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

Tan Hao followed behind his father with excitement, feeling that he was dressed too extravagantly today.

I'm starting to feel a bit like a peacock, lacking the refined, scholarly air I once had.

If he had known Mr. Ouyang would come, he should have changed into an outfit that better suited the image of a scholar!

Just like Mingfei, he wore a moon-white robe and didn't need excessive gold or jade decorations.

After passing through layers of corridors, they finally arrived at the main gate of the Tan Family Villa. The father and son straightened their clothes and stood up straight, eagerly waiting.

Before long, a simple carriage stopped in front of the Tan family's villa. The driver stopped the carriage and placed the footrest under the carriage shaft.

A pair of fair hands lifted the carriage curtain, and a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), stepped off the carriage.

He turned around and lifted the carriage curtain again, revealing a scholar of about thirty years old, dressed in a blue robe.

This person had a face like jade, and his black hair was half-tied up on top of his head with a jade hairpin shaped like a green bamboo.

A gentle breeze swept by, and her loose, flowing black hair spread out in the air, yet remained perfectly neat.

The scholar in blue robes alighted from his carriage and walked toward the gate, followed closely by a young girl in a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

"Mr. Ouyang, it is an honor to have you grace my humble abode with your presence!"

The scholar in blue nodded slightly, and the girl behind him also bowed slightly to the Tan family father and son.

"Mr. Ouyang?" Tan Hao asked, unsure whether he was surprised or puzzled.

The scholar in blue recognized a student he had taught for a period of time at the Jiang family school in Xinghe Prefecture.

"Master Ouyang! Your student pays respects to you!"

Master Ouyang smiled and helped Tan Hao up. "It's been many years since we last met. You've grown up so much that I didn't recognize you at first."

"The Master hasn't changed at all; in fact, he's even more radiant than before!"

"Hahahaha, you, you used to be such a quiet child, now you actually know how to make the old folks happy!"

Where is Ouyang Qun old? At the age of thirty, he looks like a young man who has just come of age. Time never defeats a beauty, and this saying applies to handsome men as well.

Time is always more lenient towards beautiful things, and it also cherishes talented people who are as precious as jade.

Mr. Tan was surprised to learn that his son had been a student of Mr. Ouyang. After all, the Ouyang family was a powerful clan, and the Empress Dowager's maternal family was surnamed "Ouyang"!

Mr. Tan hurriedly said, "Mr. Ouyang, please come in. I really didn't know that my son had the honor of being taught by you. My son is truly blessed!"

Ouyang Qun appeared much colder in the face of Master Tan's flattery. Master Tan's little schemes were exposed in front of him, while Master Tan himself was still basking in his own self-satisfaction.

For the first time, Tan Hao felt that his father was somewhat ashamed. Although Master Ouyang was his former teacher, he had only taught him for a few months.

Moreover, Mr. Ouyang only taught calligraphy at the clan school, and he could only attend Mr. Ouyang's class once every seven or eight days. In fact, he did not have much interaction with Mr. Ouyang.

Father's overly familiar manner should not annoy the husband.

However, since you are willing to attend the literary gathering, I suppose you don't have a bad impression of his family.

The journey wasn't long, but Tan Hao's mind was filled with a myriad of emotions.

The Jiang family school back then was truly a place where hidden talents abounded, including a renowned female teacher and a great calligrapher from the Ouyang family in Beijing.

The Qiu family, which sided with the Empress, the Ouyang family (the Empress Dowager's maternal family), and the Liu family (the Consort Liu's maternal family) all had members studying at the Jiang family school. Who would believe this was just a coincidence?

Did everyone really just happen to gather at a small, unknown clan school by chance?

Master Tan busied himself with preparations, reserving the warm pavilion with the best view and the most elegant furnishings for Ouyang Qun, and instructing seven or eight maids to be by her side at any time, a privilege no one else received.

Seeing his father's attentive manner, Tan Hao longed to escape this warm room, but things didn't go as planned. His father arranged for him to stay by Master Ouyang's side and take care of him at all times.

Tan's father also wanted to get closer to Ouyang Qun, but he sensed that Ouyang Qun didn't like talking to him, a man with little knowledge. So he brought his son along, while he took the opportunity to get closer to other people of status.

"Sir, please have some tea!"

Having no other choice, Tan Hao could only act as a dutiful servant, trying his best not to annoy the master.

"Tan Hao, have you continued to improve your calligraphy skills in recent years?"

Ouyang Qun suddenly asked a question, and Tan Hao paused in pouring tea, but quickly regained his composure, after all, he had never slacked off over the years.

He traveled extensively to learn from knowledgeable people, and he also made considerable progress in calligraphy over the years, at least much better than three years ago. He was confident that Master Ouyang would not disappoint him.

"Master, I have never slacked off over the years. Although I have not achieved great success, I have made some progress."

"Hmm, should we take the provincial examination in three years?"

"Yes, the student wants to try out in three years!"

The girl in the pale yellow dress took the teapot, poured a cup of tea for Tan Hao, and then quietly withdrew, becoming like an invisible person in the warm pavilion.

If Jiang Xiaoqi or Li Haisheng were here, they would be able to see the extraordinary nature of this girl. After all, what kind of person can walk without making a sound?

This woman had the demeanor of a master of the imperial guards and secret agents; she spoke little, looked little, and listened little, and could disappear at any time.

Ouyang Qun nodded slightly, but his gaze inadvertently fell on a group of people huddled together outside the warm pavilion, picking plum blossoms.

"Dad, are you sure you can do it? That one, the tallest one, is the best looking. Mom will definitely like it."

"You brat, who can't you talk to!"

Jiang Wenqing rolled up his sleeves and stood on tiptoe to reach the red plum blossoms on the branch, but before he could reach them, his son Jiang Xiaoqi said it wouldn't work.

"Oh, alright, stop fooling around. We're at someone else's house, don't be impolite!"

Landlord Jiang stopped his son's foolish behavior. "If it really could reach it, that would be fine. There's still a long way to go between the claw and the red plum blossom on the branch. Why make things difficult for yourself and the plum tree?"

How many red petals have been shaken off the ground? Don't you have any sense of right and wrong?!

Of course, Jiang Xiaoqi, who initially suggested taking a sprig of plum blossom back to her mother, won't be scolded. The world where only Jiang Wenqing is hurt has been achieved once again.

"It's Mingfei! Mr. Ouyang, Mingfei was also a student at the Jiang Clan School!"

Tan Hao realized his words were appropriate only after they were spoken: Ming Fei was a member of the Jiang family, unlike those who had entered through examinations.

For a moment, he forgot that Jiang Mingfei was the grand-nephew of Jiang Changqing, the prefectural magistrate of Xinghe Prefecture and headmaster of the Jiang clan school.

Lord Jiang Changqing is the one who is related to the Liu family, a powerful clan in the capital. This is why his family is so eager to get in touch with the Jiang family.

Compared to the Tan family, which started out as a business, the Jiang family appears to have more heritage and a more refined and noble character.

In Beijing's social circles, the Jiang family, who rose from humble beginnings in farming and scholarship, would be more popular than the Tan family, who were wealthy and powerful imperial merchants.

This contrast is also evident among the female members. The Tan family, as the organizers, had two daughters who, despite being illegitimate, were subtly at the center of the girls' social circles due to their status as hosts.

However, most of the people present were relatives of scholars, and some of them were quite self-important and unwilling to associate with the daughters of merchants.

This put the two of them in an awkward position. Not greeting them would seem like neglect, but greeting them would risk being snubbed and losing face.

Just then, Madam Tan led the four sisters, Jiang Xiwen, Jiang Xiyue, Jiang Lan'er, and Jiang Lian'er, to the flower-viewing hall where the women were gathered.