The next day, the scientific examination results came out.
Qiao Ruanxiang ordered someone to look at the list early in the morning. After breakfast, he saw Zhiqiu running like a butterfly, smiling happily.
"Madam, the eldest young master has won the third prize!"
Qiao Ruanxiang knew that with his elder brother's talent and learning, he would definitely be in the top three.
"Then Chu Sheng is the number one scholar?"
Zhiqiu nodded, "Exactly."
When the master and servant were happy, the Qiao family sent a message and told them the news.
Han Ling also sent a message, saying congratulations and saying she would see her outside.
Qiao Ruanxiang first asked Zhiqiu to send the letter he had written to his eldest brother, and also told him to entertain Chu Sheng well. If Chu Sheng wanted to move out, he must not be allowed to go out.
She also sent the bluestone and jade inkstone that she had treasured for a long time, as well as a high-grade Yanshan inkstone, as well as the scented ink cubes that she specially prepared for her brother and Chu Sheng.
Then she changed into a more festive, water-red dress and left the house.
She made an appointment with Han Ling to meet at her incense shop.
The last time she went to deliver hair oil and apologize for Su Wu beating Han Gui, Han Ling said she wanted to come to her incense shop.
She also complained that she had this incense shop without telling her.
Although he explained that he was just following the name of the incense shop, he did not open the door to sell it.
But when the other party complained, it was obvious that she just wanted to have a taste, so naturally he took the initiative to bring her to the store.
In addition, there is one more thing I want to tell Han Ling. It is more convenient and confidential to tell it in my own store.
There were only a few pedestrians in front of the fifth incense shop.
This is a relatively eccentric street, and the shops are also oriented in an eccentric direction.
There are few people, but it is quiet.
The door opened wide, and in the inner room, Qiao Ruanxiang and Han Ling were sitting across the table.
Qiao Ruanxiang was holding a teapot and holding her sleeves to pour tea for him.
The tea water ripples in the tea cup, the tea leaves sink and float, and the sound of the tea hitting the tea cup comes from far to near.
Finally, the water surface of the tea stopped steadily at the position half a finger from the mouth of the tea cup, and all the tea leaves sank to the bottom.
Steam is rising in the sky, and the aroma of tea overflows.
Han Ling took a deep breath and said with a hearty smile: "It smells so refreshing!"
Qiao Ruanxiang also laughed, "This is Su Zizhen tea. It is a niche tea in the south. Not many people drink it, but it is also a famous tea in the south. It smells fragrant and is slightly bitter when you first drink it. When you taste it carefully, it reveals a salty taste." Sweet, the aftertaste is very light sweetness.”
He poured himself a cup, put down the teapot and said, "The tea is slightly bitter at first, so few people like it. Sister, you can try it. If you don't like it, sister can make another cup."
Han Ling took a sip immediately, and it was true as she said.
"I like drinking it very much, and I also like the taste. Moreover, it is bitter first and then sweet, just like human beings!"
Qiao Ruanxiang also likes it because it tastes bitter first and then sweet, which is very similar to his own past and present lives.
I suffered all the hardships in my last life, but this life will finally be sweet, right?
Gathering back her wandering thoughts, she said casually: "I wonder if your brother's injury is feeling better? Has the person who injured your brother been found?"
"No, the other person acted very carefully. My family and I all felt that he had offended someone with his venomous mouth before, so he was beaten up. My brother's mouth was foul and venomous, and he deserved to be plotted against. But fortunately, nothing unexpected happened after that, the other party probably just wanted to teach that kid a lesson."
"Besides, his injury has already healed and he is still alive and kicking."
When Han Ling said this, she seemed to have thought of something, and sighed again, leaning closer with a gossipy look on her face.
"I've always had a question. Does your brother-in-law like you?"
Qiao Ruanxiang thought she was going to say something new and interesting, but it turned out that she was gossiping about herself and Su Wu.
She felt like her heart was being pulled, and she quickly denied it.
"How is it possible, no! I'm his sister-in-law!"
"How is it impossible? I've thought about it over and over in the past few days. When he saw you and my brother approaching, he immediately lost his temper and said slanderous words about you and my brother. This is obviously a sign of jealousy!"
"Besides, I forgot the last time my sister came to see me. At Dong's birthday party, you asked me to give my brother the inkstone. After I put it away, I ordered someone to put it back in the carriage. But when I left, I gave it to him in the carriage. When I met my younger brother, I discovered that the inkstone had been exchanged! Didn’t my sister also give Su Wu an identical inkstone?"
Han Ling boldly guessed, "Could it be that he was jealous and secretly changed the inkstone?"
He does not mean that.
Qiao Ruanxiang remembered that Su Wu seemed to be angry because of this matter that night, and she even coaxed him for a while.
Then my heart skipped a beat.
But I quickly got rid of that unrealistic idea, whether it was true or not had nothing to do with me.
"Perhaps something went wrong in the middle. I'll go back and give you another inkstone as an apology."
"That's not necessary. That piece is good to use. My brother can just use an inkstone and get rid of it."
Realizing that Qiao Ruanxiang had strayed off the topic, he pulled her back and said, "Sister, please don't change the topic. I don't think it's okay that you are his sister-in-law. In ancient times, there were so many royal relatives who married their sister-in-law."
Han Ling really didn't think anything, but Qiao Ruanxiang was shocked after hearing this and said hurriedly, "Sister! This, I don't want to talk about this outside. If someone hears it, they will think that my sister and uncle are really involved. Sister I really can’t lose this reputation.”
Only then did Han Ling realize that she was the daughter of a merchant, which was really unacceptable.
He apologized profusely.
"I just think you and Su Wu are really compatible based on looks. It would be a pity if you two weren't together. However, I'm very curious, why do you fall in love with Su Mo's dead fish eyes? He does have a few good looks. She's quite delicate, but I can't say she's particularly good-looking."
Qiao Ruanxiang pursed her lips, lowered her head and took another sip of tea.
"I must be blind."
She was so blind that she actually thought he was the most handsome man in the world at that time.
Han Ling was amused by her words and the expression of complaining about her blindness, but she didn't comment.
After chatting for a while, Qiao Ruanxiang felt that it was time to get to the point.
"Sister, I have one more thing, please ask me."
Han Ling was happily looking at her with a smile, "What's the matter?"
Qiao Ruanxiang told about the recent events in the Su family's eldest room, how Dong gave her Juezi soup, and Wan Qinghe wanted to ruin her appearance and spread rumors that she and Su Wu were living alone. She especially emphatically elaborated on how Wan Qinghe blamed her concubine's death. He told her about the whole family's crusade against him.
Later, it was said that Su Mo spoiled his concubine and destroyed his wife, and that Wan Qinghe, the Dong family, had evil thoughts.
Then he added: "My mind was so cold. I thought that by helping him hide the plagiarism of the article, he would pity me and love me, but he didn't realize that. He only thought that I was weak and easy to manipulate. He bullied me even more unscrupulously."
"Now that my eldest brother is the most beautiful girl in high school, I want to wait for my eldest brother to assign duties, and then find some evidence to expose the matter and divorce. At that time, I also ask my sister to help me and my eldest brother testify."
Han Ling was already furious after hearing what she said about the dirty things the Su family had done recently.
Naturally, he agreed without hesitation.
