After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

Everyone eagerly awaited the arrival of the four men and four horses at the street corner.

The entire Jiang family was excited, except for one person whose palms were sweating nervously. It was simply because it was the first time the ugly brother-in-law was meeting his brother-in-law, and he was a little nervous.

Dong Jin had heard a lot about his prodigy brother-in-law over the past two years, from his wife, his sister-in-law, and the circle of scholars.

After all, he was also a scholar, but he had only passed the exam last year. Although a scholar who was twenty years old was already quite outstanding, he was far inferior to a young scholar who had achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations at less than ten years old.

He used to look down on child prodigies, but when a real child prodigy became a relative of his, his attitude changed.

Talented people emerge in every generation, so why can't there be child prodigies born with innate knowledge? Besides, this child prodigy has to call him "elder brother-in-law."

Jiang Xiaoqi, unaware that someone was fantasizing, nimbly dismounted and knelt before Lin Yueniang.

"Your unfilial son has caused your mother worry!" How could he tell his mother that he was in the North and hadn't written home much in the past two years? Firstly, he was afraid of being exposed, and secondly, communication was really inconvenient during wartime.

With tears in her eyes, Lin Yueniang helped Jiang Xiaoqi up.

The second sister, Jiang Xiyue, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward and said, "Little brother, get up quickly. The ground is cold. You must be tired from your journey."

Jiang Xiwen, supported by Dong Jin, stepped forward and said, "Little brother!"

"Big sister, what's wrong with you...?" Jiang Xiaoqi was a little surprised. She looked at her older sister's slightly protruding belly and then glanced at the strange man who was supporting her.

The smile on Dong Jin's face froze, making him inexplicably more nervous.

Jiang Xiwen seemed to sense her husband's nervousness and quickly introduced the two: "Younger brother, this is your elder brother-in-law, Dong Jin. Husband, this is our younger brother, Ming Fei."

Jiang Xiaoqi looked up at Dong Jin and politely cupped her hands, saying, "Mingfei greets brother-in-law."

Dong Jin quickly returned the greeting, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. This brother-in-law looked even more beautiful than the Jiang sisters!

But he wasn't just a pretty face; he had a proper build, clear eyes, and an inherent air of composure.

Although her demeanor is quite different from her age, it doesn't feel out of place.

After exchanging pleasantries, the Jiang family welcomed Jiang Xiaoqi and his entourage into their residence.

A banquet had been prepared in advance to welcome Jiang Xiaoqi back.

"Thank you for your guidance of Mingfei these past two years, sir. You've worked so hard!"

Ouyang Zheng is already over sixty years old, so Lin Yueniang doesn't need to be particularly discreet and can say a few words to him, since she is the only one in charge of the family now.

She arranged a banquet for the guests, leaving her son and eldest son-in-law to take care of them, while she and her daughters sat at the table behind the screen.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Jiang Xiaoqi and her senior brother worked together to get her brother-in-law, whom she was meeting for the first time, drunk.

It's said that one's drinking habits reveal one's character. Since he didn't have much time to get to know someone properly after returning this time, he had to find a "shortcut."

"Little brother, you are a little, a little scholar who has achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations. Your brother-in-law admires you greatly! When I was your age, I wasn't even a child scholar!"

I'm scared, scared that you won't like me, hiccup~ I'll look down on you, waaaaaah, I only passed the imperial examination at twenty, am I too stupid!?

Jiang Xiaoqi: ...? Why is the conversation all about him?

Jiang Xiaoqi's face darkened: "Brother-in-law, are you drunk!"

"I'm not drunk! I can still drink! I, I'm your brother-in-law, I, hiccup~ I'm the brother-in-law of the prodigy Jiang family, I'm so envious, so incredibly envious of them!"

"Okay, you're not drunk. Why don't you sit down first? It's tiring to talk while standing!"

Jiang Xiaoqi had his senior brother help Dong Jin sit down and poured him a cup of strong tea.

As Dong Jin sipped his tea and looked at Jiang Xiaoqi, he suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hey bro, you're really handsome! Even more handsome than a young girl!"

Jiang Xiaoqi's lips twitched. What kind of nonsense was this?! He was itching to punch someone to relieve the urge.

"Alright, my husband, stop teasing me. I've had a long journey, let me rest early. There will be plenty of opportunities to get closer to you in the future."

Sigh, my husband is really something. Did he marry me because he loved me, or because his younger brother is a child prodigy and a top scholar?

It's probably a combination of both. After all, she herself likes her younger brother the most, and now that there's another person who likes her younger brother, she's very happy.

Dong Jin looked at his wife, who was supporting him, and grinned sheepishly. "Wife, hehe, hiccup~, you know what? I'm especially happy today."

Jiang Xiwen asked playfully, "Why are you so happy?"

Dong Jin chuckled: "I originally thought I had no hope of passing the provincial examination, but since I married my wife and saw that my father-in-law and grandfather were actively preparing for the exam, I... I don't want to give up anymore."

In this life, one should always strive and fight, lest one's grandfather, father-in-law, and brother-in-law all become successful scholars while I remain a mere novice, which would be too embarrassing for my wife!

The granddaughter, daughter, and elder sister of a scholar who passed the imperial examinations all married a mere novice. What will outsiders think of my wife? I... I can't let my wife lose face!

Jiang Xiwen was taken aback. Her husband, who was usually as clueless as a goose, had actually thought about so many things? Or was he provoked by his younger brother, Xiao Sanyuan?

My younger brother was not even seven years old when he became the top scholar in the academy. After a few years of preparation, he took the provincial examination and was almost certain to pass.

A 12 or 13-year-old scholar who has passed the provincial examination should have a high chance of passing the metropolitan examination, unless he suddenly changes his temperament and stops studying.

Back then, if Dong Jin, who was her brother-in-law, was still a scholar, others might not say anything, but she herself would be the first to feel uncomfortable.

Besides, they have two elders in their family who are always causing trouble!

Dong Jin always felt that he had married above his station with the Jiang family, and if he did not achieve anything in terms of fame and fortune, that would truly be a disgrace!

Therefore, he could not be satisfied with the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), and he could not put down his books. He had to continue down the path of the imperial examinations, no, I mean, he had to go all the way to the end!

"Ding! Host, suitable sub-accounts for adding to the auxiliary system have been detected nearby. Host, please select whether to bind?"

"What? Another auxiliary system?" I was already bound to my grandfather and father before the academy exam, and now this is...?

Could it be this brother-in-law I just met? He's a scholar too, so why am I getting a system binding notification now?

Could it be that this person didn't want to continue taking the imperial examinations before, but suddenly changed their mind today?

"Name of the person to be bound?"

"Dong Jin, a scholar with the title of Xiucai, is about to take the next autumn imperial examination. If the binding is successful, the main system will receive 3000 points after the bound person of the subordinate system passes the examination!"

"Bind!"

"Okay, host. Subsidiary system number 003 has been bound to Dong Jin."

3000 points. His brother-in-law is quite valuable. If he passes all the subordinate systems in the provincial examination, wouldn't he earn nearly 10,000 points just from those systems?

Wow, that's a huge profit! Looks like I'll have to get a copy of those provincial examination materials for my cheap brother-in-law too~