Chapter 17 I must help my younger brother pass the exam

Zong Jincheng thought so too, but when Xu Wan really said this, he always felt a burning sensation on his face, as if he had been slapped in the face in public.

"Hey!" he shouted dissatisfiedly.

What did she mean? Was he just a selfish person who didn't care about other people's lives in her eyes? And she broke his legs... couldn't he have volunteered to help others?

This woman judges others by her own mean standards!

snort!

Xu Wan said, "Oh," and reminded him, "Call me mother."

This brat has no respect for his elders.

"No."

Zong Jincheng glared at her angrily, then looked at the pitiful Zong Wenxiu beside him. In fact, he felt a little soft-hearted and wanted to agree, but looking at Xu Wan's determined look, he felt he couldn't get down the stairs, and it was awkward for him to stay there.

At this moment, a gust of wind blew, and the windows in the house made a rattling sound. Although the doors and windows were closed tightly, the two children still shuddered subconsciously.

"Okay, Jincheng agreed. I'll arrange for the imperial physician. Take them both to ward off the cold and change clothes." Xu Wan made the final decision for the little devil immediately, although she had already sent Cuizhi to deliver a letter to the old marquis.

Zong Wenxiu's eyes lit up, his mother was saved!

Cui Liu was the most active person. She would do her best to complete the tasks assigned by the mistress, no matter what means she used. So at this moment, she was sternly looking at them, pulling one in each hand, and dragging them to take a bath.

Zong Jincheng was confused halfway through: "???"

I didn't say yes, I didn't say yes, so how could she say I agreed?

I shouldn't have said anything just now, right?

The little devil came to his senses and felt that he had been tricked by Xu Wan again. He immediately wanted to stand up from the bathtub. However, when he stood up, he saw Zong Wenxiu in the bathtub next to him.

His half-brother was so thin that he was just a skeleton, and his skin was rougher than that of the servants. When he turned his eyes to the side, he saw that he had several frostbite on his hands and many knots on his palms.

Zong Jincheng sat back down and asked in confusion, "Can studying and writing cause hand strain and frostbite?"

Didn't my grandmother say that studying is the easiest thing in the world? Just stay in your room and read and write, you won't feel cold or tired.

Shunzi, who was helping him take a bath, couldn't help but sigh in his heart: The young master is really simple when he is simple.

Young Master Xiu did not grow up in a marquis's mansion like you. That place is a slum, where the poorest families in the capital live. People die of illness, starvation, or freezing every day. It is lucky for Young Master Xiu to be alive after living there for nine and a half years. Of course, the wounds on his body will only be more, not less.

Zong Wenxiu was stunned by his question, and his hands that were exposed outside retreated into the bucket, thinking that Zong Jincheng was making fun of him. At his age, he was very sensitive, so he remained silent.

Zong Jincheng glared at Shunzi and asked, "Did someone in the mansion bully him?"

The second uncle died in battle, and the second branch of the family has no legitimate wife. There is no guarantee that there won't be servants who will look down on them as illegitimate children and bully them.

Shunzi was so scared that he raised his hands and cried out, "That's not true. The old lady treated that courtyard very well. Master Xiu got up before dawn to study every day, and the courtyard even specially added an extra heater for him. She took special care of him from beginning to end."

Realizing that Zong Wenxiu might feel embarrassed, Shunzi leaned over and whispered in the little devil's ear to explain the whole story.

Zong Jincheng then realized that even if hands with perennial frostbite were well taken care of, they would easily relapse; and that children in slums, even if they were only a few years old, would have to do a lot of hard labor.

No wonder his half-brother is about the same age as him, but is much weaker in height and physique.

The little devil lowered his eyes as if thinking about something. The idea of ​​seeking explanation from Xu Wan just now was gone. He splashed the water in the bathtub again and again.

Zong Wenxiu was actually very nervous as well. He could sense Zong Jincheng's reluctance and was afraid that he might turn against him at any time. So even though he was taking a hot bath, he dared not move at all, for fear that any movement would make Zong Jincheng unhappy.

Suddenly, the little devil spoke up: "I heard that you have been studying for the past few months since you returned home. What is there to read in those thick books?"

When Concubine Hong was brought back to the mansion a few months ago, the old marquis arranged for them to live in the west courtyard and announced to the outside world that Zong Wenxiu was just the eldest son of the second wife.

Everyone knows that there is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children.

No matter whether Zong Jincheng studied or not, or whether he became a successful person or not, no one could shake his position as the legitimate grandson, so he never had a sense of crisis, and he didn't understand why Zong Wenxiu liked reading so much.

Zong Wenxiu said: "Because reading can teach people to understand the truth and see many things they have never seen before. If you can get a good ranking in the imperial examination, you can do many things you want to do."

"What do you want to do?" Zong Jincheng asked.

Children of this age only think about playing and have no idea what studying is for.

Zong Wenxiu was stunned for a moment, and said truthfully: "Actually, I don't know what I want to do when I grow up, but my mother said that no matter what I do, the prerequisite is that I should have enough knowledge, so that I can choose more paths in the future. For example, if I want to be an official, I need to pass the imperial examination first; if I want to do business, I need to know how to make money, etc."

Zong Jincheng understood it, but felt it was of no use to him.

If he wanted to become an official with his status, his grandfather would arrange it for him, and the position might be a very good one; if he wanted to do business, his grandmother would give him the capital, a shop and even the staff to manage the business.

There is no need to study at all.

It turned out to be a topic that was not suitable for him to think about.

Zong Jincheng took a quick bath and then got up and went out. Seeing this, Zong Wenxiu hurried out to follow him.

Just when he was worried that his rumored brother would cause a big fuss, he heard Zong Jincheng asking in front of him, "Where are you studying? You're not going to Hong Yi Niang's courtyard, are you? How many warm stoves are there?"

In an instant, Zong Wenxiu felt relieved.

His frown relaxed and he patiently explained, "It's not in my mother's courtyard. My grandmother said there was a large study room in the mansion that had been empty and unused, so she asked me to go there to study. There are a lot of books there, and there are three heaters in the room, so it's warm and comfortable."

Zong Wenxiu quickly caught up with him and introduced him. This was completely beyond his expectations. He had not expected that his brother was not the same as the rumors said. Instead, he was... kind in an awkward way.

Zong Wenxiu swore secretly.

He must teach his younger brother well and make sure his younger brother passes the exam even if he himself fails!