I, the villainous eldest prince, will suppress everything!

Seeing this, Cao Quan shook his head helplessly.

Although he learned from a master later, the time spent learning was not short.

He didn't know why Qin Li always made Lu Shushu angry; it seemed like he was doing it on purpose.

He wanted to step forward and persuade her, but Lu Shushu was in a fit of anger, and the one who tied the knot had to untie it.

"Alright, alright."

Qin Li reached out and picked at his ear with his finger. "I'm not deaf, why are you shouting so loudly?"

Lu Shushu angrily slammed the jade thumb ring onto Qin Li's chest, gritting her teeth as she said:

"I really don't know what sins I committed in my past life to have taken you as a student."

"Throughout this time, I've asked myself honestly, and I believe I've fulfilled my duties as your teacher and haven't done anything to let you down."

"Tomorrow is the spring imperial examination. Whether you pass or not, our relationship as teacher and student ends here."

"From now on, when you go out, don't say that I am your teacher and you are my student. Let's never see each other again and keep to ourselves."

After saying that, Lu Shushu pointed to the door with her other hand, signaling for them to leave.

Qin Li not only didn't leave, but also picked up the jade thumb ring with a grin and looked at it again.

Then, in front of everyone else, he put the red string back around Lu Shushu's neck:

"It's fake, I don't want it, you should keep it with you."

After saying that, Qin Li snapped his fingers at Cao Quan and Zhou Biao: "Let's go. Tomorrow is the imperial examination. Let's find a place tonight and have some fun."

After saying that, Qin Li led the two of them toward the door.

Standing there, Lu Shushu was so angry that she was trembling all over, her teeth grinding together.

Even after the group disappeared into the courtyard, Lu Shushu's anger did not subside in the slightest.

She lowered her head slightly, looked at the jade thumb ring on her chest, yanked it off, and threw it hard on the ground.

As one might expect, the jade thumb ring did not shatter. It bounced a few times on the stone slab, remained intact, and finally lay quietly somewhere in the courtyard.

However, Lu Shushu didn't even glance at it, turned around and went back into the house in a huff, slamming the door shut. It seemed she wouldn't be coming out all day.

As they left the Imperial Academy and walked down the street, Cao Quan, who was standing next to Qin Li, couldn't help but glance at Qin Li a few times.

After a while, Cao Quan couldn't help but ask, "My benefactor, why did you treat our teacher like that?"

He could tell that their relationship wasn't that bad, but Qin Li would always do things that made Lu Shushu very angry, and Qin Li was doing it on purpose.

Qin Li reached out and patted his shoulder with a smile:

"She's your teacher, but I don't consider her my teacher. Okay, you won't understand if I say too much. You'll understand later."

Zhou Biao, standing to the side, couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

Cao Quan didn't understand, but he understood all too well.

Lu Shushu is bound to be taken back to the Crown Prince's residence by Qin Li to become a mistress.

Right now, Qin Li is repeatedly making Lu Shushu angry, all so that Lu Shushu can't forget him.

Not treating Lu Shushu as a teacher was also a way of laying the groundwork for their future relationship.

Since Qin Li had already said that, Cao Quan couldn't ask any more questions. However, he still had one question: "My benefactor, do we really want to find a place to relax? Tomorrow is the imperial examination, so we still need to study hard tonight."

If I don't study hard tonight, I definitely won't pass the imperial examination.

Besides, it's the last night, there's really no need to indulge, otherwise there will be no going back.

Qin Li hooked his arm around Cao Quan's shoulder and said, "Just kidding. We've worked so hard for so long, tomorrow is the day to reap the rewards. If we're going to be carefree, we'll be carefree after the imperial examinations."

Upon hearing this, Cao Quan felt relieved and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Qin Li:

"Then, my benefactor, let's part ways here. See you at the entrance of the examination hall tomorrow."

Where are you going?

Qin Li stopped Cao Quan.

Cao Quan said, "Of course I'll go back. While there's still time, I'll go back and review my lessons."

"Go back where?"

Qin Li pressed for an answer.

Cao Quan was somewhat puzzled: "Why do you ask that, my benefactor? Of course I'm going back to the inn."

Cao Quan is now in full charge of setting up a meat stall at the entrance of Jin Guang Temple. Knowing that he is preparing for the imperial examination, the Song family opened a room for him in a nearby inn. Cao Quan can go there to study and sleep at night. They originally wanted to give him a house, but Cao Quan refused.

Cao Quan wanted to invite Qin Li back to the inn with him so they could take the imperial examination together the next day, but he knew from their previous conversations that Qin Li had already bought a house in the capital. Qin Li would definitely be going back to the house tonight, and the inn was too basic for him to stay in.

"What's so great about an inn?" Qin Li waved his hand and said, "I have a better place to go. I wonder if you'd be interested?"

"A better place to go?"

Cao Quan frowned.

"Come on, just follow me. Don't worry, it's not some fancy place, and I won't let you miss tomorrow's imperial examination."

After saying that, Qin Li turned to leave, and Cao Quan thought for a moment and then followed him.

Soon, led by Qin Li, Cao Quan arrived at the place Qin Li had mentioned.

Looking at the familiar gate before him, Cao Quan asked with amusement, "Is this the better place my benefactor spoke of?"

This place was none other than the rice shop.

The place where the group first settled in the capital.

However, Qin Li and he had already moved out, leaving only the Chen brothers still in the rice shop.

Qin Li raised his head, smiled, and said, "It begins here, and it will end here."

"Well said," Cao Quan said. "This is our first stop in the capital for the imperial examinations, so let's end it here."

This is how Cao Quan understood the meaning of Qin Li's statement that it should begin here and end here.

However, Zhou Biao, who was standing next to him, had a completely different understanding.

For Qin Li, the imperial examination was just an experience.

Qin Li meant that his experience as a student taking the imperial examinations would begin here and end here.

Tomorrow, Qin Li will reveal his true identity and appear before everyone.

After exchanging a glance, Qin Li and Cao Quan were the first to climb over the low wall of the rice shop, with Zhou Biao following closely behind.

Nowadays, besides the Chen brothers, only an old doorman with poor hearing remains in the rice shop.

When the three men climbed into the rice shop, the old gatekeeper was still fast asleep and didn't hear a sound.

All these years, the rice shop has never been robbed or burned down; it's truly a blessing from heaven.

Seeing that the old gatekeeper was still fast asleep, the three smiled and headed straight for the storeroom in the backyard.

Inside the warehouse, the faint sounds of the Chen brothers talking could still be heard.

I guess they're preparing for tomorrow's imperial examination.

With a creak, the three of them pushed open the warehouse door.

The Chen brothers were about to shout, "Where are the thieves?" but after seeing the three men's faces, their feelings were mixed.

Chen Shoutian was both surprised and delighted to see that there were three people, and he stood up:

"What a surprise to meet you! Please come in, please come in!"

Upon seeing the three, Chen Wangju's expression visibly darkened, and his tone became extremely unpleasant as he questioned them:

"What are you doing here? You're not welcome here!"

"Chen Wangju, you're really giving me too much credit! With your personality, even if you pass the imperial examination, your official career won't last long!"

Zhou Biao couldn't hold back and immediately retorted.

"If you dare spew filth again, I'll break your legs tonight, so you won't even be able to go to the examination hall tomorrow. I, Zhou Biao, mean what I say!"

"vulgar!"

Chen Wangju cursed under his breath, but dared not say another word.

He was afraid that Zhou Biao would really break his legs, which would mean that all his years of hard study would be wasted.

Chen Shoutian stepped forward apologetically, saying, "Please bear with me, please bear with me. My younger brother is still young and doesn't understand social etiquette."

"What brings you here? You're such rare guests, please come in and have a seat."

Chen Shoutian, being the older one, verbally reprimanded his younger brother while inviting the three of them in to sit down.

The three closed the door and went into the warehouse.

"Has no one been causing you any trouble lately?" Cao Quan asked.

Chen Shoutian reached up and touched the back of his head: "Thank God, benefactor Cao Quan, ever since you left, the manager here has changed his attitude towards us a lot. Now, we don't have to do any hard work."

In this way, the two brothers had more time and energy to prepare for the imperial examinations.

Cao Quan didn't seem to mind, but Qin Li looked at Cao Quan beside him and said, "You've already spoken to them?"

Cao Quan remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Chen Shoutian then realized that the shopkeeper's drastic change in attitude towards them was due to Cao Quan's intervention.

"Thank you so much. We're from the same hometown, so we should help each other out when we're away from home."

Chen Shoutian went up and shook Cao Quan's hand, extremely grateful.

"Who needs his help? Without his help, I, Chen Wangju, can still pass the imperial examination with flying colors and rise above others."

In the corner, Chen Wangju, sitting sideways, said with a sidelong glance.

"Hey kid, you're asking for it!"

Zhou Biao couldn't take it anymore. He picked up a stick and walked towards Chen Wangju, determined to break his leg.

Chen Shoutian quickly reached out to stop him: "Wait, wait, Brother Zhou, my brother was just joking with you. Why are you taking it seriously?"