Chapter 47: Trouble Arises

Moreover, they needed to reserve time for rest and reading once they arrived at their destination, so they had to set off at least half a month to a month in advance.

It was already mid-March, which meant that factoring in travel time, they would arrive just right.

Old Lady Liu gripped a silver ingot tightly, then hardened her heart and placed it in Wang Xuezhou’s palm. "You save... I mean, spend what you need to. Don't be stingy with money when you're far from home. A poor family travels with rich provisions. However, since you're just a child carrying this money, don't be too flashy. It wouldn't be good if you were targeted by bad people."

Old Lady Liu had originally wanted to tell him to be thrifty, but the words changed on the tip of her tongue.

Since she was already giving it to him, what was the point of saying things that would make the child feel uneasy while spending it? Old Lady Liu sighed inwardly.

Wang Xuezhou lowered his head and looked at the heavy ten-tael silver ingot in his hand, greatly surprised.

"Go on then. Go early and return soon."

Old Lady Liu waved her hand and quickly turned back into the house, afraid that if she stayed a moment longer, she would regret it and take the money back.

Wang Chengzhi accompanied Wang Xuezhou to the entrance of the school, unloaded the bundle, and brought it into the dormitory. He asked with some worry, "Chundan, do you really not need Father to go with you?"

"Teacher has rented a carriage and is taking us together so we can travel faster. He can also review some material with us during the time before the exams. Our family's ox cart wouldn't keep up, and the journey is so far. All that back-and-forth would be too exhausting! I can take care of myself."

"Then you must take care of your health and make sure you don't get sick, you hear?"

"I know!"

Waving goodbye to his father at the school entrance, Wang Xuezhou saw Qi Xian and a thin, frail middle-aged man covered in patches walking toward them, stopping some distance from the school gate.

No matter how Qi Xian tried to pull him forward, the man refused to take another step. He simply fished out a small fragment of silver from his robes, shoved it into Qi Xian's hand, muttered a few instructions, and hurried away.

"Pardon me for making a fool of myself. That is my father." Qi Xian's eyes were slightly red.

Wang Xuezhou patted him casually. "My father just left too."

Before long, the few of them had gathered. Lü Dasheng tearfully hugged the pillar at the school entrance and wailed, "Heaven is unfair! Out of the six of us who were doing just fine, I'm the only one who failed the preliminary exam, leaving me here to watch enviously as you all go off to have fun in the prefecture city..."

Wang Xuezhou frantically signaled to him with his eyes, but Lü Dasheng misunderstood his intention. Extending a hand toward him with dramatic emotion, he declared, "Good brother, do not forget me! I shall await your triumphant return right here at home~~"

"Lü Dasheng!"

Master Zhou's voice came from behind. Lü Dasheng instantly let go of the pillar, stood up straight, and said with a solemn expression, "You must all listen to Master Zhou's instructions along the way. I wish you a safe journey and top honors on the imperial examinations."

Master Zhou walked past him and boarded the carriage. Wang Xuezhou cast a look that meant "may fortune favor your survival," and followed him up.

Watching the carriage start to move, Lü Dasheng waved goodbye. Master Zhou lifted the carriage curtain and said, "Add thirty large-character calligraphy sheets and four essays on classical exegesis. I will inspect them when I return."

Lü Dasheng's hand froze in mid-air, and he stood rooted to the spot.

"No! Master, please listen to me! That's too many! It really is too many..."

Lü Dasheng's breakdown was beyond the comprehension of the others.

Driver Wu drove the carriage steadily all the way toward Huaiqing Prefecture.

This carriage was rented from someone who specialized in passenger transport. It was spacious and had plenty of room, but since there were quite a few people, it still felt somewhat crowded once everyone was inside.

For all of them, this was their first time traveling far from home, and their inner excitement went without saying. Even with Master Zhou sitting right there, they could not suppress their bubbling enthusiasm, and their minds had already flown beyond the highest clouds.

Zhou Mingli had originally intended to give them lessons, but seeing their state, he simply gave up. "We will rest for today. No lessons."

A look of delighted surprise crossed their faces.

Wang Xuezhou lifted the curtain to look outside.

Beyond the window, mountains rose and fell in undulating waves. The official road was not wide, but the ground was fairly even, making the ride reasonably smooth.

Towering trees were visible everywhere along both sides of the road, their branches tipped with the faintest traces of green.

Master Zhou was a very interesting man. His humorous and witty accounts of his past travels made the journey feel far from boring.

Aside from stops to answer nature's call and eat meals, they drove almost without pause the entire way.

The further they went, the sparser the population became. Master Zhou and Wu Huai had been to the prefecture city before, and drawing on their ample experience, they managed to find a dilapidated temple just before nightfall.

The statue of Guanyin enshrined inside the ruined temple was already battered and weather-worn. A massive hole in the roof allowed stray shafts of moonlight to filter through, and thick cobwebs hung from the eaves like threads of silk.

Since they were all young men, they weren't particularly fussy. They pitched in to sweep the place up a bit, while Wu Huai got a fire going and used a few branches to prop up cold, leftover flatbreads to toast them over the flames.

Catching the aroma of the warming bread, everyone's stomachs began to rumble loudly, and their mouths watered continuously.

Wang Xuezhou took out a jar of pickled vegetables his elder sister had prepared from his bundle and handed it over. "Master, eat this with the flatbread."

While they were busy sharing the pickled vegetables, two more carriages arrived outside. Soon, several pages and guards escorted a plump, sparsely haired man into the temple.

He swept his gaze across the ruined temple, his expression displeased as he spoke, "Is this the only kind of place you could find to lodge for the day?"

The page beside him chimed in with an ingratiating, flattering tone, "My lord was anxious to get home, so we pushed our pace a bit and accidentally missed the proper lodging station. There's nothing for it; we can only ask my lord to endure a night here."

With that, his eyes scanned the room, and he lifted a shortened sacrificial table off its dais, wiped the dust off its surface with his own sleeve, and respectfully helped his master sit down.

The master looked at the darkened sky outside, accepted the arrangement with reluctant resignation, though his expression remained dark.

Seeing him seated, the page hurried to offer a few comforting words before ordering the servants to unload the baggage, feed the horses, and build a fire to cook.

Master Zhou and the others watched quietly as they chewed on their dry flatbreads.

The gentleman glanced at them a few times, and upon taking in their simple attire, he seemed to feel somewhat better about his own accommodations.

"This humble person is Steward Bai of Huaiqing Prefecture, just returning from afar. Might you gentlemen be heading to Huaiqing Prefecture for the examinations?"

Steward Bai could not help asking.

This road was the only route to Huaiqing Prefecture, and with a moment's thought, Steward Bai guessed their purpose.

Master Zhou nodded slightly. "We are from Baishan County, and we are indeed heading to Huaiqing Prefecture."

Steward Bai's attitude instantly grew much warmer. He glanced at Wang Xuezhou and the others, smiling in praise, "Young talents indeed! My young son is also an exam candidate this year. Meeting one another is a stroke of fate. I see the fare you are eating is rather meager; why not join us for a meal shortly?"

Steward Bai even traveled with his own cook and complete cooking utensils. Within the span of a short while, the entire ruined temple was filled with the rich, enticing aroma of cooked food.

"Many thanks for your kind offer, but we have already eaten and wouldn't want to waste anything."

Seeing their refusal, Steward Bai did not press the matter further. After a few more polite exchanges, dinner was served on his side.

Wang Xuezhou quietly took a few deep breaths, savoring the scent of the delicious food as he bit into his plain flatbread.

Everyone was exhausted from a full day of travel. After finishing their bread, Master Zhou instructed them to rest early.

Wang Xuezhou wasn't tired yet. He picked up the copy of the *Commentary on the Laws of Qian* that Master Zhou had given them and began to read.

Time ticked by second by second. Suddenly, the horses outside grew restless, their hooves stamping against the ground. The sound of them snorting through their nostrils jerked Wang Xuezhou wide awake.

He sensed something was amiss. Was there movement outside?

He picked up a torch, stood up, and walked to the entrance of the ruined temple to take a look.

Every hair on his body instantly stood on end:

"Get up quickly!!!"

At his urgent cry, everyone else jolted awake.

Wu Huai reacted the fastest, flipping up into a sitting position as his hand instinctively reached into his tunic. "What is it?"

"Wolves! There are so many wolves!"

Outside the ruined temple, pairs of glowing green gems flickered relentlessly in the dark.