Shen Zhiyan removed the five stone locks in five quick moves.
He brushed his long hair, which had fallen to his chest, behind him and said with a smile, "Thank you, Brother Xie, you flatter me."
Ye Daquan was almost in tears; these were the two major challenges he had meticulously prepared!
Where is the scholar who was supposed to be so weak he couldn't even kill a chicken...?
Turns out he's a trained fighter! He was pretending to be weak...
He clutched his chest, his voice hoarse: "Don't be afraid, I...I...I still have one last hurdle to overcome, I guarantee he won't get through this time!"
Du raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Hehehe, so you're quite strong. Good, good, good!"
Jin Hua asked curiously, "What's so good about it?"
Manman leaned closer: "Yeah, what's so good about it?"
Du's expression was playful: "The benefits are naturally numerous... well, like, when it comes to moving things, you can lift it up with one hand, isn't that very effortless?"
Shen Manman pouted: "You can call a servant!"
Madam Du laughed and said, "Pah, pah, pah, what are you calling a servant! Anyway... it's better to have your own strength than nothing, right?"
That makes sense.
Inside the main courtyard.
Ye Caiping sat upright on the bed, while Ye Jin'er and Ye Huan'er stood by the window looking out: "It's so lively outside, it sounds so fun."
Ye Caiping's eyes were filled with a smile and anticipation.
"Hey, it's here!" Ye Huan'er suddenly exclaimed.
Ye Caiping looked up at the window and saw Shen Zhiyan being escorted into the courtyard.
Changxi and her maids quickly closed all the doors and windows of the room.
Ye Caiping only caught a glimpse of a slender red figure just as the door was about to close.
Her heart suddenly started pounding.
Why am I suddenly getting nervous when I see someone I see every day?
Soon, Shen Zhiyan and his group arrived at the door.
Ye Daquan stretched out his arms to block the doorway: "Stop, stop, stop—"
Shen Zhiyan said, "I wonder what this hurdle is for you, elder brother..."
There was nothing set up around it, so it was hard to tell.
Ye Daquan: "Hmph, this time we'll have a question-and-answer session, listen carefully."
Shen Zhiyan raised an eyebrow: "Come on."
Ye Daquan thought for a moment and then said, "Answer me three questions. If you answer one correctly, you'll pass. The first one is, when is spring plowing in our Nanzhou?"
Ye Xuan, who was standing to the side, stumbled and almost fell flat on his face.
Do they really think that scholars can't distinguish between the five grains?
The Great Zhou Dynasty prioritized agriculture, and they were required to study agronomy.
In the autumn imperial examinations, they would also be tested on questions about agriculture, a topic that Mr. Shen had proposed when he was at the Imperial Academy. Mr. Shen had also written a book on agriculture, which was a required course for every scholar.
Ye Xuan almost covered his eyes; this was another easy hurdle.
Unexpectedly, Shen Zhiyan began to ponder, and finally said helplessly, "I don't know how to do this question."
Ye Xuan: "......"
Ye Daquan, Ye Siquan, and the others were overjoyed and cheered so much they almost danced on the spot.
Ye Siquan: "Big brother is really smart, to come up with this kind of question."
Ye Bajin: "Brother Daquan is quite capable."
Ye Daquan laughed heartily: "See? See? I told you! Don't worry, don't worry, there are still two questions left, you still have a chance."
Seeing his ecstatic expression, Shen Zhiyan's eyes flashed with amusement: "Then please continue to instruct me, elder brother."
Ye Daquan: "Okay, keep listening. How are rice seedlings cultivated?"
Shen Zhiyan rested his finger on his chin and squinted: "Hmm... put the rice in the paddy field?"
Ye Daquan and the others continued to laugh: "Hehehe... No, no! We should plant the rice in dry land first, let it grow, and then transplant it into paddy fields!"
Shen Zhiyan smiled and said, "Oh, I see. Thank you for your guidance, elder brother."
Ye Xuan wiped his sweat: "..."
Shen Manman and Shen Xingyue were both trying not to laugh.
Ye Caiping chuckled in the room; everyone was having a great time.
Ye Daquan: "Hehehe, third question, in which month is the first season of rice harvested?"
Shen Zhiyan: "Sigh... I really don't know how, what should I do?"
Ye Daquan: "Hahaha!"
Ye Siquan: "You're to drink the penalty wine! If you can finish these three big bowls, you can take the bride away!"
Shen Zhiyan exclaimed happily, "Great!"
Immediately, servants brought over three large bowls of wine.
Shen Zhiyan picked up a bowl and drank it.
Ye Daquan was so happy that his eyes almost squinted into slits. Seeing Shen Zhiyan being punished finally gave him a sense of getting his revenge.
Moreover, Shen Zhiyan was very nice and did whatever he was asked to do, even finishing three large bowls of food.
After Shen Zhiyan finished his first bowl, Madam Du quickly stepped forward and said, "Alright, alright, you can't drink anymore. Here's a red envelope, then you can go inside!"
Ye Daquan: "No, no, we have to finish it."
A group of people were making a ruckus and laughing.
Shen Zhiyan finished another bowl, just as Shen Manman suddenly picked up a handful of gold leaves and tossed them around: "Wow, I found money!!!"
"My God, it's gold! It's gold—" Ye Siquan and all his servants went crazy and rushed to pick up the money.
Ye Daquan, who was holding out his hands, was stunned. Before he could react, Shen Zhiyan had already broken down the door and entered.
Ye Caiping was sitting upright on the edge of the bed, holding a round fan tightly in her hand, half-covering her cheek.
Suddenly, with a loud "bang," the door opened.
A red figure walked in, surrounded by a crowd.
Through the gap in the round fan, one could see him slowly approaching, his red robe as fiery as fire, the gold embroidery flowing and turning, making him appear even more luxurious.
She looked up and met his gaze, which was as bright as a dark star, with a tender smile: "Caiping, I'm here."
His eyes reflected her image.
She wore an exquisite and gorgeous red robe, and a phoenix crown adorned with gold and kingfisher feathers, with heavy gold tassels hanging down on both sides, casting a faint blush on her fair face.
A round fan adorned with jet-black silk and inlaid with pearls and gold tassels partially obscured her face, revealing only a pair of captivating, watery eyes. As she raised her gaze and lowered her brows, a dazzling light shone forth, imbued with a touch of allure.
The light filtering through the paper window was just the right amount of softness, and Shen Zhiyan was momentarily stunned. She looked so beautiful today.
Passionate and dazzling, its beauty is extremely flamboyant, yet it also hides a subtle and shy charm.
Looking at him, Ye Caiping's eyes were also full of smiles: "Mm."
"Let's welcome the bride!" the matchmaker's joyful voice rang out.
Ye Caiping stood up with the help of her maid, and the couple went out together.
Ye Daquan's eyes instantly reddened: "Little sister..."
"Alright!" Madam Du stopped him and said with a smile, "Congratulations!"
Ye Daquan sniffed: "Little sister, this time you absolutely must be happy!"
Ye Caiping glanced back at him gently and nodded, "Mm."
Then, the two of them were escorted away by Ye Jin'er's three maids and a group of servants and maids.
Ye Daquan stared blankly at their departing red figures, truly... a perfect match! A match made in heaven!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
