"Marry Yang Wu? How can we possibly have the face to ask Yang Bingchuan to marry his daughter into our household? Didn't you hear what Miss Ye said? Wei Lin is injured and needs to be more restrained in his sexual affairs. It will be difficult for him to have children in the future. Yang Bingchuan just subtly mentioned to me that he wanted to break off the engagement," Wei Minghui said in a deep voice.

"Isn't this kicking someone when they're down?" Madam Wei immediately objected.

"Add insult to injury? If you had a daughter, would you be willing to marry her off to a good-for-nothing who has been drained dry by a monster and live a life of widowhood?" Wei Minghui said with a cold snort: "I have already agreed. As for Wei Lin's marriage... if he really is a good-for-nothing, he shouldn't get married, so as not to delay the girl's life."

When his son was in critical condition, Wei Minghui was very worried and afraid of losing him.

He even prayed to God in his heart that he would be willing to shorten his own life by ten years if it meant saving his son's life.

As for now?

That brat has survived, he's not going to die, so he should pay the price for what he did.

If he were truly a useless man who couldn't have sex, why would he marry a wife?

I'll be a widower for life!

...

For the next few days, Ye Xianya kept setting up her stall in the west of the city, leaving early and returning late every day, keeping her very busy.

On August 25th, Ye Qingze came out of the examination hall. Just like last time when he was sent to the examination hall, the Ye family came out to pick him up this time.

Mrs. Zhou prepared a large table of delicious food, partly to nourish her son and partly to celebrate his passing the imperial examination in advance.

If Fairy Sprout says it can be successful, then it definitely will be successful.

The whole family firmly believed this.

On August 27th, Ye Xianya and the others left Xiyuan City and headed towards the capital.

As for Ye Qingze, he stayed in Xiyuan City to wait for the results to be released a month later. Accompanying him were his parents and younger brother.

Ye Xianya gave them some silver as travel expenses, so that after the results were announced, the eldest uncle's family could go to the capital to find them.

"Uncle Jiu, after you arrive in the capital, you really won't stay in the house my grandfather prepared for you?"

While resting at the post station, Qi Jiu came to chat with Qi Chengshuo, and Qi Chengshuo brought up the matter.

"No!" Qi Jiu shook his head: "Although the old man pardoned me, he still doesn't like me. If he knew that Uncle Liu was so good to me, providing me with food and lodging, he would implicate your whole family."

Qi Jiu sighed and said, "You are the heir of the Duan Prince's Mansion. My sixth uncle sent you out to protect me because of me. Actually, I have always felt very guilty. If something happens to you, how can I explain it to my sixth uncle? I can't let you suffer because of me. If I lived an ordinary life, no one would treat me like a thorn in their side."

Qi Jiu patted Qi Chengshuo's shoulder as he spoke: "My wife said that after we settle down in the capital, she wants to open a tavern with my eldest and second sisters-in-law. She wants me to be the manager. Do you think... the former prince is now the manager? Won't a lot of people want to come and see it? Our tavern will definitely do very well."

"Of course, we must continue making that lard soap. It's a unique business. Xianya said it's a secret recipe of the Taiyi Sect, and it's not sold outside. Anyway, your Ninth Uncle won't starve to death."

After hearing Qi Jiu's words, Qi Chengshuo felt very uncomfortable. What was the difference between Uncle Jiu and being a gigolo?

Qi Chengshuo was about to say something when he heard Qi Jiu say, "I have been pampered by everyone since I was a child and have never known what sorrow is. It would be good for me to experience the hardships of life. Don't worry, at least my life now is much better than when I was exiled. I still have you all here. If I really can't make it, it's not too late for you to lend a helping hand."

"But..." Qi Jiu still wanted to persuade him.

"It's settled then. I'm your Ninth Uncle. If you don't listen to me, that's disrespecting your elders," Qi Jiu said with a smile.

"Uncle Jiu still has the nerve to say I'm disrespectful to my elders and make him live in that house, but it was my grandfather's idea. Actually... my maternal grandfather also arranged accommodation for Uncle Jiu," Qi Chengshuo said helplessly.

Qi Chengshuo's maternal grandfather was Qi Jiu's maternal uncle.

By calculation, Qi Jiu is both Qi Chengshuo's paternal uncle and his maternal cousin.

When Qi Chengshuo was young, he especially liked to go to Prince Rui's mansion to play with Qi Jiu, because his uncle was very playful and could play with children.

Later, Qi Chengshuo grew up and became more mature. In addition, as the heir to the Duan Prince's Mansion, he had heavy responsibilities. He was busy studying and practicing martial arts every day, and he had less and less time to look for Qi Jiu.

However, the uncle and nephew have always had a very good relationship.

So when Qi Jiu suffered this great calamity, as soon as the emperor relented, Qi Chengshuo rushed to Weiyang County to protect him.

“I never expected that my sixth uncle and eldest maternal uncle would be so unafraid of the emperor’s power and willing to protect me, unlike that old man… who is so ruthless even to his own son.” Qi Jiu said, suddenly clenching his fist: “Cheng Shuo, have you found out… why he killed my eldest brother? And forced my mother to her death?”

Qi Chengshuo shook his head upon hearing this: "My grandfather sent many people to investigate, and they also tested the Emperor several times during his visits to the palace, but they found nothing. On the surface, it seems that the Emperor is dissatisfied because His Highness the Crown Prince has too much prestige in the court, so he set a trap for His Highness the Crown Prince, saying that he was rebelling."

Qi Jiu fell silent after hearing his words, and after a long while, he said, "I know the old man is ruthless, but... if he hadn't relinquished power, my elder brother wouldn't have such high prestige. I really can't tell that his kindness to my elder brother and mother in the past was an act. If he really wanted to act, he wouldn't have needed to act for so many years. I always feel that there must be a reason why the old man did this."

Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that the emperor killed the crown prince and forced the empress to her death.

Qi Jiu hated him intensely, hated that he had caused him to lose his most beloved mother, his most protective older brother, and... his former most beloved father.

"How about... we ask Miss Ye to help us with the divination?" Qi Chengshuo asked tentatively.

Qi Jiu glared at him upon hearing this: "Have you noticed that ever since you met Xianya, you've become increasingly lazy, wanting to rely on her for everything?"

Qi Chengshuo couldn't help but touch his nose. Really? How come he hadn't noticed?

He was just giving Uncle Nine advice; if Uncle Nine didn't want it, so be it.

"This is too complicated. Even Xianya might not be able to figure it out. Besides, she's never met the old man before. It's too troublesome to calculate. If she gets hurt because of this, my wife will scold me," Qi Jiu said in a low voice after looking around.

Qi Chengshuo was speechless when he saw how cautious he was.

Is it really necessary?

But... it's because Uncle Nine rejected their kindness and wants to rely on his wife for a living!

"It's getting late, we should set off." Qi Chengshuo said as he stood up.

Ye Xianya and the others also came out of the post station.

Ye Xianya didn't want to ride in the carriage anymore; she wanted to ride a horse.

This afternoon, she specially asked Qi Chengshuo to "teach" her, and she "learned" it in just 15 minutes. Everyone praised her highly, and even Ye Xianya was a little embarrassed.