In the days following their marriage, Liao Tingyu and Huang Zilan lived harmoniously, like a fish in water. Their playing and loving interactions filled their days with joy.

Huang Zilan’s gentleness and understanding provided Liao Tingyu with a deep sense of belonging.

Amidst the beautiful garden and elegant company, Liao Tingyu yearned for a rare moment of leisure.

“Tingyu, why are you lost in thought? Come here and eat,” said Huang Zilan, drawing Liao Tingyu’s attention away from the surroundings.

Liao Tingyu plucked a flower and playfully placed it on Huang Zilan’s head, saying, “This flower is not as beautiful as you.”

Huang Zilan blushed at this sudden display of affection, as Liao Tingyu often spoke in such endearing ways.

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Mother Deng observed that her eldest grandson had turned one year old. It was time to prepare for the upcoming banquet; celebrating Liao Tingyu’s wedding, which had made her quite popular.

The preparations must be executed flawlessly this time. The question arose of whether to host the banquet in the village or in the town. Mother Deng preferred the latter option.

Meanwhile, Liao Ming expressed a desire to return to his hometown, not only to name his eldest grandson but also to update the family tree, thus avoiding future trips.

Mother Deng heard his reasoning and realized that the time for their return was drawing near. Back when she was a girl, she had always envied the landowners, and now, she considered investing in more acres of countryside land to rent out.

For her, this investment was her lifeline, more precious than life itself, as it could ensure her family’s survival in challenging times.

Liao Ming shared her sentiments and they sat down to discuss how many acres of land to purchase. However, they were aware that buying the land required a substantial amount of money.

Their family’s current income was just a dozen taels, including what Liao Shi contributed. Although a dozen taels used to be a significant amount in the past, now, they were able to earn that much in just two or three months, which was already a considerable improvement.

Still, Mother Deng was not entirely content. She couldn’t help but remember that Liao Tingyu’s study had generated hundreds of taels on its opening day.

Scholars indeed didn’t feel shy to pour their money out!

What’s more important was, they still owe their second son some money, even though the couple doesn’t seem to mind.

With all the money she had now, she can only afford two acres of dry land and three acres of paddy fields.

Liao Ming wanted to involve his second son to buy land, preferably in larger tracts. Although it’ was true that government positions hold some importance, in his eyes, land could ensure a steady source of food, and their shop could help them ate meat while Liao Tingyu’s official position didn’t have much money for now.

When Liao Tingyu and Huang Zilan delivered goods, they overheard mother Deng’s idea and thought it was a good one. After all, no amount of real estate seemed sufficient.

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While Liao Tingyu held a position in town, its impact was limited, and it seemed he might remain in that post for a long time.

The only practical use of his position was that villagers mentioned there was an official from Liao Village in town whenever someone wanted to get married. Liao Ming even heard this himself, which was quite embarrassing.

In this position, he finally understood why Chief Chen had been eager to assign him the role and was grateful for it. He had little to do throughout the year and could only collect his salary from the court, living a somewhat aimless life, receiving compliments from others.

He had considered obtaining valuable items to present to the court, but acquiring such items was not simple. Additionally, due to the constraints of the times, people were smart yet superstitious, easily influenced by unusual events.

He had heard of a peculiar case, shared by Teacher Li during their conversation.

In the Capital, a playboy from an official family became a respected general, while in a prior dynasty, another playboy, without high status, was considered possessed by a ghost and met a tragic end.

Becoming an official was a way to control people’s opinions and perceptions. People looked at others with a filter, and once someone became an official, there was a natural sense of respect, and wild assumptions were discouraged.

To advance and move up, he needed to take the imperial examination. He had been studying diligently, even taking leave to buy several examination-related books from the county.

Liao Tingyu had realized that the dynamics in this place differed significantly from modern times, where long service and some political achievements could lead to consideration for higher positions. Here, it was less about merit and more about connections and influence.

The upside was that the county magistrate held substantial authority, akin to a local emperor, and had significant influence in the entire county. If he wished to showcase his abilities, he didn’t need a high rank; taking a step forward was often enough.

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Huang Zilan gazed out of the window, comforting his husband who had been lost in thought lately, staring at the tree outside. He patted his shoulder and said, “You’ve been daydreaming more frequently recently. Are you worried about our family’s financial situation? Don’t fret; we still have a substantial amount of money, enough to purchase hundreds of acres of land.”

Liao Tingyu shook his head and embraced his sweet and gentle wife. He said, “I’ve been pondering why there’s such a vast gap between reality and my imagination.”

Huang Zilan looked at Liao Tingyu, his face showing confusion.

Liao Tingyu continued, speaking more to himself, “Consider my village. While we might not be extremely wealthy, we’re not impoverished either. My uncles eat brown rice twice a day and can enjoy some meat occasionally. Life is peaceful and nothing bad happens even in winter. This is an era of peace and prosperity, so logically, I should be content. However, I can’t seem to find satisfaction. I wish that everyone in the village could enjoy life as we do, eat meat when they desire it, not only during festivals or special occasions.”

Huang Zilan replied, “I don’t see anything wrong with that wish. Your village is relatively prosperous.”

“But my role is akin to that of an idle rich person,” Liao Tingyu continued. “I’m not as comfortable as a member of the countryside. I’m uncertain about what I want and what I should do now. I feel that my life is somewhat empty.”@@novelbin@@

He gazed at the tree outside, its blossoms still intact, reflecting a sadness he never thought he’d experience.

Huang Zilan reminded him, “But you are doing good things! Tingyu, aren’t you teaching children to read in town? This is a meaningful job. Those students look up to you, and you’re helping the people in the village. The education you provide is free, and you’ve even lent money to those in need.”

Huang Zilan couldn’t understand why his husband felt as if he were accomplishing nothing. He had gained a high reputation among students and wealthy people, receiving respect and affection wherever he went.

“Zilan, you don’t understand what I’m trying to achieve. You know, I once had grand ambitions, wanting to make significant changes in this backward society using my knowledge. But now, I feel overwhelmed by the vast gap between my dreams and reality. I feel trapped and don’t know how to move forward.”

Liao Tingyu contemplated his past aspirations as a modern person and his desire to make a difference in this world. He wondered if his life had been going too smoothly, leading to these somewhat hypocritical thoughts. He chuckled at himself, recognizing the absurdity of his mindset, and glanced at the locust tree outside the window. The March weather brought a chill, not from the wind, but from the lingering spring cold.

The locust tree was in full bloom, its fragrance filling the air, and the petals drifting in the wind created a breathtaking yet melancholic scene.

Huang Zilan gazed at his husband, who appeared lost in thought and detached. He wasn’t sure how to console him or where to begin.

Him thought to himself, “Maybe my mother-in-law was right; we should consider having a child.”

He gently touched his belly, hoping for some good news. It had been nearly two months since their marriage, and he had yet to become pregnant.

“You’ve been working hard.” He remarked, attempting to bring him back to the present and prevent him from becoming lost in his thoughts.

He suggested, “I noticed the locust flowers are abundant. Why don’t we make some locust flower cakes?”

Huang Zilan wanted to bring him back to reality, lest he got lost in thought and ascended as immortal in the blink of an eye.

Liao Tingyu returned to reality as he observed his wife’s busy figure. He realized he had been dwelling on his own thoughts and couldn’t help but feel a sense of self-disgust, as if he were a delicate and artificial “white lotus.”

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The day before, he had visited the school to discuss his candidacy for next year’s imperial examination with his teacher and the dean. He had made noticeable progress in his studies in recent days.

His teacher believed that he had a strong chance of passing the imperial examination and even aiming for the title of Jinshi. Liao Tingyu approached the examination with a competitive mentality.

However, this year, the court had implemented stricter policies, and it would be difficult to secure a good position due to a lack of vacancies. The dean remarked that while Liao Tingyu had potential, he had shortcomings in poetry, often calling him a “wooden fish lump.”

As opportunities for someone with his qualifications were rare, the dean contacted one of his former favorite students to gather insights on the current trends in the court.

Liao Tingyu was well aware of the formidable nature of the Jinshi examination from his previous studies. He knew that despite his teacher and dean’s reassurances, he faced a daunting challenge with numerous talented candidates.

He relied on the knowledge accumulated over thousands of years, but as an upright and honest gentleman, he was unwilling to steal someone else’s work, even if that person no longer existed in this era.