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"What is he doing here?"

Madam Zheng’s hands quickly regained their softness, continuing to wipe the tea off Shen Yuan’s body with an indifferent expression, "Didn’t you say that he doesn’t have the qualifications to come here?"

"I underestimated our Shen Family’s head..." Shen Yuan sneered, "I used to think he was just unemotional. Now, it seems that he is brainless too. If he had any clarity of mind, he would not have done such a thing."

Though other wealthy families also prioritized their own qualified children, at least they were clear-headed in the end.

But he was different; even if Shen Yu’s assessments were poor, he insisted on forcing him on us, just wasting a spot.

Doesn’t he know that one more member of the Shen Family in the institute means an extra chance to exchange for advanced techniques?

Even if he can be thoughtless, wasn’t the old master clear-headed? How could he tolerate such nonsense?

Madam Zheng glanced at Shen Yuan, her gaze complex. Shen Yuan had endured many years of her indifference and bore no grudges, even bringing her to Jiangnan, but towards his father... his attitude was completely different.

"So that’s how it is..." Madam Zheng sighed as she looked at him, "No wonder you coaxed me by saying that Nanyang has produced good tea and insisted I come have a look. You actually wanted to keep your mother away from your brother, didn’t you?"

Shen Yuan immediately felt a headache, "I did not. There really is good tea from Nanyang. Mother, don’t you see that this Purple Sun Tea is excellent?"

"Good..." Madam Zheng gave him a look but said nothing more.

The month spent in Jiangnan was arguably the most relaxed she had been in decades.

Eating well, drinking well, no longer needing to deal with endless household matters, no longer having to flatter those wives of influential families with a fake smile, and most crucially, no longer living in constant fear of losing her status.

Here, there were no maidservants, but her room was very easy to keep. Thinking about it now, it seemed like the maids at the Shen residence sometimes laughed at her behind her back. What had she been striving for all these years?

Being here without the troubles, she enjoyed a high quality of life!

Though Shen Yuan did not employ any maids, he hired a cook.

There were countless exotic ingredients, delicious beyond compare; every meal she almost ate her tongue.

Here there were beautiful fabrics not even available in Capital City’s best tailor shops; clothes made from them made her look better than the ladies from top families.

And since her son was a core disciple at the institute, he always secured some of the latest fabric for her, ensuring she was always the most fashionable among her peers.

Here, she had congenial neighbors. They gathered together over mutual interests like tea ceremonies and flower arranging, all of them refined and cultured.

No one looked down upon another; no one deliberately excluded anyone else.

Spending her days drinking tea, playing card games, and enjoying a leisurely life, she almost thought it was all a dream.

As a result, in the first few days, she often woke up startled from dreams, afraid she would open her eyes to find herself back in the cold courtyard of the Shen Family.

Honestly, she did not want anyone to disturb such a life, but the person who came was Shen Yu.

Shen Yan was cold and heartless. He was the one who betrayed their son’s trust, but Shen Yu turning out the way he did now, she had her share of responsibility, which left her with an uncomfortable feeling if she neglected him completely...

Seeing Madam Zheng silent, Shen Yuan sighed, eventually taking the initiative, "Mother, if Shen Yu comes to ask for my help, what should I do?"

"Shen Yu comes to ask you for help?" Madam Zheng was startled, and then laughed, "You’re overthinking. Your brother is too proud. Even if he fails the exams, with his pride, he wouldn’t lower himself to plead with you."

"It seems Mother doesn’t understand my brother very well."

"Huh?"

"He will!" Shen Yuan nodded, "Shen Yu has already set out, and he might arrive in Nanyang within a couple of days!"

Madam Zheng: "...."

"Do you want to see him, Mother? If you don’t, I can take you to Yunzhou for a few more days, I guarantee he won’t be able to find us."

Madam Zheng looked at Shen Yuan in a daze. After a long while, she couldn’t help saying, "What if he keeps looking for you? Can you avoid him?"

"If Mother doesn’t want to see him, I naturally have ways to make him return to Capital City!"

"Well... you..." Madam Zheng bit her lip, finally saying, "Why do you test your mother like this? Since Mother came with you, she has decided not to bother with that father and son anymore!"

Shen Yuan looked at Madam Zheng but eventually shook his head, "Mother is lying; you will certainly get involved."

"Why?"

"Because Mother is softhearted." Shen Yuan raised his head to look at her, "Just like back then, when I was disappointing and wanted to change career paths to take the imperial exams, you despaired over me giving up the path of a magician, becoming even colder after that.

But you still hired the best teacher for me. "

Madam Zheng: "...."

Mother and son looked at each other in silence, and after a long time, Madam Zheng couldn’t help herself, "What if I, as you say, get involved with his matters?"

"Then I’ll have no choice but to get involved as well." Shen Yuan sighed.

"What does it have to do with you if I deal with his affairs?"

"Mother is talking nonsense again. The thing Shen Yu wants to ask for, where could Mother take care of that? Your involvement would just mean that you want me to deal with it indirectly. Our brotherhood has never been good, and his seeking you out first means he wants to use you to reach out to me, doesn’t it? "

At these words, Madam Zheng took a deep breath, "Can you help him?"

"It depends on what extent." Shen Yuan shook his head, "If he wants to get into the Heavenly Institute directly, that’s definitely not possible. Lord Chen’s rules are already in place; it’s not just me, even those gentlemen from the Nanyang Shen Family can’t force their way in."

"Then what can you do for him?"

"Once he comes to you, Mother, you’ll know."

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On the other side, the descendants of the aristocratic families who had arrived in Lyuzhou were still grinding through their exam preparation in the middle of the night, evidently aiming to maintain optimal study conditions.

"Sister, not going to sleep yet?"

Shen Yang brewed a cup of hot tea and carefully brought it over to Shen Xue.

Shen Xue glanced at the sky outside and then at the exquisite clock in the room, slightly startled. Unknowingly, it was almost noon!

"Thank you, Yang..." Shen Xue smiled as she took the tea. Looking towards the lower floor, her eyebrows furrowed immediately on noticing the condition of the Observing Stars Tower through the crystal-clear floor.

She remembered that, like them, the descendants from the top thirty floors and above all hailed from the aristocratic families of the North.

All the rooms were alight with lamps, evidently, those descendants had not rested!

Seeing Shen Xue look out of the window, Shen Yang also glanced over and after a brief moment of surprise, chuckled, "Looks like... everyone wants to stay here."

Shen Xue heard this and looked at the teacup in her hand. The green tea was fragrant, invading her heart and lungs, and the abundant spiritual energy made her feel completely relaxed. Drinking a cup of this daily doubled her meditative efficiency compared to before!

"Who wouldn’t want to stay in such a good place?" commented Shen Xue lightly as she gazed towards the other building.

"On the other hand..." Shen Yang grinned, "I heard those northern descendants are under stricter family rules.

For many, this might be their only chance.

If they miss it and those direct descendants catch up with their mathematics and literature foundations, our families might not let us come again. .."

"You’ve thought of that too?" Shen Xue became curious, considering he usually seemed brash and clueless.

"What’s there not to think about?" Shen Yang hehe’d with a smile. "Those descendants aren’t all useless; they just put more energy into mastering techniques on normal days. Once they settle down to study, they can quickly catch up. It’s not like every family is like ours, with that..."

"Shh..." Shen Xue gave him a stern look. "I just praised you, and now you’re getting carried away. Don’t speak so carelessly!"

Shen Yang rolled his eyes, "Afraid of what? Those two underlings are in the next room."

"You still shouldn’t speak so recklessly.

.." Shen Xue sighed. "But you’re right, the Family Head seems to trust those specially groomed descendants more than us. Although I don’t know his reasons, we must seize the opportunity in tomorrow’s exam.

If we miss it, just like you said, once those already favored descendants catch up with the basics, there won’t be a place for us anymore! "

"Yes, cousin sister!"

"Go rest. If you don’t have energy tomorrow and don’t perform well, that will be the true loss."

"Mmm..."

After Shen Yang had left, Shen Xue’s expression darkened a bit. After hesitating for a moment, she went to a small compartment and took a small puppet from her luggage.

In the shadows, she looked at the puppet onto which she had dripped her own blood.

The puppet’s eyes suddenly flickered with a green light.

"Teacher..." Shen Xue had only dripped a few drops of blood, but her complexion had turned as pale as if she had lost a great deal of blood.

"Please lend me your strength once more!"

A miraculous thing occurred as the puppet slightly raised its head to look at Shen Xue, its face revealing a strangely eerie smile.

And if Chen Qing or Shen Lao San (Third Elder Shen) had seen this scene, they would have been shocked to their core!

Because the puppet... upon closer inspection, bore an uncanny resemblance to Wang Ye’s expressions!!

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"Hm?" Far away, Shen Qi who was leisurely playing chess with Shen Lao San (Third Elder Shen) suddenly furrowed his brows, waved his hand and a floating eyeball appeared in the air. The image within it was precisely Shen Xue’s location.

"Do you have to bring out that eyeball of yours late at night?" Shen San glared at him and said, "It’s creepy!"

Shen Qi couldn’t help but laugh, "You, who manages the souls in the underworld, are complaining about me being creepy?"

"What’s wrong with ghost souls?" Shen San replied coldly, "The ones under my jurisdiction are good people, and even after death, most of their souls are kind, not like the Evil Ghosts of the Path of Yin and Yang. What’s the difference from when they were alive?"

"I can’t be bothered to argue with a hypocrite like you." Shen Qi used a saying he picked up from Chen Qing, then looked towards Shen Xue with puzzlement again.

In the image, Shen Xue was focused on her studies, and nothing appeared amiss. But the feeling of dissonance from a moment ago unsettled him.

"What’s wrong?" Shen San frowned.

"I feel..." Shen Qi hesitated but finally said, "Someone... is using a Technique similar to mine, surveilling me!"

"Huh?"