Chapter 96 Is This Considered an Apology?

Zhu Qingyan threw the two pieces of wooden hairpins into the firewood pile, and told Su that Pei Yue had invited him to the Zhu family for dinner.

"What? Madam Pei really said... that she wants to adopt you as her adopted daughter?" Su couldn't believe it and became emotional.

Zhu Qingyan took out the letter that Madam Pei had asked Ouyang Ye to give him from his bosom, handed it to Su, and said with a frown:

"Mom, do you think I should go?"

"Yes, of course I will go!" Su was extremely happy and read the letter over and over again, then folded it carefully and put it away.

As long as Qingyan can have a clean reputation, she would be willing to work like a slave for him!

Zhu Qingyan nodded hesitantly, "When I return to the Zhu family, mother, can you also..."

She knew that Su's greatest wish was to bring her, mother and daughter, back to the Zhu family.

"Qingyan!" Su's face suddenly darkened, and she said in a stern tone she had never used before: "Don't ever mention this to your grandfather and Madam Pei again!"

She knew in her heart that it was a great favor from Pei Yue to allow Qingyan to return to the Zhu family now, and this was all because Qingyan had helped Zhu Lan last time.

No matter what she said, she was just a concubine after all. As long as Qingyan was fine, she would not ask for more, and status was not important.

How can you be so tactless and push your luck?

Su took Zhu Qingyan's hand and said:

"From now on, you must treat Madam Pei like your own mother. We must repay her kindness. Remember?"

"Okay... Mom, Qingyan knows."

…

It was Zhu Qingyan's first time to return to the Zhu family for dinner and he felt a little uncomfortable, not knowing whether he was the host or the guest.

Pei Yue has convinced Mr. Zhu that from today on, Zhu Qingyan's treatment in the mansion will be the same as Zhu Lan's.

Pei Yue asked her if she would be willing to move back to Zhu's house in the future.

Zhu Qingyan shook his head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, madam, but my mother is alone at home and I want to spend more time with her."

Zhu Yuanou frowned slightly, somewhat displeased, and said that since Zhu Qingyan had returned to the Zhu family, he should call Pei Yue "mother" and Su "mother" in the future.

But Zhu Qingyan lowered his head, obviously unwilling.

If that were the case, Su would definitely be sad, and she would rather not have this identity.

Pei Yue smiled and tried to smooth things over, "Okay, Dad, Qingyan can call me that if she wants. If you're not used to it, you can call me Auntie or Madam in the future. That's fine."

After finishing his meal, Zhu Qingyan was about to leave when he heard Zhu Lan behind him suddenly say:

"We will go to Mr. Ji's place tomorrow, so don't be late."

Zhu Qingyan raised his eyebrows. Does this mean that he is willing to let her join?

"You are so generous, aren't you afraid that I will outperform you in the college entrance examination next month?" Zhu Qingyan said deliberately.

Zhu Lan smiled, "You couldn't beat me before, but now you are so confident all of a sudden?"

Zhu Qingyan snorted, but still said awkwardly:

"I was wrong about what happened before. I admit that I was jealous of you..."

As soon as he said this, he felt a little regretful. Although he had made many small calculations before, Zhu Lan had never suffered any loss, and he was always the one who suffered in the end.

Now I have to apologize.

It feels so unfair!

Zhu Qingyan was still feeling depressed, but Zhu Lan had already turned around and went back to the house, waving at her with his back to her.

A voice with a hint of laughter came from afar:

"Instead of apologizing, think about how you beat me in the college entrance examination."

Ahhh, this guy still talks so annoyingly!

Just wait, she will work hard when she goes back today, she will definitely not lose the college entrance examination again!!!

…

Under Ouyang Ye's urging, the bullying incident at Longchang Academy led by Xiang Wenyuan was finally revealed.

Many students came forward to provide clues, and the evidence was irrefutable. Even if Xiang Wenyuan continued to act like a spoiled brat, he could not shake the government's judgment of the facts.

The crime committed by Xiang Wenyuan was too serious and he was originally sentenced to exile, but his parents loved him so much that Mr. Xiang was willing to use all his military merits in exchange for reducing his son's sentence.

In the end, Xiang Wenyuan was beaten with the stick forty times, until his skin was torn and his screams lingered in his ears for three days.

All the land and property of the Xiang family were confiscated, and the entire family was demoted to commoners and expelled from Jiangzhou City.

The day when Xiang Wenyuan, who was beaten to the point of being paralyzed on one side of his body, was carried away from Jiangzhou happened to be the day of the college entrance examination.

As the sun rises, the bluestone-paved streets are crowded with people, some praying silently, some twisting their fingers nervously.

The air was filled with the faint scent of ink and paper. The gate of the Imperial Examination Hall was closed, and four large characters "Imperial Examination" were hung on the lintel.

On either side of the gate, two guards in official uniforms stood with swords in hand, their eyes sharp as torches as they scanned every person approaching the examination room.

When the examination was over, the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall slowly opened only after the last student walked out of the examination room.

The students inside came out one after another, some excited, some weak, with different expressions on their faces.

"I passed, I passed the exam and became a scholar!!!" A candidate ran out with a crazy laugh.

Everyone: ...The exam just ended and another one went crazy.

As usual, Zhu Lan waited for Qiao Youyou and Qin Yuwei to come together. Before the three of them had time to talk, they heard crying coming from the side.

A boy sat on the ground, pulling his hair in pain.

"Why... Mr. Yan clearly said that this year's chief curtain officer would be Mr. Tan from the Ministry of Rites. I practiced hard for three years according to Mr. Tan's favorite style.

How...how could this happen!!!"

When Zhu Lan and the others heard this, they understood in their hearts.

This person is the unlucky fellow who was tricked by Yan Lun into buying lessons.

Yan Lun painstakingly studied the preferences of the ministers in the court, but before this year's college examination, Lord Tan was unwell and the chief curtain officer was temporarily replaced.

The newly appointed Lord Curtain Official had always been at odds with Lord Tan. Those candidates who were bent on currying Lord Tan's favor had caused a big misunderstanding this time.

These people's mentality has already collapsed before the exam, so naturally they won't perform very well.

Zhu Lan and others listened to Ji Wuya's words and devoted themselves to honing their poetic talents. In the examination room, they cast aside all distractions, focused only on the questions themselves, and played to their strengths.

The poems he wrote were fluent and natural, with fewer traces of artificiality.

Zhu Lan discussed their answers with the two, and they both felt that each of them had their own highlights and they thought there would be no problems.

After walking out of the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall, Pei Yue, Zhu Yuanou and others who had been waiting outside came over and asked about the exam situation.

Hearing Zhu Lan say that she felt okay, Mr. Zhu was overjoyed. Pei Yue also invited Qiao Youyou and Qin Yuwei to have dinner at her house.

Zhu Lan smiled and said they would go back later because they still had some things to do.

Afterwards, Zhu Lan and the other two went to Yuxiang Pavilion, packed up some delicacies, and brought two jars of Jiangzhou Maotai, and went to Ji Wuya's thatched cottage, ready to express their gratitude.

But when the three of them arrived at the thatched cottage, they found that it had been deserted for some time.