Although Wang Gang was happy when he learned that he had passed the exam in high school, he still found someone to inquire about the rankings of Gu Tingye and Qi Heng.
Several people participated in the provincial examination together this time, and they all attended Zhuang Xuexue's private school, so naturally they would compare themselves with each other.
Gu Tingye did well in the exam this time, ranking second only behind Wang Gang.
Sheng Changbai was seventh, and Qi Heng was just a little behind, ranking thirteenth.
Fortunately, everyone passed the exam and qualified to participate in the examination to be held next spring.
The National Examination is a higher level examination than the Provincial Examination. All the officials in the country gather in the capital to take the examination. Because it is presided over by the Ministry of Rites in the spring, it is also called "Chun Wei" or "Li Wei".
Wang Gang's passing the exam for Jie Yuan is nothing. Only by being able to take the high school exam can he truly enter the officialdom.
Now that there were still a few months before the examination, Wang Gang was not in a hurry. He first invited Gu Tingye and Qi Heng to get together, and by the way, he also roped in Sheng Changbai.
As a result, when Wang Gang arrived at Fanlou, he found Gu Tingye limping over.
"What happened to you, were you beaten?" Wang Gang looked at Gu Tingye and couldn't help but laugh.
Gu Tingye said angrily: "Who in Bianjing can beat me except you?"
Qi Heng said in confusion: "Then why are you injured?"
Gu Tingye sighed and said, "I got beaten up by my old man."
Sheng Changbai was even more puzzled.
"You didn't just win the exam. Your old man was too late to be happy, so why would he hit you?"
Gu Tingye pursed his lips and said unconvinced: "I found an outer room."
Qi Heng and Sheng Changbai opened their mouths, not knowing what to say.
The so-called foreign wife is a woman kept outside by a man, not even a concubine.
Originally, it was not a big deal for Gu Tingye to have an auxiliary wife. He was rich anyway, but who told him to be born in a marquis mansion?
As the legitimate son of the Hou family, he found a foreign wife before marrying his wife. This reputation is not very good. When the time comes to discuss marriage, he may be bitten by the other party.
Which real wife would like to have a woman competing with her for favor in her husband's family before they even get married.
Generally, wealthy families would find maidservants to help their young masters take care of their physical needs.
There is an advantage to this. The maid is not a concubine, but can only be regarded as a slave. When the wife marries her, she can do with her as she pleases. She can stay if she wants, or send her away with money.
But the wife outside the wife can't control it.
Gu Yankai was angry with his son for finding an outhouse before his first wife came home. It would be very troublesome for him to find a new wife for his son in the future.
In addition, Gu Tingye also had a stubborn temper. He insisted on keeping the outer room and argued with his father a few times, but he was beaten up.
"You too, if you find a foreign wife before you get married, you will lose your reputation!" Sheng Changbai accused Gu Tingye.
"What kind of reputation do I have?" Gu Tingye said with a wry smile: "Anyway, it has already stunk."
Although Gu Tingye is the legitimate son of the Hou family, he has a vicious stepmother, Xiao Qin.
This little Qin has a very high rank and can be regarded as a senior green tea. He always behaves like a loving mother to the outside world and even treats Gu Tingye as his own son.
But in private, she doted on Gu Tingye, but she strictly disciplined her own son Gu Tingwei. In private, she kept looking for people to slander Gu Tingye and throw dirty water on him.
However, Gu Tingye was stupidly deceived by Xiao Qin, thinking that she was a good person.
Wang Gang reminded Gu Tingye several times, but he didn't take it seriously.
In the TV series, Gu Tingye only recognized Xiao Qin's true identity after his father passed away.
"Who is that person in your outer room who can confuse you so much?" Wang Gang asked.
Gu Tingye said: "Manniang is a singing girl, but she is born in the mud and remains unstained. She is like this because of the pressure of life."
Wang Gang frowned and said: "This Mannia was born in a lowly family, be careful she cheats you out of money."
Gu Tingye said angrily: "Manniang is not that kind of person. Although she is a lowly citizen, she has never been greedy for a penny, and she is already pregnant with my child."
Wang Gang raised his eyebrows and said: "You don't want to be famous at all. Your wife has an illegitimate child before you marry her. What kind of good woman dares to marry you?"
Unlike wives and concubines, the children born from outside wives are not included in the family tree and can only be regarded as illegitimate children, and they cannot divide the family property.
"Manniang and I are in love, and I can't let her down. When her child is born, I will buy a house."
Qi Heng advised: "I think you are really crazy. Do you want to have a falling out with your family just because of a foreign wife?"
Gu Tingye straightened his back and retorted: "If we fall out, we will fall out. If you treat me like you, you will be a good son in the eyes of your parents. Do you dare to mention Minglan's matter to your family?"
Qi Heng was touched on something that hurt him, and he didn't know how to refute it for a moment.
Everyone present knew that Qi Heng liked Sheng Minglan, but unfortunately their statuses were too different. One was the heir to the Duke's palace, and the other was the concubine of a minor official.
There is no way Duke Qi and Princess Ping Ning would agree to marry their son a concubine. It would be possible for him to be a concubine instead.
But Sheng Minglan didn't want to be a concubine, and Wang Gang couldn't let his sister be a concubine.
Qi Heng was preparing for the high school entrance examination and then mentioned to his parents about marrying Minglan.
"Qi Heng, if you really want to marry my sixth sister, you should tell Duke Qi earlier, otherwise my sister will not wait for you." Wang Gang said to Qi Heng.
"Chang Feng, haven't you always supported me marrying Minglan?" Qi Heng said nervously.
Wang Gang and Sheng Changbai looked at each other and said, "I am Minglan's brother, there is no way she will become an old girl waiting for you.
If you don't have the confidence to marry my sister, it would be better for both of you to give up as soon as possible."
Sheng Changbai sighed and said, "That's right! The gate wall of the Duke's Mansion is too high, and my Sheng family doesn't necessarily have to climb high."
Qi Heng lowered his head and fell silent.
Wang Gang is happy to see the outcome of the matter between Qi Heng and Sheng Minglan, but there is one thing. Qi Heng cannot look forward and backward like in the original work.
"What's going on, everyone? We went out to drink today. Aren't we celebrating winning the election? Why are we talking about marriage?" Gu Tingye came out to smooth things over.
Wang Gang sighed and said: "Because we are of age, the topic of marriage cannot be avoided no matter what."
After coming to the Song Dynasty for many years, Wang Gang was used to many things, but he was never used to marriage.
There is no free love in this era. All marriages are based on the orders of the parents and the words of the matchmaker. Even the emperor cannot marry whoever he wants.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The four of them drank some wine dullly, and then turned to other topics.
"Chang Feng, how is your business lately?" Gu Tingye asked.
"This year's income is higher than last year, and each family should be able to get two hundred thousand taels of silver." Wang Gang said.
Even if Qi Heng didn't ask about the affairs of the Duke's Mansion, he knew that two hundred thousand taels was definitely not a small amount.
"This year I mainly use the Bai family's channels to sell glass overseas, and the profits are huge." Wang Gang started talking about business and started talking non-stop.
Sheng Changbai frowned as he listened.
"Third brother, you always manage these things badly."
Gu Tingye said disapprovingly: "I think it's very good. The annual income of one million taels will make anyone excited."
Wang Gang said: "Because the profits are so huge, more and more people are doing our business recently."
Qi Heng sighed: "I heard from my father that King Yong approached him and proposed cooperation."
Wang Gang's eyes lit up when he heard this. After several years of planning, he finally caught that big fish.
He has never forgotten his time in prison.
"Did the Duke agree?" Wang Gang asked.
"No, Princess Yan also visited my mother, intentionally or unintentionally asking about the glass business." Qi Heng said with a gloomy face.
Wang Gang curled up his lips, understanding that the profits from the glass had made the two princes jealous, and they couldn't help but take action personally.
"The two princes were quarreling with each other in the court. They didn't expect that they would take a liking to our small business." Sheng Changbai said puzzled.
Gu Tingye said: "It's no longer a small business. Even the prince can't make a million taels of silver a year."
Wang Gang said: "The battle between the two princes for the heir has become more and more intense. They are almost at each other's throats. They are fighting for merit, power, and profit. They have made the court a mess and have also affected us ordinary people. If we offend, everyone will be offended.
I'm sorry."
Gu Tingye snorted coldly: "If we unite together, we are not afraid of him as a prince. Do we really think that we have already sat on the throne?"
Qi Heng said nervously: "Be careful what you say, be careful what you say, don't talk nonsense."
Wang Gang said: "What do you think I should do? Choose one or reject them both."
The faces of the three of them were troubled at the same time.
Regardless of whether it's the Marquis's Mansion or the Duke's Mansion, they actually don't want to get involved in the fight for the heir. Anyway, no matter who becomes the emperor, it will not affect the wealth of their family.
But now the business is getting bigger and bigger, and it has attracted the attention of the prince. It is impossible to stay out of the matter.
"Have you ever thought about it, the two princes are already extremely rich, why do they still need money? What is the most expensive thing in the world?"
Gu Tingye said without even thinking: "What else could it be? Raising an army costs the most money."