Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

Upon hearing this, the butler hurriedly rushed towards the top spot. His eyes widened as he examined the list carefully, only to see the two words "Wang Yi" standing out prominently above the top spot. Confirming his identity, the butler beamed, joyfully turning around and trotting off to report the good news to his master.

At this moment, the crowd gathered below the list, seeing that it was the winner's family, and they immediately rushed forward to offer their congratulations. Some of these people were local gentry and celebrities, while others were ordinary people, but without exception, they were filled with admiration and respect for the Wang family. Faced with the tide of congratulations, the butler was overwhelmed and could only smile and repeatedly bow to express his gratitude.

However, some people who had come from other places were present and had no idea who this newly crowned champion was. So, curiously, they asked around. Then, a kind-hearted person would step forward and introduce him in detail: "This young master Wang Yi, who has won the title of champion, is the eldest grandson of the Wang family in Jinling. He has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, and his literary talent is exceptional. In the previous academy examination, he was the undisputed top scorer. Now, he has been crowned the champion again. He is truly a man of immense talent and promise at a young age! Who would have thought that a descendant of a military family could achieve such remarkable literary talent? It's truly admirable!" After hearing this introduction, everyone suddenly understood and nodded in praise, praising Wang Yi's talent and achievements.

The butler struggled mightily to squeeze through the bustling, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, but a bright, pleased smile remained on his face. Then, with brisk steps, he swiftly returned to the magnificent carriage parked nearby.

Before he even got close to the carriage, the butler couldn't wait to shout, "I have good news for you, Master! Great news! You've actually won first place this time!" As he spoke, he quickly walked to the front of the carriage, bowed respectfully, and then continued with a face full of joy, "This is really great news!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yi, sitting in the carriage, quickly stood up and stepped out. He hurried over to the steward, carefully helping him up with his hand. He smiled and said, "Please get up quickly. Thank you for the trouble you've made." Although everyone in the carriage had vaguely heard some rumors from the servant's shouting outside, hearing the steward's words in person, everyone couldn't help but feel extremely excited and happy. For a moment, the whole scene was filled with laughter, and everyone's face was filled with a heartfelt smile.

Those who knew Wang Zisheng well rushed over to congratulate him. He was beaming, accompanied by his grandson and nephew, as he repeatedly bowed and thanked everyone. For a moment, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy, becoming incredibly lively, like a festive occasion.

After much effort, Wang Zisheng finally managed to free himself from the crowd. Seeing this, his wife hurried forward and urged him, "Master, we must hurry back home! I have to go back to set off the festive firecrackers, distribute the wedding money to everyone, and then tell our relatives and friends about this great news... This is truly a great occasion!" Her face was filled with uncontrollable joy.

As expected, over the next few days, Mrs. Wang Zisheng was practically kept busy. Every day, before dawn, a steady stream of friends and relatives arrived to congratulate her. She was constantly on the alert, warmly and attentively welcoming each visitor. Fortunately, she had made thorough preparations beforehand; otherwise, facing so many guests and the tedious tasks involved, she would have been overwhelmed.

As soon as they returned home, Mrs. Wang Zisheng didn't even have time to breathe and immediately started to arrange various matters in a hurry.

Mrs. Wang Zisheng methodically directed the servants to decorate the hall, put up lights and decorations, and create a festive atmosphere. She personally selected exquisite cakes and tea to prepare for the arrival of the guests.

Soon, guests began arriving one after another, and the palace was bustling with activity. Mrs. Wang Zisheng busied herself with greetings and a happy smile on her face.

In this joyous atmosphere, time flew by. As night fell and the lights came on, firecrackers rang out outside the palace, and fireworks exploded in the sky, decorating the entire city with a dazzling array of colors.

The Wang family was extremely lively at the moment. From the master to the servants, everyone was busy, but everyone's face was filled with joy that was hard to conceal.

All this happened because the Wang family's master had won the top prize in the provincial examination—a truly glorious achievement for the family! Overjoyed, the mistress generously rewarded all the servants with three months' wages. However, the surprise didn't end there: the master then gave them another reward, sending everyone into a state of ecstasy, their work seemingly fueled by an inexhaustible supply of energy.

In this way, the Wang family spent several days in a busy and happy atmosphere. Afterwards, Wang Zisheng personally took Wang Yi to visit the Lin family.

Lin Ruhai was taking a short break here at the time, waiting to finish all the finishing work before returning to the capital to report on his work. When he saw Wang Zisheng and Wang Yi arrive, Lin Ruhai quickly stood up to greet them.

Wang Yi took the lead and quickly stepped forward. He bowed respectfully to Lin Ruhai and said in a loud voice, "Nephew greets uncle!"

Seeing this, Lin Ruhai hurried forward and extended his hand to support Wang Yi. He said with a smile on his face, "My dear nephew, you are truly talented! It is truly gratifying and worth celebrating that you have won the first prize this time!"

Wang Yi responded humbly and politely, "Uncle, you're so flattering! Looking back, when you were the top three in the imperial examination, you were so full of energy and so radiant! I have always admired you, and my small achievements today are just the beginning."

Hearing Wang Yi's neither humble nor arrogant but ambitious words, Lin Ruhai couldn't help but nod secretly, and felt more and more satisfied with his nephew.

After a few people exchanged greetings, the atmosphere gradually became relaxed. At this time, Wang Zisheng looked at Lin Ruhai with a smile and asked with concern: "Ruhai, I wonder when you plan to leave for the capital?"

Lin Ruhai nodded slightly and replied, "It happened in the past few days. Actually, I had originally planned to come to your house to discuss the itinerary and other related matters with you, but I didn't expect you to come here first today. So, I wonder what your plans are for this matter?"

Hearing this, Wang Zisheng sighed softly and said, "To be honest, we had originally planned to travel to the capital with our entire family. However, who could have foreseen this turn of events? Wang Ren, for some unknown reason, secretly withdrew a large sum of money from the trading company without anyone's knowledge. As a result, many family matters urgently need to be dealt with, making it difficult to escape. So, after careful consideration, I'd like to have Wang Yi return to the capital with you, so that I can feel more at ease. After all, the journey is long, and having you, the third-place-awarded scholar, by his side to provide guidance will surely be of great benefit to him."

After hearing this, Lin Ruhai quickly waved his hand, shook his head, and said with a smile: "Father-in-law, you are too modest! My nephew is extremely talented and has already won two first prizes. Moreover, he has received your careful teaching since he was young. I am afraid that it will not be difficult for him to get the first place in the future exam!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zisheng's smile grew even brighter. He bowed and said, "Haha, thank you for your kind words and blessings!" Then, the two of them had further discussions on the specific departure time and finally reached a consensus.

On this side, after careful consideration, Lin Ruhai finally determined the date to return to the capital, and deliberately started writing early the day before, carefully composing a letter and sending it to the capital. The recipient of the letter was the shrewd and capable Xifeng.

The next morning, as the sun shone brightly, Lin Ruhai packed his bags and, energetically, set off for the capital with Wang Yi. Meanwhile, Wang Zisheng personally came to see them off, escorting them out of the city until they disappeared over the horizon. Only then did he slowly turn and return to his residence.

While Lin Ruhai and his companions were still on their way, the joyful letter Wang Zisheng had written earlier had already been delivered to Wang Ziteng and Wang Xifeng at top speed. Upon hearing this heart-warming news, the entire family was instantly immersed in a joyous and peaceful atmosphere. Everyone's face was filled with ecstatic smiles, for their nephew had unexpectedly won first place in the provincial examination, becoming the top scholar!