"The places for Imperial Academy have all been secretly reserved?" Sheng Shuihe and Sheng Weiqiao were both surprised.
They had foreseen that the coming Spring Exam would become the battlefield of Meng Family and Gaomi King. But they didn't expect the battle was so intense that all the places for Imperial Academy had been reserved by the Spring Festival!
"You don't know that much about the situation in Chang'an because you've lived in Nanfeng County for long." Tu Ruchuan squinted and murmured, "The Empress Dowager fell ill in the middle of this year and didn't recuperate until one month later. Badly frightened, the wives of Zheng Guogong, Wuan Marquis and Chengyang Marquis, including Chongxin Count himself, all went into the palace and looked after her for two months. They went back upon Her Grace's recovery."
Sheng Weiqiao manifested mixed expression, "No wonder Her Grace seemed feeble and cheerless during my two visits.
Empress D
Sheng Weiqiao paused for a while before she uttered again, "Uncle, when you said you'd like to help my brother obtain Their Graces' help, did you mean that you would recommend him to Gaomi King?"After all, everyone knew that the Grand Princess was close to Shu Sisters. And the two kept in touch with her despite their current status because she had been a tactful mistress.And according to Tu Ruchuan, the current Secretary General of the Grand Princess Wuyang Family, Shu Sisters were intended to stand by Gaomi King. Sheng Weiqiao naturally worried that Uncle Tu was actually inducing Sheng Shuihe to take a side. She didn't want Sheng Shuihe to remain neutral like Ningwei Marquis Family, though. It wasn't a safe choice for him at present.The problem was that within the limited time they spent in Chang'an, they hadn't grasped a thorough knowledge of Gaomi King and Meng Family. Sheng Weiqiao just took a chance on Empress Dowager Meng, and they had
Sheng Weiqiao was thinking that everything was so complicated in Chang'an. They merely stopped by Bishui County on their journey to Chang'an and spent some moments in Danmo Building, and then they offended Zhao Taozhuang and Meng Guiyu. They finally, arrived in Chang'an, but without getting a good rest, they had to apologize to all the parties involved. And Huan Yehe's grudge against her could also result from Danmo Building Event. So, they still hadn't wrapped up the whole thing!Consequently, she frowned at Sheng Xiang's words, "So, after all these days, you come up with only one option?"She had got enough of the struggles between noble families and couldn't wait to steer clear of them.Sheng Xiang put on a bitter face, "Third Miss, I'm sorry for my incompetence. I've asked all the official and private agencies in Chang'an, but there's only one manor on sale that corresponds with Eldest Childe's requirements! It was released yesterday!"
"Miss Sheng?" Hearing Sheng Weiqiao's sound, Huan Yehe, who was going to enter the Chuihua Gate, stopped. She turned her head and laughed, "Coincidences often happen. I never expected to meet Miss Sheng here!"Sheng Weiqiao gave a salute and said with surprise, "Does the mansion belong to Princess?"What a coincidence!The mansion they lived in was near Yongyi Count Family. Now, the mansion they wanted to buy belonged to Yongyi Count.Considering Huan Yehe's hostility to her, Sheng Weiqiao doubted that she planned to trap her with her own mansion after knowing their willingness to buy a proper mansion.What did the Princess want to do?Immersed in various speculations, she didn't notice Sheng Shuihe's facial expressions. Sheng Shuihe looked at Yehe with sharp eyes, indicating that he wanted to kill her.Huan Yehe's eyes flickered, avoiding looking at him directly. She smiled again, looking at Sheng Weiqiao, "It has been a short time since we
Princess Qingfang turned pale after hearing that, and abruptly she said to the Sheng siblings, "Please allow me to excuse myself for a moment!"Then, she hurried away with several maids, leaving some younger maids, about twelve or thirteen years old, to serve tea and refreshments.Everyone knew that she had gone to take care of the sudden clamor outside. But, after Princess Qingfang's retreat, the clamor got louder instead of ebbing. Since the doors and windows were shut and an extra thick portiere was hanging on the door, it would be impossible to hear the argument clearly, but one could know that the fray was intense and bordering on a real fight.As she listened, Sheng Wei Qiao couldn't help but frown inwardly, saying to herself, "It seems I have all the bad luck in one single day!"First, they ran into Huan Yehe, who was undoubtedly not a friend. Then, Princess Qingfang forced the deal on her. And, now, something had definitely
Sheng Weiqiao was stunned and turned her head to look at Sheng Shuihe, but Sheng Shuihe was calm, and asked back lightly, "I am Sheng Shuihe, from Nanfeng County. I don't know you..." After a pause, seeing no one tell him how to call this woman, he also dealt with that perfunctorily, "What business have you come here for?""Nanfeng County?" The woman murmured and repeated it again, then said, "That's... how can it be so far?"Sheng Weiqiao felt it was inexplicable and said, "We did take many days on the road to reach Chang'an.""Nanny Zhao, since this house is not for sale, don’t waste their time." After seeing that, Princess Qingfang secretly pulled the woman's sleeve, and said, "Otherwise the two children will think we are forcing them to buy. They just come to Chang'an and are unfamiliar with this place! Don’t scare them!"Apparently, Nanny Zhao had a very different status in Gaomi King Family. She looked at the true-born Prince
Now, Nanny Zhao also felt a headache, "What the hell is going on? Tell me carefully!"After hearing Princess Qingfang’s explanation, Nanny Zhao doubted it again, "Did this person have something to do with Huan Family? In order to be successful six times in the imperial exam that has never been seen in history, he uses what happened in the past to trap us together.""I have suspected that, too." Princess Qingfang pursed her lips and whispered, "But think about it, Nanny Zhao. It's the twelfth lunar month now, the Spring Exam is in next February, and there will be a court examination later. The final result of the imperial exam will be released in March at the earliest! If there is something that happens in the court, the release of the result will be delayed and there are previous cases that the results came out in April!""Although Nanfeng County is far away from Chang'an, it is enough for our people to go and come back during this period!"
Sheng Shuihe cleared his throat and said, "Sweetie, do you think it has something to do with that day when you recommended me to the Empress Dowager? Uncle Tu told us yesterday that the quotas of Imperial Academy in the Spring Exam have all been taken by Gaomi King and Madam Meng. However, we dropped in all of a sudden, so they will surely have a problem with us!"Sheng Weiqiao followed his thoughts and said seriously, "Someone doesn’t want you to succeed in the examination, so he or she set you up when Sheng Xiang was looking for a house, right?"It was possible. According to Tu Ruchuan, Gaomi King and Madam Meng had come to an agreement in terms of the quota distribution of Imperial Academy for next year way before they arrived at Chang'an.There was no doubt that the two sides had fought fiercely for these quotas. Those students who were supported and foreordained by the two sides must have made lots of efforts, which meant that they, even t
Sheng Shuihe looked at Sheng Weiqiao, who was in tears and about to cry, regretting what he had said before. He knew that she had no sense of security since they arrived at Chang'an, while he kept making her think of the worst situation. She had been jittery only for his future instead of her security, and she might fall sick this time without enough assurance when hearing that Sheng Family would be in danger this time!"Sweetie, don't you forget it! Although Gaomi King is powerful, he is not the only power in the government! Madam Meng is also strong!" With his experience on Daimao Island for over ten years, Sheng Shuihe could handle this situation in a hurry, though with lots of loopholes, so he thought for a while and looked up with a smile, "The Empress Dowager invited you to go to the palace and befriend with Fourteenth Miss Meng and her sisters, right? Since Gaomi King Family may come at us, we could turn to Madam Meng!"In case that Sheng Weiqiao tho