Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 341 - 339

Chapter 341: Chapter 339

"Shen family’s third son passed the examination for talented scholars?" Wasn’t he already a marquis? Why would he need to take the imperial examination?"

"Are you a fool? Do you really think illiteracy can qualify you as a government official?"

"Shen Jingrui, the top scoring candidate? Isn’t Shen Jingrui only fifteen? He has passed the examination for talented scholars already! He’s too impressive!"

"That child Jingrui has been asking to learn writing since he was three and following Zixuan around incessantly, we have all seen it. It’s not strange at all for someone who loves studying to pass the examination!"

"All members of Shen’s third family are incredibly intelligent. While others study for several years and even a decade to pass, they managed to pass in just a few years. It’s really amazing!"

"People have been farming all their lives and none of them have managed to grow a marquis out of their fields. Yet third Shen managed to do exactly that! How can we deny his brilliance?"

"Just what do each of these people in their family eat? How are they all so exceptionally intelligent?"

"Husk and veggies are what they eat! What else could they afford back then! They all were skinny as a rake, being all sallow. I guess their extraordinary intellect was provoked by hunger!"

"Alas, one should not despise the young and the poor! This saying certainly holds true! Just look at them now, they’re living lives of opulence!"

Watching the dazzling, colourful fireworks in the night sky and listening to people’s conversation, Mr. Shen was filled with complex emotions.

This glory was not something they could claim.

"My master asked me to book a few banquet tables at the Four Seasons Restaurant. He hopes everyone will honour us with their presence and join us at our residence for the feast the day after tomorrow. Although he’s caught up in official business at the Imperial Capital and can’t return in time, Mr. Shi, Uncle, and others will be coming over to take care of everyone."

Upon hearing this, the villagers unanimously agreed to attend.

Listening to this, Mr. Shen’s face turned rigid. As a father, he didn’t even get the chance to play host to the guests. Instead, an outsider had this honour!

Mr. Shen was extremely frustrated.

The day after tomorrow? What was the housekeeper of Shen family’s third son trying to do!

Clearly, he knew that they were hosting a banquet to celebrate Wen’er passing the examination for talented scholars that day!

Were they blatantly trying to steal Wen’er’s thunder now?

The third Shen family was outrageously insolent!

"You servant Qian! The day after tomorrow is the day my family plays host, so pick another day!", Shen Chengguang was too angry to keep quiet.

Manager Qian acted as if he hadn’t heard him, he did that on purpose! Otherwise, he could have just chosen to host the banquet tomorrow.

"Hey, Qian! I’m talking to you! Change the date!"

"Why should I change the date!" Manager Qian turned to face him, disdain flickering in his eyes.

"Because the day after tomorrow is when my family will be playing host!" Shen Chengguang stated in a high and mighty tone.

"You have your own guests, we have ours. Why should we change the date for you?" And with that, he stopped engaging with him and turned to watch the fireworks in the sky.

He sensed that his current master was just like the fireworks in the sky, illuminating his world filled with despair.

The villagers all agreed with Manager Qian’s words. Why should others change the date for them?

However, being from the same village and seeing each other frequently, everyone kept their thoughts to themselves.

Shen Chengguang was fuming at Manager Qian’s words. He wished he could have shouted that it was because he was afraid of his guests being poached.

But he felt too embarrassed to utter those words! Because admitting this would be tantamount to admitting his inferiority to third Shen’s family!

He found himself at a loss for words!

Mr. Shen hung his head, his expression filled with discontent. He quietly said to Shen Chengguang, "Let’s go!"

The following day the two Shens threw huge feasts. The banquet at Xiao’er’s family was full to the brim, while Mr. Shen’s banquet was absolutely empty.

Shen Chengguang was so angry he flipped two tables right there and then! Only the intervention of Mrs. Lan prevented him from flipping more.

Mrs. Shen was so upset she berated them for several days. Of course, she was berating Shen Chengyao’s bunch, not Shen Chengguang.

Xiao’er’s family remained oblivious to the happenings in Shengping County.

Following the downpour, the weather was not its usual sultry self.

Xiao’er and Shangguan Xuanyi were inspecting the newly built school.

This was considered as pilot-school for free education in the Imperial city.

Moreover, it was not funded by the national treasury but was built by several princes out of their own pockets, to nurture aspiring but impoverished students.

Anyway, the national treasury didn’t have sufficient funds at the time, and most officials were against building these free schools. They suggested waiting until the treasury was overflowing with wealth.

In spring, Xiao’er handed over the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree she had obtained from hunting to Shangguan Xuanyi. She asked him to dig it out and then plant it at this school.

"By fall, the tree will be entirely golden. Leaves will rain down and the ground will appear as if it’s covered with a blanket of gold. The view will be beautiful, immensely poetic!" Xiao’er looked at this elegantly poised, lush green ginkgo tree and mused.

"Should I get someone to find another tree to plant in our house?" That way, after she marries and moves over, she could see the ’beautiful view’ every year.

Xiao’er decisively shook her head: "No!"

"Hm?" Shangguan Xuanyi lowered his head to look at her, while still holding her hand and walking forward.

She liked it, so why not?

"There will be too many fallen leaves, it will overwork the maids and older female servants!"

Shangguan Xuanyi: "..."

"Do you think if you planted such a large tree in the house, you would get to see a courtyard full of golden leaves? As soon as a leaf falls, it would get swept away! Moreover, I don’t like a house filled with fallen leaves either!"

"Well, then we won’t plant the tree." Shangguan Xuanyi could indeed imagine a garden filled with fallen leaves and agreed it was not a pleasing sight.

"Porridge made with dried scallops and ginkgo fruits is quite fragrant. But, one should not eat too many ginkgo fruits at once. They must always be fully cooked before eating, or else it can cause poisoning. Infants and children should preferably avoid eating them." Remembering the characteristics of the ginkgo fruit, Xiao’er made sure to advise him.

Ginkgo fruits can cause poisoning if consumed in excess! Shangguan Xuanyi’s eyes slightly narrowed, his grip on Xiao’er’s hand tightened a bit.

"What happened?" Xiao’er raised her head to look at him.

Could someone have tried to use this to poison others?

Shangguan Xuanyi shook his head.

At this moment, a homing pigeon flew and landed on Xiao’er’s shoulder.

Xiao’er took the message tied to it, opened it, and began to read.

It was a letter sent from Shengping County.

Shen Jingwen became a successful candidate in the examinations? Xiao’er was taken aback, and then relieved as she recalled something.

"What is it?" Shangguan Xuanyi, who noticed the surprise and relief on her face, asked.

"Shen Jingwen passed the examination for scholars." Xiao’er said indifferently.

If it was just about Shen Jingwen passing the examination, she wouldn’t have such expressions.

Shen Jingwen... Shangguan Xuanyi contemplated for a moment before asking, "Do you know who Mr. Tan’s younger brother is married to?"

He had previously heard Xiao Fuzi mention Mr. Tan’s younger brother’s wedding. However, he was busy asking Xiao Fuzi about something, which led them to diverge from the topic.

"It’s Shen Yuzhu."

Xiao’er looked at the handsome man beside her. His mind was indeed quite meticulous!

"They make quite the pair!" Shangguan Xuanyi recalled a certain brainless love-struck woman, his lips curved into a devilish yet handsome smirk.

Demon! Xiao’er turned her head away, so she wouldn’t lose her head over him!

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