Xie Yunchen's cheeks flushed red, whether from shyness or the alcohol, he said with a grin, "I won't tell you."
Lin Xiangzhi put down the wine pot and leaned back lazily. "I found out about the top few on the list. I originally wanted to tell you quietly, but it seems Brother Xie doesn't want to know either."
"Who says I don't want to know?"
Xie Yunchen immediately perked up and looked at Zhen Jingxiu, "Jingxiu, you deserve to be in the top three."
"No, no, no, I dare not make such a boast. If I fail the exam, I will ruin the reputation of the Zhen family." Zhen Jingxiu waved his hands repeatedly as if facing a formidable enemy.
Su Jin took a sip of tea. He looked at Xie Yunchen and said, "Brother Xie, please tell us who your favorite girl is. If you tell us, Brother Lin won't keep you in suspense any longer."
Xie Yunchen glanced at Su Jin guiltily, "It's not that I don't want to say, it's just wishful thinking on my part. I don't even know if the girl is willing."
"So it turns out it was a case of unrequited love, then let's not talk about it anymore." Su Jin patted Xie Yunchen's shoulder to comfort him.
"Jingxiu, if you're on the list, do you have a girl you want to marry?" Lin Xiangzhi raised an eyebrow and looked at the real Jingxiu.
Zhen Jingxiu was distracted by the sudden question, and a blush crept up his ears.
He spent the most time with Lin Xiangzhi. Although he occasionally gave people the impression of being unrestrained, he never uttered a single falsehood.
Zhen Jingxiu was convinced that Lin Xiangzhi was able to find out inside information.
He suppressed his inner joy and glanced at Su Jin with feigned composure, "No, I'm not in a hurry to get married."
Su Jin, however, sensed something else in Lin Xiangzhi's words. He picked up his teacup and raised it to Zhen Jingxiu, saying, "Congratulations, Jingxiu."
Xie Yunchen suddenly realized something and raised his teacup as well, "Congratulations Jingxiu, when you get promoted, don't forget your brothers."
Zhen Jingxiu picked up his teacup and stood up. "I dare not dream of a promotion. Serving a wise ruler is a long-cherished wish of ours. Brothers should help each other, but we must stay within the law."
The implication is that everyone must abide by the law after entering officialdom.
Then he added, "It's too early to talk about this now. Let's go to the examination hall together to see what's going on when the results are announced."
He didn't intend to ask in detail about his exact ranking or whether he was the top scholar; he would only find out after passing the palace examination.
Last night, Lin Xiangzhi went to Xiangyang to retrieve a letter from home, and the Emperor asked him to stay for a while.
The Emperor praised his policy essay as well, and said that the family of a true scholar was indeed a family of scholars. Although he did not name names, the Emperor had already guessed what was going on.
After a satisfying meal, the four agreed to meet again at the examination hall on the day the results were announced before leaving the restaurant.
After stepping outside, a gust of wind blew through Su Jin, making him feel slightly tipsy and causing him to stagger.
Lin Xiangzhi quickly reached out to support Su Jin, saying, "Brother, I am only a few years older than you, yet you call yourself my elder brother. Let me take you back."
Su Jin stopped and closed his eyes briefly, trying to calm himself down. But when he opened his eyes again, everything in front of him was swaying.
He doesn't usually drink much, and while two glasses of wine wouldn't make him completely drunk, the dizziness was beyond his control.
He cupped his hands in greeting to Lin Xiangzhi: "Brother Lin, the journey back is much longer. It will be fine for me to go back with Jingxiu."
A faint blush appeared on Zhen Jingxiu's handsome face. He stepped forward and said, "Xiangzhi, the coachman is waiting for you. Brother Su, come back with us. It's just one street away. We can take a walk to sober up."
"Should I book a superior room at a restaurant so Brother Su can get some sleep before going home?" Xie Yunchen suggested.
Su Jin waved her hands repeatedly: "No, it's just a little dizziness. If I don't go home soon, my sister will worry."
"It's alright, I'll have the driver follow us." Lin Xiangzhi gestured to the driver, then took Su Jin's arm and started walking forward.
"I'll go too." Xie Yunchen quickly followed.
He could have gone back down this street, but now he'd rather take a detour to join the crowd.
Unable to refuse such hospitality, Su Jin could only bow and express his gratitude.
The four slowed their pace, chatting and laughing as they made their way to the Jiang residence.
Outside the Jiang residence, Yinqiao anxiously craned her neck to peer inside.
The doorman said, "Don't worry, young lady, she'll be out soon. You can sit inside and wait."
Yinqiao was naturally anxious. Just now, a noble lady came to the clinic and insisted on seeing her master. Although the lady was old, she looked very healthy and did not seem to be sick at all.
A moment later, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard.
Before she could even see him, Yinqiao went up to him and said, "Master, you've finally come out."
"Has something happened at the clinic?" Jiang Shuyue stepped out the door.
If it weren't for an urgent matter, Yinqiao would never have come to the manor to call her.
“Master, an elegantly dressed old lady has come to the clinic. She doesn’t say she wants to see a doctor or ask for medicine. She just sits in the clinic and says she won’t leave until she sees you.”
"Isn't this outrageous?" Qiu Ju stared wide-eyed in disbelief; she had never heard of such a thing before.
Jiang Shuyue stopped and frowned slightly. "No, what kind of elegantly dressed lady would act like a rogue when she goes out? She only asked to see me, so she's probably someone I know."
“Miss, could it be…” Qiuju hesitated.
"Don't worry, there's always a way out. I'm not as easy to control as your mother." Jiang Shuyue knew who Qiu Ju was talking about when she saw the worried look in her eyes.
The sound of horses' hooves rang out as Gao Mu drove his carriage out of the stable.
He jumped off the carriage shaft and asked Yinqiao, "Does this person want to cause trouble? I'll go and throw him out into the street."
Yin Qiao shook her head. "It's hard to say. She only said that she had to see her master, and her attitude wasn't bad."
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