Chapter 62 No Good Intentions

Shen Shilang went downstairs to eat. As soon as he reached the staircase, he heard the candidates downstairs discussing academic matters with each other.

The tables downstairs were all occupied, so Shen Shilang could only find a table with an empty seat and asked, "Is there anyone sitting here?"

"No one, no one. Please take a seat, brother." Someone at the table said hurriedly.

"I see, brother, are you also a candidate taking the exam this year?" asked another young man in a green cotton coat.

"Yes." Shen Shilang nodded.

"I am Xu Liangchuan from Jinzhou." The young man in the green cotton coat bowed.

"Xu Liangchuan?" Someone asked in surprise, and hurried over. "But he's the second place winner in this provincial examination?"

Xu Liangchuan stood up and said modestly, "I'm ashamed to say that it's me."

"Brother Xu is amazing!" Everyone exclaimed! "Yes, Brother Xu is the favorite to be in the top three this time."

"I didn't expect to meet Brother Xu here by chance."

For a moment, Xu Liangchuan was surrounded by a crowd, and everyone wanted to get to know him, which was a great honor for him.

After a long while, Xu Liangchuan seemed to have just remembered Shen Shilang and asked, "I don't know who this brother is..."

Shen Shilang originally wanted to keep a low profile and did not intend to reveal his identity, but the title of Jieyuan was still somewhat eye-catching.

Just now, seeing that the other party had forgotten about him, he still wanted to get away with it, but he didn't expect that he still couldn't escape.

There are so many candidates here, there must be someone who can pass the exam. If he lies, it will be embarrassing to meet him in the court one day.

Shen Shilang had no choice but to bow and say, "Chong'an Shen Shilang."

Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, all the people who had surrounded Xu Liangchuan looked over.

"Brother is Shen Shilang!"

"I didn't expect to meet the champion of the provincial examination here."

All the people who had originally surrounded Xu Liangchuan came over and unknowingly pushed Xu Liangchuan to the back of the crowd.

Shen Shilang had no choice but to greet everyone one by one, "Don't be polite. There is no first in literature, and no second in martial arts. In the field of learning, being first once does not mean you can always be first. You may do well in the exam this time, but you may fall behind next time."

"Brother Shen is really modest. He will definitely be in the top three this time."

"With Brother Shen's talent, he is a popular candidate for the top prize. But Brother Shen looks so..." Someone said embarrassedly, "He is so handsome, I don't know how to choose between the third place and the top place."

Shen Shilang's expression straightened up, and he hurriedly said, "Brother, please don't say that. It makes it seem like the top two places are already in my pocket. I dare not be so self-righteous. If people hear me, they will think I am arrogant."

"I spoke out of turn." the man said hurriedly.

After finishing his meal, Shen Shilang hurried back to his room.

Su Jinshi couldn't help but say, "I didn't expect these scholars to be so tactful! They flock to a top student when they see one."

Shen Shilang had never heard of the term "xueba", but he guessed the general meaning and said, "They are also somewhat confident in their own knowledge. They think they should be able to pass the exam this time, so they build good relationships with candidates who are also very confident of passing the exam in advance. When they become officials in the future, they can form their own small group."

"Stick together." Su Jinshi said, "These people don't study hard, they just study this."

Shen Shilang smiled and said, "In fact, it might be a good idea to keep in touch with them."

At night, it was pitch black outside the inn, and there was no sound at all.

Even a traveler in a hurry would not continue to move forward at night.

In this silence, someone suddenly knocked on Shen Shilang's door.

Xu Liangchuan's voice came from outside the door, "Brother Shen, have you rested?"

There was still a candle burning in Shen Shilang's room, and it was difficult to find an excuse to get rid of him, so he could only get up and open the door. He saw Xu Liangchuan holding a tray in his hands.

There was a pot of wine, two wine glasses and a plate of peanuts on the tray.

"Brother Xu, what's this..." Shen Shilang looked down at the tray in Xu Liangchuan's hand, then looked up at Xu Liangchuan.

"I didn't expect to meet Brother Shen here. If we can pass the exam this time, it will be fate for us to serve in the same court in the future." Xu Liangchuan said with a smile, "So I thought, if Brother Shen has nothing to do tonight, we can drink a pot of wine and have a good chat."

"To be honest, I also want to learn from Brother Shen's talent."

Shen Shilang looked at Xu Liangchuan, who had a strange look in his eyes.

He lowered his eyes slightly and his gaze fell on the wine jug again. He just happened to catch a glimpse of Xu Liangchuan's hand holding the tray suddenly tightening.

The fingers that were gripping the tray tightly had their fingertips turning white from the force.

The veins on the back of his hands were exposed.

So nervous?

Shen Shilang calmly let Xu Liangchuan in.

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

Xu Liangchuan breathed a sigh of relief and put the tray on the table, "Brother Shen, please take a seat."

Shen Shilang sat down and saw Xu Liangchuan said embarrassedly: "Brother Shen, please don't despise me. I am really short of money and don't have any extra money to buy meat."

"Brother Xu, please don't think too much. I just don't have the habit of drinking and eating so late. If you want to discuss academic matters, you don't have to be so polite."

Xu Liangchuan picked up a wine glass, poured a glass of wine for Shen Shilang, and placed it in front of Shen Shilang without saying a word.

"Brother Shen, I have always wanted to imitate the ancients who drank and wrote poems to express their feelings freely. Although the imperial examination is imminent, the more at this time, the more I need to relax myself." Xu Liangchuan smiled and said, "Brother Shen, you should relax once in a while, it's okay."

Xu Liangchuan also poured himself a glass, and then looked at Shen Shilang without blinking, determined to see him drink it with his own eyes.

Shen Shilang raised the wine glass to his lips, sniffed it with the tip of his nose, and his slightly drooped eyelashes hid the mocking coldness in his eyes.

The hand hidden under the table suddenly trembled, and a copper coin in the sleeve shot out from under the table, hit the window, and directly broke through the window paper and flew out.

"What's that sound?" Shen Shilang put down his wine glass and looked towards the window.

He was about to drink it, but put it down because of the noise.

Xu Liangchuan also looked over and heard Shen Shilang's surprised voice behind him, "Why is there a hole in the window?"

As Shen Shilang spoke, he swapped his and Xu Liangchuan's wine glasses, then stood up and walked towards the window.

Xu Liangchuan also came over and asked in surprise: "Yeah! What was that thing that flew over here just now?"

"I don't know." Shen Shilang looked around but couldn't find anything. He shook his head and said, "I didn't see anything else in the room. It's strange."

"Never mind, Brother Xu, come, let's drink ours." Shen Shilang said.

Xu Liangchuan hesitated and said, "Then the hole in this window..."

"I'll go downstairs and ask the waiter for some paste. I'll just paste it when I come back." Shen Shilang raised his glass, "Brother Xu, let's drink first."

Xu Liangchuan picked up the wine glass happily. Although there was a small accident just now, everything went smoothly overall.

After the two of them had a few drinks, Xu Liangchuan happily returned to his room.

Shen Shilang asked the waiter for glue and pasted paper on the windows.

Su Jinshi then asked, "What was wrong with Xu Liangchuan's wine glass just now?"

(End of this chapter)