"If she is good enough."

Grandpa Yun thought that Sisi's description of her as a "female scholar" was an adjective. "She's called a female scholar, isn't that excellent enough?"

"It's not just a claim; she really did pass the imperial examination and become a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)."

"..." That's incredibly bold. "Does she have some unavoidable predicament? Or is she trying to prove she's very knowledgeable?"

"I didn't ask."

"..." Old Master Yun tapped Sisi again. "You don't ask the questions you should ask, and all you think about is playing all day long."

Sisi rubbed her head. "Great-Grandpa, if you hit me again, I'll cry!"

"Go ahead and cry. Your great-grandfather has never seen you cry before."

"Great-grandfather, you're getting worse and worse."

"That's still not as bad as you. How did Mingjie handle it?"

“He had someone suppress the matter first. I told him…” Sisi told Grandpa Yun what she and Niu Mingjie had said.

After listening, Old Master Yun felt that Sisi's expectations of Xu Muwan were a bit too high. But then he thought, if Xu Muwan really entered officialdom, she would only encounter more difficulties. "This path is not easy."

"Hmm. In a couple of years, I'd like to establish a few girls' schools in the capital." It's easy to break things, but restoring them is much more difficult. We've fought so many wars, and it will take several more years to recover. Besides, the imperial family's prestige is still insufficient.

In a few years, once everything that was broken has been restored and the royal family's prestige has been restored, she can then begin to do what she wants.

It's a waste for women to just stay at home doing needlework. If women's potential were fully realized, the national strength of the Great Ning Dynasty would not only double, but would at least increase by 20%.

Grandpa Yun thought Sisi's idea was pretty good. "Grandpa thought you only thought about playing all day long."

Sisi made a face at Grandpa Yun. "Only when the country is prosperous can I play however I want. If there's war everywhere, even if I want to play, there's nowhere to play."

"She's a mother now, yet she's still so mischievous."

"I am a mother to Gou Dan, but I am a child in front of you."

In the evening, when Yun Yuqi returned from her official duties, she saw a courtyard full of little beggars.

Yun Yuqi wanted to cover her face!

If it weren't for the fact that all the servants around him were dressed neatly and cleanly, he would have definitely doubted that he had come to the wrong place.

When Gou Dan saw Yun Yuqi return, he ran towards her. "Sir, give me some..."

Yun Yuqi raised her hand to cover her eyes. "Call me Grandpa."

"Hehe...Grandpa, you're back?"

"Hmm." Yun Yuqi picked up Gou Dan. "What are you playing with your uncles and aunts?"

"Playing war."

"Is it fun?"

"It's fun. Grandpa, you should play with us too."

"Okay. Grandpa will back you up."

After playing for a while, Sisi took Gou Dan back to the palace.

As soon as Gou Dan returned to the palace, he went to see his great-grandfather and great-grandmother. His great-grandfather and great-grandmother said that they couldn't eat without seeing him.

Dog Egg had just exchanged a few words with the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager when the Emperor and Empress arrived.

The Emperor and Empress couldn't see Gou Dan and had no appetite.

Little Gou Dan has a lot of responsibility.

Meanwhile, Sisi and Ning Yirong were also getting ready to eat.

After the palace maids had set out the food, Sisi dismissed them.

Only Sisi and Ning Yirong remained in the room.

Ning Yirong kissed Sisi on the cheek. "Wife, do you want to whisper something to me?"

Sisi pinched Ning Yirong's cheek. "Yes. A female scholar came from Niu Xiaosan's place."

"Niu Xiaosan is back?"

"Okay." Sisi told Ning Yirong what she and Niu Mingjie had said. "You can go and tell Father Emperor about it later."

“Alright. If that female scholar does a better job than the male scholars, we’ll pair her up with Niu Xiaosan.”

Sisi glanced at Ning Yirong. "What if she's big and burly?"

"No way?"

"Why not? If she can fool everyone, then she probably looks more masculine than a man."

If that were the case, he would have lost another opportunity to help Niu Xiaosan get married. He wouldn't feel at ease if Niu Xiaosan wasn't married. "Then I'll send someone to check on him."

"Let's wait until she finishes competing with those male scholars before we talk about it."

"Okay. When are you planning to throw a welcome-back party for Niu Xiaosan?"

"Tomorrow at noon."

“I’ll go with you; I haven’t seen him for several years.”

Sisi glanced at Ning Yirong. "I'm planning to host a welcome banquet for him at the palace."

"...Honey, what would you like to eat? I'll get it for you."

After having dinner with the Emperor Emeritus, Empress Dowager, Emperor, and Empress, Gou Dan returned holding Old Master Qi's hand. "Father, Mother, Gou Dan and Qi Qi are back."

Gou Dan and Grandpa Qi had a very good relationship. Grandpa Qi took care of Gou Dan's daily needs.

Sisi: "Now that you're back, play chess with Mother. Mother wants to play chess today."

Dog Egg immediately grabbed Old Master Qi and ran off. "Mother, my stomach hurts, I need to poop."

Sisi: "..." You brat, I've spoiled you for nothing!

Ning Yirong: "Hahahaha... I'll play with you then."

Sisi gritted her teeth. "I'm not taking this brat with me next time we go out to play."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

On the other hand, after a few days of depression, Xu Muwan started to use pebbles to write down things she had learned before on the ground.

Niu Mingjie's deputy would occasionally come to check on her.

After discovering that she was practicing her essay from memory, he felt that a woman who dared to disguise herself as a man to participate in the imperial examination was different from other women. If it were any other woman, she might have been so frightened that she would have been crying every day.

Niu Mingjie's deputy was reviewing the accounts when the person who reported Xu Muwan arrived.

After exchanging a few words of nonsense, Zhou Qiang looked at Niu Mingjie's deputy and asked, "Does the lord intend to personally come back to oversee the execution?"

Zhou Qiang was also a government official.

"Executioner? Execute whom?"

"Scholar Xu."

"The lord did not say that she should be executed."

Zhou Qiang's expression froze instantly. "She disguised herself as a man to take the imperial examination."

Niu Mingjie's deputy glanced at Zhou Qiang. "Those women at the border who take the Crown Princess's surname each have three husbands."

Zhou Qiang's expression darkened further. Was Lord Niu going to plead with the Crown Princess? What if the Crown Princess recognized that woman's academic achievements and allowed her to continue taking the exams…?

Zhou Qiang exchanged a few more words with Niu Mingjie's deputy and then left.

When Zhou Qiang got home that night, he felt increasingly guilty and uneasy.

If that woman catches the eye of the Crown Princess, then his good days are over.

no!

He can't let that woman live!

He has to make that woman commit suicide out of guilt!

He only intended to take advantage of the woman after discovering that the woman surnamed Xu was a woman, but he didn't expect her to dare kick him. If he hadn't practiced some martial arts, he might have been crippled.

In a fit of anger, he reported the woman.

In the middle of the night, Xu Mu was sound asleep when suddenly someone grabbed his neck!

Xu Muwan woke up immediately.

Xu Muwan tried to struggle, but the other person simply sat on her arm. "Mmm...mmm..."