Being a reborn legitimate daughter is not easy

Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Qiu Wei

Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Qiu Wei

Just then, a servant came to announce that Ye Yanxun had arrived. Ye Pianran lifted her head from Gongsun Yuan's lap and looked towards the door. A moment later, Ye Yanxun appeared, carrying a brocade box, and entered the room, smiling as he said:

"Mother, look what good things Xun'er brought you!"

Ye Yanxun was surprised to see Ye Pianran there. He paused for a moment, then put on his usual smile and said, "Ran'er is here too, which saves me the trouble of sending someone to call you."

Gongsun Yuan helped Ye Pianran up and sat her down beside him, smiling as she asked, "Where have you been all this time? And what are you carrying?"

“I heard that a foreign warrior monk recently came to the capital and set up a arena in the West Market to challenge the warriors of the Great Xia. I found it interesting, so I invited a few classmates to go and watch the excitement. On the way, we saw a caravan from the Western Regions selling a kind of candied fruit called ‘white plum’. I tasted it and found it to be very sweet and refreshing, so I bought some to bring back.”

As Ye Yanxun spoke, he opened the brocade box, revealing the "white plums" inside. They were small, black candied fruits, each about the size of a fingernail, uniform and plump, sprinkled with a layer of white powder, and emitting a faint, enticing sweet aroma, making them look quite delicious.

"Mother, Ran'er, you should try some too." Pushing the brocade box forward, Ye Yanxun looked at Gongsun Yuan and Ye Pianran with a smile.

Ye Pianran raised her jade-like fingers, pinched a "white plum" between her fingers, and looked up at Ye Yanxun: "Was it interesting to watch those foreign martial monks fight in the arena?"

Ye Yanxun's face showed obvious disdain: "How can the martial arts of foreign countries be a match for the martial arts of my Great Xia? That martial monk is just relying on his strong body and super strength. When he encounters the heroes of my Great Xia, he can only kneel down and beg for mercy."

"So, Big Brother taught that foreign monk a lesson?" Ye Pianran asked with a smile.

Ye Yanxun shook his head and said, "It wasn't me, it was Tong Zhu. He only used five moves to beat that foreign monk to a pulp."

"Oh? It seems the young master of the Tong family is still as forthright as ever," Gongsun Yuan said with a smile. "Among your classmates, he's probably the only one who's still single-mindedly devoted to martial arts, isn't he?"

Ye Yanxun said, "Yes, his ambition in life is not in an official career, and Uncle Tong can't do anything about it."

Tong Zhu, the eldest son of the Tong family, dreamed of becoming a chivalrous hero from a young age. He almost left home to learn martial arts with a fellow knight-errant. His belongings were already packed, but his father, while he slept, tied him up and threw him into Wensong Academy to become his apprentice. Tong Zhu was initially resentful, but the teacher's ruler was more effective than fists and kicks. After suffering greatly at the academy, he never dared to dream of wandering the martial world again and willingly became Ye Yanxun's classmate. However, because of his forthright nature and love of chivalry, he was quite famous in the capital and, along with Ye Yanxun, was jokingly called one of the "Five Talents of the Capital."

Ye Pianran put the "white plum" into her mouth, curled her eyelashes slightly, looked at Ye Yanxun and asked, "And what about you, big brother?"

Upon hearing Ye Pianran's question, Gongsun Yuan also looked at Ye Yanxun. Ye Yanxun wasn't her child; being not born of the principal wife, he couldn't inherit the marquisate. Therefore, he could only enter officialdom through the imperial examinations to secure a better future. Having followed Marquis Anshi since childhood, he frequently came into contact with court affairs. Furthermore, his studies at Wensong Academy under the tutelage of Elder Feng already foreshadowed his future in officialdom. However, perhaps due to the recent discord between the siblings, Gongsun Yuan couldn't help but wonder what Ye Yanxun was truly thinking.

"Me?" Ye Yanxun smiled. "Right now, all I want to do is prepare well for the autumn imperial examination and try to become the top scholar so as not to disappoint my father and mother. I have no other thoughts."

"If you can become the top scholar in the imperial examination, then you will truly not disappoint your mother." Gongsun Yuan sighed softly in her heart and extended her hand to him. Ye Yanxun understood and handed her his hand, which she then grasped tightly.

"Xun'er, strive for whatever you desire. But always remember, only what you earn through the righteous path can you possess forever, and only then can you gain the applause of the entire world," Gongsun Yuan said softly. "What I want to see is not you winning the top score in the provincial examination, nor taking first place in the metropolitan examination, but rather you standing in the golden palace, before His Majesty, using your knowledge and your charisma to impress His Majesty and the entire world!"

To achieve the highest honors in all three categories—passing the imperial examinations with top honors—was the dream of every scholar, and Ye Yanxun was no exception. His hand trembled violently, and he felt a strange sense of fear: "What if I can't do it?"

"Mother believes in you," Gongsun Yuan said. The warmth of her palm was almost scorching, like a raging fire that ignited the hidden ambition in Ye Yanxun's heart, making his eyes exceptionally bright.

"That day will definitely come!" Ye Yanxun said firmly. "Xun'er won't keep Mother waiting too long!"

Sitting to the side, Ye Pianran silently lowered her eyes, concealing the deep meaning in them.

Three days later, the Great Xia Kingdom's autumn imperial examinations were held as scheduled. On this day, the examination halls in the capital and various towns and cities opened their gates, and candidates flocked to them. For a time, the main road outside the capital's examination hall was bustling with activity. Amidst this endless stream of people, the carriage of the Marquis of Anshi's mansion slowly came to a stop outside the examination hall.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Ye Yanxun and An Shihou stepped out of the front carriage. In the carriage behind, Gongsun Yuan and Ye Pianran also got out with the help of their maids.

Looking at the bustling gates of the examination hall, Gongsun Yuan raised her hand and brushed Ye Yanxun's shoulders as if sweeping away the dust, and said gently, "Read the questions carefully and answer them carefully. Don't let your mind wander."

"I know, Father and Mother, please don't worry," Ye Yanxun nodded.

“You’ve been eating and sleeping in the examination hall these past few days, and I was worried that you didn’t have enough food, so I’ve prepared some more for you.” Gongsun Yuan gestured to the maid behind her, and the maid stepped forward and handed Ye Yanxun the package she was holding. “This food is enough for you to eat until the end of the exam, so you don’t need to be frugal. Try to fill your stomach so you have the strength to answer the questions.”

Ye Yanxun glanced subtly at a corner, hesitated for a moment, then took the package and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Mother."

"Go ahead," Gongsun Yuan said with a light smile. "Your father and mother await your good news at home."

"Then I'm off," Ye Yanxun said, turning to walk towards the examination hall, but Ye Pianran suddenly called him back.

"Big brother."

Ye Yanxun turned around and saw Ye Pianran looking at him calmly, her eyes clear as water.

"Brother, may I speak to you in private?"