The Host is Clearly A Scumbag (Quick Travel)

Wang Zhi was a student of Jiang Xiucai. He passed the county-level examination at seventeen and married his teacher's daughter, Jiang Xiao'e.

The couple had two children, a daughter, Daya, and a son, Xiaosong.

Back when Jiang Xiucai fell ill, the family spent heavily on his treatment, leaving them strapped for cash.

After failing the provincial examination several times, Wang Zhi took a job as an accountant in town, supplementing their income by copying books and writing letters for others.

Today is Wang Zhi's day off, and he had taken the children out to play.

When Wang Zhi came back and met Mingting, he quickly grasped his mother-in-law's intentions and volunteered to handle the paperwork.

Though a Tongsheng was only the first step in the imperial examination system, in remote areas, the title still carried some weight. (T/N: Tongsheng is those who passed a county/prefecture examination.)

In addition, Jiang Xiucai had some old friends during his lifetime, so after Wang Zhi made the necessary arrangements, by that evening, Mingting's identity papers were settled.

Now, Mingting was officially the son of Jiang Xiucai's distant cousin. Because both his parents passed away, he had come to seek refuge with his uncle's family.

At last, He Gu could breathe a sigh of relief.

She had carefully observed Mingtingfor a day. He spent time playing with Daya and Xiaosong, teaching them characters as they went.

Daya was eight, and Xiaosong was seven. Both of them were at that lively, restless age, so they are usually unwilling to listen to anyone.

At first, the siblings tried to challenge Mingting, but it didn't take long for them to be subdued by him, and they started diligently learning several new characters from him.

Xiaosong, in particular, was at the age where he should begin his studies. With Wang Zhi often away, Xiaosong's lessons had been sporadic at best.

But now, with someone keeping an eye on him, Xiaosong actually sat still and even recited a poem.

He Gu was overjoyed. Privately, she told Jiang Xiao'e that this time, her decision was absolutely the right one.

That evening, the family gathered for a lively meal.

Although the family was not well-off, Jiang Xiao'e generously sliced a portion of cured meat and meat, cooked it with beans to make a fragrant rice dish to welcome Mingting as their new family member.

He Gu was also a woman of action. Early the next morning, she took the 'Adoption Document' and Mingting's identity papers to the local government for official registration.

On the way back, Mingting quietly told He Gu that he had dreamed of Jiang Xiucai.

"Mom, Dad gave me the name, Mingting. Dad said that 'Mingting' refers to the sacred grounds where emperors perform rituals. Dad also told me to study hard and bring glory to our ancestors!"

He Gu had been a little skeptical at first, but Mingting described everything so vividly, and even remembered the exact location of the black mole on Jiang Xiucai's chin.

Mingting even recited a passage from Mencius, saying that Jiang Xiucai had taught it to him in the dream.

"Dad said he would often check on my studies from now on."

He Gu had never studied herself, but after years as a scholar's wife, she knew how difficult Mencius was. It was certainly not something a ten-year-old could recite on his own.

Immediately, she clasped her hands together and muttered a string of prayers before hugging Mingting in delight.

"Good, good! Your father favors you so much, it seems Mom made the right choice."

Adoption wasn't just about registering with the authorities, and it also required adding Mingting's name to the clan genealogy in the ancestral hall, which can be said a formal declaration.

Since they were all part of the Jiang Clan, and Jiang Xiucai had helped the clan many times in the past, the clan leader didn't raise any objections and happily recorded Mingting under Jiang Xiucai's name. From now on, he is officially Jiang Xiucai's son, Jiang Mingting.

By the time Jiang Meimei got wind of the news, Mingting had already kowtowed to He Gu.

Earlier, when He Gu spread the word that she wanted to adopt a son, many people in the village had been tempted.

Even though Jiang Xiucai was gone, his family still had a tiled house and farmland. Adopting a son meant inheriting all that, so why wouldn't people jump at the chance?

It's just that He Gu has high standards and hadn't taken a liking to any of them.

It was Jiang Meimei who instigated her parents to offer her youngest brother for adoption.

Originally, Jiang Xiao'e's family had been plagued by misfortune, with Jiang Xiao'e's younger brother drowned to death, then Jiang Xiucai was gone too.

Wang Zhi had delayed his imperial examination due to his parents' deaths, and later failed the examination several times. It can be said that this family was cursed with bad luck.

On the contrary, Jiang Meimei had gradually gained a reputation as a 'lucky star'.

He Gu had even considered adopting Jiang Meimei's brother, hoping to borrow some of her good fortune to turn their family's luck around.

In the original timeline, after Jiang Xiao'e met her tragic fate, He Gu had indeed adopted the Female Lead's younger brother.

But now, Jiang Meimei's plan had been ruined by Mingting.

She and her family rushed to the ancestral hall, where she immediately spotted Mingting standing beside He Gu.

A dazzling aura of purple-gold light enveloped Mingting's head, making Jiang Meimei's mouth water as she looked at him.

In this village, the best fortune she had ever seen belonged to Jiang Xiucai's family.

Jiang Xiucai's son had a red aura, showing that he will become a high official in the future.

Jiang Xiucai himself had an orange-red aura, as he is destined to be an official.

As for the others, they all have yellow auras, which showed wealth and prosperity.

That was why she had been siphoning their luck all this time.

But now, seeing the purple-gold light, the kind that symbolized imperial nobility, supreme virtue, and the highest honors, Jiang Meimei felt like a starving person staring at a feast.

[Purple-gold light! Quick, go absorb his fortune!] A voice sounded in Jiang Meimei's mind.

[Heavens! Who is this boy? How does he have so much virtue-light? Is he the reincarnation of a saint? And that purple glow, 'purple clouds from the east', that's the aura of nobility! He's destined to become a marquis or a prime minister at the very least!"

[Meimei, go and suck his luck! I'm already starving!]

'Please wait, Great Immortal.' Jiang Meimei stepped forward. Relying on the good relationship with He Gu during this period, she asked directly what was in her heart.

"Auntie, why did you adopt him instead of my brother?"

Jiang Meimei glanced at Ming Ting with disdain in her eyes.

"I heard that both his parents are gone. That's an unlucky fate, bringing misfortune to those around him. Auntie, wouldn't it be better to reconsider and choose someone else?"