Wei Yulan always acted with swift decisiveness. Three days later, she had gathered a large amount of useful information for Gan Cai’er.
“There are twelve academies in Dànzhōu Fǔ. Among them, three have excellent reputations, great fame, and are presided over by renowned scholars: Lùmíng Shūyuàn, Qínchuān Shūyuàn, and Wényuān Gé.”
“Of these three, Lùmíng Shūyuàn is the strongest. Its current headmaster is the former Taifu, Ouyang Shu. It is said that in the last provincial examination, Lùmíng Shūyuàn produced thirty-five Juren, causing a sensation throughout Danzhou and even startling the Imperial Academy in Jingdu.”
“Qínchuān Shūyuàn and Wényuān Gé are also excellent. These two are adept at teaching and nurturing students, with extremely strict academic standards. It is said that anyone who enters these academies, even if they are as crooked as a gnarled tree, can be straightened out. Their reputations are superb. They also have several esteemed scholars, and they too produced many Juren in the last provincial examination.”
“There are also others—”
“Then it’s Lùmíng Shūyuàn!”
Before Wei Yulan could finish reading the letter’s contents, Gan Cai’er cut her off. Wei Yulan silently put down the letter in her hand.
“Nannan, do you know how difficult it is to enter Lùmíng Shūyuàn? Countless people try desperately just to get near the gate, and many Xiucai have even been turned away,” Wei Yulan said somewhat helplessly. “How about we look at the others?”
“No. If we’re going, we go for the best,” Gan Cai’er said firmly.
Wei Yulan heaved a heavy sigh. Whenever it came to matters concerning Lan Tingzhou, Gan Cai’er became as stubborn as a mule, impossible to dissuade. Fine, let her have her way.
Getting into Lùmíng Shūyuàn would naturally be good. But if they couldn’t get in, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.
Wei Yulan sifted through the letters, pulled out one, and continued reading: “There are four conditions for entering Lùmíng Shūyuàn. First, one must pass the County Examination and obtain the qualification of Tongsheng. Second, one must have a recommendation from a scholar of Jinshi rank or higher. Third, one must pass the academy’s entrance examination; only those who qualify can enroll. Fourth, the annual tuition is two hundred taels of silver.”
Gan Cai’er was confident in Lan Tingzhou’s talent, and money wasn’t a problem either. But this recommender… she couldn’t help but frown slightly. Searching all of Qingshui Town, she hadn’t heard of anyone’s family producing a Jinshi. Where could she find such a person?
But then, her brow smoothed again. If there wasn’t one in Qingshui Town, she would look elsewhere. Where there’s a will, there’s a way; she refused to believe she couldn’t find someone!
Wei Yulan watched Gan Cai’er sitting there, frowning one moment and grinning foolishly the next, and couldn’t help shaking her head. Ah, this silly child is truly caught in a love tribulation named ‘Lan Tingzhou.’ Now I can only hope that young man from the Lan family is a true gentleman.
Wei Yulan took two sets of new clothes from the cabinet. She unfolded them, held them up against Gan Cai’er, and nodded in satisfaction.
Gan Cai’er looked closely. They were two lightweight silk gauze dresses, the skirts embroidered all over with butterflies in gold and silver thread. They were extremely thin, sheer, and beautiful. She looked at Wei Ylan, puzzled.
“That Gu Ye of yours, just by his looks, is bound to attract unwanted attention,” Wei Yulan snorted lightly, speaking as if to herself. “Men, you see, only when they are completely drained will they cut off any other thoughts.”
Gan Cai’er instantly understood the purpose of these clothes, and her face flushed crimson!
She couldn’t help but recall the secret manuals Wei Yulan had imparted in her previous life, and the effects after implementing those secrets… Gan Cai’er suddenly felt her face burning hot enough to cook on.
“Mother, no, really, that’s not necessary,” Gan Cai’er hurriedly protested.
“Tsk, tsk, why are you blushing? It’s been half a year since you married, yet you’re even more bashful than when you were a maiden?” Wei Yulan said with a look of disdain.
After speaking, she forcefully shoved the silk nightgown into Gan Cai’er’s hands.
“Mother tells you, if you want to keep a man, you must take the initiative and avoid shyness. If you don’t hold on tight, won’t you just end up making a wedding dress for someone else?”
“Mother, he is a gentleman, not that kind of person,” Gan Cai’er said, her face flushed with both urgency and embarrassment.
“Hah, your mother has seen more men than pigs. There isn’t a man under heaven who doesn’t stray, unless he lacks the necessary equipment,” Wei Yulan snorted coldly.
Gan Cai’er choked, instantly speechless. Even though she had been a wife in two lifetimes and had given birth to two children, she still couldn’t handle Wei Yulan’s bold and vulgar remarks.
Her stepmother truly dared to say anything!
“Then you should keep it for yourself.”
After saying this, Gan Cai’er tossed the nightgown back to Wei Yulan as if it were a hot potato, then grabbed the stack of letters and fled in a panic.
“You foolish child, if you don’t listen to your elders, you’ll suffer the consequences!” Wei Yulan scolded angrily, holding the garment.
But no matter how much she scolded, Gan Cai’er had already run far away. Turning her head, Wei Yulan irritably shoved the garment into the hands of Xiao Hong, who was also preparing to make a quick escape.
“Put this away properly. Wait for the right moment and have Nannan wear it.”
Xiao Hong’s eyes darted around twice before she smiled and agreed, picking up the garment to chase after Gan Cai’er.
Returning to Moyi Courtyard, Gan Cai’er flipped through the letters several times but still couldn’t come up with a plan, leaving her somewhat disheartened.
“Miss, instead of puzzling over these troublesome matters alone, why not ask Gu Ye?” Xiao Hong suggested.
Gan Cai’er’s eyes lit up. Yes, if she couldn’t think of a solution, someone as clever as Lan Tingzhou surely would have one!
“Xiao Hong, have the kitchen prepare sweet and sour mandarin fish and steamed lion’s head meatballs tonight.”
“Right away,” Xiao Hong replied crisply.
Sweet and sour mandarin fish and steamed lion’s head meatballs were Lan Tingzhou’s two favorite dishes. Despite his cool exterior, he had a sweet tooth and loved meat.
Xiao Hong didn’t go directly to the kitchen but first headed to the study.
She said to Mo Yan, who was guarding outside the study, “Tell the young master that today, the mistress has asked the kitchen to prepare sweet and sour mandarin fish and steamed lion’s head meatballs.”
Whenever Gan Cai’er had the kitchen prepare Lan Tingzhou’s favorite dishes, it was her way of inviting him to share the evening meal—a tacit understanding between the two. As for what happened after the meal… that was something their personal maids and attendants understood without words.
Mo Yan immediately grasped her meaning. “Sister, rest assured, I will definitely relay the message to the young master.”
Just as the evening meal was being laid out in Moyi Courtyard, Lan Tingzhou returned, stepping into the gathering dusk. Gan Cai’er was slightly surprised. How did she remember that in her previous life, she always had to plead and urge repeatedly before this man would grace the courtyard with his presence?
After washing his face and hands, Lan Tingzhou sat down and looked at the table full of dishes without picking up his chopsticks.
“Today is the tenth,” Lan Tingzhou suddenly said.
Gan Cai’er was taken aback, staring at him blankly. What about the tenth? Does the tenth mean we don’t eat?
Staring at Lan Tingzhou’s stern face, Gan Cai’er suddenly remembered something, and her face instantly flushed crimson.
“There’s nothing else added to the dishes! Really, there isn’t,” Gan Cai’er waved her hands repeatedly, almost patting her chest to guarantee it.
Lan Tingzhou gave her a faint glance, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, then picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of his favorite lion’s head meatball.
“Don’t worry, it won’t happen again in the future,” Gan Cai’er murmured softly, moving her lips.
Lan Tingzhou paused his hand, raised his eyes to look at her again, and ultimately said nothing, silently eating his meal.
Gan Cai’er thought that since the two of them would still be husband and wife for a while, it would be better to clear some things up.
So, she pursed her lips and spoke very sincerely, “Forcing you to marry me and making you do many things you dislike were all my fault. I was too immature before.”
“These past few days, I’ve come to understand that feelings cannot be forced. Don’t worry, I will no longer cling to you in the future.”
Lan Tingzhou set down his chopsticks.
“If you have something to say, just say it directly.”
Lan Tingzhou looked calm, appearing not to believe her words at all. This made Gan Cai’er feel a wave of frustration.
Forget it, it would be difficult to change his opinion in such a short time. After all, she had shamelessly clung to him for seven years. Now, suddenly changing like this was indeed hard to believe.
Gan Cai’er poked at the rice in her bowl and said dejectedly, “I heard that Luming Academy is very good. Do you want to give it a try?”
“Luming Academy?” Lan Tingzhou was genuinely surprised this time.
Which scholar in Danzhou hadn’t heard of the reputation of Luming Academy! Being able to enter Luming Academy was equivalent to having one foot already in the ranks of the Juren.
“Didn’t you not want me to leave Qingshui Town?”
“Didn’t I already say I’ve come to understand?”
Gan Cai’er pouted and took out two letters, placing them on the table. Lan Tingzhou picked them up and saw that they contained an introduction to Luming Academy, an overview of the past ten years, and the admission requirements.
Just then, Xiao Hong suddenly walked in holding clothes.
“Miss, which of these two new outfits will you wear tonight?” As she spoke, she shook out the clothes in her hands.
The two silk garments unfurled in the twilight, light and airy, like mist or smoke…
Lan Tingzhou’s gaze toward Gan Cai’er suddenly turned deep and inscrutable.
“No, no, I didn’t!” Gan Cai’er instantly jumped up, flustered as she explained, “Th-this clothing isn’t mine, it’s my mother’s, really.”
Gan Cai’er felt like crying but had no tears. One moment she was swearing not to cling to him, and the next she was putting sheer silk garments right before his eyes…
Lan Tingzhou didn’t speak, just quietly watched her until her face flushed red with shame and indignation.
Seeing the situation turn awkward, Xiao Hong had long since thrown the clothes onto the stool by the table and run off.
Lan Tingzhou picked up one of the silk garments, pinching it between his fingers.
“Let’s go with the plain-colored one.”
Lan Tingzhou’s gaze was profound, with a hidden flicker of dark fire in his eyes that made Gan Cai’er’s heart skip several beats. She snatched the silk garment, turned, and hurried into her room.
Wear what wear! She wasn’t the Gan Cai’er from her past life! The one who naively believed that as long as she tried every means to seduce him and please him, she could beg for a little bit of affection.
Gritting her teeth, she angrily threw the clothes into the wardrobe.
Watching Gan Cai’er’s retreating figure as she ran into the room, Lan Tingzhou lowered his eyes and rubbed his fingertips.
Hmm, she really has stopped using drugs, now directly switching to seduction.
When he has some free time, he should still teach her more about the Female Precepts and Female Virtues.
He couldn’t keep indulging her like this, letting her lack restraint.
For today, he would just go along with her, to avoid her crying and making a fuss later, refusing to let it go.
Lan Tingzhou lifted his steps and slowly walked toward the bedroom.