For ten straight days, Jia Huan stayed at the estate. It was the longest break he had taken since joining the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He enjoyed himself, but it was rather tiring too. Even with his powerful physique, he felt a little worn out.
Besides Concubine Zhao, Wang Xifeng, and An Xuan'er, Lin Daiyu was also at the feast.
As early as the day after Jia Huan made his suggestion, she had moved into the Eastern Courtyard's loft with Zijuan and Xueyan.
"I heard the Jia Family's Kirin Child failed his examination again. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Old Madam was so furious she lost all appetite for food and tea."
Wang Xifeng drew out her words. She had grown ever more breathtakingly beautiful, her cheeks so lustrous and supple that a pinch might squeeze water from them.
"He spends all day fooling around, either playing hide-and-seek with the maids or exchanging handkerchiefs with rich young gentlemen. If he could pass the examination and become a licentiate, the sun really would rise in the west."
Concubine Zhao picked up a piece of bamboo shoot. There was little gloating in her voice; he simply was not worth it.
What standing did her own son have now? Never mind that Big-Faced Thing becoming a licentiate—even if he won the Laurel Palace Laurels, what difference would it make?
Meanwhile, in Madam Wang's Courtyard.
Utterly disappointed, Jia Zheng swept his sleeves and left.
His two sons were now worlds apart, one in the heavens and the other in the dirt.
Her eyes rimmed red and her face haggard, Madam Wang knelt on a prayer mat and struck the wooden fish hard, again and again, as though pounding out her questions to Buddha and the Bodhisattvas: why would they not let her see even a glimmer