Chapter 1777 – Heartbroken for the Candidates
The Tao Clan saw that the topic was open, and casually remarked, “It’s just a school exam at the academy, it doesn’t matter much. How could your father not have connections?”
It all depended on whether the other party was interested in knowing.
Han Yu frowned, while Han Run said, “Father’s future is important; how could he be involved in cheating? Most of this batch of students are aiming to serve in office, and their potential achievements are still unknown. If Father is stained with the mark of cheating, it would add a hundred or so potential political enemies…”
The Tao Clan felt a tinge of bitterness seeing her son so supportive of his father.
This son crawled out of her stomach, yet he was so attached to his dad; it felt like all her years of effort were in vain.
Han Run asked her in disappointment, “Mother, did you come all this way just to ask this?”
The Tao Clan’s expression showed a hint of awkwardness.
Han Run pressed further, “Mother, your interest in the graduation assessment at Golden Scales Academy seems ungrounded; why are you concerned about this?”
The Tao Clan replied, “I heard my son is going to participate, how could I not care?”
Implying she came to ask on behalf of her son Han Run.
Han Run sighed inwardly, saying, “Mother should know that I’m not yet of age and lack the foundation compared to the seniors in higher grades. Joining this assessment is merely to gauge my abilities. No matter how I perform, the results won’t count; leaking the questions to me wouldn’t make much sense either.”
Han Run knew his mother was lying.
Seeing the conversation lead nowhere, the Tao Clan gritted her teeth and skipped the subject, briefly mentioning her plans to remarry in a few months.
She thought Han Yu would be embarrassed or offended; instead, he didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
He simply said, “Congratulations.”
Han Run also said, “Congratulations, Mother, on finding love again.”
Young and chubby Han Chi blinked, his small, red lips mimicking his brother’s words as he giggled, “Congratulations, Mother, on finding love again.”
This little brat had no clue what was happening; when Han Yu and the Tao Clan divorced, this little guy was still clueless.
Now he had unwittingly stabbed his birth mother’s heart with his innocent words.
The Tao Clan almost covered her face in shame and anger, wanting to flee.
Han Run couldn’t bear to look and turned his gaze toward his father.
Han Yu pondered, “Let’s investigate the family into which she plans to remarry; asking about this at such a critical time likely relates to her future husband.”
Sure enough, upon investigation, some details came to light.
The family the Tao Clan planned to remarry into was also of the scholar class—less prestigious than the Han family, but still a decent match.
The new husband had a legitimate son left by his late wife, who was also a student set to graduate this year.
However, this son was a late-comer to the academy, having held a disdainful attitude thinking that Golden Scales Academy was inferior to his own family’s teachings, not studying seriously in those first two years. By the time he realized he should study hard, he fell behind in the coursework.
With this year’s graduation assessment causing quite a stir, he feared performing poorly, especially since his future stepmother was Han Yu’s ex-wife. They then schemed together to try and take shortcuts.
Han Run looked through the investigation results, remaining silent for a long time.
“Mother has picked a poor match.”
Even a blind person could tell how important this assessment was to Lan Ting. If there were instances of cheating or question leaks, wouldn’t that be slapping her in the face?
What had become of the rivals who once displeased her?
Buried under three feet of wild grass!
If it turned out that the one leaking the questions was Han Yu, it would suggest that Lan Ting misjudged people, nearly hitting her just as hard.
At that time, who knew how furious Lan Ting would be, and how he would retaliate? No one could predict that.
Everyone involved would be in danger, including the Tao Clan!
That was courting death!
Han Yu sipped his tea, “Everyone has their own fate to follow.”
Han Run felt an inexplicable frustration rising within him. He asked his father, “Father, have you ever considered remarrying?”
Since Mother is remarrying, it wouldn’t be fair to hold you back, right?
There was a sense of defiance in Han Run’s words; after all, having more stepmothers and half-siblings wouldn’t bode well for him.
Han Yu replied, “Wait until Chi’er is a bit older.”
He hadn’t remarried, naturally considering the situation with the two legitimate sons, especially the youngest, Han Chi, who was still too young.
Had he married shortly after the divorce, he wouldn’t dare guarantee the character of the new wife, and as a man, he couldn’t meddle much in the household’s affairs; he worried the youngest son might suffer.
According to Han Yu’s plan, he would at least wait until Han Chi was a bit older and was able to go to Golden Scales Academy before considering remarrying.
Not remarrying was not an option; every family had social obligations, and the steward couldn’t handle everything. Many social engagements required the master to show up personally.
Moreover, the children in the household were still unmarried; their marriages needed a legitimate mother to manage.
Even for that reason alone, Han Yu would consider remarriage at the right opportunity.
But now?
Remarrying would affect his work efficiency.
Diving into work, who needs women?
Similar situations were playing out in various families, with many secretly scheming to get their hands on the exam questions.
Little did they know, their meager tactics wouldn’t stand a chance against Jiang Pengji.
As someone from the future, how could she not pay attention to exam cheating?
Even in this era, she had a comprehensive set of confidentiality measures in place.
Those shabby cheating techniques hadn’t even sprouted yet; they should start dreaming while it’s still light out!
Other than them, there were also the dried fish in the livestream.
Rich Beans: “By the way, randomly drawing exam questions like this… I suddenly feel a bit sorry for the students…”
Wahaha Mineral Water: “Streamer, you’re being way too casual; if the candidates knew the truth, they would be in tears.”
Jiang Pengji received the question bank presented by the various scholars from Golden Scales Academy but felt too lazy to go through them one by one; she simply drew lots for questions.
Facing the accusations from the dried fish, Jiang Pengji declared sternly, “It’s just a small exam with over two hundred people, not a federal examination! Can this still be considered casual? The Federation’s general is here personally to draw questions; in some sense, it’s even more prestigious than a unified exam!”
The federal examinations Jiang Pengji mentioned were akin to what the audience knew as the college entrance examinations.
However, there were still differences between the two.
The federation implemented twenty years of compulsory education, equivalent to integrating elementary school, middle school, high school, and university into one.
The twenty years of compulsory education is free, and students can graduate and enter society upon obtaining their graduation certificates.
The so-called unified examination comes after the twenty years of compulsory education, a comprehensive national exam for all students. Those with excellent grades who wish to delay entering society can voluntarily take this examination at their own expense. Passing allows entry into the highest institutions of the federation.
Getting into these prestigious institutions is hard, but graduating is even harder, with a dropout rate as high as sixty percent; only the elite among elites can persevere.
Given how significant the unified examination is, it’s rare to invite a general of that rank to attend.
Just a small graduation assessment at Golden Scales Academy could draw her into the fray; could that be considered casual?
As she spoke, Jiang Pengji’s sharp eyes caught sight of a black-and-white furball slowly crawling towards her. She casually tossed the freshly baked exam papers aside.
“Ah, my precious little darling, where’s your daddy?”
The little one whimpered, staring with innocent eyes, snuggling in her embrace, enjoying the pampering.
