Chapter 69: A Joyful Time

“Say yes, hurry and say yes.”
As soon as Shen Shi emerged, she chattered incessantly, urging him to agree.
“Agree to what?”
“To support the dragon! The earthly emperor carries great fortune; with such fortune, cultivation will go much more smoothly.”
Fourteenth Lady was only thinking of Shen Shi’s well-being.
But Shen Shi, smiling, replied, “You’re overthinking it. They’re merely here to make a purchase.”
“What?”
Fourteenth Lady was stunned; this was entirely different from her expectation—why wasn’t it ‘supporting the dragon’?
Shen Shi shook his head, offering no explanation that ‘commerce’ itself is a kind of fortune.
As the imperial edict was delivered, Shen Shi saw a streak of fortune emerge from it, tinged faintly red. At first it took the shape of a chamber pot, indicating this was the fortune of trading chamber pots. Only then did it transform into a small seal, merging into Shen Shi’s own fortune.
Was this the so-called ‘supporting the dragon’? Did people really believe there were none who could ‘observe fortune’? Moreover, ‘supporting the dragon’ refers to aiding someone to ascend the throne when they are not yet emperor, thus earning a reward of fortune. Now that the person is already emperor, what dragon is there left to support?
Shen Shi went straight to find the craftsmen who had received the edict alongside him. As part of the household, they too participated in the ceremony.
Receiving the edict was the greatest benefit for them.
Seeing their excitement and pride confirmed that including them in this honor was indeed the right choice.
After asking about production, Shen Shi wasted no time and immediately went to meet the official from the Yellow Chamber.
“How is it?” The official greeted Shen Shi impatiently.
“It should be sufficient,” Shen Shi replied.
The official did not relax, instead pressing further, “And for the ministers, is there enough?”
“The ministers?”
“Yes, His Majesty wishes to reward the esteemed officials,” the Yellow Chamber official explained.
Rewarding chamber pots?
What an… exceptional prize.
Shen Shi said nothing, simply nodded to accept.
“You truly serve the nation loyally, General. I shall report to His Majesty exactly as you have said.”
Such a grand vessel, a masterpiece a craftsman might never achieve in a lifetime, and Shen Shi agreed without hesitation. The official was naturally very pleased. Eager to return and report, he left without even taking a meal.
Cao Jinhua remained behind for dinner.

The emperor’s decree was a joyous occasion, worthy of a banquet to entertain the neighbors.
“There are vegetables in the garden, but the fish and meat must be purchased.”
But the Shen family truly had little money. They had to calculate carefully how much fish and meat they could afford.
“Mother, there’s no need to be so frugal. We have money.” After sending off the Yellow Chamber official, Shen Shi went down to the cellar to fetch funds.
“Shi’er, how do you have so much money?”
He hadn’t hidden the location of his savings from the family, so when they saw the five thousand strings of cash, they were utterly astonished. They had never seen so much money before.
“Mother, this is only what I earned from firing porcelain. There will be more in the future. Let’s buy the meat first; it’s already midday.”
“Good, good! Buy, buy!”
With money in hand, there was nothing more to say. Soon enough, they returned with a pig, a sheep, a dozen chickens and ducks, and a basin full of fish roe.
First the Western Xia, and then the Liao people had passed through the northern part of Zhejiang, seemingly wreaking havoc, but this was the heartland, endowed with strong powers of recovery. Moreover, Jinhua had abundant waterways; neither the Western Xia nor the Liao had ever managed to cross the river. Jinhua not only avoided the ravages of war, it even flourished.
Basically, with money, anything could be bought.
“My child is truly capable—so much silver, something one could never earn in a lifetime.”
The old lady was especially happy with such a large purchase; her wrinkles smoothed, her face radiant as she exclaimed, “With this silver, we might buy more land, and my grandson will have his own estate and be ready for marriage—oh!”
Joy turns to sorrow!
The fate of the perpetual bachelor—marriage is inescapable.
“No!”
“No!”
Two voices spoke in unison, both women objecting.
One was Shen Shi’s attendant, Fourteenth Lady, and the other was Cao Jinhua.
Their simultaneous refusal startled everyone, including themselves.
“Why not?” The old lady was displeased. She wished for her descendants to flourish and multiply. Had Cao Jinhua not arrived with the Yellow Chamber official, she would have sent her away.
The two women were frightened by their own reactions; they hadn’t thought it through, simply blurted their refusal, not even realizing they would speak up.
If given another chance, they surely would not have voiced their objection. They had neither the standing nor the intention to prevent it. Marriage and childbearing were universal values in ancient times, nothing more natural.
Yet, having refused, they needed a reason. What reason?
Cao Jinhua spoke, “Old Madam, young master Shen is so promising, his future limitless. If he marries now, how can that compare to the glory of marrying after passing the imperial examinations?”

Cao Jinhua was forcing the issue; there was no precedent for avoiding marriage for the sake of the civil service exam. But the old lady was delighted—hearing praise that her grandson would succeed in the exams, she was naturally pleased.
“Good, good! This gentleman is right!”
“Mother, what about this matter?” Shen Shi’s mother asked. She too was happy, but still hoped for grandchildren soon.
“There’s no rush for this. By the way, daughter-in-law, when will you give us another child?”
The old lady let Shen Shi, the bachelor, off the hook, but immediately turned her attention to her daughter-in-law’s belly.
“Mother, it can’t happen so quickly.” Shen Shi’s mother blushed.
Shen Shi’s father… his opinion mattered not at all.
As the saying goes, many hands make light work; the porcelain workers and their wives all came to help. While the pig and sheep were slaughtered, the water was already boiling.
The dishes were soon ready. As everyone took their seats and the feast was about to begin, a yamen runner arrived to announce the county magistrate’s arrival.
The villagers, young and old, naturally went out to welcome him.
Shen Shi and Bao Zheng were friends, but friendship aside, proper etiquette must be observed.
The village headman and elders all attended; Shen Shi, being the only scholar, stood at the front, with the headman and elders just behind.
“Student Shen Shi pays his respects to the county magistrate,” Shen Shi said, bowing.
It was customary—having passed the preliminary exam, he could now call himself ‘student’ and must do so.
“No need for formalities. Your talent is recognized by the emperor himself; I am merely here to offer congratulations.”
Bao Zheng was very courteous; he truly brought gifts.
Yet being recognized by the emperor for making a chamber pot—the more one thought about it, the stranger it sounded!
Of course, Bao Zheng’s visit was not solely for congratulations; it also concerned Shen Shi’s admission to the county school.
This admission was not simply about attending the county school—the most important aspect was the ‘public scholarship’ quota, or ‘stipendiary student’ status.
A stipendiary student was one who received a monthly ration of grain from the court during their studies—much like a modern ‘public scholarship’ student, but far better: not only food and drink were covered, but there was pocket money as well.
Such privileges would ordinarily have nothing to do with Shen Shi, but as the top scorer, it was inevitably his. Even if he were a military man, it would still be his. No one could deny it. After all, he was the first place winner—how could anyone refuse him?