Chapter 952 - 954: Second Brother Schemed Against Before the Exam_1
On the morning the Rural Examination, which occurs once every three years, was set to begin, Lin Ping’er got up early to wake Bai Zepei and Qin Kaichang. Both of them were to attend the examination together that day.
"Zepei, Zepei, wake up." Qin Kaichang had mostly recovered by now and had remembered many things.
"Why do you look so pale? Don’t tell me you’re feeling unwell?" He suddenly showed a look of surprise and his voice involuntarily rose several decibels.
Outside the room, Lin Ping’er got a fright upon hearing this and, without worrying about Qin Kaichang still being inside, she rushed in and grabbed Bai Zepei’s hand, "Zepei, where do you feel unwell? You were fine last night."
"Mother, I’m alright, I just had a stomachache all night, and I still feel a bit dizzy," Bai Zepei’s voice sounded weak and breathless.
Lin Ping’er’s complexion changed dramatically, "I’ll go find a doctor. You have an exam today, it won’t do to be like this."
"Mother, there’s no need, it’s too late, it will delay things. Little sister left me some medicine, I just need to take a bit," Bai Zepei struggled to sit up and took a small bottle from the cabinet. Following the instructions, he took the medicine for stomach and headaches.
Lin Ping’er was extremely worried. Soon, Bai Yihong and Bai Zehao, hearing the commotion, came over, and even Zhang Liliang joined them. Everyone was startled by Bai Zepei’s pallid complexion.
"Apart from eating at home, Zepei, did you eat anything outside yesterday?" Zhang Liliang asked urgently. He sensed the smell of conspiracy. Why else would someone who’s always fine suddenly fall ill on such an important day?
Bai Zepei shook his head, "I haven’t left the house in the last three days, everything I ate was with everyone else."
Lin Ping’er was frantic with worry and called Cui Fan over to ask, then summoned the dark guard to inquire if anyone at home had any suspicion of harming Bai Zepei.
"Madam, we haven’t found anyone suspicious," Cui Fan remarked.
The dark guard added, "Madam, there hasn’t been any strange activity among the servants either."
"Then how could Zepei have a stomachache? Someone must have intentionally harmed him!" Lin Ping’er said indignantly, "If only Ruozhu were here, she would surely be able to cure Zepei. When Ruozhu returns, we’ll have her investigate thoroughly. We must not let those people off the hook lightly!"
Bai Zepei took the medicine, but it didn’t seem to bring any improvement; his complexion grew even worse. Qin Kaichang, by his side, was also incredibly worried and said to Bai Zepei, "Don’t be too nervous, Zepei, or your stomach will feel even worse."
"I won’t," Bai Zepei said flatly, truly unbothered by nerves, but with his current physical condition, he feared he would be unable to perform well.
Time waits for no one. Bai Zepei went to gather his belongings briefly, then went to the main hall to sip a little millet porridge. But before he could finish, he vomited it back up, his face growing a shade paler.
"Kaichang, you go ahead. Don’t let the time slip by," Bai Zepei urged Qin Kaichang.
Qin Kaichang disagreed, "How could I, a friend, leave you behind?"
"Don’t talk like that. I am afraid I won’t be able to do much today. You must perform well on the exam and bring honor to the academy," he said, weakly patting Qin Kaichang on the shoulder, "I can’t go on, and if you don’t go because of me, wouldn’t I be even more to blame?"
"This..." Qin Kaichang was hesitating.
"Yes, Kaichang, this isn’t the time for sentimentalism. Hurry up and go," Bai Yihong urged.
"Yes, hurry up and go, the horse carriage is ready," Bai Zehao pushed him.
Qin Kaichang had no choice but to bid farewell to the Bai Family with concern, he boarded the horse carriage at the entrance, and did not forget to urge Bai Zepei to come if he could.
After Qin Kaichang left, Bai Zepei’s complexion darkened, and he said to Lin Ping’er, "Mother, did Ruozhu hide the medicine she gave you carefully?"
Lin Ping’er was startled; before Ruozhu left, she had openly given Bai Zepei many medicines but also secretly gave her the same amount, with instructions to keep them hidden and let no one know. So she hadn’t even told Bai Yihong, how could the second son know about it?
Thinking this, Lin Ping’er felt utterly confused, but she dared not delay and immediately said, "I hid them well, I’ll go find them for you."
Bai Zepei nodded and followed Lin Ping’er into the Main Hall, where Lin Ping’er searched and moved many things around for a long time before she finally brought out the medicines.
Bai Zepei grabbed several bottles and quickly swallowed their contents.
"Zepei, didn’t you just take some medicine? Could it be that the medicine Ruozhu gave you was ineffective?" Lin Ping’er asked in surprise.
The light in Bai Zepei’s eyes darkened a bit, "Mother, time waits for no one, I’ll explain when I get back."
"Oh, okay, good," Lin Ping’er watched as her second son left through the Main Gate and boarded another horse carriage and left.
Zhang Liliang witnessed all this with a deep frown and mumbled to himself, "I’m afraid a white-eyed wolf has been raised in the family."
...
At the venue for the Rural Examination, when the exam was about to start, Qin Kaichang finally saw Bai Zepei enter, a flash of joy brightened his eyes, and he happily said, "Zepei, it’s good that you’re here; your complexion looks much better, the medicine must have worked."
Bai Zepei stared into his eyes a moment longer yet saw only sincerity and relief. Could he have been mistaken?
As the exam began, the two returned to their seats and dared not engage in further conversation.
Truth be told, Bai Zepei was not feeling very well; he looked in less pain than before, mostly because he had taken stomach medicine, detoxification medicine, and medicine that refreshed the mind. He didn’t know which was most effective, so he simply took several kinds, hoping it would work like a charm.
Soon his stomach pain eased, but his body was starting to feel weak, and his writing hand lacked its usual strength. However, none of these issues seemed significant; he was determined to overcome them.
He had strived for so many years, bearing the disapproval of his fellow villagers to become a Scholar, shouldering the dreams his elder brother once had for study, as well as the burden of protecting the Family. Therefore, no matter what, he could not fall—not now that he felt so much better, and not even if he was in such severe abdominal pain that he was on the brink of death. He couldn’t give up like that!
The Rural Examination lasted two days, and during it, the candidates were not allowed to leave the exam place. Due to his poor health, Bai Zepei’s complexion wasn’t very good-looking. The doctor at the exam place noticed and took the initiative to check his pulse, saying he had a weak stomach and had consumed something unclean.
Bai Zepei managed a bitter smile inwardly. Everyone at home ate the same things and nobody else was ailing. What unclean thing could he possibly have ingested? Moreover, for more than half a month his mother had been exceedingly cautious, not even allowing slightly wilted vegetable leaves to be cooked in their meals, fearing he might get sick. How could there possibly be anything unclean right before the exam when she was personally supervising the Kitchen?
He glanced at the back of Qin Kaichang, sitting in front of him, his lips curving into a wry smile. Maybe he was just being paranoid.
He quickly refocused his mind and concentrated on his examination. After two days, when he exited the exam place, his steps were unsteady, he nearly couldn’t stand. Then hands reached out to support him, and as he turned his head, there was Qin Kaichang, the epitome of a humble gentleman.