The Marquise: I Earn My Own Worship

"Thank you for your concern, Madam. Besides teaching my brothers and sisters, I have been studying all the time in my spare time, without slacking off for a single day. I am just waiting for the end next year."

There was determination in Cheng Xi's eyes, as well as a hint of scholarly pride that was rarely seen.

He is only twenty years old now, and is full of vigor and vitality.

Song Shengfu looked at Cheng Xi with admiration. At this time, Cheng Xi looked more like a teenager than before.

"Well, you are a good boy. I will be waiting for your good wine when you pass the imperial examination."

Cheng Xi pursed his lips and smiled slightly, then replied loudly, "Okay."

"Jing'an isn't too busy these past two days, and he leaves work early. You can ask him more about what to pay attention to. I'll talk to him later. I know you're shy, so I'll talk to him for you. But since you two have a good relationship, he should also take the initiative to talk to you."

"You've been a teacher in our family for almost three years, and you've taught our three children very well. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Old lady, your words are too kind. I feel unworthy of your words."

Cheng Xi stood up with some trepidation and bowed in reply.

Song Shengfu smiled and waved her hand, asking him to sit down.

"I'm telling the truth. You can prepare for the exam in the mansion. Just focus on the exam and I'll have someone arrange it later. I didn't say this myself. Jing'an told me this earlier, and I guess it should be like this."

Seeing Cheng Xi looking hesitant, Song Shengfu continued speaking.

"Don't refuse. Our house is quiet and uncrowded, so it's convenient for you to study for exams or find peace. The small house your uncle lives in now is a bit small, and with several children at home, it's bound to be inconvenient sometimes."

Cheng Xi knew that the old lady was determined to keep him, so he stopped saying no and stood up and bowed seriously again.

"Old Madam, your kindness is truly unforgettable to me. Two years ago, when I was in dire straits, you recognized me and provided me with shelter and food. No matter where I am in the future, I will repay you for your kindness."

"look at you……"

Song Shengfu stood up and helped the man up.

"Just talk it over nicely. Why bother with such a grand ceremony? One of us is looking for a teacher, and the other is looking for a place to stay. It's mutually beneficial. You've spent the past two years teaching the children diligently, and we've only given you a small amount of money."

"In the final analysis, we really should thank you very much. Once a teacher, always a teacher. If you have any difficulties in the future, just let me know. I am old and can't help you with anything. Jing'an is your good friend, so you can talk to him. Don't be polite to us."

Cheng Xi agreed with a touched look on his face, and after saying a few polite words, he stood up and said goodbye.

After Duan Jing'an returned home, he was called over by Song Shengfu.

After coming out of his mother's yard, he went straight to Cheng Xi's current yard.

Cheng Xi didn't expect Duan Jing'an to arrive so soon. The two of them sat under a plum tree. The plum tree was just beginning to bud and a faint fragrance was wafting out.

The two sat opposite each other, and Cheng Xi started to make tea with the tea set in hand.

Duan Jing watched quietly, with a very comfortable look on his face, and chatted casually.

"Shi Wei's demeanor is quite that of a famous and elegant scholar."

Cheng Xi smiled and poured a cup of tea in front of Duan Jing'an.

"Come and try my cooking skills."

Duan Jing'an looked at the clear tea and the bright green soup. He took a sip and found it had a refreshing and mellow taste.

"The tea is green and has a rich aroma. It's a great tea."

Cheng Xi took a sip and put it down, then said with some nostalgia, "I was orphaned at a young age, and my uncle raised me and sent me to school. I learned this from an old man next door at that time. The old man was very knowledgeable and benefited Shi Wei a lot."

Duan Jing'an became interested. Seeing such a graceful figure, he thought that the old man might be a hermit.

"The old man is still here. I will definitely go and visit him sometime."

Cheng Xi looked gloomy, but still smiled and said:

"The gods have taken pity on him, but he has already passed away."

Duan Jing'an sighed inwardly, "It's a pity that Shen Yuan is unlucky. He has no chance to meet the old immortal."

This topic was a bit heavy, so Duan Jingan turned to other things.

"How are you preparing for the imperial examination next March?"

……

After Duan Jing'an left, Cheng Xi sat in the study, looking at the rice paper in his hand.

These are top-quality rice paper. Since he came to the uncle's house, he has never been short of these things.

Thinking of what the old lady said during the day, Cheng Xi's lips curled up slightly.

He understood what the old lady meant. As a man from Nanyang, he had no one to rely on in the capital, so he was only happy to receive the olive branch from Duan Bo's Mansion.

The old lady wanted someone to help Shen Yuan in the court. Cheng Xi laughed a little. Even he was a little nervous. The old lady had more confidence in him than he did.

He and Shen Yuan were close friends, and he had told him a lot today, which soothed his somewhat restless heart in recent days.

Although he had been prepared, he couldn't help feeling anxious while waiting like this.

He knew that he had few opportunities, and if he couldn't make a big splash, his future would be even more difficult.

As night fell, Cheng Xi lit a lamp and sat at his desk. The light shone on his face, making half of it bright and the other half hidden in darkness.

Since the Chinese New Year was approaching, Song Shengfu simply gave them a holiday.

Wei Jie'er and Xuan Ge'er didn't care, but Kang Ge'er was like a pigeon in a cage, not coming home all day.

Lu was originally worried that he would cause trouble outside, but after asking around, she found out that he had made many new friends recently, including some serious friends, so she felt relieved.

It is good to make more friends. The friendships you cultivate now will be hard to find in the future.

Mrs. Lu was a little stunned and sighed. She felt that she had neglected Kang Ge'er in the past two years and had not really cared about him.

But just when she was thinking of asking him to love her well, the manager of the outer courtyard came again. She was so busy all day that she had completely forgotten about this matter.

Kang Ge'er took Xuan Ge'er with him all day long, which made his new brothers envious. They all wanted to steal such a well-behaved brother home.

So Wei Jie'er was the only one left at home. Song Shengfu thought that she was bored anyway, so she took her to the girls' school to play.

The girls' school has final exams these two days, and everyone is preparing against all odds.

When Song Shengfu had nothing to do, she would come here for a stroll. During the first six months of the girls' school's opening, a lot of problems had occurred.

Influenced by the traditional teaching concepts of the era, the teaching methods of women's schools were also a challenge for these teachers.

Several times they almost deviated from the original intention, and the problems were discovered by Song Shengfu who was patrolling the classes. She then explained their problems to these teachers in private.

Xunlu Girls' School is equivalent to a large apprenticeship factory, similar to a modern vocational and technical school.

Song Shengfu's requirements were that students learn to read and understand morality and etiquette. Then, they had to practice, learn what they were good at, and be able to support themselves with this skill.