After the results were announced, Xiao Xin was even busier all day than when he was competing.
The first thing to do is to pay a visit to the magistrate of Wanping County. This magistrate happens to be the same one who imprisoned Xu Huazhang. His jurisdiction is too difficult to govern. He is troubled by the fact that the sons of wealthy and powerful families do not study well and fight. He is also troubled by the fact that they study too well and directly take the top spot in the county examination. In order to avoid suspicion, he posted all the papers of the top ten in the first round when the list was released, so as not to cause any objections.
When Xiao Xin went in to see him, he intentionally didn't talk to Xiao Xin much, but he couldn't bear not to say anything. The top scholar Xiao Xin had chosen was also a connection to him. They might meet again in the officialdom someday. If he were to be cold to Xiao Xin, wouldn't that be cutting off his own path?
The more he looked at Xiao Xin standing below, the more satisfied he became. Youth meant potential, and family background meant powerful connections; sooner or later, Xiao Xin was destined for greatness.
The students finally left, and the clerk beside him couldn't help but remind him, "Sir, you said earlier that to show impartiality, you would only say a few words to the top scholar."
The magistrate put on a stern face: "Didn't I just say a few words?"
The clerk wisely kept quiet.
He thought to himself, "Two sentences? Twenty sentences wouldn't be enough..."
When Xiao Xin came out, he exchanged pleasantries with the other candidates. He didn't talk much, but the others did. There were fifty people on the list, and if each person said a few words, it would add up to quite a bit. They made a lot of noise for half a day. He politely declined several invitations to dinner before rushing off to report the good news to Mr. Su.
Mr. Su was waiting for him, not to hear his good news, but to stroll around and look at the answers of the other nine people besides himself, and roughly copy them down. When he came, he would analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each answer with him.
The analysis concluded that neither was particularly good.
So Xiao Xin, the county magistrate who could suppress them, wasn't all that great.
Xiao Xin: "Yes. I am fortunate to have had this opportunity today. I will continue to work hard and live up to your painstaking teachings."
Mr. Su waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. I'll give you two days off. Come back after you've rested."
Xiao Xin took his leave.
After he left, Mr. Su walked out of the house with his hands behind his back. The pomegranates in the small courtyard were just beginning to ripen, with fist-sized green fruits hanging down in abundance. He looked at them and suddenly burst into laughter.
The old servant came out of the house carrying an empty teapot. Even a servant in front of a prime minister's door could absorb the air of a seventh-rank official, and a servant of a great Confucian scholar would also have a touch of scholarly refinement. The old servant, with his back hunched, looked at him and said, "Master, I don't think those articles are as bad as you make them out to be. The county magistrate isn't blind. There's no problem with Xiao Ge'er getting the top score in the county examination. Why do you keep pouring cold water on him, Master?"
Mr. Su stopped smiling and shook his head: "You don't understand. According to my estimation, it would be a good result if he could be in the top ten. Who knew he would do such a good job? Does he even need to be praised?"
“No need, and we can’t.” He shook his head again. “I’m just a novice in this field. Even ordinary people have the risk of not being able to go far enough. How much more so for him? If he thinks that passing the imperial examination is really that easy and looks down on all the heroes in the world, he will suffer the consequences. So we should not only not praise him, but also keep him in check.”
In short, they were afraid Xiao Xin would become arrogant.
The old servant said slowly, "So the master waited for Brother Xiao to leave before secretly laughing to himself."
Mr. Su said seriously, "Who's laughing secretly? I'm laughing openly and honestly."
"Ha ha……"
**
When Xiao Xin returned to the Marquis's residence, it was nearly dusk. The residence was as usual, and there seemed to be no particular activity.
The servants along the way stopped to greet him for a long time, and even after he had passed, they would still follow his back and whisper among themselves.
"The second young master really did achieve the top score in the imperial examination..."
"It's posted right outside the county government office, so it can't be fake."
"The lady in the courtyard said that being the top scholar isn't anything special..."
"Of course, Madam doesn't care, but I asked Brother Yue, who is in charge of the young master, and he said that there were more than two thousand people taking the county exam. He got first place out of so many people. Isn't that amazing?"
"That's true, I really couldn't tell..."
The less you can tell, the more you want to see.
Normally, no one could talk to this aloof second young master. They could only watch as he was suddenly stopped by the "sister" from the main courtyard and turned to go to Madam Xiao.
Madam Xiao's feelings were complicated.
As a county-level official, she was far removed from the officialdom, and she certainly didn't take it seriously, but how to put it—
Exactly, how could that be?!
You passed the exam just like that?
Madam Xiao didn't want to believe it, but she had no choice but to believe that perhaps this illegitimate son did have some talent.
Long-forgotten memories were awakened, as if he had once been a bright child.
At that time, the more intelligent someone was, the more they would irritate her.
At that time, Xiao Yi had just been born, which took away almost all of Lord Xiao's attention. However, Xiao Lun was not as promising as she had expected. When it came to memorizing a book, he couldn't even out-memorize it as well as his younger brother who had just started school, causing her to lose face and making it even more difficult for her to win Lord Xiao's attention.
She was indignant and couldn't help but say a few words of criticism. When Madam Wei found out, this kind of thing never happened again.
She got her wish and smoothly swept everything into the corner of her memory, as if Xiao Lun had always been so outstanding, and her son would never be overshadowed by those illegitimate children.
...
Over the years, reality has largely unfolded as she envisioned. Under her meticulous planning, Xiao Lun not only excelled among the three brothers but also held his own against the sons of other families when he ventured outside the manor.
"Madam, the young master has arrived."
The maid's announcement startled Madam Xiao from her reverie. She looked up and saw Xiao Lun walking in, dressed in crimson robes with a leather belt, looking dashing and debonair.
He stood next to Xiao Xin, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Mother, I'm back."
Madam Xiao hummed in agreement, her expression softening, and her gaze couldn't help but sweep over the two brothers.
The differences are still obvious: one is mature and the other is aloof; one is confident and the other is withdrawn. But they also have something in common: they both share the surname Xiao.
They are brothers from the same prefecture.
Madam Xiao suppressed the discomfort she felt as the situation spiraled out of control.
She wasn't so short-sighted as to be intolerant of others; since the illegitimate son had earned his place through his own quiet efforts, then so be it.
Things are different now. No matter how capable he is, he can no longer threaten Xiao Lun's position.
Besides, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
When Madam Xiao spoke, she was finally calm and composed, and said to Xiao Lun, "Your younger brother just won the first prize today, so as his older brother, you should also send him a congratulatory gift."
Xiao Lun laughed and said, "I know. I prepared for it a few days ago. I knew that my second brother would definitely pass, but I didn't know what his ranking would be. When I came in just now, I heard that he won first place. I really have to congratulate my second brother."
He cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Xin, who returned the gesture without saying a word.
This half-brother was always taciturn, and Xiao Lun was used to it. He looked him up and down and said, "I'm afraid my second sister-in-law is also very happy."
Xiao Xin's eyes turned cold, and he said, "Of course she's happy for me."
His sarcastic tone was undisguised, and Xiao Lun gave a surprised yet hurried laugh.
Madam Xiao frowned and said to Xiao Xin, "Alright, you can go back now."
Xiao Xin left, but as he crossed the threshold, he turned back halfway to look at Xiao Lun, his eyebrows lowered as if to warn him.
Xiao Lun turned back with a chuckle: "Second brother's temper is something else; he gets angry so easily—"
"Lun'er," Madam Xiao called out to him with a more forceful tone, "and you too, why did you say that?"
Xiao Lun paused for a moment and said, "Mother, I was just saying it casually, it didn't mean anything by it."
"Whether it's true or not, don't say it again next time," Madam Xiao said firmly. "You should know that's not something you should be saying."
Hearing her instructing her son, the maids wisely and quietly withdrew.
Xiao Lun bowed and said, "Mother, I misspoke."
Madam Xiao was satisfied when she saw that he admitted his mistake quickly, and she couldn't bear to scold him any more. She softened her voice and said, "Lun'er, I'm doing this for your own good. You've been married for more than half a year now. If you want to take in two maids, it's time. I don't think your wife and the Chang family can say anything about it."
Xiao Lun bowed without looking up: "Mother, no need. I was recently promoted and I'm busy with official duties."
This was what Madam Xiao was concerned about, and she nodded: "That's true. Official business is the most important thing. Let's not think about anything else."
She was, after all, his mother.
Xiao Lun straightened up, but his eyes never lifted.
He really didn't want to take her in. He grew up in such a mansion; how could he lack such a little comfort?
But those other things—
How could those maids, whom he was used to seeing, compare?
**
As soon as Xiao Xin returned to the North Courtyard, he was nearly thrown out by the commotion.
After holding back for more than half a month, the maids, both young and old, rushed out from every corner of the courtyard. Under Xu Rong's command, they lined up in two rows of varying heights and raised their voices to greet him: "Congratulations, Second Young Master, on achieving the top score in the imperial examination!"
Xiao Xin: "..."
His displeasure at being coveted vanished instantly. He raised his hand to tell the maids to get up, and then complained to Xu Rong, somewhat speechless, "Only those who have achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations can use this."
Using it on him so early, aren't you afraid people will laugh at you?
"Pretty much!"
Xu Rong laughed and clapped her hands crisply: "Come on, keep this formation, don't break up yet, your sister Bai Fu is handing out reward money!"
Bai Fu, who was standing at the front, stepped out of the line, smiled, and quickly went into the house. Soon she brought out a tray of purses. The maids in the courtyard did not know that there was such a procedure beforehand. They were surprised and shouted, and then hurriedly squeezed back into the line, craning their necks to look at Bai Fu—or rather, the tray in Bai Fu's hands.
"Thank you, Second Young Master, thank you, Second Madam!"
"Second Young Master will be the best again next time!"
"Thank you, Sister Bai Fu!"
Amidst a jumble of thank-yous, Xiao Xin entered the room and was taken aback.
Madam Wei stood up from the table and looked at him gently: "Second Brother."
"The Second Young Master has finally finished his exams. I've invited my aunt over for a get-together to celebrate with him," Xu Rong said with a smile from behind him.
There really was a celebratory banquet, with all the dishes prepared, including a small jar of pear blossom wine. The shopkeeper picked pear blossoms in the spring and brewed the wine according to the proper methods. It had been three months since then, and it was just the right time to open the jar, with a refreshing and delightful taste.
Xiao Xin gradually became a little tipsy.
The alcohol didn't intoxicate him; what made him feel relaxed and carefree was the atmosphere.
After the Wei family joined, there were only three people at the table, but there was no need for more.
“Erlang,” Madam Wei suddenly grabbed his wrist, “I’m sorry for what I did to you before. I was so useless. I brought you into this world and could only make you live in fear and anxiety. I couldn’t help you with anything.”
Xiao Xin was taken aback.
"I—uh!" Mrs. Wei was about to continue speaking when she first hiccuped.
Xiao Xin realized what was happening: "Auntie, you're drunk."
"No, I'm perfectly sober," Madam Wei denied softly, but tears streamed down her face. "At least you're not like me, you've earned your own future. If your father could see this, how wonderful it would be."
Xiao Xin remained unmoved when she mentioned Lord Xiao.
Lord Xiao had specifically sought him out a few days ago.
So this counts as seeing him.
But he no longer needs it.
He called to the maid, "Auntie has drunk too much; let's help her back."
Bai Fu and Xin Cheng came over immediately, and Wei Shi tried to explain, "I'm not drunk—"
But she was very easy to talk to. Before anyone could object, she stopped talking, only glancing at Xiao Xin with a look of satisfaction before obediently letting the two maids accompany her.
His back view was still fairly upright, so even if he was drunk, it wasn't too bad.
Xiao Xin watched her leave the courtyard, then turned back and looked at her: "..."
In just a short while, this one on the table also tipped over.
"Stop drinking, if you're drunk, just rest." He walked over.
"I'm not drunk," Xu Rong denied, much more firmly.
To prove it, she sat up again, supporting her head, and opened her eyes wide, smiling brightly at him: "Second Young Master, today is a good day."
Xiao Xin: "Hmm."
While agreeing with her, he also sized her up. Hearing her speak clearly, he was a little unsure whether she was drunk or not.
Xu Rong leaned closer to him: "Second Young Master, look, it feels so distant for me to still call you Second Young Master."
Xiao Xin: "--Hmm?"
He was puzzled, unsure of what she was trying to say.
Xu Rong blinked, prompting him, "We're already so familiar with each other, can't we take our relationship to the next level?"
Xiao Xin: "..."
He couldn't utter a sound, and his heart skipped a beat.
He was so dizzy from all the jumping that he felt like he was getting drunk.
He couldn't help but say, "I—"
My mind went blank, and I didn't know what to say for a moment.
He just felt that she shouldn't have spoken first; he was a man, it was his turn to say it.
I also feel that today is indeed a good day.
Xu Rong's eyes narrowed as she could no longer hold back her gaze, her eyes sparkling like stars: "Second Young Master, I am a few years older than you, why don't you acknowledge me as your elder sister?"
Xiao Xin: "—Ahem!"
He swallowed the breath he had been holding in, and coughed so hard that he felt a chill run through him.
After coughing, he wiped his lips and raised his head expressionlessly.
Xu Rong urged him again, "Second Young Master, is this alright?"
Xiao Xin sneered and reached out his hand.
Xu Rong didn't dodge; he just sat there innocently.
Xiao Xin concluded from this that she was truly drunk, but being drunk was not a good thing.
He touched her cheek and pinched it hard. Seeing her wince and cry out in pain, he showed no mercy. He leaned closer and said to her, word by word, "Don't even think about it."
**
The next morning.
Although Mr. Su had given him a holiday, Xiao Xin did not want to stay at the mansion. He picked up his book bag and left the mansion to continue his journey to the Su family.
His steps were steady and cold, carrying a hint of murderous intent.
The servants they encountered on the road bowed to them and couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"Is the second young master going back to school so soon...?"
"He just passed the imperial examination with top honors, but he doesn't look proud or complacent at all."
"The second young master is so composed; perhaps he truly has the potential to achieve great things..."
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