Marrying for someone else and being a widow? Stepmothers open classes to raise children

"Zhiyi, Zhiping, what are you doing?" Mrs. Xie asked softly, with a hint of reproach in her eyes.

Gu Zhiyi smiled slightly, walked to her mother's side, and brushed the dust off her clothes: "Mother, my sister misunderstood me. I am just stating the facts, and I have no other intentions."

Gu Zhiping's eyes widened, tears welling up in her eyes. She bit her lips tightly to prevent herself from crying out loud: "Mother, she...she deliberately said those words in front of you, making me unable to raise my head in the Xie Mansion."

Madam Xie patted Gu Zhiping's shoulder gently, saying in a gentle tone, "Ping'er, I am doing this for the good of the family. You must learn to be tolerant and understanding, and don't be easily swayed by your emotions."

Gu Zhiping lowered her head, tears dripping onto her clothes. She tried to control her emotions and nodded gently: "I understand, mother."

Gu Zhiyi smiled with determination: "If protecting the one you love and resisting other people's schemes can be considered despicable, then I am willing to bear this crime."

Old Madam Xie covered her chest with her hands, feeling her heart beating as rapidly as a drum, as if it was about to jump out of her chest.

At that moment, Gu Zhiyi looked like a saint surrounded by a halo in her eyes.

This was the first time in her life that she had experienced someone standing so firmly in her shoes.

Even the honorable Duke Ningguo and her own mother sometimes asked her to compromise; as for her good-for-nothing son, he often went against her for other women.

However, the daughter-in-law in front of her resolutely stood by her side, declaring to the world in a soft but firm voice that she was willing to bear all the accusations in order to protect her mother-in-law!

She found it difficult to describe such emotions in words.

She understood that from this moment on, she was willing to fight the whole world for her daughter-in-law, even if it cost her life.

When Xie Xun hurried back with the transcript in hand, he happened to hear Gu Zhiyi's declaration.

His mood was extremely complicated.

Because before this, Chao Yunxuan used his relatively excellent grades as an excuse to urge him to move out of the Ningguo Mansion.

Despite his so-called excellence, he actually just missed the top two spots and only got the third place.

Such an achievement might be enough for others, but for him, for Duke Ningguo, it was an unacceptable regret.

But Chao Yunxuan failed to notice the loss in his heart and was only fantasizing about the bright future after moving out.

And the beauty she longed for was actually getting rid of his parents!

She didn't even have the intention to come back with him to face her parents.

He sighed deeply, as if he felt that the world had changed at this moment.

At this moment, Gu Zhiyi was the first to notice Xie Xun: "Master, are you back?"

Old Madam Xie and Gu Zhiping also looked at him.

At that moment, an uncontrollable resentment flashed in Gu Zhiping's eyes.

Unfortunately, no one cared about her resentment.

Mrs. Xie stepped forward enthusiastically and asked, "What's the situation?"

Just as Xie Xun was about to speak, Gu Zhiping couldn't wait to interrupt: "How else could it be? Looking at his distraught look, he must have failed the exam."

Madam Xie's face darkened and she angrily said, "Madam Ji, considering that your father-in-law is a duke and your father is the Minister of Revenue, I didn't want to argue with you too much. But if you continue to lie, don't blame me for not being polite to you anymore!"

Gu Zhiping couldn't help but feel afraid, but as the old saying goes, enemies are particularly jealous of each other when they meet.

Whenever she thought about how she was plotted against by that despicable man in her previous life, which led to her losing her reputation and dying in despair, she could not suppress the anger and resentment burning in her chest. Her words were like a sharp blade, sharp and harsh: "This is really ridiculous. I just stated the facts. Why are you so merciless, old lady?"

"Have we, the younger generation, lost the right to even state the facts?"

"He really failed! He failed! He failed!"

"If you don't believe it, why not ask him himself!"

Old Madam Xie had never doubted Gu Zhiyi's judgment, but faced with Gu Zhiping's confident tone, she couldn't help but feel a little panic in her heart.

She looked at Xie Xun cautiously: "Xun'er, is what she said true?"

Xie Xun glanced at Gu Zhiping coldly. Although he didn't understand why the other party was so hostile to him, her rudeness and arrogance had already made him feel annoyed.

He withdrew his gaze and said to his mother in a gentle tone: "Mother, I am among the top three. The team announcing the good news should arrive soon."

Well, although it was only the third place, it was still a place on the list of successful candidates.

Although he was not satisfied with the result.

Mrs. Xie was delighted and expressed her joy in words: "I knew that my son is talented and will become famous in one fell swoop!"

Gu Zhiping screamed out of control, "Impossible! There's no way you can pass the imperial examination! You're lying!"

However, this time, before Mrs. Xie and her son could join forces with Gu Zhiyi to refute it, someone else proved it for her.

There were knocking sounds coming from the front, and soon, the festive procession arrived at the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

An official in a red robe came forward and bowed respectfully to Gu Zhiyi and the other two. He then turned his gaze to Xie Xun and said, "Mr. Xie, congratulations on being awarded the title of Tanhua Lang by His Majesty. His Majesty will personally pin a red flower on you soon. Congratulations!"

Old Madam Xie was stunned for a moment, but she quickly came to her senses and signaled to Madam Wen to reward the person who brought the good news with money. She did not show any dissatisfaction in front of outsiders.

And Gu Zhiping has already fallen into madness.

"Tanhua? How is that possible?! How is that possible!?"

She couldn't understand what went wrong. Why, after changing her fate, her life was still full of difficulties, while Gu Zhiyi and Xie Xun, the two people she once regarded as demons, were doing smoothly.

It is obvious that in his previous life, Xie Xun did not graduate from high school!

Although there is indeed a gap between the third place and the first place, in such an era, even if one becomes the first place, without the support of the court, one may not be able to have a smooth sailing.

After all, the so-called power of the government is almost entirely in the hands of the aristocratic families and the royal family.

All the powerful people who hold prominent positions are descendants of famous families or royal bloodlines.

In comparison, for those top scholars who came from humble backgrounds, their most glorious day was the day they were dressed in brocade and wearing a flowered feather on their head, parading through the streets and being admired by everyone.

Their future achievements do not depend on their own talents and efforts, but on whether they can appropriately cling to the powerful in the court and take advantage of their situation.

Therefore, although Xie Xun is known as the Tanhua, his reputation may not be as loud as the No. 1 scholar, but in fact his intrinsic value is far superior.

With the support of Duke Ningguo in the court, he will surely quickly achieve great military exploits and become famous.

At the same time, Ji Yinli, who had achieved some military success in his previous life at this time, was still indulging in a dissolute life, either indulging in family property or indulging in sensual pleasures.

Gu Zhiping felt that her spirit was on the verge of collapse.