Do you know: I should be fat and you should be thin!

"I'm sure! Look!"

Gu Tingye took out the paper he had written yesterday and handed it to Zhou Ning.

At this moment, the ever-diligent Sheng Changbai arrived. Seeing the two of them discussing together early in the morning, he stepped forward to listen!

Zhou Ning took the paper, glanced at it, and read aloud: "Peach Blossom Hermitage in Peach Blossom Valley, Peach Blossom Immortal in Peach Blossom Hermitage, it really is this poem." After greeting Changbai, he added, "It's not difficult to match the upper and lower stanzas: The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees, and picks peach blossoms to sell for wine money!"

Gu Tingye suddenly understood, praised Zhou Ning, greeted Changbai, and then lay down to catch up on his sleep.

"The poem is excellent, and the supplement is also excellent," Sheng Changbai praised.

Zhou Ning shrugged, not wanting to mention his trip to Guangyuntai, and sat down to study, waiting for Scholar Zhuang to arrive.

Shouantang!

"I called you here early this morning so as not to delay your court attendance. A letter came from our hometown of Youyang; Shulan from the eldest son's family is engaged and will be getting married next month. They'd like us to come back and celebrate together," said Old Madam Sheng.

Sheng Hong said with difficulty, "Mother knows that I am now an official in the capital, unlike when I was in Yangzhou."

Old Madam Sheng said, "It is inconvenient for you to go, but you must send someone."

"Mother is absolutely right. With the imperial examinations just around the corner, Changfeng and Changbai still need to focus on their studies. In my opinion, it would be better if Madam took Mo'er and Ru'er to our eldest brother's house to celebrate," Sheng Hong said.

"If Ru'er goes, that's fine, but what about the little Linxi Pavilion..." Wang Ruofu exploded, but fortunately her trusted confidante, Liu Mama, kept gently pulling her back, preventing her from saying anything unpleasant.

To ask her to bring that little bitch from Linxi Pavilion along would be worse than killing her!

Grandma Sheng said, "My elder sister has been mentioning me in her letters. If I don't go, I'm afraid the eldest branch of the family will have objections. This time, I will lead the group back to offer my congratulations."

She also had her own plans, intending to take this opportunity to place Minglan under Wang Ruofu's name, so that Minglan would also be a legitimate daughter in the future!

"Mother is right. Since Madam doesn't want to take Mo'er with her, then let her stay and study. Only Ru'er and Ming'er will accompany Mother. That's settled!" Sheng Hong said.

Wang Ruofu felt something was off about Sheng Hong's easygoing manner, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. However, considering that she couldn't go to Linxi Pavilion, she readily agreed.

Although Minglan was also born out of wedlock, she was from the old lady's courtyard and was much more likable than Molan!

After leaving Shou'an Hall, Sheng Hong made a special trip to his study before going to court. Seeing Zhou Ning studying as diligently as Changbai Mountain, he was even more satisfied.

"Mo'er, whatever your father chooses for you is always for your own good."

......

As the class drew to a close, Scholar Zhuang finished assigning the homework, fanned himself, and left.

Pear Head, who had been sent to deliver money at noon, returned only now, bringing a letter.

Zhou Ning opened the letter and read that it first stated that a total of 3265 taels of ransom had been received. The rest was entirely heartfelt, expressing her only wish that he not linger among the beauties of Guangyuntai, and that even if he had not yet achieved academic success, she would still be willing to offer herself to him when he was older. The letter ended with her maiden name, no longer the jarring "Wei Hangshou."

"Pengqi, this is a calligraphy piece that my grandfather asked me to give you." Yu Yanran approached and handed over the calligraphy and painting with both hands.

Zhou Ning hurriedly tossed the letter to Li Tou and also took the calligraphy and painting with both hands. When he opened it, he found a couplet: "A bright future rises with the wind, and a thousand kinds of splendor dazzle the eyes!"

It has a great meaning, and it even includes your own handwriting!

"Thank you very much, Sister Yanran, and thank you to Grand Tutor Yu for bestowing the name upon me. If I am ever successful in the imperial examinations, I will definitely come to your door to express my gratitude!" Zhou Ning said gratefully.

Yu Yanran gave a slight bow and left with her maid.

"The pressure is really immense..."

Zhou Ning wasn't ignorant; now he understood everything.

The strange old man who invited me to meet yesterday must be Grand Secretary Yu!

But even though I didn't go yesterday, the Grand Tutor seems more satisfied with me?

"I'm still young, you all really shouldn't be watching me so closely, it's affecting my studies!" Zhou Ning said with a wry smile.

Autumn has passed and spring has come; half a year has gone by in the blink of an eye!

There are less than two weeks left until the imperial examination!

In just six months, Zhou Ning grew half a head taller, now noticeably taller than the women of the Sheng family.

However, compared to Qi Heng, Gu Tingye, and Changbai, he is still half a step behind.

After class that day, Zhou Ning was invited to stay for dinner at the Sheng residence again!

In the past six months, Sheng Hong has been quite close to him, and he would invite him to stay for a meal every ten days or so.

The location is also interesting; nine times out of ten it's Linxi Pavilion!

Zhou Ning ate his rice as usual, praising the Sheng family's dishes and giving Lord Sheng plenty of face.

Seeing that Zhou Ning had remained the same for the past six months, Lin Qinshuang and Mo Lan, out of respect for Sheng Hong, smiled on the surface but looked down on him even more in their hearts.

He's just a poor scholar, not fit for high society!

"Pengqi, the imperial examination is just around the corner. What are your plans for the future?" Sheng Hong asked.

Zhou Ning put down his chopsticks and sighed, "I know very well that Lord Sheng is showing me such favor. But has Lord Sheng considered that Fourth Sister is the most talented of all the sisters? If she were to marry a poor scholar like me, wouldn't she suffer for the rest of her life?"

I've already given you plenty of face, so I'll politely decline!

If it's Rulan, then I really have to consider it. After all, she's a cute girl with no guile, which is quite nice.

From now on, Changbai will still be my brother-in-law. With brothers working together, it will benefit my official career.

But a slut who lost her virginity before marriage actually wants me to take her on?

Who knows if she's sleeping with Liang Liulang now? They seemed to be having a good time chatting at the polo match last month!

Sheng Hong waved his hand and said, "Pengqi, there's no need to belittle yourself. Marriage has always been a matter of parental arrangement and matchmaker's word. Since I'm willing to marry Mo'er to you, it means I think highly of you."

Zhou Ning didn't know how to respond to that, thinking to himself that many people had high hopes for him.

In the past six months, Grand Tutor Yu has met with me three times, and each time he gave me extra tutoring, revealing the questions from the imperial examinations of the past. Isn't it all for his eldest granddaughter, Yu Yanran?

Grandma Sheng was also worried that we would catch a cold before the imperial examination, so she sought out Grandma He and prescribed a wonderful prescription (an ancient version of tonic) for Changbai, Changfeng and me to strengthen our bodies.

The key point is that neither Young Master Qi nor Gu Tingye are present. Isn't that a signal?

Seeing that Zhou Ning remained silent, Sheng Hong assumed he was still considering Mo Lan's wishes, so he turned and asked, "Mo'er, if your father arranges this marriage for you, would you be willing?"

Mo Lan thought to herself, "Of course I don't want to! I finally managed to get on good terms with Liang Liulang of the Earl's Mansion!" But she still said, "I'll leave everything to Father's decision."

"Hey, that's right!" Sheng Hong said smugly.

Zhou Ning was stunned. What the hell?!

"Pengqi, you see Mo'er has no objections, so why don't we settle this marriage now?" Sheng Hong pressed his advantage.

He had inquired with Zhuang Xuejiu yesterday and knew that Changbai, Gu Tingye, and Zhou Ning all had a good chance of passing the palace examination.

Among them, Zhou Ning's article was the most outstanding, followed by Chang Bai's, and then Gu Tingye's.

Lin Qinshuang broke out in a cold sweat, her mind racing with thoughts of not agreeing, absolutely not agreeing!

Even if she was a hundred times unwilling, she wouldn't embarrass Sheng Hong in front of him at this moment.

"Since you have treated me with such sincerity, I have only one request. If you grant it, I will certainly treat Mo Lan well!"

......