Chapter 224: Chapter 225: Breaking Out in a Cold Sweat

Dao City

Dean Lü Sheng, who had brought them over this time, procured some various regional exam questions from other academies. Ancient Wen Heng shut himself in his room and studied for several whole days.

When he woke up this morning, he picked up his brush and paper again, ready to continue his hard work, but was dragged out by Lu Ping and Deng Yuanhang.

"You’ve been cooped up in your room for days! If you keep this up, you’ll turn into a bookworm." Lu Ping held Hong Tianbao back with one hand, stopping him from trying to pull Ancient Wen Heng away.

"Tianbao, let him go!" Ancient Wen Heng straightened his robes. "What’s all this about, you two? And so early in the morning?"

Deng Yuanhang pointed at Lu Ping. "I just came to see if you needed any help today. Who knew this guy would insist he had plans with you."

"I didn’t believe him. You’ve been busy studying these past few days, and with our Dean keeping an eye on you, I knew he had to be lying. But when I called him out on it, he got mad at me."

"That’s because you were being nasty! You can’t take out all your anger on me just because of some conflict between our elders. It’s not like I owe you anything."

"Besides, what business is it of yours whether Wenheng and I have plans or not? Can’t I make plans with him right now?"

Seeing Lu Ping’s shameless expression, Deng Yuanhang grew even angrier. "Look at him! That smug face... he’s a chip off the old block, all right."

"..."

Ancient Wen Heng watched them go back and forth, feeling like his head was about to explode. "Quiet down. Is this really why you’re causing a scene here so early in the morning?"

"Isn’t this reason enough?" Deng Yuanhang snorted. "Don’t tell me he’s brainwashed you. His whole family is cunning."

"If you have something to say, say it properly. Why are you being so snide?" Lu Ping gritted his teeth. "My father may yield to your father, but I won’t yield to you."

"Who asked you to yield?"

"..."

Ancient Wen Heng waited until they had both argued themselves tired. "So, you dragged me out here this early just to watch you two bicker."

Lu Ping said, "This guy almost made me forget my real reason for coming. Since she heard you’re in the Prefecture City, my mother wants to host a banquet at our home to thank you for taking care of me."

Deng Yuanhang cut in, "What’s so great about going to their place? As it happens, my old man heard how close we are and wants you to come over to our house."

"You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?" Lu Ping glared at Deng Yuanhang. How could there be such a coincidence? He had just extended an invitation, and this guy immediately followed with his own.

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Ancient Wen Heng quickly raised a hand to stop them. "Please, you two, stop fighting. The provincial examinations are in three days. I really don’t have time for house visits right now. After the exams, when I have more time, I promise I’ll pay a visit on my own initiative."

Deng Yuanhang chuckled. "Then it’s a deal. I’m afraid that in a few days, I won’t dare to call myself your Senior Brother anymore. I’ll have to address you as a scholar."

Ancient Wen Heng waved his hand dismissively. "Senior Brother Deng, you’re flattering me. I’m sure that three years from now, you’ll also achieve stunning success."

"I’ll take that good omen." Deng Yuanhang cupped his hands in a salute. Everyone likes to hear pleasant words. Even if he knew his own current limitations, who could say what might happen in three years?

He had originally wanted to give it a try this time as well. Unfortunately, he was well aware of his own foundations and felt that his chances would be better if he let his knowledge settle a bit more.

Lu Ping sighed. "Then we’ll talk about everything after your exams."

Ancient Wen Heng smiled at them, then turned and went back to his room. Hong Tianbao quickly followed him in, shutting the door in their faces.

Staring at the closed door, Deng Yuanhang shot Lu Ping a glare and turned to go downstairs.

But the moment he turned, Deng Yuanhang froze. Dean Lv and Mr. Wang were standing in the hallway, watching them.

"Dean! Sir! Good morning!" Cold sweat immediately broke out on Deng Yuanhang’s forehead. ’How long have they been watching?’

Dean Lv just smiled and went into the adjacent room, but Wang Biyi gestured for Deng Yuanhang to follow him.

Deng Yuanhang shot a fierce glare back at Lu Ping before walking over, dragging his feet.

Wang Biyi asked, "Shouldn’t you be at the academy right now? What are you doing here?"

Deng Yuanhang was speechless. ’Can I choose not to answer?’

...

The soap workshop opened quietly. There were no firecrackers or gongs, no grand banquet. After just a few words of encouragement from Jin Qianqian, everyone got busy with their work.

"This Mrs. Jin is really different now," Li Xiaohua said, smacking her lips. "The way she stood up there speaking with such a stern face... I can’t quite describe the feeling. It’s like we’re two different kinds of people now."

"Of course she’s different. Right now she’s not just a Scholar’s wife, she’s about to be a Scholar’s Wife," Liu Liu said, her voice tart with envy. They were both daughters-in-law of the Gu family, but the difference between them was just too vast.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but think to herself, ’If the family hadn’t been divided, would I still have to be here doing this manual labor?’

Hong Daya, carrying a set of molds, said, "Sisters-in-law, they’re waiting for these molds over there. We should hurry up and deliver them."

"What’s the hurry? The Seventh Wife isn’t going to give you an extra copper coin for it," Liu Liu grumbled, though her hands moved faster.

She knew that many in the village were green with envy that all the sisters-in-law had gotten jobs here at the same time. After all, besides them, the entire workshop had only hired ten other people from the village.

It was a job that didn’t require toiling in the fields under the wind and sun, and it came with an income. She couldn’t afford to give anyone a reason to find fault with her.

"Why didn’t Eldest Sister-in-law come today?" Hong Daya asked Li Xiaohua curiously after looking around and not finding her.

Li Xiaohua replied, "What else? Her daughter-in-law is causing trouble again."

"But haven’t their households already been separated? How could she cause trouble for our sister-in-law?"

"It’s about this job. The daughter-in-law said that Eldest Sister-in-law is too old and should give the opportunity to her."

Hong Daya pointed out, "But now neither of them has come."

"That’s because they’re in the middle of a huge fight. Anyway, when I left the village, they were still at it."

Liu Liu chimed in, "This just goes to show, when our sons get married, we have to make sure we approve of the daughter-in-law ourselves. Otherwise, we’re the ones who will suffer."

Li Xiaohua pointed at Liu Liu and laughed. "If I recall, Mother wasn’t the one who approved of you and Fourth, was she?"

Liu Liu’s face flushed red. She walked past Li Xiaohua with her molds and retorted, "But at least I don’t dare to defy Mother."

"..."

***

"Eldest Sister-in-law, why aren’t you at the workshop?" Jin Qianqian was surprised to be cornered the moment she stepped out of the workshop.

Xie Ruyi glanced at the large carriage behind her. "Is the Seventh Wife preparing to leave?"

Jin Qianqian didn’t answer her question. "Eldest Sister-in-law, is something the matter?"

Xie Ruyi bit her lip. "Seventh Wife, do you think you could let Xiuxiang come and work here too?"

Jin Qianqian glanced back at Housekeeper Fu. "Are we still short on people?"

Housekeeper Fu, who had traveled all the way back with them from Sea City in the south, naturally understood what his madam was getting at. He shook his head. "We’re not short anymore. And even if we were, the only openings would be for manual labor."

Jin Qianqian walked over and helped support Xie Ruyi. "Eldest Sister-in-law, relying on your children is not as good as relying on yourself. Sometimes, only when you have silver taels in your own hands can you speak with a louder voice." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Besides, the work in this workshop is much easier than toiling in the fields. I had them arrange a relatively light task for you. Would you like to go in now?"