When Zhao Qingyang and Zhao Qingbei learned the reason for their failure to pass the exam, they felt quite frustrated.

However, when they learned that they could study at the Imperial Academy, the two of them instantly came to life.

The Imperial College, where the most outstanding teachers in the country are located.

So, if one studies at the Imperial Academy for three years and then takes the imperial examination, wouldn't that almost guarantee passing the exam and becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)?

After all, even if one passes this exam, one can only become a junior scholar.

After self-reflection and guidance from their elders, the two little ones felt much better.

To cheer up the two little ones, Zhao Qingyan waved her little hand.

I took the two little ones out to browse the bookstore, have some snacks, and even bought them spinning tops that the kids like.

A wooden toy that can be placed on ice and kept spinning when whipped.

Little Zhao Qingyang also bought a lot of tools, some for woodworking and some for carving.

Little Zhao Qingbei bought a lot of paint.

"Sister, I want to learn to draw. I want to draw all the beautiful things I see."

With such a request, how could Zhao Qingyan refuse to grant it?

Zhao Qingyan spent the whole day playing with her two younger brothers.

When we got home that night, the contents of the carriage were quite frightening.

If it weren't for the need to carry other passengers, the carriage would probably be completely filled with these three sisters.

Once they arrived home, they started distributing gifts: writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Zhao Qingyan had bought quite a lot this time.

Every house has these, and then there are all sorts of small items, which are picked up from small stalls or jewelry shops.

There are jade pendants shaped like small gourds, and small pendants made of peach wood.

There were hairpins, earrings, jade pendants to weigh down clothing, and some small purses.

There are also fans.

In the dead of winter, the fan was left to gather dust in a corner. Little Zhao Qingbei saw it and insisted that it was cheaper to buy now.

"In the sweltering summer, it's not really reasonable to expect our grandparents, fathers, and brothers to carry around a big palm-leaf fan to cool themselves off all the time."

It's really damaging to their image.

But buying fans in the summer is so expensive, it's completely unnecessary.

The current price is less than a third of what it was in the summer. Wouldn't it be a waste not to buy?

Zhao Qingyan listened to her younger brother's rambling, and Zhao Qingyan was convinced he was speaking eloquently.

Anyway, I brought the kids out today to relax, but they've been feeling really stifled.

As the older sister, she had no other choice but to take her child out and spend money to relieve stress.

The two little ones are still very innocent; the things they buy are all inexpensive yet have a certain charm.

The whole family, including the cook, the embroiderer, and the doorman, received gifts; it was really thoughtful of them.

After a day of playing, the two little ones, especially Zhao Qingyang, completely threw away their frustration.

If I don't pass the exam, so be it. I'm still young anyway.

If you pass the exam but can't become an official, your family will be worried.

I'm not sure myself, so it's still necessary to study hard.

The two little ones planned to go to the Imperial Academy after their family members took the imperial examination.

After all, by then, the whereabouts of the whole family could be determined.

The two of them were debating whether to stay at the Imperial Academy or go with their father to take up his post.

After all, it's the right thing for a son to do is follow his own father.

The day of the imperial examination arrived, and Xu Dongsheng put on a down jacket designed by Zhao Qingyan and wore a rabbit fur headband.

The white rabbit fur neatly covered her forehead and ears, and a ruby ​​was set in the center of the headband.

It added a touch of nobility to her overall appearance.

If it weren't for the fact that he had to meet the Emperor today for the palace examination and that his appearance had to be proper, Zhao Qingyan would still have hoped that Xu Dongsheng would wear a hat.

The down jacket is made to reach the ankles.

It's also loose enough that you can stand, sit, or even kneel and kowtow without any problem. If you kneel, it can even keep you warm.

Of course, Zhao Qingyan also prepared clothes for the rest of the Zhao family.

However, what others wear is naturally decided by their wives or mothers.

Zhao Qingyan was most concerned about Xu Dongsheng and Zhao Minggeng.

The father-in-law and son-in-law were wearing the same style of clothing, only in different colors.

Xu Dongsheng was wearing a sky-blue down jacket, while Zhao Minggeng was wearing a deep blue down jacket.

Zhao Minggeng's forehead band is inlaid with sapphires.

The father-in-law and son-in-law look very pleasing to the eye when they walk together.

Before dawn, the Zhao family students were already ready.

Today's situation is special; I can't go to the toilet whenever I want, so I'll take care of the issue of urination and defecation first.

They set off cleanly and efficiently, without drinking water or eating breakfast, just each having a piece of milk candy.

Han Xuri arrived at the Zhao family early this morning. He led the way, and the Zhao family's carriages followed behind.

Upon arriving at the palace gates, Han Xuri had to wait for the gates to open before he could enter.

Even with a thermos, the only warmth you get in a carriage is your hands; after a while, you get cold.

Fortunately, the women of the Zhao family didn't do anything out of the ordinary; they all wore the down jackets that Zhao Qingyan had prepared.

They were wearing deerskin boots with sheepskin lining, which were very warm.

Feeling cold, the Zhao family got out of the car, stuffing their identification documents into the pockets of their down jackets.

The moment the Zhao family got out of the car, they became the center of attention.

First, there was the issue of height. Standing in the crowd, the Zhao family was at least half a head taller than the candidates waiting at the palace gate.

As for clothing, everyone else was wearing cloaks and the like. To keep warm, they would wrap themselves in all sorts of fur-lined cloaks, making it impossible to take their hands out.

To look dashing while walking, the cloak had to be left open. Whether it kept you warm or not was uncertain, but it certainly made you feel more breezy, though it seemed to make you even colder.

The Zhao family members were all wearing down jackets, which were clearly well-tailored and not too bulky. Most importantly, they could be buttoned up.

The person was wrapped up very tightly.

With two arms, you can do whatever you want.

You can put both hands into the sleeves, or into your pockets, or even tuck them back into the sleeves.

There's nothing more convenient.

Especially since the down jacket also has a large hood.

If you get cold, just put it on your head; it always looks warm.

She also wore a trendy woolen scarf around her neck.

His appearance alone made all the students and ministers waiting at the palace gate extremely envious.

The adults who had received the news sent their servants to the Zhao family to ask where the clothes were bought.

The people around them also strained their ears to listen.

Zhao Minggeng and Xu Dongsheng quickly started advertising their daughter's (daughter-in-law's) Huicui Pavilion.

Han Xuri stood to one side, wearing a cloak.

"Brother, that's where you're wrong."

You have such comfortable and beautiful clothes, but you didn't tell your brother about them.

Isn't that a bit too stingy?

Xu Dongsheng turned to look at Han Xuri.

"You're just spouting nonsense. I only saw these clothes last night."

This was something my wife had someone help me make after we arrived in Beijing.

If I had made this myself, I would have given one to my brother immediately.

But this was arranged by my wife, so how could I be so shameless as to ask her for it?

Don't make things difficult for me, I'm just a kept man.

I'll tell my wife when I get home, but Huicui Pavilion should have it available now.

I only overheard my wife mention that the clothes sold at Huicui Pavilion are all short and thin.

The clothes we're wearing are all custom-made.

After all, not everyone is as tall as us.

These words made Han Xuri a little uncomfortable.

Even though he felt he was handsome, he was only about 175 cm tall.

His younger brother, who grew up in the countryside, is at least 185 cm tall.

It looks like there's still a chance it will grow taller.

Looking at his younger brother's arrogant attitude, Han Xuri really wanted to give the kid a beating.

"There's nothing we can do about it. I used to be about the same height as you."

I don't know if it's because I got engaged to my wife, but I'm eating much better than before, and I've grown quite a bit taller.

"Or, maybe my brother should get engaged too; that might help him grow taller."

Han Xuri wanted to abort the child. What did this issue of height have to do with the engagement? To him, it had nothing.

Of course, this applies to Xu Dongsheng.

Because of different living environments, the results are naturally different.

Han Xuri felt that his good mood would be ruined by this unlucky younger brother, but he would be upset if he didn't win a game back.

You'd better shut up.

"I think it's better to do this: starting today, I'll eat at the Zhao family's house every day. I want to see if I can grow taller."

Xu Dongsheng looked at him as if he were mentally challenged.

What are you thinking about?

If my father-in-law and his family had ranked higher today and been appointed to official positions, they might have had to go their separate ways.

I can't even guarantee where my wife will go, and you're trying to freeload a meal? What are you thinking? There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Han Xuri was rendered speechless by the rebuttal, and then looked at Xu Dongsheng beside him.

"What a fine child, why did he have to grow a mouth?"

Xu Dongsheng shrugged. "My wife likes it."

Han Xuri's face turned really dark.

"Having a wife is nothing special."

I don't want to look for it, do you believe me?

"As soon as I spread the word that I'm getting married, the girls who want to marry me will line up from the Duke's mansion all the way outside the city."

The interaction between the two brothers quickly attracted the attention of the ministers waiting to enter the palace.

All I ever knew was that the heir of the Duke of Huguo was good at business, and apart from being close to his uncle, he was always cold and indifferent to everyone else.

This included numerous courtesans from wealthy and noble families.

This guy is like he's blind, turning a blind eye, which has led to rumors in the capital that the heir of the Duke of Protectorate has questionable sexual orientation.

Rumors stop with the wise; intelligent people naturally don't believe them.

However, today, in front of the palace gates, the heir of the Duke of Protectorate and a young man were behaving intimately and acting familiarly, which could easily lead people to misunderstand.

Of course, no one would be foolish enough to go up and disturb them at this moment.

Judging from the boy's attitude, he was very unrestrained and showed no respect for the young master whatsoever.

On the contrary, the young master's face grew darker and darker, while the boy acted as if nothing had happened.

He pulled the person next to him over to continue chatting.

"Good heavens, is that boy spoiled and arrogant? Whose family is he?"

This reflects the sentiments of all the ministers.

Han Xuri couldn't do anything about his younger brother, but he was also open-minded and didn't seek to be abused. Instead, he started chatting with the other members of the Zhao family.

Especially Zhao Minggeng, who is his most legitimate in-law.

Zhao Minggeng specifically asked Zhao Qingyang about the two children's emotional state, and Zhao Minggeng laughed heartily.

"Thank you for your kind thought, my dear nephew."

The two boys went out with their sister for a day and bought a lot of things. They were fine when they came back.

However, this method of decompression is a bit expensive.

I'm really worried that these two kids will develop a habit of spending money to relieve stress, and that the little money they earn on their own won't be enough to live on in the future.

Xu Dongsheng immediately tried to cover up this.

"Father-in-law, you can rest assured. Yan'er said that her two younger brothers are very sensible."

The items I selected were all usable and inexpensive.

Besides, given how intelligent my two younger brothers are, they're sure to amount to something in the future. They're still quite young.

It was only because they were exceptionally intelligent that they became scholars at such a young age.

"If it were another family's child, they might not have even passed the preliminary examination for the imperial examination."

Xu Dongsheng was good at comforting people, and Zhao Minggeng himself wasn't really worried that the two boys would become extravagant in the future.

Therefore, the topic quickly came to an end.

Although it's not time to enter the palace yet.

But the Zhao family was destined to sever all ties with their former peasant origins after this day.

"Nephew, if you are free tonight, you are welcome to come to our home for dinner."

When we left the house, my daughter said we were going to have roast whole lamb today, as a way to celebrate. It was a lively meal with many people.

My daughter also said she'd bring out some good wine for everyone to taste today.

As soon as Zhao Minggeng finished speaking, Han Xuri immediately agreed.

"Uncle, I'm free. I'll definitely be free if there's good wine to drink. Haha..."

Soon the palace gates opened, and the ministers went in first, while those who were participating in the palace examination followed a little later.

Upon entering the palace, the scholars all lowered their heads and kept to themselves, not looking around, and followed closely in the footsteps of the eunuch leading the way.

Knowing that Xu Dongsheng would be participating in the palace examination today, the Emperor finished his work early and waited for him.

After the candidates entered the Hall of Preserving Harmony, they stood in order of their ranking in the imperial examination, with Xu Dongsheng, who was ranked first, standing at the head.

If it weren't for the Emperor's composure, he would have excitedly run over to reunite with his nephew by now.

Xu Dongsheng looks remarkably like his mother; if it weren't for his eyebrows and face shape resembling his father's, he would look exactly like a princess.

Seeing that familiar face, the emperor felt a mix of emotions.

Looking at Xu Dongsheng's attire, one can tell that the Zhao family treats this young man well.

After all, there were seven people in the main hall dressed similarly to Xu Dongsheng, so it was obvious that they must be members of the Zhao family.

In particular, Han Xuri specifically sought him out to verify that the two brats from the Zhao family had failed the exam.

After the Emperor's encouraging speech, the topic was set forth.

Indeed, the Emperor still prioritized practical matters.

The palace examination lasted for three hours.

It is no easy task to produce a satisfactory article within these three hours, especially with the Emperor present.

The pressure was immense, especially since the emperor could be standing right next to you at any moment.

If you have a little less self-control, you might not be able to keep your composure.

The Emperor was a man of good manners; he did not go to Xu Dongsheng's side immediately, but walked in rows, lingering especially around the Zhao family candidates.

Because the Zhao brothers were the last ones to enter, they were seated at the very end.

The Emperor strolled over leisurely, glanced at the two boys' problem-solving approaches, and thought they were quite good.

They were decent, nothing special, and didn't seem as sharp as the two kids who were eliminated.

But it's already very good; these two boys are quite promising young talents.

Despite his young age and only three years of schooling, he is able to stand in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and answer questions; it can be said that he is blessed by God.

These two boys are good-looking, and they don't look aggressive; their facial features are soft.

This may be related to their young age.

As the emperor continued walking, he detoured to Zhao Minggeng's side.

The reason the Emperor was able to recognize Zhao Minggeng was because Zhao Qingyan and Zhao Minggeng shared some similarities.

In addition, Han Xuri had already told the Emperor about Zhao Minggeng's attire for the day.

My eyes swept over Zhao Minggeng's answer, and I saw that Zhao Minggeng's handwriting was strong and vigorous, showing the imposing manner of a general on the battlefield.

He also learned from the investigation that Zhao Minggeng was born with superhuman strength and was highly skilled in martial arts.

He was just unlucky; he married a terrible wife.

After the divorce, she refused to remarry in order to prevent her children from being mistreated by a stepmother.

From the emperor's perspective, this kind of man is unambitious, too attached to romantic relationships, and will not amount to much.

But from the perspective of a subject,

Such loyal and sentimental people are the most useful. When people have a weakness, they will have many concerns.

Those who value relationships will not harbor inappropriate thoughts, as the consequences would be unbearable for them.

Especially since this person is his nephew's father-in-law, in other words, this is his proper in-law.

Given Zhao Minggeng's keen sense of his prey, he noticed the emperor approaching him.

However, Zhao Minggeng has one major advantage.

That is when he is focused on one thing, no matter what happens in the outside world, he will not be affected in the slightest.

Zhao Minggeng maintained his own pace at a leisurely pace.

After watching for a while, the emperor felt very satisfied.

They circled around to Xu Dongsheng's side again.

"My nephew's handwriting is so good!"

My nephew's way of thinking, how did he even develop that brain?

"As expected of someone with half the blood of the Jian family, this line of thinking is exactly what I desire."

Xu Dongsheng was now completely absorbed in his work, entering a state of self-forgetfulness; nothing else mattered to him except the writing.

A monarch doesn't have that much time to wait three hours to watch these candidates answer questions.

After wandering around and seeing everything I needed to see, I left the examination hall.

I wonder if it's because he was an emperor, but he naturally exudes an aura of authority.

Anyway, after the emperor left, the scholars felt much more relaxed and answered the questions more easily.

The results of this palace examination will not be available until the third day.

Therefore, after the examination, the candidates were sent out of the palace.

We'll wait until the imperial edict is issued on the third day before making any decisions.

As for things like parading on horseback through the streets, after the incident where Mu Wan'er attacked the third-ranked scholar in the street last time,

It has been ordered that throwing objects from heights or any items, including purses, be prohibited at the newly appointed scholars.

The aroma of roasted meat wafted from the Zhao family's courtyard that day.

When the Zhao family arrived home after the imperial examination, the whole roasted lamb was almost done. All that was left was to brush it with oil.

Because there were so many people, the Zhao family set up several racks in their yard and roasted a total of eight sheep.

The offal was put into a pot and cooked into offal soup.

Besides that, there were plenty of skewered meat in the kitchen, just waiting for the prospective scholars to return so they could start grilling.

Han Xuri is truly a talent; he came all this way just to get a good drink at the Zhao family's house.

He lingered in the palace until the imperial examination was over before waiting at the palace gate for the Zhao family to leave.

The imperial guards at the palace gates, seeing Han Xuri's intimate behavior towards the Zhao family and Xu Dongsheng, became even more certain that an affair was taking place.

Colleagues exchanged glances, saying nothing, yet it seemed as if everything was said without words; everything was understood without being spoken.

We waited for everyone to return before starting dinner.

While everyone was washing up and changing, the mutton offal soup was served, and various flavors of meat skewers were started to be grilled.

The whole roasted sheep was also disassembled and its rear end was brought up.

Although serving a whole sheep on the table looks impressive, it takes up too much space.

Why not uncover it before serving? It would be more convenient for everyone to eat that way.

Under the expectant gazes of her grandfather and the others, Zhao Qingyan took a bottle of Moutai out of the house.

This is the only bottle she saved in her past life. She's happy today, so she's taking it out for everyone to try.

Then, Han Xuri drank the most beautiful wine of his life.

There were so many people that everyone only got a tiny bite.

I wanted more, but they were all gone.

No matter what benefits Han Xuri offered to keep her enticed, even proposing to give her ten thousand taels of silver, Zhao Qingyan refused.

"Brother, I beg you, please don't make things difficult for me. It's really true that we don't have any more. There's only that one bottle left, really."

You know how greedy I am. If I really had more, how could I not share it with everyone?

Besides, I'm not a big drinker.

"It's really asking too much of me, someone who doesn't really like wine, to buy and store it."

This really tormented Han Xuri.

If he hadn't tried it, he wouldn't even think about it.

After tasting fine wine, how can you not be upset if you learn that you'll never be able to drink it again in your life?

When he's upset, he wants to cause trouble, so he insisted on dragging Xu Dongsheng to talk business with Zhao Qingyan.

What fruit wines need to increase production, what joint ventures are needed to establish liquor workshops, etc.

It's all a jumbled mess, but it's all related to alcohol.

"Brother, what's wrong with you? Why are you so determined to fight with alcohol?"

That stuff all tastes the same to me, nothing but spiciness. Whom did you get your obsession with good liquor from?

Xu Dongsheng did not understand the deliciousness of wine.

Han Xuri, on the other hand, is all too familiar with the deliciousness of wine and the huge profits behind it.

Well, it all comes down to one word: "profit." Otherwise, Han Xuri wouldn't care so much.

I smacked my lips; the taste was absolutely wonderful. If I can't afford good wine, then I'll just eat.

Is it that the meat skewers aren't fragrant enough, or that the whole roasted lamb isn't tasty?

People can ponder things, but they should never let things interfere with enjoying delicious food.

Han Xuri ate with great gusto, devouring the whole lamb chop with exquisite smoothness.

The waiting time was long.

Of course, the Zhao family did not relax just because the exam was over.

The Four Books and Five Classics can be put aside for now; we must strengthen our understanding of the laws and geography of the Divine Dragon Kingdom.

On the day the imperial edict was issued, the Zhao family, Chang Yi of Huicui Pavilion, and Han Xuri once again sent people out early in the morning to wait for the announcement of the imperial edict.

As expected, Xu Dongsheng topped the list of successful candidates in the imperial examination, becoming the Zhuangyuan (状元).

The three Zhao brothers and the four Zhao Qingshan were all second-class Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), while the other Zhao brothers were third-class Jinshi, also known as Tong Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

The Zhao brothers, in particular, performed much better in each provincial examination, no longer ranking at the bottom. But even so, it still couldn't change the fact that they were among the top three.

The messenger who came to deliver the good news not only brought the good news, but also delivered the special clothing for the successful candidates in the imperial examinations.