Chapter 197: The Imperial Examination is approaching, Qi Heng and Ming Lan's feelings

The debate that took place in the academy was later reported by Changbai to Sheng Hong in person.

"What Wenyuan said makes some sense."

Sheng Hong nodded slowly and said:
"As the saying goes, if a man does not work for himself, he will be punished by heaven and earth. No matter what the matter is, as long as we really talk about it, we should stand on our own standpoint."

As for Yang Wenyuan’s previous remarks, Sheng Hong also listened to them.

But he didn't think there was anything wrong with Yang Wenyuan.

After all, he is a young man from a noble family and the only son in the family, so it is understandable that he uses some radical language.

Sheng Hong did not force others to be as open-minded as himself, and did not attach so much importance to the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children.

And to be honest, Sheng Hong was still somewhat happy.

His eldest daughter Hualan is Yang Wenyuan's principal wife. According to Yang Wenyuan's current attitude, no matter whether he takes a concubine in the future or not, his first grandson will be the definite heir to the title of Marquis of Pingyang.

How can I not be happy about this?
However, Sheng Hong's attention was not only on Yang Wenyuan. Changbai also emphasized Minglan's views to him.

"Why not be a loyal subject and argue pointlessly? Is this really what Minglan said?"

Sheng Hong looked thoughtful and said:

"This child has extraordinary insight. When did she understand this?"

Changbai still had blessings for Minglan and Qi Heng in his heart, so he specifically mentioned this to Sheng Hong, so that if Qi Heng could really succeed in the future, Sheng Hong would not be too surprised.

"Sixth sister was raised by our grandmother since she was a child. She has always had plans in her mind, but she just never said them out loud." Changbai replied.

"Haha, it seems that it is better to keep it with your grandmother."

As Sheng Hong said this, he felt sorry for Molan in his heart.

At the beginning, I had seen the benefits of sending her to Shou'an Hall, and I wanted to let Molan go with him no matter what. But who would have thought that Molan herself refused.

"I don't know if this kid regrets it now..."

Sheng Hong thought to himself:
"But it's good like this now. Mo'er grew up with her biological mother and lived a happy life. Now she is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and looks like a lady from a noble family."

……

Pingyang Houfu.

As the Spring Examination drew closer, Yang Wenyuan himself didn't think it was a big deal. Instead, Hualan seemed more nervous than Yang Wenyuan himself.

I don’t know if it was because of Wang Ruofu’s advice, but Hualan has actually started burning incense at home in recent days.

Fortunately, she did not invite various gods like Wang Ruofu did, but only placed a statue of Zi Tong at home.

Seeing Hualan acting like this, Yang Wenyuan didn't know how to persuade her.

This is always a kind of psychological comfort, which is much better than worrying in your heart.

In the blink of an eye, it is March.

The spring examination was on the ninth day of March, and the day of the imperial examination would come ten days later. The whole city of Bianjing seemed to become busy all of a sudden. Candidates from all over the Great Zhou came to the capital, and almost every inn was full.

Taking into account the fact that the Great Zhou Dynasty was conducting imperial examinations, if one threw a stone into the street at that time, there was a high probability that one would really hit a juren.

As the imperial examination drew closer and the number of candidates increased, there was a sense of impending storm in the air.

However, despite the tight time, Yang Wenyuan still came to Jiying Lane for classes as usual.

There aren't many people along the way.

Although the level from Pingyang Marquis Mansion to Jiying Lane is lower, Jiying Lane is still a market town where dignitaries live in large numbers. Most of those who have just come to Beijing for the exams are poor scholars, so they naturally would not come here.

Soon the carriage arrived at the gate of Sheng Mansion.

Yang Wenyuan got out of the car, then reached out to help Hua Lan, who was wearing a light orange cloak, get down.

Hualan had not been coming during this period of time.

But ever since Wang Ruofu got her addicted to burning incense, the mother and daughter suddenly developed a common hobby and always got together to discuss their experiences in burning incense and praying to spirits.

This is not enough.

Today, Hualan and Wang Ruofu made an appointment to go to Yuqing Temple together early in the morning to draw lots and pray for blessings.

The Sheng family had been visiting Yuqing Temple frequently over the years since they came to Bian Jing, and the Yang family had always been the wealthy owners of famous temples and Taoist temples outside the city, so the two of them were very familiar with the route this time.

The result will surely be satisfactory if Yuqing Temple does not want to lose two kind families at the same time.

A day of reading passed quickly.

Before leaving in the afternoon, Yang Wenyuan went to Shou'an Hall to pick up Hualan and go home together.

As soon as the couple walked out of the door, Minglan quietly led them aside.

Seeing this, Hua Lan asked:

"Sixth sister, is there something wrong?"

"Ok!"

Minglan hummed softly, then took out a pair of fur knee pads from behind her:
"Big sister, brother-in-law, I thought that my brother-in-law would have to wear thin clothes during the scientific expedition, but it was a cold spring day, and he might get cold if he stayed up late at night to write, so I made a pair of knee pads."

"Master Zhuang said that the school will be closed after today, so he rushed to send it here."

"Thank you for your hard work, Sixth Sister!"

Hualan took the kneepad from Minglan with a look of satisfaction, and after taking a look at it, she immediately praised:

"Sixth sister is really clever and skillful. This knee pad is much better than mine."

"Ah? Big sister, you embroidered it too?"

Minglan let out a sound of surprise, but then immediately understood. Since she could think of it, then her elder sister must be able to think of it as well.

"It's a waste of time."

“I’ve just started embroidering!”

Hua Lan had actually already embroidered the kneepad for Yang Wenyuan, but she still said:
"Luckily, I have you, my sixth sister. With your knee pads, I don't have to worry about it anymore."

Yang Wenyuan also thanked him:

"Thank you, Sixth Sister!"

“Nothing…Nothing!”

Minglan waved her hands shyly, and said rather embarrassedly:

"This kneepad is not a valuable item, so I don't deserve a thank you. If I have to thank someone, I should thank my elder sister and brother-in-law for taking care of me."

After that, Minglan continued:

"I also embroidered a few pairs for my brothers at home, so I'll send them over now. Big sister, brother-in-law, I'll leave first."

"Ok!"

Watch Minglan leave.

Hua Lan and Yang Wenyuan walked out together, turning the knee pads in their hands over and over again.

"Why, have you figured out anything?" Even after getting on the carriage, Yang Wenyuan saw Hualan still looking at the knee pads and couldn't help but joked.

"What do you know?"

Hua Lan immediately glanced at Yang Wenyuan and said:

"I think this kneepad is embroidered really well. The more I look at it, the better it looks. Why don't I replace my old one with it when I get home?"

Yang Wenyuan knows women’s little thoughts. Even if they say nice things, if you really agree, you will definitely not be happy in your heart.

So I just changed the subject:

"So what you said just now was just to please Minglan? You just realize the goodness of it now, right?"

"I just took a quick look and couldn't even see the threads. What can I see?" Hua Lan retorted unhappily.

"We can't let Sixth Sister's kindness go in vain, right?"

As Hua Lan spoke, her mouth began to sour:
"Sixth sister has never sent me anything, so I'm giving it to you first."

"Hey, this is not just mine, your brothers have it too." Yang Wenyuan said quickly.

"I didn't say anything!" Hua Lan glared at Yang Wenyuan.

"But Sixth Sister did send gifts, and Rulan also saw you today, but she didn't even say a word of congratulations." Hualan started to find fault again.

Yang Wenyuan suddenly felt a headache.

Hualan has been like this these past few days, always finding faults and becoming more talkative.

If Yang Wenyuan didn't know Hualan's physical condition very well, he would have thought that Hualan's menopause had come early.

This is clearly a case of "pre-exam syndrome".

But is it you or me who is about to take the exam?
How come you arrived earlier than me before I even noticed it?
Wei Rui Xuan. Wang Ruofu also started to pack up Changbai's things.

In fact, there were still a few days before the Imperial Examination Hall opened, so there was no rush to pack up, but Wang Ruofu just couldn't sit still.

As soon as she stopped, the news about Changbai's scientific expedition began to turn to her mind.

She didn't want to put pressure on Changbai, so Wang Ruofu could only spend her energy on helping Changbai buy things.

"Everyone, please open your eyes! The Imperial Examination Hall does not allow you to bring thick clothes or clothes with interlayers. Bring them to me for inspection before you can put them in."

"And the four treasures of the study are all properly placed."

"The bedding should be thicker. Even though it is spring now, the late spring cold is severe. It is very cold in the Imperial Examination Hall."

Rulan hugged her knees with her hands, her round chin resting on them, and was watching with boredom.

"You haven't been to the Imperial Examination Hall, so how do you know if it's cold?"

"I haven't been there, but I've heard your father talk about it." Wang Ruofu said as she checked the things the maid brought up for her to see.

"Yes, this quilt is thick."

Wang Ruofu said, and sighed:
"When I think about your brother going on a scientific expedition for so many days, he has never been away from me for such a long time. He is going to suffer."

Rulan said impatiently:

"My brother is more thoughtful than our whole family. He has already prepared everything. You don't have to worry about it."

"My brother will do it again when the time comes," Rulan thought to herself.

Rulan doesn't think her brother can completely trust their mother.

"How about that?"

Wang Ruofu immediately replied:
"Your brother is already so exhausted from studying. As a mother, I can't help him with his studies, so I have to help him think things through and prepare everything properly."

Two helpless dimples appeared on Rulan's little face.

At this time, Fang's mother came in.

In his hands he held a pair of knee pads.

"Madam, this is the knee pad that the Sixth Miss just sent. She said she made it herself to protect the second brother from the cold."

"Knee pads?"

Wang Ruofu looked at it and nodded:

"You have really clever hands."

Rulan took it from Wang Ruofu, turned it over and fiddled with it for a few times, then asked Fang Mama:

"So does my brother have this knee pad, or does Linqi Pavilion also have it?"

"They said they had them all, a pair for each person, and my eldest brother-in-law also gave them as gifts."

"Hmm!"

When Rulan heard that Linqi Pavilion also had a pair, she remembered her dislike for Changfeng when they were in the academy. In addition, for the sake of Molan's "face", she immediately lost interest in the knee pads in her hand.

Wrinkled her nose:
"I don't want to offend anyone, I try to be a good guy on both sides."

Apparently Rulan also remembered what happened between Minglan and Xini that day at the school.

'It fits Minglan's style.'

Wang Ruofu frowned slightly and took the kneepad from Rulan:
"Your own brother is in the examination hall, and you do nothing but make sarcastic remarks. Look at Minglan, she is very thoughtful in what she says and does, and she even considers your elder sister and brother-in-law. If you can learn even a little bit from her, I'm afraid I can drink a few more pots of wine happily."

"Can I do the same?"

Rulan said indignantly:
"I am the legitimate daughter, and my brother-in-law is the Marquis of Pingyang, so I won't have to worry about getting married in the future."

Wang Ruofu agreed with this statement very much.

What she was most worried about before was Rulan's marriage. After all, no one knew who Rulan inherited her confusing temper from. She had to choose her future husband's family carefully, otherwise it would be difficult for her to live with him.

But now that Rulan has Hualan, her biological sister, things are different.

The identity of the younger sister of the wife of Marquis Pingyang.

In the future, she would be able to become the brother-in-law of Marquis Pingyang, which would allow Rulan to choose carefully.

But when Wang Ruofu heard Rulan talking about the legitimate daughter again, she immediately scolded her:
"Shut up! I've already told you that your father can't stand hearing this, why are you still saying it?"

"Father is not here..." Rulan argued in a low voice.

"That won't work! What if I say it out of turn?"

Wang Ruofu herself was a bloody lesson. In the past few years, she had always been accustomed to talking about legitimate and illegitimate children, which often made Sheng Hong unhappy.

"Just know it in your heart, there's no need to tell anyone."

"Oh."

Linqi Pavilion.

Lin Qinshuang was also preparing things for Changfeng.

The knee pads sent by Minglan were also delivered by Xueniang.

"What is it? Send it here too?"

When Lin Qinshuang heard that it was a knee pad, she didn't even want to look at it.

Chang Feng stepped forward, took it and took a look.

But seeing that it was not some precious fur, but just ordinary thick velvet, he immediately threw it into Molan's arms with disgust and said:

"If I wear this crap outside, I'm afraid people will laugh at me. Besides, it's not that cold in the Imperial Examination Hall."

Molan only glanced at it and handed it back to Xueniang:

"This sixth sister is better than the one from Wei Ruixuan, but she still looks poor and stingy. She actually gave me something so shabby."

Lin Qinshuang smiled at Changfeng and said:

"Feng'er, you have to fight for your mother. As long as you pass the imperial examination this time, the three of us won't have to be afraid of Wang Ruofu anymore."

"Don't worry, mother!"

Chang Feng assured confidently:

"Mr. Zhuang said that at my age, I can write such an article and write with such power, which even many elderly scholars cannot compare with."

"Besides, even if I fail the exam, I have made friends with so many children from wealthy families, so I don't have to worry about having no future."

Two days later.

The imperial examination is approaching.

Qi Heng sent Buwei a gift, but gave one to a student who was studying in the same school.

In Minglan's room in Shou'an Hall.

Danju walked in with a gift box from Buwei.

"Miss, this is a thank-you gift from the young master. He said he was grateful for your kindness in studying in the academy for so many years, so he specially gave gifts to the young men and women in each room."

"Buwei just whispered to me that there is a purple-hair brush in here that the young master bought specially. He said it is a different style from the previous ones."

Upon hearing this, Minglan opened the gift box, took out a sandalwood purple-hair brush and looked at it.

After thinking for a moment, he said to Xiaotao and Danju:
"There are too many of these things. I don't need many. I will only pick two from them. Let Buwei take the rest back."

"This..." Xiao Tao hesitated.

After all, these things were delivered to my door, so how could I just take some of them and return the rest?

"I'll pick out one or two first. Please help me thank you for making the trip."

"Then let's wait for you to finish choosing, young lady." Xiao Tao said bluntly.

Minglan's expression was stunned for a moment.

At this moment, Danju suddenly smiled, stood up while Minglan looked a little embarrassed, and walked out pulling Xiaotao, who was confused.

"The girl wants to choose carefully, Xiaotao, let's go and tell her first, so that she won't run away."

After Xiaotao and Danju left, Minglan quickly stood up and found the knee pads she had hidden.

Standing in front of the gift box again, Minglan was a little hesitant, holding the knee pads in her arms.

After a brief ideological struggle, he murmured:

"The young master gave me something, and I gave him something in return. This is just a courtesy, nothing else!"

As she spoke, Minglan hid the knee pads under the gift box.

(End of this chapter)