Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 75.1

The third day of the third lunar month, the sky was bright and clear.

Today was the day White Crane Academy announced its admitted students. After having breakfast at the inn’s eatery, Lu Sheng wanted to pull Qi Zhenshu out the door.

“It’s not yet chenshi (7 to 9 AM),” Qi Zhenshu patted her hand, saying calmly.

“If we go early, we can see it as soon as it’s posted.” Seeing her composed demeanor, Lu Sheng furrowed her small brow and asked, unable to understand, “Why aren’t you anxious at all?”

Just as she spoke, it was as if something occurred to her. Her eyes widened in surprise, “Or is the test too simple, and you’re sure you passed?”

Qi Zhenshu was infected by her smile, slightly raised an eyebrow, and shook her head, “I’m not completely certain.”

White Crane Academy was the official school of Qingzhou. Every year, at least nearly five hundred students from various affiliated counties and local Qingzhou students traveled specifically to apply, but only twenty were admitted.

The ratio was one in twenty-five, not to mention that all these people were outstanding students from county schools across different regions, carrying letters of recommendation.

The difficulty of entering White Crane Academy was comparable to, if not greater than, the provincial examination.

This was why everyone believed that stepping through the gates of White Crane Academy was equivalent to having one’s name already written on the provincial examination roll.

Even Qi Zhenshu couldn’t guarantee she would be admitted to White Crane Academy, as she didn’t know the strength of the other four hundred-plus applicants.

“Then why are you still so calm?” Her small, raised eyebrows drooped down, and Lu Sheng frowned slightly.

“The outcome was decided the moment the pen was put down. Being anxious now is pointless.” Qi Zhenshu took the opportunity to pinch her cheek; it was soft and smooth, a very nice texture.

“There will be too many people when the list is posted, and it’s inconvenient for us to take Tangtang, so it’s better to wait until the crowd disperses to check.”

“Alright.”

At the first quarter of chenshi (around 7:15 AM), they arrived at the entrance of White Crane Academy.

The crowd of onlookers had dispersed, with only a few who hadn’t found their names on the list still comparing the names meticulously, unwilling to give up.

Lu Sheng started checking from the first name, and only when she reached the last one did she find Qi Zhenshu’s name.

“You’re in, you’re in!” Lu Sheng exclaimed happily.

Even though it was the last spot, getting in was good news.

Qi Zhenshu saw the list and nodded, her expression unchanged.

Getting into White Crane Academy was a good thing, but Qi Zhenshu didn’t feel overly joyful, because this meant she would have to stay in Qingzhou for the next six months.

Studying was always part of the plan, but before the list was posted, Qi Zhenshu wasn’t sure she would definitely stay, so she didn’t have a strong feeling about it.

Now that the matter was settled, a feeling of reluctance unexpectedly arose in Qi Zhenshu’s heart.

She was somewhat unwilling to be separated from Lu Sheng for too long.

Sensing Qi Zhenshu’s low spirits, Lu Sheng remembered that she always used to rank first in the county school and thought Qi Zhenshu was unhappy because she had placed last.

After returning to the inn, Lu Sheng told Tangtang to practice calligraphy, and she pulled Qi Zhenshu to a corner of the courtyard.

Lu Sheng was carefully considering how to console her when Qi Zhenshu spoke first, “What is it?”

“Just getting accepted is impressive,” Lu Sheng squeezed her hand, her eyes bright as she looked at her encouragingly, “Next time, you’ll definitely score better.”

As soon as her first sentence was spoken, Qi Zhenshu guessed Lu Sheng’s intention.

Seeing her cautious, yet extremely delicate and gentle demeanor, Qi Zhenshu suppressed the unpleasantness that arose in her heart from the prospect of separation.

“If I score better, will there be a reward?” Her eyes softened slightly, but she remained very serious, showing no hint of deliberate teasing.

“Mm.” Lu Sheng smiled, “Whatever you want, we’ll go buy it today.”

It was rare for Qi Zhenshu to actively ask her for something, and besides, she would give it to Qi Zhenshu regardless of how well she did, just to make her happy.

“Anything at all?” Qi Zhenshu pursed her lips, sounding a little troubled.

“Of course.” Lu Sheng nodded affirmingly, “Do you want to buy books?”

Based on Qi Zhenshu’s personality, Lu Sheng guessed that the most she would ask for was some expensive ancient texts. She had brought over ten taels of silver with her on this trip, which should be enough to afford them.

Qi Zhenshu took a step forward, pulled her into her arms, lowered her head, and whispered in her ear, “I want you to come to Qingzhou again.”

Actually, Qi Zhenshu wanted to say, “Stay here,” but that was clearly impossible, so she changed her words, hoping Lu Sheng would visit Qingzhou often and stay with her.

No matter how much Qi Zhenshu restrained herself, Lu Sheng could hear the longing and reluctance in her words.

Lu Sheng wrapped her arms around Qi Zhenshu’s neck and smiled lightly, “Even if you didn’t say it, I would still come again.”

She wasn’t just thinking of visiting her again in the future; she also wanted to stay in Qingzhou and accompany Qi Zhenshu.

After they held each other for a while, Lu Sheng asked, “Is there anything else you want?”

Qi Zhenshu took a step back, a smile playing on her lips, and softly called out, “Lu Sheng.”

“Huh?” Lu Sheng looked at her, puzzled.

Qi Zhenshu chuckled softly, leaned into her ear, and said, “That list wasn’t sorted by rank.”

The positions on White Crane Academy’s admission list had no correlation with how well one scored.

“Ah?” Hearing her words, Lu Sheng was stunned for a moment. Only when she saw the mischief in those dark eyes did she realize that this person, who clearly knew she had misunderstood, had deliberately teased her.

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you!” Lu Sheng raised her hand to pinch her cheek, “You’re too naughty!”

She was worried about her mood just now.

Qi Zhenshu stepped back, and Lu Sheng’s hand grabbed nothing. She reached out to grab again, but Qi Zhenshu turned and dodged.

“Stop right there!” Lu Sheng pursued her in exasperation.

The two of them chased and dodged, having a lot of fun in the courtyard.

The little one lifted her head from the desk, looking out the window with curiosity and envy.

Pleasant times always flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was time to part.

Lu Sheng stayed in Qingzhou for three more days, rented a quiet, private small courtyard for Qi Zhenshu, and returned to Binhe County on the ninth day of the third lunar month.

During Lu Sheng’s absence, the wine shop was running as usual under Liu Yun’s management. Lu Hualin had connected with Yuchun Tower and settled on delivering one hundred catties of Peach Blossom Wine to the building daily.

The days passed unhurriedly, and soon it was the end of the fourth lunar month.

Qi Zhenshu would send a letter home every time she had a ten-day break.

One day, Lu Sheng received a letter from Qi Zhenshu. She mentioned that her policy essay in the academy’s examination had received praise from the headmaster.

The words seemed like they were describing her daily life, but Lu Sheng still caught an unusual undertone.

“Miss Lu, do you want to reply tomorrow?” The messenger boy asked with a smile.

In the past, Lu Sheng would always send a reply to Qingzhou the day after receiving a letter.

“Not this time,” Lu Sheng smiled, “I’ll look for you when I need you.”

“Alright.”

Two days later, Lu Sheng took Tangtang to Lu Zheng’s house, preparing to go to Qingzhou herself the next day.

Dusk gathered, and the sky gradually darkened.

Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong.

Lu Sheng was packing her luggage when she heard the side gate being knocked on.

“Who is it?” Lu Sheng walked into the courtyard and asked.

A white shadow swiftly flew out of the utility room in the west wing, circling the rooftop, its sharp, hawkish eyes fixed on the figure outside the door.

Behind it, Yu Ling also flew out and landed on Lu Sheng’s shoulder.

“It’s me, Little Dong, Miss Lu,” the person outside the door replied.

Little Dong was an errand boy from Yuchun Tower. Lu Sheng had gone with Qi Nan a few times to deliver wine, and Little Dong was the one who received the goods each time.

“What brings you here at this hour?” Lu Sheng asked from inside the door, not opening it.

The wine for Yuchun Tower was delivered daily at youshi (5 to 7 PM). Lu Sheng couldn’t guess why he would come to the wine shop at this time.

“There was a disturbance with a guest in the building, and by accident, the wine delivered today was smashed. The steward wants you to send some more,” Little Dong’s voice sounded anxious, not like a lie.

“Then wait for me at the front door; the wine is in the shop.” Lu Sheng glanced at the gyrfalcon circling in the sky and felt no worry at all in her heart.

The bird had grown very fast and was now over a foot long. Lu Sheng had originally wanted to sell it when she returned from Qingzhou, but Yu Ling insisted on keeping it. Lu Sheng had no choice but to let it stay.

Now that the gyrfalcon could fly, it was usually nowhere to be seen during the day, hunting for itself, but it would fly back before dark. It wasn’t particularly close to Lu Sheng but listened to Yu Ling exceptionally well.

It was strange; not only did the gyrfalcon not treat the parrot as food, but it also wouldn’t hunt sparrows.

Lu Sheng strongly suspected it was because it was too young when she brought it back, causing it to develop a chick-like attachment to Yu Ling.

Taking down the wine shop’s door planks, Little Dong was waiting outside with an ox cart. Upon seeing Lu Sheng, he quickly got out of the cart and said, “Miss Lu.”

“Still a hundred catties?”

“Mm, another hundred catties.”

Little Dong loaded the wine onto the cart and said to Lu Sheng, “Sorry to trouble Miss Lu to come along.”

“It’s nothing. We’re regular customers, no need to be so polite.” Lu Sheng put the door planks back up and got into the ox cart with him.

Yuchun Tower paid for the wine upon delivery, so Lu Sheng had no choice but to go along this time.

When they reached the back alley of Yuchun Tower, Lu Sheng smelled a strong aroma of wine wafting from the courtyard of Yuchun Tower from afar.

Such a strong wine aroma surely meant wine jars had been broken.

As she walked closer to the building, Lu Sheng looked up at the sky. A white shadow flashed above her head.

Little Dong called for another errand boy to move the wine to the kitchen, and then led Lu Sheng to the steward’s room to settle the account.

Support