Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 1021: Reminder

County Magistrate Zheng did not insist; after slightly reminding Gu Jin’an, he let the matter rest.

He knew that Gu Jin’an was a smart person, and a smart person could not possibly give up a powerful wife’s family.

Being able to marry a daughter from the Zheng Family was truly a blessing for someone like Gu Jin’an, who hailed from a farming family.

However, Gu Jin’an did not feel it was such a fortune; while a powerful wife’s family was rare, he preferred a wife who was compatible with him. Only if the future wife got along well with him could they lead a good life.

To him, mutual respect akin to guest and host was not fitting for a married couple; they should be like Brother Luo Wu and Big Sister, San Lang, and Xiao Yu, where there’s genuine affection in each other’s eyes, making them an actual couple.

County Magistrate Zheng looked at Brother Cheng and said, "Brother Cheng must be hungry after the journey. Go eat something with He Er Lang, and later your elder brother will come to get you."

Though Brother Cheng was young, he was clever. County Magistrate Zheng had implied as much, and he nodded with a smile, "Hmm, Brother Cheng’s stomach is indeed hungry now."

As he spoke, he took Brother Yinsheng’s hand and said, "Brother Yinsheng, you’re familiar with the government office. Take me to eat something."

He Yinseng was no fool; he nodded upon hearing this, responded with an "okay," and led Brother Cheng away.

After they left, only those who were to participate in the Prefecture Examination remained in the room.

County Magistrate Zheng spoke to them about another matter: "The Prefecture Examination is different from the college examination. The capital will send an exam supervisor, and the exam questions will also come from the capital. As for which aspects the questions will cover, no one knows."

At this point, he glanced at Gu Jin’an and the others, asking them a question: "Do you know what it means to be loyal to the ruler? What it means to form cliques for personal gain? And what are your thoughts on the appointment of a successor?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked.

What did the Lord County Magistrate mean? Why would he ask them such questions? Was this something they should hear as students?

County Magistrate Zheng said, "You mustn’t overthink it; just answer honestly."

Gu Jin’an said, "To die for the ruler is to be loyal to him; subjects should be pure-hearted, loyal to the ruler. Those forming cliques for personal gain can be seen as betraying the ruler. Regarding the appointment of a successor, the ruler is the Emperor; what the Emperor bestows belongs to the subjects. If the Emperor does not bestow it, one should fulfill the duties of a subject and child without coveting more."

Such an answer was conventional and could even be considered flattering. However, County Magistrate Zheng, upon hearing it, nodded with satisfaction and told the others, "Remember Gu Jin’an’s words, if..."

County Magistrate Zheng stopped short, not finishing his sentence. If he had, it might have involved the Prefecture Examination questions, which were strictly forbidden to disclose; he could only hint at them in this way.

County Magistrate Zheng had specifically mentioned this because he had received a letter from the capital, learning about the Emperor’s extermination of the Eldest Imperial Prince’s family, sparing not even his own grandsons.

The matter was grave; the Emperor was very concerned, fearing his son would grow up to seize the throne and anxious that the officials below might seek to gain a Dragon’s Contribution by allying with his son to usurp his throne.

Lord Zheng said that, given the Emperor’s temperament, this subject would likely appear in the current examination, and the Emperor’s expected answers were crystal clear.

Qi Kangming and the others hurriedly stood up, saying, "The students thank Lord Magistrate for his guidance."

County Magistrate Zheng, hearing this, nodded with satisfaction, feeling a great weight lifted from his mind, and then he smiled and asked Gu Jin’an, "How many days does your family plan to hold the banquet?"

The people within ten miles and eight villages were all eager to see him, the top scorer of the county, and Village Chief He had long been itching to have his family hold the banquet to bring fame to Da Feng Village.

Gu Jin’an said, "My family doesn’t plan to hold the banquet."

He further explained, "First, I returned late and need to prepare for the Prefecture Examination, leaving no time to fuss over it. Second, I plan to hold it together after passing the Scholar Examination."

Having said that, he looked imploringly at County Magistrate Zheng.

County Magistrate Zheng understood; Gu Jin’an wanted to avoid hassle, so he laughed heartily and said, "Sure, that’s also good."

After exchanging a few more words with Gu Jin’an and the others, he let them leave.

Before they left, he instructed He Jinseng, "Call your grandfather; I want to see him."

...

"What? Jin Sheng, what did you say? The Lord County Magistrate wants to see me?" Village Chief He was so excited his hands were trembling, hardly able to believe the Lord County Magistrate actually wanted to see him personally, "This is incredible, our Da Feng Village is truly fortunate."

County Magistrate Zheng wanting to see him alone was such a great joy that it warranted returning to give thanks to God.

The people from Lianghe Village were shocked upon hearing this and asked Gu Jin’an, "Master top scorer, does the Lord County Magistrate really want to see Village Chief He and not us?"

"Bah, who do you think you are? Also expecting the Lord County Magistrate to meet you in person?" Village Chief He said proudly, "Don’t get in the way, hurry back to your village; this has nothing to do with you, the Lord County Magistrate wants to see me."

Why were the people from Lianghe Village so excited? Wasn’t it their village that produced the county’s top scorer? No, it was Da Feng Village that produced the top scorer!

The people from Lianghe Village, having been told off by Village Chief He for two days, had grown thick-skinned and were no longer bothered by such sharp words, watching Gu Jin’an intently instead.

Gu Jin’an nodded, "Hmm, Brother Jin Sheng is correct, the Lord County Magistrate indeed wants to see Village Chief He."

Village Chief He immediately was overjoyed, saying to the people of Lianghe Village, "You heard that, didn’t you? The Lord County Magistrate wants to see me!"

The people from Lianghe Village were envious; producing a top scorer was different, even allowing the village chief to meet the Lord County Magistrate personally, perhaps even dining with him.

Gu Jin’an said, "Village Chief, you’d better hurry and see the Lord County Magistrate, lest it’s bad to keep him waiting too long."

"Yes, yes, can’t keep the Lord County Magistrate waiting." Village Chief He said, tidying his clothes, and only after a good grooming did he enter the government office to meet the Lord County Magistrate.

Village Chief He thought the Lord County Magistrate would praise him, since their village had raised a top scorer, and as the village chief, wouldn’t he deserve a few words of praise?

But when County Magistrate Zheng met him, he said, "Village Chief He, do you know your mistake?"

Mistake?

Village Chief He was stupefied; what mistake had he made?

Steward Zheng at his side said, "Having the top scorer return home is a good thing, but you beat gongs and drums, blocking the entire street. There were so many people that the mule cart of the top scorer’s family was almost overturned. Had anything happened to the top scorer, what would have been of the Prefecture Examination?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Upon hearing this, Village Chief He was filled with dread, quickly kneeling down, saying, "I realize my mistake, I dare not do it again."

Don’t arrest him; he was just too excited and wanted to inform everyone in the county that the top scorer came from their Da Feng Village; he had no intention to harm Good Brother An.

County Magistrate Zheng only intended to scare Village Chief He, and after seeing Village Chief He’s fear, he said, "Let it not happen again, rise."

Village Chief He, still frightened, stammered, "This commoner thanks the Lord County Magistrate."

After kneeling for a while longer, he was finally helped up by Steward Zheng.