Chapter 694 Old Master Qian's Change of Face
The streets of Yuncheng are bustling and lively.
Cheng Wanwan and Lu Yingxue strolled around the streets and bought a lot of nice things.
As evening approached, the two headed back home. Just as they reached the gate of the courtyard, they heard voices coming from inside.
That voice... isn't that Qian Hui's?
Shouldn't this kid be in the exam hall?
Cheng Wanwan thought she had misheard, so she quickly stepped inside and saw Qian Hui and Leng Rushuang sitting at a stone table in the courtyard, talking to each other.
"Auntie's back!" Qian Hui immediately stood up and greeted her with a smile. "Wow, why didn't you ask Cheng Jia and the others to come with you when you went out to buy things? It must be tiring to carry so many things. Come on, let me help you carry them and put them in."
Cheng Wanwan placed the things on the stone table, frowned, and said, "Don't look at me like that. Tell me quickly, what's going on?"
Qian Hui scratched his chin: "Auntie knows that I'm just not cut out for studying. I was able to pass the county-level exam last year thanks to the blessings of our ancestors... cough cough. Of course, it was also because Master Yu predicted the questions correctly. I heard that the provincial-level exam will be very difficult this year, so there's no need for me to go and make things harder for myself. Auntie can understand, right?"
"Stop rambling." Cheng Wanwan looked at him seriously. "Tell the truth."
Although Qian Hui is a frivolous fellow, he is quite diligent in his studies thanks to the restraint of his grandfather. Even if he knew he wouldn't pass the imperial examination, there's no way he would run away from the examination hall on the first day. There must be another reason behind it.
“Let me tell you,” Leng Rushuang said as she walked over. “My husband doesn’t want to tell Shuren about this because he’s afraid she won’t eat or sleep well these past nine days. But I think Shuren has to know about this. Only if she knows that there are villains causing trouble in the shadows can she take precautions.”
She briefly recounted what had happened in the exam room that morning.
"My God, these people are so audacious!" Lu Yingxue exclaimed angrily, then her heart skipped a beat. "Sister Wanwan, could it be that those people were trying to scheme against Xiaozhan, but they mistakenly targeted Sidan instead... Xiaozhan and Sidan are the same age, and both are registered in Dahe Town, Ping'an County. They must have mistaken him for someone else. Oh my god, Sidan has taken the blame for Xiaozhan..."
Cheng Wanwan shook her head: "They're probably here for me."
Her relationship with the He family had become irreconcilable, and since the He family couldn't directly target her, they resorted to their evil scheme against her son.
Da Shan rarely goes out in Dahe Town, Er Gou is quite clever and quick-witted, and San Niu has He Xiao protecting him in the capital. Therefore, the He family can only start with Si Dan.
After she arrived in Yunnan Province, she instructed Cheng Jia and Cheng Yi to be extra careful and vigilant, but she never expected that something unexpected would happen once they entered the examination hall.
The He family actually bribed the officials at the examination hall...
She looked up at Qian Hui: "This has nothing to do with you. You shouldn't have given up your chance to take the provincial examination to Si Dan, you..."
"Why are you telling me all this, Auntie? I don't deserve your thanks." Qian Hui said nonchalantly. "I was never going to pass the exam anyway. To be stuck inside for nine days and nine nights would be too much of a torment... But, I might need you to help explain things to my grandfather, otherwise I'll definitely be forced to kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment..."
Just then, Old Master Qian's booming voice rang out from outside the courtyard: "Qian Hui, you unfilial grandson, get out here right now!"
Qian Hui was so frightened that he quickly hid behind Cheng Wanwan.
"The Qian family has invested so much effort in training you, and you ran away at the last minute without even trying! You've disgraced the Qian family and brought shame upon our ancestors!" Old Master Qian burst in like a firecracker. "Don't hide behind Shuren. This time, even Shuren can't protect you..."
Leng Rushuang hurriedly advised, "Grandfather, things are not as you see them..."
"Granddaughter-in-law, go over there and keep an eye on things." Old Master Qian was furious. "Don't think that just because you're married I won't dare to discipline you. You've gone too far..."
"Mr. Qian, calm down." Cheng Wanwan pressed down on his wildly waving arm and sighed, "This time, Hui'er was protecting Si Dan from disaster, so she had to leave the examination room early. I, Cheng Wanwan, will remember such a great favor. In the future, no matter what the Qian family needs help with, as long as Mr. Qian asks, I, Cheng Wanwan, will never refuse."
Old Master Qian quickly calmed down: "What exactly happened?"
Leng Rushuang once again briefly recounted the matter in a few words.
"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! How could such a thing happen at the provincial examination hall? It's absurd!" Old Master Qian looked at his grandson, "Hui'er, you did well. You truly deserve to be a member of the Qian family. When you come home this time, just ask for anything you want, and your grandfather will buy it for you."
Qian Hui: "..."
Grandfather's change of expression was so sudden, it caught me completely off guard!
"Shuren, this matter must be thoroughly investigated!" Old Master Qian said with a cold face. "Those people in the examination hall were able to cause trouble when they entered, and there are still eight or nine days left, so they will have even more opportunities to cause trouble. I wonder if Sidan will suffer. We must find out the truth as soon as possible and remove that person from the examination hall!"
Cheng Wanwan nodded: "Of course we need to investigate, but it won't be easy."
Her home turf is Dahe Town, and she's also quite successful in Huzhou, but she doesn't know anyone in the provincial capital.
However, acquaintances all start as strangers; if you're not familiar with someone, you can gradually become familiar with them.
She thought for a moment and said, "I came to the provincial capital without alerting anyone. I would like to ask Mr. Qian to help spread the word that I am in the provincial capital."
This was no big deal at all. Old Master Qian readily agreed and then immediately went to spread the word.
Yunnan Province is full of teahouses and taverns, making it very convenient to spread news. In just one night, the news that Sui Shuren was accompanying her son to take the provincial examination in Yunnan Province spread.
The next morning, Cheng Wanwan received an invitation from the governor's wife to admire the flowers.
The highest-ranking official in this provincial capital is the second-rank governor, and the governor's wife, thanks to her husband's influence, is also a second-rank imperial consort, slightly higher in rank than Cheng Wanwan.
However, there are many second-rank imperial consorts like the wife of a governor in the entire Great Yu Dynasty, while Cheng Wanwan's title, which was earned through genuine merit, is unique to her.
That afternoon, Cheng Wanwan went to the governor's mansion for a banquet.
Lu Yingxue was the type to enjoy a good time, so she insisted on going along.
Thinking that Lu Yingxue was naturally outgoing and could quickly make connections with strangers in such a setting, Cheng Wanwan naturally agreed.
The two women took a carriage to a villa behind the governor's mansion. Granny Qi got off the carriage first, then helped the two women down. After they stood at the gate, Granny Qi handed the invitation to the gatekeeper.
"So it's Lady Sui!" The doorman's attitude instantly became extremely respectful. "Lady Sui, please come in. Someone will lead the way. Please take care."
After entering, a maid led the way, leading directly to the garden of the villa. In autumn, chrysanthemums were in full bloom, and flowers of various colors displayed their beauty, which was very pleasing to the eye.
By now, quite a few people had arrived in the courtyard, gathered together chatting and laughing.
The maid stood at the entrance and reported, "Madam, Consort Sui has arrived."
Almost instantly, the courtyard fell silent, and all the ladies immediately stood up and looked in Cheng Wanwan's direction.
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