Although many things happened during this period, the bricklaying and wall-building project in the Second Estate never stopped.
Xie Chao's Spiritual Power occasionally swept over the manor, but the Jin Shanyao as if it didn't sense anything. By the time the manor was finished, the results of the second exam at the Green Mountain Academy were also released.
Shiyan kept his eyes tightly shut, hiding behind Meng Anci and Zhao Zhiyuan. "How many were there? Did you see them?"
Meng Anci lightly, "I'm short, I can't see the last person."
Shiyan bent down and scooped Meng Anci up in his arms, startling Meng Anci who cried out, " Shiyan, put me down!"
Shiyan had no choice but to put the person down and reach out to touch Zhao Zhiyuan, "So, did you see my name?"
Zhao Zhiyuan and Meng Anci exchanged a glance, then Zhao Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I can't see either."
"Oh dear..." Shiyan gritted his teeth, opened his eyes and looked at the list. His gaze went from bottom to top, and he realized that he wasn't in last place. Shiyan felt like it was already dawn.
He looked up anxiously, his excitement growing with each step... Finally, he found himself eighteen from the bottom, and Shiyan let out a roar and hugged Meng Anci tightly.
" Anci, your method really works! My grades have really improved."
Zhao Zhiyuan asked in surprise, "What method has enabled you to improve so much?"
Shiyan said arrogantly, " Anci me to hang a rope in the study so I can glance at it whenever I don't feel like reading."
Zhao Zhiyuan, "Hanging his head from the beam and pricking his thigh with an awl?"
"What? Anci wanted to say 'If you don't study, you might as well die.' I was thinking of hanging a bitter gall in front of me, but the weather is hot, and a bitter gall hanging in front of me would stink."
Shiyan's gaze swept over the list... wait... he rubbed his eyes.
"Completely shocked, Zhiyuan... you've cheated on Anci."
Zhao Zhiyuan glanced at Meng Anci, seeing that he didn't care about the grades, and pushed Shiyan, "Let's go, let's go..."
Shiyan, oblivious to everything, turned and shouted, "Let's go... We, the Three Musketeers of Willow and Poplar County, will slaughter every last survivor in the prefectural city!"
The three of them walked out together. When Zhao Zhiyuan saw Zhao Yushan, he paused slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
After school, Zhao Yushan hesitated to go home. He didn't know what was wrong with him; his mind was foggy, and no matter how hard he studied, his grades just wouldn't improve.
He didn't dare to see his parents and wanted to go to the study to read. As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw his father staring at him with a gloomy face.
Zhao Yushan's heart skipped a beat, and he stood at the door, too scared to go inside.
Zhao Mingshu pulled out a ruler and strode towards Zhao Yushan, who shrank back in fright.
"Father, Father, I was wrong... I'll definitely do better next time."
"Put your hand out."
"Father..."
"Stretch out."
Zhao Yushan timidly reached out his hand, and smack... the ruler fell heavily, instantly swelling his small hand.
"You're really something, coming in third again. If you were even half as smart as Zhao Zhiyuan, I wouldn't feel so ashamed."
First Madam Zhao rushed over upon receiving the news, "Why did you hit him? He..."
"Shut up!" Before First Madam Zhao could finish speaking, Zhao Mingshu scolded her, "A doting mother spoils her son. Do you know what the teacher said? He said he was sleeping in class."
"How could I have given birth to such a good-for-nothing?" Zhao Mingshu grabbed his son, went up and slapped him hard, making Zhao Yushan's ears ring and the surrounding sounds seem to come and go.
"Go kneel in the ancestral hall. If you don't do well on the exam again, you might as well die, you idiot."
Zhao Yushan clenched his fists and retreated into the ancestral hall in a disheveled state, tears streaming down his face.
My face and palms burn with the slightest movement!
Zhao Zhiyuan entered the academy, he hasn't had a good night's sleep.
Meng Anci's pressure was so great that he could hardly breathe; he wanted to rest for a while, even if only for a moment.
"Would the young master like some candy drawn?"
The sudden sound startled Zhao Yushan awake; he had no idea when he found himself standing in the Zhao Household's backyard.
Like a caged beast that has escaped its cage, he wandered aimlessly down the street.
Until I was captivated by the scene before me.
Shiyan was carrying large and small bags, all filled with food and novel toys.
Madam Shi laughed heartily, "My good son, you're really capable! You actually ranked eighteenth from the bottom. Tell me, is there anything else you want?"
Shiyan protested, "Mother, there are twelve."
"Oh, right, right... we have to count from front to back."
Shi Chang'an laughed and said, "Alright, let's go eat first. We still need to go to the Anzhi Hall later."
Upon hearing about food, Shiyan exclaimed joyfully, "I want to eat the crab roe pomegranate bun from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!"
The Madam Shi shouted, "Go..."
Shiyan immediately chimed in, "Let's go..."
The mother and son exchanged a glance and laughed without restraint in the street... Their smiles were particularly glaring, hurting Zhao Yushan's eyes.
He followed them as if possessed, and saw that Madam Shi had ordered a crab roe pomegranate bun.
The family chatted and laughed throughout the meal, and even packed some leftovers to take home.
Shi Chang'an laughed and scolded, "How could I have given birth to such a good-for-nothing like you? You're even thinking about that Meng Household family girl when you're eating a crab roe pomegranate bun."
"Father..." Shiyan blushed deeply.
A gentle evening breeze made Zhao Yushan's cheeks feel slightly cool... He reached out and touched them, and then he burst into tears!!
Why is he crying? What's there to cry about? In every exam, his score has been higher than Shiyan's?
Zhao Yushan's mind went blank as he followed behind Shi Chang'an, watching him chat and laugh with Shiyan. It turned out that not all fathers were like his own.
The Shi Household of three entered Anzhi Hall, and he hid at the door like a thief, peeking inside.
He actually saw Meng Anci.
Meng Anci in second this time; his grades dropped. Why wasn't he punished by kneeling? And that smile of his is really annoying.
Zhao Yushan's gaze unexpectedly met Meng Anzhi's, which startled him so much that he turned and ran away.
Meng Anci's voice came from behind, "Sister, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing..."
As dusk fell, street vendors began to pack up and leave. Zhao Yushan didn't want to go home, so he stood blankly on the bridge until First Madam Zhao arrived in a hurry with her entourage.
" Yushan, what are you doing standing here? Come back with me right now! Your father is furious that you ran away!"
Zhao Yushan turned his head blankly, his voice trembling with tears, "Mother, I'm tired..."
After saying that, he plunged headfirst into the river...
The next day, Qing He laid out the congee and side dishes, looked at her young master who was still reading, and shook her head helplessly.
These two kids study from morning till night, their minds are completely crammed, they have no childlike energy at all.
Jin Shanyao glanced at Meng Anzhi's prescription, "Too much mint... With this dosage, the patient could go out and catch thieves in the middle of the night after taking it."
Meng Anzhi's cheeks flushed slightly as she quickly readjusted the dosage.
Meng Anci the book, served Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi a bowl of porridge, and then peeled two eggs and put them into their bowls respectively.
At this moment, Qing Yang walked in and said, "Master, a lady has arrived outside the shop. She says she is the First Madam Zhao from the Zhao Residence."
Jin Shanyao, unaware of what First Madam Zhao wanted to see her about, handed the bowl of porridge to Meng Anci and then said to Meng Anzhi, "Eat first, we'll see later..."
Inside the shop.
First Madam Zhao's hair was disheveled, her complexion was not good, and there were dark circles under her eyes. When she saw Jin Shanyao, she hurriedly asked for help.
"Miss Jin, please save my son! I know you are skilled in the arts of ghosts and spirits. My son fell into the river for no reason last night."
The person was pulled out of the water, but... " First Madam Zhao's eyes were slightly red, and her voice was hoarse, "When they got back, they were mentally unstable. They wouldn't say anything, and if pressed, they would either bang their heads against the wall or hang themselves."
"It's causing unrest throughout the entire manor..." First Madam Zhao said with a worried expression, "Do you think he might be haunted by a water ghost? People die in that river in the city every year."
Her eyes darted around in panic, and she grabbed the hand Jin Shanyao. "The water ghost is looking for a substitute! Do you think my son has been used as a substitute...?"
First Madam Zhao spoke incoherently, Jin Shanyao, having overheard the gist of it, said, " First Madam Zhao, you know my fees, right? Fifty taels for exorcising ghosts."
"Don't worry, Miss Jin, I won't shortchange you a single penny."
Alright... Jin Shanyao around and swiped five talismans on the table, then stuffed them into her bosom.
She considered whether to change into her battle robes and bring a copper coin sword, but then she remembered the embarrassment of stepping on her clothes earlier, so she gave up the idea.