It seems that human nature can never escape the inclination to "watch the excitement". Though the people at the village entrance were somewhat anxious and uneasy, with their minds in a flutter, they were all too eager to know whether the "Chen Xu" mentioned by Cui Fu was indeed the very Chen Xu from their village. Life is always full of oddities and fantasies, beyond what people can imagine. So, a bizarre scene emerged in Xiaowan Village a quarter of an hour later. A foreign carriage moved slowly at the rear, while a housekeeper dressed like a wealthy gentleman and the aged Master Fang strolled leisurely at the front. Accompanying them were eight skilled and imposing knife-wielding guards. A little further away followed the villagers, idlers, children, and elderly women, each with a curious expression on the periphery. This group was so conspicuous that even those working in the fields on the other side couldn’t help but drop their farming tasks and follow along when they saw the scene. Some would ask, "What’s happening?" Others would nervously say, "What’s going on? Who are those people?" Initially, those villagers who had seen the guards display their knives were nervous, but soon, as more people asked and joined, the villagers’ courage grew bit by bit. Someone couldn’t help but explain, "They came from Yunjiang Prefecture, saying that it’s a housekeeper from the Cui Family, here to take our village’s Chen Erlang to the Prefecture City for an exam." "Why does Chen Erlang need someone to pick him up for the exam? If they’re picking him up, why do so many people come?" "I don’t know, maybe it’s the grand style of a wealthy family. Otherwise, see, isn’t it impressive?" "Hiss, it truly is impressive..." And impressive it was. If the Chen Xu mentioned by the Cui housekeeper was indeed Xiaowan Village’s Chen Xu, then Chen Xu’s name would from this day forward be known throughout the surrounding ten or more miles for at least a decade! "Oh my, if someone with such a grand demeanor came to pick me up, I, I, I... I would go to my ancestors’ graves and kowtow until I broke my head." "Tsk, what a dreamer you are, afraid it was your ancestors underground who knocked their heads broken?" The commotion spread like wildfire, almost boiling the entire Xiaowan Village. The Chen family father and sons were working in the fields, watching as villagers around them couldn’t resist dropping their tasks and heading towards the village. Chen An was feeling somewhat restless too, and couldn’t help but say, "Father, it seems like something big is happening over there. Shouldn’t we go take a look?" His father, Chen Qianshan, simply hunched over without looking up, saying, "If we don’t plant seedlings in March, we’ll weep over the fields in June, what is there to see? Can watching a commotion yield rice or gather fruits? Other people’s excitement has nothing to do with us." Chen An had to reluctantly suppress his restless emotions. However, he still couldn’t help but say, "Father, the Qiu Family is coming to see our family today, and I don’t know if my elder brother’s marriage will work out or if the future sister-in-law will be easy to get along with." Chen Ping was busy planting seedlings beside them, and upon hearing Chen An mention his marriage, he couldn’t help but blush slightly on his wheat-colored skin. But he said nothing, merely quickening his pace at planting. Both his father and elder brother were reticent, and although Chen An was feeling agitated, he had no choice but to follow along, speeding up his pace in planting seedlings. As the people passing by increased in number, the bustling noise seemed to drift further away. Chen An was about to calm himself down, having lost the desire to join in on the excitement. Suddenly, he heard a shout from the field ridge: "Goudan! Anzi! Come quickly, something has happened at your house!" The three Chen family members raised their heads simultaneously. They saw a familiar youth on the field ridge anxiously waving his hand: "Anzi, brother Aiping, Uncle, something really happened, some noble people from the city came claiming they’re here to take your brother Chen Erlang to the Prefecture City for an exam!" Oh, so they’re taking Chen Xu to the Prefecture City for an exam. What’s so serious about that? They’re taking Chen Xu to the Prefecture City for an exam! The faces of the three Chen family members simultaneously showed a belated look of shock. Chen An was the first to react, exclaiming, "Tietou, what did you say? Nobles want to take my second brother? My second brother isn’t home." Chen Qianshan, however, threw down the seedlings in his hand and immediately set off running towards the village road. Chen Ping followed closely behind, and Chen An, who first questioned, was actually the slowest to move, but he hurriedly followed too. Despite their urgency, they were even more confused. They felt they could understand every word the youth on the ridge had said, but put together, they couldn’t grasp the meaning. Yet, out of concern and worry for Chen Xu, they rushed out of the fields at their top speed. Then, they were led by Tietou in a muddled chase towards their home. Along the way, Chen An couldn’t help but ask all sorts of questions, but Tietou wasn’t much clearer-headed than they were. He kept repeating, "It’s just that some nobles said Chen Erlang is especially amazing, so they’re taking Chen Erlang to the Prefecture City for an exam!" And he added, "Oh, before, when I passed by your house, it seemed there was some arguing in the courtyard. Like an old woman saying Chen Erlang definitely won’t pass the exam, telling aunty not to think about supporting Erlang in his studies anymore, aunty was upset..." The more the three of them listened, the more anxious they grew. They finally arrived at the doorstep, only to find the entrance crowded with villagers blocking the way. Thus, the three Chen family members reached their own doorstep but surprisingly couldn’t enter their own home. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝕟𝕖𝕥 They anxiously shouted, "Make way, make way..." Suddenly, a heart-wrenching cry erupted from inside. "What did I say wrong? Some people just lack the destiny to pass exams, I merely spoke the truth and you all... ah! Save me!" After crying for help came a series of: "Sister-in-law, please ask these good men to spare me? It’s my fault for having a loose tongue and not knowing how to speak, for being blind and unable to recognize a True Master, I will punish myself, isn’t that enough? I’ll punish myself, boo hoo hoo..." Following was the continuous sound of slapping, as if the person was slapping their own face. At last, a familiar, cold, slow yet decisive voice sounded. It was the voice of Chen Mother, Luo Shi: "I am neither your sister, nor your in-law. This marriage, it is off, you go!" The voice reverberated, echoing in the hearts of the three Chen family members. The villagers crowded at the yard’s entrance finally opened a pathway, and three people emerged supportively from inside. All three covered their faces with their hands, crying as they dared not meet anyone’s gaze. The previously quiet crowd watching the scene finally erupted in huge boos. Someone even clapped and said, "Serves them right! How dare they suggest that our village’s scholar marry into their village, what big faces, now they’ve been slapped swollen, right?" Even the children teased, singing: "Big-faced, slapped, whoosh whoosh whoosh..." The three women ran away with their faces covered, not daring to utter another word. After only a few dozen steps, they suddenly saw a carriage appear at the street corner; it was unknown when it had arrived. It was not the luxurious Cui Family carriage but a simple one made of blue cloth. A person stood beside the carriage. In a blue robe and plain clothes, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, outstandingly handsome.