<h4>Chapter 401</h4>


    Marrying Down The Ranking, was a cultural legacy from the previous dynasty. It was originally a practice of wealthy families who could not obtain an official position, so they simply grabbed a few sons-inw at the time when the sessful candidate list was posted, hoping to improve their social status through this marriage bond.


    Reaching the spot of being the Number One sessful candidate, ordinary wealthy families could not marry up any further. So it became apetition ground for prestigious families and high officials.


    At the critical moment when the Imperial Court was vignt against prestigious families, the real prestigious families all gave up marrying into other families, and turned their eyes to the poor but promising schrs.


    Not only here, the Number Two sessful candidate had been carried away by four servants, and no one knew which prestigious family’s carriage he was stuffed into.


    The rest of the sessful candidates were also scrambled for. Everyone pulled their own and dragged their own, afraid of missing any future important minister in the court.


    The Dou, Yao and QI families were still elegant, only smilingly asking for opinions. But the determination in the eyes of the three masters still made Xu Mo nervous, with cold sweats on his back.


    Although he was already sixteen years old, he had never thought about getting married. What’s more, he didn’t like any of those youngdies at all, nor did he want to marry any of them.


    "Esteemed masters," Xu Mo gritted his teeth and bowed with his fists touching the ground, "the student still has unfinished aspirations, it''s not the time to consider marriage yet. Please forgive the student for being unable to respond."


    After saying that, he bowed deeply, almost touching the ground.


    That was already the greatest apology, anything more would be kneeling down.


    But who would bear to let the Number One sessful candidate kneel?


    Dou Weiming sighed, "Let it be, let it be. Such things cannot be forced. It depends on affinity. Anyway, whenever you have time,e to the Dou''s mansion more often. Let me teach you some insights and experience."


    His mouth said not to force it, but he actually hadn''t given up yet. He wanted to let the two young people get along by themselves and develop feelings.


    Sure enough, masters of prestigious families were all old foxes.


    Qi Gongzhen stared at Dou''s back with bulging eyes, but didn''t imitate him. Instead, he meaningfully nced at his confused daughter.


    Compared to the Dou''s youngdy whom he barely knew, Qi Yue had quite a lot of interactions with Xu Mo that could be called abundant.


    At first, she had misunderstood him for a rogue and gave him a kick, making her younger siblings think the eldest brother had suffered a disaster.


    She had also dressed up as a man to help, and screamed while fighting against the enemy together.


    Later, she knelt before her father, only to help him find out the truth, and pleaded with her elder brother to share his experience selflessly and saw him off entering the Imperial City.


    She had done so many things, in the end only touching herself.


    Her father''s eyes were on the side, seeming sympathetic but also mocking.


    Qi Yue was pissed off and walked up two steps, gritting her teeth and asking, "What exactly is your aspiration?"


    Xu Mo was a little stunned, then replied calmly, "Peace under heaven, clear rivers and seas."


    Qi Yue, "..."


    "Why don''t you wish to be able to fly, have three heads and six arms!" She could no longer hold back her emotions and stomped hard on Xu Mo''s foot before leaving.


    Qi Gongzhen followed behind, clicking his tongue and shaking his head, looking entertained.


    Qi Huai who was watching the show couldn''t bear to see it, covering his face with one hand.


    After the Qi father and daughter left, only Xu Mo was left alone, enduring the pain between his toes and soothing himself with deep breaths.


    Of the three families who wanted to marry down the ranking, only the Yao father and daughter were left. The short and fat master of the Yao family nced around with his eyes, neither meaningful nor mocking, but started talking to Jiang Sheng.


    "My daughter, you haven''t gone out to y with Siqing these days. You two have simr ages, just take her out shopping whenever you have time, and let Siqing buy you something you like." He said with a smile.


    The Jiang and Yao families were inws. Old Lady Jiang was the aunt of the Yao family. Calcting carefully, Jiang Sheng should call him Uncle.


    Xu Mo was Jiang Sheng’s elder brother. Roundabout, there must be some connection between him and the Yao family.


    It''s true that all the masters were old foxes. Things like stalking and approaching obliquely were simply unrivaled skills for them.


    Only poor little Jiang Sheng who was still indulging in the joy of being the sister of the Number One sessful candidate was staring with wide eyes, not knowing whether she should take the conversation.


    If she didn’t respond, it would be impolite given the rtionship between the Jiang and Yao families.


    If she did, she couldn’t sell out her own elder brother.


    It was Yao Siqing who came over with a smile to smooth things out, "I’ve been busy with things these days, once I have time, I will definitely take my sister out to y."


    When she walked past Xu Mo, she also apologized with her eyes.


    The Yao family master had the expression of "frustrated with hisck of tact", but he could only sigh and said, "Girls don''t listen to their fathers. Then just let it go. You young people should just follow your hearts."


    After saying that, he leisurely turned and left.


    With all the elders gone, the peers all rxed their expressions.


    Yao Siqing covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "It made everyoneugh. Today should have been Xu Gongzi''s big celebration, but so many jokes came out instead."


    "It''s because Xu Brother is so outstanding. I just hate that my mother didn''t give birth to a little sister. Even a babbling toddler could have been betrothed to Brother Xu." Zhao Yuan said while clenching his fists, feeling honored.


    Fortunately his mother wasn’t here, otherwise she would have beaten him with a new rod.


    "Of course, my elder brother is the best." Jiang Sheng started to brag proudly again, like a little peacock disying its tail. "My elder brother is the best, unique in the world. My elder brother has elegant writing. My elder brother stands out from the masses. My elder brother excels in both character and learning. My elder brother is distinguished and unparalleled..."


    If not for being modest, she could have boasted until dark.


    Xu Mo listening on the side had his ears turning red, feeling warm and helpless inside.


    "Alright, alright, your elder brother is the most outstanding." Yao Siqing endured her smile, "The excellent Number One sessful candidate should go home to prepare for the conferment as an Imperial Academy Draftsman. There are also many things like the parade of sessful candidates and paying respect to elders."


    She bid Jiang Sheng farewell, and also bowed gracefully to everyone before gracefully leaving.


    Speaking of grace, the youngdy of the Yao family was definitely among the best.


    "If I were Brother Xu, I would definitely marry this youngdy from the Yao family." An Jun looked infatuated. "She is generous andposed, and also understands the officialdom a little. Slender and beautiful in appearance, excellent both inside and out - the very interpretation of a talent in both writing and speech."


    "I still think the youngdy of the Dou family is better." Zhao Yuan leaned against his hand. "In terms of family background, the Dou family is on par with the Jiang and Fang families."


    "Why didn''t you mention my sister?" Qi Huai couldn''t help but ask. "The youngdies of my Qi family are not bad!"


    That was logical.


    But Xu the Number One sessful candidate was oblivious about rtionships. No matter how beautiful the youngdies were, they were just skeletons covered in rouge.


    The three looked at each other and nced at Xu Mo who was chatting andughing with his sister. They sighed with envy and jealousy.


    The three couldn''t stay at the gate of the Examination Institute any longer.


    As Yao Siqing said, being on the golden list was not the end. Next, they had to prepare for paying respect to the imperial grace, conferment of title, as well as parading in the capital city Fengjing for two hours.


    The robes had been tailored to fit each sessful candidate on the day the list was posted. Hundreds of embroiderydies had worked days and nights to cut and sew the well-fitting robes and caps unique for the sessful candidates.


    The top three were conferred titles on the spot. The Number One became a sixth rank Imperial Academy Draftsman. The Number Two and Three became seventh rank Imperial Academy Compilers, meaning they had to rush out another three more delicate court robes. No one knew how many embroiderydies that would exhaust.


    And in the twelfth year of Huangqing, fifth month.


    The much anticipated conferment of the sessful candidates was carried out as scheduled. The Manufacturing Bureau rushed to deliver the robes and ck gauze hats for sessful candidates. The once frail boy who needed his younger siblings to raise funds, finally stood at a brand new height.