Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 432 - 401: I Think I Know Who He Is

Yu Xiaolian heard Su Jingyue refer to the child’s examination as a minor test, and was utterly shocked.

Child examinations require three levels of tests; how could it be called a small test?

"County exam," "Prefecture exam," and "Academy exam."

Throughout these, one must provide proof of "personal supply," "mutual guarantee," and "general guarantee."

"Personal supply" proves your lineage as decent citizens.

"Mutual guarantee" requires finding five fellow examinees to sign a pledge, promising that if one cheats, all five will bear the consequences.

Aside from these, you must have "certification" materials provided by a local Elite Scholar, proving the examinee is not impersonating or hidden, not substituting, not using a false name, and has a clean background—not the offspring of entertainers or low-status officials, and hasn’t engaged in ’demeaning’ professions like acting.

Of course, Su Jingyue’s and Sun Hu’s group had their general guarantees vouched for by Su Jingchen.

Moreover, the child’s examination covers many subjects, including Eight-Legged Essay, poetry tests, classics commentary, rhyming prose, essay writing, mathematics, and more.

How could this be considered a small test? She recalled reading a book long ago, though forgetting the specifics, where it mentioned Mr. Lu Xun participating in the late Qing Dynasty’s county exam, ranking 137th out of over five hundred candidates but opting not to proceed with the Prefecture exam, instead attending the Nanjing Mining School, shifting to modern schooling.

It can be imagined that passing the child’s examination was no easy feat; some of less talent didn’t earn the title until they reached fifty.

"You brat..." Su Jingchen’s voice dropped, "Have you forgotten what I’ve always told you?"

Su Jingyue, previously proud, blurted out and only then, hearing his elder brother’s voice, shrank his neck and sheepishly replied, "Avoid arrogance and impatience; be humble in victory, and persistent in defeat!"

"Go back to your room and copy the Central Thesis for me three times!" At this moment, Su Jingchen transformed completely from an amiable brother to a stern teacher.

"Ah? Can’t it be just one time? Big brother, I’m begging you?" Su Jingyue wailed.

Yu Xiaolian didn’t know what this Central Thesis book was, but could tell from Su Jingyue’s pained expression that it must be quite thick.

"If you keep nagging, it’ll be five times!" Su Jingchen was not moved; instead, he threatened.

Su Jingyue looked pitifully at Yu Xiaolian, "Sister-in-law, can you in good conscience just watch me suffer? Please be merciful and save the child?"

Yu Xiaolian had gotten used to Su Jingyue calling her sister-in-law occasionally, as he never did so in crowded places; privately, when it was just the three of them, he would call her as he pleased!

Anyway, she quite liked that title. (˵¯͒¯͒˵)

"Since your brother asked you to write, you should do it; it’s all for your own good, might help you in future exams!" Yu Xiaolian chose to stand with Su Jingchen.

The hope in Su Jingyue’s eyes extinguished instantly, "Truly worthy of being the woman my brother favors—just as ruthless, turning her back on me!"

"You brat... what nonsense are you talking?"

Before Su Jingchen’s angry shout, Su Jingyue had already foresightedly escaped the scene.

Yu Xiaolian held back the attempted pursuits of Su Jingchen, "Don’t be angry with him, he’s just a child!"

"This brat deserves a beating!" He might escape the immediate punishment, but when they check the Central Thesis—if he dares leave a single word out—I’ll make him write it again.

Yu Xiaolian asked Su Jingchen, "What book is the Central Thesis? I don’t think I’ve heard of it!"

"The Central Thesis is a political treatise divided into two volumes, totaling twenty Chapters..." Su Jingchen seemed quite willing to converse with Yu Xiaolian about poetry and books, fields he excelled in.

Yu Xiaolian patiently listened to Su Jingchen’s lengthy discourse, and once he roughly introduced the Central Thesis, Yu Xiaolian found an opportune moment to ask, "Are you truly not planning to go to Huizhou?"

Su Jingchen remained silent for a while and then spoke, "My father has just died, and Jingyue is now quite sensitive. Jinghua is too young and can’t be left alone; I can’t step away at the moment.

Additionally, I don’t want to acknowledge any biological father; if someday I actively seek him out, it would be to investigate the truth of those years, to vent my mother’s grievances!"

Though Cui Huaixin’s letter skirted around the incident involving Zhen Yue’s loss of chastity, merely glossing over it, Su Jingchen’s cleverness had already unveiled the unusual circumstances behind her dishonor.

His mother’s dishonor was unknown even to his own uncle; wasn’t that quite peculiar?

By the time his uncle heard the news, Cui had already arranged his mother’s marriage to his father, and urged his father to swiftly leave Huizhou with his mother.

Those aware of his mother’s dishonor were few, but Cui was undoubtedly the first to know.

Su Jingchen even suspected everything his mother endured was orchestrated by Cui.

Yu Xiaolian strongly supported Su Jingchen’s desire to uncover the truth and expressed determination that if those people indeed conspired against Zhen, she would stand with Su Jingchen to exact revenge.

"I think your uncle wouldn’t suddenly write asking about your father’s affairs and your lineage unless something else happened; otherwise, you’ve matured and now he questions whose son you are—isn’t it a bit late?" Yu Xiaolian voiced her doubts.

Su Jingchen acknowledged Yu Xiaolian’s observation with a nod, "Actually...I roughly know who he is!"

When he and Jingyue first visited Huizhou, Cui Huaixin voluntarily wanted to give him two shops on Central Street, raising his suspicions. Though his grandfather had instructed Cui Huaixin to take care of them before his passing, dismissing poor relatives with mere hundred or eighty taels would suffice, and those were prime shops on Central Street in Huizhou City; even with Cui’s firm dissuasion, Cui Huaixin insisted on gifting them.

Due to those two shops, Su Jingchen had no choice but to stay in Huizhou a while longer, overseeing the arrangements concerning the shops.

He still remembered that day Cui Huaixin came to him, saying he would take him to meet someone.

During that period, wherever Su Jingchen went, he took Su Jingyue along, except on that day, when he didn’t bring him because Cui Huaixin disallowed it, saying that person only wished to see him.

Su Jingchen was led by Cui Huaixin to a large estate occupying extensive land, with five courtyards. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

A five-courtyard house was a specification only reserved for royals and their relatives; ordinary families, no matter how wealthy, could at most build four courtyards. Moreover, without officials in the household, the courtyard walls couldn’t be built too high, and plaques couldn’t be adorned with gold powder.

Clearly, this grand mansion didn’t fit ordinary family specifications.

Cui Huaixin told Su Jingchen the person he was meeting was an old friend of his mother, so Su Jingchen presumed it must be a middle-aged woman; after all, how could his mother have male friends?

Once meeting the person, it was indeed a woman, albeit a luxurious and dignified elderly lady, seemingly around sixty or seventy years old.