Chapter 1126 Sheng Hong trains Hua Lan, the exam begins in Chunwei
The day for the joint examination is getting closer and closer, and the flow of people in Bianjing is getting bigger and bigger. Students from all over the country who are participating in the joint examination have come to Bianjing in batches.
When there are too many people, accidents will naturally occur.
But fortunately, the vast majority of students and candidates settled in the outer city, and only a small number of rich and powerful children settled in the inner city.
The spring period every year is one of the busiest times in Bianjing City. If you win the exam and soar into the sky, it is a real big deal.
Once you win the ranking, even if you are in the top three, it will be a leap from the dragon's gate, and at worst you will be a reserve official.
Zhou Chen is also a little busier these days. Although he doesn't have to do things by himself, he still needs to be the co-ordinator, and he often has to meet with officials.
On this day, he got off duty a little early and returned to Chaoyun Pavilion, only to find that Hualan and the children were not there.
Call the maid in the courtyard to ask.
"Going back to the Marquis, today the eldest lady from the Earl of Yongchang came to visit and invited her to play polo. The old lady let her go, and Stepbrother and Brother Xu were taken to the old lady's courtyard.
"
Zhou Chen was not surprised either. Mrs. Wu from Earl's Palace of Yongchang was such a hot-tempered person. She could hold several polo matches a month. If we were talking about who among the noble ladies had the most extensive connections, then there is no doubt that she was the one.
This Mrs. Wu.
She initiated the polo club, and even the concubines of King Yong and King Yan would occasionally come to support her.
Hualan is very good in all aspects, but in fact she is not the best type in all aspects. She has grown a lot in the past few years, and her city and vision have improved a lot. Among the female relatives who have eight hundred minds,
You can also stand firm.
Although Mrs. Wu has many bad ideas, she is still a good person. This is why Zhou Chen felt relieved to let Hua Lan go out with Mrs. Wu.
If it were someone like Mrs. Qin from the Marquis Ningyuan Mansion, he would not let Hua Lan stay with Mrs. Qin even if he did not give Marquis Ningyuan face.
He did not go to his mother's yard, but started practicing in his room. Recently, he felt that Yangzhou Man's internal strength was about to make a breakthrough.
At the Jinmingchi Polo Ground, Mrs. Wu happily said to Hualan: "Ms. Shanda, your skills have improved too fast. I estimate that in two years, I will no longer be your opponent."
She didn't invite many people today, but most ladies wouldn't play polo. She played a game with Sheng Hualan today, and was surprised to find that Sheng Hualan's level was much better.
She remembered that the last time she played polo with Sheng Hualan was two years ago, and Sheng Hualan was not pregnant with her second child.
Although Sheng Hualan's level was good at that time, there was still a big gap compared to her. But now, he is almost catching up with her, so naturally he is surprised.
Sheng Hualan arranged her clothes and replied: "I learned this from the officials in my family, but Mrs. Wu is too complimentary. Compared with you, I am still far behind."
Mrs. Wu looked relieved: "It turned out that I learned it from Marquis Zhongjing. Who among us in the Song Dynasty doesn't know that Lord Zhou is an unparalleled general in the world, but I have never heard anyone say that Lord Zhou played polo.
I really want to see it, when I organize a bureau, Madam Shanda will come with Lord Zhou."
Sheng Hualan replied with a smile: "I have to go back and ask the officials about this."
Mrs. Wu laughed heartily: "Although I am a woman, I really want to see the majesty of Lord Zhou."
She was indeed very curious about Zhou Chen. Zhou Chen was very famous in Tokyo, but he was a very low-key person. Except for some necessary banquets, he rarely saw the Lord Zhou appearing in public, and rarely
I heard the rumors about this Lord Zhou.
What is particularly curious is that Lord Zhou has been married to Madam Shanda for more than five years, and they have given birth to two sons, but they have never taken a concubine. Looking all over Tokyo, no such noble man can be found.
There are only a few civil servants who love fame.
This is also the reason why many female relatives envy Sheng Hualan. Who doesn't want his official to pamper him alone?
The two of them left the Jinmingchi Polo Ground in a carriage. As they were passing by a street, Mrs. Wu suddenly asked someone to inform Hua Lan that they were almost at Jiying Lane and wanted her to go to Sheng Mansion to sit with them.
Hua Lan was very surprised when she first heard it, but she quickly realized that Mrs. Wu might have other intentions.
Then he suddenly thought of Liu Lang of the Liang family who went to the polo field with Mrs. Wu today, and immediately made some guesses. After thinking about it, he agreed to Mrs. Wu.
Therefore, Hualan first arranged for guards to go to Sheng Mansion to inform them. When the two teams arrived at Sheng Mansion one after another, Wang Ruofu had already brought people to greet them.
"The countess."
"Lady."
"Mother."
As soon as Mrs. Wu and Wang Ruofu met, they greeted each other with professional smiles, looking very familiar.
Mrs. Wu said with a smile: "I have wanted to come and visit you for a long time. I just played a polo match with your Marquise at the polo field. When I passed by, I discussed it with the Marquise and followed.
The Marquis and his wife are here together, which is really abrupt."
Wang Ruofu also smiled and said: "You are an honored guest, and I can't even wait to see you. If you play polo with my Hua'er, you are guaranteed to win."
"In other words, madam, this girl in your family is amazing. I am almost no match for her."
"Really? This child has been married for several years, and I, the mother, don't understand him anymore."
The two of them walked into the Sheng Mansion chatting and laughing, Hua Lan accompanying her. There was no way, no matter how high her status was, when she arrived at her natal Sheng Mansion, her parents were the eldest.
A group of people came to the banquet living room and chatted for a while. Sheng Changbai, who had already left class, was called over to greet Liulang of the Liang family. Qi Heng, who had not yet gone back, also came with them. Sheng Hong also took off duty at this time and returned home.
.
Suddenly, the hall became lively, and Madam Wang asked Mama Liu to dress up Ru Lan, hoping to shine in front of Madam Wu.
If we look at the first few years when she came to Tokyo, she definitely didn't have the confidence to marry someone like Earl's Mansion, but now she is confident.
The city of Tokyo is full of dignitaries. Who doesn’t know that the eldest daughter of her Sheng Mansion is the majestic eldest daughter of Marquis Zhongjing’s Mansion? Who doesn’t give a thumbs up when talking about her eldest daughter?
It is precisely because of Sheng Hualan, the Marquis' wife, that many people have come to visit her in the past two years, openly and secretly wanting to see the girl from their Sheng family.
So she also thought that Mrs. Wu had the same idea, so she wanted Ru Lan to come out and show off, and she was too scheming to inform Lin Qige and Shou'antang.
Lin Sushuang from Lin Qige reacted very quickly when he learned that Mrs. Wu had followed Sheng Hualan to the Hou Mansion, thinking that maybe Sheng Hualan wanted to make Mrs. Wu and her son look at each other like Lan.
Naturally, she also wants her daughter Mo Lan to make an appearance. Although she also wants Mo Lan to surpass Hua Lan, she has not lost her mind yet. It is not that easy for the Marquis' wife.
Looking at all the nobles in Tokyo currently, Zhou Chen is still the first one to be able to ascend the title of noble at Zhou Chen's age, so she also wants her daughter to marry into the noble mansion and become the official first wife.
Qi Heng, who is in their private school in Shengfu, is one of their mother and daughter's goals.
Lin Sushuang has a relatively high vision, but Mo Lan is even better than others. The two mothers and daughters actually commented on the Duke and Marquis of Tokyo City in their own room, saying that the legitimate son of this family is not good, and the legitimate son of that family is not good.
Huaxin and so on.
Lin Sushuang and Mo Lan, mother and daughter, are people without self-awareness. Their hearts are higher than the sky and their lives are thinner than paper.
Mrs. Wang didn't call them, so the two mother and daughter discussed sneaking over. Mo Lan's behavior attracted Ru Lan and Ming Lan, which also led to Ru Lan and Ming Lan being framed by her.
…………
Zhou Chen, who was meditating, heard Hua Lan coming back and opened his eyes.
"Why don't you look happy?"
Hua Lan frowned and said, "I'm not unhappy, I just feel that my father is too partial to Lin Xiaoniang and Mo Lan. Forget it, why am I telling you this?"
"Didn't you go play polo with Mrs. Wu today? Why did you talk about your father-in-law?"
Zhou Chen turned to look at Cui Chan. After receiving Zhou Chen's signal, Cui Chan told what happened today without hiding anything.
After Zhou Chen heard this, he suddenly felt familiar. Isn't this the scene where Mo Lan framed Ru Lan and Ming Lan? He didn't expect that Hua Lan could join in the fun when he went to play polo.
Soon she also found out why Hua Lan was unhappy. It turned out that she had spoken kind words for Ru Lan and Ming Lan, and wanted her father to find out the truth and not listen to Mo Lan's words.
But Sheng Hong didn't know which one was wrong. Instead of listening, he started talking about Hualan, saying that Hualan was now the eldest daughter of the Marquis Mansion, and she started to put on airs in her parents' family. He also said that in the Sheng family, he was the eldest daughter.
It's not Hua Lan's turn to be the one who calls the shots here.
Hua Lan originally meant well to speak up for her sisters, but unexpectedly she was scolded instead. Before she could get angry, Wang Ruofu got angry and started arguing with Sheng Hong.
For Wang Ruofu, Hualan was her first-born daughter, and the daughter she was most proud of and handsome. As a result, Sheng Hong actually groomed the eldest daughter who was already the wife of a marquis because of the daughter he gave birth to from a cheap maid.
Of course this cannot be tolerated.
It’s okay for me to be angry with that bitch Lin Sushuang, but I still want to make Hua’er angry. There’s no reason for that.
Although Hua Lan was also very dissatisfied, she still persuaded her mother with good words, and then left the Sheng Mansion without eating.
After Zhou Chen heard this, he was also stunned. What was the father-in-law thinking? But if he thought about it carefully, this was something Sheng Hong could do. After all, Sheng Hong was the most face-saving person. Hua Lan defended his sister in person and refuted his face.
, which made him dissatisfied, so he lost control and lost his temper.
Holding Hua Lan in his arms, Zhou Chen comforted him: "Okay, don't be angry, Myolie, go and ask the kitchen to bring some food over."
"Yes, Mr. Hou." Xing'er immediately went outside the door.
Hualan was not really angry, she sighed: "I just think what my father did was so inappropriate. A concubine bullied his legitimate daughter, and he still favored the concubine, just like he favored Lin Xiaoniang; in the past,
Yangzhou is fine, but this is Tokyo. If there are rumors that he spoiled his concubine and killed his wife, how can he keep his head up?"
The wife is all three books and six etiquette, the Ming matchmaker is marrying into the house, and the concubine is basically a slave, doting on the slave, neglecting the eldest lady, and a clean civil servant who pays the most attention to etiquette. If this spreads, it will definitely have a huge impact on Sheng Hong's reputation.
big.
Little did she know that after she left the Sheng Mansion, the old lady learned about this matter and immediately called Sheng Hong over and scolded Sheng Hong in the Shou'an Hall.
Although Sheng Hong was raised by an old lady, to be honest, her feelings for Sheng Hong are far less deep than those for Hualan and Zhou Chen. What's more, this matter is Sheng Hong's problem. Hua Lan can't say it, but her aunt is.
can say.
After Gu Tingye returned to Tokyo, he came to Zhongjinghou to visit Zhou Chen. He said that he wanted to invite Zhou Chen to Guangyuntai for a drink, but Zhou Chen declined politely and asked him to wait until the Chunwei exam was completed.
Thinking of the reason why Gu Tingye failed this time, Zhou Chen sighed in his heart, Gu Tingye's first half of life was indeed quite miserable.
The father is displeased, the stepmother is flattering, the brothers are scheming, the woman is betraying...
If he hadn't relied on his own ability to rise up later, his life would have been extremely miserable.
Even though he knew how to try this, he couldn't help Gu Tingye, because the words Gu Tingye said when he was a child would definitely cause dissatisfaction among the officials if his elder brother spread them to the ears of the officials.
Even if Gu Tingye's palace had not successfully rescued him later, he might not have been able to get the officials to forgive and apologize.
Because Hualan was being disciplined by Sheng Hong, she did not go to the Sheng Mansion for more than a month. It was not until the day Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changfeng attended the examination that she and her mother, Mrs. Wang, sent them to the examination room.
On the day of the Spring Trial, there were a large number of people, and Zhou Chen, the horse commander who was mainly responsible for the inner city, had to personally lead the troops to maintain order.
The exam lasted for three days. Before the exam even started, the area near Gongyuan was already surrounded by imperial troops, both to maintain order and to protect Gongyuan.
Three days passed by in a flash. At the end of the day, the gate of Gongyuan was crowded with people. Hua Lan insisted on coming over to take a look, so Zhou Chen accompanied her.
"Father-in-law, mother-in-law."
"Father, mother."
Wang Ruofu was very happy to see Zhou Chen and Hualan, while Sheng Hong looked a little embarrassed. Seeing that Zhou Chen and Hualan's expressions were normal, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
To be honest, he was really a bit timid towards Zhou Chen, his eldest son-in-law. Even though Zhou Chen was usually very kind, once he had a serious face, he was still quite scary.
Furthermore, Zhou Chen was the Marquis of Zhongjing, so his status naturally put a lot of pressure on him.
It was still a while before the end. Zhou Chen glanced around and saw a few familiar faces, so he said: "Father-in-law, mother-in-law, I'll go say hello to Qi Guogong and Ling Guogong over there.
"
Sheng Hong said: "Go ahead, go and do your work, don't worry about us."
So Zhou Chen walked towards the other side where the nobles of the Duke of Qi were. This time, there were many descendants of the nobles participating, such as Qi Heng from the Duke of Qi's family, the legitimate sons of the Duke of Ling's family, and several others.
The son of a marquis and count.
We are both nobles, no matter we are familiar with each other or not, since we bump into each other, we naturally want to go over and say hello.
