The end of the year, the new year.

"The whole country will take a two-week holiday."

Emperor Lan: "If there is work that cannot be rested, I will double the salary."

The so-called overtime pay.

"Ah Jin, where is your adopted sister from? How does she know so many things that make life easier?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Jin said, "Most writers have wildly imaginative ideas; they might have come up with these ideas themselves and then written them in their books."

"Since it's practical, then we should just make it available nationwide."

Emperor Junlan: "Okay."

"I even want her to come to the palace to write history."

Upon hearing this, Murong Jin raised an eyebrow slightly, "Then there's no need. Her current life is within her comfort zone. Coming to the palace will change her."

Emperor Junlan: "Okay."

...

Murong Zhi spent the New Year in the palace this year; "I'm getting old."

Jin Wanling: "The children have all grown up and have their own businesses, so we naturally don't need to worry anymore."

Murong Zhi: "That's true."

New Year's Eve dinner.

"Mother, eat this. Father, you should eat too."

"Call me father."

"Father~~ From now on, when there are no outsiders, I will call you Father, and when there are others, I will call you Emperor."

Emperor Junlan held the little girl on his lap, "She's so sensible."

"There's nothing I can do. I'm the eldest princess, and besides, my mother said that because of my high status, I can't be obsequious, but I also can't be too arrogant..."

Murong Jin: "I'll go to the etiquette department to learn sometime..."

Di Qianyu: "Ah? Granny will scold me. I like to move around..."

"When people come to Dacheng in the future and see you like that, they will say you have no manners."

"Just put on a show when you're out there, but you can't lack knowledge in many areas."

Di Qianyu: "Okay~~"

Emperor Yi: "We must not lack the necessary authority to deal with foreign powers."

Di Junlan looked at his son beside him, his face icy cold as he spoke…

His son has facial paralysis.

"I want to see the lanterns!"

"And another thing, the streets must be very lively!"

"There are stalls selling lots of fun little things!"

"Oh, right, there are also some activities. If you win the competition, you can get a year's worth of free drinks at Fangya Pavilion."

"Then... we must take it!"

...

After the New Year, daily life gradually returned to normal.

On the children's sixth birthday, Yi Liu and Jin Jiu got together.

Murong Jin looked at them and said, "Remember to hand over your work. Yi Liu will be in charge of the shop's accounts from now on, and Jin Jiu will assist him."

"Oh, and don't forget to invite me to the wedding day."

Yi Liu smiled broadly. "Okay."

Although working as a bodyguard by his master's side meant he wouldn't encounter anything life-threatening, he was now starting a family and naturally had to prioritize his family.

“Master, if you need Yi Liu, Yi Liu will do his best.”

Murong Jin waved his hand, "No need for that. Da Cheng is very safe now. No one would want to assassinate me for no reason."

Lan Ziyao: "Hahaha..."

"But you'd better hurry, you're already over thirty, almost forty."

Yi Liu: "..." He's only thirty-seven years old. So what if he's thirty-seven!

Murong Jin looked at Lan Ziyao, "Let's not talk about him, what about you?"

Lan Ziyao: "Haha, I'll pass. I'm afraid that if I had to choose between medicinal herbs and my wife, I would abandon her without hesitation..."

Murong Jue: "..."

Judging from his appearance, he's capable of doing such a thing; he shouldn't go and harm that young girl.

As we get older, there are some things we can't control.

"Lord Ming is being pressured by his family to get married."

Murong Jin was eating sunflower seeds. "It really is time for him to find a wife. He's almost forty..."

Murong Jin looked at Di Junlan and said, "To be honest, I am already thirty-three years old."

Emperor Junlan is only twenty-seven years old; he hasn't even reached the age of thirty yet.

Di Junlan wrapped his arms around her waist, "But A Jin doesn't look like she's in her thirties, she even looks younger than me."

Murong Jin tapped his forehead. "His appearance is seriously inconsistent with his age."

If she gets old in the future, she will definitely be the first one to leave.

Then it will be Emperor Junlan all alone again.

Or perhaps, when she dies, she should take her body with her...

Then the thought faded away.

Although she is possessive, she wouldn't go so far as to do something like this.

He patted Di Junlan's head and said, "Xiaoyu told me last night that she is among the top students in the academy."

Di Junlan: "They're all just kids, it's normal for them to be competitive now."

"Where is Yi'er? Why isn't he at the academy?"

Murong Jin: "He went to see the Grand Scholar in person."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Junlan was taken aback. "That is indeed possible, but the Grand Scholar is very strict and sets very tricky questions. Can Yi'er handle it?"

“He was able to plan his kidnapping when he was just over three years old. That child is smart and has his own ideas. We shouldn’t interfere too much…”

Emperor Junlan: "Okay."

………

It was yet another imperial examination, and Murong Jin was in charge, but he did not participate in setting the questions; he was one of the examiners.

After the imperial examination, Murong Jin looked at the examination papers.

"That's not bad."

Li Mingzhong: "I never thought that at my age, I would have to participate in something like this."

"Your Highness, are there any candidates you fancy this time?"

"There were several, including two women."

Li Mingzhong: "A woman? Let this old minister see the exam paper and answers."

Looking at the long explanation above, I thought, "Sure."

"Could it be that we're going to have a female champion this year?"

Murong Jin: "I don't know, we'll see how the palace examination goes. But these two should be among this year's tribute students."

It's important to understand that out of thousands or even tens of thousands of candidates, only a few dozen or a few hundred can actually qualify for the final imperial examination each time...

The results of the palace examination... are difficult.

"So, why did the person who set the questions this time choose such a brain-teasing question?"

Murong Ting: "You don't understand. Times are progressing, but knowledge cannot lag behind."

"The current problems incorporate events from the past two years, especially important ones. By refining the wording, we can find new ways to solve these problems..."

...

"Tomorrow is the exam, and I'm a little nervous."

Murong Jin hugged him, "What's there to be nervous about? Just perform like you always have tomorrow."

"The rest are handled by others; the guards and invigilators are all there, and besides, you're up there watching over them."

Di Junlan nestled in her arms, "And what about you?"

"I'm here too, I'm the proctor."

"That's good……"

During the exam, after Emperor Junlan announced the topic of the policy essay exam, the exam began.

Murong Jin sat to the side, watching the crowd of hundreds of candidates. If anyone cheated, they would be imprisoned... and banned from participating in any level of the imperial examinations for life...