Du Heng stood at the inn’s entrance, watching the ox cart disappear down the road. He couldn’t help but step forward and call out, “Xiaoman, take good care of yourself at home!”
“I know! Just focus on your exams!” Xiaoman leaned over the cart, waving vigorously at him. Soon, however, Qin Xiong pulled him back to sit properly. “Du Heng, don’t worry. Xiaoman has been fine on his own all these days. These few days will be no problem.”
Hearing this, Du Heng slowed his steps. They had come to the county together before, but this time Xiaoman was returning alone, and he felt uneasy. He even went to the meat market to have his second uncle buy supplies to send Xiaoman back home safely.
In truth, Qin Xiong was right. Xiaoman had managed perfectly well on his own over the past few years, and three days was nothing.
Yet having lived together so long, never separated, it wasn’t so much worry over Xiaoman’s care as it was reluctance to be apart from him.
Watching Xiaoman, with his large belly, head home alone, eat alone, sleep alone, and manage the household chores… it left Du Heng with a pang of unease.
At night, with only the warm glow of an oil lamp, he wondered how Xiaoman would pass the time without him. That thought made his heart ache.
He lingered outside the inn for a while. When the ox cart had long disappeared at the street corner, Du Heng finally returned to his room in a daze.
He tried to muster focus to read poetry and essays, but sitting by the window, the words merely passed through his mind without sinking in. Reading felt pointless.
He called a servant to bring hot water for washing.
The inn was a mid-tier establishment, well-appointed. It provided three meals a day and hot water. Early spring was still very cold, and the room had a small stove. The bedding was thick and soft. Xiaoman had carefully chosen the best room he could find so that Du Heng could fully concentrate on his exam.
The accommodations were indeed comfortable, far better than home, and the price reflected it—six hundred sixty wen for one night, an extravagant sum.
Du Heng soaked his feet in hot water early and got into bed but still didn’t feel warm. He blew out the lamp and closed his eyes, imagining Xiaoman beside him, restless in sleep, kicking his legs onto him or slipping a hand into his clothing. Thinking this way comforted him enough to fall asleep without realizing when.
The next morning, before dawn, Du Heng rose early, had breakfast, took care of personal matters, packed his books, and headed for the exam hall.
The first three sessions of the “tongshi” (children’s exam) were held in the county town. Previously, the subsequent “fushi” (prefecture-level exam) was held in the prefectural seat. But as the children’s exams had been held consecutively for years, traveling back and forth was costly, so the lower-level exams remained in the county. After finishing the county exam, examinees would travel for the prefecture exam two days later.
The tongshi was the lowest level of the imperial exam system, and the largest number of candidates attended. Almost any scholar would take it.
Age limits were broad—children as young as twelve, elders up to eighty—so it wasn’t uncommon to see three generations taking the exam together.
First-timers and repeat examinees swelled the number of participants, making the crowd substantial.
By the time Du Heng reached the exam hall, a long line had already formed outside. Young and old, tall and short, the scene was lively, though no one spoke loudly. People whispered quietly among acquaintances while waiting for inspection before entering the hall.
He patiently queued, bracing against the chilly early spring wind. As a young man, he could tolerate it; the small children and elderly with white hair fared worse, likely to catch a chill after a long exam.
After a quarter of an hour, he entered the hall.
He had expected small individual rooms for each examinee, but with so many candidates, that wasn’t possible. Only the higher-level “yuan shi” had private rooms.
Therefore, many examinees took the exam together in a single large hall, each with a personal desk. While cheating would be easier than in a separate room, the examiners were aware and prepared.
Du Heng recalled that during his first experience with the tongshi, the exam papers were divided into multiple sets distributed in alternating order. Each candidate’s neighbor had different questions, making it impossible to glance at someone else’s paper.
He thought the arrangements were strict but humane. After sitting in his seat for a while, waiting for all the examinees to arrive, someone—either an examiner or an official—came to the front to announce the rules.
After reciting the regulations for a full half-quarter of an hour, they finally began distributing the exam papers.
Du Heng sat somewhere near the middle. Glancing over his paper, he immediately saw the questions and knew the correct answers in his mind. It was like receiving a reassuring balm.
He quickly prepared ink and began writing with confidence.
“Xiaoman, I heard your Du Heng is taking the exam today. How’s he doing?”
Qin Xiaoman, early that morning, was in the courtyard washing clothes, stretching and scrubbing. The early spring wind carried a damp chill, and even with hot water in the basin, the clothes cooled after only a few scrubs. He was working quickly when he looked up and saw a familiar villager standing outside the stone wall.
“The exam just started today. Who knows how he’s doing? He’s only trying the lower-level test, seeing how the questions are set. No one expects him to pass it yet,” Xiaoman replied.
The villager was a distant relative on his father’s side—a girl his grandfather had adopted as a goddaughter. Xiaoman had to call her “aunt.” They had been in frequent contact while his grandfather was alive, but after her marriage and his grandfather’s passing, visits had become rare.
Still, as fellow villagers, a greeting was customary, even if they were technically distant relatives. Xiaoman had heard that last year their harvest had been poor, leaving them on similar footing as the Zhao family, so they had become fairly close.
“Oh~ will he be back this afternoon after the exam?” she asked.
Xiaoman wanted him to return too. “It’s a three-day exam. He’s staying in the county town, no back-and-forth trips.”
“Oh, staying at an inn then?”
“Yes,” Xiaoman answered briefly.
“Well, that must cost quite a bit.”
Xiaoman didn’t reply. Last night he had been thinking about Du Heng and only fell asleep late, so his energy today was low. He didn’t want to argue with a villager. “Why are you here?”
The villager laughed. “Nothing much. I just passed by and saw your fields still unworked while everyone else is busy with spring planting. I was curious.”
Xiaoman raised an eyebrow. Their house wasn’t on the main road; no one would pass by without purpose. He ignored it.
“But your Du Heng is studying, and you’re four or five months along… with so many fields, how will things be managed?”
“Ah? Aunt, are you offering to help me plant my fields?”
Hearing this, the woman quickly replied, “Look, it would be a pity to leave your land empty. If you can’t handle it all, why not lend a couple of plots to us? Your fields were fertilized last year—if left unplanted, weeds will grow tall. If we plant, we can tend them properly.”
Xiaoman chuckled at her calculative words and said bluntly:
“Aunt, since you know my fields were fertilized last year with cakes bought from the Ge family, you expect me to lend them for free? Do you mean to act as a laborer for our household, or think that because I’m pregnant I can be bullied?”
The woman flustered. “Boy, why speak like that? I only meant to help take care of your fields! Saying it that way is too harsh for family!”
“Did you just meet me for the first time today, Aunt? Haven’t I always spoken harshly?”
Seeing she couldn’t win the argument, the woman grumbled and left.
Xiaoman spat lightly. How dare she come and open her mouth like that.
With spring sowing approaching and their family not yet in the fields, some villagers, seeing last year’s good harvest, began scheming again. During the New Year, relatives who rarely visited came by, trying to probe about the family’s land plans.
Previously, when he left some plots fallow, relatives who hoped to profit were disappointed, and had complained about it outside.
Now that he was married to Du Heng and all the fields were fully managed, the shortage of hands this year rekindled their hopes.
Feeling slightly irritated, he leaned on his belly, slowly stood up, and hung the clothes in the courtyard. Feeling a bit sleepy, he went back inside for a nap.
The next day, Sun Dongmei, concerned about him being alone while pregnant, came to check on him. He had just gone out to pick some vegetables, so the two went to the fields together.
“Xiaoman, are you alright? With Du Heng away, you must take care of yourself,” she reminded him.
No sooner had they arrived than they ran into Zheng Niangzi.
“I’m fine. Isn’t my sister-in-law here to look after me while he’s away?” Xiaoman replied.
Zheng Niangzi smiled, glancing around. “I heard you’re hiring laborers for your fields. Is that true?”
“What laborers?! Don’t joke about that. Everyone in the county knows the law. Hiring laborers without being a scholar or official is illegal,” Sun Dongmei quickly interjected.
Xiaoman frowned. “I never said that.”
He and Du Heng had discussed how to manage the fields at home, but that was private. Now, someone else had heard rumors, which startled him. It couldn’t have been Du Heng spreading it.
Zheng Niangzi, being close to the Qin family, lowered her voice. “I only heard it from villagers talking. They said your fields haven’t been prepared yet and, with no one at home to tend them, you were hiring laborers.”
“Who said that! That’s deliberately trying to cause trouble!” Xiaoman exclaimed.
“Not sure who started it. People just talked. I thought it was odd, but Du Heng is still at the exam. Even if plans were made, no one would speak about them yet. But everyone else only wants to gossip—they don’t care about the truth.”
Qin Xiaoman was furious—this was clearly a deliberate attempt to cause trouble for their family.
Rumors about hiring laborers were already spreading, and if Du Heng passed the exam, no one would care much. But if he didn’t pass, and the local officials or inspectors heard any gossip, it could affect Du Heng’s reputation. For a scholar, nothing was more important than one’s reputation.
Seeing villagers turning over the soil in the distance, Xiaoman shouted loudly, “If anyone spreads nonsense about my family again, you’d better hope I don’t find out. If I do, it won’t end well for you!”
The villagers froze, stopping their work. They glanced at him but said nothing.
“Rumors only happen when there’s something to talk about. What business of yours is it?”
Zhao Niangzi’s tone was mocking. “Some people haven’t even sat down in the exam yet, and they’re already sizing up what to do if they pass. Truly amusing.”
Sun Dongmei quickly grabbed Xiaoman’s arm. “Don’t get angry! If you upset yourself, what will happen to the baby? Let’s go home.”
Xiaoman bit his lip. Thinking of the child in his womb, he restrained himself and didn’t argue with the woman.
The past two days, he had been worrying about Du Heng at the exam, and the villagers’ gossip had only made him more agitated. He hadn’t slept well, and it felt like the stress was affecting the baby. Even his usually calm little one had started fussing.
His appetite had already been poor. Early pregnancy nausea had been mild, and Du Heng had been careful with his diet, preparing meals that were light and palatable. Until now, he hadn’t felt too uncomfortable carrying the child.
But now, the smell of food made him nauseous. Frustrated, he set down his chopsticks, clutched his chest, and fought the urge to vomit.
Qin Xiong, concerned about him being alone while pregnant, had returned from the county after business, visiting him even if it was late. He had also instructed Sun Dongmei to keep him company. Even with people around the house, Xiaoman still felt empty inside.
This made him realize just how much Du Heng’s care had permeated every aspect of his life. Every meal, every drink—it was as if he couldn’t manage without him.
Looking out at the gray sky, feeling slightly dizzy, he thought about tomorrow being the last day of the exam. Soon Du Heng would return, and the thought filled him with warmth. He already imagined hurrying to the exam site to meet him.
Still mulling over these thoughts, he found himself tossing and turning that night, unable to sleep. Outside, Huzai the dog, ever alert, seemed to hear his movements and barked at the door, pawing at it.
“It’s alright, go back to sleep,” Xiaoman said softly. The dog, having grown up with him for months and understanding his tone, quieted down.
Xiaoman drifted into a restless sleep. In his half-dream state, he felt his body sinking deeper, and it seemed as though someone was gently calling him.
“Xiaoman, Xiaoman?”
“Mm…”
Du Heng’s voice, still drowsy, sounded close. He bent over, touching Xiaoman’s forehead and neck, and relaxed slightly when he found him warm but steady.
Xiaoman murmured, half-asleep, “How can I say such things even in a dream…” His eyes squinted, but he could clearly make out the person in front of him.
Tentatively, he whispered, “Xianggong?”
“Mm,” Du Heng replied. Seeing him awake, he gently lifted Xiaoman, slipping the pillow he usually slept on behind Xiaoman’s back. “You’ve been asleep for so long, you scared me.”
Still groggy, Xiaoman rubbed his eyes, feeling weak all over. But when he saw Du Heng bending over the bed, he realized it really was him. His eyes widened. “How… how did you come back?”
“I came as soon as the exams finished,” Du Heng said.
“What time is it? The exams are done?”
Du Heng sat by the bed, brushing back the hair plastered to Xiaoman’s cheek. “It’s afternoon, almost Shen hour.”
“How did I sleep so long?” Xiaoman frowned, feeling his face and neck damp. “I wanted to get up early to meet you.”
Du Heng exhaled. “You were worried about picking me up, but you don’t know—you’ve been burning up. Your face was red and hot to the touch.”
He quickly brought water to help Xiaoman cool down, and soon his temperature returned to normal.
“No wonder my body felt so heavy…” Xiaoman murmured.
Seeing Du Heng after a few days, unsure if it was from illness or weakness, Xiaoman felt a twinge in his nose. He shifted, discarding the pillow, and leaned against Du Heng, enveloped by the familiar scent. Instantly, his heart felt lighter, as if something had settled inside.
Du Heng wrapped him in his arms. Though he had only been away a few days, seeing him like this made his heart ache.
“Your sister-in-law came first to check on you. She knew you were sick and still ran around, feeling guilty for not taking better care of you,” he said.
Earlier, Du Heng had encountered Sun Dongmei and learned about the villagers’ gossip. He was naturally angry at them, but there was nothing he could do. He knew the best way to stop the troublemakers was to quietly let things settle.
“Your sister-in-law has been attentive these past days, coming often despite being scolded by Second Aunt,” Xiaoman said, nuzzling Du Heng’s chest. “I was sick because I missed you too much.”
Du Heng felt the same. He held Xiaoman for a moment before saying, “There’s porridge in the pot. I’ll bring a bowl. You haven’t eaten for two meals.”
Xiaoman nodded, both for the baby and because he genuinely was hungry.
Du Heng prepared sweet potato porridge. Plain rice porridge was too bland, and he had wanted to make meat porridge, but Xiaoman had just recovered from a fever and probably couldn’t handle anything greasy.
Qin Xiaoman was seething—this was clearly an intentional attempt to cause trouble for their family.
Rumors were spreading that they were going to hire laborers. If Du Heng passed the exam, no one would bother, but if he didn’t, and local officials or inspectors heard these whispers, it could ruin Du Heng’s reputation. For a scholar, nothing was more important than one’s name and reputation.
Looking at the villagers tilling the fields in the distance, Xiaoman shouted loudly, “If anyone spreads nonsense about my family again, I’d better not hear about it. If I do, you won’t get away with it!”
The villagers froze, putting down their tools and glancing at him. No one dared to speak.
“Rumors only exist when there’s something to gossip about. So, what’s the matter with your family?”
Zhao Niangzi sneered, “Some people haven’t even sat down in the exam yet, but they’re already speculating about what to do if they pass. Truly amusing.”
Sun Dongmei quickly pulled Xiaoman’s arm. “Don’t get angry! You’ll hurt the baby if you do. Let’s go home.”
Xiaoman bit his lip. Thinking of the child in his womb, he restrained himself and didn’t argue with the woman.
These past two days, he had been worried about Du Heng at the exam, and now the villagers’ gossip had only upset him further. He hadn’t slept well at night, and it felt like his stress was affecting the baby. Even the usually quiet little one in his womb had started fussing.
He had little appetite. Early pregnancy nausea hadn’t been severe, and Du Heng had taken care to prepare light, palatable meals. Until now, he hadn’t felt too uncomfortable carrying the child.
But now, even the smell of food made him nauseous. Frustrated, he set down his chopsticks, clutched his chest, and fought the urge to vomit.
Qin Xiong, worried about him being alone while pregnant, had returned from the county after finishing business, visiting him even if it was late. He had also instructed Sun Dongmei to keep him company. Even with people around, Xiaoman still felt empty inside.
It made him realize just how much Du Heng’s care had seeped into every detail of his life. Every meal, every drink—it was as if he couldn’t manage without him.
Looking out at the gray sky, feeling slightly dizzy, he thought about today being the second day of the exam. Tomorrow, Du Heng would return, and just imagining it gave him an invisible boost of energy. He kept thinking about going to meet him at the exam site.
Tossing and turning, he couldn’t sleep. Outside, Huzai, the dog, seemed to hear his movements and barked, running to paw at the door.
“It’s okay, go back to sleep,” he said. The dog, having grown up with him and understanding his tone, quieted down.
Xiaoman drifted into a restless sleep. Deep in slumber, he felt his body sinking, and in a half-dream state, he thought he heard someone softly calling his name.
“Xiaoman, Xiaoman?”
“Mm…”
Du Heng’s sleepy voice sounded real. He bent over, feeling Xiaoman’s forehead and neck, and relaxed slightly when he sensed him warm and safe.
Xiaoman murmured, lips moving, “Why do I say such things even in dreams?” His eyes squinted, but he could clearly see the person in front of him.
Cautiously, he whispered, “Xianggong?”
“Mm.” Du Heng, seeing him awake, gently lifted Xiaoman and slipped the pillow he usually slept on behind his back. “You’ve been asleep so long—you scared me.”
Still groggy, Xiaoman rubbed his eyes, feeling weak. But seeing Du Heng bending over the bed, he realized it really was him. His eyes widened. “How… how did you come back?”
“I came as soon as the exams finished,” Du Heng said.
“What time is it? The exams are done?”
Du Heng sat beside the bed, brushing back the hair sticking to Xiaoman’s cheek. “It’s afternoon, almost Shen hour.”
“How did I sleep so long?” Xiaoman frowned, feeling damp on his face and neck. “I wanted to get up early to meet you.”
Du Heng exhaled. “You were worried about picking me up, but you didn’t realize—you had a fever. Your face was red and hot to the touch.”
He quickly brought water to help Xiaoman cool down, and soon his temperature returned to normal.
“No wonder my body felt so heavy…” Xiaoman murmured.
Seeing Du Heng after a few days, uncertain if he was weak from illness or exhaustion, Xiaoman felt his nose twinge. He shifted, discarding the pillow, and leaned against Du Heng, enveloped by his familiar scent. His heart immediately felt as if a weight had been lifted.
Du Heng wrapped him in his arms. Though he had only been away for a few days, seeing him like this made his heart ache.
“Your sister-in-law came first to check on you. She knew you were sick and still ran around, feeling guilty for not taking better care of you,” he said.
Earlier, Du Heng had encountered Sun Dongmei and learned about the villagers’ gossip. He was naturally angry at them, but there was nothing he could do. He knew the best way to stop the troublemakers was to quietly let things settle.
“Your sister-in-law has been attentive these past days, coming often despite being scolded by Second Aunt,” Xiaoman said, nuzzling Du Heng’s chest. “I was sick because I missed you too much.”
Du Heng felt the same. He held Xiaoman for a moment before saying, “There’s porridge in the pot. I’ll bring a bowl. You haven’t eaten for two meals.”
Xiaoman nodded, both for the baby and because he genuinely was hungry.
Du Heng had made sweet potato porridge. Plain rice porridge would have been too bland. He had considered making meat porridge, but Xiaoman had just recovered from a fever and probably couldn’t handle anything greasy.
The sweet potato porridge was soft and slightly sweet—just the right thing to eat at that moment. Xiaoman did justice to it, finishing three bowls.
With his hunger sated, his strength returned. Seeing Du Heng back home, Xiaoman felt like a fish that had been stranded on the shore and was finally returned to the water—he could run and jump again.
“Du Heng, you’re back! How did the exam go?” he asked eagerly.
“Did you pass or not?”
“I heard there were a lot of candidates this year, only the top few get in,” Xiaoman added.
During the past couple of days at home, villagers had constantly asked about Du Heng’s exam results, often looking more anxious than the candidates themselves.
“I don’t know yet. We’ll only find out when the results are published, and there are still two more sessions left,” Du Heng replied. He was tired of the constant questioning; even those who couldn’t read or write had started discussing the imperial exams with him.
The next day, they had to go to the county town for the prefectural exam. Xiaoman decided to go along. Since they were staying at an inn, there was no issue with two people, and it saved them both the worry of being apart.
“You two really can’t bear to be apart even for a moment. How are you supposed to concentrate on the exam like this?” Qin Xiong, seeing them off from the ox cart, grumbled.
“You’ve been married so long, yet you behave like newlyweds,” he muttered. Though he scolded them verbally, he still checked that the house was properly locked. “I’ll come back tonight to feed the dog.”
“Thanks, Second Uncle,” Xiaoman said.
“All right, go now. Focus on the exam,” Qin Xiong waved them off with a shake of his head.
The remaining two exam sessions went by quickly. One reason was that candidates were more familiar with the exam procedure, and also, the sessions were fewer than before. Du Heng noticed that fewer candidates showed up this time—some had fallen ill with typhoid, while others, dissatisfied with their performance in the first three sessions, chose not to attend.
Du Heng furrowed his brow. Even though these exams were free to enter, each session only occurred once. Even if some candidates didn’t attempt certain sessions, it was still worth experiencing the questions.
After finishing a session, Du Heng returned to the inn where Xiaoman was waiting. His state was better than in the previous three sessions.
“The prefectural exam is visibly harder than the county exam. I’m afraid I might fail again,” he muttered.
“There’s still one session left tomorrow. The final one might be even harder,” Xiaoman encouraged.
“All right, we’ll try again next year if needed,” Du Heng said, packing up his brushes and ink. Hearing Xiaoman’s reassurances, he felt lighter.
Stepping out of the exam hall, he suddenly heard a joyful shout: “Xianggong!”
Seeing Xiaoman standing by the wall, he walked over and grasped both of Xiaoman’s hands firmly. “Why are you out here? Didn’t you say you’d wait at the inn?”
“I woke up, and it’s fine at the inn. I walked slowly to meet you,” Xiaoman replied.
Du Heng ruffled his hair. “All right, let’s go back to the inn and eat.”
“How was today’s exam? Was it difficult?” Xiaoman asked, holding Du Heng’s hand.
“It was manageable. The prefectural exam is a bit harder than the previous county exam,” Du Heng said.
Just then, they ran into Qin Zhiyan, who had just come out of the county office. He was a short man about to get into his carriage, but seeing the couple, he stepped back.
“Uncle,” Xiaoman greeted.
“This was the first session of the prefectural exam, right?”
“Yes, just finished,” Du Heng replied.
“How was it? Did it go smoothly?” Qin Zhiyan asked.
“The first three sessions tested poetry and essays, mainly assessing knowledge. Today’s session focused on policy essays, which was more challenging,” Du Heng explained.
“Good, just do your best and don’t stress too much,” Qin Zhiyan advised.
“We’ll go back now, Uncle. You don’t need to wait,” Xiaoman said, not wanting Qin Zhiyan to know they were staying at the inn, which would have earned them a scolding.
“All right, take your time,” Qin Zhiyan said before heading to his carriage. He thought about asking Du Heng the results of the first three sessions, but decided against it—if the results were bad, it might affect his performance in the final session.
Soon, the last session was over, and Du Heng and Xiaoman returned to the village. Results would be announced five days later, leaving them to wait.