Chapter 100

The imperial examination was not something that could be decided by a single essay. The content of the three-day, nine-session exam was extensive and intense, and it was difficult to maintain one's stamina merely by drinking tea. Therefore, Ye Yu had no choice but to seek help from the examiners.

Although the examination hall had emergency measures in place, the food provided was far from appetizing. Ye Yu looked at the cold, iron-like steamed bun in front of him and sighed softly, slowly eating it with the tea.

Despite the tea's invigorating effect, Ye Yu, who was suffering from diarrhea, found it extremely difficult to answer the questions. However, relying on his solid foundation, he finally passed the exam smoothly.

When the major exam ended, the candidates were like prisoners released from jail. The first thing they wanted to do, regardless of how they performed, was to eat, drink, and have fun to make up for the stress. When Yue Chen and others found Ye Yu, they discovered that he had fainted in the examination room.

Seeing this, everyone panicked and pushed Ye Yu out of the examination hall. Since the examination hall was close to Qinghe Lane, they hurriedly sought medical help there.

Yue Chen was familiar with Qinghe Lane and led everyone to Baohe Hall. Doctor Xu, who was in his fifties, had a fair complexion and a beard. When he saw Yue Chen carrying Ye Yu into the pharmacy, he knew it was a patient and immediately led them to the inner hall without a word.

After a thorough diagnosis, Ye Yu finally opened his eyes. Seeing Meng Tong standing in front of him, Ye Yu weakly asked, "Is the exam over?"

"Yes! It's over!"

Ye Yu looked around and did not see Yue Chen or Xiao Guoliang, so he asked, "Where are Brother Yue and Brother Xiao?"

"Brother Xiao went to the inn to inform them so they wouldn't worry about you. As for Brother Yue, he remembered the food he gave you after learning you had mistakenly eaten croton seeds! He is now rushing back to the Yue residence to reason with his sister!"

"This is not entirely someone else's fault. If I had been more careful, this wouldn't have happened. Fortunately, I persisted until the end and did not leave any regrets..."

Ye Yu spoke from the heart. If he had been more cautious, he wouldn't have suffered from vomiting and diarrhea. It was better to blame himself for not being more alert.

Thinking back to the lantern competition, he not only won the championship from Yue Sanlang but also received the butterfly silver hairpin in public. He would not forget these events, and neither would Yue Sanlang, who harbored resentment. How could she have sent food with good intentions?

Ye Yu couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. Although he was not unattractive, he was not so desirable that women would offer themselves to him. Moreover, no matter how handsome and intelligent he was, he was still a disabled person. Why would Yue Sanlang, the third daughter of the Yue family, show him any kindness without reason?

Unfortunately, he was in a hurry and did not think carefully, so he fell for the trap, and it was not someone else's fault.

Ye Yu's carefree attitude had a different meaning in Meng Tong's eyes. He then said coldly, "You don't need to comfort yourself, and you don't need to consider fair competition. No matter the result of this examination, it doesn't count in my book!"

Meng Tong was still somewhat cold, but his words made Ye Yu want to laugh. "Brother Meng, do you have to be so confident?"

"What, do you think you can win over me even with your illness?"

"I don't dare to claim I can win over you!" Ye Yu found Meng Tong increasingly interesting and said confidently, "But for you to win over me, the top scholar, it won't be easy! So, the result of the examination naturally counts!"

Meng Tong's expression changed at Ye Yu's words, but he then shook his head and said, "Impossible! If you had taken the exam normally, perhaps I would have been wary of you!"

"Brother Meng, what's the point of arguing about this? Perhaps when the results are announced, both of us will fail! Then there will be no need for competition!"

"Impossible!"

Oh! Ye Yu thought he was already quite confident, but this Meng Tong was even more so. Ye Yu's competitive nature was aroused: "If you are on the list, I will definitely be ahead of you!"

"You!..."

Both became increasingly confident, making the atmosphere in the room tense.

At this moment, the door curtain was lifted, and Doctor Xu walked in with several packets of medicine. Seeing Ye Yu had awakened, he advised, "Young man, you must be more careful with your diet in the future. Overdosing on croton seeds can be fatal!"

"Thank you!"

Ye Yu bowed to the middle-aged doctor in gratitude. Glancing at the medicine packets, he saw the name "Baohe Hall" and felt it was familiar. He then asked, "May I ask for your name, sir?"

"Oh, ha ha! My name is Xu Xuan, and the neighbors call me Doctor Xu!"

"Xu Xuan?"

Hearing these two words, Ye Yu immediately thought of Xu Xian from "The Legend of the White Snake." It seemed that Xu Xian's real name was Xu Xuan, and due to his medical skills and similar pronunciation, he was called Xu Xian!

"Is there also a Bai Suzhen?" Ye Yu muttered to himself, remembering that the historical background of "The Legend of the White Snake" was set in Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty.

Ye Yu's voice was low, but Xu Xuan's hearing was excellent. He was surprised and asked, "How do you know my wife's name?"

"What? Is your wife really Bai Suzhen?" Ye Yu's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, indeed!"

"Then..."

"Daddy, brother is back!" Just as Ye Yu was about to ask, a girl of about fourteen or fifteen entered the room, her hair tied in two braids, her round face beaming with joy.

Seeing the girl's lack of manners, Xu Xuan scolded her, "You naughty girl, you have no decorum! You should learn from your brother!"

"Hmph! I won't learn from my brother, who talks about 'zi hu zhe ye' all day, making my ears calloused!" The girl pouted and muttered in dissatisfaction.

As soon as the girl finished speaking, a young man entered the room and glanced at her, then said irritably, "Father, it's because you and Mother spoil her!"

"Alright, alright, I have a patient here. You two go out first!"

"Hey? Big brother, your boots are so strange..."

The girl looked at Ye Yu's boots with curiosity and even tapped them. The metallic sound made her even more curious.

"Behave yourself!" Xu Xuan pulled the girl aside and apologized, "My daughter is mischievous, please forgive her!"

"Ah, it's fine! Curiosity is a child's nature! Is your son also a candidate for this year's examination?" Ye Yu asked this because he saw the young man carrying a book box.

"Ha ha! Yes, he just returned from the examination!" Xu Xuan's face lit up when he spoke of his beloved son, making Ye Yu feel a sense of pride.

Meng Tong had been silent, but when the topic of the examination came up, the extremely confident Meng Tong found something to talk about. He bowed and said, "We are also candidates for the examination!"

"Oh? I am Xu Shilin, from Hangzhou. May I ask for your honorable names?"

"I am Meng Tong from Chuzhou!"

"Then this one..." Xu Shilin looked at Ye Yu, unsure if he was a candidate.

Ye Yu smiled and bowed, "I am Ye Yu from Chuzhou! I am also a candidate for this year's examination, but I came here for medical help due to my illness."

"Brother Meng and Brother Ye, I am sorry for my lack of discernment!"

Xu Shilin knew his earlier words might have offended them, so he apologized humbly.

"Ye Yu is used to it!" Ye Yu laughed heartily, easing the tension in the room.

At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the room, and Shu Tongcheng appeared, crouching down and asking with concern, "Brother, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a bit exhausted."

The girl pouted and wrinkled her nose, "Shameless, this young man is younger than you, yet you call him brother..."

"What's it to you?" Shu Tongcheng's cold voice made the girl tremble.

Ye Yu frowned and scolded, "Tongcheng, she's just a child, why are you so harsh?"

"I'm sorry, I spoke out of concern."

Seeing the Xu family's astonished expressions, Ye Yu felt guilty and said, "I apologize, Doctor Xu. My brother is a bit rough. He was worried about me and startled your daughter. Since I am fine, I will take my leave."

"Old man Xu understands the loyalty of this young man. If Brother Ye has any discomfort, please come back to Baohe Hall for a follow-up visit."

As Ye Yu left Baohe Hall in a wheelchair, he was stopped by Doctor Xu's daughter. Turning around, he saw the chubby-cheeked girl and smiled, "What do you need?"

"I'm not a child, I have a name, Xu Shishi is my name!"

Hearing her childish words, Ye Yu couldn't help but laugh and asked, "Has your father ever told you that a girl's name should not be given to just anyone?"

"Um... I think he has..." The girl scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Alright, go back! You're not a child anymore, Miss Shishi!"

Ye Yu's mood had been bad, as he had been given a laxative and nearly ruined his future. But seeing this adorable girl, his previous unhappiness dissipated with laughter.

The time after the examination was the most torturous, as the uncertainty of the results made it impossible to feel at ease. However, it was also the most relaxing time, as one could put down all burdens, stop memorizing classics, and no longer worry about failing the examination.

Ye Yu also wanted to take this time to tour the beautiful scenery of Hangzhou. Known as "Heaven on Earth and Hangzhou on Earth," Hangzhou, as the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, was worth a visit. Even if he failed the examination, he would not regret coming to Hangzhou.