The Marquis' Wife
Sheng-shih Testing

Sheng-shih's exam is more complex than previous tests. They are required to answer in a high literary language as well as create their own poetry from the given theme.

Sheng-shih exams are held in the summer of mid-August, where summer is almost at its peak.

It causes the air to evaporate and makes the unpleasant smell of the toilet is at its peak. The scholar who got the unlucky number was really unlucky for not being able to concentrate on answering the question due to the pungent smell until he finally gave up.

Especially at night when scholars open shoes and add smells that already exist.

"Who has that fish-like sock smell?"

"Damn! It smells so stinging. Do you want to kill me with the smell of your socks?! You are not satisfied with the pungent smell of the toilet!!"

Various swearing and curses were thrown at the owner of the smell of the socks.

Finally some participants gave up because of the loss of memorization they had prepared beforehand due to the unreasonable smell.

"Don't think that I'll fail alone".

The scholar silently tore the paper of the other examinee who was beside him when the participant went to the bathroom.

Perhaps that is the gate opening cunning, the action of the scholar was exemplified by other scholars who felt that they failed the test because they could not answer the question and or could not concentrate due to the pungent smell.

One by one the participants who failed to thwart the other participants who made the difficulty level in the exam increased by several degrees. A participant must not only concentrate on holding the smell of urine but must also be aware of the circumstances around.

Even at the end of the test there are participants who choose to urinate next to the exam room to make other examinees complain and curse but it is so powerful in fighting people who want to disrupt it.

Chen Xirang and Li Jin walked out of the examination hall in a messy state of untidy hair and tangled clothes made them not look elegant in the slightest, moreover, with the chaotic face of lack of sleep and lack of food, both of them looked like street beggars.

Song Yuan and Zhang Yunlei were even worse off, both of them fainted when they got to the front of the building and yamen officers had to drag them aside because they could not stand the body odor of the two and shouted who the servants of these two scholars were in order to immediately take their bodies.

While the state of Lu Xiang and Wang Tianjin was better than the four of their friends. Although pale and a messy face, but the clothes are still neat enough for people to recognize them.

"Lu Xiang, I almost died!! I'm almost by that disgusting smell". Cheng Xirang hanging himself on Lu Xiang's body made his friend frown in disgust by his body odor yet he didn't care!!.

"Wang Tianjin, please touch me. I can't stand up anymore!!" Li Jin who was sitting on the ground floor stretched out his weak hand.

Wang Tianjin resigned himself and helped his friend to stand up but his gaze focused on the two bodies lying beside the road.

"Song Yuan! Zhang Yunlei's!".

Lu Xiang was also surprised by the sight and unimaged. His two friends were lying on the ground with their arms and legs outstretched.

The two carried Song Yuan and Zhang Yunlei on their backs and asked Cheng Xirang to help Li Jin. Luckily Lu Cai and Lu Xiao were already waiting and immediately took over the sling from Lu Xiang and lifted it onto the horse carriage.

The six unanimous scholars crammed into the horse-drawn carriage and returned to Lu Xiang's house to clean themselves up and check their condition on the healer the servant called.

"I'm home baby~".

Adelia immediately turned her head to hear the voice that always made her miss, she took a quick step and stretched out her hands wanting to hug but Lu Xiang immediately held her back.

"Darling, I haven't had a bath in three days, I'll take a shower in a minute".

"Hahaha, I told you I stink because I haven't had a bath in three days. I'll take a shower for a while or do you want to take a bath with~?" The seductive voice rang out in Adelia's ears making her ears red.

"Hehe no, you're alone".

"Oh yeah. My friend is having lunch here, I told the waiter to prepare the meal". Said Lu Xiang before entering the bathroom.

Adelia nodded.

&&&

Lu Xiang's friend's body slightly improved after cleansing himself and eating the good food prepared by the waiter.

"Ha~ this is the real paradise, the food in your place is always good Lu Xiang". Chen Xirang leaned his back on the chair while stroking his full stomach.

The other four nodded and sipped the wine casually.

"Don't relax first, let's go ahead. The doctor is waiting"

"Ow~ Lu Xiang's. Did I ever say that I love you my friend? You are the best".

"Euh you disgusted me" Lu Xiang's body goosebumps hearing the spoiled tone of his friend.

"Haha, Chen Xirang. Are you too happy not to visit the banmei house until your sexual orientation changes?" Song Yuan laughed and joked but all his friends shuddered in horror at the crisp joke.

"Don't talk nonsense. Ah~ I miss their delicate hands and pretty face. What after this we're going to the banmei house?".

"OK..."

"Never try to think about going there before you finish the exam. Do you want to cry for failing the exam".

Enthusiastic Cheng Xirang was like being doused in cold water hearing the words in the form of prayers and curses.

"No. I don't want to fail" The two answered simultaneously.

They also checked their condition on the healers who came and took supplements so that their bodies remained fit to continue the exam.

The distance between each session of the Sheng-shih exam is two days so that participants have enough time to maximize body condition before re-entry.

Adelia looked at Lu Xiang who was sleeping very soundly and then sighed sadly, the test in ancient times was more draining of mind and energy than in modern times which only took 11 hours.

Although many of the students complained about the very long time but compared to what their ancestors did, the gaoko exam was nothing.

"I am grateful to have lotus well water and to make your condition more stable than other scholars" Bisik Adelia then kissed her husband's closed eyes and spread her body beside Lu Xiang.

Not feeling that he had lived in parallel antiquity for over a year, everything that happened to his life made him learn a lot and what made him most grateful was Lu Xiang's presence, Lu Cheng and Lu Shan as well as their son who was soon to come into the world.

Adelia allowed her posture to be comfortable and not squeeze her stomach and hugged her husband's hand and closed her eyes.