Chapter 424 Are You the Miss of the Marquis’s Mansion?

Chapter 424 Are You the Miss of the Marquis's Mansion?

Cheng Lanying opened the door and saw a young man in his early twenties with dark skin, wearing a short tunic, and having a sturdy and robust build.

Seeing the door open, the groom showed a simple and honest smile, "My name is Wei Dahai. I'm the groom sent by the Marquis's Mansion to serve. Which master is in the house? Please guide me so I can pay my respects."

Hearing this, Cheng Lanying rolled her eyes, "Master? What master? Bullshit!"

Wei Dahai was confused by this, then he heard a shout from the kitchen, "Lan Ying! Lan Ying! Hurry up with the vegetables! What if your brother gets hungry and it affects his exam!"

Hearing this, Cheng Lanying rolled her eyes dramatically as she walked inside, saying, "Just taking an elementary exam, can't even pass at fifteen, what difference does it make? With his stupid brain, he'll never even pass the scholar exam in his life!"

"Cheng Lanying! What are you dawdling for!" Li Bihan urged from the kitchen.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

"Go fetch a bucket of water first, there's no water left!"

Cheng Lanying, who had just picked up the vegetable basket, put it down and turned to fetch water from the well.

As she was struggling with the bucket of water, a strong arm took the bucket from her.

Cheng Lanying was startled, then met with a simple and honest smile, "Let me handle the heavy work, miss. You just show the way!"

Hearing this, Cheng Lanying immediately felt a liking for this groom. She nodded and led him towards the kitchen, chatting more along the way.

"In the kitchen is my mother, she was once a concubine in the Ningyang Marquis's Mansion, and in the main house lives my brother, who you might call master."

Wei Dahai's eyes widened in disbelief, "Then miss, you must be... the Miss of the Marquis's Mansion?!"

Miss of the Marquis's Mansion... such a distant title.

Since ten years ago, when she, her mother, and her brother were driven out of the Marquis's Mansion, there has been no Second Miss of the Marquis's Mansion.

Washing clothes and cooking, everything had to be done by herself, and not just her own, but for the whole family...

But her brother still maintained some of the dignity of a young master. Her mother had asked the Marquis's Mansion for a maid, a carriage, a groom for him...

He gets food served to him and clothes handed to him.

Her mother explained to her that Cheng Bingzhi was a boy, the master of the house, the future pillar of the family, naturally different from them women, and thus needed to be served.

When he succeeds in the future, she too will benefit!

Being good to him now, he will be good to her in the future!

She asked her mother, what good could he do for her.

Her mother told her that when she gets married, he would back her up!

Cheng Lanying didn't know how her brother, who couldn't even pass the elementary exam, could back her up, but if she asked further, she would surely be met with a torrent of scolding from Li Bihan.

Scolding her for not knowing how to love her brother, to be filial to her mother, as heartless and ungrateful as the father and Marquis's Mansion who abandoned them! A worthless wretch, causing her poor mother so much pain and nearly dying when giving birth to her! Even lambs know to kneel for milk, she doesn't know how to write the word filial piety...

Cheng Lanying was lost in thought when a shout came from the kitchen.

"Cheng Lanying! Where have you been! My pot's about to burn dry! Ruin your brother's meal, and you'll see what happens!"

"Miss, inside is..." Wei Dahai listened to the scolding.

Cheng Lanying waved her hand, "Get going, quick!"

The Marquis's Mansion.

Lu Lingyun was in her courtyard.

This afternoon, Lu Kuan arrived at her place.

Lu Kuan first told her about yesterday's incident with Mr. Wang.

He sighed and shook his head, "I went to see Brother Wang, and he said to hold off on taking in Shou Ye for now."

Lu Lingyun nodded, just as she expected.

The Wang family, a prestigious clan, had no reason to associate with such a family. Even if Shou Ye was a prodigy, in this world, prodigies aren't particularly impressive when faced with absolute resources and power.

With enough resources, even ordinary people can become prodigies, with boundless prospects.

On the other hand, a prodigy with only talent and no support often ends up just another ordinary person.

It's really tough to make it on your own.

"However, Brother Wang gave me a list of books the chief examiners are currently reading. I'll give it to Shou Ye later and have him memorize the material," Lu Kuan said.

Lu Lingyun responded, "Kuan'er, you've done well."

What kind of questions are expected for the Imperial Examination? Naturally, they're based on the books the examiners are currently reading.

More than eighty percent of the exam questions come from what the examiners are currently reading, with the rest being current political news.

Even if the predictions are off and the exam questions aren't from these books, candidates who can weave in famous quotes and ideas from the examiners' recent readings into their answers can still win the examiners' favor and score high marks.

Lastly, another big factor in the Imperial Examination results is calligraphy.

If you can write beautifully without a single mistake, the paper is practically guaranteed to pass and rank among the advanced scholars.

"Kuan'er, here's a set of my prized wolf-hair brushes and an old inkstone. Take it and give it to Shou Ye," Lu Lingyun said, handing him a box of writing tools. She then whispered, "Don't tell him it's from me, and keep it from his mother."

Lu Kuan laughed, "Yes, big sister."

Lu Kuan took the expensive set of writing tools and, checking the time, got ready to leave. Lu Lingyun added, "By the way, Kuan'er, I need to talk to you again about what you asked me last time."

"What is it? Did Nanyuan give up?"

Perhaps because he had been busy with Shou Ye's matters recently, Tong Nanyuan hadn't been nagging him about having a child. He thought Lu Lingyun had persuaded Tong Nanyuan.

Lu Lingyun shook her head, "I can't help you with this. Nanyuan is determined to have a child."

"How could this be?" Lu Kuan frowned.

Seeing him like this, Lu Lingyun said, "Why don't you go back and discuss it with Nanyuan? Take a concubine and have a child for her to raise."

Hearing this suggestion, Lu Kuan shook his head firmly, "No."

"Why not?"

Lu Kuan was silent for a long time, "I am a concubine's son. My mother was bullied by Madam Liu when I was young, just because I was the only concubine's son in the family. She targeted my mother everywhere, and my mother suffered a lot protecting me. My father didn't care about us, and when my mother died, he didn't even call a doctor for her."

"I don't want there to be a poor woman in my family, just to have a child for me and Nanyuan, who will be neglected in the future."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun was completely taken aback.

Lu Kuan hated the idea of taking a concubine, partly because he felt his elder sister, as the wife, had suffered a lot, and partly because those who became concubines also suffered greatly.

Women often find themselves in situations where they oppress each other, fighting tooth and nail for their own interests, only to end up hurt in the end.