Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 75 Yingnan Prefecture

Guided by the courier, Lu Chuan and Lu Shouye passed through the front yard and entered a side room located in a corner.

The room was small and simple, containing only a hard wooden bed and a table and stools with a missing corner.

But for the father and son who had been traveling all day, having a tiled roof to shelter them from the wind and rain was already a great privilege.

As soon as Lu Shouye entered the room, he deftly locked the door from the inside and carefully checked the window frames.

"Chuan'er, this post station is full of all sorts of people. We're not like we are in the village. We have to be careful about everything." Lu Shouye lowered his voice and pointed to the aroma of wine and meat and the sounds of laughter coming from next door.

Lu Chuan nodded in deep agreement: "Father is right, we must be careful when we're out in the world."

The father and son sat down at the table.

Lu Shouye took out dried biscuits from his bundle.

Lu Shouye took out the pickled mustard tuber he always carried with him from his pocket and cut it into thin strips with a knife.

Lu Chuan took out his water bottle and poured some cooled boiled water into the bowl.

"Click."

Lu Shouye took a bite of the dry biscuit, chewed it, then gulped down a mouthful of water and forced it down.

"This pancake smells delicious, your mother's cooking is the best." Lu Shouye chuckled and pushed his bowl of water towards Lu Chuan. "Chuan'er, you're at the age where you're growing and you're studying hard, so eat more."

Lu Chuan took the pancake and, imitating his father, broke it into pieces the size of a fingernail and soaked them in a bowl of water.

The next morning, before dawn.

Lu Shouye quietly got out of bed, first listening to the sounds outside through the crack in the door. After confirming that there were only occasional noises from the stable, he turned around and nudged Lu Chuan: "Chuan'er, get up. Let's set off early and travel while there are fewer people on the official road."

Lu Chuan quickly got up and put on his clothes with practiced ease.

The father and son didn't disturb anyone. When checking out, Lu Shouye simply handed the room key back to the yawning innkeeper, led the old ox, and quietly left the inn.

The chill of the early morning air had not yet dissipated on the official road.

Lu Shouye flicked the bullwhip, but couldn't bring himself to actually strike; he just made a feint.

"After walking for another half a day, we'll be able to see the outline of the prefectural capital."

Lu Shouye turned to look at his son, "Chuan'er, yesterday at the post station, I overheard those people talking. There are countless high-ranking officials in the prefecture, and even more talented people. After we enter the city, we still need to do what we did last night: speak as little as possible."

"Father, don't worry," he replied softly.

As the sun gradually climbed higher into the sky, the number of pedestrians on the official road increased.

Besides the peddlers carrying their wares, occasionally a few ornately decorated horse-drawn carriages, with the sound of copper bells, would speed past their old oxcarts like a whirlwind.

The dust kicked up by the carriage made Lu Shouye cover his mouth and nose. Looking at the magnificent brocade curtains, he unconsciously drove the oxcart a little further to the side of the road.

At three-quarters past noon, that black wall finally came into the father and son's view.

"Oh my god."

Looking at the majestic, continuous city wall, Lu Shouye was so astonished that he couldn't close his mouth for a long time.

The towering city gate with its flying eaves and brackets looks particularly majestic in the sunlight, and the flow of carriages and people coming and going at the city gate looks densely packed from a distance.

"Chuan'er, look! Isn't that the prefectural city? It must be the prefectural city!" Lu Shouye's face was full of joy. The fatigue from the journey was instantly swept away. His voice was filled with undisguised excitement. "No one from our Lu Family Village has ever been to this place in generations. We've really opened our eyes today."

Lu Chuan also leaned out of the car and gazed at the magnificent city.

Compared to this, Qingyang County is simply not worth mentioning.

"Father, that is Yingnan Prefecture."

Lu Chuan's lips curled up slightly as he breathed a sigh of relief.

After enduring wind and rain and sleeping in the open along the way, we have finally arrived at our destination.

"Good, good, it's good that we've arrived." Lu Shouye chuckled and patted the old ox. "Old buddy, keep up the good work, I'll find you the best fodder in town."

The closer you get to the city gate, the wider and smoother the official road becomes.

The willows on both sides sway gently, and there are already many temporary tea stalls and small shops for resting along the roadside.

Upon entering the city, Lu Shouye was dazzled by the bustling city lights.

"Chuan'er, there are too many people in this city. Where are we going to find a place to stay?" Lu Shouye gripped the ox rope tightly, afraid of disturbing the noblemen dressed in fine silks and satins.

Lu Chuan pointed to an alley on the side, "Dad, let's go to the more remote West Street. It's mostly where poor scholars who come to the city to take the imperial examinations stay. It's quiet and the prices are reasonable."

Lu Shouye nodded. He always listened to his son and immediately led the ox into a less crowded alley.

After walking for about half an hour, their gazes fell upon a courtyard with a wooden sign that read "Qingyouju" (Quiet Abode).

The inn's facade is small and even a bit old, but it is clean and tidy, and there are two old trees in front of it.

Lu Shouye stopped the car and asked the person behind the counter who was using an abacus, "Manager, could you please tell me the prices for accommodation here?"

The shopkeeper pointed to a sign on the wall:

"Brother, our rooms are divided into three classes. The best room costs two hundred coins a day. It's a private courtyard with a charcoal fire, hot water, and a fine meal."

"The middle room costs eighty coins a day. It's a quiet and spacious private room on the second floor."

"As for the rooms, they cost forty coins a day. They are located in the back courtyard wing, two people per room. Although they are a bit cramped, they are clean."

Lu Shouye's eyelids twitched as he listened.

He quickly calculated the costs in his mind.

Forty coins a day, that's more than a string of cash a month.

The prices in this prefectural city are truly outrageous.

He turned his head, just about to discuss it with Lu Chuan, when he saw Lu Chuan had already walked up to him.

"Innkeeper, we'll just have a lower-class room."

Upon hearing this, Lu Shouye quickly pulled Lu Chuan aside and said with a worried expression, "Chuan'er, this room is so small. What if it disturbs your studies? Besides..."

His face flushed red, and he lowered his voice even further: "You know how noisy your father is when he sleeps."

"His snoring is like thunder. How about we grit our teeth and book a medium-sized room? At least it's more spacious and quiet there."

"Father, there's no need." Lu Chuan patted his father's hand reassuringly, smiled and said, "What matters when I study is my state of mind. If my mind is not calm, I won't be able to study even if I live in the deepest mountains and forests; but if my mind is calm, even the bustling city can be my study."

"As for snoring, I've been used to it since I was little. I can't sleep soundly without hearing my dad's snoring."

"But..." Lu Shouye wanted to persuade him again.

"Father, the money we have was collected by the villagers, and every penny must be spent wisely. There are countless expenses for the prefectural literary gathering and the prefectural examination, so we must save wherever we can," Lu Chuan said firmly.

Seeing that his son had made up his mind and that every word he said made sense, Lu Shouye could only sigh, his eyes filled with heartache and relief: "Alright, I'll listen to you. Manager, book a lower-class room, for twenty days in advance."