In truth, Ye Li didn’t place much importance on whether he passed or not. If he passed, that would be best; if not, he’d just take the exam again.

His claim that he’d support Jiang Ji until he turned thirty was a lie; he’d be willing to support him until he was sixty. Once the fried tofu puffs workshop was up and running, he wouldn’t go so far as to say he’d achieved financial freedom, but he’d certainly have no worries about funding his studies. By then, with both cash and free time, he could study whenever he pleased.

So, he really didn’t care much about this coexam. As long as Jiang Ji came back, that was enough.

But where on earth was the man right now?

Frustrated, he glanced up at the moon once more, then quickened his pace as if to vent his anger. Next time, he really, really, really would go out with Jiang Ji!

The night passed without incident. The next day, at the crack of dawn, Jiang Dahu arrived punctually to take Jiang Liu to work.

Ye Li was worried about Bao Beiyuan. As soon as she opened the courtyard gate, she asked, “Second Uncle, how is Bao Beiyuan?”

Jiang Dahu and Jiang Liu entered the courtyard. Jiang Dahu sighed first: “I went to check on him at midnight. He was delirious from the fever and was crying out for his father.” Recalling that scene, Jiang Dahu felt a pang of sorrow. Old Brother Bao had passed away far too soon, leaving behind such a good boy to be bullied by his own older brother.

“I brewed him another portion and applied a damp cloth to his forehead. I kept tending to him until Xiao Liu woke up, and only then did he finally fall asleep. But his temperature seems to have gone down a bit.”

Hearing this, Ye Li’s heart ached. After all, Bao Beiyuan was only sixteen—in his previous life, he would have been a freshman in high school.

This carefree young master had suddenly lost both his father and his home, yet he’d never fully released that immense pain—it had been bottled up deep inside him all along. He’d held on for half a year, but now that a cold had struck, he finally couldn’t take it anymore.

Poor thing.

He sighed and said, “Thank you for your hard work, Second Uncle. I’ll go with you to check on him in a moment.”

“No, no, he’s finally fallen asleep. Besides, your second aunt and I are there. I’ll apply a compress for him when we get back.”

Jiang Dahu shook his head.

Ye Li thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll cook some congee and bring it over.” This time, Jiang Dahu didn’t refuse; he agreed.

His nephew’s fulang’s cooking skills were far better than his wife’s. He didn’t linger and hurried back.

While Ye Li was talking with Jiang Dahu, Jiang Liu had already lifted the dust-proof burlap cover off the stone mill and brought the soaked beans out from the kitchen.

Since the onset of autumn, the morning and evening temperatures had dropped considerably, but grinding grain was hard work, so the millstone remained under the shed. Ye Li exchanged a few words with her, then went into the kitchen to soak the rice.

Once the rice was soaked, he picked up the oil lamp and went to the backyard to catch a chicken. He planned to make century egg and lean pork congee.

But there was no meat in the house, and the county town gates were still closed, so he had no choice but to go to the backyard and catch their own rooster. He brought the rooster to the front yard, set up a small stove to boil water, and began plucking the feathers.

After all that hustle and bustle, just as dawn was breaking, the century egg and lean pork congee was finally ready.

For this pot of congee, he used only lean meat—parts like the chicken thighs and breasts. He had cut off all the skin, leaving only the lean meat inside. As a result, the congee was low in fat, fresh-tasting, light, and not greasy, yet rich in nutrients—perfect for a sick person to drink.

It had been hot recently, so hot congee wasn’t ideal; this was the first time he’d made century egg and lean pork congee. With a large family, he filled a small cast-iron pot to the brim.

He transferred half of it into a clay pot, slung it over his shoulder in a back basket, and headed to Jiang Dahu’s house. The Jiang family was just having breakfast.

Now that their circumstances had improved, Liang Erxiang had become more generous; in addition to pickles, there was a plate of scrambled eggs on the table.

Ye Li set down the earthenware pot and invited them to try the century egg and lean pork congee, while he followed Jiang Dahu to the east wing, where Bao Beiyuan was staying.

Bao Beiyuan was still asleep. Jiang Dahu had been applying cold compresses to his forehead and neck, and with the help of the medicine, his fever had finally started to subside.

Ye Li had intended to touch his forehead, but just as his hand was halfway there, Jiang Dahu shouted, “Hey, hey, don’t touch him! It’ll look bad if word gets out!”

Hearing this, Ye Li rolled her eyes inwardly. But he obediently pulled his hand back.

Jiang Dahu felt his forehead and said, “He’s still a little warm. Once the medicine is ready, I’ll have him take it. Don’t worry about it.” 

Ye Li could only say, “Thank you, Uncle. With Jiang Ji away, you and Auntie have been working so hard.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all—just a small favor.”

Jiang Dahu waved his hand dismissively. “Come on, come on, let’s head back to the kitchen and try the porridge you made.” The success of this porridge was crucial to the winter sales of century eggs, so he was taking it very seriously.

In the kitchen, Liang Erxiang and Jiang Yu were already eating. As soon as they saw Ye Li enter, Jiang Yu spoke up first: “Brother Li, this savory congee is absolutely delicious. And the century eggs in it—they taste completely different from the cold-served ones, but both are delicious!”

Liang Erxiang nodded eagerly. “Right, I never expected savory rice porridge to be this good. The shredded chicken in it is delicious, too.” Beiyang County’s diet was primarily based on wheat-based foods.

It was rare to have rice porridge; when they did, they either left it plain or added only sugar.

This was the first time in her entire life that Liang Erxiang had tasted savory congee, and paired with the unique flavor of the century eggs, it truly delighted her. The worry that had been weighing on her mind finally lifted completely.

With a taste like this, why would she worry about the century eggs not selling? She wasn’t worried at all!

Seeing that Jiang Yu and Liang Erxiang were both raving about it, Jiang Dahu hurriedly picked up his bowl of congee and began to eat.

The moment the porridge touched his tongue, the salty, fragrant, and savory flavors filled his mouth. The sensation of deliciousness shot straight to his brain, and he nodded vigorously before even swallowing. Delicious!

It’s incredibly delicious!

He stared wide-eyed at Ye Li—it was just too good!

Ye Li was amused by his expression: “Second Uncle, don’t choke on it—you’d better swallow first.” This remark made both Liang Erxiang and Jiang Yu burst into laughter.

Liang Erxiang said, “Li-ger, it looks like your Uncle really likes this savory congee. Teach me how to make it—I’ll whip it up for him when I have a chance.” 

“Sure, I’ll make it again tonight.”

Ye Li agreed.

But after Jiang Dahu swallowed the porridge in his mouth, he muttered, “You can’t eat like this—how much cash would a single meal cost?” Rice, century eggs, lean pork—none of these are cheap!

Ye Li said helplessly, “Second Uncle, Xiao Liu and Yu-ger can earn money. You’re always saying you’re supporting them for nothing. So while they’re still unmarried, you’d better let them eat and drink their fill before they end up benefiting strangers.”

Jiang Yu nodded. “Father, from now on, my sister and I will buy meat often. We can afford it now.” Hearing this, Jiang Dahu felt pleased.

Both children were quite dutiful; aside from not being sons, there really wasn’t a single fault to be found in them. But he still muttered under his breath, “We just bought a mule cart, so let’s be careful with our spending.”

Jiang Yu smiled. “Mother is going to learn how to make congee from Brother Li today. We don’t have any meat at home, so I’ll head into town to buy some later.”

As soon as Ye Li heard this, he immediately said, “I’ll pay for it. Buy a little extra. Bao Beiyuan will probably need a few days to recover—how could I let you spend cash on him?” 

“It’s fine. Brother Li, you’re always bringing us good food; now it’s my turn to buy some treats.”

Jiang Yu shook his head.

“That’s not the same at all. You and Bao Beiyuan aren’t related. If you insist on paying in cash, then I’ll just have to go into town and buy it myself.”

In his eyes, fourteen-year-old Jiang Yu was still just a child.

Bao Beiyuan was Jiang Ji’s classmate. He already felt terribly awkward about imposing on the Jiang Dahu family, so how could he possibly ask Jiang Yu to pay for it as well?

Ye Li spoke with firm resolve. Jiang Dahu thought for a moment and said, “Yu-ger, just use your Brother Li’s cash. I’ll go buy it, and while I’m at it, I’ll stop by the private school to see why we haven’t heard from Xiao Ji yet.”

Mentioning Jiang Ji, Ye Li was naturally concerned and hurriedly said, “Second Uncle, I’m counting on you. Buy a few extra pounds of meat, and if you see any roosters for sale, please get one for me.”

“You slaughtered a rooster today, so you need to replace it.” Jiang Dahu agreed, then urged Ye Li to go home.

It was already broad daylight, and Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya were about to get up.

Ye Li agreed, saying he’d come check on Bao Beiyuan after he finished making tofu. Back home, Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya were straining the soybean pulp.

Jiang Liu was almost done grinding the beans.

Earlier, while cooking the congee, he’d prepared breakfast as well. He’d stir-fried the leftover chicken skin, wings, head, and giblets with some radish, and the dish was still warming in the pot.

However, since they had to wait for Jiang Liu to eat with them, he began straining the soy pulp as well. Only after Jiang Liu finished grinding the beans did they set the table. Congee with century eggs and lean pork.

Corn cakes, pickles, and stir-fried chicken with radish. This breakfast was quite a feast.

The century egg and lean pork congee received unanimous praise from Jiang Liu, Jiang Mai, and Jiang Ya. Ye Li hadn’t had it in a long time and found the congee before her even more delicious than she remembered.

The shredded chicken was marinated to perfection—neither fishy nor dry.

The congee was well-seasoned, just the right balance of saltiness, fragrant yet not cloying. As for the star of the show, the century eggs, they were, of course, absolutely delicious.

After the four of them finished the remaining half-pot of congee, they were still left wanting more.

Jiang Ya clutched his spoon in his small hands and looked up at Ye Li with pleading eyes: “Brother Li, when can we have this congee again?” 

Hearing this, Ye Li smiled: “We’ll have it tonight. Second Uncle is heading into town to buy meat in a little while.”

“Yay!” Jiang Ya cheered, wiggling his little body with delight.

Jiang Mai was happy too.

He used his spoon to scrape the bowl completely clean before picking up his chopsticks to eat the stir-fried chicken. After finishing breakfast, Jiang Liu got up and left.

Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya ran off to feed the chickens and pigs.

After Ye Li finished making tofu, he took the two of them to Jiang Dahu’s house to visit Bao Beiyuan. The three of them entered the house and saw Jiang Liu carrying a basin of water into the east-side room.

Jiang Yu was sitting at the entrance to the kitchen, doing some needlework.

As soon as Jiang Yu saw them, she immediately stood up and said, “Brother Li, you should go take a look—Bao Beiyuan’s fever has flared up again.” Flared up again?

That single sentence filled Ye Li with worry, and he hurried toward the east-side room.

Concern also flashed across Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya’s little faces as they followed in small steps. Inside the room, Liang Erxiang sat beside the kang, applying a wet cloth to Bao Beiyuan’s forehead.

Jiang Liu stood by the kang.

Bao Beiyuan, lying on the kang, still had chapped lips, an abnormal flush on his cheeks, and a furrowed brow. When he heard Liang Erxiang and Jiang Liu calling for Ye Li, he opened his eyes.

He hadn’t been asleep.

When he actually saw Ye Li and the two little ones, he pushed himself up with his arms, trying to sit up. Ye Li hurriedly said, “Just lie down. Don’t get up.”

Bao Beiyuan gave a weak smile. “I’ve been lying down too long. I want to sit up for a bit.”

That made sense; lying down all the time wasn’t comfortable, so Liang Erxiang picked up a pillow and helped him sit against the wall.

He shifted into a more comfortable position. Once settled, he smiled and thanked Ye Li: “The porridge this morning was delicious. Thank you, Brother Li.”

“Then I’ll make another pot tonight.” Ye Li looked at his weary smile and sat down beside the kang, asking, “Last night, while you were dozing, did you dream of Uncle Bao?”

At his words, Bao Beiyuan’s smile froze, and his nose stung with emotion. He lowered his head and gave a soft nod.

“Then let me say something you’ve probably heard a million times: Uncle Bao would never want to see you like this. He loved you so much—how agonizing it must be for him to see you punishing yourself like this?”

At those words, tears the size of beans fell from Bao Beiyuan’s eyes. He clutched the quilt tightly and wept silently.

Liang Erxiang couldn’t bear to see him suffer and said, “Li-ger, let’s wait until he’s better before we talk about this.”

“Aunt Li, this is a heartache. If we don’t help him resolve it, he’ll keep hurting himself in the future.”

Ye Li didn’t want to rub salt in Bao Beiyuan’s wounds. But today’s incident truly worried him.

Bao Beiyuan lived alone. This time, he’d been lucky to be taken in by him, but what if his luck ran out next time?

“Well…” Liang Erxiang hesitated.

Jiang Liu whispered, “Mother, just listen to Brother Li.”

Brother Li was just as clever as her Brother Ji, with great skills; he was better at persuading people than she and her mother combined. Liang Erxiang fell silent.

But Ye Li had absolutely no confidence that he could get Bao Beiyuan to let go of his stubborn fixation; only time could heal this emotional knot. He could only try every possible approach.

So he asked, “Xiao Yuan, what did Uncle Bao tell you on his deathbed?”

Bao Beiyuan sniffed, wiped his tears with his sleeve, and choked out, “He told my older brother and me to keep the noodle shop going, and to have my older brother find me a wife.” 

Ye Li pressed his lips together.

Even on his deathbed, the old man was still dreaming of harmony between brothers.

Sigh.

He said softly, “You can’t make decisions about the noodle shop. But as for getting married, that’s entirely up to you.”  

“Once the mourning period is over, find a matchmaker to set you up.”

“Once you’re married, you’ll have a new family, and that way, Uncle Bao will surely be at peace.” “You have to let the old man rest in peace, don’t you?”

Rest in peace.

Those three words instantly transported Bao Beiyuan back to that heart-wrenching night. His father had died with his eyes wide open!

On his deathbed, his father had clutched his hand tightly; even after his last breath, his eyes remained wide open. Blaming him.

It was his fault…

He burst into loud sobs, his whole body trembling, his voice hoarse. But his physical strength couldn’t withstand such intense emotional turmoil, and soon his vision began to darken in waves.

He hated himself even more in his heart—his body was so weak he could barely even mourn at his own father’s grave. He should have been the one to kowtow that day!

But then he thought: if the living were to bury the dead, his father would surely be unable to bear such agony. His heart felt as if it were being boiled in oil, finding no peace day or night.

How could his father bear such a terrible fate? It would indeed be better for him to live.

With a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, he gradually stopped crying. It had come to this.

He truly had to let his father close his eyes…

He composed himself, leaning against the wall. His eyes were so misty with tears that his vision was blurred. Just as he was about to raise his sleeve again, a brown linen handkerchief appeared before him.

Liang Erxiang said, “Wipe your eyes.”

He took it: “Thank you, Aunt Liang.”

He roughly wiped his eyes and face with the cloth—and, of course, his snot—then looked at Ye Li with red, swollen eyes: “Brother Li, I’ll give your words some serious thought.”

“Really?” Ye Li sounded skeptical.

“Of course it’s true. You… please, keep an eye out for me.” He spoke with some difficulty. Once the words were out, he couldn’t take them back.

Hearing this, Ye Li believed him a little more: “Alright, I’ll keep a close eye out.” There was no rush on this matter.

The so-called “three-year mourning period” wasn’t actually three years; in the Great Xia, the actual duration was twenty-five months. Moreover, this rule depended on the individual.

The common folk at the bottom of society struggled just to make ends meet; no one cared whether they truly observed the three-year mourning period for their elders. The law didn’t enforce it, and others didn’t hold it against them.

But Bao Beiyuan felt guilty, so he would certainly observe the full three years. It had only been half a year; there was still plenty of time. He would take his time looking.

After Bao Beiyuan had cried his heart out, once his emotions had settled, exhaustion suddenly washed over him. Ye Li urged him to rest.

He didn’t try to put on a brave face and lay back down.

So they left Liang Erxiang to watch over him, while Ye Li led the two little ones and Jiang Liu out of the room.

Ye Li looked at the handkerchief in Jiang Liu’s hand, stained with tears and snot, and said, “Throw it away. I’ll give you some fabric, and you can sew a new one.” Jiang Liu shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ll wash it and use it as a dishcloth.”

How could she just throw it away?

That would be such a waste. 

Ye Li: “…” She was right.

He said goodbye to Jiang Yu, then led Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya home.

It was still early in the day, and the two little ones headed out the door with their back baskets as soon as they got home.

It wasn’t late autumn yet, and the grass by the roadside was still green, so the two of them had to go cut some.

Ye Li swept the yard, then washed and wiped everything down. When he was done, he stood in the middle of the yard, lost in thought for a moment. Snapping back to reality, he looked around, and his gaze finally settled on the jujube tree by the gate.

The jujubes were ripe, hanging bright red from the branches—a truly delightful sight. He grabbed a small back basket and scrambled up the tree.

He picked a back basketful of jujubes, intending to let Ye Liang take some home as well.

After climbing down, he washed a few jujubes and sat under the shed, nibbling on them slowly. The jujubes were crisp and sweet—a rare treat.

For the villagers, this was also a significant source of income.

In a few days, Jiang Fuzheng would organize people to go up the hill to pick jujubes; a buyer would come to collect them, and the proceeds would be divided equally among the villagers. Generally speaking, thanks to the jujubes, each household could earn a little over one guan of cash each year.

That was no small amount of cash.

Every year at this time, young and old alike in the village would come out to pick jujubes, creating a festive atmosphere as lively as the New Year. If Jiang Ji didn’t return soon, he would miss out on all this excitement.

Thinking of him, he stared blankly at the empty bowl on the table. After a long while, he let out a deep sigh.

Feeling a tightness in his chest, he raised his hand to rub it a few times, then stood up, intending to return the bowl to the kitchen.

Just then, the sound of a gong rang out from nearby.

He looked toward the source of the sound. What on earth was Jiang Mantang banging on a gong for at a time like this?

He quickly returned the bowl to the kitchen and decided to go out and take a look, hoping to ease the emptiness in his heart. The sound of the gong grew closer, mingled with voices—it wasn’t just Jiang Mantang.

Even more puzzled, he set off toward the courtyard gate.

Before he even reached the gate, he heard Aunt Lu’s distant shouts: “Li-ger! Li-ger! We passed! We passed!” We passed?

No sooner had those two words reached his ears than more voices rang out—some familiar, some not—all calling his name and shouting “He’s passed! He’s passed!” Amidst the commotion, the sound of chaotic footsteps grew louder.

A crowd was rushing toward his house!

The words “passed” sank into his mind, and he quickly assessed the situation. Jiang Ji had passed.

His dear husband had passed the county-level examination on his first try and become a Xiucai. Years of hard study had finally paid off!

And he, Ye Li, had become the wife of a Xiucai!

He hurried out the front door and saw, on the small path leading to the entrance, not only the villagers running toward him, but also two constables on horseback approaching slowly from behind.

One of the constables was beating a gong.

The other held an object resembling a scroll—likely the legendary official notice. There was no one else behind the constables.

Jiang Ji hadn’t returned yet.

Since the distance was great, official dispatches traveled faster than a candidate’s footsteps, so it was only natural that the good news arrived home first.

Still, with the man of the hour absent from such joyous news, the celebration felt somewhat lacking. However, thinking that Jiang Ji had already rejoiced, he couldn’t help but smile. It was a minor matter; he would simply celebrate again once Jiang Ji returned.

He jogged back to the courtyard. He’d go get the celebratory cash!

By the time Ye Li emerged carrying a string of cash, the villagers at the front of the procession had already entered the courtyard. Two constables had also arrived at the gate and dismounted.

The stream of congratulations made Ye Li beam with joy.

The two constables stepped forward. Upon seeing the cash in Ye Li’s hand, their smiles deepened considerably. As they handed the official notice to Ye Li, they offered their congratulations repeatedly.

Ye Li took the summons in one hand and handed over the heavy string of copper coins with the other: “Thank you for making the trip, Your Honor. Take this cash to buy some wine.” The two constables accepted the cash with beaming smiles.

Just then, Jiang Fuzheng, having received the news, rushed over from his home.

With Jiang Fuzheng’s arrival, Ye Li felt reassured—he wasn’t actually very good at socializing!