Chapter 9
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
“I’m afraid this rain won’t stop in a short while.”
Father Tang stood under the eaves and looked at the downpour and said.
Tang Feng, who came out of the room on the side, also followed him to take a look. It was indeed a heavy rain.
“Fortunately, your grandfather and the others left this morning, otherwise with this rain, tsk.” Father Tang touched the beard on his face and said.
“Father, I want to talk to you.”
Tang Feng called after Father Tang, who was about to go out, his expression was full of seriousness.
Father Tang looked at Tang Feng and put down the umbrella in his hand, “Let’s talk in the hall?” Tang Amo saw that the rain won’t stop after a short period of time, so he already went next door to chitchat with his neighbors.
“Okay.”
Tang Feng nodded and followed Father Tang into the hall.
After the two sat down, Tang Feng directly got right to the point: “I want to do two things. One is to participate in next year’s Xiucai’s exam and the other is to learn some superficial medical knowledge from the village’s old doctor, Uncle Li.”
Uncle Li’s house was just behind Tang’s house, a few steps away. He was the doctor who treated the farmers in town. Now that he was old, most of the time he was at home looking after himself. Tang Feng’s body has troubled people a lot.
Father Tang no matter what was also a village chief, with an open heart, but he handled things steadily with cautious. After listening to Tang Feng’s two plans, the first thing that floated in his mind was Tang Feng’s body.
“Can your body be able to endure it? This Xiucai exam requires some skills. Moreover, it’s already October now, the exam will start in March next year. Will you be able to prepare for it?
The culture of literacy in this dynasty is to have an exam every three years. They were always from March until July. March was the time for Xiucai exam, if one passed and wanted to climb up a rank, one will have to take another exam immediately after.
Tang Feng wanted to take the Xiucai exam but he did not look at anything else. He just wanted the benefits of being a Xiucai.
First of all, it’s the political treatment. An average person here would need to kneel upon seeing a county magistrate but a Xiucai didn’t need to kneel to the county magistrate. If a Xiucai was involved in government official affair, the local officials also could not casually punish a Xiucai. Ordinary people cannot call Xiucai by their names without honorifics, moreover, they also have to be respectful to a Xiucai. It was extremely honorable for a person born in a peasant family.
Next is the economic treatment. A Xiucai family can be exempted from providing some of the land tax. Moreover, they could also be exempted from the forced army services according to the regulations of the imperial court. While the Xiucai are preparing for the county examination (examination for graduates), most of them could become private teachers. It can be said that the Xiucai examination is the necessary qualification for private teachers.
Third Uncle Guo was a Xiucai who returned to his hometown to become a teacher. Although he did not have the elegant name of being the town’s private teacher, nevertheless, it is a good thing to give back to the village.
Tang Feng naturally knew Father Tang’s worries, “That’s why I said that the second thing I want to do is to learn medicine with Uncle Li. In this way, I can take care of my own body and health.”
He can also hide the fact that he had medical skills.
Father Tang was still not at ease.
“You have been weak since you were a child. Even if you have been entrusted with the blessing of your third uncle to know some words, you…”
“Rest assure, Father, I won’t take this kind of thing too heavily.” Tang Feng understood what Father Tang wanted to say, “But now I have married my wife, so I am also think of getting some ability to support my family. But unfortunately my body hasn’t recovered completely, that’s why I want to give this a try. Anyways, I also have nothing to do all day long, it is better to give it a try, what do you think?”
Father Tang saw that Tang Feng spoke clearly and logically and his expression calmed down a lot. He slowly lowered his eyebrows. Its fine, if his child wants to do it, then let him do it. Anyway, he was still young.
“Alright, my son has such a mature idea. As your father, I’m happy about it. I will buy you a few books later, so you can carefully study them well.”
“No need, I mentioned it to third uncle this morning. He said that it’s fine to lend me the books he had used during those times when he was preparing for the Xiucai exam so you don’t need to spend more money.”
Tang Feng knew that money in the family was almost spent from his medicine and his wedding. If it’s used to specifically buy new books, his heart will feel very apologetic.
“Then you really have to thank your third uncle. When he come back you can have your Amo make him his favorite sweet meatballs!”
Father Tang was also happy when he heard it. The books used for the Xiucai exam were nothing more than those few books. An individual’s understanding is different, so the things written down were naturally different but it really saved a sum of money like this.
“I won’t stop you from following Uncle Li to learn medicine, our two houses are also close to each other, but wait until you come back from visiting your in-laws tomorrow. We can bring something over to visit him then we can probe out his opinion on this matter.”
Tang Feng agreed, and after a few more words of daily life chit chat with Father Tang, Tang Feng went back to his room.
“This child, sure enough he has already grown up after getting married.” Father Tang inhaled in a mouthful of tobacco, then sighed with sorrow as he looked through the smoke at Tang Feng’s figure as he stepped out of the hall.
When Tang Feng returned to the room, Lin Yu had just finished tidying up all his things and put them away. When he saw Tang Feng come in, he saw that he didn’t have any clothes draped on his shoulders so he pulled open the cabinet door that had not been completely closed, took a piece of clothing out and put it on Tang Feng.
“It’s raining today, so it’s better to be careful.”
Tang Feng took hold of the hand on his shoulder and nodded, “I have something to tell you.”
Lin Yu looked at Tang Feng puzzledly.
“I’m going to take the Xiucai exam and learn medicine from Uncle Li.”
Tang Feng’s words did not shock Lin Yu much. After all, before he married, he had heard many times that Tang Feng was a literate person, it was just that his body kept dragging him down.
“I will take good care of you so you can do what you want to do with ease. No need to worry about the matters inside the family.”
Lin Yu saw that Tang Feng had been looking after himself, and felt that he should show his concern for his husband, so he said what he thought.
Tang Feng: ……………, this sense of being taken care of, doted on, and being indulged was both nice and painful at the same time!
“It’s me who should take care of you and our family.” Tang Feng’s tone was somewhat lacking in confidence.
“Yes.”
Lin Yu’s face of “I agree with whatever you say, but I can’t really listen” made Tang Feng feel that he was simply living off a woman not to mention acting spoiled and insensible!
Because of the rain, after dinner, everyone went to bed early to rest. There was no entertainment in ancient times, especially for a peasant family. Being tired as a dog in the daytime and sleep as a pig during the nighttime, occasionally, it is extremely entertaining when there are adult activities.
Listening to the sound of rain ticking outside the window, Tang Feng leaned on Lin Yu, who acted like a heater. From time to time he also started to move his hand to eat some small tofu.
“Let’s rest a bit early.”
Lin Yu was getting hotter and hotter by Tang Feng’s provocative action, so he directly grabbed the hand that was messing around in his chest and whispered.
Tang Feng looked at Lin Yu with his eyes wide open, “It’s too early to sleep at this time, why don’t we do something else?”
It was an obvious hint, so Lin Yu naturally understood what he meant.
“Your body won’t be able to bear it. Quickly go sleep.”
After saying that, he stretched out his big hand to pull Tang Feng, who was leaning on his body up. Regardless of the petrified appearance of the other party, he gently patted him, just like how Lin Yu had coaxed Lin Wen to sleep before.
Who said he couldn’t?! Says who?! He’s as strong as a cow!
Well, it is true that this matter cannot be done too frequent. At least now that his body cannot withstand too much activities, as a Chinese medicine doctor, Tang Feng, who cannot just cover up this fact, had to shed two rivers of tears in his heart and buried himself in Lin Yu’s neck.
Go to bed!
The next morning, Lin Yu was awakened by the “heavy object” on his body.
He gently stroked Tang Feng’s long hair hanging around his ear, looked at his fair and white face that was more like a Ger than his own, then Lin Yu drew a smile. Sleeping just like a child.
After lightly and quietly separatinng Tang Feng away from himself, he pulled the quilt over the other party tightly. Lin Yu quickly got dressed and quietly opened the door to work.
He was not a person who was used to getting up late. At home his younger brother was young and his eldest brother always ran after his father. The only people who could work were Lin Yu and Lin Amo, so Lin Yu was very diligent since he was a child, thus he could not stay idle even for a short moment.
After he boiled the hot water, he scoop it into a wooden barrel, covered it and put it close to the stove, so that the hot water could be in touch with the heat and would not cool down easily.
Then he put Tang Feng’s medicinal porridge on the pot. The smell of Chinese medicine spread through the air. Thinking that Tang Feng almost ate this meal three times a day, Lin Yu felt distressed.
It seems that he will have to take good care of Tang Feng in the future so when his body is better, he will no longer have to drink these bitter medicinal porridges.
“You’re up so early again.”
A slightly sleepy male voice came into Lin Yu’s ear, who was fanning the fire. He hurriedly turned his head to see Tang Feng leaning on the door frame wearing his clothes, he was relieved to see that Tang Feng also had some clothes draped on his shoulders.
“Gotten used to it, so I can’t sleep. Quickly come in, it’s windy at the doorway.”
Tang Feng stood up straight, walked to the stool in front of the kitchen and sat down, “Let me help you watch over the fire.”
There was a fire inside the kitchen, so sitting there was hot. Lin Yu didn’t care about it rather he swiftly baked the corn cake.
His strength was great, the strength put into kneading the dough was also great, so the cakes he made were much more delicious. Tang Feng smelled the scent in the air, he swallowed his saliva, he had been drinking medicinal porridge for three months…
Lin Yu baked the cake, and then took out the pickled vegetables in the jar, cut them into small pieces, stir-fried them in the pot a few times, then casually put them into the bowl. This was the cake’s filling. It rained yesterday afternoon so he wasn’t able to pick some vegetables back. They will have to make do with this.
“I knew it was you, why didn’t you sleep more. Ah, Ah Feng also got up?” Tang Amo smiled while helping Lin Yu clean the dishes.
“Amo.” Lin Yu raised his head and called out.
“I rested early yesterday, so I woke up a bit earlier this morning. What about Father?” Tang Feng did not see Father Tang and asked.
“He went to town and said he was going to buy something good to give Uncle Li.”
Tang Amo was almost beaming with a smile as he spoke. Last night Father Tang praised Tang Feng a lot, making Tang Amo proud of him even more. Sure enough, having a prominent daughter-in-law is important!
“Why didn’t he eat breakfast before he went?” Tang Feng was a little anxious. It’s easy to get stomach illness if one didn’t eat breakfast.
“It’s nothing, go early return early. Quick, let’s eat. After eating, you should go visit the bride’s family house. Although it is in the village and you don’t have to rush back, it should be good to be familiar with each other.” Tang Amo’s last sentence was said to Tang Feng. The Lin family were foreigners, Tang Feng did not go out much, naturally he rarely got in contact with people.
Since he have already married the other family’s Ger as a wife, he naturally should talk more with their family and get close to them.
“Rest assured, Amo, I will naturally do it.”
Although Tang Feng had a smile on his face, he was still a little nervous in his heart. After all, he was going to see his father and mother-in-law, it would be strange if he was not nervous.
The author has something to say: On a certain night, Tang Feng was sleeping dazedly when he suddenly felt that the warm person next to him got up and left.
He hurriedly got up to rob his painful eyes.
“Wife! Where are you going? “
Lin Yu paused, “Going to the toilet.”
Tang Feng immediately sobered up, “Just in time, let’s go together. I also want to pee now.”
Lin Yu gave a cloth for Tang Feng to drape over his shoulders.
“Alright.”
The toilet was on the farthest right side. It was dark at night and the cool breeze blew the chilliness. After peeing, Tang Feng rigidly grabbed Lin Yu’s hand.
“The ground is slippery. Let me pull you along.”
Lin Yu felt the dry ground as well as the sweaty hand that held his, without asking anything.
“Okay.”
It turned out that his husband was afraid of the dark.
If Tang Feng knew, he would definitely refute with a solemn face:
No, you’re wrong, I really felt the ground was slippery!
It’s true!
Look at the seriousness of my face!
Show your support and appreciation at Ko-fi! Additionally, you can get one early access chapter per one-off support! Don’t forget! There are also memberships for exclusive content! You can get up to 7 early access chapters all at once!
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Thank You for the new chapter (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡