Chapter 502 I've Always Been Lucky
The provincial capital is called Yuncheng, and it is brightly lit even at night.
Many scholars and literati walked together toward the government office, each carrying specially prepared gifts.
Zheng Wangfeng sat by the window on the second floor of the inn, where he could see the Imperial Academy. This inn was the largest and best in Yuncheng, costing five or six taels of silver for a night's stay. He had been staying here for almost two months, spending money like water.
Each time someone went in, his page would make a note on a piece of paper: "Young master, one hundred and twenty-three scholars have already gone in. The rest of us are all from poor families and probably won't come."
Zheng Wangfeng frowned: "Why didn't I see Cheng Zhao and Shen Zheng go in?"
The pageboy glanced at the paper and immediately became indignant: "Young master, I told you that Shen Zheng is unreliable. He spends so much money drinking tea and partying with so many people every day. He's probably broke by now. He deliberately stole that coral bonsai and who knows who he sold it to! He's ranked last. What good is it if he's listed with the academic official? A person without talent can never have a good future no matter how much they try to bribe their way in!"
Zheng Wangfeng said coldly, "There's still a quarter of an hour left, let's wait a little longer."
Fewer and fewer people came to the school government office. When the time came, the two guards closed the gate, and the faint sound of string and wind instruments could be heard coming from inside.
Zheng Wangfeng's face was gloomy.
He stepped downstairs and headed straight for the courtyard where Shen Zheng and the others lived.
The main street was bustling with traffic, but it became much quieter in the back alleys, where small courtyards were rented out to students taking exams. Most of the students would be reading at night.
Zheng Wangfeng walked to the gate of the courtyard and was about to knock when the gate suddenly opened.
Shen Zheng came out of the courtyard carrying a pot of coral, and said with his head turned: "Brother Cheng, you are the top scholar, it doesn't matter whether you go or not. I can't do it, I'm last place. If I don't go, I'm doomed. I still want to bring glory to the Shen family!"
Cheng Zhao's face turned ashen: "Cheng Ding, stop him!"
Cheng Ding threw down the broom, flipped over and leaped in front of Shen Zheng, pressing down on his shoulder.
Shen Zheng shouted, "Afu, someone is bullying your young master! Come and help me! Brother Cheng, you've gone too far! You can't ruin my future... Hey, Brother Zheng, what are you doing here? Hey, let me explain, I was on my way to..."
“It’s too late to go now.” Zheng Wangfeng said with a dark face. “The school’s offices are closed, and the banquet has already started.”
Cheng Zhao stepped forward and said coldly, "Return the coral bonsai to Brother Zheng."
Shen Zheng was a little reluctant, but since the thing was no longer of any use, he threw the flowerpot into the arms of Zheng's pageboy in a fit of pique.
The pageboy glared at him fiercely.
Zheng Wangfeng's expression was very unpleasant: "Brother Shen, you have delayed my important business this time."
Shen Zheng scratched his head. His own important matter had been delayed as well. He glanced at the angry Zheng Wangfeng, then at Cheng Zhao, whose face was equally dark, and had no idea what to do.
Cheng Zhao walked out of the courtyard and said in a low voice, "Since the end of the provincial examination, how many banquets have the officials held? Except for the first one which was in the name of the government, the later ones were all private banquets. Although I have never attended any of those private banquets, I have heard that the officials have been making a fortune... His purpose is to make money, not to guide the students. Do you still want to go?"
Zheng Wangfeng sneered, "You two are first and last place, so naturally you don't need to go. But I'm different. My reputation is ruined now, and I need this opportunity to prove myself. Brother Shen ruined this opportunity. Brother Shen, tell me, how are you going to explain this to me?"
"I……"
Shen Zheng, who was always talkative, was speechless at this moment.
He shouldn't have taken Zheng Wangfeng's flowerpot; it made it seem like he was deliberately causing trouble.
Just then, the sound of horses neighing came, and a chestnut horse stopped at the entrance of the courtyard.
Cheng Bing dismounted and bowed, saying, "I have come to deliver a letter on the orders of the people of Sui'an. Please read the letter as soon as possible, Young Master Cheng."
He handed the letter to Cheng Zhao.
Cheng Zhao quickly took it. His second aunt had written several letters, all delivered by the merchant, and the letters were full of instructions. She had never been so anxious before.
He skimmed through the letter and breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief. He was genuinely afraid that he had made a mistake in stopping Shen Zheng from attending the banquet, but since his second aunt also felt the same way, it proved that his intuition was correct.
He handed the letter to Shen Zheng. After reading it, Shen Zheng was immediately energized and said, "Brother Zheng, you have to thank me! My godmother said that we shouldn't get involved in these things, for fear of getting into trouble... Don't ask me what kind of trouble, I don't know either. Anyway, my godmother is a sixth-rank Anren, so she must have a keen sense of politics that no one knows about. Since my godmother said so, then we must do it!"
Zheng Wangfeng frowned: "Do people from Sui'an really say that?"
"Of course." Shen Zheng patted his chest. "You've turned misfortune into blessing this time. Who knows what kind of great luck you'll have? Let me tell you, I've always been extremely lucky since I was a child. You're only getting this benefit from my luck."
Zheng Wangfeng wanted to say what a peasant woman could know, but considering that the people of Sui'an had been rising in rank over the past year, she must know more than these young people.
Shen Zheng's transformation from a mischievous young master into a successful candidate in the imperial examinations is certainly partly attributable to the people of Sui'an.
Perhaps the people of Sui'an are right.
He did not pursue the matter further.
"Oh my, my godmother even brought us clothes and food! Oh, and silver notes too! Hahaha, my godmother is even better to me than my father!" Shen Zheng rummaged through his bundle, carefully putting away the silver notes, and then put his arm around Cheng Bing's shoulder. "You've come all this way, it's not easy for you. Come on, let's go out for a drink. Brother Cheng, don't stay cooped up in your room all day. The imperial examination is still a long way off. While those people are drinking at the provincial official's residence, let's go to the best restaurant and have a good time!"
Cheng Zhao really couldn't concentrate on reading anymore. His second aunt's letter also mentioned some things to be aware of in the capital, so he needed to plan carefully when to set off for the capital.
Along with Cheng Ding and A Fu, the group walked onto the main street and entered the largest restaurant.
The place was very close to the official residence of the Imperial Academy, and the sound of music could be heard so clearly that many of the failed scholars in the restaurant were discussing it.
"Sigh, this is my third time taking the exam, and I'm still only a Xiucai (a lower-level scholar). Should I try again next year?"
"If we give up, we'll never become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, let alone be invited in for drinks by the academic officials. Let's wait another three years."
"I'm already thirty-three this year, how many more three-year periods do I have left to waste..."
"..."
Cheng Zhao and the others also talked about their future plans.
"If I don't pass the imperial examination, I'll just find a way to become an official in charge of education. If I'm lucky, I might even become a magistrate in a remote county," Shen Zheng said, taking a sip of wine. "Brother Zheng, what about you? If you don't pass, will you take the exam directly, or will you try again?"
Zheng Wangfeng looked at the wine in his cup: "I will definitely become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), definitely."
Shen Zheng laughed loudly: "Even Brother Cheng wouldn't dare to utter such arrogant words, Brother Zheng is far too frivolous."
Just as the three were having a good chat, a commotion suddenly broke out in the bustling street. Dozens of officials came running over, dispersed the people on the street, and surrounded the school's government office.
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