Chapter 276 Suppressing the Ninth-Rank Lady
A huge crowd.
Cheng Wanwan and Aunt Wang held hands to avoid being separated by the crowd.
Everywhere was bustling with noise.
Many people were discussing it endlessly.
"This is the most lively time we've ever seen in Ping'an County. Look at those restaurants, they're packed with customers early this morning."
"These restaurants must be making a killing today. I'm so envious."
Cheng Wanwan then noticed that the windows of the restaurants near the competition venue were full of people's heads. Why didn't she think to book a private room in advance? Sitting upstairs, she could have a panoramic view of everything, drinking tea and watching the excitement. How comfortable that would be!
However, there are definitely no private rooms available now, so we'll just have to squeeze in.
In a private room on the second floor, the Cao family and their entourage were sitting.
This talent competition was sponsored by businesses in various counties and towns. The prize money was raised by dozens of businesses. Because the businesses contributed money, each business could send its own people directly to the finals. This was a great opportunity for their businesses to make a name for themselves. Cao Defu came here in person.
He arranged for servants from the Cao family, all loyal servants born into the family, whose three generations had served the Cao family. On the competition field, they represented the Cao family business.
Cao Defu turned his head and saw his daughter looking down. He smiled and said, "Do you want to go down and join in the fun? You can take two people down for a walk."
Cao Yingying replied obediently, "I was checking if the people from Dahe Village were here. If they are, could you please invite them up?"
“This private room is so small, I’m afraid there’s not enough room for everyone,” Madam Cao said coldly. “You are the eldest daughter of the Cao family, it’s best if you don’t associate with these commoners.”
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Cao Defu shot her a cold glare. "Lady Sui is a noblewoman of the imperial court. Are you looking down on the status of a ninth-rank lady?"
Qi twitched the corner of her lips, but said nothing more.
After returning from Dahe Village last time, after a fierce struggle, Steward Cao took the blame for her. Although she escaped unscathed, her two trusted maids were kicked out, and several maids in the courtyard were sold off by that scoundrel Cao Defu. Now she is all alone and has no one she can trust.
At this moment, Cao Defu's youngest son rushed to Qi Shi's side and said, "When I become successful in my studies, I will ask for Mother to be made a first-rank lady and put that ninth-rank Sui Ruren down."
"My son is so good." Madam Qi smiled broadly. "From now on, the Cao family's reputation will depend on you."
Cao Yingying lowered her eyes.
The reason her father showed leniency towards her stepmother was because of this younger brother, the only legitimate son of the Cao family, who was seven years old this year and born to her stepmother.
As long as her younger brother is around, her father will never actually get rid of his stepmother.
The Cao family members each had their own thoughts, and the competition below officially began.
The first competition was to distinguish between different grains.
Because there are many projects and a large number of participants, the competition format is very simple and straightforward.
Ten people go on stage at the same time. Some less common grains will appear on the stage in rotation. The first person to answer correctly stays, and the remaining nine people all leave the stage. Then the next round of ten people begins... Basically, nine people can be eliminated in the blink of an eye. The last people sit in a row and each person is given a bowl of porridge. This porridge is made from various grains. The first person to identify which grains are in the porridge is the winner, and the second and third people are ranked accordingly.
The first place was determined in a quarter of an hour.
Aunt Wang grabbed Cheng Wanwan and excitedly exclaimed, "It's Granny Zhu! Good heavens! Granny Zhu won first place! She got a hundred taels of silver!"
Cheng Wanwan was also happy for Granny Zhu. Granny Zhu was the oldest person in the village, over seventy years old, almost eighty. At such an advanced age, she still had to take care of her youngest grandson and help the three children left behind by Widow Zhang. The family's life was very difficult. With this hundred taels of silver, Granny Zhu could enjoy a better life in the future.
The reward was given on the spot after the first project was completed.
The first, second, and third people stood on the stage, and Magistrate Shen personally handed them silver.
"The old woman's knowledge and wisdom are the fruits of time, the accumulation of years, a precious asset of Ping'an County. This is your reward." Magistrate Shen handed over a tray containing one hundred taels of silver. "I hope the old woman lives to be a hundred years old..."
Before she could finish speaking, Old Lady Zhu suddenly became short of breath. Before she even received the silver, her eyes rolled back and she fainted in front of everyone.
Grandma Zhao also participated in the competition. She lost in the last round. Before she could get off the stage, she instinctively caught the person, causing them to fall onto the stage together.
"Oh!"
Aunt Wang screamed and pushed aside the people blocking her way as she rushed onto the competition platform. Cheng Wanwan quickly followed her up.
She held Old Lady Zhu's upper body on her lap to keep her from catching a cold, while Aunt Wang pinched Old Lady Zhu's philtrum with all her might, and Old Lady Zhao shouted loudly from the side.
Old Mrs. Zhu finally groggily woke up, her eyes darting around sluggishly. Then she scrambled to her feet, picked up a piece of silver, bit into it, and immediately burst into tears, sobbing, "It's real silver! It's real! Our Tiger can finally eat meat again..."
Grandma Zhao helped him put the silver in his pocket: "Alright, alright, stop looking like you've never seen anything like this before, hurry up and get off the stage."
Cheng Wanwan and Aunt Wang helped Old Lady Zhu downstairs, one on each side.
Magistrate Shen stood on the platform, opened his mouth, and wanted to call out to Cheng Wanwan, but he didn't seem to have anything important to say. After thinking it over, he could only give up and watch helplessly as Cheng Wanwan's figure disappeared into the crowd.
Old Mrs. Zhu was helped down. She was carrying a hundred taels of silver, which was a bit heavy, and her legs were a little weak.
The village headman instructed the people who had just finished the competition, along with some onlookers, to escort Old Lady Zhu back home. There were too many people and too much chaos here; if someone were to steal her silver, they would be in big trouble.
The match is still ongoing.
Next up was an extremely lively wrestling match, featuring strong village men, each with thick arms.
The three people from Dahe Village who came to compete were Zhao Sanniu, Da Mai's father Wang Yongcheng, and Zhao Shagen. The competition format was that ten people would go on stage together and wrestle with each other. If someone fell to the ground, they would be eliminated. One of the ten people would win and advance to the final. In the final, a dozen or so people would wrestle together in a chaotic manner, and whoever lasted until the end would be the winner.
This kind of hand-to-hand combat competition is very exciting, and the spectators kept cheering.
Zhao Sanniu was mixed in with a group of burly men, and he would get punched every now and then, which made Cheng Wanwan's heart pound with fear.
This kid is indeed very strong for his age, but most of the participants are in their twenties or thirties. These folk competitions do not distinguish between age and weight, so it's all a free-for-all. Zhao Sanniu is at a disadvantage and was almost thrown off the competition platform several times.
However, he had practiced basic skills with He Xiao for a while, mainly practicing horse stance and standing meditation. His foundation was very stable, so he was not easily thrown to the ground and actually managed to hold on until the end.
Wang Yongcheng was in his thirties, the prime of his life. He was strong and had learned a few moves from He Xiao. He was basically unbeatable in the wrestling match and ultimately won first place.
"My God!" Aunt Wang gasped for breath. "Big Mountain Mother, quick, help me up, I'm going to die!"
Her husband won first place and received a reward of one hundred taels of silver. Good heavens, their family was going to become rich.
"Calm down, calm down," Cheng Wanwan said, supporting her. "Your house leaks too, and a hundred taels of silver would be gone just like that to rebuild it. There's no need to get so worked up..."
Thinking about it this way, Aunt Wang gradually calmed down and said, "I didn't expect that San Niu would actually get third place. He truly deserves to be Master He's disciple."
Zhao Sanniu barely made it to the end, covered in bruises, with a punch to the eye and blood at the corner of his mouth, looking miserable. But he grinned, revealing his clean white teeth, and waved to Cheng Wanwan: "Mom, wasn't I amazing? I'll be even more amazing in the future!"
Cheng Wanwan gave him a thumbs up.
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