Chapter 51 Stepping Up the Pressure

The sharp-eyed waiter spotted Wang Daniun, whose tall and sturdy build gave him an imposing presence, though it was primarily because the eldest brother currently wore an entirely solemn expression.

Hastily stepping forward with enthusiastic hospitality, the waiter guided them to a newly cleared empty table in the corner of the ground floor.

Once they were seated, the waiter nimbly wiped down the table and handed over the menu.

Wang Daniun accepted the red-lettered cardboard stiffly. Fortunately, Wang Ming远 had taught his family members how to read over the past few years; although Wang Daniun's own literacy was quite ordinary, he could barely recognize a few characters.

Emulating the patrons he had observed passing by in the past, he clumsily pointed his large hand across the board:

"Urm... this... braised lamb head! I heard it's good for nourishing the brain! To nourish Sandan's brain!

This... braised pork knuckle!

And this... steamed fish!

Urm... stir-fry a green vegetable as well!"

Everything he ordered consisted of dishes he frequently heard diners request, or items with names that sounded substantial and deeply satisfying.

With his selections made, he pushed the menu toward Li Minglan: "Brother Li, you order too! Don't stand on ceremony!"

Li Minglan hurriedly declined: "Enough, enough, Big Brother, ordering too much will just result in waste."

"No need to be polite, we're all family," Wang Daniun said, looking at Li Minglan with sincere eyes.

Wang Ming远 also chimed in with a smile, persuading him: "Brother Minglan, just pick a couple of dishes. It's my big brother's heartfelt gesture."

Unable to refuse further, Li Minglan took the menu, scanned it quickly, and chose a moderately priced "steamed pork with taro" along with a lighter dish of "mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots."

Wang Daniun was finally satisfied, and turning back to the waiter somewhat awkwardly, he said, "That's everything! Oh, wait!"

As if suddenly remembering something, he added, "Bring us a small pot of... well, whatever kind of wine you sell the most of here!"

The waiter loudly acknowledged the order, jotted down the items, and hurried away.

During the brief interval while waiting for the food, Wang Ming远 and Li Minglan spoke in low voices about what they had witnessed inside the examination hall earlier. Mentioning Zhang Yun's miserable state caused both of them to sigh repeatedly.

Soon enough, the dishes were brought out one after another like a flowing stream.

The glistening, fragrant braised pork knuckle occupied more than half of the table with a trembling heft, and the braised lamb head beside it was hardly less impressive, both radiating an alluring luster. The steamed fish looked exquisitely tender and juicy, the steamed pork with taro was sweet, fragrant, soft, and glutinous, while the mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots appeared crisp and refreshing.

Steaming hot and overflowing with rich aromas, the spread instantly stimulated the appetites of all three men.

Wang Daniun picked up the small flagon of warmed wine provided by the waiter, filled the cup in front of Li Minglan first, and then poured one for himself.

However, keeping firmly in mind the "ironclad rule" he had heard somewhere about alcohol damaging the brain, and determined to safeguard his younger brother's precious intellect, he poured Wang Ming远 a cup of tea instead.

Then, raising his cup toward Li Minglan, he wore a serious expression:

"Brother Li, I toast you! Thank you so much! Bottoms up!"

Although the eldest brother was a man of few words, his speech was concise and heartfelt. With that, he tilted his head back, and the small cup of wine went straight down his throat, causing him to bare his teeth slightly from the burn while wearing an expression of utter satisfaction.

Li Minglan quickly raised his wine cup, visibly moved: "Big Brother speaks too seriously! Ming远 and I were fellow students at the village school, and helping each other out is only natural. It is I who should be toasting you; for Ming远 to have an elder brother like you is his great fortune!"

He too drained his cup in a single gulp.

Wang Daniun chuckled honestly, then refilled his own cup and Li Minglan's.

With a few cups of warm wine in their bellies, the atmosphere grew even warmer and more animated.

No longer restrained, Wang Daniun spoke more freely, constantly serving food into the bowls of both Wang Ming远 and Li Minglan—especially the large pork knuckle, picking out the pieces that were an ideal mix of fat and lean and stewed to tenderness.

"Eat! Eat more! Brother Li, don't stand on ceremony either!"

Wang Ming远 was genuinely hungry, and coupled with the mental relaxation following the conclusion of the exams, his appetite had opened up completely. Accompanied by fluffy white rice, he ate with extraordinary relish.

Although Li Minglan had held back somewhat at first, he gradually let go of his reservations, swept along by the warm enthusiasm of the Wang brothers.

After three rounds of drinks, a rosy flush had crept up Li Minglan's fair face.

Setting down his chopsticks and looking at Wang Ming远, his gaze grew somewhat hazy, laden with deep gratitude: "Ming远, now that I think about it, I truly need to thank you properly."

Wang Ming远 was momentarily startled, swallowing the food in his mouth: "Thank me? What am I being thanked for?"

"Do you remember back when we were at the village school?" Li Minglan's voice carried the tone of reminiscence, as he continued: "My family circumstances were poor, and my mind was slow, especially when it came to mathematics—all those ledgers, interest rates, profits, and losses used to give me a massive headache. If it hadn't been for you..."

He paused, his tone growing even more earnest:

"If it hadn't been for you patiently explaining things to me every single time, breaking them down and chewing through them piece by piece, explaining twice when once wasn't enough, and inventing all those examples to make me understand...

How could I ever have figured those things out?

Later, when I arrived in the prefecture city and managed to establish a foothold at the pawnshop, eventually rising to the position of manager, it was entirely thanks to the foundation in mathematics you helped me build back then!

Otherwise, with just my meager abilities, I would have been squeezed out and driven away long ago!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ming远 smiled with a touch of embarrassment:

"Brother Minglan, you are being far too polite. How long ago was all that? I had almost forgotten.

Besides, among fellow students, asking questions and explaining things to one another isn't that just expected? Whatever success you have achieved today is the result of your own hard work."

He truly had never taken those matters to heart.

Back at the village school, whenever anyone asked for guidance with a sincere attitude—whether it concerned the Confucian classics or mathematics—he would patiently provide answers without ever hoarding his knowledge.

In his view, scholarship was something that progressed only through exchange; keeping secrets and hiding one's insights was utterly pointless.

Li Minglan shook his head vigorously:

"No, Ming远, to you it might have been no more than a flick of the finger, but to me, it was providing fuel in the middle of a snowstorm! I have always remembered that kindness!

Seeing you come out of the prefectural examination today looking so calm and composed, I knew right away that you would certainly succeed!

When you attain greatness in the future, don't forget your old schoolmate!"

Speaking half-jokingly and half-seriously, he raised his wine cup once again.

Listening from the side, Wang Daniun nodded repeatedly and chimed in:

"Brother Li is right! Sandan has been benevolent and righteous since he was a child! Come, let's have another round!" He pulled Li Minglan into clinking glasses yet again.

As the three of them ate and chatted, the atmosphere remained harmonious and enthusiastic.

Exchanging cup after cup, Wang Daniun and Li Minglan quickly emptied the small flagon of wine.

Unsatisfied and wanting more, Wang Daniun was jointly stopped by Wang Ming远 and Li Minglan.

Wang Ming远 wanted to prevent his eldest brother from drinking too much, while Li Minglan felt that they had already enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and any further drinking would genuinely interfere with returning to the pawnshop.

The dishes on the table had also been mostly consumed, particularly the large pork knuckle, which was now reduced to a cleanly licked bone.

Gazing at the empty plates, Wang Daniun let out a satisfied burp, rubbed his belly, and declared: "Magnificent! That was a truly magnificent meal!"

When it came time to settle the bill, the price was indeed substantial, amounting to what Wang Daniun earned after many days of labor at the butcher's shop.

Yet he did not bat an eye when paying, clearing the bill with crisp and decisive efficiency.

Stepping out of the Fulaile Restaurant, the warm evening sun spilled pleasantly over their bodies.

Having eaten and drunk to their hearts' content, compounded by the wave of fatigue following the relaxation after the exams, Wang Ming远 could not help letting out a yawn.

"Sleepy? Let's go, time to go home and get a proper sleep!"

Wrapping an arm around his younger brother's shoulder, Wang Daniun turned to Li Minglan and said:

"Brother Li, thank you for today! Whenever you have free time, come visit us at home again!"

Li Minglan accepted with a smile, bidding farewell to the Wang brothers at the street corner and walking off in the direction of the pawnshop.

Meanwhile, Wang Ming远 and Wang Daniun walked side by side on the path back to the Wutongli courtyard.

As the bustling noise gradually faded into the distance, Wang Daniun looked at his younger brother's slightly tired yet relaxed profile, his heart filled with a steady sense of grounded reassurance and anticipation.

The prefectural examination was finished, and since Sandan said there shouldn't be any major problems, then there truly wouldn't be any major problems!

Next up was simply waiting for the good news of the official posting of the roll!

He could already vividly picture his brother's name hanging high upon the honor roll.

与此同时 (Meanwhile), in Qingshui Village of Yongle Town, at the Wang family ancestral graves.

Sheets of paper ash drifted like black butterflies, spinning and fluttering through the chilly spring wind.

Thick smoke billowed upward, nearly obscuring half of the small hillside.

Wang Jinbao crouched before the graves, holding a long tree branch and cautiously poking at the "small mountain" of paper offerings burning fiercely right before him.

If anyone were to witness this, they would undoubtedly be utterly shocked—which family on earth burns such a massive quantity of items all at once?!

As it turned out, early that morning, Wang Jinbao had rushed to the paper-craft shop in town, buying out every single item of inventory the store possessed.

There were all sorts of spirit money, various paper-crafted artifacts, and even several paper figurines styled like Western-region servant girls.

Crafted with astonishing lifelike detail—high-nosed, deep-eyed, and dressed in brightly colored garments—the shopkeeper had claimed they were selling exceptionally well in the prefecture city lately.

Wang Jinbao had nodded, waved his large hand, and declared: Buy them!

Perhaps there were now Western officials serving down in the netherworld, and he had heard people in town say that over in the Western lands there was some kind of "Heavenly" religion, and its influence was supposedly vast with countless believers!

In any case, he didn't understand it; burning them would at least let his ancestors down below pull a few strings, or failing that, perhaps see if some high-ranking Western official could put in a good word for them!

Adding all of this up cost him a full five taels of silver!

The pair of Western servant girl paper figures alone had cost him two taels, but he gritted his teeth and bought them anyway!

May it prove useful!

That was all he could think. Before the eldest son set off, during their previous round of paper-burning, the two of them had already discussed it thoroughly.

The moment the prefectural examination commenced that day, he would go burn offerings—burn them in abundance!

Wang Jinbao's dark face was dyed a fierce crimson by the firelight, and fine beads of sweat oozed across his forehead, mixing with the drifting paper ash to give him a somewhat disheveled appearance. Yet his gaze remained exceptionally focused, carrying even a trace of piety. As he poked at the fire pile to ensure the spirit money burned thoroughly, he muttered incantations under his breath:

"Ancestors above, Jinbao is sending you wealth and provisions today!

And... and these Western lasses—I hear they are very much in demand down below... I hope the esteemed ancestors will accept this gift accordingly!

If there really are high officials from the West down there, or managers of that 'Heavenly' religion or whatever it is, I hope you elders will socialize a bit, send some gifts, and pull some strings..."

He paused, lowering his voice slightly with utmost earnestness:

"...I ask for only one thing! Bless our family's Sandan so that his examinations in Chang'an Prefecture go smoothly and successfully!

Make the essays he writes match the examiners' tastes word for word!

Make the calligraphy he writes even more beautiful than printed text!

Make him... make sure he passes that preliminary licentiate exam!

Ancestors, you must exert some real effort down below!

Once Sandan brings honor to us, our old Wang family will truly raise our status and transform our lineage!

When that time comes, we will burn grand mansions for you every single year, burn true gold and silver!

We'll burn... we'll burn a dozen Western lasses if you want!"

A gust of wind swept past, whipping up a greater cloud of paper ash that struck Wang Jinbao full in the face.

Unbothered, he wiped his face casually and continued tending to the burning spirit money with absolute concentration.

Everything that could be done had been done; for the rest, they would have to rely on the "networking abilities" of their ancestors in the netherworld.

He gazed off in the direction of Chang'an City, his eyes brimming with eager expectation.

Just then, a villager carrying a hoe happened to walk past and finally spotted the roaring fire alongside Wang Jinbao standing right beside it.

Instantly, the villager shouted in utter shock:

"Brother Jinbao, what on earth are you doing?! Did something happen that you couldn't get over?! Why on earth are you setting your family's ancestral graves on fire?!"