Shi and Old Madam Yu sighed, hoping so.
After all, Su Xiaoqi had brought them too many surprises recently.
They hoped that this miracle would appear for her son.
Things indeed turned out as Zhao Shi had hoped.
As the mule cart entered Mianzhou City, it accidentally bumped into a stone, and the cart jolted.
Shen Yun suddenly coughed forcefully: "Cough, cough, water..." His eyes were not open, and he only felt discomfort in his throat.
"Here's the water," a clear and pleasant voice said.
His heart stirred, and he eagerly opened his eyes to look.
She was also there.
"What time is it now?" Shen Yun wanted to know if he had once again missed the courtyard examination time perfectly.
Su Xiaoqi put down the teacup. Before she could speak, she heard Zhao Liushun's surprised voice:
"Yun Ge'er, you're awake! That's great. Tomorrow you can participate in the courtyard examination with me."
Shen Yun realized that he hadn't been unconscious for long this time, just like last time.
Soon, Su Xiaoqi gave him the answer:
"It's almost nine o'clock now... ah, the third quarter of the Chen hour. In another quarter of an hour, we will reach Mianzhou City."
After his surprise, Zhao Liushun calmed down and sat down in the mule cart.
When Shen Yun fainted, everyone in the family wanted him to rest at home.
But only Su Xiaoqi overruled everyone's opinions and decisively hired a mule cart to take him to the examination.
"Xiao Qi did the right thing. If you were left at home again this time, it would have been a wasted year."
After all, on several previous occasions when the courtyard examination approached, Shen Yun would suffer from dizziness, and he would be unconscious for one or two days.
Shen Yun stared fixedly at Su Xiaoqi.
He couldn't hold her hand in front of his little uncle, so he solemnly nodded his thanks to her.
Su Xiaoqi felt that Shen Yun was too rigid like this, so she smiled to lighten the mood:
"What are you thanking me for? I'm still waiting for you to achieve high rank, so I can become an official's wife."
Zhao Liushun stroked his chin, watching the show. He repeatedly agreed, urging Shen Yun to treat Su Xiaoqi well when he became successful.
Shen Yun's heart was filled with warmth. Boldly, he held Su Xiaoqi's hand and heard her inner thoughts:
"Guanyin Bodhisattva, Tathagata Buddha, Jade Emperor, all the gods and spirits.
This believer asks you to show your divine powers and bless this bookworm Shen to successfully enter the examination hall this time, perform at his level, and achieve results."
Shen Yun's heart felt even warmer, and he smiled gently.