How could someone be unhappy living in a matriarchal society?

Chapter 117 Top List of the Imperial Examination

Shi An carefully carried the medicine bag and hurried home as quickly as possible.

As soon as he entered the house, he went straight to the yard and scattered the feed he had bought earlier onto the flock of chickens and ducks that he had just brought back a few days ago.

These little guys were starving after not eating all night, and they ate incredibly fast.

After feeding the chickens and ducks, Shi An clapped his hands, turned around, and walked into the kitchen.

The kitchen was filled with the faint smell of cooking, and flour and various seasonings were laid out on the stove.

Shi An skillfully picked up the rolling pin and began to roll out the dough with force.

While he was busy, he still kept the affairs of the Dali Temple in mind.

In truth, he longed to go with them, but Chu Ci insisted that he go home first, telling him that it was not convenient for a man to participate.

Although he knew that Chu Ci didn't want him to get involved in trouble, he still felt a little unwilling.

But Shi An had always been a well-behaved and obedient child, and in the end, she did not insist on her own opinion and obediently went home.

As the sun gradually moved towards the center, the sound of a door opening came from behind.

Shi An's heart skipped a beat. He looked up and saw Chu Ci walking quickly toward him.

The man stepped forward with a look of surprise, then asked with some doubt, "Is it over? So fast?"

Chu Ci smiled and nodded, replying softly, "Things are progressing much more smoothly than expected. Those wicked people who committed numerous evil deeds have all been brought to justice."

Upon hearing the news, Shi An's face immediately lit up with a bright smile, and he repeatedly said, "That's great, that's really great! Now everyone can live in peace."

"Indeed, I could smell the delicious aroma of what I cooked today as soon as I entered the door..."

"I made what you liked..."

As time passed, after several days of careful recuperation, Chu Ci's health had fully recovered.

Tomorrow is the important day when the results of the imperial examination will be released.

Early that morning, just as dawn was breaking, there was a rapid knocking at the door.

Chu Ci quickly rolled out of bed, hurriedly put on her clothes, and then walked quickly to the door. When she opened the door, she saw that it was Nie Shengtao who had come.

She was none other than Nie Xianzhu's sister, who had cheated on the exam. At this moment, she stood in front of the door, looking dignified and precious, followed by a number of maids.

Chu Ci raised an eyebrow slightly, looking sharply at the other person, "What...do you want with me?"

Nie Shengtao didn't speak. Behind her, two strong servants struggled to carry a huge box and slowly walked over, respectfully placing it on the ground.

Standing to the side, Nie Shengtao pointed to the box and said, "Madam Chu, this box contains compensation from our Nie family to you. Please accept it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ci stepped forward to the box and gently lifted the lid.

In an instant, a dazzling golden light shone out.

The box was filled to the brim with gleaming gold ingots!

Chu Ci swiftly closed the lid, nodded to Nie Shengtao, and said, "In that case, I will accept this token of my appreciation."

At this moment, Nie Shengtao looked somewhat ashamed and lowered his head to say softly, "I am really sorry, Madam Chu. It is all my fault for not disciplining my family properly, which almost caused a disaster. I hope you can be magnanimous and forgive me."

Chu Ci's lips curled up slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips, and he said, "Yes, I am aware of this matter. I will accept the compensation. One person's mistake will not affect the whole family."

Although the Nie family had not held high-ranking official positions in the imperial court for generations, their ancestors owned many businesses, including numerous money shops, and had connections with many high-ranking officials and nobles. Naturally, Chu Ci would not refuse her request.

Hearing this, Nie Shengtao breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good. If Madam Chu encounters any difficult problems in the future, just ask our Nie family. As long as it's within our power, we will definitely do our best to help!"

Chu Ci nodded slightly to indicate that she understood, and then quietly watched as the servants carefully carried the box full of gold ingots into her courtyard.

After those people left, Shi An, who had been waiting inside, couldn't contain his curiosity and quickly came out.

He went to the box, opened it, and was instantly stunned by the golden light before him. "This is... so much money?"

Chu Ci leisurely crossed her arms in front of her chest, leaned her body slightly to the right, and languidly and comfortably leaned against the door.

A gentle breeze blew by, and a few strands of her hair quietly slipped down to her shoulders. In the morning mist, she looked like a bewitching enchantress.

At this moment, her beautiful eyes were fixed on Shi An, who was not far ahead.

Seeing the surprised look on people's faces, Chu Ci's lips curled up into a faint smile. She took a few steps forward and explained to Shi An in a soft voice, "This is compensation money specially sent by the Nie family."

Upon hearing this, Shi An's expression instantly darkened. He let out a cold snort and said indignantly.

"Compensation? What good is any amount of compensation? You were seriously injured before, and you think you can easily get rid of us with just a little money?"

Faced with Shi An's resentment, Chu Ci remained remarkably calm. She reached out and gently put her arm around her husband's shoulder, soothing him tenderly.

"Alright, don't be angry. Since they've already brought the money, wouldn't it be a waste not to accept it? With this money, I won't have to go out tonight. So...aren't you happy?"

Hearing this, Shi An gradually calmed down and, upon careful consideration, realized that it made some sense.

"At least they have some conscience."

The day the results were released was bustling with activity, with crowds thronging the streets.

Looking around, the crowd surged towards the list like a surging tide.

Some people are overjoyed and can't stop smiling when they pass the exam; while others are heartbroken and cry their hearts out when they fail.

People of all kinds gather here, creating a vivid and lively scene full of everyday life.

In this noisy and bustling sea of ​​people, Chu Ci's name shines like the brightest star in the night sky, easily attracting everyone's attention.

After all, she was at the top of the list, which was too conspicuous to ignore.

Shi An immediately spotted Chu Ci's name, and an overwhelming joy welled up in his heart.

He was as excited as a child, tightly gripping Chu Ci's hand and shaking it repeatedly, shouting excitedly, "My lady, look! You're actually number one! You really are number one!"

"Ah."

Chu Ci nodded slightly, his expression not revealing much surprise.

She and her teacher successfully predicted the exam questions for this year's imperial examination.

Although she struggled a bit with writing during the question-and-answer session for some reason, she was still very confident in the content of her answers.

So she wasn't too surprised to be at the top of the list.

The next second, those around her who had heard that Chu Ci had topped the list rushed forward and surrounded her tightly.

Everyone chimed in with compliments and congratulations.

Even worse, some people try to use this opportunity to build a relationship with him in order to seek personal gain.

Some families even dreamed of finding a wife through the examination results, wanting to marry their sons to this talented and beautiful woman.

Faced with such a noisy and chaotic scene, neither Chu Ci herself nor Shi An, who was by her side, could bear it.

The two worked together and, with some effort, managed to break through the dense crowd.

After learning their exact rankings, Chu Ci and Shi An embarked on their journey home.

Before they knew it, it was noon. Zhou Yun learned of Chu Ci's grades and specially came to invite her to have lunch at her teacher's house.

Zhou Yun brought Song Yin with her, and Chu Ci brought Shi An with her.

And so, the five of them sat around a table and enjoyed lunch together.

It was early September, and the weather was no longer as unbearably hot as in the height of summer.

The dishes prepared at Grand Tutor Song's residence were rather bland, which was too tasteless for Chu Ci, who always preferred meat. She only ate one bowl before losing all interest in eating.

When Chu Ci passed the imperial examination with flying colors, his mentor, Grand Tutor Song, was overjoyed and, unusually, drank some wine.

This action made Song Yin, who was standing to the side, quite worried. He couldn't help but mutter, "Mother, your health has never been good. The physician has repeatedly warned you not to drink alcohol!"

Upon hearing this, Grand Tutor Song waved his hand and smiled slightly, "I am truly delighted today, so let's make an exception this time."

After saying that, she turned her head and softly called out, "Chu Ci".

"teacher."

Grand Tutor Song looked at her and said earnestly, "The political landscape in the court is ever-changing and fraught with peril. The road ahead..."

He stopped before he finished speaking, but the unspoken meaning was already clear.

Chu Ci nodded knowingly, "Teacher, please rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Upon hearing this, Grand Tutor Song remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

Looking back, she spent her life struggling in the officialdom, experiencing countless ups and downs, and only in her later years was she able to enjoy some peace and quiet.

To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that Chu Ci was a once-in-a-century military talent, and that Da Ning was currently going through a turbulent period with a unstable situation and serious external threats, she originally wouldn't have planned to take on any more disciples.

Long ago, before Zhou Yun, Song Xunzhang also had a disciple.

This person is upright, resolute, and of noble character, like a tall pine or bamboo, which would rather break than bend.

Unfortunately, he met a tragic end, a miserable death that left everyone sighing with regret.

At that time, Song Yin was only six years old. Still young and ignorant, he only knew that his mother had locked him in the study day and night for a period of time and had not stepped out of the room for a long time.

Her beloved student, simply because he inadvertently offended a powerful figure, was ultimately denied even the most basic dignity of having his body disposed of after death.

For Song Xunzhang, who regarded her students as her own children, this was undoubtedly like someone holding a sharp blade, slowly cutting away at her already broken heart.

It was because of this incident that she resolutely rejected Zhou Yun's request to become her apprentice several times.

If it weren't for Zhou Yun's unwavering persistence, coupled with Song Yin's growing affection for her, Song Xunzhang might never have taken on any more disciples in his life.

Thinking of this, Grand Tutor Song couldn't help but tilt his head back and drink another cup of strong wine. Then, with Song Yin's careful support, he slowly returned to his bedroom.

At this moment, Shi An was silently accompanying Chu Ci, not uttering a single word from beginning to end, but quietly serving her food.

After everyone finished eating, Zhou Yun led Chu Ci to the study, where the two talked for a long time before ending their long conversation.

As the sun gradually sets and night quietly falls,

Chu Ci then led Shi An slowly out of the Grand Tutor's residence.

As the two walked side by side down the bustling street, looking at the familiar scenery around them, Shi An couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.

"My lady," Shi An called softly.

Hearing this, Chu Ci lowered her head, her gaze falling gently on him. "What's wrong?"

Shi An stared blankly at the person opposite her, tears welling up in her eyes. "Is all of this real? Or could it be a hallucination I had before I died?"

Chu Ci blinked, then reached out and flicked Shi An's forehead with her finger, making a crisp sound.

Shi An was stunned by the sudden blow, instinctively reaching out to cover his head, his expression one of disbelief. "My lady! You! Why did you hurt me..."

It looked just like a wronged little rabbit.

Seeing this, Chu Ci touched his nose: "Who told you to always say things that make people uneasy? You deserve a beating..."

Knowing she was in the wrong, Shi An pouted and muttered a soft humph, "I was just saying it casually..."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ci's expression turned serious, and he said solemnly, "You are not allowed to mention the word 'death' again; it's unlucky."

In the past, the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu) did not have many taboos about such words. However, ever since she learned that Shi An died alone in the cold winter of her previous life, this word has become a thorn in her heart, and she feels a dull pain every time she thinks of it.

Feeling Chu Ci's gaze, Shi An nodded vigorously and obediently replied, "I understand, I won't say it again."

As he spoke, he held Chu Ci's hand even tighter. "I want to stay by my wife's side forever, and live a long and happy life with her."

Hearing this, Chu Ci finally smiled and said, "Yes, we should all live to be a hundred years old."