TTTQF Chapter 128

Strange

September 22nd marks the last day of the third exam. After this round, the provincial examination for the year is over. As the exam hall doors open, the examinees, looking haggard and as if completely drained, shuffle out like walking corpses.

The nine-day exam, though allowing a break every three days, is a significant challenge both physically and mentally. Most examinees, having spent years sitting and studying with little physical activity, have become even more physically weak. Those like Pei Che, who take martial arts classes and exercise regularly, are in better shape—they at least don’t feel weak in the legs after walking a few steps.

As soon as Pei Che steps out the door, a hand reaches out to support him, accompanied by a constant stream of concern in his ear, "How are you feeling now? Hurry and get on the carriage and drink some hot soup to ward off the cold. It rained the night before last, and that cloak probably didn’t do much, right? Don’t catch a cold…”

Pei Che smiles and says, "Don’t worry, it’s been cold lately, and the exam hall prepared ginger soup for everyone. I had some too."

Jiang Miao glances at him, "You think I don’t know you? Sure, you drank it, but not much, right? You really need to change your picky eating habits. Isn’t there a saying about bitter medicine being good for you? As a scholar, you should understand that.”

Pei Che is momentarily speechless because Jiang Miao’s guess is spot on. The ginger soup has such a strong ginger smell, and the broth is so murky that it tastes awful. After taking one sip, Pei Che almost gags and leaves the bowl untouched after that.

As they talk, the two approach the carriage. Jiang Miao suddenly asks, "By the way, where are your friends? Didn’t they come out with you?"

Pei Che replies, "They were seated in different spots. There are three gates to the exam hall, and they went back through the others. Ah Miao, why are you suddenly asking about them?" He finds it strange since Ah Miao has never asked about his friends before.

Jiang Miao, self-assured, says, "Our relationship has changed, hasn’t it? Your relatives and friends are naturally mine too. Isn’t it normal to show some concern?" Jiang Miao is very pragmatic. If there’s no difference in treatment between a fake marriage and a real one, wouldn’t that make a real marriage seem less valuable?

Pei Che can’t help but laugh. Should he be touched by Jiang Miao’s tendency to care for those he cares about?

They get into the carriage, and Jiang Miao takes out a tonic soup he prepared earlier to replenish energy and restore vitality. The soup contains a variety of herbs and ingredients, looking like a random stew, yet somehow, Jiang Miao manages to harmonize all the flavors. The taste is rich and delicious, and after drinking it, Pei Che feels a warm sensation spreading through his body. The heat quickly reaches his limbs, and the exhaustion that had weighed him down just moments ago as he left the exam hall now seems to wash away.

"This soup is not only delicious but seems to be quite effective as well," Pei Che remarks after finishing a bowl. He immediately fills a second bowl and drinks it slowly.

Jiang Miao lifts his head proudly. "Well, of course! Do you know who made this? Though I adjusted the flavor, this medicinal soup was taught to me by Sister Tian, who lives nearby." He recalls that when he sent some to Sister Tian, she had looked a bit defeated. After all, she has been making medicinal soups for years, yet Jiang Miao’s first attempt tastes better!

Pei Che politely eats another bowl.

Since the exam hall is near the Imperial Academy, the carriage ride doesn’t take long.

Upon arriving at the courtyard, Jiang Miao immediately goes to the kitchen and stokes the fire to heat up the already lukewarm water.

Pei Che hasn’t been able to wash up during the exam, so once the water is ready, he eagerly takes several buckets to freshen up. After using quite a few buckets, he finally emerges, satisfied and dressed.

"Why is your hair still wet? Dry it off quickly," Jiang Miao says with a glance, hurrying to give instructions. Without a hairdryer, the only way to dry hair is by constantly rubbing it with a dry cloth. If left dripping, Pei Che will surely have a headache the next day. Jiang Miao has often considered cutting Pei Che’s long hair, but he worries about causing taboos, so he reluctantly lets go of the idea and secretly misses his own short hair.

Pei Che takes the cloth Jiang Miao hands him and begins drying his hair. Somehow, whether he uses some internal energy or not, he manages to dry it in half the time Jiang Miao would have taken. Then, with a wooden hairpin, Pei Che casually ties his hair up, looking as refined and elegant as ever—like a true nobleman.

After tidying himself up, Pei Che begins recounting the hardships of the past few days, even though he has already mentioned them twice before. That doesn’t stop him from continuing to lament.

Jiang Miao hesitates to ask how Pei Che did on the exam, fearing it might add pressure. But since Pei Che keeps bringing up his experiences, Jiang Miao can’t help but ask, "Ah Che, how do you think you did? Do you feel confident?"

Pei Che is very confident: "I feel that I did reasonably well in this provincial exam. The chances of being selected are high." He pauses for a moment, realizing it might not be wise to sound overly confident, so he adds, "However, there are always unexpected things in life. We'll only know for sure when the results are posted."

Jiang Miao is a little confused. Does Pei Che mean that he might pass or he might not? Isn’t that obvious? Those are the only two possible outcomes in an exam. But, considering Pei Che has just gone through such a grueling test, Jiang Miao holds back from saying anything sarcastic.

Since Pei Che has only eaten some dry rations and porridge during the exam, Jiang Miao doesn’t want to serve him anything too rich that might upset his stomach. He cooks a pot of millet porridge and prepares a few light, refreshing side dishes, then calls Pei Che over to eat.

Pei Che eats with gusto. Though his movements are somewhat quick, he still looks elegant and pleasing to the eye. Jiang Miao sits across from him, propping his head on his hand as he watches Pei Che eat with more enthusiasm than watching a live mukbang. After all, those streamers are nowhere near as good-looking as Pei Che.

(Translator’s notes: Now we know what career Pei Che can have if he were to ever be transported to the modern world).

After finishing his meal, Pei Che sits for a while to digest before Jiang Miao hurries him off to bed. The exam cubicle has been so cramped that even though he could lower the partition to use as a bed, he still had to curl up, and by the end of the night, his body had stiffened. In such a tense environment, it is hard to get any proper rest.

Pei Che initially tries to insist that he can manage to stay up, but as soon as he returns to his room, he falls asleep almost the moment his head hits the pillow. Jiang Miao gently covers him with the blanket, quietly closes the door, and leaves.

"Brother Miao, has my brother come back?" Pei Mu asks. He and Xiao Shitou are each holding one of Jiang Miao's hands as they walk home together.

Jiang Miao replies, "Don't worry, your brother is back. But he’s had a rough few days and is resting in his room right now. When we get home, make sure not to wake him up."

"Mm!" Pei Mu nods earnestly, his small face serious, promising that he will follow through.

Since he and Xiao Shitou have started attending school, he has learned more and more. While he still doesn’t enjoy interacting with others much, he has become more lively at home.

"I won’t disturb Brother Che either," Xiao Shitou also promises obediently.

Jiang Miao smiles and pats both their heads, feeling proud of how well-behaved they are. Every household in the back hills has at some point been filled with the cries of children, yet their courtyard has never experienced such a scene.

...

Since the two children still have to attend school, Pei Che doesn’t bring them along when he returns to the capital the next day. Neither of the three, including Jiang Miao, feels the least bit disappointed—in fact, they are quite relieved. With the tense atmosphere at Duke Zhongguo's mansion, even having a meal there could cause indigestion, so avoiding the trip is for the best.

By the time Pei Che returns that evening, he looks physically and mentally exhausted, as if the trip has been more draining than taking an exam. Jiang Miao wants to ask about it but holds back. In his experience, Pei Che isn’t the type to hide things. Whatever can be said, Pei Che will eventually say on his own. And if something can’t be said, there’s no point in asking.

Sure enough, later that night while they are in bed, Pei Che recounts the events of the day to Jiang Miao.

As soon as he returns home, Pei Che goes to pay his respects to his grandmother. At first, she is quite happy to see him, but as the conversation progresses, the topic shifts to Pei Che’s parents, turning the cheerful atmosphere into one of sorrow. Pei Che can’t help but feel downcast as well, thinking that he should go to the ancestral hall to burn incense for them later.

Just as Pei Che is immersed in the sorrowful atmosphere, his grandmother abruptly shifts the topic to the title of Duke. Her words seem to suggest that she intends to pressure his second uncle into stepping down and for Pei Che to take over the position.

Pei Che is quite taken aback. He is already the heir, and when his second uncle grows older, he will naturally retire. Previously, his grandmother only wished for him to become the heir—so why, in just a few months, have her thoughts changed? Could it be that his second uncle and aunt have used their position as Duke and Duchess to bully her?

When Pei Che voices his question, his grandmother lets out a cold laugh. "Do you think they dare to act against me? But Ah Che, you must understand, if your father were still alive, the position of Duke would have passed to him long ago. There would be no need to wait until now. Now that you’ve started a family, it’s time to make preparations. As long as you’re ready, your grandmother will fully support you."

"Though this grandson has started a family, I haven’t yet made a career for myself. In the eyes of others, I’m still just an inexperienced young man. How can I become the Duke now? I’ve just taken the provincial exam, and once the results are out, I’ll gain experience in the court for a while. We can discuss this matter later," Pei Che replies, knowing that being the heir and becoming the Duke are two entirely different things.

Grandmother Pei disagrees, and what follows is a long session of heartfelt persuasion. Pei Che has no intention of arguing with her, so he accepts everything she says, nodding constantly in response. By the end of the day, he is more exhausted than from taking the exam.

In the past, when Jiang Miao hears Pei Che talk about his family matters, he listens like it’s just a story. After all, at the time, he was an outsider, and none of it really involved him. But now, as a member of the family, Pei Che’s affairs are also his own. Thinking carefully, Jiang Miao asks, "Why does your grandmother dislike your second uncle so much? Is there some kind of grudge between them?"

Pei Che shakes his head. "A little over a year ago, Grandmother still relied heavily on my second uncle. It wasn’t until after she had that panic attack that her attitude toward him changed."

"That’s strange. Could it be that the panic attack is somehow caused by your second uncle and his family? Otherwise, why would one illness suddenly change her opinion of someone?" Jiang Miao suspects there are deeper secrets involved.

Pei Che falls into thought. He has always wondered why his grandmother stops valuing his second uncle after the panic attack, but he has never considered what might have caused the panic attack in the first place. His grandmother has always been in good health, so this sudden illness is indeed unusual. It seems he will need to investigate further.

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