The affair of Zhu Zhi caused a fervent craze in Fengjing. The young ladies from prestigious families conducted careful investigations into their prospective fiancés, and in a short period, four or five young gentlemen were found to have extramarital affairs and subsequently had their engagements broken off.
In Fengjing, the eligible young gentlemen and ladies were filled with anxiety.
Meanwhile, the children in the inner courtyard continued to enjoy their leisurely life, harboring their own schemes.
"I wonder if Third Brother received the food, drinks, and daily necessities," Jiang Sheng tilted her head and pondered. "It would be great if there was something that allowed us to communicate directly with Third Brother."
"If there was something that let us have face-to-face conversations with Third Brother, that would be even better," Wen Zhiyun mumbled while lying down.
Chang Yan glanced at them and said, "If there was something that could fly to Third Brother in half a day, that would be even better."
The three children exchanged glances and sighed simultaneously.
Zheng Ruqian scoffed, "I think your brains have become abnormal from reading too many storybooks. You're always indulging in wild thoughts and not focusing on real tasks."
He pointed at Xu Mo, who was sitting and reading, and said, "Can't you learn diligence from Big Brother?"
When it came to diligence, Xu Mo was undoubtedly the most deserving among the children. He sat there from dawn till noon, still as a statue.
"Doesn't Big Brother's bottom get calloused from sitting all day?" Jiang Sheng suddenly whispered.
Chang Yan and Wen Zhiyun were trying to figure out how to respond when Big Brother, who was reading, lightly coughed.
Jiang Sheng hurriedly buried her head in her sleeve, silently chanting in her heart, "Big Brother can't hear, Big Brother can't hear."
Xu Mo turned his head and glanced, a smile tinged with helplessness on his face.
However, today he wasn't seriously reading. Instead, he was repeatedly recalling Zhu Sihuan's abnormal behavior.
Considering the depth of this person's cunning, he shouldn't have lost his composure in front of Xu Mo. Once he revealed something out of the ordinary, only two possibilities analyzed by Chang Yan remained.
First, he genuinely lost his composure, leading to the conclusion that he cared about the young lady from the Tao family.
Second, he faked losing his composure, but his purpose must be to entice Xu Mo to discover his abnormality.
Regardless, Zhu Sihuan was eager for Xu Mo to make a move.
If it were in the past, Xu Mo would be cautious, repeatedly weighing the options and considering the consequences.
But now, Zhu Zhi's carefree and joyful life deeply stung Xu Mo's heart, making him unable to resist the urge to be bolder, even bolder, even if it meant courting danger.
"I want to cooperate with Zhu Sihuan," after careful consideration, he softly uttered.
Jiang Sheng, still embarrassed, along with Little Four and Little Five whispering to each other, and Zheng Ruqian picking his ears, all sat up straight.
"Zhu Sihuan must want to cooperate with me; otherwise, he wouldn't have repeatedly shown abnormalities in front of me," Xu Mo whispered, "I will grant his wish and accompany him on this journey."
Since arriving in Fengjing, the siblings had been trapped in the quagmire of this bustling city.
There was no turning back, only moving forward.
Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian could put in repeated efforts in the cured meat business, even at the risk of offending the boss of Youranju.
Xu Mo could also cooperate with the powerful and influential to penetrate the wealthy circles of Fengjing, all for the sake of dignity.
Overthrowing Zhu Zhi was just the first step. Stabilizing his foothold in Fengjing was of utmost importance.
"Big Brother."
Chang Yan was the first to stand up.
Wen Zhiyun, Jiang Sheng, and Zheng Ruqian followed suit, and all four pairs of eyes looked over, filled with support and trust.
"Big Brother, no matter what you want to do, just let go," Chang Yan pleaded earnestly, "We will always stand behind you, ready to face any challenge without hesitation."
Zheng Ruqian and Jiang Sheng nodded in agreement.
The younger siblings were diverse in their personalities, some were cunning, some were not very articulate, some were gluttonous, and others were timid.
But no matter what, they all loved him sincerely and supported him.
Xu Mo smiled lightly, a few drops of moisture glistening in the corners of his eyes, quickly blinked away.
The next day.
Xu Mo took the initiative to find Zhu Sihuan and whispered in a secluded place, "Zhu Xiong, if you need any help, feel free to speak to Xu Mo."
Zhu Sihuan was startled, looked around, and lowered his voice, "Xu Xiong, please don't jest. I am a legitimate heir of the Zhu family, what help could I need?"
As the saying goes, beating a master with his own staff.
Speaking frankly can push a schemer into a corner.
Zhu Sihuan, accustomed to playing tricks, was unexpectedly struck by Xu Mo's straightforwardness, instinctively denying everything.
Xu Mo didn't mind, he smiled lightly and turned to leave.
This time, it was Zhu Siheng who became anxious. He grabbed Xu Mo's sleeve and looked around before whispering, "Xu Xiong, speaking so directly like this, do you know it can scare people?"
"Is that so?" Xu Mo countered, "Beating around the bush is not interesting. Zhu Xiong can speak directly, as long as the interests are aligned, anything is possible."
Zhu Sihuan was dumbfounded.
After a long time, he finally lowered his voice and said, "I want to become a Jinshi [a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination], as soon as possible, I can't wait for three years."
The Jinshi examination in the Dayu Dynasty was held once every three years, and it had just taken place in April this year, the next one would only be in three years.
But Zhu Sihuan couldn't wait for three years, wanting to become a Jinshi was akin to walking from Fengjing to the northern border on foot and still staying alive.
Xu Mo widened his eyes, remained silent, and walked away.
Zhu Sihuan also knew that he was being a bit unreasonable, so he grabbed him again and said, "It's okay if I can't become a Jinshi, but I have to make people believe that I will definitely become one in three years."
Ultimately, it was because of the phrase "The Tao family girl only marries a Jinshi gentleman."
Zhu Sihuan cast aside all pretense, a hint of urgency appeared in his eyes. He truly regarded Xu Mo as a lifesaver.
He knew that if he didn't work hard, the girl he loved would end up marrying someone else.
After a moment of astonishment, Xu Mo realized that he had made the right bet.
He gently pulled at the cuff of his wrinkled sleeve and calmly said, "Leave this matter to me, Zhu talented one."
Gaining fame was just a matter of time. It was never difficult.
Scholars were a group of influential individuals, people who wielded their pens, filled with abundant talent.
But not everyone could stand out among millions of students and come out on top like Xu Mo.
To balance the emotions of those who failed the examinations and prevent them from spreading discontent and destabilizing the country, the Dayu Dynasty established the "Wenchang Pavilion" in different cities. Every three to five days, they would hold gatherings, inviting scholars from all walks of life to freely express their talents.
Some amused the crowd, while others produced brilliant works.
Currently, the most famous figures in the entire Wenchang Pavilion were three individuals. One was the "Free and Unrestrained Gentleman" from Fengjing, another was the "Wealthy and Noble Hermit" from Huizhou Prefecture, and there was also a young master from the distant Anshui Prefecture, known as the "Young Master Fufeng."
These three individuals were all exceptionally talented in the Wenchang Pavilion, captivating everyone with their poetry and becoming unrivaled figures in various Wenchang Pavilions across the country.
For Zhu Sihuan, gaining fame was not difficult. He only needed to emulate the path taken by these three individuals and astound everyone at a banquet.
Xu Mo carefully selected a poem from his own collection that deviated from his usual style the most. He handed it to Zhu Sihuan and, just to be safe, followed closely by his side, pretending to be a servant boy.
Coincidentally, it was the fifteenth day of the tenth month, and the two of them hurried to the banquet at the Fengjing Wenchang Pavilion.
As the most prosperous and grand capital of the dynasty, the Fengjing Wenchang Pavilion's banquet was filled with talented individuals. Just by taking a few steps, one could hear poetic exchanges, all of them exquisite works.
Zhu Sihuan couldn't help but feel nervous. "Can I really do this? Will anyone suspect me when this poem is revealed?"
Xu Mo patted his shoulder and reassured him, "Don't worry too much. I'm here."
With just three words, like a spell, Xu Mo calmed Zhu Sihuan's heart. He assumed the manner of a noble son from Fengjing and walked confidently into the Wenchang Pavilion.
Xu Mo followed behind him, walking all the way to the center of the pavilion.
This was where the "Poetic Duel" took place. Scholars would post their proudest works, and whoever couldn't accept them would step forward to challenge. They would continue until they achieved an undefeated record and became the "Poetry Champion" of the day.
However, poetry, being a subjective matter, usually had different readers and different supporters. It was rare for a poem to emerge that was so stunning and captivating that it would shake the entire audience.
Zhu Sihuan's timing was quite clever. At the poetic arena, two individuals were engaged in a contest, and the audience below expressed their support for each side.
"I think Jiang Gongzi's is better. The wording is elegant, with consecutive rhymes, surpassing the others."
"I believe Yuan Gongzi's is superior. It has profound meaning and a lingering sentiment."
The dispute between the two sides continued.
Zhu Sihuan cleared his throat and took out Xu Mo's poem from his pocket, slapping it down between the two individuals. "Why not appreciate this young man's work?"
