Chapter 696 Madam Pan Kneels and Begs for Forgiveness
When Madam Pan left the jewelry shop, she had acquired a jade bracelet, a gold hairpin, and a pair of red jade earrings, all of which she had strongly declined.
As she reached the shop entrance, Cheng Wanwan stopped and turned back to say, "Actually, giving these to Madam Pan was also a way of apologizing."
Madam Pan looked completely bewildered, unable to understand anything.
“Yesterday, my son entered the examination hall and offended Lord Pan, disrupting the examination order. However, Lord Pan did not punish my son for his mistake.” She said slowly, “If we were to give Lord Pan a gift, it would inevitably be suspected of bribery. But it is normal for us women to exchange jewelry and trinkets. Madam Pan, please do not feel ashamed to accept it.”
Madam Pan was utterly astonished: "Such a thing is possible! I wonder what the name of Lady Sui's son is?"
Lu Yingxue answered on his behalf: "Zhao Jingsi is fourteen years old this year. He is probably the youngest among the scholars who participated in the provincial examination. He is indeed ignorant. Fortunately, Lord Pan did not take it to heart, otherwise this boy would have embarrassed Sister Wanwan."
Madam Pan secretly memorized the name.
Sui Shuren's gift made her feel uneasy; she needed to go back and ask her husband if it was true...
At night, Madam Pan arrived at the Pan family's small courtyard by carriage. Normally, her husband would have returned by this time, but these nine days were for the provincial examinations, and as an academic official, he had to stay there until midnight to relieve the other academic officials before he could return to rest.
Madam Pan took a nap before her husband returned.
Pan Xueguan had just finished washing up and entered the bedroom when his wife stopped him and said, "Do you know who I met today? The famous Third-Rank Lady Sui."
As an academic official, he spent all day supervising the examinations in the examination hall, so naturally he didn't know that Lady Sui had come to Yunnan Province. As he took off his clothes, he said, "So what if we met? What kind of status does Lady Sui, a third-rank official, have? How could you and I possibly be worthy of her?"
"These are all gifts from Sui Shuren to me as a token of our meeting." Madam Pan excitedly opened the dressing box. "Sui Shuren said that when her son entered the examination hall, he disrupted the order because of his lack of manners, but you didn't hold him responsible. She gave me these gifts as both an apology and a thank you. I never expected that I could benefit from your connection and become on good terms with Sui Shuren..."
Pan Xueguan's fingers suddenly paused: "Sui Shuren's son also participated in the provincial examination?"
“Yes, how come you, as an academic official, don’t even know this?” Madam Pan said. “I asked around, and the son of Lady Sui is fourteen years old this year. He should be the youngest student participating in this provincial examination. You should remember him.”
Pan Xueguan suddenly had a bad feeling.
He knew of Sui Shuren's great name, which was legendary in the provincial capital. Why had no one mentioned the son of such an important person who was taking the exam in the provincial capital?
Furthermore, Lady Sui is a third-rank court lady, so why is she so low-key?
He paused for a moment and then asked, "Have you inquired about Sui Shuren's son's name?"
“His name is Zhao Jingsi.” Madam Pan didn’t notice the paleness on her husband’s face at all. “It is said that he was the top scorer in the Huzhou provincial examination last year, and he has a good chance of passing the provincial examination this year. You helped him when he entered the examination hall. I think he will definitely repay you when he becomes a successful candidate… What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? Should we find a doctor to take a look?”
Pan Xueguan suddenly slumped down on the edge of the bed, startling Madam Pan.
“Zhao Jingsi, Zhao Jingsi…” Pan Xueguan smiled bitterly, “They all match up with the people from Dahe Town, Ping'an County, Huzhou… I actually did something stupid…”
A few days before the provincial examination, someone approached him and asked him to secretly sabotage a scholar named Zhao Jingsi. If he could ruin Zhao Jingsi's chances, then he would ensure Zhao Jingsi's smooth career advancement.
He has been working at the examination hall for nearly ten years, and over the years he has been conscientious and diligent, never slacking off for a single day.
Every three years, during the provincial examinations, countless people tried to bribe him, hoping he would help them cheat in the exams, but he refused them all without hesitation.
He worked with clean hands for almost ten years, while his colleagues were promoted or transferred, but he remained stagnant.
He was really desperate, so this time, he agreed to do something absurd without really thinking.
He closed his eyes and recounted the events.
"You! How could you do such a thing!" Madam Pan's eyes widened. "I really thought Lady Sui was apologizing, but it turns out she was just giving you a warning... This is a warning that you are not allowed to lay a hand on her son again... Besides what you did when you entered, what else have you done these past two days? Explain yourself clearly!"
Pan Xueguan shook his head: "Doing something like this once would be enough to make me uneasy for the rest of my life. How could I dare to do it again? If I knew he was Sui Shuren's son, I would never have agreed to it..."
“Even if it were the son of an ordinary commoner, you cannot agree to it,” Madam Pan said sternly. “You also come from a poor background. You should know how much your family has to sacrifice to help an ordinary scholar get out of poverty. Your actions are not just harming one person, but the entire family… You, you are really too foolish! Lady Sui did not reprimand me severely today, but instead gave me so many things. I think Lady Sui is willing to give you another chance. Please don’t make the same mistake again. Also, tell me who instructed you to deal with Lady Sui’s son. I will come to apologize in person tomorrow.”
Pan Xueguan began to explain in detail.
The autumn morning was chilly. Cheng Wanwan put on an outer coat, picked up a book, and sat in the courtyard, drinking tea and reading.
Around 7 a.m., Granny Qi came in to report: "Shuren, Madam Pan requests an audience."
Cheng Wanwan's lips curved into a smile. This Madam Pan had indeed not disappointed her. She nodded and said, "Let her in."
Madam Pan followed Granny Qi through the second gate, and upon seeing Cheng Wanwan, she knelt directly in front of her.
"What is Madam Pan doing?" Cheng Wanwan hurriedly said, "Granny Qi, quickly help Madam Pan up."
"Please let me finish, Lady Sui Shu." Madam Pan stubbornly continued to kneel. "Last night, after my husband returned, I asked him. When Young Master Zhao entered the examination hall, it was indeed my husband who hid the bundle containing his writing materials. If someone hadn't come to his rescue, Young Master Zhao might not have been able to participate in this year's provincial examination. If my husband hadn't had to go to the examination hall today, he would have come to kneel down and apologize in person. I know that this matter is unlikely to be forgiven by Lady Sui Shu, and I dare not hope for forgiveness."
Cheng Wanwan spoke slowly: "Now that we've laid this out, I'll ask you directly. Is Lord Pan doing this because he doesn't like me, or is someone behind him instigating this?"
“My husband and Lady Sui have never met, so how could he dislike her? In fact, he didn’t even know that Lady Sui’s son was coming to take the provincial examination.” Madam Pan raised her head. “Three days before the provincial examination, the Commander summoned my husband to the Commander’s residence and specifically instructed him on this matter.”
Lord Touji!
Cheng Wanwan's eyes narrowed.
The reason Liu Kui was able to be released from prison early last time was because this Commander personally went to Baiyun County to release him.
She even sent people to Yunnan Province to inquire, and it turned out that the group of criminals Liu Kui reported were indeed the mortal enemies of the Commander-in-Chief, which is why she didn't focus her attention on the Commander-in-Chief.
But having done it once, if it happens a second time, then the Commander-in-Chief is very suspicious.
It can be basically confirmed that this commander is a member of the He family.
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