Duoduo looked at the exam paper carefully, "Sir, could you read the questions to me?"
There were some characters on this paper that Duoduo had not learned yet.
Some of the sentences were also obscure and difficult to understand.
Li Jin nodded, and he began to explain the questions to Duoduo one by one.
After he finished explaining a question, if Duoduo knew how to do it, she would nod.
The two of them continued like this, asking and answering.
Surprisingly, Duoduo managed to complete nearly half of the questions.
Li Jin was somewhat surprised.
The further they went, the harder the questions became.
Duoduo shook her head more and more frequently.
As for the later questions, she barely managed to answer the one on policy essays.
Li Jin put down the paper, his expression somewhat complex.
There were one or two questions in the middle that he had just discussed with Duoduo that very morning.
Not only did she remember them, but she could actually draw inferences from them.
Duoduo looked at Li Jin with great apprehension.
"Teacher, did I answer very poorly?"
Yingniang took Duoduo's hand.
"Duoduo, you are amazing! You actually answered so many questions correctly!"
"If women could participate in the imperial examinations, you would definitely pass!"
Duoduo looked at Li Jin with highly expectant eyes.
Li Jin calmed his emotions.
"Yingniang is right, Princess, you did very well!"
"Come, now I will explain the answers to you one by one."
Duoduo nodded and listened earnestly as Li Jin explained the paper.
"Has the Princess memorized it?" Li Jin put the paper away.
Duoduo nodded.
"Yes! I've memorized it!"
"Then let's start on the second paper now."
Li Jin placed a different exam paper in front of Duoduo.
Yingniang leaned over to take a look, "Huh? This one is different."
"Yes, this is a paper from three years ago. Princess, let us begin."
Just like that, Li Jin and Duoduo resumed their question-and-answer mode.
Yingniang was extremely bored.
She could partly understand and partly not understand the words spoken between her father and Duoduo.
At first, she listened to their exchanges with great enthusiasm.
However, as she listened, she slumped over the table and fell asleep.
Seeing this, Li Jin gently shook his head and took out his outer coat to drape over Yingniang.
Duoduo seriously pondered the questions on the paper, and when she had formulated an answer, she would voice her thoughts.
When she spoke well, Li Jin praised her without hesitation.
When she was incorrect, Li Jin did not scold her, but instead guided Duoduo to think and see where she went wrong.
And so it went, from dawn until dusk, when the servants came in to light the candles.
Yingniang woke up as well.
She was hungry.
"Duoduo, are you hungry?" Yingniang asked when she saw her father and Duoduo pause.
"Rumble!"
Duoduo's stomach immediately growled.
However, looking at the paper at hand, Duoduo's face was full of reluctance to part with it.
"Sister, you go eat first. I want to figure out this question before I go."
Yingniang looked at Duoduo in surprise.
Li Jin waved his hand, signaling Yingniang not to disturb Duoduo.
Yingniang looked at the water clock nearby; it was already the hour of Xu.
It was already so late, no wonder she felt so hungry.
Yingniang thought for a moment, then tiptoed outside.
Outside the door, Lvluo and Lüzhu were pacing around anxiously.
Seeing Yingniang come out, they hurriedly came over to curtsy.
"Miss Li, may we ask when the Princess will finish her studies?"
"Miss Li, when will the Princess have her meal?"
Yingniang shook her head at the two of them.
"It's already this time, isn't the Princess hungry yet?"
"If she eats too late and gets indigestion, what should we do?"
The faces of the two maids were filled with worry.
"How about this: you two go and bring some food that is easy to eat and digest."
Yingniang instructed the two maids.
"Yes."
The two maids hurriedly left to prepare the meal.
Yingniang stood at the door and waited for a while, then saw the two of them returning with some older female servants, carrying several food boxes.
"Give them to me."
Yingniang took the food boxes inside.
She arranged the food from the boxes onto a side table.
The maids had someone bring three sets of bowls and chopsticks; it seemed they had prepared portions for her and her father as well.
"Father, time to eat!"
"Your stomach is not good, and Mother reminded you that you must eat your three meals on time."
"Also, Duoduo is still young, she especially shouldn't go hungry."
Yingniang kept a straight face, stopping the two people who were neglecting their sleep and meals.
Hearing his daughter bring up his wife, Li Jin finally realized that it was already very late.
His abdomen felt a slight discomfort.
Li Jin hurriedly put away the papers on the desk.
"Princess, let's eat first."
Duoduo looked at the cleared papers, "Sir, I was just about to figure out the answer."
"Eat!"
Li Jin said in a tone that brooked no argument, and gave Yingniang a look.
Yingniang forcibly pulled Duoduo to the dining table.
Duoduo's attention was immediately drawn to the food on the table.
"Wow! So much delicious food! It smells so good!"
Duoduo wiped her hands with a handkerchief before sitting down.
"Sir, Sister, sit down and eat together."
Li Jin waved his hand, "That is against the rules."
Duoduo put on a serious face, "A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime."
"How is it against the rules for a father and daughter to eat together?"
Li Jin was stumped.
"Father, sit down and eat with us, it's getting late."
Yingniang tugged at Li Jin's sleeve.
It was all because she accidentally fell asleep; tomorrow, she must properly supervise her father.
No wonder her mother strongly insisted that she accompany her father here.
It turned out her mother knew all along that her father was this kind of person.
Li Jin was indeed hungry too.
He took the opportunity to sit down.
Yingniang sat next to Li Jin, and only then did Duoduo reveal a smile.
"Alright, let's all eat."
Duoduo picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.
Because it was late, the maids had brought japonica rice porridge boiled in old hen broth.
The porridge had some dried shrimp, scallops, and other seafood added to it.
There were seven or eight plates of refreshing side dishes, as well as several pastries.
Duoduo was hungry and drank two bowls of porridge in one breath.
She also ate several pastries before finally slowing down her pace.
The three of them ate most of the food on the table before stopping.
"Sir, let's continue. I know how to solve that question now!"
Duoduo put down her chopsticks and wanted to go solve the problem.
Yingniang grabbed Duoduo.
"You just ate, you can't, it will easily give you a stomachache."
"Come, let's go for a stroll in the garden."
Yingniang held Duoduo with one hand and reached out to pull Li Jin with the other.
Li Jin knew that his daughter was sent by his wife to supervise him.
Li Jin stood up, "Yes, Princess, let's go out for a walk and give your mind a rest."
"Today's written coursework ends here; we will continue tomorrow."
"But I haven't solved my question yet!" Duoduo was displeased.
"We can talk while we walk."
Li Jin stepped out of the room. Outside, the moonlight was like white silk, and the fragrance of flowers floated through the entire garden.
"Look, the moonlight tonight is so beautiful. Princess, do you still remember any poems about the moon?"
Duoduo nodded.
"I remember."
"Then how about this: you recite one, and I recite one, and we see who can recite more?"
"And if I beat you, Sir, what will be my reward?"
