#26 - I want to be a very big official!

Xu Ming returned to Xiaochun Yard in the Xu Mansion not too late.

It was only about a quarter of an hour later than usual.

Chen Suya didn't ask Xu Ming why he came back a little later than usual.

After all, being kept behind by the teacher, the teacher running overtime, or playing for a while on the way back were all normal occurrences.

Xu Ming didn't plan to proactively explain the situation to his mother.

If he proactively told his mother, she would definitely worry.

Even though this matter basically couldn't be concealed for long, it was better to let his mother worry one day less, if possible.

After lunch, Qin Qingwan came to find Xu Ming to play.

Every time Qin Qingwan wanted to bring up the matter of the fight at school, she was interrupted by Xu Ming.

Qin Qingwan blinked her big, peach-blossom eyes and understood what was going on, so she didn't mention it again.

Qin Qingwan and Xu Ming sat in the courtyard, reading the "Heavenly Profound Heart Sutra" as usual, and as they read, Qin Qingwan leaned directly on Xu Ming's shoulder and fell asleep.

Chen Suya carried Qin Qingwan back to her room for an afternoon nap.

As for Xu Ming...

Chen Suya knew that her son never took afternoon naps, always full of energy, and she was already used to it.

While his mother was napping, Xu Ming continued to fight with the big white goose.

The Heavenly Profound Goose won again, but this time the big white goose didn't pin Xu Ming down to announce its victory.

The Heavenly Profound Goose was very sweaty from this win.

It felt that it needed to strengthen its training, otherwise, in a few months, it would be pinned down by its little brother.

Xu Ming did a hundred push-ups, and the Heavenly Profound Goose also used its wings to support itself on the ground and did a hundred and fifty push-ups.

Xu Ming did a hundred sit-ups, and the Heavenly Profound Goose hugged its neck with its wings and also did sit-ups.

However, Xu Ming didn't care about it.

I'm training to wait for attribute points, what are you waiting for?

"Goose, goose, goose (Little brother, there's a little fatty looking for you)"

Just as Xu Ming and the Heavenly Profound Goose were competing with each other, the Heavenly Profound Goose patted Xu Ming with its wing.

Xu Ming turned his head and looked outside the courtyard, and saw Xu Pangda sticking his round head out of the archway at the entrance of the courtyard.

Taking advantage of Xu Ming stopping his exercise, the Heavenly Profound Goose did a few more high knee raises, feeling that it had widened the distance between itself and Xu Ming a little more.

Xu Pangda was startled when he noticed that Xu Ming had noticed him, and his chubby little face was red, looking very embarrassed.

But Xu Pangda still mustered his courage and walked into the courtyard.

Xu Pangda was holding a bundle in his arms.

"Third brother, what's wrong? Is something the matter?" Xu Ming asked.

Xu Pangda stretched out his chubby hand and scratched his head, then placed the bundle on the table and opened it.

Inside the bundle was a large box of exquisite pastries and some loose silver.

"That..." Xu Pangda said with a red face, "Fifth brother, thank you for helping me today. This box of pastries was made by my mother. She said she couldn't finish them all and it would be a waste to throw them away, so she asked me to bring them over. This loose silver is what I saved up, it's all for you."

"..."

Looking at this box of pastries, Xu Ming roughly knew where Xu Xueno's arrogance came from, it turned out she inherited it from her mother...

This box of pastries looked like it had just come out of the oven, and the box was still steaming with water vapor.

But speaking of which, the loose silver that Xu Pangda had saved up should only be about thirty taels.

It wasn't that Xu Ming thought it was too little, but how could you, as the son of the first wife, look so poor?

Xu Pangda seemed to have read Xu Ming's eyes, and his chubby little face turned even redder: "This really is all I have. My mother doesn't give me much pocket money."

"You wait a moment." Xu Ming said, then walked into the kitchen, took out some candied fruits, and poured a pot of cold water, "Take this money back. I'll accept the pastries, let's eat them together."

→

"But..."

"There's no buts." Xu Pangda wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Xu Ming, "Your sister and I are very close. Your sister said that if I was bullied, she would help me, so if you are bullied, I will also help you."

"Oh woo." Xu Pangda nodded, "Then I'll buy you delicious things every day."

"Anything is fine." Xu Ming poured a cup of well water for Xu Pangda, then took a piece of pastry made by Madam Wang and ate it, then pushed the pastry box to Pangda's side.

Xu Pangda swallowed, also picked up a pastry and took a bite.

Xu Ming noticed the red marks under Xu Pangda's sleeves, he must have been beaten.

"Why did you fight with them?" Xu Ming asked.

Xu Pangda finished the pastry in big bites, then drank a cup of water, lowered his head, and said disappointedly: "Because they cursed my mother."

Listening to Xu Pangda's answer, Xu Ming was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Then you were right to fight."

"But my mother said that a gentleman uses his words, not his fists, and fighting is wrong." Xu Pangda pouted his chubby little mouth.

"For your first mother, fighting is indeed wrong, but for you, fighting is right." Xu Ming ate another pastry.

Xu Pangda looked at Xu Ming in confusion: "I don't quite understand what fifth brother is saying."

Xu Ming smiled: "It's okay, you'll understand later, come, have a pear."

"Thank you, fifth brother..."

Xu Pangda took the pear, lowering his little head.

"Fifth brother, you're really amazing, not only are you good at studying, but you're also good at fighting, unlike me, I can't do anything well...

My eldest brother has extraordinary talent in talisman crafting, my second brother has a pure Yang body, my fourth sister has innate sword bones, I'm nothing...

Compared to my eldest brother and second brother, I don't even have the qualifications to compete with my mother for the hereditary title."

Xu Ming shook his head: "You are also very amazing. Just in the school, it's very rare for you to insist on listening to the lecture without falling asleep. Besides, in this world, there is not only one path of cultivation.

The title of Duke of Xu is very honorable, but who says that the title can only be inherited? Why can't you fight for it yourself?

I heard Madam Qin say that the former Prime Minister Zhuge Wen was wholeheartedly for the people and was named the Marquis of Lieyang by the late emperor. General Mo, the current dynasty's general, rose from a small soldier, without any background, step by step to become a pillar of the country.

They are all ordinary people, all unable to cultivate, why can't you?"

"I... I can also become a high official?" Xu Pangda pointed to himself in disbelief.

Xu Ming smiled: "Who says you can't? When you pass the imperial examination, when you are ennobled as a marquis and appointed as a prime minister, the title you get, I believe, in your first mother's heart, will be much heavier than 'Duke of Xu'."

After being given a pot of Xu Ming's spiritual chicken soup, Xu Pangda imagined it a few times, and his heart suddenly surged: "Then fifth brother, let's take the imperial examination! Let's become officials together! Let's be ennobled as marquises and appointed as prime ministers together!"

Xu Ming shook his head: "I probably won't be able to."

Xu Pangda was stunned: "Why?"

Xu Ming: "A son of a concubine cannot participate in the imperial examination."

Xu Pangda was even more puzzled: "Why can't a son of a concubine participate in the imperial examination?"

Xu Ming replied: "Because of the laws of the Wu Dynasty."

Xu Pangda: "But I heard my mother scold 'The laws of the Wu Dynasty are bullshit, anything can be changed'."

Xu Ming smiled: "That has to be a very, very big official to change it."

"Oh woo..." Xu Pangda continued to lower his head, holding the pear in his hand, looking thoughtful.

After a long time, Xu Pangda raised his head: "Fifth brother."

Xu Ming: "Hmm?"

Xu Pangda: "I want to be a very, very big official!"