Whether it was the imperial examinations or the Child Prodigy Class exams, they were all competitive in nature, with a fixed number of spots available. Only by defeating everyone above you could you achieve success and rise to the top.
Even though he had been rejected, the headmaster of Qingbo Academy was so delighted that his eyes nearly disappeared into his smile. He repeatedly said, "Very well, very well. In three years, I shall return to seek guidance from Madam Xu Wan."
In three years, with her help, perhaps Qingbo Academy could finally shed its ranking as the fourth-best academy in the capital.
The more the headmaster thought about it, the happier he became, and his gaze toward Xu Wan grew even more fervent.
After returning from Qingbo Academy, Xu Wan sat in the pavilion outside the large study, peering through the window at the little troublemaker inside, who was diligently reading.
The boy had the look of a proud fool, shaking his head and swaying as he read, occasionally cracking a joke that made everyone burst into laughter. Yet, everything he did was executed with remarkable skill, cleverness, and precision—especially when it concerned his own interests.
In contrast, his cousin, Zong Wenxiu, who shared the same grandparents and whose father was his own twin brother, seemed slightly less impressive. The difference, perhaps, lay in their mothers.
Xu Wan suddenly grew curious about what kind of woman the little troublemaker's mother might have been.
She turned to Cui Zhi and asked, but Cui Zhi shook her head like a rattle drum, indicating that this topic was beyond her knowledge.
Not even Steward Liu knew, otherwise the old marquis wouldn't have allowed the boy to remain the legitimate heir for eight years without bringing his mother into the household.
Xu Wan muttered to herself, "She must have been a beautiful and clever woman. Boys often take after their mothers, and Wenxiu looks very much like his mother."
Cui Zhi thought for a moment and said, "Not necessarily. The young marquis resembles his father more, while the second young master takes after the old madam."
Xu Wan asked again, "So you're saying Jincheng looks more like Zong Zhao?"
Cui Zhi shook her head even more vigorously. "Not at all."
Xu Wan replied, "Alright, then by process of elimination, it's confirmed—Jincheng takes after his mother."
Cui Zhi nodded. "...That makes sense."
Suddenly convinced, Xu Wan chatted with her for a bit longer before going back to creating study plans for the two boys.
The little troublemaker had indeed made significant progress in the recent exams, but Zong Wenxiu, who had entered the Child Prodigy Class of two hundred students, was clearly at the bottom of the pack. The class was filled with child prodigies, and it was no longer as easy as before to surpass so many peers.
If the little troublemaker were to enter the Child Prodigy Class, he would face the same challenges, with countless mountains of pressure weighing down on him.
Xu Wan's fingers lightly tapped on the stone table, one tap after another, before she finally spoke. "Cui Zhi, later on, tell Cheng Zhidong not to disclose Wenxiu's exact ranking. Just say vaguely that he didn't make the list."
"Understood."
Not making the list and being at the bottom of the class were two different things.
By being vague about a poor performance, it would prevent an already hardworking child from being overly discouraged.
On the day the results of the three-academy joint exams were announced, the two boys had prepared themselves mentally for a long time, mustering the courage to face the brutal truth.
To their surprise, their private tutors directly informed them of their results: neither of them had made the list.
Zong Wenxiu: "???"
Zong Jincheng: "???"
The revelation of their results came so abruptly!
But the outcome was more or less expected.
Cheng Zhidong explained, "Yesterday, Madam Xu Wan and I went to Qingbo Academy. They were in the process of finalizing the rankings and told us the results in passing, so there's no need for you to make the trip."
The little troublemaker quickly caught on and protested, "So you could have told us the results earlier all along, but you made us go check every single time?!"
Xu Wan walked in from outside to put the little rascal in his place. "Didn't I accompany you to check the results every time? You make it sound like you walked there yourself. What's so tiring about riding a carriage?"
The little troublemaker scowled. "It wastes time, okay? Every trip takes at least half a day. Think of all the books I could have read and the words I could have written in that time. Have you ever calculated that?"
Xu Wan chuckled. "Oh, so you have a talent for accounting now? Your grandmother would be thrilled to hear that."
The little troublemaker deadpanned, "Don't change the subject. You deliberately kept it from us. Hmph!"
Xu Wan laughed. "I just wanted you to have a balanced life, taking a day or two each month to go out, take exams, meet people, and chat. Otherwise, staying cooped up at home studying every day would be exhausting."
Though she spoke the truth, the little troublemaker still snorted proudly and turned his head away.
Zong Wenxiu asked, "Aunt, does that mean we're not going out today?"
Since Cheng Zhidong had already said they didn't make the list, there was really no need to make the trip.
Xu Wan nodded. "No, we're not going. Stay at home and study today. Jincheng has the Child Prodigy Class test in a few days, and time is precious."
The little troublemaker immediately tensed up.
That's right, the Child Prodigy Class test was the most important thing. He had to give it his all!
Just as Xu Wan was about to leave, she turned back and added, "Oh, by the way, there's a lantern festival on South Street tonight. There will be beautiful lanterns, flower boats, and riddle-guessing activities. You can go have some fun after your studies."
The little troublemaker's ears perked up at once. "Flower boats?"
"Yes, they're quite beautiful." Xu Wan hadn't actually seen them herself, but she imagined they couldn't be too ugly.
To her surprise, the little troublemaker had a peculiar idea. "Can I have my boat back, then? Just for a day. I'll take my brother to the middle of the river to see the lanterns. My boat is really nice."
"Your boat?" Xu Wan was momentarily confused.
Since when did this kid have a boat?
When had she confiscated such a large item from him?
The little troublemaker exclaimed, "The boat I bought on New Year's Day! The one that cost two hundred and fifty taels! You confiscated it as soon as you arrived!"
He had only enjoyed it for a few days before Steward Liu swept it away, turning him from a wealthy young master into a pitiful pauper overnight.
Xu Wan: "..."
The mention of "two hundred and fifty" jogged her memory.
When Xu Wan first married into the family, she had reviewed the little troublemaker's account books. The former spendthrift had daily expenses amounting to hundreds of taels, including the boat.
The boy had bought it on a whim while boating with friends, simply because he thought it looked nice.
A whim...
The reason was so casual, typical of those detestable rich people!
Instantly feeling a surge of resentment toward the wealthy, Xu Wan coldly declared, "I'll have Steward Liu sell the boat immediately."
The little troublemaker: "!!!"
"Xu Wan, I swear I'll never forgive you!!"
...
That evening, South Street was bustling with noise and excitement. Nearly every stall was adorned with beautiful lanterns in various colors.
The two brothers had deliberately come on empty stomachs, buying all sorts of snacks along the way—both hot and cold. As they strolled, they stopped at a mask stall to pick out masks.
"Brother, look at this one. This deer mask is nice. Try it on."
"Alright, but I think this rabbit mask suits you too. Why don't you try it as well?"
"A rabbit? Too weak. I want a big lion or a tiger mask. That's more fitting for my personality!"
"Haha, fair enough. Let me see if there's a cute little lion for you..."
The two brothers happily picked out masks on the shore, while Xu Wan had already boarded the spendthrift's pleasure boat.
Sell it? Not a chance. Even if she were to sell it, she had to experience the life of the wealthy first. Hmph!
