"Puff... Ugh!" He couldn't stop gushing out the wine until he had poured out all the wine in his stomach.

Everything around was quiet.

"I'm sorry!" Zeng Zhui wiped his mouth, shook his head, squinted at the embarrassed man in front of him, and said angrily, "I told you not to drink, but you insisted on forcing me to drink."

Several high-pitched screams rang in Zeng Zhui's ears, and the people surrounding Zeng Zhui scattered like birds and beasts in an instant.

The person who was scolded was Lian Qing. She stared at Zeng Zhui blankly, then covered her face, stood up, and ran away pulling her skirt.

This time I really cried.

Many of the other sisters also suffered. They hurriedly packed up their things and ran away.

"Spoiling!"

As soon as the singing girls left, the other guests also left their seats and left, leaving only Jiang Gu and Zeng Zhui.

Jiang Gu continued to drink by himself.

Zeng Zhui hit his head, and the chaos in front of his eyes gradually dissipated, and he could finally see people without seeing double.

Jiang Gu suddenly asked, "Why do you want to take the imperial examination?"

"Why?" Zeng Zhui thought for a moment and said, "To change my destiny."

"Change your fate." Jiang Gu smiled, "What if your fate is already determined?"

Zeng recalled Jiang Gudao's experience and couldn't help but sigh. Then he said, "I remember you told me this morning that there was a person who took the exam eight or nine times but failed."

The image of Feng Miao flashed through Jiang Gu’s mind, and he nodded immediately.

"From this we can see that the imperial examination cannot change everyone's fate; it is just a way for people to change their fate."

Zeng Zhui's vision became increasingly clear. "If this road is blocked, try another one. If that still doesn't work, try another. There's always a way that works. It's not the only way. Ultimately, you're the only one who can change your destiny."

Jiang Gu's eyes flickered, and he sighed softly, "I really envy you, even a little jealous."

Zeng Zhui nodded and said, "Many people envy and jealous of me. This is not surprising."

Jiang Gu's throat was nearly clouded by the alcohol. After a long while, he finally said, "Have you always been so confident in yourself?"

"Not really. When I was little, my family was poor and I was often looked down upon. That's why I was very timid. I got to where I am today because of the beatings from my mother and elder sister."

His mother and elder sister often warned him that he was the only son in the family, and if even his bones became soft and brittle, the Zeng family would be truly ruined.

Those who look down on him and laugh at him now are all afraid of him. They are afraid that he will stand up, become stronger, and block their light.

As long as he truly stands up and becomes strong, he will become a shining sun, and these people will come to worship him and curry favor with him.

On the contrary, if I really do as they wish, give up on myself, fall into the quagmire, and roll with them, I will be despised and looked down upon for the rest of my life.

"My mother and sister always say that you have to respect yourself before others can respect you."

"You think highly of yourself." Jiang Gu was stunned.

"Brother Jiang, even if you can't take the imperial examination, with your talent, as long as you work hard, there will definitely be other ways out."

Zeng recalled Feng Miao's offer to publish a collection of works for Jiang Gu, and asked, "Brother Feng wants to publish a collection for you. Have you agreed?"

Jiang Gu came back to his senses and shook his head, saying, "It's just a futile effort. He has been looking for more than a dozen people over the past few years, but all ended in failure."

"How do you know if you don't try? What if it works this time? If it doesn't work again, then we can move to another place. We don't have to stay in the capital."

"Let's talk about it later." Jiang Gu looked gloomy, but a glimmer of hope arose in his heart.

"I'm planning to try my luck at the Shiwen Yaji. With my talent, I'm sure I'll be selected."

Jiang Gu raised an eyebrow, "Are you so sure?"

Zeng Zhui was full of confidence, "Of course, don't you see who I am?"

Jiang Gu asked, "May I ask who you are, brother?"

"The best in Shu is Zeng Zhui, the top scholar."

Jiang Gu was speechless. He didn't expect that this fool was actually the top scorer in the imperial examination.

Yes, how could the descendants of the Zeng family in Shu be incompetent?

"No. 1 in Shu, I respect you."

"I'll be happy to accompany you."

After the banquet, Jiang Gu was called away.

Zeng Zhui breathed a sigh of relief, then staggered back to his shabby room, threw himself onto the bed, and lay down motionless.

Lian Qing's gentle figure appeared in his mind, and he thought of what those playboys said, and he was a little confused for a moment.

Suddenly, a roar exploded in his mind, "Zeng Er! If you dare to mess with me, I'll break your legs!"

Zeng Zhui was startled, then got up in a hurry, packed up his things, checked out and ran away.

He stood guard at the gate, reciting the Zeng family motto loudly, making the patrol guards roll their eyes.

Finally, the quarrel became unbearable, so they checked his travel permit and essay, and after learning that he was a candidate waiting for the imperial examination, they let him go.

Zeng chased to the inn the school official mentioned, spent a hundred coins to stay there, and then locked himself in the room and knelt for three days and three nights.

In the end, the shopkeeper was afraid that something might happen to someone, so he asked the waiter to knock on the door, and only then did he call out Zeng Zhui, who was dizzy and dazed from hunger.

Zeng chased the waiter and said, "Give me a bowl of soup noodles, a big one!"