The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Face-Slapping Time-Traveling Farming Girl 18

Qi Wenshao is now eligible to take the imperial examination, and similarly, Qi Wenwei, who is about the same age, can also try to take the exam.

Mr. Sun sought out Qi Rui and informed him about Qi Wenwei’s academic performance, stating that there should be no issues with the upcoming imperial examination and Qi Wenwei was certain to return as a Scholar.

Qi Rui was quite pleased and specifically sought out Anning to discuss this matter, asking her to arrange the examination for Qi Wenwei.

Anning agreed wholeheartedly, assuring Qi Rui that she would make all the arrangements properly.

Afterwards, she also called Qi Wenwei to come over, preparing servants and luggage for him to return to his hometown for the examination.

The Qi family’s ancestral home is not in Suzhou, but in Jinling.

If Qi Wenwei wants to take the imperial examination, he must go back to Jinling to prepare.

Likewise, Qi Wenshao also needed to return to Jinling.

However, Anning didn’t want Qi Wenwei and Qi Wenshao to return to their hometown together.

Qi Wenwei had been somewhat devious and increasingly petulant over the years; Anning feared he might engage in mischief secretly.

After sending off Qi Wenwei, Anning carefully prepared things for Qi Wenshao.

She specifically arranged for Mrs. Hao’s son and Qi Wenshao’s martial master to go back with Qi Wenshao, giving ample money and instructing him to not stay in the old Qi mansion in Jinling after arriving. Instead, he should stay in a small residence she had set up in Jinling to avoid any upset with Qi Wenwei.

Qi Wenshao, who did not want to get entangled with Qi Wenwei either, readily agreed and promised Anning that he would do his best in the examination and strive to return as a Scholar.

After sending off the two, Anning began searching for a suitable family for Qi Wenjuan.

In her previous life, Qi Wenjuan’s marriage was not a good one, and her death was also partly due to pressure from her husband and his family.

This time, Anning was determined not to let Qi Wenjuan marry into that family again.

She actually wanted to find a son from a scholarly noble family for Qi Wenjuan, who had been practicing martial arts for years, had become physically strong, and was quite skilled. Anning thought that marrying into a scholar’s family would mean Qi Wenjuan, with her combat power, would not be easily bullied.

However, after discussing it with Qi Wenjuan, she had no choice but to focus on families of military generals.

It turned out that Qi Wenjuan preferred martial prowess over beauty and wished to marry someone skilled in martial arts.

As a mother who was somewhat indulgent with her children, Anning naturally wanted to fulfill her daughter’s wishes.

However, finding a suitable candidate among military noble families was no easy task.

First, the person had to be skilled in martial arts, second, he had to be handsome, and third, his character and temperament also had to be good.

Combining these three aspects, such suitable candidates were few and far between.

Anning had not yet found a suitable candidate when a family unexpectedly showed interest in Qi Wenjuan.

The Suzhou Garrison Commander from the Mu Family actually sent someone to inquire about a marriage proposal.

At first, Anning was quite surprised. Without spreading any word, how did they know to come proposing marriage?

Anning did not agree, and after making some evasive remarks, stating her daughter was still young and would stay a few more years, she sent them away.

Later, Anning had someone look into it and found out that the Commander Mu’s family had made particular inquiries before visiting.

The Mu family had a weak lineage, with each generation typically having only one male heir, and Commander Mu was no exception; he had only fathered one son, a son who was extremely pampered and spoiled into recklessness. Despite his young age, he already had numerous concubines and had even fathered a bastard son.

Other families would absolutely not tolerate a bastard son.

But for Commander Mu’s family, which has had only one child per generation for several generations, children are particularly cherished.

Commander Mu and his wife are especially good to their eldest bastard grandson, deeply devoted.

Thinking about how their family has had only one child for so many generations, they fear that in the future, this might be their only grandson, and naturally, they dote on the child especially.

However, being a bastard, Commander Mu’s son will need to get married, and once a new bride arrives, they worry that she might treat the eldest bastard grandson poorly, or even harm him. Thus, they think of choosing a bride from a family with a good temperament, decent household, and ideally, where the housekeeper tolerates bastards well.

As a result, their selection led them to the Qi Family.

Only because in recent years, Anning’s reputation for treating bastards even better than her legitimate sons had spread far and wide. Outsiders would say Mrs. Qi is kind, she specially looks after the bastards in her family, ensuring they lack nothing in food, clothing, and allowance compared to the legitimate sons, even appearing more elegant in public interactions, which made the legitimate sons seem less impressive by comparison.

For this reason, Commander Mu’s family was quite keen on Qi Wenjuan.

They thought of Anning as so kind and gentle, her daughter must surely be someone who treats bastards as if they were her own legitimate sons, thus they specifically came to propose a marriage.

However, while they thought well and dreamt beautifully, Anning would not entrust her daughter to such a fate.

Upon discovering their reason, Anning immediately crossed the Mu Family off her contact list.

For families that were unclear about their situation and schemed against others, Anning was unwilling to have further dealings with them.

Anning didn’t hide these vexing matters, she told Qi Wenjuan everything in detail.

Qi Wenjuan didn’t take it to heart at all.

At the time, she was playing with a fruit in her hand and laughed, ”Mother, there’s no need to get angry, such annoying families, we just stay away from them. Moreover, I’m still very young, Mother, why the hurry.”

Anning stroked Qi Wenjuan’s hair: ”Indeed, you’re still so young, I’ve been too anxious.”

Qi Wenjuan tossed the fruit in her hand high: ”I don’t even want to get married. If I really can’t find a good match, I just won’t marry, I’ll stay at home forever, after all, Mother can well afford to support me.”

Anning couldn’t help laughing: ”Well, if we really can’t find a good family, I wouldn’t be at ease either. It might be better for me to keep you for a lifetime.”

She did think of her plans and all the arrangements over the years, considering keeping Qi Wenjuan for a few more years could also be feasible. Even if really too old by then, if their plans succeeded, she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a suitable family.

Thinking this way, Anning truly relaxed a lot.

Meanwhile, having returned to Jinling, Qi Wenwei first visited some clan elders, then settled in the old manor.

Over the years, the old manor of the Qi family had been continuously maintained and cleaned daily, so when Qi Wenwei returned, there was hardly any need for rearrangement, and it was immediately livable.

However, accustomed to living in luxury for many years, the inner house of the Qi Mansion had been profoundly tended by Anning, especially since Anning pampered Qi Wenwei to the extreme. The room prepared for Qi Wenwei by Anning was a nest of opulence and utmost comfort.

Staying in the old house, Qi Wenwei found everything unsatisfactory.

He felt that the living conditions were too shabby, not befitting his status, and he greatly missed the maidens who added fragrance to his sleeves at home.

After living in the old house for a few days, Qi Wenwei became increasingly bored, lost interest in studying, and took his servants for leisurely walks every day. Eventually, disliking life in the old house, he simply rented a room in a pavilion and moved in with a courtesan.

In direct contrast to Qi Wenwei, Qi Wenshao, after arriving in Jinling, immersed himself in rigorous study, rarely going out.

Soon, the day of the county examination arrived.

When Qi Wenwei saw Qi Wenshao outside the exam venue, he was stunned.

He hadn’t expected Qi Wenshao to come.

In Qi Wenwei’s memory, Qi Wenshao hardly studied at all; originally, Qi Wenshao attended the academy, but later he quit because he couldn’t absorb the teachings, and he had stayed at home ever since without attending any school—how could he pass the exam?

Qi Wenwei sneered and walked up to Qi Wenshao: ”What are you doing here?”