Chengguo Mansion, outside the gate.

Five elegant young men in Confucian robes were standing at the foot of the steps, talking in a low voice. They all had bright eyes and high spirits.

The five of them were not familiar with each other before.

But we passed the exam together today, and naturally we made friends very quickly.

As the few of them chatted, they decided to come together to pay a visit to Mr. Luo, who won the first place in the scientific examination this time.

They are both from the same hometown of Mocheng, and they both won the national examination in the same year.

Make friends now, get close to each other, and help each other when we become officials in the same court in the future.

"I didn't expect Luo Jieyuan to be the son of the Chengguo Mansion. He comes from a noble family and has a good family background."

"You all don't know that the title of Cheng Guofu has been passed down for three generations and has long existed in name only. I am afraid that I will have to rely on Luo Jieyuan to revive the family's prestige in the future."

"It's really strange that I have never heard of Luo Jieyuan before."

"It's really strange. Mocheng is so big, and I've never heard of it."

While several people were discussing in low voices, Luo Yannian and Luo Yu walked out of the door with enthusiasm and grandeur on their faces.

Luo Yu was afraid that her father would degrade himself and be difficult to talk to, so he immediately took a step forward, stepped forward, held his hands in his hands, and said with a smile on his face: "I've kept you waiting for a long time, please come in quickly, please come in quickly."

The five people glanced at him and were stunned for a moment.

One of them whispered: "Who is this person?"

Everyone else looked puzzled.

Luo Yu quickly raised his hands and said: "My lord, Luo Yu, this is my father. You are welcome. Please come to the house to speak."

When the five of them heard that the middle-aged man next to them was the Lord of the Chengguo Palace, they quickly raised their hands and saluted: "I have met Mr. Luo."

Luo Yannian smiled with a smile on his face, nodded and said: "Okay, I am very happy to congratulate you all for winning the exam today. Wine and food have been prepared in my mansion. If you don't mind, please come into the mansion and eat and chat. My Yu'er has always been here

I admire scholars, and I would like to express my gratitude to you all for coming to make friends with my Yu'er."

The five people were a little confused after hearing this, and looked at the young man in front of them again.

One of them whispered: "It doesn't seem to be Luo Jieyuan, it's different from what I saw today."

Another person said: "Indeed not, he is probably Luo Jieyuan's brother."

Several people looked at each other, and one of them hurriedly said: "Master Luo, brother Luo, I came here because I wanted to meet Luo Jieyuan and make friends. The first time I came here, I didn't have time to buy gifts, so I really couldn't.

I'm so sorry to come in. I wonder if you can let Luo Jieyuan come out. I'll invite Luo Jieyuan to a restaurant for a meal, and then I'll visit your house again in the future?"

As soon as these words came out, the enthusiastic smiles on Luo Yannian and Luo Yu's faces froze, and their faces were full of doubts.

"Luo Jieyuan?"

Luo Yu was stunned for a moment, then raised his hands and said, "Who is this Luo Jieyuan you are talking about?"

One of the scholars quickly said: "It's Luo Qingzhou and Luo Jieyuan who won the first place in the examination today. We just made inquiries and found out that Luo Jieyuan is the son of Chengguofu, so we wanted to come and pay a visit. Is it convenient?

?”

Luo Yu suddenly froze on the spot, the muscles in the corners of his eyes twitched violently, the smile on his face gradually stiffened, he opened his mouth and wanted to speak, but nothing came out.

There was silence for a long while.

His voice suddenly became hoarse: "Luo Qingzhou...he, he won the Xie Yuan? Didn't he fail?"

When the five people heard this, they were all surprised.

One of them quickly said: "Brother Luo, you are not mistaken, are you? It is clearly written on the list that Luo Qingzhou and Jieyuan are from our Mocheng. How could he fail the list?"

Another scholar suddenly said: "Did we get it wrong? That Luo Jieyuan is not the young master of Chengguofu?"

Luo Yu's lips trembled, and his face became more and more ugly. His cultivation and pride made him force out a smile, but he couldn't.

He froze there, his fists in his sleeves slowly clenched, his lips trembled, and he never said a word again.

Another scholar hurriedly stepped forward, raised his hands to Luo Yannian, who had a gloomy face and said nothing, and said, "Master Luo, isn't that Luo Qingzhou and Luo Jieyuan the son of your house?"

The muscles on Luo Yannian's face twitched. He was silent for a long time, then looked at him with cold eyes and said, "I don't know him."

As soon as these words came out, the five people looked at each other.

"It seems that I really got it wrong..."

Several people suddenly looked embarrassed and quickly apologized: "Master Luo, Mr. Luo, I'm really sorry for disturbing you..."

Several people hurriedly and awkwardly left, but as soon as they took a few steps, two more scholars in Confucian robes came quickly. Seeing the five of them, one of them quickly said: "Brother Zhao, Brother Yang, you are in the wrong place.

That Luo Jieyuan doesn't live here. I heard that he is the concubine of Chengguo Mansion and has been adopted as a son-in-law in Qin Mansion. Brother Shang and Brother Zhuge have already passed, so we should go there quickly.

Bar."

When the five people heard this, their faces were filled with astonishment.

"Brother-in-law? Is Luo Jieyuan a bride-to-be?"

"The Chengguo Mansion gave Luo Jieyuan out as a wife and became someone else's son?"

"this……"

The five people were surprised, surprised, and felt incredible. They couldn't help but turn around and look at the Cheng Guofu father and son on the steps.

Luo Yannian's face was ashen, he turned around and quickly entered the mansion.

Luo Yu still stood there, motionless.

"Let's go, stop talking and go visit Luo Jieyuan."

Several people suddenly felt an inexplicable chill coming over them. They didn't dare to stay any longer and hurriedly left.

"Yu'er, come in and eat."

Luo Yannian appeared at the door, shouted softly, paused, and then said: "You are going to take the exam tomorrow. By then, you will be admitted to Longhu Academy and you will be no worse than him."

Luo Yu suddenly turned around, looked at him and said, "Dad, are you comparing your child to that little bastard now?"

Luo Yannian looked at his red eyes, fell silent, and said no more.

The father and son stood at the door for a long time before they entered the mansion together.

Mrs. Wang was still busy in the dining room, personally instructing her servants to set up the stools, put each plate of dishes in their respective places, and opened the aged wine.

The whole room was filled with the enticing aroma of wine and food.

Luo Yannian and Luo Yu stood at the door, watching this scene in silence.

Wang turned around and realized that they were back. She quickly looked behind them and saw that there was no one behind them. She was stunned and said: "Master, where are Yu'er? Those scholars?"

What? Why don’t you invite them in?”

Luo Yannian said nothing, walked to the table, sat down, picked up a jar of wine, and poured a bowl for himself.

When Wang saw that the two people looked different, her smile suddenly faded and she said, "What's wrong? Did you quarrel with them?"

Then he smiled and said: "It's okay, scholars are like that. If they don't agree with each other, they will get red in the face and even curse and fight. Master, Yu'er, just treat them as if they have never been here. It's okay not to make friends like this."

Luo Yu stood at the door, silent for a while, and suddenly saw her and said, "Mother, who went out to look at the list today?"

Wang was stunned and said: "What list?"

Then he reacted and said: "Are you talking about the list of successful candidates? Wang Cheng went out to see it. What's wrong?"

She looked at the sinister look in her son's eyes and the twitching corners of his eyes, and her heart suddenly sank.

She turned her head again and looked at her master, her face suddenly turned ugly, and her voice began to tremble: "Yu'er, is...is there something wrong?"

Luo Yu looked at her coldly, was silent for a moment, and said: "Mother, Wang Cheng is your cousin, right?"

Wang nodded stiffly and said, "Yes...yes..."

Luo Yu didn't say anything more, turned around and left, saying: "I'm going to the backyard, don't bother me again."

Wang froze in place for a long time, looked at her master, and said in a trembling voice: "Master, what's going on? What's going on with you? Did you hear something?"

Luo Yannian lowered his head and drank the wine, as if he didn't hear her words.

Wang was stiff for a while, and then Fang suddenly said to the door: "Let Wang Cheng come and see me!"

Not long after.

Wang Cheng, who was supervising the kitchen and was sweating profusely, hurried over and bowed his head respectfully: "Madam, do you have anything to do with this slave?"

Wang looked at him gloomily and asked, "Have you read all the names announced in the imperial examination this morning?"

Wang Cheng was stunned when he heard this, raised his head and said: "I've finished reading. I've read it several times. Madam, what's wrong?"

Wang said: "Are you sure that...he missed?"

Wang Cheng said quickly: "Madam, I can confirm that that boy failed the list. His name is definitely not on the list."

There was a hint of doubt in Wang's eyes, and she looked at her master again.

Luo Yannian paused with the wine glass in his hand, was silent for a moment, then raised his head and said, "Let's have a look again."

Wang Cheng's face was full of doubts and he could only say: "Yes, sir, I will go right now."
To be continued...