She said, “I want a child.” 

They were not young anymore and had reached the age. 

Wen Chen pulled away her hand and withdrew mercilessly. He only said, “Now is not the time. Let’s talk about it after the imperial examination and after we’ve settled down.” 

Talk about it after we’ve settled down… 

“Okay, then we’ll talk about it later.” 

Li Wanzhao’s dissatisfaction with Wen Chen gradually dissipated. Yes, they were like this now, and even if they had a child, they would be afraid of dragging the child down and not having a good life. It was better to wait until Wen Chen passed the imperial examination first. At that time, they might be able to move out of the Li family and no longer have to look at Chen Shi and the old lady’s faces. 

Although Wen Chen didn’t say much, he always gave people a sense of security. 

She believed him and could wait for the word “settled” that he said. 

The results of the county exam came out quickly, about half a month later. 

The servants of each courtyard of the Li family had already run to see the list. 

Li Wanzhao couldn’t sit still at home at all and followed to the place where the list was posted to wait. There were many people today, and Wen Chen didn’t want to squeeze in, so he didn’t go out. Li Wanzhao couldn’t pull him, and knowing that he didn’t like noise, she went out by herself. 

In mid-March, the weather had gradually warmed up, and the clothes she wore were not so heavy anymore. Li Wanzhao wore a hood on her head and stood not far away, waiting for Zhixia, who was squeezed in the crowd to see the list. 

She waited anxiously. It was clearly a spring breeze and warm season, but she was sweating on her forehead. 

Before long, Zhixia squeezed out of the crowd and ran towards Li Wanzhao. 

Zhixia couldn’t hide things. When Li Wanzhao saw her happy face, she knew that Wen Chen had passed. 

Sure enough, she heard her say, “Top scorer! The son-in-law is the top scorer in the county this time!” 

Li Wanzhao knew that Wen Chen was outstanding, but she didn’t expect him to be so outstanding, actually getting a top scorer. For a time, she was overjoyed. 

After going home and telling Wen Chen, he didn’t have any reaction. Li Wanzhao was used to his coldness. She didn’t know what could make him have an expression, but she was happy today and didn’t take this matter to heart. 

Li Wanzhao was happy, came happily, and left happily. After she went out of the study, it suddenly became much quieter inside, leaving only Wen Chen and Zhongji, who was grinding ink on the side. 

After Zhongji heard that Wen Chen had won the top scorer in the county, he asked in confusion, “Your Highness, wouldn’t this attract too much attention? After all, Wen Chen’s identity still belongs to someone else. If it’s too much and people discover flaws and find out his whereabouts, what should we do?” 

Wen Chen, that person, was a scholar that Qi Fujin met by chance on the road south after leaving the capital. 

Wen Chen was a poor scholar from Wenjia Village under Enwen Prefecture. After he gave an article to the teacher in Enwen Prefecture, he was taken a fancy to and accepted to study in the school without tuition. It was a pity that this scholar was extremely weak. Before he had walked for long, he contracted a serious illness and was dying. He happened to meet Qi Fujin and his party who had escaped from the capital. 

Qi Fujin happened to be short of an identity outside, so he replaced Wen Chen and came to Enwen Prefecture. 

If he won the top scorer now, it would inevitably attract attention. Zhongji was naturally worried that his identity would be exposed and was also afraid that some people in the capital would discover something was wrong. 

Wen Chen was writing something. After Zhongji’s words of persuasion fell, the letter in his hand also came to an end. After letting it dry, he put it in an envelope and handed it to Zhongji. 

He said, “This is a letter to my maternal grandfather. Give it to his subordinates and let them send it back to the capital. As for the imperial examination, today I will not only win the top scorer in the county, but also the top scorer in the prefecture and the top scorer in the academy.” 

“Why does Your Highness have to do this?” 

Zhongji was a little anxious. He knew he shouldn’t question Qi Fujin’s decision, but this matter was really unnecessary. He could pass the children’s exam to deal with Li Wanzhao. If he won the small three exams, he would definitely become famous. After all, it was a fake identity, and there was a risk of exposure. Why go so far? 

Qi Fujin said, “It has already been written in the letter to my maternal grandfather that the Empress doesn’t like me and drove me out of the imperial city. I am now living under someone else’s roof, and my life is not easy. The Li family has a bad reputation, and they are all jackals and tigers. Only by becoming famous in the imperial examination can I be looked up to. This matter can only trouble my maternal grandfather. If there is any movement, please take care of me.” 

The Duke would naturally not let Qi Fujin go. No matter how much trouble Qi Fujin caused and how disobedient he was, he would not watch his only grandson, the Crown Prince, make the slightest mistake. 

Zhongji didn’t say anything more when he saw that he had already thought of a way out. 

What His Highness said was actually not bad. Life was not easy, and there were no good people in the Li family except for Li Wanzhao. Moreover, if he didn’t pass the imperial examination this time, Li Wanzhao would probably abandon him, and life would be even more difficult. 

Zhongji finally didn’t say anything more. 

In the prefecture exam in April and the academy exam in June, Wen Chen really won the top scorer. He won three top scorers in a row, which the world called “small three exams.” Since the opening of the imperial examination, there were only a handful of people who had won the small three exams, and in this dynasty, there was only Wen Chen. 

When Wen Chen won the top scorer in the county and the top scorer in the prefecture, the Li family had already sensed that something was wrong. It was probably that this person really had some ability. Therefore, when the results of the academy exam came out today, everyone was paying attention to whether he could win a top scorer in the academy. If he won another top scorer, that would be the small three exams. 

The weather in June had already heated up, and there was a bit of scorching heat in the air. 

Li Guan was even a little absent-minded in the yamen, waiting for the news. 

When Wen Chen’s name was once again hung on the top scorer when the list was posted, everyone was dumbfounded. 

They saw a small three exams that were rare to see in a hundred years today. 

The errand boy went to the yamen and told Li Guan the news. After Li Guan learned the results, he couldn’t recover for a long time. 

The Li family’s second master heard about it and hurried over to congratulate him. He ran into the wing room where Li Guan was working and said excitedly, “Brother, you are blessed! This scholar is really capable!” 

Li Guan was surprised that Wen Chen’s talent was so outstanding, but his face still didn’t look good. He said, “It’s just the small three exams, what’s so good to say.” 

“Brother, if you say that, I think you are showing off! ‘It’s just the small three exams’?! You are still calm and unperturbed, and you can say these words lightly.” 

The Li family’s second master continued, “I know that brother is still concerned about what happened in the past, but since it has already happened, now Chao Jie’er and that scholar are respectful to each other, and their little life is going well. Besides, the world is changing more and more rapidly, and it’s not the same for those who come from humble backgrounds. The Emperor now values the imperial examination, so what if he has a low background now? Wen Chen has won three top scorers in a row, which shows that he is very capable. It’s hard to say that he won’t be a top scholar in the future. Why do you have to hold on to it? I’m telling you, there are many people who want to find a son-in-law from the list now. If they didn’t know that Wen Chen had already married into our family, do you believe that he would be snatched away immediately?” 

According to him, Li Guan was taking advantage of the situation now and should be secretly happy. 

“How is it that I’m holding on to it? If he was really a gentleman, would he have let Chao Jie’er fall into that situation back then?!” 

Seeing that he was about to bring up the old account again, the Li family’s second master quickly stopped him, “Okay, okay, then just pretend I didn’t say anything. We won’t discuss Wen Chen’s character for now, but just from his fame, I said that Chao Jie’er didn’t marry the wrong person, didn’t I say anything wrong? We all want to see our children live well. Now Chao Jie’er is like this, after all the hardship, there will be good days in the future!” 

When Li Guan returned home, he found that Li Wanzhao was waiting for him at the screen wall again. 

Her head kept peeking out, and when Li Guan’s figure appeared in front of her, she immediately greeted him. 

“Father, you’re back.” 

Li Wanzhao’s face unconsciously carried joy. 

It could be seen that she was very happy. 

Li Guan gave her an indifferent “hmm.” 

Li Wanzhao immediately leaned forward and asked, “Father, Ah Chen won the top scorer in the academy today, do you know?” 

Li Guan glanced at her and said in a deep voice, “Don’t be proud.” 

Li Wanzhao was scolded but didn’t feel discouraged. She immediately said, “Father, I’m not proud. I came to tell you today, I want to say, Father, Ah Chen is not bad, not that bad, can you not dislike him anymore…” 

Although Li Guan was willing to talk to Li Wanzhao, he never had a good face towards Wen Chen. 

Li Wanzhao didn’t want them to be so estranged. Wen Chen was also a member of the Li family now, so they couldn’t always be at odds with Li Guan like this. 

Li Guan snorted coldly, “What’s the use of reading well? If his character is not good, it’s useless.” 

Li Wanzhao was choked by these words. Thinking that Li Guan was still angry about what happened back then, she said, “Father, let’s not talk about the past. I was thinking that it’s already the end of June, and the autumn exam will start in mid-August after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Ah Chen will go to the capital to take the exam in a while. I was thinking, the dowry that my mother left after her death is still with my mother, can you help me get it back? Ah Chen needs travel expenses to go to the capital…” 

After Yang Shi died, she left a dowry for Li Wanzhao. Although it was not much, it was very important to her in her current situation. 

Because Wen Chen and Li Wanzhao had an illicit relationship first, Chen Shi used the excuse that Wen Chen’s character was not good and, together with the old lady, whispered in Li Guan’s ear, saying that she was afraid that Wen Chen was a villain and that it was not safe for Li Wanzhao’s dowry to fall into their hands. Therefore, later, it was temporarily suppressed in their place. 

But now Wen Chen had been in the Li family for almost half a year and had slept with Li Wanzhao for so long. How could Li Wanzhao not know what kind of person he was? Besides, which villain and liar could win the small three exams? Those who could win the small three exams were definitely not villains and liars. 

At this time, Li Man also echoed from the side, “Yes, master, the son-in-law will have to go to the capital to take the exam at that time. The son-in-law has such good results, he has the potential to be a dragon, so there is probably no need to worry too much about other things. Besides, that dowry was left by the late madam for the young lady. Now that the young lady has started a family, the son-in-law is promising, it’s time to give it to them.” 

Li Wanzhao gave Li Man a grateful look. 

Chen Shi was greedy and wanted to take away even the dowry left by her mother. After that kind of thing happened before, Li Wanzhao didn’t dare to ask for it. Li Guan would only listen to the old lady and Chen Shi and wouldn’t listen to her.