Chapter 72: Chapter 72

Peaceful days always pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, their precious son had reached the day to depart for the capital to take the imperial examinations.

The accompanying parent remained the boy's father. As for lodging, back before the New Year, the Lin family's uncle had already sent someone during the New Year gift deliveries to specially inform them that guest quarters had been prepared in the capital, awaiting their nephew's arrival after the New Year.

The messenger was exceedingly polite, without a trace of the earlier arrogance they'd shown toward merchant families.

The Lin family uncle was now approaching seventy, his official career nearing its end. Were it not for concerns about his descendants, he likely would have petitioned for retirement long ago.

This proved that even official families had their difficulties.

The imperial examinations undoubtedly represented the greatest obstacle looming over them.

The eldest son of the Lin family had only mediocre talent for studies in his youth. Even after struggling into his thirties, he barely managed to pass the provincial exams. Though he later became an official through his maternal family's connections and his own father's influence.

Yet in official circles, even those who passed the palace exams were treated as lesser, let alone provincial graduates - in the vast capital, they amounted to nothing at all!

His career prospects were clearly limited - even after all these years, he remained an insignificant sixth-rank official.

Young provincial graduates might sound easy to produce, but how difficult it truly was! Not just for families with shallow roots like theirs, but even among generations of scholarly families - how many succeeded?

Almost immediately after their little Jing achieved top honors in the provincial exams three years ago, lavish congratulatory gifts had arrived from the capital. Had they not heard the boy already had a teacher, the uncle would have even wanted to bring his grandnephew to the capital for personal tutelage.

Any talk of suppression or exclusion simply didn't exist.

One could only say that in this era, clan cohesion was something later generations could hardly comprehend.

Even generations of scholarly elites couldn't guarantee palace graduates every generation. Having two consecutive generations pass the palace exams was already considered remarkable for a family or clan.

Thus, to prevent their status from declining after their passing, cultivating promising clan members and carefully nurturing bonds of gratitude had become standard practice among official families.

After all, in their view, no matter how excellent a son-in-law might be, he remained an outsider surname - far less reliable than one's own clansmen.

Moreover, the wife of the Lin family head in the capital had specially sent An Ning an invitation, its wording equally polite.

One could only say that even across vast distances, secrets never remained completely hidden.

Lightly pinching the cold-scented letter in her hand, An Ning picked up her brush to politely decline in equally courteous terms.

Having grown lazy in this lifetime, the nearly half-month journey by water to the capital was suffering she simply couldn't be bothered to endure.

After all, her frail health was common knowledge in this life.

On the departure day, compared to Madam Jiang with her tear-drenched handkerchiefs and Master Lin's anxious concern, An Ning as the mother appeared somewhat excessively composed.

She merely offered a few simple reminders - though this didn't prevent the now handsome young scholar Lin Jinghuai from carefully memorizing each point.

After all, over the years, Young Master Lin had witnessed far too much of his dear mother's formidable capabilities.

Truth be told, though constantly surrounded by flattery calling him a once-in-a-century genius and brilliant young scholar, Young Master Lin never took such words to heart, finding them utterly ridiculous!

Compared to his dear mother, what kind of genius was he?

A genius who still couldn't memorize a classical text after two readings?

His father, however, having spent this lifetime accustomed to worry, fretted both over his son's long journey and his delicate wife's health at home.

Before departure, he practically chanted his concerns like scripture, nearly eliciting identical eye-rolls from mother and son.

Not that An Ning was completely unprepared - medicines for health, seasickness, disease prevention, even life-saving remedies were all carefully packed.

With the Lin family's wealth supporting her, An Ning had even specially "relearned" medicine in recent years to care for her "delicate" health - though her rapid progress had left the expensively hired elderly physician questioning his life's work.

But to Lin Jinghuai and the entire Lin family, this seemed completely normal!

After all, his wife (mother) was just that brilliant.

Only after watching her son depart and losing the constant daily chatter did An Ning realize something felt missing. Yet compared to the elderly Lin couple who prayed daily and worried themselves sick, An Ning's maternal life remained exceptionally leisurely.

Reading, writing, daily herb preparations, occasional tea ceremonies and incense blending - amidst the Lin family's overwhelming atmosphere of incense and prayer, An Ning's space stood out like a completely different world.

Then one day months later, heralding officials arrived again.

This time the County Magistrate personally led the group, his attitude obsequious beyond measure, all smiles throughout.

The constant drumming and gonging outside hung the entire Lin household in suspense.

Even An Ning in her room unconsciously set down her brush.

Ushering the Magistrate inside with utmost respect and hastily ordering maids to serve tea, Master Lin unconsciously held his breath.

Sure enough, moments later the Magistrate beamed:

"Congratulations, Brother Lin! This official just received word through official bulletins that several days ago, your grandson achieved top honors! Moreover, during the subsequent palace examination, His Majesty personally ranked him third overall - the Tanhua (Placard) honor!"

Master Lin unconsciously repeated the words in a daze.

The Magistrate eagerly nodded, unable to conceal his envy.

How wonderful - top three honors! Even doing nothing, his future would surpass this Magistrate's own palace graduate status countless times over!

What incredible fortune for the Lin family - their ancestral graves must be smoking with luck! As the Magistrate opened his mouth to offer more congratulations -

The next instant, the previously vigorous old Master Lin suddenly thudded straight from his chair to the floor, fainting dead away before everyone's eyes.