Ji Yu got into the car and the teacher was already waiting for him inside.

"Master." Ji Yu bowed.

"Child, you always talk about these empty formalities. In the future, you and I will both serve as officials in the court. There will be no need to perform formalities when we meet." Master Lin waved his hand and said.

"Okay, Master." Ji Yu was about to raise his hand out of habit, but Master Lin pushed his hand down again.

"Why did those people come to you just now?" asked Master Lin.

"He said he wanted to invite me to Chunxianglou." Ji Yu explained honestly.

After hearing this, Master Lin was not too surprised. Instead, he explained, "Over the years, Chunxianglou has always held activities after each palace examination. The entrance exam is half price for all candidates, and if you are the top candidate, the entrance is free."

Ji Yu smiled awkwardly upon hearing this and replied, "I was wondering why Brother Lu was so kind to treat me. But I'm married, so it's not appropriate for me to go to places with fireworks."

Master Lin nodded with satisfaction, and then continued, "Of course I believe in your character. Otherwise, my daughter is two years older than you, and I would definitely marry her to you."

Ji Yu just smiled and said nothing.

The two people behind him were talking about today's test questions all the way. However, Master Lin's ideas were old-fashioned and conservative. Ji Yu mostly listened and did not express his own ideas.

On the other side, Gu Qingqing was still waiting for Ji Yu to come back at the door.

Xiao Tao looked at her young lady and said casually, "Young lady, don't wait any longer. The palace examination is over today. I heard that all the candidates went to Chunxiang Tower."

"Who told you that?" Gu Qingqing asked anxiously.

"Just... those vegetable vendors." Xiao Tao realized that she had said the wrong thing in a hurry.

Gu Qingqing then asked, "What did they say?"

"That's it..." Xiao Tao hesitated for a long time, but didn't dare to say anything, for fear of making her young lady sad.

"Hurry up and speak." Gu Qingqing said in a hurry.

Xiao Tao lowered her head, still intending to explain it clearly to the young lady. "I heard from the vendor when I was buying vegetables. Chunxianglou has an event after every palace examination. The tribute candidates get half price, and the champions get free. And I heard that many tribute candidates went there tonight to drink, and..."

"What else..." Gu Qingqing was really anxious and angry.

"Also, Wei Wanwan, a talented woman from Chunxiang Tower, announced that if Ji Huiyuan comes here today, she will give him her virginity. This news has spread everywhere, and it has been spread all over the streets and alleys." Xiao Tao lowered her head and her voice became lower and lower.

"Who is that Wei Wanwan?" Gu Qingqing's tone was filled with loneliness and sadness.

Wang Shanchuan, who was fetching water nearby, heard Wei Wanwan's name and hurried over to talk to her.

"I know Madam, Wei Wanwan is the most elegant courtesan in Chunxiang Tower, she has a great figure, and is an expert at playing the zither and composing poetry. She is a famous courtesan in the capital. There was once a rumor that a man paid 5,000 taels to buy her virginity, but she refused. She is truly a heroine and a role model in courtesans."

After Ji Yu entered the palace examination today, Wang Shanchuan returned home. He also thought that Ji Yu would go to a place of fireworks after the palace examination, so there was no need to pick her up.

Xiao Tao, who was standing by, saw that her mistress looked lonely while Wang Shanchuan was still talking nonstop, so she picked up the broom and hit him.

While beating him, he scolded, "You idiot, don't you see that the lady is sad? And you keep saying... How do you know so much about the fireworks place? Have you been there many times secretly?"

Gu Qingqing ignored the two people's interruption and quietly returned to her room.

When Ji Yu got home, he saw Xiao Tao and Wang Shanchuan playing in the yard.

"Xiao Tao, have you cooked? Where's your wife?" Ji Yu asked.

Xiao Tao then stopped what she was doing and said in disbelief, "Son-in-law, you're back? Didn't you go to Chunxiang Tower?"

"Who said I went to Chunxianglou! Where is your young lady?" Ji Yu was really angry. Who spread rumors?

"Miss...Miss heard that you went to Chunxianglou and went back to your room alone." Xiaotao explained stutteringly.

"Look at the two of you. You don't cook at mealtime and you spread rumors every day!" After Ji Yu finished speaking, he angrily walked towards the master bedroom at the back.

Ji Yu quietly pushed open the door. Gu Qingqing was crying with her back to the door and her face covered. She didn't notice who was coming. She just said with a sob, "Xiaotao, I have no appetite for lunch. I don't want to eat." Then she lowered her head and continued to sob.

Ji Yu coughed lightly behind her and saw that Gu Qingqing didn't respond for a long time.

Ji Yu couldn't help but ask, "Qingqing, why don't you eat lunch?"

Gu Qingqing's eyes were sore from crying and her vision became blurry. She rubbed her eyes before she could see clearly the person in front of her.

"Husband...husband..." Gu Qingqing cried even harder.

Ji Yu seldom heard Gu Qingqing call her husband, and she looked so pitiful and cried with such grievance. Ji Yu's heart softened in an instant.

Ji Yu reached out and held Gu Qingqing in his arms, and the girl's tears were wiped on Ji Yu's brand new tribute scholar's uniform.

Ji Yu soothed her softly, "Qingqing, why are you crying so hard? You are such a little crybaby."

Hearing the other party's doting voice, Gu Qingqing took a long time to stop crying, "I thought...I thought you went to Chunxianglou...to see that talented woman."

"What talented woman? Why don't I know her?" There was some confusion in Ji Yu's voice.

At this time, Xiaotao's voice sounded outside the door.

"Miss, you're ready to eat!"

Gu Qingqing also stopped crying, fixed her makeup, and walked out with Ji Yu.