The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

Cheng Zhidong watched her retreating figure, finding her dignified and graceful, yet with a trace of shrewdness that didn’t belong to her age. The lady’s considerations were indeed thorough.

The next day.

Zong Wenxiu specifically checked on Pan Hongzhi’s condition. Strangely, he still seemed so energetic. Had he not been affected by his younger brother?

The little troublemaker and Pan Hongzhi had been discussing Han Yu’s "Advice on Learning" on their way here, and their reading methods seemed to have evolved to extracting the essence and grasping the key points. Their relationship had also improved by leaps and bounds.

The four of them entered the grand study together, beginning a new day of learning.

In the front hall.

Xu Wan was listening to Cui Zhi report on the recent happenings in the palace: “I heard that the Crown Prince summoned Chen Shigeng to the East Palace yesterday. I don’t know what was discussed, but when Chen Shigeng came out, his hair was disheveled, and his face was bruised.”

“What? The Crown Prince himself got involved?” Xu Wan asked uncertainly. “Are you sure he was beaten in the East Palace?”

Cui Zhi replied, half-amused and half-embarrassed, “Yes, I don’t think it was the Crown Prince who did it. It was probably someone from the East Palace who beat him.”

Xu Wan’s lips twitched. “I think it might have been the Eighteenth Princess.”

Cui Zhi frowned. “That can’t be, can it?”

Xu Wan said, “The Crown Prince dotes on the Eighteenth Princess. It’s possible he went to see Chen Shigeng for her sake. And the disheveled hair—it’s very much like a girl’s way of fighting.”

Just then, a voice announced from outside, “Madam, the Eighteenth Princess is here.”

Speak of the devil, and she appears. Xu Wan quickly got up to welcome her.

Before Zhao Rong even entered the inner courtyard, her wailing voice could be heard: “Sister Xu, I’ve been wronged… That scoundrel is a complete jerk.”

Xu Wan was walking when Zhao Rong rushed over and threw herself into her arms.

The young girl in her arms continued to whine, “Why is it so hard for me to just marry someone? Sister Xu, if you were a man, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second—I’d marry you right away.”

The maids behind them stifled their laughter.

Xu Wan, helpless, replied, “Princess, don’t talk nonsense. People will laugh at you if they hear.”

“Hahaha, I’m just joking,” Zhao Rong said affectionately, pulling her into the room.

Xu Wan had tea served and asked, “You were deceived, yet you’re so cheerful. I can’t see that you’re heartbroken at all.”

Zhao Rong pouted. “I can’t let a scoundrel ruin my mood. Being happy is what matters most. That Chen Shigeng had several mistresses outside, yet he still dared to scheme against me. How shameless! Thankfully, my brother the Crown Prince saw through his tricks for me. Hmph!”

Xu Wan smiled. “Then you should thank the Crown Prince. I heard he personally summoned Chen Shigeng to the East Palace for questioning. He must have put in a lot of effort to investigate.”

“Mm-hmm,” Zhao Rong nodded repeatedly. “My brother is so good to me. He even said that in the future, he’ll have my sister-in-law, the Crown Princess, help me find a suitable match. My sister-in-law is also very kind. Whoever she picks for me will definitely be the right one. I’ll just follow her advice!”

Xu Wan nodded with a smile. “That’s good. The Crown Princess is wise and intelligent. She’ll surely help you find a good husband.”

Thinking of the Crown Princess, Zhao Rong sighed. “It’s a pity my sister-in-law has had bad luck. She’s been in the East Palace for five years and still hasn’t conceived. Those gossipy women outside keep talking about it, both openly and secretly. It’s especially bad recently—even I’ve heard it. It’s so infuriating.”

“Recently?” Xu Wan immediately thought of the little troublemaker.

Zhao Rong said, “Yes, before there were fewer people talking about it, but recently it’s been especially frequent. I don’t know why. Oh, I just came from my sister-in-law’s place, and I saw her drinking some kind of medicinal soup. I wonder if it’ll work.”

Xu Wan was silent for a few seconds. She thought she probably knew the reason.

The Crown Prince’s closeness to Jin Cheng made people think he was fond of children, and the pressure fell on the Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess, desperate to conceive, found it harder to get pregnant under pressure, creating a vicious cycle.

After some thought, Xu Wan said to Zhao Rong, “I’ve heard of a method for conceiving that’s said to work every time.”

“Oh? What is it?” Zhao Rong leaned in curiously.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Even Cui Zhi looked over, wondering how Xu Wan knew about such things.

Xu Wan smiled and said, “They say that if a couple travels to ten different, unfamiliar places together, they’ll conceive immediately.”

“That simple?” Zhao Rong was stunned. “Then someone like me, who loves to travel, would be pregnant all the time once I’m married!”

Xu Wan: “…” Then you should restrain yourself a bit.

“Actually, the principle of this method is to help people relax. The Crown Princess has been confined to the East Palace for too long. She needs to get out and vent her frustrations.”

“Mm-hmm, I think it makes perfect sense!”

After receiving this advice, Zhao Rong immediately stood up to say goodbye and rushed off to the East Palace to share the idea.

Xu Wan watched her retreating figure and chuckled. “This impulsive nature of hers makes her so easy to fool.”

Cui Zhi also smiled in agreement. “The Princess is simple-minded. After mentioning Chen Shigeng when she arrived, she completely forgot about him afterward.”

Xu Wan sighed. “Thankfully, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are there to watch over her. This little girl is even more worrisome than Jin Cheng.”

In the advanced class, while the two children were studying, the three private tutors were nearby, creating exercises and small progress tests based on their learning pace.

Daily exercises were assigned every day, while small progress tests were conducted every three days. Xu Wan named these tests “mini-exams.” Each mini-exam in the advanced class lasted for one hour, timed strictly with the burning of a large incense stick.

Since the exam content was based on what they had already learned, the two children found the tests easy and even finished early, growing more confident with each exam.

As the days passed, the children’s progress shocked the private tutors. Even Baili Xi found it somewhat unbelievable, saying it felt like a dream.

The two children were greatly encouraged and studied even harder.

A month later, Xu Wan received a letter from the old lady.

She had been married into the Marquis Manor for five months. Previously, she was the one who wrote to the old Marquis and his wife when she needed something. This was the first time she had received a letter from them.

The letter mentioned that although they were staying at the villa, they had been keeping an eye on the children’s progress. They praised Xu Wan for her excellent parenting and household management, saying that the Marquis Manor was fortunate to have her as their daughter-in-law, and that their ancestors must be smiling down from heaven.

Xu Wan chuckled as she continued reading and finally reached the main point. In half a month, it would be Zong Jincheng’s birthday. The old couple wanted to return to the manor for a few days and prepare a birthday gift for the child in advance. They asked Xu Wan if it was appropriate to buy something expensive for him at this stage.

“Expensive items…” Xu Wan thought for a moment and asked Cui Zhi, “Wasn’t the most valuable item Jin Cheng ever owned that jade pendant worth several thousand taels?”

When Xu Wan had first cut off the little troublemaker’s allowance, Zong Jincheng had been in such a hurry to pay a bill that he pawned the jade pendant. Xu Wan had scolded him several times for being a spoiled brat who didn’t understand the value of money.

Fortunately, Steward Liu was thrifty. As soon as the little troublemaker left, he retrieved the pendant and paid the bill separately. However, he only told Xu Wan about this, and even Cui Zhi didn’t know.