Zhao Dahe, troubled, tugged at his hair and patiently comforted Zhao Xiaohua. Slowly, Zhao Xiaohua finally stopped crying. Mainly because crying was to no avail. Zhao Xiaoshu left a note, clearly not wanting them to go looking for him. Moreover, even if they went searching, they knew nothing; where could they possibly find him? As of now, they could only wait for Mother to return and see what she would say. Beyond Zhao Dahe and Zhao Xiaohua, no one was more upset than Master Wang. Like Zhao Xiaohua initially, Master Wang fell into self-blame. How could he have been so negligent, missing everything? If he had noticed, could he have stopped it? Zhao Xiaohua was easy to console, but Master Wang was indeed difficult to alleviate. Initially, when the Qian Family had their incident, a great weight settled on his heart. Now, another mountain weighed upon him. Thus, Master Wang suggested leaving, not to find Zhao Xiaoshu, but to seek Qian Min. "Master, I don’t know when my mother will return. Even if you want to leave, could you at least wait until she comes back? Otherwise, without any elders here, after I enter the exam hall, I won’t be at ease with Xiaohua left alone," Zhao Dahe pleaded sincerely. With this excuse, he temporarily appeased Master Wang. In his heart, Zhao Dahe prayed, hoping his father would quickly find his mother and return soon. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to handle it. After completing the necessary business, with office matters temporarily overseen by the Assistant Magistrate, Ren Zhong met briefly with Zhao Dahe before hastily returning to Huaiyuan County. Firstly, because the Government Office’s affairs needed handling, and secondly, he could also learn what happened regarding Meng Yao on his territory. Du Ruyi came to bid farewell to Zhao Dahe and Zhao Xiaohua, as Li Tanyun was currently imprisoned, awaiting the Court’s process for detention. Originally, she could not escape this fate. Fortunately, the accounts and such were provided by her, and she also supplied substantial evidence, abandoning kin for justice, allowing her to walk free. As for her younger half-sister and the two children, Du Ruyi did not abandon them. After returning to the Capital City, she certainly did not face a peaceful life. Thus, she had to be well-prepared. The half-sister and the two children were her ’weapons’ of counterattack. "I will wait for you in the Capital City," Du Ruyi said. It wasn’t that she had confidence in Zhao Dahe; rather, she didn’t overly supervise his studies. She had confidence in Zhao Ting, believing that sooner or later, Meng Yao and her children would return to the Capital City with Zhao Ting. "Safe travel, Aunt Du," said Zhao Dahe. "Take good care of your sister, and keep a steady mind, so as not to affect the exam," Du Ruyi advised, "I haven’t left yet, so if you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to ask me. It’s not just because Sister Meng and I got along well; our family has a connection with your father’s family." She did have a bond with Zhao Ting. Of course, this bond was not romantic. Zhao Dahe replied affirmatively, frankly saying there was no need for help. He just wished someone could quickly find his mother, but clearly, Du Ruyi couldn’t do that either. The day before the Provincial Exam. Meng Yao and Zhao Ting still had not returned. Fortunately, Zhao Dahe had participated in the County Exam and had some experience; the items prepared last time by Meng Yao were all with him. As for food and drinks, Su Ye and Wen Nuan had prepared them together. Zhao Xiaohua had also provided Zhao Dahe with some pills for headaches and fevers, as standby. Of course, this time, they also prepared a set for Wen Shu and Yue Sihai. At night, Elder Jiang called the three into his room, giving them some instructions. On the day of the Provincial Exam, before dawn, the group headed to the exam site together. After a lengthy procedure, the gates of the exam hall closed. Zhao Xiaohua, Wen Nuan, and Su Ye headed home together. The Provincial Exam lasted three days, like the County Exam, and only after completing could they leave. The three days felt both long and short, ending with the three anxiously waiting for it to conclude. The three arrived early outside the exam venue. A quarter-hour after the bells tolled, the gates opened. Scholars gradually walked out. Zhao Xiaohua and the others successfully met whom they awaited. Alongside them came Yun Ying. Compared to the weary Zhao Dahe and his companions, Yun Ying still seemed ethereal, like an exiled celestial. "Shall I escort you back?" Yun Ying asked Zhao Dahe. "The place isn’t far. Let’s walk back," Zhao Dahe declined. The source of this content ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵 Yun Ying nodded slightly and got onto his carriage. "Second Brother, are you alright?" Zhao Xiaohua asked. "Has Mother returned?" Zhao Dahe asked. Actually, he knew she hadn’t returned when he didn’t see her upon coming out, but he still wanted to ask. "Not yet, but Lord Ren sent a message saying Mother was abducted by remnants of the Heaven and Earth Sect. He said Father knew many secrets of the Heaven and Earth Sect, so he would definitely bring Mother back," Zhao Xiaohua said. Once again Heaven and Earth Sect, Zhao Dahe gritted his teeth, waiting determinedly, he would someday eradicate the Heaven and Earth Sect. "Second Brother, what should we do next?" Zhao Xiaohua asked. "Wait," Zhao Dahe replied. For now, aside from waiting, there was nothing they could do. The results of the Provincial Exam would be posted in three days, therefore, none of the scholars left early, as whether they could proceed depended on if their names would be listed. Three days wasn’t a long or short time; early in the morning, the scholars in the house eagerly headed out, wanting to secure a good spot and check the results as soon as possible once they were posted. Zhao Dahe remained composed, saying that since the exam was over, whether anxious or not, would not affect the rankings. He always had confidence in himself. Zhao Xiaohua couldn’t sit still, dragging Wen Nuan out, and Su Ye, worried they might get pushed around, followed them. With Su Ye’s protection, Zhao Xiaohua and Wen Nuan finally squeezed to the front of the announcement board after much struggle. The first name, Zhao Dahe, stood out prominently, drawing attention. This was, by far, the best news recently. Wen Nuan also found Wen Shu’s name at thirteenth place. "Xiaohua, it happened, my brother became a Scholar," Wen Nuan excitedly grasped Zhao Xiaohua’s hand, overjoyed at their family producing a Scholar, foreseeing better days ahead. Becoming a Scholar meant being eligible to take the Imperial Exam. Even if unsuccessful, holding a Scholar title would allow starting a school and significantly improve the family’s lifestyle. Yue Sihai’s name was at the very end. Su Ye grinned widely, having a name on the list was enough. Before leaving, Zhao Xiaohua remembered Yun Ying and quickly checked if he succeeded as well. In a respectable position right in the middle of the first board, Zhao Xiaohua saw Yun Ying’s name. With both of Elder Jiang’s disciples making it, his future reputation would surely shine even brighter? Looking at those gathered to see the list; joyous ones stood alongside those dejected, truly capturing life’s myriad expressions. "Watch out," Zhao Xiaohua quickly pulled a young man standing dazedly. The man, foolishly standing, was nearly knocked over. With such a crowd, falling would surely result in being trampled. The man, pulled back to awareness, still appeared dazed, likely indicating he hadn’t passed, leaving him heartbroken and stunned. "You are still young..." Zhao Xiaohua tried to offer some comfort. "I passed, I passed, I became a Scholar!" The once-dazed man no longer seemed foolish, joyfully shouting out.