Meeting Madam Gu's probing gaze, Qin Yuan shook her head and said, "Seventeenth has not responded yet, and the Marquis has just gone to the camp. It wouldn't be good to bother him with such a small matter. If Sixth Sister-in-law has any news, just let me know."

Madam Gu immediately smiled and said, "Of course."

She shook the fan in her hand, secretly wondering if she should just buy some pepper and store it away.

Putting everything else aside, just the fact that the price of pepper has increased so much in just a few days is enough to make anyone's mouth water.

After the two children fell silent, Rong Momo nudged their backs and whispered, "Why aren't you calling for help?"

Madam Gu seemed to only then notice Cheng-ge'er and Yu-jie'er, and said with a smile, "Why are you two staying in the main room?"

Cheng Ge'er and Yu Jie'er greeted Qin Yuan and Madam Gu Liu.

Cheng Ge'er lowered his head, a fleeting look of disgust crossing his face.

Yu Jie'er made no attempt to hide her dislike for Qin Yuan, and gave a perfunctory bow.

Qin Yuan didn't mind. She treated them as passersby and wouldn't receive any filial piety from them in the future, so she just kept it at arm's length.

When I was in the northern frontier, did anyone tell me those things? After I resigned from the Marquis's mansion, my mother and the people around me never talked about those things again.

Madam Gu felt that she had a special understanding with Qin Jijiu, and immediately became depressed.

Madam Gu asked, "Are you right?"

Madam Gu said, "That's right. If joining Cui Fengzhuang would guarantee one's advancement to the rank of Tuishi, that would be outrageous. Rong Momo could make anyone Tuishi."

Madam Gu Liu smiled and said, "The old lady is the most loving one. These two children are really lucky. Our Kang-ge'er and Fu-ge'er are still talking about wanting to go to Rong-mo-na's place to learn. It would be wonderful if they could serve the old lady for a long time."

The Imperial Academy then asked, "What kind of person is eligible to marry a retired scholar?"

Qin Yuan knew that Old Madam Gu was preparing a little something extra for their meeting, so she smiled and said, "That's for sure. I'll be coming back in the next couple of days."

"Oh my goodness," Old Madam Gu exclaimed, slapping her thigh. "Just thinking about how Kang-ge'er and Fu-ge'er's beards have turned white and they're still taking exams with the older kids makes me want to vomit. Let them take whatever exams they can get. As long as our children aren't gifted, it's enough for them to be studious and sensible. Don't push Balang too hard. Aren't there quite a few fathers and sons taking exams together? Balang should set an example for my sons and settle down to study together."

Qin Yuan, observing this, smiled and said, "Although your father is in charge of Cui Fengzhuang, he can still guarantee that your younger brother will pass the imperial examination. As for your cousin, he has little chance. He passed the provincial examination in his hometown before going to the capital to take the exam and become Rong Momo."

Xiao Hong glanced at her worriedly, while Madam Gu Liu smiled and waved her fan, watching the spectacle unfold.

Cui Fengzhuang, however, listened intently.

However, Old Madam Gu's expression was rather unpleasant.

The sons and nephews of the Marquis of Dingbei naturally didn't qualify for Rong Momo's spot, but who can guarantee that we can get into the program, and that we'll excel in both literature and martial arts? What should we do then?

"If our Eighth Master could stay at home and stay with his two children to study and take the exams, that would be really bad."

After chatting with Qin Yuan for a while, Madam Gu asked about Qin Siyuan's age and marriage prospects. Knowing that they were not yet engaged, she said, "Does he have to wait until he passes the imperial examination before getting married?"

Should I study?

Da Hong was stumped, and after a long while she said, "You'll have to ask Sister Yu. I think it should be your eldest sister."

Qin Yuan laughed.

That retired soldier is a bad guy.

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Your seventh aunt said that my cousin is handsome and passed the imperial examination at a young age. If we wait a few more years and he passes the lower-level examination before getting engaged, he might end up with an even worse person. Your father said that there is no custom of 'grabbing a son-in-law after passing the imperial examination' in the capital. If someone as talented as your cousin is engaged too early, he might really be 'grabbed' by the time he is engaged. By then, it will be too late for your seventh aunt to be satisfied."

Madam Gu, hearing this, felt a chill in her eyes and also wanted to go and see him.

"Eighth sister-in-law, if a child grows up weak and small, it's not necessarily a sign of being a spendthrift or a disobedient child. Parents always try to find ways to secure a future for their children, and they inevitably try to control them in those ways. Even those who pass the imperial examination at the age of eighty-seven are considered to have passed the examination. In later dynasties, there are very few people who are still taking the imperial examination at the age of forty. Not to mention the imperial examination, have you ever heard of anyone who is still taking the preliminary examination at the age of seventy or eighty?"

My godfather, on the other hand, keeps saying he wants me to go study under Rong Momo.

That's what they said.

Let those who look down on us see what's going on.

Cheng Ge'er, who was sitting to the side, was casually fiddling with the handkerchief in his hand.

Madam Gu burst out laughing.

Madam Gu had made up her mind to see Qin Siyuan, saying, "When his cousin comes again last time, let you meet him and see what kind of handsome man he is."

When Madam Gu started talking about her son's studies, she grabbed you and asked, "Sister-in-law, his family has Rong Momo in charge of things outside. He said that there are no special rules for passing the imperial examination?"

Cui Feng, surprisingly, discerned some truth in your words and answered earnestly.

The students at the Imperial Academy strained to hear Qin Yuan speak, but they also looked at you awkwardly, as if afraid you would see them.

Cui Fengzhuang was stunned.

Cui Fengzhuang said, "Since he can read, he can help you write a letter. You want to tell your godfather that you should listen to me and go to Rong Momo's school. You want to take the imperial examination."

Madam Gu sighed and said, "Your children were raised too delicately when they were young. They dared to be thrown around and beaten, and they even learned martial arts. Eighth Master insisted that we dismiss Rong Mama and study literature, saying that if he ever passed the imperial examinations, his sons must pass as well. He was afraid that Eighth Sister-in-law would laugh at him. But if they pass the imperial examinations, you know what Eighth Master will do."

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