The top scorer in the autumn examination was a talented scholar from Jiangnan who had been studying at the Imperial Academy for several years. He was several years older than Xixi, so it was not surprising that he achieved such a result.
Xi Xi, on the other hand, is only fifteen years old this year, and her results this time were second only to the top scorer in the county.
Because his own son was participating in the imperial examination, Zhao Shi'an did not interfere in the examination itself, but instead sent someone to find out where Xi Xi's essay was lacking.
The essays written by the student, who was trained by Grand Secretary Zhao Shi'an, were naturally brilliant. However, the examiners felt that he was still young and inexperienced, and that giving him too high a ranking might make him arrogant and complacent. So they gave him second place.
At the dinner table, Zhao Shi'an told Xixi about the result.
Xi Xi nodded calmly.
Fang Qing wasn't very happy.
"How can you judge exam papers based on age? Does that mean a scholar in his sixties would be automatically named the top scholar in the imperial examination?"
"Mother, don't be angry. This is just the autumn examination. When the provincial examination comes next year, the examiners will cover up the candidates' information, so they won't be able to see my age then."
Fang Qing naturally knew all this, and now that Xi Xi was comforting her instead, she felt a little embarrassed.
"Mother is not angry, son, you should also calm down, Mother believes in you."
"good."
As the family of three was eating, Fang Qing brought up Mingming.
When Mingming was ten years old, Xun'er gave birth to twins. Because things were not very stable in the household, Xun'er suffered a massive hemorrhage and almost died.
However, she developed a chronic illness and moved out of the mansion with her child, refusing to see anyone. She couldn't even take care of her newborn child, clearly suffering from postpartum depression.
Fang Qing took Mingming home and arranged for someone to take care of Xun'er and the two children.
Seeing his wife's resolute decision, Fang Dashu suddenly realized what was happening and sold the concubine his mother had chosen for him in the backyard. However, Xun'er was determined to divorce him. During that time, Fang Dashu would visit the Zhao residence every few days, and each time he came, he would be ridiculed by Fang Qing.
He deserves it. If he hadn't given his approval, would his mother have been able to send people to the backyard for him? If he hadn't tacitly agreed, would that concubine have been able to climb over Xun'er?
He was enjoying great power and prestige in the court, so he naturally felt that Xun'er's background was too low, and his male depravity was fully displayed.
Unable to get any solutions from Fang Qing, Fang Dashu had no choice but to swallow his pride and beg Xun'er to change her mind.
It was he who drove the woman with postpartum depression to the point of suicidal thoughts.
On a cold winter night, Xun'er set fire to her house. Fortunately, she was discovered and rescued by the servants. She was not injured, but her emotions became more unstable.
Fang Qing tried many methods but failed to improve Xun'er's mood, so she could only write a letter to Xun'er's family.
Xun'er was the eldest daughter in her family, with three younger brothers. Hearing that their eldest sister was suffering here, the three brothers rushed to the capital day and night, put a sack over Fang Dashu's head and beat him so badly that he couldn't get out of bed for half a month.
The three brothers came from a family of scholars and poets. Although they were now down on their luck, they still retained their integrity. They didn't give Fang Dashu a chance to repent. They left behind a letter of divorce and took Xun'er and her three children away.
Mingming had been raised in the Zhao family for a period of time, and Fang Qing treated her like her own daughter. However, she was concerned about her own mother, and given Xun'er's condition at the time, having Mingming by her side would have been better for her. Therefore, Fang Qing had no choice but to let her go.
We've maintained communication with people in the Jiangnan region over the years.
Fang Dashu regretted his actions, so he sent large sums of money to that region over the years and frequently traveled to Jiangnan. His relationship with Xun'er also improved somewhat.
Last year, Fang Dashu even found Xun'er a good marriage.
The husband's family is the Zhang family, the son of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. They are a century-old, prosperous family with strict family traditions. Fang Dashu was attracted by the Zhang family's rule that "with a wife, one should not take a concubine or take a house."
He did some foolish things when he was young, so naturally he wouldn't let his daughter suffer.
Xun'er has always lived in Jiangnan, and she is coming back soon to prepare for her wedding.
"When will Sister Mingming be back?" Zhao Xizhi asked.
"They said it would arrive by the middle of this month."
He made a decision in secret.
When Mingming arrived, Fang Qing sent someone to meet her outside the city.
Mingming didn't go home; she went back to Fang Qing's place first.
Fang Qing had been waiting for a long time. When she heard the commotion outside, she went out and saw Zhao Xizhi and Mingming walking over together. The two were talking about something, and Mingming looked at Zhao Xizhi with some helplessness.
"Mingming!"
"Aunt Qing!"
Both of them were very excited to see each other.
After all these years, Fang Qing is still the same as Fang Mingming remembers her.
Fang Qing almost didn't recognize her.
"You've grown up and become more and more beautiful. Where's your mother?"
“My mother is unwell and has been delayed on the road. She will be able to bring my younger brothers over in a few days.”
"Alright, alright, let's talk inside."
Mingming's arrival kept Fang Qing busy.
After all, she was like a daughter to Fang Qing, so she couldn't help but worry about her marriage.
A few days later, Xun'er also came to the capital, bringing with her the pair of identical twins.
In order to avoid being ridiculed by Mingming's future husband's family, Xun'er reluctantly moved into Fang Dashu's mansion. However, since Mingming and the twins lived in the mansion, Fang Qianqian and Fang Ya'er suddenly had playmates.
The adults were busy worrying about Mingming's marriage, and the children played together all day long. Zhao Xizhi also often took Mingming and Qianqian out to participate in various poetry gatherings.
Fang Qing didn't know what had happened between the children, but when she came to her senses, she suddenly realized that Qianqian and Xixi seemed to be having a cold war. The atmosphere was even more obvious when they ate together, and they even brought up the idea of going back to the General's Mansion after the meal.
Fang Qing subconsciously looked at Zhao Xizhi.
Zhao Xizhi frowned slightly as she looked at Fang Qianqian.
Fang Qing didn't know what to say, so she could only agree to Fang Qianqian's suggestion.
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