What was Duan Youyan's magistrate father-in-law here for?
To help Duan Youyan!
He knew that his son-in-law had spent his first twenty-three years studying medicine and only started preparing for the imperial exams in the last two years. He had never formally learned calligraphy; his hands were ruined from writing medical prescriptions under the guidance of physicians at the clinic, resulting in crooked, messy, and utterly ugly handwriting.
But he did have genuine talent and learning!
How could the mind of a medical scholar not be sharp? If he could memorize books on complex and difficult diseases, how could he not memorize a few small books for the imperial exams?
Moreover, he had read his son-in-law's essays. His approach to deconstructing questions was sharp and incisive. The problem was that he tended to digress while writing, likely because of his twenty-three years in medicine—he would start writing and then veer into medical topics.
However, if he could correct this habit, his essays and answers would certainly not be bad.
The fear was that the chief examiner, upon seeing his handwriting, wouldn't even want to read his essay and would fail him directly.
If he lost due to a lack of genuine talent, he could accept that. But if he lost because of his handwriting...
Thinking about it made Sheng Zhiyuan feel a heartache.
Coincidentally, his Jin'ge (son) came to plead with him. After some thought, he came to the prefectural city to do a favor that costs little.
Although Sheng Zhiyuan was just a lowly magistrate, he was, after all, a Second Class Jinshi in his time, had entered the Hanlin Academy as a proofreader. However, he wasn't interested in organizing documents. Later, when a position opened in the Ministry of Personnel, he requested a transfer there.
Unfortunately, work in the Ministry of Personnel wasn't easy either. He offended a superior by assigning his nephew to a remote area, and was subsequently demoted and assigned to be a magistrate in Changnan.
This was also why Song Yunfan agreed to meet him after glancing at Sheng Zhiyuan's visiting card.
If it were some magistrate who hadn't even entered the Hanlin Academy, coming to visit him outside the examination hall with a visiting card in the middle of the night, he would have considered having them thrown out.
Song Yunfan received Sheng Zhiyuan in the main hall of the examination compound: "Brother Sheng, three years no see. I trust you have been well."
Three years apart, seeing Song Yunfan again, Sheng Zhiyuan felt五味杂陈 (a mix of emotions). Back then, they were both proofreaders in the Hanlin Academy. Now, one was dispatched to be a chief examiner for a prefecture, and the other was demoted to a magistrate. Life truly has its varied states.
"Lord Song." Although a Hanlin proofreader was only Rank 7b, lower than his own Rank 7a magistracy, those from the Hanlin Academy were of清贵 (pure and noble) background. Who knew, they might one day reach the Emperor's ears and rise rapidly. So, Sheng Zhiyuan showed Song Yunfan all due respect.
Song Yunfan avoided his bow: "We are colleagues, Brother Sheng. What is this for? If anyone should bow, it should be me to you."
Sheng Zhiyuan smiled: "Times are different now."
"What difference does it make? It's all the same." Song Yunfan shook his head. Everyone was sitting on the cold bench; there was no need for such formalities. He got straight to the point: "What brings you here today, Brother Sheng?"
Sheng Zhiyuan's old face reddened. He had been upright all his life; this was the first time he was using connections for personal gain, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable: "It's like this. I have a son-in-law, a man from Yong'an Prefecture, who is taking the exams this year..."
Song Yunfan understood immediately and his expression cooled slightly: "Does Brother Sheng want me to show him leniency?"
Sheng Zhiyuan didn't have the face for that. If a chief examiner openly cheated for someone in the imperial exams, it would be a capital offense if discovered.
Moreover, he and Song Yunfan weren't that close—at most acquaintances. Even if his face was big, he couldn't ask someone to do something so taboo. So he shook his head: "Not exactly. My son-in-law is a bit wooden, but he is not entirely without talent."
Hearing this, Song Yunfan's expression improved slightly: "Then why this approach, Brother Sheng?"
"Ah!" Sheng Zhiyuan sighed, quite helplessly. "It's just that, while my son-in-law has talent, his handwriting is truly... unbearable..."
"Knowing you are this year's chief examiner, Lord Song..." Sheng Zhiyuan paused. Not being one to flatter, he offered a small compliment: "Suzhou produces talents. Lord Song has seen countless scholars. Yong'an is a remote place; its essays might not catch your eye, let alone my son-in-law's terrible handwriting."
Then, Sheng Zhiyuan cupped his hands toward Song Yunfan. He wouldn't ask for a favor without offering something: "Coincidentally, in a few months, my mentor will be retiring. I wish to present him with a merit stele to be placed in his hometown. If Lord Song could overlook my son-in-law's ugly handwriting and judge his paper fairly, regardless of the result, I believe this merit stele would be more fitting coming from you, Brother Song."
Sheng Zhiyuan spoke just enough. He had offered the easy favor; whether Song Yunfan would accept it or not, he didn't ask. He promptly took his leave.
He had done all he could for Duan Youyan. If Duan Youyan's essay was truly unpresentable and he failed, then it was his own fault for not studying hard enough!
"Father-in-law." Duan Youyan didn't know Sheng Zhiyuan had come to the prefectural city for him. He thought he was here on business. Seeing him outside the carriage, he bowed respectfully.
Sheng Zhiyuan had helped Duan Youyan, but the sight of this son-in-law made him angry. Especially since this son-in-law became cold and distant upon seeing him and his son Jin'ge, as if their family had wronged him, which made him even less kindly disposed.
"Rise," Sheng Zhiyuan said coldly, glancing at Duan Youyan's fallen expression upon seeing him. "The exams are over. Why aren't you hurrying home to serve your husband, loitering outside for so many days? What? Do you think passing the Xiucai exam means you can shake off your live-in husband status and set up your own household?"
Pei Wangshu and the others were standing behind Duan Youyan. Having what he felt was most shameful and humiliating stated so bluntly in front of his friends, Duan Youyan's face twisted.
He didn't dare imagine what his friends would think of him knowing he was a live-in husband. If Xu Huaqian married into a family due to poor health and necessity, then what about him—a physically sound person from a harmonious family? Why would he do that?
Would they think he was social climbing and bending his will to please others?
The thought of his friends looking at him with that "how could you be like this" expression made Duan Youyan feel like it was hard to breathe.
He didn't dare turn around to see his friends' expressions because he truly couldn't afford to offend his magistrate father-in-law. He could only clench his fists, endure the humiliation, lower his head, and say: "Your son-in-law wouldn't dare."
"I will return home immediately to serve my husband."
"Mm, get in the carriage." For some reason, seeing Duan Youyan uncomfortable made Sheng Zhiyuan feel better.
If his Jin'ge hadn't had his heat flush episode early, and if this physician hadn't diagnosed it, causing Jin'ge to become overcome and kiss him in public, how could he have agreed to let a herbalist become his live-in son-in-law!
Duan Youyan hurriedly said to Pei Wangshu and the others: "I must take my leave." Not daring to see their expressions, he quickly climbed into the carriage and sat in a corner, waiting to attend to Sheng Yunjin.
"Father! Why did you have to say that?!" Sheng Yunjin was utterly stunned that Sheng Zhiyuan would say such things in front of Duan Youyan's classmates. By the time he processed it, it was too late!
"What did I do?!" Sheng Zhiyuan was also exasperated with his son, whoseloyalty always lay outside the family.
If Jin'ge hadn't had his heat flush early, tearing at someone's clothes in front of so many outsiders while not in his right mind! If he hadn't promptly closed the doors and proposed making him a son-in-law, would he, a magistrate, have had to swallow his pride and say he was marrying his son down to him?!
"Ah!" Sheng Yunjin was furious with him! But this was his father; he couldn't yell back! He could only move over to coax his Duan Youyan.
"A-Yan," he said, leaning close to Duan Youyan. "My father is just like this; he always speaks harshly. Please don't be angry with him."
Duan Youyan lowered his eyes: "I wouldn't dare."
Seeing he was still upset, Sheng Yunjin took out a medical book and handed it to him: "A-Yan, look. I asked a friend in the capital to find this new medical book for you. It's not in your collection. Once you pass the imperial exam this time, you can go back to being a physician. This book will surely be useful to you."
"...Thank you." Even with a heart of stone, Duan Youyan was touched seeing his husband eagerly handing him a medical book. He raised both hands to receive it.
Sitting across from them, Sheng Zhiyuan watched his son so spinelessly offering warmth to someone's coldness and said resentfully: "My Jin'ge has nothing but sincere feelings for you. If I were you, I wouldn't stop at being a Xiucai and make him unable to hold his head up among his relatives and friends in the capital!"