Chapter 62

It was late at night, and after finally managing to see off all the guests, Xu Fei began to apologize to the other examinees who shared the same room.

He apologized for the many holes burned into the bedding, essentially taking the blame for Yu Qing.

The other examinees were quite magnanimous, saying it was no big deal and did not affect their sleep, and that such a minor matter was not worth mentioning.

Xu Fei had thought Yu Qing would be grateful to him, but to his surprise, Yu Qing said something before lying down to sleep, "Brother Xu, do you really have an uncle doing business in the capital?"

Xu Fei was taken aback, immediately understanding that this was not a random question; it was a reminder about the 4,000 taels of silver.

He felt a bit disheartened. Today, he had a taste of what it means to deal with a small-minded person. Just when he had taken the blame for him, he couldn't even let him sleep peacefully for a night, and started to settle accounts right away!

Although he was unhappy, he dared not renege on the promise of 4,000 taels of silver to Yu Qing.

He knew that this person was someone who would do anything for money, and could turn into a mad dog for it.

For 2,000 taels, he would risk his life, so 4,000 taels was even more significant. He also knew that this person, Shiheng, was ruthless, and he truly feared he wouldn't survive the journey to the capital.

However, he had to admit that if it weren't for Shiheng, he might not have survived to return.

One thing was certain: as long as the money was paid, Shiheng was someone worth relying on.

With no choice, Xu Fei found some ink, paper, and a brush, and wrote a promissory note for 4,000 taels of silver, which he then presented to Yu Qing in secret.

Yu Qing accepted the note with a casual air.

Once he had the note, he tucked it into his chest and lay down to rest, feeling rather pleased. He thought about how, upon reaching the capital, he would cash in the 4,000 taels, sell the fire cricket at a high price, and after passing the exam, he could return to Linglong Temple in style.

His world was small, and his mind was narrow. He couldn't see far ahead. Linglong Temple was his world, the place where he grew up, and he had always lived there. He had even become the abbot, and even before reaching the capital, he was already thinking about returning...

In the early morning, hearing the noise of the soldiers preparing, the insect on the ground woke up groggily and vaguely saw a figure in front of him.

He rubbed his eyes and opened them, only to see a man's face close to his, which startled him. He quickly sat up and leaned back against the wall, pulling the old blanket tightly over his chest. He recognized who it was—Shiheng—and was taken aback.

Yu Qing tapped his forehead, "Did you have a nightmare?"

The insect shook his head, seeing that many others were still asleep, and whispered, "Lord Shiheng, is there something you need?"

Yu Qing immediately smiled, "Insect, have you felt any discomfort since last night?"

The insect thought for a moment, then shook his head, not quite understanding what Yu Qing meant. It didn't seem like genuine concern.

Yu Qing smiled, "That's good. Remember, if you feel any discomfort, tell me immediately."

"Okay," the insect nodded.

Yu Qing patted his shoulder and left...

As the sun rose, after breakfast, the group heading to the capital left the inn and set off again.

When Yu Qing got back into the carriage, he felt a bit uncomfortable and couldn't help but touch the walls, relieved to find no hidden steel cage.

The other passengers in the carriage occasionally glanced at this strange "Shiheng," who was openly masked and silent, not answering any questions, making him seem very odd.

Yu Qing had no choice but to resort to this "shameless" tactic. Who could blame him for being greedy and causing trouble, yet still wanting to complete Shiheng's task? Now, he could only appear masked, so no one would remember his face.

As long as he didn't care about others' opinions, there was nothing he couldn't do.

The carriage moved slowly, as many of the accompanying personnel were walking, and the pace had always been that of walking.

They walked during the day and stopped at night, and after two days, the group finally left the ancient tomb wasteland. Villages and towns began to appear, bringing a sense of human life.

The first stop after leaving the wasteland was a small county town, where many people commented that it was better to be in the human world.

"Brother Xu, why are you picking up bones again? Do you have a dog?"

After a meal, seeing Xu Fei picking up leftover bones from the table in a small bag, Su Yingtao, who had been eating with him, couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"No, I just want to practice carving," Xu Fei replied casually.

He was not someone who liked to lie, but he had gradually developed the habit of lying easily, to the point where his heart remained calm.

He had no choice but to pick up bones. He didn't want to do such a shameful thing, but Yu Qing insisted on his help.

The insect didn't have the same meal待遇, and couldn't enter the place where the examinees ate. Yu Qing was always masked and didn't socialize, so he had to bring his own food, and the task of collecting bones fell to Xu Fei.

Xu Fei didn't have a dog, but Yu Qing had a "little mad dog" that devoured bones voraciously. It could eat anything and digest it instantly, which amazed Xu Fei. He had never seen such a peculiar creature.

According to Yu Qing, the "little mad dog" could jump, fly, burrow, and swim, making it a quadrupedal wonder.

Shiheng often tried to persuade him to buy the fire cricket at a high price, saying that a friendship price of 10,000 taels of silver would be enough.

Was 10,000 taels a small amount? Many people couldn't earn that much in a lifetime.

The question was, what could he do with a 10,000 tael insect? It had a bad temper and was fast, but he wasn't a cultivator and couldn't control it, and it could easily set his house on fire. It was useless and could even cause trouble. Why buy it? Shiheng must think he was rich and was trying to take advantage of him.

Fortunately, Shiheng still had some conscience and now provided him with hot water for tea, which was a small reward for picking up bones...

After three months of travel, the group finally arrived at the capital of Jin.

The carriage curtains were all pulled back, and heads poked out of the windows, gazing at the grand capital. The bustling scene of vendors and passersby was unlike anything they had seen before.

Finally, the examinees were excited and chattered excitedly.

They all dreamed of the future. If they could pass the exam and become one of the powerful figures in the grand capital, how glorious it would be!

Before the group reached the city gates, a detachment of the capital's garrison stopped them, separating the soldiers from the rest and temporarily not allowing them to enter the city.

This was a rule. Except for the capital's garrison, soldiers from other regions could not enter the city in full armor and with weapons without permission. They would be taken to a different location.

The soldiers from Liestate had no objections and were even happy, as their hard journey was about to be rewarded.

At the temporary camp, after they were disarmed, they could enter the city and enjoy their time. They would be on leave until the exam was over, after which they would escort the examinees back to Liestate.

For most soldiers, who rarely had the chance to visit the capital, this was a rare opportunity with food, lodging, and pay, making it a welcome change.

After the Liestate soldiers were moved, a small detachment of the capital's garrison escorted the group.

The examinees from various regions would be housed in the guild halls of their respective states. The chief official of the Liestate guild hall personally welcomed them, and after a pleasant conversation with the escort official, Fu Zuoxuan, the group entered the city.

The capital was bustling, and as the convoy reached the Liestate guild hall, someone outside shouted, "They're here! The Liestate examinees are here!"

Immediately, a cheer went up, and many people ran out from nearby shops, teahouses, and taverns, gathering around.

"Everyone step back! Anyone who interferes will be punished!"

The capital's garrison shouted, ordering them to stay away.

Officials from the Liestate guild hall also rushed out, bowing to the crowd and saying, "Everyone, please wait. Once the formalities are completed, you can take your people. If any trouble occurs, the examinees will lose their exam eligibility, and I will not be held responsible."

This warning made the crowd step back and clear the way.

Inside the carriage, Yu Qing was confused, not understanding what was happening, completely at a loss.

When everyone got off the carriage and was verified before entering the guild hall, Yu Qing saw many examinees waving to people outside and finally understood. They were likely the relatives and friends of the examinees, who had waited in advance, calculating the approximate arrival time.

After all the examinees were verified, the escort official, Fu Zuoxuan, felt relieved and went inside the guild hall with the chief official.

Yu Qing looked around the guild hall, waiting to be assigned a room. However, the guild hall did not immediately arrange for them to stay. Instead, they had the people waiting outside form a queue, allowing those with official documents to enter one by one to complete some procedures. Once completed, they could take one examinee away.

Yu Qing was completely lost. He was an imposter and needed to understand the situation. He looked around and saw Xu Fei chatting with someone nearby. Fortunately, the insect was also looking this way, and he signaled to him. The insect understood and tugged on Xu Fei's sleeve, and they both walked over.

"What's going on?" Xu Fei asked in a low voice.

Yu Qing lifted his chin, pointing to the place where the procedures were being handled, "What's happening? Why are they taking people with official documents?"

Xu Fei said, "Oh, it's nothing. The examinees with relatives in the capital are being picked up by their relatives."

In theory, for convenience and safety, all examinees should stay in the guild hall, where food and lodging are free. However, this is a public place, and while the imperial examination is important, the officials cannot cater to everyone's personal habits, given the large number of people.

To help the examinees perform better, those with family in the capital are allowed to take the examinees away to care for them. However, just anyone cannot take an examinee away, as it could turn a serious matter into a farce, and the responsibility would be heavy if anything went wrong.

First, all parties must provide complete proof of their relationship, find a guarantor, and provide a detailed address, so they can be contacted if needed. This is all verified by the capital's officials and documented.