Chapter 52: 52 Encounter Again
Meanwhile, Gu Dashun had also left the Gu Family’s old house.
Gu Dashun didn’t look well.
The New Year was absolutely terrible for the Gu family. There used to be many people giving New Year greetings, almost breaking their doorway. But this year, after hearing about the Yamen incident, they feared their reputation would be damaged, so the Gu family home was deserted.
The villagers didn’t have much thought about Gu Dashun.
They had lived as neighbors for so many years; they all knew about the behaviors of the Liao and Zhou families. However, they knew Gu Dashun was a promising young man, who had always been distinct from the other kids in the village.
His future had been bright, but it had been ruined by his mother and his second uncle. The villagers sighed for him.
However, Gu Dashun did not see it that way. He felt that everyone was mocking him, all of the glances towards him were filled with scorn and ill will.
When he got on the ox cart, he noticed that Gu Xiaoshun and Xiao Liulang were chatting and laughing.
He used to be pleased when Gu Xiaoshun didn’t stick with him. But now he felt a sense of loneliness and humiliation.
Xiao Liulang and Gu Xiaoshun ignored Gu Dashun all the way and afterwards, both of them went into the Class Beta together, leaving him feeling a bit satisfied when they saw the class plaque.
Even if they were cheating, they would never rise above their current status.
The academy held a test for the returning students. Gu Dashun aimed to be the first in order to regain face, but he was unusually nervous and didn’t perform as well as before, not even managing to remain in the top ten.
Gu Xiaoshun still ranked last. He attended school just to make his sister happy, rather than striving for academic success. Therefore, he felt no pressure about being the last.
However, he did learn something. He liked carving, and Xiao Liulang told him—the highest level of carving is not about carving people or objects but carving words and books. If he could carve the entirety of the Four Books and Five Classics without a mistake, he truly would be amazing.
Gu Xiaoshun took this to heart. Since that day, he no longer dozed off in class and became more focused than ever. He vowed to remember every single word taught by the Master. He wanted to be a real master of carving!
The poor student who asked for leave before the holiday attended the exam this time and managed to rank third from the bottom. Xiao Liulang fell to the second last as he had wished.
However, his good life did not end there. The day after the exam, he was called to the Director’s Zhongzheng Hall.
Seeing the sly smile of the Director on the chair, Xiao Liulang’s eyes were instantly filled with caution.
The Director said with a mild smile, “Don’t be nervous. I didn’t call you here for this exam. Did you receive the materials for the county exam? The county exam is in ten days. I promised Ms. Gu Jiao that I would help you review your lessons after the school starts, so you could pass the exam for the degree of Xiucai. Starting from today, come to Zhongzheng Hall to study every noontime.”
I haven’t even discussed with you about secretly registering for the exam, and now you’re planning to take my lunch break?!
Xiao Liulang expressed a thousand refusals!
The Director continued with emphasis, “Gu Jiao told me that you have been studying very hard and you are not stupid, but somehow you always don’t do well in exams. Maybe it’s because your study method is wrong, or perhaps your motivation for studying is low… She asked me to think about a solution.”
Not only did she prevent me from living on campus, but she also asked the Director to give me private coaching. I should have visited more than once to discuss so much!
Xiao Liulang’s beautiful face turned black.
“What do you say? Shall we start now?” The Director looked at Xiao Liulang with a smile.
Xiao Liulang sneered, and said carelessly, “I will not take part in the county examination, so you’d better give up on this idea!”
After saying this, he left without looking back, leaning on his crutch.
Gu Jiao didn’t know anything about the academy. She was still planning that the Director would start giving Xiao Liulang private tutoring today, and that he had good talents, but he just didn’t put his mind to studying. Once guided by a prestigious teacher, he would definitely rise!
Gu Jiao happily cleaned up the house, washing the clothes and chopping the firewood. Then she said to the old lady, “Grandma, I’m going to the temple for a while.”
The old lady, cracking a sunflower seed, said, “What are you doing in the temple? Asking Bodhisattva to bless Liulang to pass the examination?”
So, that is also a method?
Although she believed in science, wasn’t there a saying that at the end of science is theology?
She could also go to the temple and ask Bodhisattva to bless her husband, to turn him from a poor student into a top student!
Well, actually, she was going to buy a mountain.
The New Year was over, and the junior monk, who was the host’s brother, should have returned from his travels.
Gu Jiao: “I will…the lunch.”
The old lady waved her hand, “Little Xue will come to cook. You can go!”
The old lady didn’t like the food that was hot in the pot. Although Xue Ningxiang’s cooking skills were not as good as Gu Jiao’s, the old lady preferred fresh-cooked food.
Who spoiled her into having this preference?
Gu Jiao often felt that the old lady was just an ordinary person, but the habits she occasionally showed made Gu Jiao feel that she was more than ordinary.
She was thinking too much. Gu Jiao touched her chin and went to the other side of the mountain with a basket on her back.
When she reached the foot of the mountain, Gu Jiao saw a luxurious carriage and felt strange. The temple was just a small one. Why were there always noble people visiting?
Gu Jiao didn’t care about it. She walked up the hill stepping towards the top. As she was about to reach the last few steps, suddenly a woman fell from above.
This was a mountain road and the steps were extraordinarily steep. Falling , she would be dead.
What’s worse, Gu Jiao was right under her, and she didn’t want to fall with her.
In the blink of an eye, Gu Jiao sidestepped and stretched out her hand to pull her.
The woman twirled on the spot to stabilize herself. Then she looked up at Gu Jiao, and Gu Jiao looked at her as well.
When their eyes met, they both were surprised, saying, “It’s you!”
Gu Jiao: Isn’t this the lady I met at the temple last time?
The lady: Isn’t this the girl who blocked the food box for me at the temple last time?
The lady laughed with surprise, “Girl, you saved me once again.”
Gu Jiao asked calmly, “Why does something happen to you every time I see you?”
The lady laughed awkwardly.
Gu Jiao saw the red swelling on her forehead, and also saw the dirt on her knee. She asked, “Did you kneel all the way up here?”
“Yes,” the lady nodded. “I asked the Bodhisattva to bless my son, and the Bodhisattva showed mercy. So, I am here to fulfill my vow.”
Although Gu Jiao also wanted to light incense to ask the Bodhisattva to bless Xiao Liulang to pass the examination, if she was asked to kneel up here step by step, she would definitely refuse to do it.