Ling Xun walked up with neither arrogance nor servility and knelt before Emperor Hui's desk.

"Ling Xun, if I gave you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, could you compose an opening poem?"

"Your Majesty, I do not need a single stick of incense."

Xie Zhaozhao glanced at Ling Xun indifferently, listening to him compose a poem in seven steps. The poem depicted a picturesque landscape, grand and magnificent, no less impressive than any of the five peony poems.

Emperor Hui smiled and said, "Since Minister Ling has started, I'll leave the final task to you."

Ling Xun kowtowed to receive the imperial decree.

He composed a poem in seven steps, as if it were something he could do effortlessly, as if it were an everyday occurrence.

Everyone hailed him as a genius.

She knew that Ling Xun was sure to be the top scholar in the spring examination!

Gu Chengyan and Gu Jiaojiao were practically dragged out of the palace by the Imperial Guards.

There were many servants waiting outside the palace, and Guan Yingying was explaining the idea of ​​equality for all beings in civilized times to everyone.

Many people were moved by what she said.

She especially said that in her hometown, monogamy is the norm, everyone is born equal, and no one needs to kneel before even the highest-ranking official.

Everyone greatly envies that utopian world.

Guan Yingying was having a lively conversation with a group of people when she suddenly saw the Imperial Guards throwing Gu Shizi and his sister out. She asked in surprise, "What's going on?"

"You wicked, despicable..."

As soon as Gu Jiaojiao saw her, she became furious and started cursing, even lunging at her to grab and hit her.

How could Guan Yingying, a modern woman, be insulted?

Without saying a word, he walked up to her, slapped her twice, and angrily shouted, "Watch your mouth! Who taught you to act like a shrew?"

Gu Jiaojiao was knocked unconscious, her face flushed, and she asked incredulously, "You hit me? How dare you hit me?"

"Shouldn't you have hit me? Even your brother wouldn't dare to curse me like that, who do you think you are?"

Guan Yingying chatted with the servants outside for a long time. These servants were all servants of powerful and wealthy families, and naturally they were not from places like Nancheng. They knew a lot about household registration issues.

She knew perfectly well that the household registration system in this era was completely different from the one in her previous life, so she was still very angry.

Both the legal wife and concubines are registered with the government. She and her child are now unregistered. In a sense, since she ran away, Gu Chengyan can't do anything about it.

Obtaining an identity and household registration is not that difficult. For Gu Chengyan, the heir of a marquis's family, it was easy to forge a household registration.

All the servants, including Yuanyuan, watched as "Wang Fugui" slapped Gu Jiaojiao across the face twice while she was scolding her. Their eyes widened in disbelief.

Can servants really retaliate against their masters?

Is Brother Fugui going to die?

However, to everyone's astonishment, Gu Chengyan only said one sentence: "Fugui, how could you lay a hand on me? Can't we talk this out?"

His voice was somewhat weary and stern, yet when facing Guan Yingying, his eyes remained full of affection.

In those eyes, there was nothing but hurt and love, and Guan Yingying's voice involuntarily lowered.

"Why are you out so quickly? Are we going back now?"

"go back."

Seeing that Gu Jiaojiao was about to cause trouble, Gu Chengyan threatened in a low voice, "This is the palace gate. Do you want to kill your brother?"

Gu Jiaojiao suppressed her hatred, stomped her foot, and got into the carriage.

Guan Yingying sat on the carriage shaft, the driver drove the carriage, Gu Chengyan mounted the horse, and they rode away.

No sooner had they left than the servants in each household were in an uproar.

"My God, she's right. The weak are afraid of the strong. If they really become domineering, even the master wouldn't dare."

"Yes, after all, we..." know a lot about our master's privacy!

Yuanyuan stared in astonishment as she watched the departing figure!

Is Prince Gu being too good to this woman? Or is Prince Gu really as gentle and refined as the legends say, never losing his temper?

That person is so gentle!

The servants were inspired by this scene and were excitedly discussing it when they saw several more people walking out of the palace gate.

It was Yin Jin'an, Li Yunmu, and Zhou Lingyin, a group of spoiled brats.

As soon as Yin Jin'an came out, he called to his servant, "Chengyu, bring the horse over here."

Cheng Yu led the horse over, and the two mounted it. However, Li Yunmu's servant had already been brainwashed by Guan Yingying.

Li Yunmu kicked him because he was dawdling, which made him a little unhappy.

"Didn't I already lead you over? Why are you still kicking me? It hurts, you know?"

"Hey, you bastard, who gave you the guts to address me like that in front of me?"

Li Yunmu kicked him again: "So what if I kick you?"

"We're all born of the same parents, why do you have to hit me all the time? If you don't like me, just let me go..."

Although the servant forced himself to say it, his legs were trembling. This was the first time he had disobeyed his master, and he was terrified!

Li Yunmu laughed in anger: "Today I'll show you what equality is."

Yin Jin'an lashed out with her whip: "Hey, you bastard, I'm hitting you, what are you going to do about it?"

Li Yunmu lashed out with the whip again and again, and also kicked her.

The servant initially tried to resist, but he had no chance to fight back and was beaten until he was barely alive.

Yuanyuan, along with several servants nearby, pleaded, "Stop hitting him! He was only encouraged by Wang Fugui, a servant of Prince Gu."

“Yes, Fu Gui said that all people are born equal, and that the distinction between master and servant is unfair.”

She also said that we should learn to resist and actively fight for our rights.

"You kneel to heaven, earth, and your parents, but you don't kneel to anyone else."

"The powerful and wealthy are all parasites, reaping benefits without working."

The servants chattered amongst themselves.

Yuanyuan added fuel to the fire, angrily saying, "He also looks down on my young lady, saying that my young lady is an exploitative class."

Yin Jin'an, already impatient, said to Li Yunmu and Zhou Lingyin, "Just kill any traitorous servant! Why all the fuss? We've all become the exploiting class now, why don't we hurry up and pay our respects to Master Gu Chengyan's servants?"

"Let's go, let's go see the wealthy lord!"

Several spoiled young men leaped onto their horses, dragged the servant boy along, and headed for the Marquis of Pingyang's residence.

Gu Chengyan and Gu Jiaojiao's carriage moved elegantly, and Yin Jin'an and the others caught up with them halfway.

Without saying a word, the group blocked the road in front of the Marquis's carriage.

Yin Jin'an reined in her horse and circled back and forth in front of their carriage, brandishing her whip and asking rudely, "Wang Fugui, who is he?"

Gu Chengyan felt a chill run down his spine when he saw these people, and asked with a smile, "What do you want?"

"Who is Wang Fugui? The one driving? Or this one sitting?"

Guan Yingying looked at Yin Jin'an. This man was not old, but he looked too much like a cruel prince in a novel, and she suddenly felt inexplicably excited.

The novel says that such people may seem stern and tyrannical, but if conquered, they are absolutely loyal.

Guan Yingying jumped off the carriage, her smile lively, and with a flourish, she said, "I am Wang Fugui..."