The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

On the list, written in black and red, were the words "Tang Wan," followed by a number indicating her rank—Tanhua! Tang Youyou was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. She hugged Tang Wan beside her, "Wan'er, you're amazing!"

Tang Wan was startled by the sudden hug, but then she smiled with joy and gently patted Tang Youyou on the back, "Mom, I passed the exam, I got the third place!"

Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya, who were standing nearby, also gathered around excitedly, vying to see the list. "Brother, I want to see it too!" Tang Xiaoya stood on tiptoe, trying hard to reach the list.

"Don't worry, don't worry, we have them all, we have them all!" Tang Youyou smiled and picked up Tang Xiaoya, pointing to another place on the list, "Look, isn't this your second brother's name?"

Tang Jin's name was next to Tang Wan, ranking second, while Tang Xiaoya's name was slightly behind, but also firmly occupied a front position.

"Wow! My eldest brother is the runner-up, and my second brother is the third. What about me? What about me?" Tang Xiaoya waved her hands excitedly, eager to know her results.

"You, you are our family's little scholar, and you are also among the best!" Tang Youyou scratched Tang Xiaoya's nose, his eyes full of doting.

The children had all achieved such excellent results, and Tang Youyou was filled with pride and honor. She held the children's hands and was about to leave the crowded crowd when suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind her...

"Mrs. Tang, please stay!" Master Zhao pushed through the crowd with a happy look on his face and walked in front of Tang Youyou.

"Master Zhao!" Tang Youyou quickly saluted Master Zhao, and the children also followed suit and greeted him obediently.

"Congratulations, Madam Tang! Your three sons and daughters are all truly exceptional!" Master Zhao stroked his beard, his eyes full of admiration. "Especially Miss Tang Wan. At such a young age, she writes with such sophisticated skill. It's truly rare, truly rare!"

Tang Wan blushed and lowered her head, while Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya puffed out their chests with pride, as if they were being praised. Tang Youyou smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Master. The children have achieved what they have today thanks to your guidance."

Master Zhao waved his hand. "The children are talented and hardworking. I've only done my humble part. The results will be announced today, and I have one more announcement to make..." He cleared his throat and spoke louder, "We've discovered cheating on this exam. It's been confirmed that Miss Qian Ling'er of the Qian family cheated. Her admission is revoked!"

A buzz of discussion erupted in the crowd. Madam Qian and Qian Ling'er, standing nearby, paled at Master Zhao's announcement. Qian Ling'er's eyes were red, and she bit her lip tightly as she stared in disbelief at her name on the list. Sure enough, a bright red X was marked on it.

Madam Qian felt her face burning with anger, and she wished she could find a hole to crawl into. She had previously publicly mocked Tang Youyou's child for not being able to get into the academy, but now she was exposed for cheating. She really shot herself in the foot!

Master Zhao swept a stern gaze over Madam Qian and her daughter, and said in a deep voice, "Scholars should be honest and trustworthy. Those who try to take shortcuts will eventually suffer the consequences!"

Mrs. Qian was filled with shame and dragged Qian Ling'er away in disgrace. Tang Youyou looked at their backs, without a trace of sympathy in her heart, but instead felt a surge of joy. She squatted down and said gently to the children, "See? This is the end of getting something for nothing. You must remember that only by keeping your feet on the ground can you go further and fly higher."

The children nodded, seemingly understanding. Tang Youyou took their hands and prepared to leave this place filled with joy and loss. At this moment, someone in the crowd shouted, "Congratulations to the three young masters and young ladies of the Tang family for passing the imperial examination!"

"Congratulations to the three young masters and young ladies of the Tang family for passing the imperial examination!" The cheers were like a fire, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the crowd. Applause and congratulations echoed one after another, surrounding Tang Youyou's family. Tang Youyou looked at the happy faces in front of her, and a warm feeling surged in her heart.

"Mrs. Tang, you really have a good way of educating your children! It's unheard of that three young men and women were admitted to the academy at the same time!" An auntie shook Tang Youyou's hand enthusiastically, her face full of envy.

"Yes, yes, Miss Tang Wan is so young, but she writes so well. She will definitely become the top female scholar in the future!" Another aunt also echoed.

"No, no, the children should thank Master Zhao for his teachings." Tang Youyou responded modestly, but her face was full of pride that could not be concealed.

Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya felt a little embarrassed by the praise, hiding behind Tang Youyou and secretly observing the people around them. Only Tang Wan stood aside calmly, with a faint smile on her face.

In the crowd, a young man in a green shirt caught Tang Youyou's attention. He was tall and slender, with delicate features and a confident smile on his face, looking at Tang Jin with admiration.

"Who is this?" Tang Youyou asked softly.

"Oh, that's Mr. Sun, the best student in our academy. He always gets first place every year!" an enthusiastic aunt nearby explained.

At this time, Sun Xiucai stepped forward and said to Tang Jin with a smile: "You are Tang Jin, right? I have heard of your great name for a long time. Your articles are very insightful, and I admire your talent very much."

Tang Jin was flattered and scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "Mr. Sun, you are too kind. I am still far from being as good as you."

"You don't have to be so modest. I have high hopes for you." Sun Xiucai patted Tang Jin's shoulder. "Why don't you join my study group? We can learn from each other and make progress together."

Tang Jin looked at Tang Youyou, and seeing his mother nod in agreement, he gladly accepted Sun Xiucai's invitation.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and Tang Youyou and her family prepared to go home. Tang Wan walked in front, holding Tang Xiaoya's hand, while Tang Jin walked side by side with Sun Xiucai. The two talked and laughed, and soon became close friends.

Tang Youyou looked at the children's excited smiles, her heart filled with joy and pride. She knew that the children's future was full of infinite possibilities. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on them, as if gilded with a layer of gold, and their smiles were even more dazzling than the golden light. Tang Wan sensibly led the bouncing Tang Xiaoya by the hand, and from time to time she looked back at Tang Jin, who was chatting animatedly with Sun Xiucai, her eyes filled with the love of an older sister for her younger brother.

"Mrs. Tang, do you know..." Sun Xiucai suddenly stopped and turned to face Tang Youyou, with an indescribable complex emotion in his tone.

"Sun Xiucai, do you have anything to say?" Tang Youyou smiled slightly, indicating that he could say whatever he wanted.

Sun Xiucai looked at the three children immersed in joy, then at Tang Youyou, who looked calm, and hesitated to speak. He took a deep breath, as if making a decision, and said, "Mrs. Tang, to be honest, the number of admissions for this academy entrance examination is..."

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by a hearty laugh. Master Zhao approached from afar, a pleased smile on his face. "Congratulations, Madam Tang! Congratulations, Madam Tang! The three young men and young ladies are all outstanding individuals. They all ranked at the top of the exam. Especially Miss Tang Wan. Her essay was so brilliant that even I am ashamed of myself!"

Tang Youyou responded modestly, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that what Mr. Sun wanted to say was not bad news. She turned to look at Mr. Sun, only to see a meaningful smile on his face.

"Master Zhao, you're too kind. The children still need to learn more." Tang Youyou said with a smile, then turned to Sun Xiucai, "Sun Xiucai, what did you want to say just now?"

"Oh, nothing, I just want to say that although studying in the academy is hard, as long as you work hard, you will definitely gain something." Sun Xiucai put away his previous expression and returned to his usual gentle and elegant self.

Tang Youyou nodded in understanding. After seeing off Master Zhao and Scholar Sun, Tang Youyou and the children set off on their journey home. Along the way, Tang Jin and Tang Wan excitedly discussed life at the academy and envisioned their future studies, completely unaware of the subtle shift in the atmosphere between the adults.

However, when they actually stepped into the academy and began to face the brand new learning environment and the more demanding teachers, they discovered that reality was far more cruel than they had imagined... Sun Xiucai watched the smiles on Tang Jin and Tang Wan's faces gradually disappear, and thought to himself, "I hope you can persevere..."