The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife

Chapter 15

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S T E L L A R C L O U D

[Celeste S.] [Azurixa] [Robert K.]

O R A N G E S T A R

[Talia R.]

Y E L L O W S T A R

[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]

Gu Dashun could read books so well, in addition to being really smart, it was also because he was diligent.

Today, he had gotten up earlier than Zhou shi and Gu Yue'e and was studying in his room at the moment. When he heard his father call him, he put down the book in his hand and came out. He asked, “Dad, what’s the matter?”

As soon as his voice dropped, he saw the middle-aged man outside the gate.

He vaguely recognized the man’s face, but he could not remember where he had seen him. What was certain was that the other party’s outfit and bearing were out of the ordinary. It simply made people wonder why he came to their house.

"Dad, what did you say just now? I was studying and didn't hear you clearly." He turned to Gu Changhai and asked.

Gu Changhai pointed to the middle-aged man and smiled, "This is the steward of Tianxiang Academy. He has come to deliver your admission documents!"

"Admission documents?" Gu Dashun had the same doubt as Gu Changhai. The academy had informed them that after the exam, the results would be posted on the third day, and the admission documents would be issued on the seventh day. They could get it by going to the east gate of the academy.

There were still three more days before the seventh day, so how come his admission documents were already issued out? Moreover, it was even delivered to his home.

By now, the middle-aged man also understood something. He smiled and said, "It turns out that there is another examinee in your house. But I’m afraid Mister Gu must have misunderstood me. The documents in my hands are not for this examinee, but for a different Young Gentleman Gu."

Gu Changhai said curiously, "Dashun is the only examinee in our family."

The middle-aged man maintained a decent smile on his face, "I didn’t speak clear enough just now. May I ask, is Young Gentleman Gu Xiaoshun here?"

The pair of father and son were stunned.

It took Gu Changhai a while to find his voice again, "You... Are you mistaken? Gu Xiaoshun didn't take the exam."

Gu Xiaoshun was such a naughty boy! A rascal! He would never take an exam in his eight lifetimes!

And even if he took it, it was also impossible for him to pass the exam!

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "I'm not mistaken. It's Gu Xiaoshun indeed. My Lord personally recommended him. He can enter the academy even if he didn’t take the entrance examination.”

Gu Changlu heard his son's name as soon as he stepped out of his room. He rushed up and said, "What’s the matter with Xiaoshun? Did he get into some kind of trouble again? Rascal! I'm going to beat him!"

Gu Changlu had just gotten up from bed and still had an unkempt appearance. Even so, the middle-aged man's smile didn’t change at all, "My Lord went up the mountain and accidentally collapsed on his way back. Fortunately, Young Gentleman Gu found and rescued him. Well then, this matter is settled. I’d be troubling the two Misters to hand over these admission documents to Young Gentleman Gu and tell him to enter the academy in four days."

"Our family can't afford to pay for two students!" Gu Changhai suddenly spoke.

Gu Changlu was still in a fog and didn't quite understand what was going on.

The middle-aged man looked at Gu Dashun and then at Gu Changhai. This time, there wasn’t a trace of smile within his eyes, "It is written on the documents that there is no need for tuition payments. In addition, books and academy uniforms have also been prepared. Please hand them over to Young Gentleman Gu."

His father and uncle didn’t notice it, but Gu Dashun noticed that the other party addressed him as "this examinee" while he addressed Gu Xiaoshun as Young Gentleman Gu.

What was more, he came second in the exam but the other party didn't even know this was his home.

Gu Dashun's expression looked bad.

He wanted to ask the other party and his Lord’s identity, but as soon as the middle-aged man handed Gu Changlu a mahogany brocade box, he directly got into the carriage and left.

Finally, Gu Changlu somewhat understood things at this moment, "Big brother, that man... Does he mean Xiaoshun... Can attend the academy?"

The whole family learned about this matter at breakfast.

"When did you go up the mountain? Who did you save? Why didn't you tell your family?" Liu shi asked a series of questions.

"I... How should I know him? It’s... It’s just natural to save people." His sister forbade him to tell others the truth, so he could only carry this pot[1]. But he did not expect the result would be like this. How did he end up having to go to school?

"Ahem! Since we don’t have to pay for anything, just let Xiaoshun go. That’s better than letting him get into trouble outside all day." Gu Changlu said.

“Who will do the field work when he's gone?” Zhou shi was dissatisfied.

Not having to pay for anything was good and all, but then, they would be left with only a few people to work in the field. In the end, they would be the ones to get tired.

Gu Dashun looked at Zhou shi and said, "Mom, it's good to have many scholars in the family. After classes in the academy end, I can help in the field."

"How can I let you do that?" Zhou shi disagreed. Her son was born to study, not to plough crops in the field!

Liu shi wasn’t pleased to hear this at all. Zhou shi was acting as if her son was a nobleman, then were her own sons lowly? But Gu Xiaoshun was indeed a worthless student. If it was Ershun being obstructed from going to the academy instead, then Liu Shi would talk back to her.

"It’s just... Xiaoshun has to change his temper or at least sit still like Ershun." Gu Dashun spoke again.

Everyone unanimously agreed to what he said in their hearts. Correct, with Gu Xiaoshun's awful performance, would he be able to attend classes obediently? If in case he offended the teacher, Gu Dashun would also be implicated.

"What about... Let Ershun go instead?" Liu shi asked.

Ershun was smarter than Xiaoshun and more disciplined than Xiaoshun. If they let him attend the academy to learn, he might be able to pass the exam to be a Xiucai!

In fact, Zhou shi still disagreed. She thought Ershun only looked studious on the surface. In reality, when Dashun gave him lectures several times, he didn't learn them at all.

He was simply not fit for studying, but Liu shi was indulged in her fantasy. She always dreamt of being a mother of a Xiucai and thus put all her hope on Ershun.

It was just, several men in the family didn't object this time, so Zhou shi didn't say anything either.

Throughout the whole process, no one asked Gu Xiaoshun's opinion.

…….

Three days later, Xiao Liulang and Gu Dashun went to get their admission documents and academy uniforms respectively.

Books were prepared by themselves. Gu Xiaoshun knew Xiao Liulang didn't have them, so he intended to give him the books provided to him. However, they were now in Gu Ershun's hands.

Gu Jiao, carrying the basket on her back, sent Xiao Liulang to the town, and as usual, she escorted people to the academy first before going to the market on foot.

The next day, Xiao Liulang changed into his brand new uniform. Gu Jiao had already seen others wearing the same uniform before, including Feng Lin, but no one was like Xiao Liulang, who looked especially tall and picturesque in the snow-white attire.

Indeed, the young man was so dashing that he was unrivaled in the whole world[2].

After a while, Gu Jiao's gaze landed on his feet.

Discovering that he was wearing the new shoes she bought for him, the corners of Gu Jiao’s lips curved up.

"Does it fit?" Gu Jiao asked.

"En." Xiao Liulang nodded faintly.

Gu Jiao handed him the crutch and went out the door with him.

When they arrived at the entrance of the village, Second Uncle Luo's oxcart was already waiting there. Not many people planned to go to town today. In fact, except for her and Xiao Liulang, only Gu Dashun and Gu Ershun were there.

The two of them were also wearing the academy uniform.

To be honest, the members of the Gu Family were not bad-looking. Gu Dashun was even better looking than most of the men in town, but when he was placed next to Xiao Liulang, he was instantly defeated. After all, if Xiao Liulang stayed still, he could even be mistaken for a painting. His whole body simply exuded an elegant and scholarly atmosphere.

The matter of Gu Xiaoshun saving someone from the academy was known to the whole family. Gu Jiao talked to Xiao Liulang about it, so they both knew that the person to go to the academy today should be Gu Xiaoshun.

However, the two people didn’t show much surprise when they saw Gu Ershun, who was dressed in a uniform that was obviously one size smaller than him, appeared on the oxcart, as if they had expected the Gu Family to do such a shameful thing.

Gu Jiao sneered.

Xiao Liulang gently put his bundle to one side and found that Gu Jiao had stuffed him with copper coins again, this time twenty.

"Humph!" Gu Ershun gave them both an eye roll.

The oxcart soon arrived near the academy.

"Stop right here. We'll walk there by ourselves." Gu Dashun said.

Meanwhile, Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao sat all the way to the gate of the academy.

After Xiao Liulang entered the academy, Gu Jiao went to the market with the basket on her back.

1. ↑ — 锅|guō: 'pot' usually refers to fault or blame. Possibly came from the idiom '背黑锅' which means to take the blame for others, to be other’s scapegoat. But in this context, the pot doesn’t necessarily mean a bad thing. Rather than blame, it's more like credit. 2. ↑ — Gu Jiao was quoting a verse from a Chinese poem.

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Also, please also have a look at our other translations!

Everyone But Me Is Reborn

Her father is a coward and senselessly filial. Her mother is weak and gullible. Her elder brother is a wastrel.

When she married into the Wangfu, she suffered and was coldly treated. And by the time she was in labour, she was fated to die with the unborn child in her belly.

This was supposed to be Ning Nuan's life.

However this time, everyone but her is reborn.

Ning Nuan is at a loss. She felt that her dad has suddenly become the pillar of the family, her mother’s temper became fierce, and even her elder brother, who would only walk the dogs and play with birds all day, has begun picking up books and reading them carefully.

There is also that juvenile that shows up at the wall of her courtyard everyday, calling her “Ah Nuan, Ah Nuan” with an honest face.