Wang Qing was also surprised: "What are you doing here, Miss?"

Xin Jiuwei shushed her and quietly peered through the study window.

Xin Xiyao stood beside Xin Yunzhou's desk, expressionless as she flipped through the pages that had just been filled with writing, while Xin Yunzhou sat in his chair, barely daring to breathe.

"What kind of writing is this?" Xin Xiyao said disdainfully. "It's annoying to even look at it."

Xin Yunzhou was somewhat unconvinced, but lacked confidence. "If you don't want to see me, then leave. I didn't ask you to come. Why did you come here to belittle me for no reason?"

Xin Xiyao didn't leave, but held up the few sheets of paper and said, "Do you only know how to read? To write well, you must understand the underlying principles. Can't you think a little more or ponder a bit more?"

"What's the point of studying if everyone just memorizes and applies knowledge mechanically like you do?"

Xin Yunzhou opened his mouth but couldn't refute it, and became dejected again, "But I just can't understand the meaning behind it, what can I do?"

Xin Xiyao said coldly, "I always make you read more books as if someone wants to harm you, but now you know it's difficult."

Xin Yunzhou shrank back, not daring to speak.

“Sister is exceptionally talented, isn’t she the perfect person to guide brother?” Xin Jiuwei came in with a smile and walked to Xin Xiyao’s side, saying in an admiring tone, “Since sister has read countless books, she naturally knows that she can’t always understand the principles. But brother is sister’s own brother, so he must have some of sister’s wisdom. He just hasn’t figured out the key points yet.”

She praised Xin Xiyao, "If you could give me some pointers, there's nothing my brother wouldn't be able to learn."

Xin Xiyao said, "Don't give me that sweet talk and treacherous heart."

"Sister!" Xin Jiuwei looked shocked and sad. "It's true that I'm sweet-talking, but where is the hidden dagger? Sister is the one who has wronged me."

Xin Xiyao finally laughed, rolled up the paper, and tapped Xin Jiuwei on the head.

"It's so late, why aren't you asleep?"

“I came to see my brother,” Xin Jiuwei said. “We are family, but I can’t help him at all, and I feel really sad.”

Xin Yunzhou and Xin Xiyao were both taken aback. Xin Yunzhou quickly said, "It's because I'm useless, sister, don't be sad."

Xin Xiyao looked at Xin Jiuwei for a while and asked, "Do you really want him to be chosen by Mr. Ye?"

“Of course.” Xin Jiuwei said firmly, “We’re siblings, so of course I hope the bright future belongs to my brother, not to Qi Huaiyu.”

Xin Yunzhou immediately dared to move; it seems his younger sister has truly changed her ways!

Xin Xiyao unrolled the paper she was holding, and thinking about Xin Jiuwei's words, turned to Xin Yunzhou and said:

"How can you write anything if you can't sit properly? Sit up straight and give me a seat."

This means they're going to give Xin Yunzhou some pointers!

Xin Jiuwei was immediately delighted, and Xin Yunzhou personally brought over a chair for Xin Xiyao to sit down.

Wang Qing and her entourage lit some more candles in the study, and Xin Jiuwei sat to the side, watching Xin Xiyao give pointers on Xin Yunzhou's writing.

Outside the study, Qi Huaiyu saw the candlelight still burning and asked Xunmo, "Brother Xin, are you still inside?"

“Yes, the eldest young lady and the third young lady went there just now,” Xunmo said. “The eldest young master must have been asking the eldest young lady for help, but what good is it to ask a girl?”

Qi Huaiyu didn't reply, quietly watching the shadow reflected on the window paper in the study, as if something flashed through his mind.

Soon, the day of the apprenticeship ceremony arrived.

Ye Qingzheng was a renowned Confucian scholar, and the news that he was going to take students in the Xin family had already spread throughout Yingzhou City.

Not only were Qi Huaiyu's usual supporters present, but also some young masters and ladies who loved to watch the excitement, and even Xin Yunzhou's cronies came.

The ceremony and the examination were both held in the courtyard of the Xin family mansion. Xin's father had tables set up and served food, wine and tea, turning it into a lively banquet.

Xin Jiuwei sat in her seat, somewhat nervous.

Xin Xiyao, standing beside her, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then asked, "Are you that nervous?"

"It's a big deal for my brother, after all," Xin Jiuwei said with a smile.

But in reality, everyone knew that Qi Huaiyu had a better chance of winning, and Xin Jiuwei wasn't nervous about Xin Yunzhou's performance today.

She was waiting for someone to come.

Xin Jiuwei's gaze swept across the courtyard, and she unconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

That day, her words were both straightforward and tactful; Jueming, being so intelligent, surely understood them perfectly.

But precisely because he was clever, how could he be easily fooled by her feigned helplessness and fabricated stories?

Xin Jiuwei couldn't help but sigh.

Will Jueming actually come?

Mr. Ye had given Qi Huaiyu and Xin Yunzhou a test in advance, which was to write an essay. Once everyone arrived, the two of them showed their essays to Mr. Ye.

He looked at Qi Huaiyu's first, nodded a few times, and seemed to think it was pretty good, but there was no obvious change in his expression.

On the contrary, when he saw Xin Yunzhou's article, his brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly relaxed and nodded.

"Young Master Xin," Mr. Ye asked with a smile, "why did you write this article the way you did?"

Xin Yunzhou stepped forward and bowed, about to reply, when suddenly a voice came:

"The young master's article wasn't written by him at all!"

Everyone was stunned. Xin Jiuwei turned around and saw an unfamiliar maid rushing over and kneeling in front of Xin's father and Mr. Ye.

Mr. Xin frowned. "Who are you?"

"I am a maidservant in the young master's courtyard," the maidservant said. "Yesterday I saw that the young master's article was not written by himself, but by someone else!"

Xin Yunzhou flew into a rage, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Father Xin said, "Cloud boat! What kind of appearance is this!"

Xin Yunzhou seemed to realize the situation at that moment, clenched his fist, and stepped back to the side.

“Father, Mr. Ye, although this article is not very good, it is definitely my own work. Heaven knows where that maid came from, making baseless accusations against me!”

Mr. Xin and Mr. Ye exchanged a glance, then looked at the maid without changing their expressions: "Is she really from the eldest young master's courtyard?"

The steward stepped forward and examined the maid's face closely before replying, "Indeed, she came to the manor at the beginning of the year, and her name is Lingbi."

Mr. Ye asked, "You said it was ghostwritten, can you tell me who ghostwrote it?"

Lingbi hesitated for a moment, seemingly afraid to speak.

"Why don't you dare to speak?" Mr. Ye asked. "But the person who wrote the letter is someone you can't afford to offend?"

Qi Huaiyu stepped forward and said, "Uncle, sir, she's just a maid. If some things are said, she might never be able to stay in this household again. Perhaps we should handle this privately. As for Brother Xin's article..."