Perhaps he really did have a bit of talent. Jia Zhen smoothly passed the county level exam.
However, he had only worked hard for a few years.
He couldn't compare to other people who had studied hard since childhood.
Passing the county level exam was a fluke.
As for taking the provincial examination, it would probably take another two years.
After passing the county level exam,
Jia family began to bustle again.
Countless invitations were sent to the door. Jia Zhen attended the teacher appreciation banquet.
He didn't even look at the invitations. He only asked Xia Lu to pack his luggage.
He could prepare to return to the capital.
Xia Lu was quite happy that she was going to return to Beijing. When she returned to Beijing, her business blueprint could officially start.
At this time, invitations from the Zhen and Xue families arrived. They were the top families in Jinling.
Jia family, Wang family, Xue family, and the Zhen family. The Shi family, Wang family, and Jia family's main forces were in the capital. Those who stayed in Jinling were only distant relatives.
Therefore, the invitations from the Shi and Wang families.
There was no need to look at them.
They weren't invitations from the real masters.
The Xue family and the Zhen family were different. The Xue family had been developing their power in Jinling, while the Zhen family was a rising family. It was mainly because of Grand Concubine Zhen and the Sixth Prince, the current Prince Zhongshun's disciple.
Jia Zhen curled her lips. She thought that she was someone important. However, the Xue Family was still related to her. As for the Zhen Family, even if she didn't give face to the monk, she still had to give face to the Buddha. Madam Fengsheng had served the Retired Emperor. Jia Zhen accepted the invitation from the Zhen Family.
Madam Fengsheng came with the Zhen family's third daughter, Zhen Yingjia, and his wife.
Zhen Yingjia was naturally accompanied by Jia Zhen in the front yard. Madam Fengsheng brought the rest of the women to the back yard to see Xia Lu.
"Madam Fengsheng," Xia Lu greeted Madam Fengsheng. He stood up and bowed to her. There was nothing he could do about it. She didn't have a title of nobility. Jia Zhen had only passed the imperial examinations as an insignificant xiucai. Naturally, he couldn't ask for a title of nobility. As for inheriting the title of nobility, he was still the Crown Prince. Outsiders called her Madam Crown Prince, but he still didn't have a title of nobility.
However, Madam Fengsheng was different. She had a noble title. Even though the reason for her title was shameful, she still had a noble title. According to etiquette, she still had to bow.
"Heir Madam, you're too kind. Quickly get up." Madam Fengsheng hastily helped Xia Lu up.
Xia Lu did not act pretentiously. He stood up and said, "Please take a seat."
Madam Fengsheng sat on the right side of the head of the table and gave the left side seat to Xia Lu.
"I heard from my grandson that the Crown Prince passed the imperial examinations as an xiucai. As expected of a celestial being with an imposing appearance. Compared to my useless grandsons, you're much more outstanding. As expected of the Crown Prince," praised Madam Fengsheng.
Xia Lu smiled. Just passing the imperial examinations was already considered a celestial being. Her father-in-law was a second-ranked scholar. What would he be like? The Jade Emperor or the Heavenly Queen Mother? Xia Lu pursed his lips and smiled. "My family is indeed extraordinary. He's handsome and has a good background. Even so, he doesn't have the air of a hedonistic son of a rich family. He has been studying hard these past few years and his hard work has paid off. He passed the imperial examinations, but I don't want to go any further. Otherwise, becoming a High Scholar would be very easy." Xia Lu boasted. Regardless of why Madam Fengsheng had come to visit, Xia Lu's policy for the future was to brag about his Jia Zhen as much as he could outside. After closing the door, he would serve her with a stick.
"Uh …" Madam Fengsheng was a bit startled. She had lived for many years and had never seen a wife praise her husband like this. "The Crown Prince's wife is right."
Xia Lu smiled and carefully observed Madam Fengsheng. This woman really couldn't be underestimated. After coming back, she had sent her granddaughter to the palace and made her a favorite concubine. Xia Lu felt inferior to her. She and Jia Zhen didn't think that Madam Fengsheng had come just to pay a visit.
"Grandmother, the Crown Prince is outstanding. Our Crown Prince's wife is also not bad. She has taken care of the household in an orderly manner. She is very virtuous," said Madam Zhen.
"The Crown Prince's wife is naturally kind and virtuous. That's the only way she is worthy of the Crown Prince. When we walked into the garden, we could see that the Crown Prince's wife knows how to live a good life," said Madam Fengsheng flatteringly.
Xia Lu smiled and didn't say anything. What could she see from the garden? Although the Jia family was a big family in Jinling, they didn't have a proper master living in their ancestral home. It had been many years since they had last renovated it. The Zhen family was different. After the mourning period, Jia Zhen had taken her out. She had seen the outside of the Zhen family's residence. It was much more luxurious than the Jia family's.
When Madam Zhen saw that Xia Lu didn't say anything, she was a bit anxious. She secretly looked at Madam Fengsheng.
"Ah, Crown Prince's wife, it's boring to sit here like this. Why don't you take us to walk around the garden? In the future, when we renovate our residence, we will do the same here, "said Madam Fengsheng.
"Ah, this courtyard hasn't been renovated for many years. If the Zhen family renovates it, wouldn't it be renovating the old courtyard?" To be honest, Xia Lu was a bit annoyed by these polite words.
Madam Fengsheng smiled and said, "The old scenery also has its advantages."
"That's true. Let's go walk around." Xia Lu felt that it was really awkward to just sit there like this.
After a while, they arrived at the amusement park that Xia Lu had built for Jia Lian and Jia Yao.
"What is that?" asked Madam Fengsheng.
"Some toys. Don't we have two children at home?" Xia Lu took Madam Fengsheng and Jia Yao to the amusement park. At this time, Jia Lian and Jia Yao were playing hide-and-seek in the amusement park. The two of them hid and the manservant came to find them.
"Sister-in-law!" When Jia Yao and Jia Lian saw Xia Lu coming, they quickly came out and hugged Xia Lu's legs.
"Well, are they very obedient?" Xia Lu patted the two children's heads.
"Very, very obedient." Jia Yao nodded.
"That's good. You two go play. Sister-in-law will show the guests around." Xia Lu gently patted the two children's backs, indicating that they could let go of her legs and go play by themselves.
"Okay." The two children quickly ran up the slide and then quickly slid down.
"These things are truly novel. It's no wonder the two young masters like them. If it were my great-grandchildren, I'm afraid they'd want to play in these gardens day and night," Madam Fengsheng boasted.
"They are still young. Let them play for a while. When they grow up in the future, they will have to bear more responsibilities. They will be more relaxed now." Xia Lu looked at the two children in the distance and sighed. If you want to wear a crown, you have to bear its weight. These two were not children of ordinary families, especially Jia Lian. Although there were only a few words in the letter sent by her father-in-law, she still knew the situation in Rongguo Province. The Empress's younger sister had already gained a foothold in Rongguo Province. Although she had not given birth to a child yet, it was estimated that it would not be too far away.
"Madam is really a kind mother. When you have a child in the future, you will definitely be considerate of him." Madam Fengsheng said.
"Ha." Xia Lu smiled and did not answer. She felt that there was a trap.
"How long has Madam been married to the heir?" Madam Fengsheng asked.
"More than four years."
That was because she had married Jia Zhen when she was fifteen. Now she was nineteen. Time really passed quickly. It was about time to have a child. Yes, when the time came to return to the capital, she would work hard. Once they reached the capital, the child would be born.
"Madam, you are not young anymore. Have you found a concubine for the heir?" Madam Fengsheng asked.
Xia Lu's eyes flashed coldly. "Of course I have. There are still three concubines in the residence in the capital. But because I had to observe mourning for Madam, I didn't bring any. Madam Fengsheng, do you have any good concubines to recommend? "
"I'm just worried about Madam. After all, she has been married to the heir for so many years. She still needs to have a child. Otherwise, the world will curse the heir. I heard from Madam that Madam's feelings for the heir are very deep. Madam, you don't want to misunderstand the heir, right? That's why I said that, "Madam Fengsheng said.
Xia Lu's lips curled up. He looked at the girl beside Madam Jia and suddenly understood why Madam Fengsheng had come today. It turned out that she was here to give a woman to Jia Zhen. The Zhen family's methods were still so simple. Whoever they wanted to win over, they would give them a woman from the Zhen family. Although their methods were simple and crude, they were useful.
The third daughter of the Zhen family was a little scared by Xia Lu's gaze. She knew her fate. Her grandmother had told her earlier that she was enjoying the wealth of the Zhen family, so she should do something for the family. Moreover, the heir of the Ningguo Province was not some random person. His status and background were first class. Although he was not as good as her aunt, who had become the Emperor's woman, he was still an excellent choice. She was willing to do so, but this madam's gaze was too sharp.
"The third daughter is not bad. Her butt is big, and her waist is quite thin. I can tell at a glance that she is good at bearing children. I am very optimistic about her." Xia Lu looked at the third daughter of the Zhen family.
"Then let's leave this girl to accompany Madam, is that okay?" Madam Fengsheng was delighted. She did not expect things to go so smoothly. It seemed that the relationship between the heir and the wife of the heir was not very good. Otherwise, she would not be in such a hurry to give him a woman.
"No need for that. I like this third daughter, but our master has high standards. He doesn't like this kind of woman," Xia Lu said.
"Uh …" Madam Fengsheng's gaze turned cold, then returned to normal.
After the Zhen family left, the Jia Zhen immediately came over.
"Did you see Madam Fengsheng's great-granddaughter?" Xia Lu asked.
"I didn't see her. Why? Don't tell me you like her?" The Jia Zhen suddenly felt an alarm in his heart.
"They are here to give you women, not me. But I really like her. She looks soft and weak, and I can tell she is very considerate. But because she is a woman of the Zhen family, I don't dare to accept her. I can only say that you have high standards and don't like this kind of woman. If she is not a daughter of the Zhen family, I will accept her for you. She is very pleasing to the eyes every day." Xia Lu smiled.
The Jia Zhen pursed his lips. Women.
Two days later, the Zhen family sent an invitation to the Jia Zhen, inviting him to their residence for a gathering. Then, under the Zhen family's deliberate arrangement, the Jia Zhen saw the appearance of the third daughter. Zhen Yingjia asked, "My niece is not bad, right?" Madam Fengsheng and Madam Zhen Yingjia both felt that Xia Lu's refusal was only because he was jealous. So, another trap was set.
"Oh," the Jia Zhen said absent-mindedly.
"If the heir likes her, you can take her with you when you go back," Zhen Yingjia said.
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
