As time goes by, there are only seven days left before the New Year's Day, and the biggest festival of the year is finally coming.

The entire capital city is bustling with excitement, and the people are in high spirits, preparing new year's goods, buying new clothes, and decorating with lanterns and colors for the upcoming New Year.

Hu Fei was not idle either. He took Pei Jie and Chundie to the market every day to buy things. After all, this was his first New Year's Eve here, and he didn't know if there would be a second one.

, so I thought it would be as lively as possible to make the trip worthwhile.

Hu Mansion.

As the three carriages stopped, Pei Jie jumped out of the carriage in a panic, called a few servants from the house, and began to unload the goods.

"Oh, Master, you came back with so many things? Haha, that's great."

"The house hasn't been so lively for a long time."

The housekeeper Qin Hai also heard the sound and rushed out. Seeing the servants carrying large and small bags of New Year's goods into the house, his face blossomed with joy, filled with the joy that can only be found during the New Year.

In the past few years, Hu Fei had never been able to do these things. He had gone to hide somewhere and fooled around, and he had never bothered to buy new year's goods for the mansion.

But Hu Fei, who slowly got down from the carriage, frowned slightly, with a sad and listless look on his face.

"Master, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing the worried Hu Fei, Qin Hai came closer and couldn't help but ask with concern.

"It's okay. Even if you tell me, you can't help me."

"Let them all be gentle, I will go in first."

Hu Fei waved his hand, gave an instruction, and slowly walked toward the mansion while waving his folding fan.

Qin Hai agreed, looked at the listless young master, and shook his head worriedly.

In the main hall of the front yard, Hu Weiyong was at the door, looking out at the lively entrance of the mansion, with a happy smile on his face, stroking his beard with one hand, and nodding with satisfaction.

In previous years, when the New Year came, the house was not so lively, and his son was hardly at home. He would leave all the New Year's goods to Qin Hai, which was pretty much what he meant.

But this year is obviously different. Looking at his son who is busy preparing for the New Year, Hu Weiyong's face is filled with relief and he feels at ease.

But soon he noticed the sadness on his son's face and couldn't help but frown.

"Fei'er?"

Hu Weiyong looked at his son who was slowly walking in from the door, hesitated for a moment, waved his hand and shouted.

Hu Fei, who was meditating while walking in, heard Hu Weiyong's words, raised his head and took a look, and slowly came to the door of the main hall.

"Why are you looking so sad? What's wrong?"

Hu Weiyong looked at his listless son and asked doubtfully.

"It's nothing, you can't help me even if I tell you."

Hu Fei shook his head slightly and said calmly.

"How do you know I can't help you if you don't tell me? Tell me."

After hearing his son's words, Hu Weiyong became even more curious, raised his hand and said.

"Forget it, I'd better think about it myself, and you should be busy first."

"Those are all fresh gadgets bought from the market, as well as some new snacks from Hong Bin Building. You can make some arrangements while I go back to Linglong Garden first."

Hu Fei glanced at Hu Weiyong, hesitated to speak, then changed the topic, left a few words, turned and walked towards the backyard.

"Hey? This brat."

Looking at Hu Fei who turned to leave, Hu Weiyong hesitated for a moment, shook his head and muttered with a bitter smile.

The frowning Hu Fei did not stay any longer and took Chundie back to Linglong Garden.

"Pei Jie!"

Hu Weiyong hesitated for a moment and shouted at Pei Jie, who was directing the servants to carry the New Year's goods at the door of the house.

"Hey, Master!"

Hearing Hu Weiyong's shout, Pei Jie, who was busy, responded, and then saw the master waving to him, so he quickly ran to the master.

"What's wrong, young master? Did he cause some trouble again?"

Hu Weiyong pointed at Hu Fei who disappeared at the door of the backyard, frowned and asked.

"No, nothing happened recently. The reason why the young master is worried is because he is preparing some gifts."

Pei Jie smiled and shook his head and said slowly.

"Gift?"

"what gift?"

Hu Weiyong breathed a sigh of relief, but then asked suspiciously.

"The young master plans to prepare some New Year gifts for His Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and His Royal Highness Prince Yan, but he has never thought of what to give, so he is a little worried. He has been worried about it for several days."

Pei Jie explained seriously.

"Oh, I see, this kid is quite sensible."

"Okay, there's nothing else to do, go and do your work."

Hu Weiyong smiled and praised, then waved his hand at Pei Jie, turned around and walked towards the study, with a thoughtful smile on his face.

Pei Jie hesitated for a moment, said nothing, turned around and continued to work.

...

Royal Palace.

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Pang Yuhai, who had put on new clothes, bowed and walked slowly into the hall, her face filled with festive joy.

"Your Majesty, the results of the year-end exams of the Imperial College have been released, and Cai Yuanji has submitted them."

Pang Yuhai said slowly while saluting, holding a booklet in his hand.

"Oh? Bring it to me to see."

"Let's see how this year's students did."

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he waved and said with a smile.

The New Year is approaching, and Zhu Yuanzhang is in a good mood. The joy of the festival seems to have infected everyone in the capital, including those in the palace.

Pang Yuhai agreed, stepped forward quickly, and respectfully handed the booklet in his hand to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang took the booklet and looked at the results of each student on it. He smiled and nodded frequently with a satisfied look on his face.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's happy face, Pang Yuhai was also happy.

But just when Zhu Yuanzhang turned to the last page and was about to ask why Hu Fei's grades were not on the booklet, he saw Hu Fei's name on the last line, and then his face darkened and he frowned slightly.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Pang Yuhai, who felt something was wrong in the atmosphere, glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked hesitantly.

"He actually came last in the exam?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook the booklet in his hand and said with a disappointed look on his face, full of hatred that iron could not be transformed into steel.

"Who?"

Pang Yuhai hesitated for a moment and asked tremblingly.

"Who else could it be? Hu Fei!"

"I originally had great expectations for him, but I never found his name. Who knew his name was on the last line, because he is the one with the worst grades among all the students in the Imperial College!"

"Except for archery and calligraphy, I failed in all other subjects! It really disappoints me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, and as he finished speaking, he threw the booklet in his hand to the ground, his face full of disappointment.

In fact, he was most concerned about Hu Fei's performance. After all, Hu Fei impressed him time and time again and brought him surprises time and time again. However, he did not expect that he would be ranked last in the end.

After listening to Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Pang Yuhai hurriedly picked up the booklet on the ground, turned to the last page, and looked at Hu Fei's final exam results recorded on it, his expression was a little stiff.

"this..."

Pang Yuhai looked at the brochure and then at Zhu Yuanzhang, wanting to defend Hu Fei, but was speechless for a moment.

Because Hu Fei's performance can be said to be the worst performance since the establishment of the Imperial College.

"Take it away quickly, I don't want to see it again!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said disappointedly.

Pang Yuhai hurriedly agreed, turned around and walked out quickly with the book in his hand.

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and sighed.

...

East Palace.
To be continued...