Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 758 Ouch! Who touched my leg?! [Thank you! Thank you again! 29k words owed]

In front of the screen wall,
Gu Tingye was still waving excitedly towards the crowd.

Changfeng looked at the person beside him with disbelief and exclaimed, "Brother-in-law, is Fifth Brother Xu the top scholar?"

Zai Zhang looked at the surprised Linxi Pavilion members and nodded with a smile: "That's right!"

Upon hearing this, Changfeng's eyes were filled with envy and excitement.

After all, Changfeng had previously visited the Ningyuan Marquis's residence and chatted with Gu Tingyu! With several classmates passing the exams, and Xu Zaijing even achieving the top score, his chances of passing the exams had increased significantly.

Just then, someone behind Xu Zaijing and the others exclaimed in surprise, "Huiyuan! Everyone, look! The Huiyuan is here!"

After these words were spoken, Xu Zaijing and the others fell silent for a moment.

"Huiyuan? Good heavens!"

"Even the top scholar came to see the list?!"

"The champion is the best!"

"No wonder this young man has such a strong scholarly air about him! I could tell when he jumped up!"

"He jumps so high, he's truly a handsome man!"

"Is the young master of the Xu family married?" someone asked.

"Yes! Yes! Young Master Xu, are you married?" the people around asked.

Gu Tingye stopped jumping for joy and just looked around at the strangers with a blank expression, saying, "You're asking me? No, I'm not."

Before Gu Tingye could finish speaking, someone else shouted back, "What kind of question is that! It's written on the list! Xu Zaijing, ancestral home in Daizhou, is still unmarried!"

Gu Tingye nodded with a smile: "Yes, he's my fifth brother, Xu."

The sentence was still left unfinished.

"It really is Xu Wulang! The top scholar of this examination!"

The crowd around Gu Tingye suddenly surged.

"Let's absorb some literary spirit! Literary spirit!" a candidate shouted.

"Brother Xu, could you give me a piece of clothing? I'm sure I'll pass the next imperial examination!" someone called out sincerely.

Gu Tingye waved his hand: "No, I won't."

"Huiyuan!" someone in the crowd said, touching Gu Tingye's chest.

Upon seeing this, the surroundings became even more chaotic.

"Don't push! Don't push!"

"If you push any further, we won't be polite!" Qingyun, Alan, Shitou, and their followers shouted.

"Young man, we're not pushing! It's the people behind us who are pushing!" someone shouted.

But there were just too many people watching the rankings, including many well-built servants of wealthy families.

With just a few of them, they simply couldn't stop the people around them.

"Fuck!"

The sound of clothes being torn came from inside.

"My sleeve!" Gu Tingye cried out in pain, "Ouch! Who touched my leg!"

"My boots! My boots!"

Zhi Que shouted anxiously, "Stop it! Stop it or else! Who touched my butt!"

Gu Tingye, standing to the side, shouted again, "Go to hell! Don't take my pants off! Ah—"

"Rip—" Another sound of clothes tearing.

"Goro, save me!"

Gu Tingye shouted, trying to block the view from the left and right.

"Erlang, you carry it first, wait a moment!" Xu Zaijing replied, protecting Minglan, Rulan, and Pinlan.

Gu Tingye clutched his clothes: "No, my pants are about to fall off!"

"Brother, you and Changbai, protect the sisters and get them out first."

Zai Zhang: "Xiao Wu, then you..."

"Don't worry about me for now!" Xu Zaijing said.

"Fifth Brother Xu." Minglan looked at Xu Zaijing with concern.

"Let's go!" Xu Zaijing said, frowning.

As they spoke, Changbai and Zaizhang escorted the three Lans outside.

Seeing that Zai Zhang had taken a few steps away, Xu Zaijing grabbed Gu Tingye's clothes.

With a forceful pull of both hands.

"Tear!"

Looking at Xu Zaijing, whose clothes were torn, Gu Erlang was completely bewildered: "Wulang, what are you doing!"

"Huiyuan's clothes!"

"The scholar's clothes are full of scholarly elegance!"

Xu Zaijing shouted as he threw several pieces of clothing outside.

As soon as this commotion was made, the crowd stopped pushing forward, and the pressure on Qingyun, Alan, and the others was immediately relieved.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, everyone quickly shielded Gu Tingye in the middle and walked towards the outside of the crowd.

"when--"

The imperial guards, who were maintaining order on the steps of the screen wall, struck the gong loudly at that moment.

"Anyone who wants to go to jail on such a good day, then keep squeezing in!"

The Imperial Guard captain shouted loudly.

As he shouted, his hawk-like gaze swept across the crowd.

"Hey! The one in the blue silk robe who's squeezing through other people's way, pull him out!" the Imperial Guard captain pointed and ordered.

The fierce and ruthless Imperial Guards immediately broke through the crowd and headed towards the man.

This intimidation quickly quelled the chaos in front of the screen wall.

The Linxi Pavilion members, who had been separated from the group due to the chaos, looked up and continued to scan the list on the screen wall after watching Xu Zaijing and the others leave.

After a few dozen breaths, the Linxi Pavilion members had seen 99% of the names on the list on the screen wall.

Mo Lan, after scanning the list several times, frowned and asked Chang Feng, "Brother, where is your name?"

At this moment, Changfeng's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and he felt increasingly uneasy.

Hearing Mo Lan's question, Chang Feng angrily replied, "I'm looking for it right now!"

After venting his anger on Chao Molan, Changfeng stared at the screen wall and muttered to himself, "Impossible, how could it not be there!"

Lin Qinshuang frowned, noticing the gazes of passersby and maids around her, and said, "What are you all standing there for? Help us look!"

"Yes! Yes! Little lady!" Zhou Xueniang, Lu Zhong and others nearby echoed, then pointed at the list and continued to look at the names one by one.

Another dozen or so breaths passed.

The people in Linxi Pavilion had looked at it from all angles two or three times.

Lin Qinshuang also understood that her son had really failed this time.

Changfeng, who had been passing the imperial examinations with great success, suddenly broke down and cried out, "There's no way my name is missing! I wrote it myself that afternoon; it was full of my insightful observations!"

"Impossible! All my brothers passed, there's no way I won't!" Changfeng continued to look at the list in disbelief, hoping to be pleasantly surprised to find his name.

A kind passerby advised, "Young master, you look very young. Is this your first time taking the imperial examination? There will be many more opportunities in the future. If you don't pass this time, you can try again in three years!"

Upon hearing this, Changfeng instantly flew into a rage, grabbing the passerby's collar with both hands and shouting, "What are you saying? There's no way I could fail! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!"

"Brother! Don't do this!" Mo Lan cried out, tugging at Chang Feng's clothes.

"Young master, I understand your disappointment at failing the exam, but if you don't let go, don't blame me for being impolite!" the passerby said, gripping Changfeng's arm.

Lin Qinshuang glared angrily at Changfeng: "If your name isn't on the list, then you didn't pass! Don't embarrass me here! Let's go!"

With that, Lin Qinshuang, her face stern and brows furrowed, walked out of the crowd under the protection of Zhou Xueniang and the Sheng family servant.

Mo Lan glanced at the list again, tugged at Chang Feng's clothes, and said, "Brother, let's go!"

Changfeng angrily shook off Molan's hand and continued to frown and look up at the list on the screen wall.

Changfeng could roughly remember the positions of several classmates' names on the list, and every time he saw their names, he felt a pang in his heart.

"How could there not be?"

"Third Young Master, let's go out," a servant from the Sheng family advised.

"Let's go," Changfeng said dejectedly.

Before they even left the crowd, someone shouted from the side, "Make way! Make way!"

Changfeng felt the voice was somewhat familiar, and when he turned around, he saw the servants of the Duke's mansion, Buwei and Li Chong, escorting Qi Heng toward them.

Qi Heng stood behind his servants, watching the screen wall intently as he walked.

"Young master, Feng-ge'er is ahead!" Buwei reminded him.

"Huh? Where is it?" Qi Heng looked away and glanced around.

Li Chong said, "Young Master, the third son of the Sheng family looks dejected; he might not have passed the exam."

"Let's go, let's walk a little further," Qi Heng said.

Arrive at the front of the crowd.

Qi Heng started looking at the rankings from the very bottom, towards the back.

As Qi Heng's gaze gradually moved upwards and his ranking rose, his anxiety grew. A voice in his mind whispered, "Hiss—could it be that my literary talent has won me over this time, and my essay has caught the examiner's eye?"

When things got a bit chaotic in front of the screen wall, Huyan Jiong quickly led the servants from each household over.

When they reached the back of the crowd, Xu Zaijing and the others also came out.

Seeing Xu Zaijing and the others with their disheveled clothes, and Gu Tingye with his hair loose and clothes in disarray, Hu Yanjiong asked in surprise, "Second Brother, what happened to you?"

Not knowing what to say, Gu Tingye waved his hand helplessly and said, "Jiong-ge'er, don't ask anymore, I've suffered a great deal!"

Huyan Jiong: "Is he alright?"

Gu Tingye shook his head: "It's nothing, it's just..."

"Thank goodness! Let's go over there quickly! My mother-in-law and the others were terrified by what they saw!" Hu Yanjiong said.

"Let's go!" Zai Zhang said with a smile, "It's a good opportunity to meet your older sister."

Changbai and the three Lans nodded with smiles.

“I know about the Second Prince’s examination. How did you all do?” Hu Yanjiong asked curiously.

"Brother-in-law and second brother passed the imperial examination, and fifth brother Xu is the top scholar!" Rulan said with a smile.

"Huiyuan!?" Huyan Jiong looked at Xu Zaijing in surprise.

"Yes! The top scholar is clearly Jing-ge'er! Why are those people tearing me apart?" Gu Tingye said helplessly.

"Who told you to be so close to Wulang and jump around so happily! If I didn't know, I would have thought you were so happy because you won the imperial examination!" Changbai said helplessly.

“Changbai is right,” Zaizhang said.

Gu Tingye: "I...I couldn't help myself!"

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

"By the way, the elders of the Sheng family's eldest branch have also arrived! Did you see the Li brothers' names just now?" Hu Yanjiong asked again.

Changbai turned his head to look at Pinlan.

Pinlan blinked and shook her head, saying, "It seems not."

Gu Tingye said, "I didn't see it either! Wulang, did you see it?"

Xu Zaijing shook his head.

"That's a real shame!" Hu Yanjiong said.

As they talked, the group arrived near the carriages of the Xu and Gu families.

Bai helped Sun to her feet and they took a few steps forward.

Seeing Gu Tingye's disheveled appearance, Granny Chang, Tingyi, and Yanran looked worried and anxious. Madam Bai immediately exclaimed, "Second Brother, what happened to you!"

Pingmei also looked at everyone with concern.

"Hehe, Mother, it's a long story!" Gu Tingye grinned.

Before Changbai and the others could even bow, Madam Sun hurriedly said, "Children, I know about Erlangzhong now. How about you? How did you do on your exams?"

Hu Yanjiong didn't speak, but just smiled at his wife, Anmei.

Zai Zhang bowed respectfully and said, "Mother, I have passed the exam."

Xu Zaijing replied in a typical manner: "Mother, me too."

“Aunt, Erlang and I are also on the list.” Changbai smiled and bowed, then glanced at Hualan.

Hua Lan squeezed Xie's hand a little harder, and Xie chuckled softly, "Congratulations, sister-in-law! Double happiness!"

Hua Lan nodded with a silly grin: "Sister-in-law, this is a double celebration for our family!"

"That's right!" Madam Xie said with a smile.

"How did they rank?" Madam Sun asked, looking at everyone.

Changbai laughed and said, "Let's not talk about my ranking, but Wulang is the top scholar today!"

The people behind the two ladies with imperial titles all looked surprised.

"Amazing!" Cao Jiazhi exclaimed involuntarily.

During the examination, examiners had to transcribe, seal, and cross-reference the papers.

The examiners didn't even know which candidate had answered the questions on the papers they were grading.

Xu Zaijing's ability to stand out among thousands of people is evident.

Gu Tingye looked at his own miserable state and said, "Oh dear!! Come to think of it, I took this beating for Wulang!"

Seeing the curious looks on everyone's faces, Zai Zhang gave a brief explanation.

at this time,
Yanran's personal mother stepped forward to help Gu Tingye tidy his clothes and hair.

Hua Lan released Xie's hand and walked to her younger sisters.

Xu Xingzhong: "Fifth Aunt, Sixth Aunt! Uncle Changfeng and Fourth Aunt didn't come?"

"They're here! They're still checking the rankings!" Rulan said with a smug smile.

Despite being warned and glared at, Rulan continued to laugh without restraint.

Hua Lan glanced at Madam Li from the eldest branch of the Sheng family beside her and asked in a low voice, "How did my two cousins ​​from the Li family do on their exams?"

Minglan and the other two Lans exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.

After Zai Zhang finished speaking, Madam Bai frowned and looked at Gu Tingye: "I think you deserve it. Even though Wu Lang's family produced the top scholar in the imperial examination, they didn't jump up and down like you!"

Gu Tingye: "Isn't our son happy?"

Bai smiled and glared at Gu Tingye again.

Then, Madam Sun looked at Changbai and said, "Bai'er, I imagine your aunt and your parents must be getting anxious at home! You should hurry back and tell them the good news!"

"Yes, Auntie!" Changbai bowed.

As the Sheng family left, Cao Jiazhi stood beside Lu Zezong and whispered, "Look at that sixth sister of the Sheng family, she's really beautiful."

"Hmm! It's so-so," Lu Zezong said nonchalantly.

Seeing that the girl beside him did not continue speaking, Lu Zezong turned his head to look at her and said, "I can't compare to you."

Although she knew Lu Zezong was talking nonsense, Sister Zhi still couldn't help but laugh.

In front of the screen wall,
Qi Heng's gaze swept to the last name on the list—Xu Zaijing.

The last glimmer of hope vanished just like that.

Qi Heng closed his eyes in anguish, trying to accept the outcome.

Like Chang Feng, Qi Heng embarked on the path of the imperial examination at a young age and has been undefeated all the way through.

Today's setback was something he found hard to accept.

In particular, he learned from his father, the Duke of Qi, that when Qi Heng went to intercept another girl that day, Gu Tingyu was discussing the imperial examination with his classmates.

Qi Heng, who had been standing straight, slowly bent over: "If only I had done that day..."

Qi Heng shook his head dejectedly, not wanting to think about it any further.

Because he knew that thinking too much would only make him regret it more.

Buwei, who was standing guard to the side, exchanged a glance with Li Chong and said in a dejected tone, "Young Master..."

"Let's go! Let's go back!" Qi Heng said sadly.

not far away,
Mo Lan, who was waiting for Chang Bai and the others to return, was about to board the carriage.

Suddenly, Mo Lan saw Qi Heng looking dejected.

Mo Lan's eyes lit up, and she was about to lead her people toward Qi Heng.

"Little sister, what are you doing?" Changfeng frowned as he looked at Molan, who had taken two or three steps.

Lin Qinshuang, who was standing to the side, also turned her head to look.

Stopping in her tracks, Mo Lan pursed her lips and said, "Brother, we were classmates with the young master! I want to go and ask him how he did on his exams!"

Changfeng rolled his eyes: "We've been watching for so long, have you even seen the young master's name? Do you have to go and ask him what happened?"

Lin Qinshuang, who was in a very bad mood, scolded him with a stern face: "Get in the carriage! The young master didn't even pass the exam. If you go over and ask him, it's like rubbing salt into his wound! You have no sense at all!"

"Mother, how could you say such a thing about your daughter!" Mo Lan asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Alright, this is in public! Don't embarrass me anymore! Get in the carriage!" With that, Lin Qinshuang flicked her handkerchief and climbed into the carriage.

Mo Lan glanced at Qi Heng not far away again: "Brother Yuan Ruo."

"Little sister, are you ever going to stop?" Changfeng asked irritably.

Upon hearing this, Mo Lan glared angrily at Chang Feng: "Brother, it's all your fault!!! If you had made it onto the list, I..."

"Tch—" Changfeng chuckled and turned to walk away.

It's a place some distance away from the examination hall.

Sun Zhigao, a 12-year-old scholar, a prime minister, and a learned man, was sitting in a carriage.

Pulling back the carriage curtain, Sun Zhigao watched the grand display of the results near the screen wall of the Imperial Examination Hall.

A scholar, looking dejected and dejected, happened to pass by the carriage.

Seeing this, a mocking smile appeared on Sun Xiucai's lips. He muttered to himself, "Pshaw! Useless! Mediocre! Can't even pass the provincial examination! What a waste of his age!"

The scholar left quickly.

Sun Xiucai continued to look outside.

after awhile.

A few more scholars walked over, chatting and laughing.

"I was lucky to pass the imperial examination!" exclaimed one of the scholars standing in the middle.

Although the man was dressed rather shabbily, his demeanor was one of smug satisfaction and great joy. Just from his conversation, it was clear he was a tribute student!

"Hey! Brother, why be so modest?"

The scholar waved his hand and said, "I'm not being modest. On the day I entered the examination hall, if it weren't for the help of a fellow examinee, I'm afraid I would have lost my composure long ago, and how could I have passed the exam?"

Sun, the scholar in the carriage, looked at the shabby-looking candidate and muttered under his breath, "Bah! Look at your ragged clothes! What are you so proud of? So what if you passed the exam? What's there to brag about?"

"A bunch of mediocre people! Just you wait and see!"

With that, Sun Xiucai angrily flung down the carriage curtain.

The Rong family.

Ningxiang hurriedly ran into the house.

"Girl! Girl! Something terrible has happened!"

"Watch your words!" Xi Bu stood at the door, frowning as she scolded, "What's going on? Why are you all in such a rush?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Rong Feiyan, who was standing by the open window, painting with a smile on her lips.

"The young lady is in such a good mood today! If there's anything that upset her, we can talk about it tomorrow!" Xi Bu said.

Ningxiang waved her hands anxiously: "Sister Xibu, no, it was the servant at the gate who sent someone to deliver a message, saying there was a big commotion outside the examination hall!"

"It is said that the top scholar in this year's imperial examination also went to the examination hall to see the results. When the crowd found out, in order to absorb some of the scholar's good fortune, the top scholar's hair was pulled out and his clothes were torn to shreds."

"Huh!?" Xi Bu exclaimed in surprise, "Is that so?"

Ningxiang nodded repeatedly: "Isn't that the one who won the top prize this time? Do you think we should tell the young lady?"

After a moment's thought, he asked, "Is he alright?"

Ningxiang shook her head: "They should be fine! They said that he was protected by his servants and friends, and with the Imperial Guards maintaining order, he has already left the screen wall outside the examination hall."

“Let’s go and tell the girl,” Xi Bu said.

As Rong Feiyan approached, her two personal maids exchanged a glance.

"girl?"

Rong Feiyan didn't even turn her head: "Hmm?"

"A messenger came in through the main gate saying that Xu Jiawulang was looking at the list of successful candidates today when someone ripped his hair out in front of the screen wall, and his clothes were torn to shreds," Xi Bu said.

"Huh?" Rong Feiyan frowned as she looked at Xibu: "Your clothes were torn?"

"Yes girl!"

Rong Feiyan, holding her paintbrush, stopped talking, frowned quietly for a while, and said, "That's not him! With his skills, he wouldn't let anyone else have a chance to pull his hair."

Xi Bu and Ning Xiang exchanged a helpless glance: "Miss, surely the rumors outside aren't just baseless?"

Rong Feiyan dipped her brush in the colored ink and said, "That's right! Then let someone go and inquire around the Gu and Xu families! With such a joyous occasion, it's good to ask around."

"Yes, girl!"

Jiying Lane, the Sheng family's main gate.

Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu stood together at the door after the court session.

Supported by Liu's mother, Wang Ruofu would occasionally peek out towards the alley entrance.

"Why haven't the children come back yet!" Wang Ruofu asked in confusion.

Sheng Hong said calmly, "It's not like it's just our family going to see it! The Xu and Gu families are all here, and Changbai and the others will naturally have a chat after they finish looking at the list!"

Wang Ruofu glanced smugly at Sheng Hong: "Hmm! My lord is right!"

Listening to the conversation between the two, Liu Mama, Caihuan, and other maids from Weirui Pavilion stood up straight with pride and smiles on their faces.

"My lord! Our carriage has arrived!"

Dong Rong pointed to the alley entrance and shouted.

Wang Ruofu and Sheng Hong immediately peeked out.

quickly!

"Uu——"

The Sheng family carriage stopped at the entrance.

The grooms and servants quickly placed the horse benches in place.

Rulan excitedly pulled Minglan off the carriage, shouting excitedly, "Second Brother!"

Changbai also got off the carriage.

Standing on the steps, Wang Ruofu shook off Liu Mama's support and happily limped down the steps, leaving Liu Mama and Caihuan unable to catch up.

Changbai quickly stepped forward to support Wang Ruofu.

Looking at Changbai, Wang Ruofu didn't know whether to cry or laugh, and exclaimed, "My son, you've really made your mother proud! It wasn't for nothing that I went through so much to give birth to you and raise you!"

As she spoke, recalling the grievances she had suffered over the years, Wang Ruofu couldn't help but cry: "My son!"

As she spoke, Wang Ruofu also put her arm around Changbai.

Sheng Hong, in high spirits, tucked his hands behind his back and said, "Changbai, you've brought honor to the Sheng family!"

(End of this chapter)