Chapter 66 They're all from the Xie family
Upon hearing this, the kneeling examinees suddenly raised their heads, their eyes blazing with intense light!
It was an undisguised fervor and loyalty!
It was as if they would go through fire and water for Xie Sangning with just a word!
The color drained from the faces of the second wife in an instant, especially from Xie Wulu!
Wang even stumbled a step, only managing to avoid falling because she tripped over the chair behind her.
“What a coincidence,” Xie Sangning’s gaze returned to Xie Wulu, who was pale as a ghost, “These twenty-three outstanding students from this year’s high school are all my students, and also my people, Xie Sangning’s people.”
She paused, admiring the utterly devastated expressions on the faces of the three members of the second wife, and slowly added, "If I really needed to choose a scholarly heir for my father to adopt as the legitimate heir... they would probably fight tooth and nail to get him."
She turned to the old matriarch, who was equally stunned: "Do you think someone who doesn't even rank in the top twenty among these twenty-three outstanding individuals, a mere seventeenth in the second class..."
"Does it still deserve your earlier statement that your future is limitless?"
She took a step forward, her gaze fixed on the old lady's dazed eyes, and posed a soul-searching question.
"Compared to these chosen ones, is he, Xie Wulu, even worthy of being adopted by my father and becoming the rightful heir to my General's Mansion?!"
Dead silence!
Inside Fushou Hall, time seemed to stand still.
Xie Sangning and the second wife were both fully aware of the situation.
The old lady seemed to favor the second wife and placed high hopes on Xie Wulu, but that was only based on the premise of "choosing the best among the worst".
Once faced with a crucial decision concerning the future rise and fall of the General's Mansion, he will be more ruthless than anyone else!
In this suffocating silence, the old lady's cloudy eyes slowly moved.
His gaze slowly shifted from Xie Wulu's deathly pale face, finally settling on the group of young students dressed in their scholar's robes, their postures respectful.
Especially the top scholar, Chen Yan.
"Hahaha! Good! Excellent! May God bless the Xie family! May God bless the General's Mansion!"
The old lady, leaning on her cane, actually stood up from her seat and walked briskly towards Chen Yan, the top scholar who was kneeling at the front.
She completely ignored Xie Wulu, who was frozen to the side, and grabbed Chen Yan's wrist with her hands covered in age spots!
Her gaze, like a searchlight, filled with undisguised satisfaction, as she scrutinized Chen Yan from head to toe.
That upright posture, that composed demeanor, that red robe symbolizing the honor of the top scholar...
"Good boy! Such a good boy!"
The old lady's voice was filled with unprecedented love and enthusiasm, as if Chen Yan in front of her was her long-lost grandson.
"Look at his imposing presence! This is truly a literary star descended to earth! This is the kind of prodigy who can uphold the honor of my Xie family!"
boom!
Xie Wulu felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind!
His eyes instantly became bloodshot and filled with red veins as he stared intently at the old lady's hand that was tightly gripping Chen Yan!
That hand was just patting his shoulder, saying "Your future is limitless!"
That hand was his only hope for becoming the eldest son of the general!
Now... now she's so eager, treating him like he doesn't exist, to win over an outsider?!
Today should have been the most glorious peak of Xie Wulu's life!
He passed the imperial examination with flying colors, becoming a second-class Jinshi, bringing glory to his family!
With the support of the matriarch, he should have been successfully adopted by his uncle Xie Zhenting and become the legitimate heir of the General's Mansion!
From then on, he held a prestigious position, had powerful backing, and rose rapidly through the ranks of officialdom!
This was an opportunity he had been painstakingly waiting for for many years!
But what about now?
His proud achievement paled in comparison to Xie Sangning's twenty-three brilliant students, becoming nothing more than a "merely ranked seventeenth in the second class"!
His meticulously planned schemes became a complete joke in the face of the old lady's blatant change of heart and undisguised disgust!
All his dignity, ambition, and expectations for the future... were utterly and mercilessly crushed and shattered at this moment by the old lady's piercing laughter!
I stepped into the mud!
Xie Wulu's legs could no longer support his body, and he suddenly went limp, staggering heavily backward.
On the other side, Wang was slumped in a chair like a lump of mud, with one side of her face swollen.
His mouth was wide open, his eyes were empty, and he had completely lost his luster.
All her pride, all her scheming, all her hopes were utterly crushed into dust at this moment.
Today's losses outweigh the gains!
The old lady turned warmly to the group of students: "Good children, you've all worked hard! It's not easy to pass the imperial examinations! Why don't you stay at the General's Mansion?"
"I have asked Sang Ning to prepare the most elegant courtyard for you to rest and recuperate!"
“Grandmother means well,” Xie Sangning said at the right moment, “but the newly appointed scholars are new to the capital and the court has arranged accommodations for them. Moreover, there are many formalities and social obligations after the results are announced. Staying at my residence may cause gossip.”
"Once everything settles down, it will be their time to serve the court and bring glory to their families."
The old lady patted Chen Yan's hand with a smile: "Yes, yes. Look, I'm so happy I'm getting senile."
The students bowed respectfully and took their leave.
The old lady remained silent about the matter of adopting Xie Wulu, as if she had never mentioned it before.
She may be old, but she's definitely not senile!
At this moment, the old lady's mind was clearer than ever.
No matter how Xie Wulu was adopted, he still had the blood of the second wife flowing in his veins, and his roots were in the Xie family!
Even if he wasn't adopted by Xie Zhenting, Xie Wulu would still have to serve the Xie family.
It would be better to adopt these outstanding prodigies!
In this way, the future of the General's Mansion will be more promising.
Furthermore, the biggest taboo in adoption is failing to sever ties with the original family.
Even if Xie Wulu becomes the legitimate son of the first wife, how can he truly sever ties with the second wife?
Living in the same mansion, seeing each other day and night, and being connected by blood, the entanglements, undercurrents, and even the possible power struggles in the future are simply huge hidden dangers buried under the peace of the family!
The slightest carelessness could lead to disaster!
And now?
Xie Sangning gave her a completely new choice!
A group of privileged young people with no connections, boundless futures, and unwavering loyalty to Xie Sangning!
These are the people who can truly be molded and belong entirely to the General's Mansion as future pillars of society!
They have no deep-rooted family ties behind them, but their honor and disgrace will be completely tied to the Xie family!
Adopting any one of them would be a hundred times better than Xie Wulu!
Xie Wulu no longer catches the old lady's eye.
The old lady's slight bias towards the second branch of the family was completely washed away in the face of absolute power and interests.
The way she looked at Xie Wulu had changed; there was no longer any expectation in her eyes, only cold scrutiny and...abandonment.
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