After the mind-reading and gossip-eating incident, officials in the imperial city were demoted one a

"Brother Chengzu's studies seem to be going well too, haha, then the top three will be the three of you, right?"

"Come on, you think you're in charge?"

Ye Jingyang patted Wei Shaohan on the shoulder and pulled him away.

"Can't I just guess? If it comes true, my mouth will be blessed!" Wei Shaohan kept arguing as he was being pulled away.

"We'll know after the imperial examinations in three months."

Ye Chengzhu was in a very bad mood and went home early.

"Chengzu, you're back. Mother has stewed bird's nest, it's ready to drink."

As usual, Xue Ruoxue greeted him with great joy, showing concern for his food, completely unaware that he had a gloomy face at the moment.

"Quickly bring up the bird's nest for the young master to eat," Xue Ruoxue hurriedly instructed the maid beside her.

"Mother, I'm not eating," Ye Chengzhu said in a muffled voice, his tone revealing deep frustration.

"How can that be? The imperial examination is coming soon, and your mother needs to nourish you properly."

Xue Ruoxue held up a newly made garment to his body.

“It’s just right. I’ve made a few brocade clothes for autumn. You can wear them when you take the imperial examination.”

"Mother, do you think I can become the top scholar in the imperial examination?"

Ye Chengzhu's eyes were filled with confusion.

Xue Ruoxue answered firmly and without hesitation:

"Yes, you can. With your hard work, you're sure to be the top student."

Ye Chengzhu bit his lip tightly, his hands unconsciously clenching.

"What if you don't pass the exam?"

"There's no chance of anything going wrong, you'll definitely pass the exam."

Xue Ruoxue had endured years of hardship as a concubine, her only hope being that her son would become the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Her obsession was that her son would become the top scholar in the imperial examination; she was determined to be the mother of such a scholar no matter what.

This idea took root in her heart and had long since become the belief that supported her to persevere.

"But I'm not as good as others, how could I possibly become the top student in the college entrance examination?"

Ye Chengzhu's eyes turned bloodshot, and he suddenly roared at the top of his lungs.

"Son, what's wrong with you?"

Ye Chengzhu wouldn't normally act like this; he would only study even harder. Seeing him like this, Xue Ruoxue was terrified and didn't know what to do.

"Mother, I can't compare to Ye Li'an, I can't become the top scholar."

His voice was filled with despair.

"No, your dad said he'll help you become the top scholar in the imperial examination. You have to believe him."

Ye Mian said he was emotionally unstable, and it turned out to be true.

"Mother, what's wrong with my eldest brother?"

Ye Yuanru heard Ye Chengzhu's angry roar from afar and rushed over, her face full of anxiety and worry.

"Your older brother doesn't have the confidence to become the top scorer in the exam."

Ye Yuanru stepped forward and took his hand to comfort him.

"Big brother, don't think like that. You've worked so hard, you'll definitely pass the exam. In my heart, you're the best."

"I'm inferior to him in both knowledge and social status, so why should I?"

Ye Chengzhu's fingernails dug deeply into his palms, filled with resentment, and then he roared at Xue Ruoxue:

"I am clearly the true legitimate son of the Ye family, why should I suffer such humiliation!"

Xue Ruoxue covered her face with a handkerchief and began to sob painfully.

"It's all my fault. I didn't want to live like this, but I was born into a bad family, what could I do?"

She was so happy when Ye Mian became an official. But after she and her son were brought up to the capital, she found out that her husband was going to marry a woman from a high-ranking family. Could she make a scene?

No, her parents have both passed away. Besides Ye Mian, who else can she and her son rely on?

Seeing his mother cry, Ye Chengzhu realized he had lost his composure and helped Xue Ruoxue sit on the couch.

A hint of guilt flashed in his eyes, and his voice softened.

"I'm sorry, Mother, it's not your fault. It's all Father's fault. He was greedy for wealth and status. Otherwise, we wouldn't have become mistresses."

Ye Mian had told them that he wouldn't let them be mistresses forever, and that he would take them back after he had settled everything. But now it seems that's a long way off.

“Mother, Ye Li’an is better than me in every way. Do you think Father might be lying to us? Does he want us to live in the shadows forever, to be mistresses for the rest of our lives?”

"No, son, don't think like that."

"Why wouldn't he? Ye Li'an is also his son. He's even more outstanding than me, and his maternal family is a marquis's mansion. How could he possibly give up wealth and honor?"

Ye Chengzhu hated Ye Mian. He rarely saw him when he was young, and Xue Ruoxue always took care of him.

He couldn't count how many times his mother had secretly cried. Two years ago, Ye Mian was promoted and, fearing that his secret would be discovered, Ye Zhenghui had no choice but to pass away two years ago.

Ye Chengzhu felt that Ye Mian was going to abandon them, but Xue Ruoxue told him with certainty that Ye Mian would not do that.

With the imperial examinations fast approaching, why would he still think that way?

“Chengzu, you have to trust your father. He really will plan for you, and your mother will plan for you too.”

She knew that Ye Mian had not actually passed the imperial examinations back then, and that his appointment as an official was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.

How could his son, who was even more outstanding than Ye Mian, not become the top scholar?

Xue Ruoxue looked at her son with a firm gaze, her expression suggesting that everything was under her control.

"Mother, why are you so sure?" Ye Chengzhu asked, staring intently into her eyes, full of suspicion.

"Yuanru, you can go down now."

"Mother, can't I listen?"

"Your older brother and I have something to say, but it's not appropriate for you to hear it. You can go down now."

Ye Yuanru could only close the door and leave, but then worried and went back.

Standing outside the door, she pressed her ear against it, but the sounds inside were still muffled. Xue Ruoxue was speaking too softly for her to hear clearly.

"Mother, is what you said true?"

Ye Chengzhu exclaimed in surprise, his face filled with shock.

"Yes! So you have to believe that your father will do his best to help you plan. Now you can calm down and focus on taking the imperial examination, right?"

"Okay, I listen to you."

Ye Chengzhu nodded, hope rekindling in his eyes.

Ye Yuanru thought that what her mother said might be a big secret, otherwise her older brother wouldn't have been so surprised.

Suddenly, someone patted her on the shoulder from behind, and she turned around abruptly.

"what……"

Before her was a face that had been gnawed and was completely disfigured; she couldn't help but scream.

The people inside heard the screams and ran out.

"Yuanru, what's wrong?" Ye Chengzhu walked to her side and asked worriedly.

"Yuanru, I am your father."

Ye Mian's voice was low, tinged with embarrassment and helplessness, while he covered his face.

"Why are you here at this hour? Why are you covering your face?"

Ye Mian was still wearing his official robes, which deepened Xue Ruoxue's doubts.

Ye Mian was ridiculed by the officials in the court today, and he was dealing with some backlogged documents at the Ministry of Revenue. Feeling extremely frustrated, he came here.

"Mother, Father's face..." Ye Yuanru's voice trembled as she pointed at Ye Mian.

"Let's go inside and talk!"

Ye Mian walked in on his own. Seeing him limping, the mother and her two children noticed his unusual condition, exchanged glances, and their eyes revealed that something had happened.