Lady Hou is reborn and, by pampering her illegitimate son, reclaims her life of wealth and privilege

The main hall on the first floor of Yin Tai Bai was set up with forty dining tables, and the second floor had twenty private rooms. Under Wei Fenghui's glorious leadership, every room was packed.

At this moment, Wei Fenghui and his family were enjoying the delicacies of Yin Taibai in a private room, completely unaware of the noise and bustle outside.

Wei Fenghui gently picked up a piece of abalone-shaped precious sea cucumber and exclaimed, "This delicacy from Yin Taibai is truly extraordinary."

Jiang Huaiyu responded with a smile: "This shop was made by my mother, how could it not suit your tastes?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked surprised and stared at Jiang Huaiyu.

Jiang Huaiyu smiled confidently, then said to Wei Fenghui, "Enjoy your meal. There's a task waiting for you afterward."

Wei Fenghui, intrigued, asked, "What exactly is the mission?"

Jiang Huaiyu pointed to the noisy street outside the shop, "Listen to the noise outside, do you know why?"

Wei Fenghui gently shook his head.

"Those people all came for you."

Wei Fenghui's eyes widened. "You came for me?"

Jiang Huaiyu nodded. "Later, you'll come with me to distribute wedding candies to everyone. Don't let them go home empty-handed."

After saying that, he gestured to the waiter to bring out the prepared wedding candies.

My mother has made all the preparations.

Inside Yintaibai, the place was bustling with noise. In the center of the lobby on the first floor, at the wide staircase leading to the second floor, eight armored guards suddenly appeared and surrounded the staircase.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to this unexpected scene, and they all turned their curious gazes toward the staircase.

A middle-aged man dressed in a magnificent robe, with a slightly protruding belly, slowly descended from the second floor. This man was none other than Manager Wu of Yin Tai Bai. He bowed to the crowd and said loudly, "Today, Yin Tai Bai is grandly opening. We are honored to have invited the esteemed scholar Wei Fenghui, who has graced our store with his presence, adding much of the auspicious spirit of the God of Literature to our establishment. We also thank you all for your support."

Manager Wu then announced: "Our store has specially invited Mr. Wei to come out and meet everyone. Now, please welcome Mr. Wei to appear and say hello to everyone."

Cheers and applause rose and fell.

The guests in the private rooms on the second floor also opened their windows and crowded around them, peering towards the staircase.

Wei Fenghui wore a snow-white brocade robe with cloud patterns, and around his waist was a spring belt with colorful jade pendants given to him by Jiang Huaiyu. A simple white jade hairpin adorned his hair. Two servants followed behind him as they walked out of the private room and stopped at the top of the stairs.

He was elegant and refined, like a jade tree in the wind, with outstanding demeanor that drew attention. In addition, his extensive knowledge and status as a noble son of the Marquis of Jiaxing made him stand out even more, shining brightly.

His distinguished birth, exceptional talent, and outstanding appearance captivated countless beauties and socialites, stirring their hearts and secretly placing their affections in his hands. Many noblewomen also nodded in approval, secretly planning their daughters' marriages.

Wei Fenghui clasped his hands in a respectful bow to the surrounding crowd and said in a gentle and refined manner, "I am Wei Fenghui. I am fortunate to have won the honor of being the top scholar in this year's imperial examination. I am grateful for your kind attention and have come here to gather with you. I have prepared some candies and would like to share this joy with you all."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took the silk bag containing candy from his attendant behind him, and with a light grab, scattered a handful of candy below.

The guests on the first floor surged forward, scrambling to grab the prizes, filling the air with laughter and creating a lively atmosphere. Wei Fenghui simply tossed a few handfuls at a time, and the rest were distributed to each table by his attendants.

"The delicacies of Yin Taibai are indeed extraordinary, especially the 'Yipinhong' wine, which is mellow and has an unforgettable aftertaste. Please enjoy yourselves. I shall take my leave now."

After saying that, Wei Fenghui turned around and leisurely left, returning to his private room.

Jiang Huaiyu observed the reactions of the people on the first floor through the window of the private room, thinking to himself that the threshold of the Jiaxing Marquis's mansion would soon be trampled by countless suitors.

In his previous life, Wei Fenghui never married, so in this life, we must find him a good match.

To avoid causing unnecessary commotion, after finishing their meal, Jiang Yu and his entourage quietly slipped out through the back door of Yin Taibai and returned to the Marquis's residence.

With only three days left until the palace examination, Wei Fenghui, despite having already won the provincial examination, did not slack off and returned to his courtyard to bury himself in his studies.

With the opening of Xiaoxiang Pavilion and Yin Taibai, Xiaoxiang Street became bustling with people and was a popular destination. The surrounding shops also attracted people's attention, and many people bought them and started renovations.

Jiang Huaiyu decided to hold off on renting out the ten shops he had previously purchased, waiting until the property prices reached new highs in a few days before doing so, in order to obtain more favorable rents.

Yin Taibai also gained fame during this period. However, what truly keeps customers coming back for a restaurant is its mouthwatering delicacies, warm and attentive service, and the restaurant's own taste and style.

Time flies, and three days passed in the blink of an eye. On the day of the palace examination, Wei Fenghui entered the deep courtyard of the palace before dawn, anxiously waiting for the good news to arrive in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Yintai Bai Restaurant had already received reservations from many students' families, who were preparing to celebrate this joyous moment together after the results of the imperial examination were announced.

"Boom, boom, boom."

The main gate of the palace swung open, and three handsome guards, mounted on fine horses, wearing bright red flowers on their chests, carrying bronze gongs and imperial edicts on their backs, went out separately to read out the names of the top three scholars: the first, second, and third place winners.

One of the guards stepped out of the palace and walked along the street, striking a gong and loudly announcing:

"Wei Fenghui, the eldest son of the Marquis of Jiaxing, won the title of Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the imperial examination)."

The news spread like wildfire throughout the capital, and everyone in the streets and alleys was talking about it: Wei Fenghui, the eldest son of the Marquis of Jiaxing, had won the title of top scholar.

Everyone was saying the same thing: "The Jiaxing Marquis's Mansion is about to usher in a new era of glory."

At the gate of the Marquis of Jiaxing's residence, the crowd still eagerly awaited, with Wei Ruoyi and others clenching their fists and placing them in front of their chests in silent prayer.

Although Wei Fenghui had already won first place in the provincial examination, the palace examination was personally presided over by the emperor, so whether he could win again was still unknown.

Just as everyone was anxiously waiting, the same road and similar scenes unfolded once again.

This time, the guards rode in from afar, banging on a gong, and announced loudly: "Wei Fenghui, the eldest son of the Marquis of Jiaxing, has been awarded the title of Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the imperial examination)."

The servants and young men who had been waiting nearby sprang into action upon hearing the commotion, beating drums and gongs, creating a joyous atmosphere with cheers and firecrackers.

"Congratulations, young master."

"Son! You've become the top scholar in the imperial examination."

The people of the Marquis's mansion were overjoyed. The value of becoming the top scholar (状元) far exceeded that of becoming the provincial scholar (会元). This was the emperor's own inscription, representing the highest recognition. Once one became the top scholar, their path to officialdom would be smooth sailing.

Just like the current prime minister, who was the top scholar in his year of the imperial examination, a symbol of a promising future.

On that day, bearing the heavy responsibility of conveying the imperial grace, the messenger arrived at the majestic gate of the Marquis of Jiaxing's residence. He dismounted, unloaded the magnificent imperial edict from his back, and, head held high, solemnly proclaimed: "Wei Fenghui of the Marquis of Jiaxing's residence, receive the imperial decree."

Upon hearing the commotion, all the guests and servants in the mansion knelt down.