The provincial examination is held at the Imperial Examination Hall, Wen Wan and Yang have to stop after sending their husband outside Longmen.
Wen Wan had accompanied her husband for the exam several times before, her mindset was not as agitated as in the beginning, and she prepared to sleep after seeing him off.
Yang was different, she had never accompanied Xie Zheng to take the exam before and didn’t understand the rules and timings of the examination. Seeing Wen Wan preparing to turn back, she hastily asked, "Aren’t we waiting?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novｅlfire.net
Yang couldn’t read, nor understand sign language, Wen Wan couldn’t explain much to her, just shook her head with a smile and walked forward.
An examination takes three days to complete, a total of three rounds.
Her husband had told her last night that the provincial exam is an official examination with very strict rules, advising her not to wait, but to rest well at the inn, and if she felt bored, she could go out for a walk.
Since it was still early, Wen Wan didn’t want to shop and just wanted to go back to sleep for a while, she was too tired.
Yang completely didn’t understand Wen Wan’s inner thoughts, she just thought that this young bride from her third cousin’s house had a big heart, she was so anxious that she almost couldn’t eat, yet here she seemed to plan to sleep as if nothing happened?
Not serving the husband, but wanting the husband to serve her, also not worrying whether the husband can perform well in the examination, while spending silver on herself every day...
What exactly is this silly bride here for?
Wen Wan secretly noticed Yang’s worried gaze towards herself and guessed what Yang was thinking, she found it amusing.
It’s not that she refused to serve her husband, but being pregnant, her husband didn’t allow her to do much, he’s already said that her purpose in coming with him to the province is not to serve him, but to eat well, drink well, sleep well, and wish him good fortune.
She came just to be his talisman, with no other intention.
Having accustomed to serving her husband before, now being served by him during pregnancy, always gave her a sense of reliance and steadfast comfort.
Wen Wan rather unkindly thought to prolong this feeling.
Anyway, even if she explained, Yang wouldn’t understand, let the misunderstanding be!
Since childhood, there were many who didn’t understand her, she didn’t mind at all, as long as her husband understood her.
Upon returning to the inn, Wen Wan indeed fell asleep right away, while Yang couldn’t sleep, unable to communicate with Wen Wan, she could only pace back and forth in the room for quite a while, tidied the books on the table neatly, and after having nothing to do, simply washed the dried clothes again, and after washing, her hands still couldn’t stay idle, so she picked up a cloth and wiped down the furnishings in the room...
Compared to Yang, Wen Wan slept extraordinarily soundly, and when she awoke, it was already noon.
The inn attendant delivered the meal at the scheduled time.
Having no one to talk to, Yang finally couldn’t hold it and went next door with her meal, and knocked on Wen Wan’s door.
Wen Wan let her in to sit.
After Yang sat down, she didn’t immediately start eating, she glanced at Wen Wan and asked whether she slept well.
Wen Wan nodded, she recently reached a point where as soon as she closed her eyes, nothing could disturb her sleep.
After a simple greeting, Yang came to the main topic, "Will the third cousin and the others finish the exam the day after tomorrow?"
It’s three days per round, today they enter, tomorrow they officially take the exam, and the day after tomorrow they submit the paper and leave.
Yang appeared very anxious, "Three years ago, my husband didn’t pass the provincial exam, before coming he also said that if he fails again he’ll go back to fish farming and quit taking exams. I’m somewhat worried, don’t want him to wait three years in vain."
Wen Wan could only comfort her with her eyes.
No one can predict what happens in the exam.
Some are talented but not mentally stable, they easily crumble, frightening themselves into a mental blank during the exam and fail.
Some cannot endure being crammed in a narrow examination cell for three days, their poor health making them faint directly.
Some eat something bad and keep running to the bathroom, delaying their exam.
All kinds of scenarios happen in the exam hall, the ones outside can only wait patiently.
Regarding mindset, Wen Wan, despite being younger, is steadier than Yang.
Yang initially thought Wen Wan was indifferent, but upon careful observation, realized it wasn’t that she was indifferent, only that herself was overly anxious, she felt somewhat embarrassed and explained, "Our family isn’t wealthy, the money for my husband to study in the academy this year was borrowed from the third cousin, if he doesn’t pass, it means a year wasted. Considering my husband’s disposition, having failed twice already, he likely won’t enter the exam hall again, leaving me feeling sorry for his many years of hard study."
Wen Wan understood Yang’s concerns, yet she was contemplating a different matter.