Chapter 51 Bai Qingan decided to give up the imperial examination
After Li Suining and Bai Qing'an returned to the general's mansion, Bai Qing'an went straight back to his own yard.
"What's wrong, brother?" Bai Shian immediately asked with concern.
Bai Ruian frowned, "Could it be... that Big Brother didn't win the jackpot?"
Li Suining nodded and said with some heartache, "Big brother must be very sad."
"How could that be?" Bai Ruian was very puzzled. Although he had not even participated in the Tongshi exam, the teacher often praised him for his literary talent. The two toasts he gave last night were really brilliant. How could his elder brother lose?
"It must be those old stubborn people who don't know how to appreciate it!" Bai Shi'an said indignantly.
Bai Ruian felt that this possibility was not high. After all, they were selecting a study companion for the prince, and the gentlemen who went to the Imperial Examination Hall today must be big shots.
"There's another possibility," he couldn't help but sigh, "These people already have their candidates and won't give anyone else a chance."
"That's too much." Bai Shian was very angry.
Bai Ruian asked Li Suining again, "By the way, has that old man Jiang gone? He's said to be the most fair and strict!"
Little Dumpling shook his head, "Big Brother said that Old Lady Jiang was busy and didn't come."
"If we can show our eldest brother's toast and those two toasts to Mr. Jiang, maybe there will be hope." Bai Ruian said with burning eyes.
"Okay, okay." Li Suining was the first to applaud in agreement.
"That's a possible solution, but Mr. Jiang rarely goes out and I heard he doesn't even have any disciples. Can we meet him?" Bai Shi'an said worriedly.
"At worst, I can go in and tie him up." You Zhu appeared out of nowhere.
"Sixth brother!" Li Suining ran over as soon as he saw him, his little face full of admiration. "Sixth brother taught that rude brother from the Prime Minister's Mansion a lesson. Sixth brother is really amazing!"
Bai Shian's face turned pale instantly.
"Don't worry, except for this little guy, no one knows it's me." You Zhu glanced in the direction of Bai Qing'an's yard, "Big brother doesn't know either."
The fourth and fifth brothers breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, several people acted separately. Bai Ruian led Li Suining to find Bai Qing'an to rewrite the toast, while Bai Shi'an and You Zhu were responsible for finding out where Jiang Heci lived.
It was almost time for dinner when Bai Ruian finally plucked up the courage and took Li Suining to find Bai Qingan.
In fact, Xiaotuanzi didn’t understand, but he knew that this failure must have been a huge blow to his elder brother, and this was a process of accumulation. If his elder brother fell this time, he might really not be able to stand up again.
"Brother?" Bai Ruian called out affectionately after entering the house.
"Big brother!" Li Suining immediately called out sweetly.
"Old Five, Sister, you're here." Bai Qing'an came out to greet them. "Is it time for dinner? Please come and call me again."
"No, we have to wait a while." Bai Ruian said with a smile. He carefully observed Bai Qing'an's expression, but could not see any signs of sadness or sorrow.
"Big brother, are you reading again?" Li Suining asked sweetly.
Bai Qingan paused for a moment before saying with a smile, "I won't read it anymore. It's useless."
"How can it be useless?" Bai Ruian immediately became anxious. "Brother, don't say such discouraging words. We all believe in you."
Li Suining raised his head and looked at Bai Qingan anxiously, "Big brother, you are the best."
Bai Qing'an touched the little boy's head, then looked at Bai Ruian seriously, "Fifth brother, big brother... should have given up long ago, big brother is not..."
"Brother, don't say that..." The little fat boy was so anxious that he was about to cry.
Bai Qing'an raised his hand, signaling him to listen to him. "Over the years, Big Brother has trapped himself in the Imperial College every day, wasting so much money, and not caring about the family's situation. It's not because Big Brother is selfish, but because he just wants to be an official..."
"Brother, no one thinks so." Bai Ruian immediately cried, "Dad, Mom, and the rest of us know that it's very hard for you to study."
"How hard can studying be?" Bai Qingan smiled bitterly.
"Big brother..." Li Suining thought about the situation in the Imperial Examination Hall. In fact, she could guess that Bai Qingan was probably in the same situation in the Imperial College.
Studying may not be that hard, but for a person who carries the expectations and difficulties of his family, has to endure the neglect of his classmates, and suffers setbacks and self-blame day after day...how can it not be hard?
No wonder my eldest brother told my mother that day that he didn’t want to stay in the Imperial College as a teacher anymore.
"Big brother is really fine." Bai Qing'an took a deep breath. This afternoon, he really figured it out. "Big brother is not good at studying. This burden... Lao Wu, you have to carry it."
"No, it's not like that." Bai Ruian kept crying and shaking his head.
"Okay, why are you crying?" Bai Qing'an gently wiped away his brother's tears. "Don't cry, it's nothing. It's easy to give up."
He smiled and stretched his muscles. "Really, I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time."
"Let's go!" Bai Qing'an picked up Li Suining and said, "Let's have dinner!"
He planned to confess his intention to his parents after dinner, and he would not go to the Imperial College after the New Year.
"Wait a minute, big brother," Li Suining still remembered his mission, "I want the toast you wrote today."
"What do you want that for? Garbage!" Bai Qingan said coldly.
"No, big brother," Bai Ruian also remembered his mission and quickly wiped away his tears, "Big brother, I want it too, just give it to us."
"Big brother..." Li Suining launched an attack in a baby voice.
"Okay, okay, there's really nothing I can do about you!" Bai Qing'an shook his head and led the two children into the house.
Only then did Bai Ruian realize that his elder brother was obviously determined and put all the books away. He felt an even greater pain in his heart.
Bai Qing'an took out a pen and paper and quickly wrote the toast, but he didn't even want to look at it and handed it to Bai Ruian and Li Suining.
During dinner, Bai Qing'an announced his decision to everyone.
Bai Yunfeng and Wei Ranzhu tried to persuade him for a long time, but Bai Qing'an had obviously made up his mind. They couldn't bear to see their son being rejected, so they could only nod in agreement.
After the meal, Bai Qingan was the first to leave. Looking at his lonely back, everyone felt distressed.
Bai Yunfeng sighed, "It's said that whoever wins the grand prize at today's banquet will be arranged to go to the Eastern Palace to meet the Crown Prince. I was too impatient, but I didn't expect...he would be so devastated."
Li Suining and his brothers lowered their heads. The little ones understood that it was because they had revealed the two poems, but the eldest brother still did not win, so the eldest brother was so discouraged.
They must hurry and deliver their eldest brother's toast to Old Tutor Jiang before the two men enter the East Palace to see the Crown Prince.
Otherwise, they are actually harming the eldest brother!
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