CHAPTER 435: CHAPTER 403: NO MOTIVATION TO ACE THE EXAMS IF MY WIFE ISN’T PRETTY

Back when Song Wei took the regional examination, his ranking was quite ordinary.

And that was with serious review.

Compared to him, Song Yuanbao is practically defying the odds.

Such a great occasion even if Song Wei and his wife didn’t mention it, Granny Song said they would hold a grand event for her eldest grandson.

Song Yuanbao didn’t want to make a fuss.

For some reason, upon learning he topped the examination, the first thing he thought of was Zhao Xi’s reaction.

No need to guess, that person probably wouldn’t have any reaction, and even if he did, he’d say the result was average.

He might even mock him a little — just a top scorer, not the champion. How could you feel comfortable hosting a grand banquet?

Just thinking about it made Song Yuanbao feel that it’s better to keep a low profile.

He looked at Wen Wan and Granny Song, who were sitting in the main hall discussing the details of the banquet, and suddenly spoke, "Grandma, I don’t want to host a banquet."

Granny Song looked up at him with a puzzled expression, "Why?"

"It’s just a top scorer, not the champion; I don’t think it’s necessary."

Though this top scorer is the regional examination top scorer from the Capital, with high prestige.

Granny Song looked at him for a while, then suddenly smiled and turned to her daughter-in-law, "Listen, my grandson has learned to be modest."

Song Yuanbao seized the opportunity and said, "That’s settled then, no banquet."

Granny Song asked, "So you won’t notify your aunt’s family, your little aunt’s family, your second uncle, and your classmates?"

"No." Song Yuanbao declined, "I’ll invite them when I win the champion title someday."

Without waiting for Granny Song to say anything, Song Yuanbao continued, "Grandma, think about it. This year is the autumn exam, and next year will be the spring exam. If you invite them again next year when I win in the palace exam, you’ve celebrated three banquets in half a year. If it were me, I wouldn’t bother to go."

Wen Wan thought about it and told her mother-in-law, "I think Yuanbao makes a good point. This kid is obviously capable of passing the imperial exams, and if he wins the subsequent exams, we’ll have to host another banquet. We might not mind it, but the guests would be tired."

After considering it, Granny Song did not oppose her grandson’s idea, "Alright, since the top scorer himself has spoken, I can only follow suit and not host a banquet, just some good food for the family to enjoy."

Song Yuanbao smiled at hearing this.

Outside Rong’an Hall, Wen Wan called Song Yuanbao, "The reason you don’t want to host a banquet isn’t just because you’re afraid the guests would be bothered, is it?"

Having lived under the same roof for so many years, Wen Wan understood the temperament of her stepson to some extent.

Song Yuanbao seemed to hesitate over how to answer.

Wen Wan did not force him, "It’s okay if you don’t want to say, go rest in your room first. I’ll have Mrs. Jin buy some nice food to prepare a feast for you."

Song Yuanbao suddenly said, "Actually, it’s not hard to explain. I got this title thanks to a year’s training with His Highness. Every time he excelled, no one hosted a banquet, and I just passed a simple regional exam where the difficulty was less than half of the Study Room tests. Celebrating so much for being a top scorer seems excessive."

Wen Wan felt that the child was growing up when she heard this, "It’s right to keep a low profile, but winning the title is not effortless; it’s the result of your own hard work over a year.

Your father always said that you’d learn things with the Eldest Prince you couldn’t elsewhere, and now in this regional exam, it shows, doesn’t it?"

Song Yuanbao nodded, "This time I truly felt it. Learning the Study Room curriculum makes handling the outside Imperial College or even imperial exam questions naturally easier."

Wen Wan said, "Hopefully next year you’ll excel again in the examination."

Song Yuanbao thought for a moment, "Mother, I don’t want to take part next year."

Wen Wan asked confusedly, "Why?"

"I’ll be fifteen next year." Song Yuanbao stated, "I want to wait for the next examination year before participating."

"Is there any particular reason for this?" Wen Wan was still puzzled.

Song Yuanbao’s handsome face suddenly reddened, "In the next examination year, I’ll be seventeen. After the exams are completely over, I’ll be eighteen. I want to follow the example in plays and marry directly on the day I win in the palace examination."

Wen Wan was stunned before she reacted, unable to hide her smile, "You want to marry on the day you win?"

"Yes."

"What if you don’t win?"

"If not, just let the girl’s family take the initiative to call off the wedding."

"Nonsense." Wen Wan disapproved as she looked at him, "This is a big marriage issue affecting your and our Song family’s reputation. You can’t take it so casually."

Song Yuanbao sincerely replied, "I’m not joking, I’m serious."

Wen Wan gave him a sideways glance, "How are you serious? There isn’t even a hint, how do you know the girl would want to marry you on the day you win?"

"Isn’t it obvious?" Song Yuanbao argued confidently, "Nowadays, there are many families looking for son-in-laws under the ranking board. My performance in the exam was seen by the examiners, and the top scorer title was raised by them. Once such ’glorious deeds’ spread, many families would want me as son-in-law."

Seeing his arrogance, Wen Wan didn’t know what to say. "Earlier at Rong’an Hall, you were so humble, and now you’re this high-profile and unreserved, boasting so much; you’re just a kid, fourteen years old. Who would rush to see you as a son-in-law?"

Two days later, Wen Wan noticed her face was a bit swollen.

Their family hadn’t hosted any banquet or notified anyone.

Yet, Xie Zheng, Xu Shu, and Song Erlang’s families sent congratulatory gifts; they looked ready to drink a few cups at the Song family before returning. Apart from them, Song Yuanbao’s former classmates, Song Wei’s colleagues, and some notable families in the Capital sent emissaries to officially congratulate the young master of the Song family for topping the regional exam, covertly inquiring about his marriage plans.

Faced with a room full of strangers’ speeches, Wen Wan: "..."

Had she underestimated Song Yuanbao’s capabilities, or was it his charm she overlooked?

How old is he now that people questioning this matter flock in one after another?

Song Yuanbao was never a shy and timid person; the more guests there were, the more excuses he found to wander before everyone.

Everyone looked on; passing the exam at fourteen is one thing, but having such elegant features really gives no chance for others!

Song Yuanbao didn’t shy away from the gaze, enjoying it from Wen Wan’s perspective.

However, regarding his marriage, he always vaguely skirted the topic, leaving no definite answer, resulting in everyone being prospective future relatives of the Song family.

Wen Wan felt embarrassed, later asking Song Yuanbao, "What kind of girl are you looking for? Isn’t it better to be direct?"

Song Yuanbao answered simply and directly, "Good-looking ones."

Wen Wan: "..."

After a while, she said, "You can’t just judge by appearance."

Song Yuanbao gave a reason so strong Wen Wan couldn’t refute it.

He said, "Back in the hometown when you couldn’t speak, I didn’t play with you out of sympathy but because you were good-looking."

"..."

"If Mother back then couldn’t speak and was ugly and dirty, Dad wouldn’t have come to propose. All because you were good-looking, even though you couldn’t speak."

"..."

Wen Wan didn’t know how she was convinced by his unreasonable logic, finally nodding dumbly, "Okay, Mother will find you a good-looking one."

Song Yuanbao emphasized, "A particularly good-looking one."

Wen Wan: "...So you can’t move past this?"

Song Yuanbao justified, "If she’s not pretty, I have no motivation to win the championship."

Wen Wan: "...Alright, I’ll find a particularly beautiful one, one that will dazzle you, okay?"

Song Yuanbao expressed his satisfaction.

Wen Wan looked at her son who only cared about looks, then at her younger son chomping on a piece of pork, blissfully unaware of life’s worries, and suddenly felt exhausted.

She took out a handkerchief and wiped Jinbao’s mouth, reminding him, "Little man, when you grow up, you can’t be like your brother; you should appreciate inner beauty, understand?"

The little guy grinned and showed a row of white teeth, "Mommy is pretty."

Wen Wan: "..."