Chapter 203

Chapter 203

"Master, the Marquis of Yong'an has come to fetch Lady Anguo."

The servant bowed slightly, standing at the door.

Mr. Yan looked at Tong Sui, noticing her disappointed expression, and instructed the servant, "Please invite the Marquis in. I’ll finish this passage with Madam first."

Tong Sui brightened up.

Mr. Yan concluded, "Zhao Dun frequently advised Duke Ling to be a wise ruler, proving his loyalty. However, Duke Ling repeatedly sent assassins to kill Zhao Dun, revealing his tyranny. But should Zhao Chuan have killed his ruler for this reason? Since Zhao Dun continued to support the Jin lord, why did he protect Zhao Chuan instead of punishing the murderer? Thus, the historian Dong Hu recorded that Zhao Dun committed regicide, a judgment of great fairness. Despite his many merits, regicide remains an indelible stain on Zhao Dun’s legacy."

Tong Sui said, "People at the time feared Zhao Dun’s power, yet Dong Hu dared to record history truthfully, which is truly admirable."

Mr. Yan replied, "Yes, that's why Confucius praised him as a good historian of ancient times."

At that moment, Xiao Zhen was led in by the servant.

Reluctantly, Tong Sui had to take her leave.

Xiao Zhen smiled and asked Mr. Yan not to see them off.

Mr. Yan, needing to relieve himself urgently, couldn’t accompany them. He asked his daughter-in-law, Lady Dong, and granddaughter, Yan Mingxiu, to see them off.

Tong Sui said to Lady Dong, "In a few days, the results will be posted. I'm sure Young Master Xiu will pass the exam, and we'll come to congratulate you then."

Lady Dong smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Madam."

Tong Sui smiled at Yan Mingxiu and, with Xiao Zhen’s help, boarded the carriage.

As the carriage departed, Xiao Zhen looked at Lady Anguo, who was holding the *Records of the Grand Historian* and resting with her eyes closed, and asked, "Tired?"

Tong Sui hummed, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the many stories she had heard.

Xiao Zhen let her rest her head on his lap and massaged her forehead, "Was an hour not enough? Did Mr. Yan finish the entire chapter on the House of Zhao for you?"

Tong Sui chuckled, "How could that be? He didn’t even reach the part about the Zhao family’s orphan. He just talked about Zhao Dun’s life."

Zhao Dun’s confidants, political enemies, achievements, and faults—Mr. Yan casually mentioned names unknown to Tong Sui, so he had to briefly explain their families, like branches growing from a main trunk, lush in her mind.

Light rain tapped gently on the carriage, and the wheels rolled smoothly, creating a peaceful atmosphere inside.

Xiao Zhen remarked, "This person is indeed significant."

Tong Sui replied, "I still believe he was the mastermind behind the regicide. Zhao Chuan, a mere dandy, couldn’t have pulled off such a major event without direction."

Xiao Zhen said, "Either commit regicide or be killed by the ruler; sometimes, one has no other choice."

Tong Sui added, "If he had insisted on enthroning an older prince from the start and the new ruler had been benevolent, perhaps none of these events would have occurred."

Xiao Zhen said, "Before Duke Xiang’s death, he explicitly asked Zhao Dun to assist the young Duke Ling. Proposing to enthrone someone else would have been disloyal. Later, he changed his mind due to Duke Ling’s mother’s weeping, showing indecision. Do you think Duke Ling’s mother would truly appreciate his change of heart? When Duke Ling grew up, he opposed Zhao Dun, possibly influenced by his mother’s instigation. Of course, Zhao Dun had the means, and in the end, he won."

Tong Sui said, "He may have won, but the Zhao family almost perished."

Xiao Zhen replied, "That shows he wasn’t strong enough."

——

On the fifteenth of April, the results of the imperial examinations were announced. Those who passed were called *gongshi* and would participate in the palace examination hosted by Emperor Xingping. Performing well in the palace examination could earn one the titles of *zhuangyuan*, *bangyan*, or *tanyhua*, and at the very least, one would be a *jinshi*. The common folk still referred to them as *jinshi*.

Evening fell, and Xiao Zhen returned to the estate, asking Tong Sui, "Did you send someone to check the results?"

Tong Sui smiled. "Yes, Yan Mingxiu passed. He's really impressive. The Yan family is about to have another *jinshi*."

Xiao Zhen: "Did Song Zhishi pass?"

Tong Sui: "...I only asked them to look for Yan Mingxiu's name and forgot about him. It seems you care more about my esteemed teacher's son than I do."

Initially, it was fine, but Xiao Zhen kept mentioning Song Zhishi unexpectedly. Tong Sui had a past with Song Zhishi, so how could she not overthink it?

It must have been when Xiao Zhen accompanied her to her parents' home that something gave him a clue about Song Zhishi.

Now, Tong Sui just wanted to know if Xiao Zhen had guessed based on subtle clues or if Song Zhishi had told him something directly.

She gazed at Xiao Zhen pensively.

Xiao Zhen, still calm, undressed, explaining, "Mr. Song is now the Prime Minister. I have to care about his son's examination. It’s a significant event. If he passes, I need to congratulate him in time when I meet him in the palace; otherwise, it would be rude. People might think I don’t hold the Prime Minister in high regard."

Tong Sui: "Well, luckily I forgot. Xiaoshan was worried and asked a servant to check."

Xiao Zhen paused briefly while undressing.

Without him needing to ask, Tong Sui offered, "He passed too. Remember to congratulate Prime Minister Song."

Xiao Zhen: "Certainly."

After dinner, as usual, Tong Sui sat on the bed reading. Xiao Zhen also took a book and sat next to her.

When Tong Sui became tired and wanted to sleep, Xiao Zhen intended to keep reading.

Tong Sui: "We need to wake up early tomorrow. Let’s go to sleep."

Xiao Zhen: "I'm not tired."

Unable to gauge his mood, Tong Sui went into the inner chamber. Lying in bed, hearing only silence within and without, and thinking about the *Analects* in Xiao Zhen's hands, Tong Sui bit her lip and, wearing only her nightgown, walked to the door of the inner room, parting the curtain.

Hearing the movement, Xiao Zhen glanced over, still reading his book. "Why aren’t you sleeping?"

Tong Sui: "I've never seen you read at night. Why are you suddenly so eager to learn tonight?"

Xiao Zhen: "The scholars around you are getting more impressive one by one. If I don’t study hard, I’ll eventually be abandoned by you."

Having her suspicions confirmed, Tong Sui was both amused and annoyed. "They’re just good at studying. You, Second Master Xiao, are skilled in both *wen* and *wu*. If anyone is to be abandoned, it would be me."

If he wanted to be sarcastic, she could play along too.

Xiao Zhen: "To me, scholars and warriors are the same. Unlike you, who clearly favor scholars."

Tong Sui: "Who have I favored more?"

Xiao Zhen: "Among the sisters-in-law, you’re obviously closer to Third Younger Brother's wife. Among the comrades in the camp, you clearly prefer Wen Gong and Sun Wei. Even the three new maids you've chosen are more learned than the others."

Tong Sui: "...I’ll count to five. If you don’t come in, I’m locking the door."

Xiao Zhen remained seated.

From behind the curtain, Tong Sui began counting. When she reached five, she closed the two doors and firmly bolted the doors.

As she lay back in bed, Xiao Zhen put down his book, came to the door, and, testing it, found it opened with a push.

A smile tugging at the corner of his lips, Xiao Zhen entered the canopy bed and, lifting the covers, lay down beside her.

——

On the twentieth of April, another day off, Lin Ningfang and Xiao Yan accompanied Tong Sui to the Yan family to offer congratulations. Lin Ningfang and her husband soon left, leaving Tong Sui to listen to Mr. Yan's lecture.

An hour passed unconsciously, and with experience, Mr. Yan timed it especially well. When the servant came to announce the news, Mr. Yan had just wrapped up and was sitting down to drink tea.

The servant, upon reaching the door, spoke clearly: "Master, Fourth Master Xiao has come to fetch Madam."

"Spit," Mr. Yan spat out the tea he had just sipped.

Yan Mingxiu, blushing, helped her grandfather wipe the tea from his chest.

Tong Sui asked in surprise, "Why is it my Fourth Master?"

The servant explained, "Fourth Master Xiao said that it should have been the Marquis, but since the Marquis was invited to a banquet, he sent Fourth Master to fetch Madam."

Understanding, Tong Sui stood up and said to Mr. Yan, "I will take my leave then, and come bother you again next time."

"Madam, wait a moment," Mr. Yan stopped Tong Sui and instructed his granddaughter, "Quickly, go and ask your mother to see off our guest."

Although Tong Sui was of noble status, she was still a junior and needed to be polite when not familiar. Initially, the Yan family had only planned for Yan Mingxiu to see her off.

But now, with Xiao Ye waiting outside, how could Mr. Yan send the sheep into the tiger's mouth? It was better for his daughter-in-law to handle it.

After Yan Mingxiu left, it wasn't long before Lady Yan and Mrs. Dong arrived.

Tong Sui, feeling embarrassed, said, "I didn't expect Fourth Master to come, inconveniencing the Elder and Madam."

Lady Yan smiled and said, "No trouble. I have long heard that the Marquis and his brothers are all valiant. I would like to meet Fourth Master."

Tong Sui humbly replied, "They are all mere warriors, lacking in etiquette. I hope you will be forgiving."

The three women walked side by side.

Passing the screen wall, Lady Yan looked outside and saw a carriage parked at the door. A tall, handsome young man dressed in jade-colored brocade robes stood before it, resembling Xiao Zhen about seventy percent. He tilted his head slightly, as if admiring the "Yan Residence" sign, and upon noticing the movement inside, he smiled warmly and bowed, "This humble nephew, Xiao Ye, greets Elder Madam and Madam."

The sixty-year-old Lady Yan was briefly captivated by the charming smile.

Mrs. Dong struggled to hide her pleasure.

The Xiao family's noble status could indeed invite trouble, but the Xiao sons were truly handsome and were all seasoned warriors.

"Fourth Master is too courteous," Lady Yan said with a faint smile.

Xiao Ye looked up, and even though he noticed Lady Yan's slightly cold expression, he remained smiling. He said to Tong Sui, "Second Sister-in-law, don't blame Second Brother for not keeping his word. He couldn't come, and although I arranged for the carriage to fetch you, he insisted I come in person, worried that the coachman might be clumsy and drop you."

He explained again why he was there.

Tong Sui gently chided, "You talk too much."

After saying goodbye to Lady Yan and her daughter-in-law, Tong Sui boarded the carriage, and Xiao Ye mounted his horse, smiling as he cupped his hands to the two women and followed the carriage.

Mrs. Dong escorted her mother-in-law inside.

Lady Yan asked, "What do you think of Fourth Master Xiao?"

"He is indeed handsome, but his family background..."

"When marrying someone, the key is the person themselves. While the Xiao Family is very prominent, among families similar to ours, I haven't seen anyone more suitable for Mingxiu than Fourth Young Master Xiao. We shouldn’t let Mingxiu suffer just because of your husband’s reputation for detachment and nobility."

Mrs. Dong said happily, "Mother, you agree then?"

Lady Yan nodded in agreement.

Mrs. Dong went to tell her daughter about the handsome Fourth Young Master Xiao, while Lady Yan went to discuss the matter with her husband.

Mr. Yan said, "You laughed earlier about me falling into the trap set by two young girls. But here you are, also charmed by a young man’s appearance."

Lady Yan replied, "It’s partially due to his appearance, but mainly because the Xiao Family has shown genuine sincerity, convincing me they will care for Mingxiu well."

First, Lady Anguo, followed by the Marquis of Yong’an, and today, Fourth Young Master Xiao personally came to meet them. No other family in Luoyang would go to such lengths to propose marriage. The Xiao Family has treated us with utmost courtesy; if we refused, it would be impolite of us.

Mr. Yan said, "That’s just an excuse. You’re just attracted to Xiao Fourth’s looks!"

Lady Yan replied, "If Lady Anguo were dark and unattractive, would you have listened to her for an hour?"

The old man didn’t have such improper thoughts, but being respected and admired by a young, beautiful girl, the old man must have found it enjoyable.