Retired Villainess Transmigrates into a Cannon Fodder

The Strongest Fox-Demon (37)

After another quarrel, the Zhuang family decided to go to the capital all together. Zhuang Liu wanted to keep an eye on her son for fear that Bai Yi, a beautiful orphan girl, would win her son’s heart away. Once her son ranked high, he would marry a noble lady. How could he hook up with an orphan?

It was the first time that Zhuang Yulang was attracted to someone. He had never gotten along with other girls, so he was very resistant to his mother’s statement. However, he had no other choice but to let her and Bai Yi follow along, as well as the two little foxes.

The two women were totally clueless, though. Going to the capital and participating in the imperial exam didn’t mean directly joining it. Zhuang Yulang has to pass the college exam first. The examination was conducted in the town under the jurisdiction of their prefectural magistrate. Fortunately, the examination date was just around the corner, and they didn’t have to delay their trip much longer. They still had time to start packing up their belongings and prepare to move houses.

After Zhuang Yulang explained everything to them, they began to live in harmony like never before, only for the sake of peace at home, so that Zhuang Yulang could concentrate on studying. The two little foxes now lived in the Zhuang residence, and Bai Yi took over their care. Zhuang Yulang was relieved. Now that he no longer had to go out and play with the little foxes every day, he had more time to study.

It was just that after the exam, he indeed passed the exam but his ranking was at the pointed tail of the crane.

Zhuang Yulang suffered a big blow, and his usual smiles disappeared all together. When he went out to meet his old classmates, he was mocked vaguely, so he locked himself in the room all day and never went out again.

Bai Yi ran to Li residence anxiously, grabbed Chu Xiang’s arm and sought help. “Xiang’er, what should I do? How can I help him? He obviously passed the exam. Is ranking really that important? Otherwise, how about…”

“No.” With the twinkle in her eye, Chu Xiang instantly guessed what she wanted to do. “Didn’t you say that you would regard yourself as an ordinary woman and not use magic? Ordinary women can’t do anything when they encounter such a thing. Don’t even think about tampering with the results or do anything on the next exam papers. Once his answer sheet is found to be abnormal, he may be disqualified from the examination, have his merits revoked, and end up in jail.”

Bai Yi was taken aback. “Is it that serious?”

“There are more serious matters than this. Just remember, don’t intervene when you don’t know anything.” Li Yufeng poured a cup of tea, touched the cup with his hand and felt that the temperature was moderate before he handed it to Chu Xiang. He advised sincerely, “Don’t worry about him. If he gets an official title through trickery, he will still be hit hard if he is not competent as an official in the future. By then, the consequences will be even worse.”

“Then I’ll just do nothing and watch him suffer?” Bai Yi was a bit unwilling. After all, she could do many things but because of various rules she couldn’t carry them out.

Chu Xiang smiled gently and said, “You can comfort him, help him relieve his fatigue when he is tired from studying, help him concentrate on studying, and assist him in doing many trivial but enormously impactful matters. These will not cause trouble. If anything, it will do him good. It’s better to let him pass the exam with his own efforts than through deceit.”

Chu Xiang gave it another thought and put it another way, “For example, you and I cultivated hard, but after all, we need to cultivate ourselves to achieve the most solid cultivation base. Those demons who chose the easy way to enhance their cultivation base never ended well, understand?”

When presented in this perspective, Bai Yi completely understood. She had never considered it in this direction before. She always felt that the easy way out was to steal the exam questions or alter the answers. Since she was capable of doing so, why not do it? However, after Chu Xiang explained it in this manner, she understood. If someone helped her falsely enhance her cultivation, she would die if she really met a Daoist master, right? One must have genuine strength to speak of real skill.

Bai Yi quickly figured it out and responded radiantly, “I know what to do. I will take care of all his affairs and let him concentrate on his studies and exams.”

She ran off happily. Li Yufeng shook his head. “She is going farther and farther on the road of being a good wife and mother.”

Chu Xiang was indifferent. “As long as she’s having fun. Aren’t we cultivating just to be happy? If leaving that scholar will make her sad, then let her not leave. Have you packed our things? We may not be back for some time on this trip.”

“I finished packing long ago. We can leave at any time.”

“Then we will wait for them ahead. That way, it is easier to make them believe that we met them by chance.”

“Let’s move.”

Chu Xiang sent a message to Bai Yi to inform her that she and Li Yufeng had left in advance. They could also have some fun along the way.