Xiaoying gave birth to a grandson for the Liu family, Yanyan's self-gratitude pressure is getting bigger and bigger, and she often burns incense to worship the Bodhisattva on the fifteenth day of the new year, begging to send her son Guanyin, and manifest her spirit as soon as possible, so that she can have a child as soon as possible, and fulfill her wishes.

Fortunately, Anlan is really good to her and cares for her. And the more Anlan treats her, the more guilty she feels.

Mother-in-law Hong Ying is also indispensable for her concern, often asking this and that, and also asking whether her physical condition is normal. I also asked Lang Zhong and said that it was no big deal. I also asked a fortune teller, and I answered that numerology was late. Fortunately, Chenggan has been smart since he was a child, and when he sees her, he calls his aunt.

......

The township test is held once every three years. That is, it is held in the eighth lunar month of the four years of Zi, Mao, Wu and You.

At that time, in August 1885, the township test was held in Hangzhou as scheduled. Each of the three exams in the township examination takes three days. Every year in August in Hangzhou, it is the "autumn tiger" season, mosquitoes are raging, and the climate is extremely hot and sultry. Early in the morning, accompanied by An Lan and An Jiang at the same time to take the exam, Hugen waited outside the gate of the Gongyuan early, first placed the bamboo empty examination basket outside the gate of the Gongyuan, and waited until the dragon gate opened, Hugen immediately rushed into the courtyard, and put the examination basket on the desk of the house with slightly better ventilation and ventilation, and this number was also taken for himself.

The lofts are like rows of pigeon cages, each loft is 6 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 3 feet wide. Three sides are solid walls, and one side is open for the invigilator to supervise. For three days, the candidates' eating, drinking, and Lazar were all inside. It's not much better than kicking in jail.

The number houses of Anlan and Anjiang are only one number apart.

The exam was not difficult for An Lan and An Jiang, and the invigilator also stayed in front of them from time to time, watching them answer the questions fluently, the handwriting was neat, and there was always a smile on their faces, thinking that there must be no doubt that these two candidates would be out of trouble. Unlike some candidates, they droop their heads and pass the time by grinding ink.

On the eighth day of the first month, the weather was slightly cool, and everyone knew that they were also clothed. And the heat of tomorrow afternoon, the sun is like a fire, even more than the dog days, and the red stove is placed next to it, and the clothes are folded back, so that the eyes are dizzy, and the breath cannot come out. The dung bucket placed at the end of the alley is steamed by the heat, and the smell is pervasive and suffocating.

The exam has entered the last two days of the third game, that is, the eighth day, as for the previous answers, An Lan and An Jiang are already confident, but there is still more than a day to go, victory is in sight, and the final sprint is just that.

And Liu Anlan obviously felt seriously unwell, covered with white diagnosis under the sweat-soaked clothes, uncomfortable, feeling chest tightness and shortness of breath, pale, and the hand holding the pen was trembling, and suddenly fell on the desk.

The invigilator found that Liu Anlan was lying on the desk and screamed, on the one hand, he comforted the other candidates and did not allow the commotion, and on the other hand, he sent someone to give first aid.

Several guards carried Liu Anlan out of the number house, and Liu Anjiang saw that it was his brother who was in the next room, and without thinking, he didn't care about the items and the exam, and rushed out of the exam.

Liu Anjiang rushed to Liu Anlan's side, saw Liu Anlan's face purple and foaming at the mouth, and saw Lang Zhong pinching his lips, everything was to no avail. Liu Anjiang suddenly felt that the sky was dark, tears burst out of his eyes, and he rushed to Liu Anlan desperately, grabbed An Lan's clothes desperately with both hands, and shouted loudly: Brother, wake up, wake up, you have to persevere, we are only one step away from victory. Brother, don't scare me, we are both coming, you told me to go back alone, how can I deal with my parents when I go back!

Shouting to the heavens and the earth, there is no power to return to the sky. Several guards who maintained the order of the examination room pulled Liu Anjiang away, and then carried Liu Anlan out of the gate of the Tribute Courtyard on a stretcher.

In the August weather, Hangzhou, known as the 'furnace', was hot on the road, Liu Anjiang couldn't care about everything, he was soaked with sweat, stumbled, followed the corpse bearer, and cried bitterly.

In a makeshift simple room, the corpse bearer put Liu Anlan's body down. At this time, someone asked Liu Anjiang: Who is this person?

Liu Anjiang cried and said: "My brother is also."

He also asked, "Are you taking the exam at the same time?"

Yasu: Exactly.

He also asked: There is only one last day left for the exam, so you will give up, don't you feel sorry?

The invigilator Fu also said regretfully: There is still one day before the exam, judging from the completed papers, there is no doubt that you will be able to get out of the exam this time, and you are only one step away from victory, and it is a pity to give up now.

An Jiang cried and said: My brother is already unexpected, and I can't return to my hometown with him, which is the biggest regret in my life. How to talk about giving up the test and regretting it.

Someone else asked, "Do you still have a company?" Please let us know as soon as possible so that the aftermath can be dealt with.

Liu Anjiang only remembered at this time that there was a tiger root, that is, he sent someone to summon him.

As soon as Hugen arrived at the scene, he looked at An Lan's body and Liu Anjiang, who was expressionless, his eyes were dull, and his face was full of tears, he was stunned and cried bitterly.

After a while, Hugen calmed down, and he said to An Jiang with tears in his eyes: I'll come to the post office.

......

Nanxun Liu's family, the two sons have participated in the township test for the eighth day, and the family is worried about it. Some said: Maybe the two brothers will be able to get out of the woods.

Yanyan was also thinking, maybe Anlan would return with honor this time, no matter what, she would have to return home in three days at most. Three days, such a long time, she was calculating hour by hour, looking forward to the joyful scene when her husband and wife met.

At this time, the postman sent an urgent telegram.

Liu Yong opened the telegram and saw that it was written: The eldest young master was sick in the examination room and died, so come to Hangzhou quickly to deal with the aftermath.

Liu Yong was stunned, his heart was like a knife, and tears flowed down.

Seeing this, Hong Ying anxiously asked: What's wrong, what's wrong?

Liu Yong cried and said: An, Anlan is gone.

This time it was repaid, and suddenly the Liu family cried. Neighbors also rushed over.

Hong Ying cried so much that she cried to death, and shouted in shock: "Son, why don't you let your mother exchange with you, let your mother go first, your mother still wants you to retire and send you to the end of your life, why are you irresponsible to leave first."

Several neighbors supported Hong Ying and said, "Madam, you have to take care of your health." Perhaps, there was a mistake in the telegram.

When Yeon-yeon heard the bad news, she immediately fell to the ground in gratitude. The maid Cuihua cried and helped her, and several neighbors put cold towels on her forehead. When she slowly woke up, the neighbor helped her to a chair.

Yanyan wanted to cry without tears, so she insisted on going to the door, and said: My husband is back, we said okay, I will go to the door and wait for him. Suddenly, he sneered and said, "Husband, I will send you to the door when you leave, and now, I am waiting for you at the door, and you have to count when you speak."

The neighbor comforted: Young grandma, you still cry, people will be more comfortable when you cry.

Yanyan cried loudly at this time, and said: You are all lying to me, you are all lying to me. This is not true.

Liu Yong just sat on the chair with his head drooping and sobbing all the time. There are already six gods without a master.

The entire Liu family cried, and it turned into a pot of porridge, and no one paid attention. Or a few older people: Let's calm down first, or discuss the arrangements to go to Hangzhou.

Liu Ling, Wang Baohe, and Song Hongsheng were all present.

Liu Ling said: Let's go to a few men, the weather is hot, and women try not to go.

There are also humanitarians: let the young lady Yanyan go over and be taken care of by her maid Cuihua. After all, they are husband and wife, let them see each other for the last time.

is also a little said: simply, don't go to the young lady, she is already so sad at home, if you meet, the weather is hot, and something happens, how is it good?

In the end, everyone agreed that because the weather was too hot, they would buy a coffin in Hangzhou and bring the coffin back.

Some people proposed that the old man would not let him go, if he went, when he got there, the white-haired man sent the black-haired man, that kind of scene can be imagined, it is better for a few people to sneak away. Come back and reason again.

So, Liu Ling took five or six people and drove two carriages to Hangzhou immediately.