A fierce wife enters the house: She helps up a house full of spineless people.

Li Jingyue walked back to the general's mansion with a proud and steady gait, like a lord.

He had somehow acquired two shiny, collectible walnuts, which he rubbed together in his palms, making a "crackling" sound.

Uncle Fu, the gatekeeper, was sweeping the steps when he looked up and was stunned: "Young master, your leg... is it a stiff neck?"

"Uncle Fu, aren't you narrow-minded?" Li Jingyue raised his chin slightly, unfolded his folding fan, and displayed the demeanor of a romantic scholar. "This young master is now a man with official rank and title."

Uncle Fu's lips twitched, suppressing a laugh as he continued sweeping the floor.

In the main hall, Li Zheng sat in the main seat drinking tea, while Li Jing'an sat beside him wiping his sword. Wei Shuyao sat to the side, clutching a handkerchief, her expression revealing a hint of anxiety.

"Judging by the time, Jingyue should be back from checking the results by now." Wei Shuyao glanced outside the door. "That child, could it be that he didn't pass the exam and is hiding outside, too afraid to come home?"

Li Jing'an snorted coldly, threw down the cloth in his hand, and said irritably, "With his meager knowledge, it would be a miracle if he passed the exam! Dad, don't stop me today, I'm going to give him a good spanking!!"

Li Zheng blew on the tea froth, not even raising his eyelids: "The Li family hasn't produced a single scholar in three generations. You expect him to pass the exam at eleven? Failing is normal. A couple of slaps will teach him a lesson, just don't hurt him."

Just then, a series of rhythmic footsteps came from outside the gate.

The three looked up and saw Li Jingyue swaggering in with an air of indifference.

Seeing his son's smug, defiant look, Li Jing'an's temper flared instantly. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly: "You little brat! You dare to walk with your legs spread wide after failing the test? Who taught you to act like a thug? I'll beat you to a pulp!"

Normally, Li Jingyue would have been terrified and running away by now. But today is different; he holds a "get-out-of-jail-free card"!

Faced with his father's rage, Li Jingyue not only did not dodge, but instead stepped forward, slowly took out a copied red list from his pocket, and walked up to Li Jing'an.

"Dad, don't be so quick to get angry." Li Jingyue's mouth was practically stretched to his ears as he slammed the red notice on the table with a "bang," raised his chin, and said smugly, "Take a look first. If you still want to beat me, your son will get into position so you can have a good beating."

Li Jing'an's wrist jerked. He snatched the red paper and unfolded it: "What are you looking at? Your blank paper? I want to see what kind of utter nonsense you wrote..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Jing'an's gaze drifted to the end of the red paper. There, in tiny, neat characters, were written three words: Li Jingyue.

Li Zheng and Wei Shuyao also curiously came over.

"This...how is this possible?" Li Jing'an rubbed his eyes, looked at it again, and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"He passed! Jing Yue passed!" Wei Shuyao cried tears of joy, hugging her son tightly. "My son, you've truly made your mother proud!"

Li Zheng was also taken aback, then burst into a deafening laugh that nearly made the dust on the roof fall: "Hahahaha! Good! Good lad! You truly are worthy of being my grandson, Li Zheng! You didn't hand in a blank paper, and you actually passed!"

Seeing the family's shocked yet ecstatic expressions, Li Jingyue's vanity was greatly satisfied.

He broke free from Wei Shuyao's embrace, put his hands behind his back, and walked around Li Jing'an, shaking his head and sighing, "Fifth from the bottom. Barely passable. Eleven years old, passed the county exam."

He paused deliberately, looked up at Li Jing'an, and grinned wildly. "Sigh, this county exam, it's nothing special, you can pass it with a casual attempt. Sister Yunshu is right, you can't compare people. Some people easily pass the county exam at eleven; but others have to wait until fifteen to barely get by. Tsk tsk tsk, is this what they call... the student surpassing the master?"

"puff......"

Li Zheng spat out a mouthful of hot tea onto the ground.

Li Jing'an's face visibly flushed a deep purplish-red, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. This little brat, he only ranked fifth from the bottom, and he's already got all high and mighty, daring to make fun of the fact that he only passed the county exam at fifteen!

"Li Jingyue! You little brat, are you asking for a beating?!" Li Jing'an reacted, roared, and rolled up his sleeves, ready to punch someone.

Li Zheng stopped Li Jing'an, slapped his son on the back of the head, and glared at him, yelling, "Jingyue, are you wrong? You took the county exam at fifteen, and I practically had to burn incense to make sure you barely passed! My grandson passed at eleven, he's definitely better than you!"

Li Jing'an rubbed the back of his head, opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time. He looked at the honor roll, then at his son who was so smug he was practically flying high, and swallowed his anger.

Li Zheng looked at Li Jingyue and laughed loudly, "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! My Li family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke! At eleven years old, this is truly a scholarly prodigy!"

Li Jingyue was ecstatic! Yun Shu's move was absolutely brilliant! Using her grades to intimidate her own father felt even better than eating a hundred candied hawthorns!

"Meng An!" Li Zheng waved his hand and roared in a booming voice, "Go to the ancestral hall to offer incense! Tell our ancestors that Jing Yue has passed the county examination! Tonight, the manor will host a grand banquet, and we'll invite our in-laws as well! Everyone in the manor will receive two months' salary!"

As night falls, the area in front of the Zhenguo General's Mansion on Changning Street is bustling with activity. Two stone lions have large red ribbons tied around their necks, and the mansion is brightly lit, with red lanterns hanging all the way from the covered walkway to the back garden.

As soon as Wei Dunqian, the Minister of Personnel, stepped out of his sedan chair, a figure shot out like a cannonball.

"Grandpa!" Li Jingyue held up the copied list of successful candidates in both hands, shoving it in front of Wei Dunqian's eyes, his chin held high. "Look at this! Eleven years old, passed the county examination!"

Wei Dunqian stroked his gray beard, took the red list, glanced at it, and chuckled: "Fifth from the bottom. Jingyue, you've certainly secured your position at the bottom of the list."

"Grandpa, what are you saying?" Li Jingyue unfolded his folding fan, shaking his head. "Grandson is just controlling his score. The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind. Being too high up will easily attract jealousy. Fifth from the bottom is just right, low-key and reserved."

Li Jing'an, who was following behind, felt his forehead veins throbbing as he listened, barely managing to restrain himself from kicking the little brat away.

A mischievous glint flashed in Wei Dunqian's eyes as he slowly put away the red notice: "Now that you've passed the county examination, you can be considered half a scholar. Let your grandfather test you. The Great Learning says, 'Knowing where to stop leads to stability.' What's the next line?"

Li Jingyue's smug expression froze instantly, his folding fan hanging in mid-air. He blinked, his mind a complete blank: "Stabilize...stabilize before...can I eat?"

"Pfft."

A soft laugh came from the side, and Wang Yunshu covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

Wang Yunfan stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Junior Wang Yunfan greets Lord Wei. 'Knowing when to stop leads to stability; stability leads to tranquility; tranquility leads to peace; peace leads to contemplation; contemplation leads to attainment.'"

His voice was warm and his enunciation was clear.

Wei Dunqian's eyes lit up as he sized up the young man in the blue robe before him. The last disciple of the great scholar Yan, he had achieved first place in the county examination at age nine and was a double champion in the prefectural examination at age ten. His entire demeanor exuded composure and restraint, neither arrogant nor servile.

"Good, what a fine saying, 'Only in stillness can one find peace.'" Wei Dunqian stroked his beard in admiration, then turned to look at his grandson with disappointment, "Look at Yunfan! Your meager knowledge is only good enough to show off among a group of warriors."

Li Jingyue, far from being ashamed, was actually proud, hooking his arm around Wang Yunfan's shoulder: "Grandpa, Yunfan is my brother! If my brother is capable, then I'm capable! This is called... being influenced by one's surroundings!"

Li Jing'an finally lost his temper and kicked his son in the backside: "Get inside and take your seat!"