It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread.com".

Huai Qing wants to see me too? Well, given my relationship with the two princesses, I should see her after the competition... But should I see Huai Qing first, or should I see Lin An?

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and came up with an answer: see Huai Qing first.

He had a reason for choosing this, not because he cared more about Huai Qing than Lin An. Xu Qi'an's choice was closely related to the intelligence of the two princesses.

Huai Qing is too clever to fool, and she is deep-minded. She may hold a grudge without showing it, and you never know when she might set you up.

Lin An, on the other hand, is relatively simple. She is willful and often unreasonable, but she doesn't hold grudges and moves on after throwing a tantrum.

"Alright, I'll accompany you to the palace," Xu Qi'an said.

Xu Qi'an asked the official to send the documents to Haohui Tower, and then followed the guards, riding into the palace.

After going through the appropriate procedures, Xu Qi'an entered Dexin Garden and saw Huai Qing in the elegant and clean hall. She was wearing a white palace dress that matched her personality, with her hair simple and tied up with a golden hairpin, strands of green hair hanging down.

She looked as cold and beautiful as a fairy in a painting, with the hanging green hair adding a touch of lazy charm.

"Are you alright?" Huai Qing smiled lightly.

"I'm fine, just a minor injury. A good night's sleep will fix it," Xu Qi'an smiled.

Huai Qing nodded in relief and invited him to sit down, saying, "After winning the competition, the court will surely reward you. But it's easy to add an official position, but difficult to advance in rank. If Mr. Xu doesn't lack silver, you can make a request to the Emperor. With a stable future, Mr. Xu's career will be guaranteed."

Whoever marries Huai Qing will be like a great thief who has obtained Zhuge Kongming! Xu Qi'an sighed in his heart.

This is indeed a brilliant idea.

Sacrifice a little benefit to secure Erlang's future and pave the way for his younger brother's path to becoming the Prime Minister.

"I have already asked His Majesty for the necessary documents," Xu Qi'an said regretfully.

"The necessary documents?" Huai Qing frowned slightly, "What do you need that for? Although it can be effective at times, it can also be useless."

What she meant was that the explanation of this thing is in the hands of the Emperor. If Emperor Yuan Jing doesn't trust it, then it's useless... In other words, the necessary documents are like the paper currency of my past life. If the government has credit, the money is valuable. If the government has no credit, the money is like Zimbabwean dollars... Huai Qing telling me this is like baring her heart and soul.

Xu Qi'an smiled faintly, "It could also be effective."

Huai Qing no longer dwelled on it and continued, "Have you really mastered the Vajra Divine Art?"

Xu Qi'an extended his palm, and flesh and blood quickly condensed into golden lacquer, his entire arm radiating a faint golden light.

However, Huai Qing was not pleased and said in a low voice, "Do you know how many warriors covet this invincible Vajra?"

Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't say anything.

Huai Qing took a sip of tea and said, "You are currently in a strong position, and no one will openly come after you. Keep an eye on the people around you, and be careful yourself. Don't give anyone a chance to exploit your weaknesses."

After a pause, she added, "Wei Gong is not invincible."

With the powerful combat power I displayed during the competition, even if the martial artists in the capital are envious, they dare not focus their attention on me... And the big shots in the martial arts world won't come to join in the fun of the competition, so naturally they don't know about it... Huai Qing's meaning is quite clear.

How many people in the capital covet my invincible Vajra?

The civil officials may covet my invincible Vajra, after all, they don't need it, but they can give it to the dead soldiers and trusted aides in the mansion.

However, this is not a direct benefit or a necessary benefit, so the civil officials will not be too enthusiastic.

It's the nobles and the military!

"Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness," Xu Qi'an said sincerely.

After chatting for a few more words, Huai Qing casually said, "The book you gave me last time, my maids found it quite interesting. Although I don't read those things, they kept requesting it... What about the sequel?"

"If Your Highness wants it, I will bring it to you in a few days," Xu Qi'an smiled.

Huai Qing nodded reservedly, "There's no rush, it's just a few maids who want to read it. Well, how about tomorrow?"

You're not in a rush, you're in a hurry... Alright, I'll find the tool Zhong Li to write it today when I get back... Xu Qi'an sneered in his heart.

After chatting for a few more words, Xu Qi'an found an excuse to bid farewell to Princess Huai Qing.

He returned to the outside of the palace first, and only re-entered the palace after receiving the message from the Imperial Guards, taking the route to Shao Yin Garden.

"Mr. Xu, please wait!" A guard raised his hand to stop him and said, "Princess Lin An has ordered that no visitors are to be received today. Please return."

"It was Princess Lin An who invited me. You'll know when you go and inform her," Xu Qi'an reminded him.

Unexpectedly, the guard was very firm and shook his head, "Mr. Xu, please don't make it difficult for me. Please leave."

It is a serious crime to beat the guards in the palace. You're really lucky... Lin An is angry, she knows I went to Huai Qing's Dexin Garden first... Xu Qi'an had a plan in mind as he was angry, "It was clearly the princess who invited me. If you don't go and inform her, I can't do anything to you. I'll just wait outside."

............A plain-looking carriage stopped outside the Wang Mansion. Xu Xinnian lifted the curtain, stepped down from the carriage with the help of the coachman, and reached out to the beautiful girl.

Xu Lingyue leaned on her second brother's hand for support as she got off the carriage, and the siblings handed the invitation to the gatekeeper before being led into the mansion.

"You seem preoccupied on the way here, Second Brother. Is it because you're nervous?" Xu Lingyue whispered.

"I wouldn't be nervous even if I were to meet the current emperor," Xu Xinnian replied calmly. With a serious expression and a slightly furrowed brow, he lowered his voice and said to his sister, "Once we're inside, listen and observe more, and speak less. You're just an accompanying female, so there shouldn't be any trouble for you. As for me..."

As for me, I might have to meet the current prime minister.

In fact, leaving aside everything else, Xu Erlang was undoubtedly a peerless figure in terms of courage and determination.

The Wang Mansion was extremely large, and the siblings followed the servant for quite a while, passing through corridors and courtyards, until they finally arrived at a garden with artificial hills, green water, fresh green leaves, and buds waiting to bloom, creating a pleasant scenery.

In the spacious garden, the clear recitation of poetry and the delicate laughter of young women could be heard.

As they walked out of the corridor, Xu Erlang and Xu Lingyue saw two groups of people sitting at the tables. On the left were more than a dozen scholars in Confucian robes, all of them spirited and dignified.

On the right were a group of young, beautiful girls dressed in various colored skirts.

As the Xu siblings made their entrance, the atmosphere noticeably paused, and the eyes of the young men and maidens lit up.

Xu Erlang furrowed his brow slightly. This literary gathering was different from what he had expected. In his imagination, this literary gathering would be presided over by the prime minister Wang, and the scholars participating in the gathering would present their ideas and showcase their talents in front of the prime minister with a hint of restraint.

If they could gain the prime minister's favor, they would have a powerful backer when they entered the court in the future.

Unexpectedly, the atmosphere of the literary gathering was so relaxed, with fine wine and delicacies, as well as... so many young maidens.

"Young Master Xu, Miss Xu, please take your seats."

A graceful and elegant woman with beautiful features stood up and curtsied.

She was tall and had a slightly round face, with a quiet and beautiful appearance. Her bright eyes were both dignified and a little cunning when she smiled.

Xu Xinnian and Xu Lingyue returned the courtesy, and the former walked to the left side of the table and took a seat.

"Xu Huanyuan, I've heard of your name for a long time."

As soon as he took his seat, the scholars around him raised their wine cups.

Sure enough, apart from me, there were no other students from the Yunlu Academy. These people were all students from the National University... Xu Xinnian's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm smile and returned the toast.

He chatted with the scholars for a while, and to his surprise, they were all polite and there were no hidden needles or open provocations.

With the prime minister Wang's political acumen, open provocation was beneath him... Xu Xinnian nodded slightly. He truly was the prime minister. Even before his arrival, he made me feel like I was facing a formidable enemy.

On the other side, Xu Lingyue was seated next to Miss Wang, who had a gentle smile. "How old are you, Miss Xu?"

"I'm seventeen," Xu Lingyue replied softly.

"Since I'm nineteen, you can call me Lingyue younger sister. How about that?" Miss Wang said immediately.

Who is she, acting like the host... Xu Lingyue smiled and said, "As you wish."

Miss Wang's smile became even warmer. "Then you can call me Sister Simu."

After chatting for a while, Xu Lingyue found out that this amiable woman was actually the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Wang Zhenwen.

"Does Sister Lingyue have a marriage arrangement?" Miss Wang suddenly asked.

Xu Lingyue blushed and lowered her head. "Not yet."

If a man had asked her this question, Xu Lingyue would have been angry, but since everyone around her was female, and the conversation was quiet, most importantly, the other party was the legitimate daughter of the Wang family.

Miss Wang asked in surprise, "I'm sure the elder brothers in your family are already engaged, right? It's time for you to hurry up too."

Xu Lingyue glanced at her and shook her head. "Both of my elder brothers are not yet married."

Not yet married... Miss Wang said calmly, "With the talent of the two young masters of the Xu family, they must have marriage arrangements by now."

The surrounding young ladies pricked up their ears quietly.

Whether it was the handsome Xu Xinnian or the vigorous Xu Qi'an, especially the latter who had just experienced a battle of wits, the noble ladies in the capital were extremely curious about him.

Miss Wang smiled sweetly.

However, there were exceptions to everything, and a girl in a purple dress with a strange air said, "The Xu family has risen to prominence. Xu Qi'an was originally just a constable in Changle County, and Xu Pingzhi was just a captain of the Imperial Guard. For a family like this, it would be a great fortune for Miss Xu to marry into a merchant's family. But now, who knows, she might even marry into a prominent family."

Xu Lingyue couldn't figure out the background of this girl in purple, so she put on a look of grievance and lowered her head.

Seeing this, the other young ladies showed a hint of displeasure towards the girl in purple.

Miss Wang narrowed her eyes and said softly, "Yan'er, mind your words... Lingyue younger sister, Yan'er is the niece of the Minister of Justice."

The niece of the Minister of Punishments... Xu Lingyue's heart stirred, recalling the incident when the son of the Minister of Revenue, Zhou Lichuan, colluded with the Minister of Punishments to lock her eldest brother in the prison of the Ministry of Punishments.

So, they were old enemies.

"Yan'er is straightforward and quick-witted, and she's right," Xu Lingyue shook her head, forcing herself to suppress her grievances and put on a smiling face. "My eldest brother is a martial artist, and my second brother has no official position."

The girl called Yan'er was momentarily speechless. If she continued this topic, she would have to continue mocking Xu Qi'an and Xu Xinnian in front of the audience, one of whom was present at the banquet, and the other had a great reputation.

"Alright, let's have some tea," Miss Wang forcefully ended the topic.

The literary meeting proceeded as usual, with scholars discussing poetry, national affairs, and occasionally interacting with the young ladies. The atmosphere was quite lively.

Xu Xinnian found himself surprisingly enjoying the conversation, so he made an excuse, saying that the scenery in the garden was nice, and went to the side with a cup of wine to contemplate the true intentions of Prime Minister Wang.

"The flowers are withering even though it's almost the flowering season?" He stared blankly at a pool of withered lotus leaves.

At this moment, a gentle voice came from behind, "These are the red lotuses from Qingzhou. They only bloom in the winter, and wither in the spring. However, the climate in the capital is very different from Qingzhou, and the red lotuses don't grow well here, so they don't have much ornamental value."

Turning around, he saw the beautiful woman.

Xu Xinnian now knew her identity and bowed, saying, "Miss Wang."

"Call me Simu," she said.

...Xu Xinnian said, "Miss Simu."

Wang Simu smiled sweetly and looked at the scholars and beauties who were admiring the scenery in the garden, and said softly, "Master Xu's poem 'The Hard Road' is displayed in my room, and I admire it every day."

"When it comes to poetry, my eldest brother is the best," Xu Erlang said, then added with dignity, "But literary talent is innate, and I also have moments of inspiration."

It was justified for Xu Erlang to show off his elder brother's work.

A family's internal matters should not be discussed with outsiders. What belongs to the elder brother belongs to me.

...Xu Lingyue sat by the pool, facing the breeze, and boredly admired the scenery.

The literary meeting was not interesting to her, as she was not part of that circle. The "young talents" that her mother mentioned were indeed good, but compared to her elder brothers, they were somewhat inferior, even though these people were all scholars.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort came from behind, and a girl in a purple dress walked over, glaring at Xu Lingyue and scolding, "You little wench, what were you pretending to be pitiful for just now?"

Xu Lingyue raised her head and weakly said, "What did Yan'er say? When did I pretend to be pitiful?"

The girl in purple sneered, "With your little tricks, do you dare to show off in front of me? Do you deserve to sit here? Do you deserve to sit with me?"

"Get out of the Wang Mansion immediately, and don't let me see you again in the future."

Xu Lingyue frowned, "Does Yan'er hate me because of my elder brother?"

The girl in purple laughed and scolded, "You have some self-awareness."

The fact that Xu Qi'an, who was at odds with her uncle, was one reason, and the other reason was that this little girl had just pretended to be pitiful to win the sympathy of her sisters, but she had hit a snag and lost face.

The girl in purple had never suffered such grievances.

Thinking of this, she became even more angry and jealous of Xu Lingyue's beauty, and said fiercely, "A little wench like you, who can't show her face in public, looks like a fox spirit. Do you believe that I'll sell you to a brothel and let you taste the bitterness of the world?"

Xu Lingyue felt very wronged, "My brother brought me here, and I received an invitation from the Wang Mansion. How can I leave halfway? Sister, please help me?"

The girl in purple frowned.

At this moment, Xu Lingyue reached out discreetly and pinched the girl in purple's waist.

The girl in purple winced in pain, her face turning pale, and subconsciously pushed her away.

Xu Lingyue "took advantage" of the situation and fell back into the water.

"Help, help... I can't swim, second brother, second brother, save me..."

Xu Lingyue cried out, and her screams attracted the attention of the scholars and beauties.

"Someone fell into the water."

"Quick, save her, someone help..."

Exclamations continued to ring out, and everyone quickly gathered around.

Hearing the cries for help, Xu Xinnian looked over and saw Xu Lingyue floating in the water, looking like she was drowning. His face changed drastically, and without saying a word to Miss Wang, he hurried over.

"Splash..."

He jumped into the water, grabbed Xu Lingyue's waist, lifted her out of the water, and with the help of Miss Wang and others, pulled her up.

"Quick, go to the house and get my cloak," Miss Wang hurriedly instructed the maidservant.

In no time, the cloak was brought over, and Miss Wang personally put it on Xu Lingyue. The latter nestled in her second brother's arms, crying softly.

The crowd surrounded them, quietly watching the situation unfold.

Xu Xinnian's face darkened, and he glanced at the girl in purple, then lowered his head and asked, "Lingyue, what happened?"

Xu Lingyue sniffled, her beautiful hair sticking to her tear-stained face, and she weakly and pitifully said,"I, I don't know. This lady told me to leave the Wang Mansion, saying that I didn't deserve to sit with her. I ignored her, and then she pushed me into the pond."

Everyone immediately looked at the girl in purple. The scholars looked at Xu Lingyue, who looked pitiful, and then at the arrogant girl in purple, frowning in disapproval.

"I didn't do it."

The girl in purple blushed with anger, pointing at Xu Lingyue and cursing, "You wench, how dare you harm me? You were the one who pinched me first. Don't believe her. It's this little wench who harmed me. She deliberately fell into the water to frame me. She's very wicked."

A young lady furrowed her brows and whispered, "Although Yan'er is a bit arrogant, she wouldn't push someone into the water."

The girl in purple looked gratefully at her friend, then pointed at Xu Lingyue in a very cooperative manner. "It was her doing. She deliberately fell into the water and wanted to frame me. This little wench is very malicious."

Everyone looked at Xu Lingyue with suspicion.

Xu Lingyue ignored the gazes around her, tears falling as she sobbed, "Second Brother, did Big Brother offend someone? This lady Yan'er said that Big Brother often opposes her uncle, and she can't do anything to Big Brother, but she can sell me to a brothel."

Sell me to a brothel... Xu Xinnian's anger flared up instantly. He stared at the girl in purple with a cold gaze. "I wonder which family this lady is from."

Miss Wang looked a bit guilty as she whispered, "Yan'er's uncle is the Minister of Justice."

The scholars suddenly realized, with a look of "I see" on their faces. As scholars who would eventually enter the court as officials, they had some understanding of the court. They had heard of the grievances between Minister of Justice Sun and Xu Qi'an, the most famous being the poem "The Sangpo Case: A Gift to Minister Sun."

It was still being talked about to this day.

With Xu Qi'an's current reputation as a poet, this poem would surely be passed down through the ages, and Minister Sun would be infamous for years to come.

With this in mind, the motive for this lady Yan'er to push Xu Qi'an's sister into the water was quite sufficient.

"You..."

The girl in purple was speechless. She had indeed said those words and wanted to deny it, but seeing the expressions of the scholars around her, she knew that her defense was meaningless.

"Where did my sister pinch you?" Xu Xinnian asked.

"My waist." The girl in purple's eyes blazed with anger.

Xu Xinnian nodded slowly. "Lady, you have a good plan. You know that scholars don't touch women inappropriately, so there's no way to verify it. Everything depends on your word."

The girl in purple was stunned, suddenly understanding the reason why this little wench pinched her waist. Now, she couldn't explain herself even if she had a good reason.

"We can check." A girl said.

Xu Xinnian nodded. "If you pinch yourself, there will be a bruise. My sister is not good with words and can't defend herself."

The girl in purple and her friend were left speechless by Xu Xinnian's retort.

Xu Xinnian sneered, "If you don't give me an explanation today, this matter will not be over between us."

The girl in purple's eyes turned red with anger as she pointed at Xu Xinnian and cursed, "Don't be too arrogant. You're just a top scholar. What can you do to me?"

"Smack!"

Xu Xinnian slapped her.

The girl in purple staggered back a few steps, her cheek instantly swollen and red. She covered her face, unable to believe it. "You... how dare you hit me?"

Everyone was shocked, completely unprepared for Xu Xinnian's decisive action in hitting a woman without hesitation.

"Today's events are witnessed by all of you. I will now take her to see the official. I ask you all to be witnesses."

After that, Xu Xinnian stared at the girl in purple and said coldly, "We're not going to the Minister of Justice or the county yamen. I will take this lady to the Nightwatcher's yamen."

Everyone's faces turned pale.

What kind of place was the Nightwatcher's yamen? Once inside, even the Minister of Justice's words wouldn't hold any weight. If they really wanted to pursue the matter, pushing someone into the water could be considered attempted murder, and the Nightwatcher could definitely handle it.

Even if the Minister of Justice tried to intervene, the lady's family's reputation would be ruined, and she wouldn't be able to marry into a respectable family in the future.

Fear flashed in the girl in purple's eyes. She quickly walked to Miss Wang's side and cried, "Sister Simu, save me... I don't want to go to the Nightwatcher's yamen."

Wang Simu immediately looked at Xu Lingyue, who remained calm and composed.

This woman is no easy opponent... Miss Wang thought to herself, then looked at Xu Xinnian and said softly, "Master Xu, Yan'er just made a mistake. I will make her apologize and compensate for the losses to Lingyue. Can you overlook this for the sake of a young woman?"

She was also in a difficult position. The literary gathering was held at her mansion, and if this matter escalated to Xu Xinnian taking the girl away, it would create a rift between the Minister of Justice and her father.

Stopping Xu Xinnian would completely offend him... This was something Wang Simu didn't want to see, so she planned to resolve the dispute privately and not report it to the authorities.

"Alright, for Miss Wang's sake, I won't report this to the authorities," Xu Xinnian said.

With that, Miss Wang led the Xu siblings into a side hall to negotiate compensation and an apology.

"Yan'er has a willful and capricious personality. For making such a mistake, she should apologize and compensate... How about five hundred taels of silver?" Miss Wang gazed intently.

"Silver is a small matter. The main thing is to see her attitude," Xu Xinnian said indifferently.Wang Simu glanced at the girl in purple, who sullenly bowed her head to apologize.

Xu Xinnian nodded and said, "One thousand taels, not a penny less, or it's intentional murder."

".......Agreed."

Wang Simu's smile was gentle and her demeanor pleasant as she said, "Young Master Xu, please take Lingyue back to change into dry clothes soon, so she doesn't catch a cold."

Thus, Miss Wang had someone bring a banknote of one thousand taels, handed it over to Xu Xinnian with profuse thanks, and personally saw the siblings out of the residence.

Inside the carriage, Xu Xinnian handed the banknote to Xu Lingyue and said, "Sister, keep this note safe; it will be part of your dowry in the future."

He placed his hand on Xu Lingyue's shoulder and said leisurely, "With your blood boiling, you are immune to the chill."

Xu Lingyue felt a warm current surge through her body, dispelling the cold.

She exhaled comfortably and whispered, "Second Brother, it's my fault, causing you to leave the banquet early."

Xu Xinnian waved his hand dismissively, "Leaving early is good. To be honest, I don't have much confidence in contending with the Prime Minister. It's better to leave before he arrives. This is called seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, the act of a true gentleman."

After a pause, he continued, "That Miss Wang, however, is not simple."

Xu Lingyue remarked, "Miss Wang has an extraordinary presence and handles things in an orderly manner, able to keep the situation under control."

From beginning to end, it was she who dealt with the matter. Although it was none of her concern, her attitude in "admitting fault" was very good, showing a leader's poise.

Xu Xinnian chuckled, "That's just one aspect. You fell into the water, yet she didn't keep you at the residence to change clothes. This was not only for the Ministry of Justice Secretary's daughter to see but also for you and me."

"Lingyue, you jumped into the water on your own initiative, didn't you?"

Xu Lingyue spoke in a delicate voice, "Second Brother, do you know why Big Brother is more likable than you?"

Xu Xinnian's competitive spirit was immediately aroused, "I've always been more likable than him."

Xu Lingyue shook her head, "If it were Big Brother, he would be fussing over me right now, blaming himself for not protecting me. He understands everything, but he wouldn't say it out loud."

Xu Xinnian's face suddenly stiffened.

..............

"Why are you crying?"

Miss Wang held a handkerchief in her hand, wiping the tears of the girl in purple, and said with a smile, "You are the legitimate daughter, always flaunting your power in the residence, and no one dares to provoke you.

"You understand some things clearly, but the temperament you've developed from childhood makes you prefer to be straightforward, which is wrong. When you get married, you'll have a hard time."

"It was that wretched girl who fell into the water herself," the girl in purple cried out in grievance.

"That's not important. What matters is what others think. If they believe you pushed her, then it's as if you did," Miss Wang said with a smile.

"Sister, you're not helping me," the girl in purple complained.

"I can't fight against those two siblings," Miss Wang said with a grin.

She was in a good mood, feeling very satisfied. First, Xu Xinnian was not yet married and had no engagement. Second, she had figured out the temperament of the Xu family's sister.

Third, although the interaction was brief, Xu Xinnian's character and temperament were very much to her liking.

Handsome, assertive, intelligent, decisive, and scheming, but most importantly, he was willing to offend the Ministry of Justice Secretary for his family.

Throughout history, there have been countless men of great talent and strategy—clever, cunning, ruthless... but these people are uninteresting because they only care about their own grand ambitions, and very few put the women of their family first.

To raise such a pair of scheming children and a nephew of exceptional talent, the Xu family's matriarch must be an extraordinary figure.

A sharp light flashed in Miss Wang's eyes, filled with fighting spirit.

.............

PS: The "Monday-morning quarterback" gift limit has been reached, and the character is included. The rise of the little mare was something I could never have anticipated.

My public account "I am the Newspaper Boy" is where the "Monday-morning quarterback" was voted for, and it will regularly update information about the characters, foreshadowing, forces, cultivation systems, etc., in the book.

Also, "The Great Feng Courtesan Review Guide" should be updated on the public account as well, so everyone can follow it.

Additionally, this morning I had vomiting and diarrhea, and was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. I spent the morning getting an IV at the hospital. Now, my body is no longer in trouble, just a bit weak, so don't worry, I've got it under control.

Old readers might remember, I had acute gastroenteritis twice the year before last, once last year, and this year... what's meant to come will always come.

Remember to help me correct any typos.

PS: I'll try to write a second update tonight. If there's no update before midnight, then it will be tomorrow.