Qining left the lobby and walked out of the Wuxiang Marquis Mansion. He saw Su Zixuan sobbing under the high wall, but Jiang Suiyun comforted her softly and even handed a brocade handkerchief to Su Zixuan.
Someone had led Qi Ning's horse over a long time ago. Qi Ning ignored the couple, got on the horse and was about to leave, but heard Jiang Suiyun's voice saying: "Master Marquis, please stay!"
Qi Ning looked back and saw Jiang Suiyun looking at him, smiling faintly and asking, "What advice do you have?"
Jiang Suiyun said: "I wonder if Mr. Hou still remembers the bet between us?"
"Bet?" Qining said with a smile: "You mean the bet that you are going to polish my boots?"
Jiang Suiyun smiled calmly and said: "Who will win and who loses is not yet known, but since we made a bet that day, I still hope that Mr. Hou can fulfill it as promised." He paused and looked sharply: "If I lose to Mr. Hou, Of course I keep my promise, but if the Marquis loses, I hope that the Marquis will not break his promise."
Qi Ning smiled and said: "I may not remember other things clearly, but I remember my bet with you clearly." Without another word, he shook the horse's reins and galloped away.
Su Zixuan looked at Qi Ning's retreating figure, her eyes full of hatred. Jiang Suiyun looked over and sneered: "Miss, don't worry, by the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, we will definitely be under the noses of countless literati in many academies. Asking him to kneel down and clean my boots in front of everyone is what Miss Yixue hates today."
"Mr. Jiang, you... you are so kind!" Su Zixuan's eyes were filled with tears.
Qining returned to the Hou Mansion and immediately looked for Xiaoyao. He learned that Gu Qinghan had arranged for Xiaoyao and her daughter to live in a courtyard of the Hou Mansion. He hurried over and saw Gu Qinghan walking out before entering the door.
When Gu Qinghan saw Qi Ning, he immediately asked: "Did you arrange for their mother and daughter to live in the house?"
Qi Ning immediately introduced the situation. Gu Qinghan frowned and sneered: "I knew that Su Zhen was of low character, but I didn't expect that he would be so heartless and unjust. I have heard of this before, so let's put it this way , that girl named Xiaoyao, is Su Zhen’s daughter?”
Qi Ning nodded and said: "Xiao Yao is studying in the academy. Fortunately, I went to the academy today and found that she is not in the academy. Otherwise, the mother and daughter would really live on the streets."
Gu Qinghan nodded slightly, looked back at the yard, and then lowered his voice and said, "What are you going to do next?"
"I haven't thought it through either." Qi Ning said, "Does Sanniang have any ideas?"
Gu Qinghan thought for a moment and then said: "If it were someone else, even if he entered the Hou Mansion, it would be nothing, just two more pairs of chopsticks, but...!" After a pause, he said: "He is Su Zhen's daughter after all, but... It's not that Su Zhen's daughter is not good, but many people know about Su Zhen's affairs. If anyone knows that Su Zhen's daughter was brought to the Hou Mansion by you, I'm afraid someone will say some dirty gossip about Miss Xiaoyao. His reputation has been greatly damaged."
Qi Ning nodded and said: "Sanniang is very considerate. In fact, with Xiaoyao's character, even if she is asked to live in the Hou Mansion, she will not agree." He took out the house deed from his arms and said, "They lived there before. The deed to that house is already in my hands, and I have asked people to clean it up, but...!"
"Are you worried that Su Zixuan will send people to find trouble again?"
Qi Ning nodded and said: "Although they are sisters, their temperaments are very different. Su Zixuan is spoiled and overbearing. She hates me to the core and may send people to harass me. Ruffians are everywhere. As long as she spends money, Xiaoyao Mother and daughter rarely find peace."
Gu Qinghan thought for a while and then said: "If it doesn't work out, just buy a small house nearby and settle them down first. I will often take care of Xiaoyao and her daughter so that they don't let Xiaoyao and her daughter be bullied." Let outsiders stop gossiping."
Qi Ning smiled and said: "I knew Sanniang must have a way. With Sanniang here, no matter what difficulties I encounter, I will be able to solve them easily."
"Don't be so playful." Gu Qinghan glared at Qining, "It's always inappropriate for you to go to the Marquis's Mansion in Wuxiang to cause trouble today. You're helping Xiaoyao, so there's nothing wrong with you, but after all, this is someone else's family matter, so you run away What does it mean to go to the Marquis' Mansion in Wuxiang and make a big fuss?"
Qi Ning sneered: "Su Zhen is unkind and unjust. Shouldn't someone like him be scolded?"
"Okay." Gu Qinghan didn't argue, "You go and see them first. I'll let people see if there is a place nearby to buy them. I'll settle them first." Without saying much, he went on his own. .
Qining entered the courtyard and entered the house. He saw that the door was ajar. He knocked lightly and heard Xiaoyao's voice: "Come in."
Qi Ning entered the room. Xiao Yao was sitting by the bed. When she saw Qi Ning, she hurriedly got up. Qi Ning waved her hand and walked over lightly. She saw Yao's mother lying down and falling asleep.
The house was clean and simple, the bedding was brand new, and there were dishes and food on the table in the room. Qining felt warm, knowing that these were arranged by Gu Qinghan.
"Master Hou, so... thank you so much!" Xiaoyao said with a hint of shyness, "It's really... to disturb your Marquis Mansion like this!"
Qi Ning shook his head and said, "You're just talking about it. Xiaoyao, how is your mother doing now?"
"She ate some porridge and has gone to bed now." Xiao Yao looked at Yao's mother who had fallen asleep and said quietly: "She has not had a good sleep these days. Today she can finally have a good rest."
"You also need to take a rest." Qining said, "You will go to the academy as usual tomorrow."
Xiaoyao frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said: "Master Hou, I... I don't want to go to the academy."
"Why are you still so stubborn?" Qi Ning sat down on the chair, "Xiaoyao, sit down and talk too."
Xiaoyao hesitated for a moment and finally sat down aside. Qining then said: "I know you like reading very much. Let me ask you, Mr. Zhuo founded Qionglin Academy and worked hard for his daughter's family to study. Do you think it is easy?"
Xiaoyao was startled, then shook her head slightly.
"Yes, Mr. Zhuo gave up his high position and salary to maintain Qionglin Academy. That is because he has an ideal in his heart and has been persisting for it." Qi Ning said slowly: "You like to study, but if you give up easily because of some setbacks, Isn't it a pity? Aren't you strong enough?" After a pause, he said: "I know you are worried about your mother. You don't have to worry about this. I will send someone to take care of her."
Xiaoyao said: "But... Mr. Hou, I know you are a good person, but we can't stay here for a long time."
"I understand what you mean." Qi Ning nodded and said: "I have sent people to look for houses nearby. As long as you find a suitable house, you will move there. If you don't want to live in the previous house, I don't worry. Let you continue to live there.”
Xiaoyao said anxiously: "This... if this doesn't work, how can we let you find a house for us?"
"I am your husband, and you are my student. If a student is in trouble, of course the husband should help him without hesitation." Qining said: "Xiaoyao, you are a smart girl. You should know that your mother is the most important thing right now. She just needs to take good care of her body and gradually recover. If there is no peaceful environment, I am only worried that her condition will become more and more serious."
"I...!" Xiao Yao glanced at Yao's mother, biting her red lips, not knowing what to say.
"Listen to my arrangements first. You can go to the academy as usual tomorrow." Qi Ning said with a smile: "Do you know what Mr. Zhuo is most worried about now?"
Xiaoyao opened her eyes wide, her watery eyes filled with questions.
"There is no successor." Qi Ning sighed: "Mr. Zhuo is already old, and Qionglin Academy has been his life's work, but he has been worried that after a hundred years, will Qionglin Academy still be able to continue? Not to mention It is said that there are many people who want to abolish Qionglin Academy in the name of immorality. Even if Qionglin Academy is preserved, who can continue to teach?"
Xiaoyao's eyebrows were slender and her expression was a little sad.
"So Mr. Zhuo places all his hopes on you." Qi Ning said: "Mr. Zhuo hopes that after a hundred years, you female students in the academy can achieve success in your studies and stay in the academy to continue teaching and passing on your skills."
"Ah?" Xiaoyao said in surprise: "Mr. Zhuo, do you think so?"
Qi Ning nodded and said: "Yes, so the continuation of Qionglin Academy still needs your efforts. If one day you can teach and educate people in the academy, that is what Mr. Zhuo hopes to see most."
"How can I do it?" Xiaoyao said hurriedly: "I...!"
"If you don't search for it, how can you know?" Qining said with a smile: "Maybe many years later, there will really be female teachers in Qionglin Academy, and you will be one of them."
Xiaoyao's cheeks were slightly red, and she waved her hands and said, "Then... that won't happen...!"
Qi Ning laughed and said: "So you will still go to the academy tomorrow, and I will arrange other things." Thinking of something, he asked: "By the way, is there a competition in the academy on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month?"
Xiaoyao immediately said: "There were originally eight major academies in the capital. The rules were established many years ago. Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the eight major academies would gather together to compete in chess, calligraphy and painting. The winning academy would receive an inscription from the emperor, and also receive an imperial inscription from the emperor. It can select talents to serve as officials in the court, so the eight major academies have always attached great importance to the Jinghua Book Club."
"Jinghua Academy?" Qining nodded slightly: "Is Qionglin Academy one of the eight academies?"
Xiaoyao shook her head and said: "No, the eight major academies do not include Qionglin Academy. I heard that five years ago, the late emperor issued a special decree for Qionglin Academy to participate in the Jinghua Book Fair. Although many people opposed it, there was an imperial edict. So Qionglin Academy started to join the Book Club that year, and the current Jinghua Book Club is a competition among the nine major academies."
"Did Qionglin Academy ever win first place?"
Xiaoyao shook her head and said: "There are many powerful people in the eight major academies, and... And the scholars who evaluate have always been biased against Qionglin Academy. Even if we are better, they will not let us win." Then he smiled and said: " Mr. Zhuo doesn’t care about winning first place, he just wants us to see the world.”
Qi Ning smiled and said: "I see, when you say this, I am looking forward to this Jinghua Book Club!"