Chapter 342 is about her admirers.
Jiang Wan Ning wasn't in a hurry. She simply looked at the man in front of her with his arms outstretched and slowly leaned closer to Jiang Wan Jun's ear, "Who is this...?"
Before Jiang Wanjun could speak, the man turned his head and said, "This young lady, my surname is Mu, and my given name is Yunzhou. I am Miss Jiang's..."
The man glanced at Jiang Wanjun and said, "He's one of her admirers."
Jiang Wanjun's face flushed red instantly.
Jiang Wan Ning nodded, "An admirer, huh?"
"Can't you guys show me some respect?" Qin Hualang said impatiently. "Do you really think I have no temper?"
“And you brat,” Qin Hualang tapped Mu Yunzhou’s forehead with his finger, “What are you saying?”
"Admirer? What? You want to steal my woman?"
"You've been blocking me the whole time, and I haven't said anything. Now you want to block me again? Don't blame me for being rude to you."
When Qin Hualang saw a beautiful woman, not a very beautiful one, he realized that he had never seen a woman more beautiful than Jiang Wan Ning in all his years of life, so he started to put on an act.
Wanting to act cool in front of Jiang Wan Ning, he said, "You're just a poor scholar. Besides your looks... you're alright, you have nothing else. What right do you have to admire others?"
After finishing his sentence, Qin Hualang straightened his clothes and said to Jiang Wanning, "Miss, my surname is Qin. My father is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, that's right, the official in charge of the national treasury."
"Is this your sister? I heard your family is in business."
"The two sisters are not only outstanding in appearance, but also exceptionally talented. Although they are not as good as me, they are still very impressive."
"So, young lady, would you like to marry me? Next month, I will be the top scholar in the imperial examination, and you will be the wife of the top scholar. You will be as glorious as can be."
"However, your family background is indeed not a good match for ours, so we will provide a larger dowry and then let your younger sister enter our household as a concubine."
"How about it?"
Qin Hualang felt that any woman would immediately agree with what he said. The wife of a top scholar, plus his father's position as Vice Minister of Revenue, would be someone every family would want to curry favor with.
If he truly becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination one day, he will likely marry even the prime minister's daughter.
For these two sisters from a merchant family, they were practically a springboard for them to cross social classes, and they would definitely hold onto them tightly.
Jiang Wanjun frowned and said angrily, "Do you know who my older sister is? How dare you be so rude to her?"
"Who?" Qin Hualang looked you up and down again. "You're so beautiful, could you be the most beautiful courtesan in a brothel? If so, I'll have to think about it. You can't be my wife, but I can take you two sisters as concubines."
"You!" Jiang Wanjun was speechless with anger, not knowing how to retort.
Mu Yunzhou, who was standing to the side, said seriously, "How can you humiliate them like this, young master? Miss Jiang and her sister are both from respectable families. Do you think you can slander them just because they are pretty?"
"Young master's father is at least a fourth-rank official in the court, how can he be so ill-mannered?"
Qin Hualang was enraged when he heard this, saw the people around him talking, and noticed the sarcastic smile on Jiang Wan Ning's lips.
Pointing at Mu Yunzhou, he cursed, "I didn't want to cause trouble these past few days, but you just had to be blind and thought I was afraid of you."
"You like to stand out, don't you? You want to take the imperial examination? Then I'll cripple your hands so you can't take the exam."
"Originally, you were just a participant in the imperial examination, and I didn't want to make things difficult for you. But since you want to show off today, I'll let you show off to your heart's content!"
Qin Hualang had always resented Mu Yunzhou for being better looking and more talented than him. He had heard that Mu Yunzhou and this woman had been utterly defeating everyone else's poetry these past few days.
He hadn't had time to come to the brothel the other day. If it weren't for his father making him come here to show off and recite a couple of poems, he wouldn't want to come to such a boring place.
However, after arriving, he met a beauty like Jiang Wan Ning, which made him feel that the trip was worthwhile.
Qin Hualang gestured to his men, "Go and cripple his hand!"
After giving his instructions, Qin Hualang looked at Jiang Wanning triumphantly, hoping to see admiration in her eyes.
After all, every man wants women to admire him.
Qin Hualang waited for a long time but didn't see any admiration in Jiang Wanning's eyes. Instead, the mockery became more and more obvious.
"stop."
Jiang Wan Ning said calmly.
Jiang Muyun stood protectively behind him.
Mu Yunzhou said, "How can a man like me hide behind a woman? Miss Jiang, rest assured, I will risk my life to rescue you safely today."
Jiang Wanning looked at Mu Yunzhou. In her previous life, the second-place candidate in the imperial examination did indeed have the surname Mu, but she had heard that the top candidate had cheated in the exam. As for who the top candidate was, Jiang Wanning could no longer remember.
At that time, Pei Anqing had already placed her under his control in the Prince's mansion. The only reason she could hear news from the outside world was thanks to the two guards who were the most gossipy and would share every little detail.
However, sometimes when she's far away, she can't hear clearly.
“Young Master Mu, although the capital is under the emperor’s nose, it is also a place where the truth is hidden. If you want to be a righteous person, you should work hard in this imperial examination and become a good official who can help the people seek justice in the future.”
"Of course," Mu Yunzhou said solemnly. "My lifelong wish is to be as upright and incorruptible as Lord Shen."
Lord Shen? It seems they're referring to Uncle Shen.
Jiang Wanning chuckled, "Uncle Shen is indeed a good official who cares about the people."
"Young lady, are you sure you want to go against me for the sake of a poor scholar?" Qin Hualang said, unconvinced. "Have you thought this through?"
“Sister.” Jiang Wanjun grabbed Jiang Wanning, “This is all my fault, I’ve dragged you into this.”
Jiang Wan Ning laughed and said, "You mean it's because of him? Killing the son of a vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue is not enough to make me atone with my death."
Jiang Wanning spoke in a calm tone.
"Did I hear that right? What did you say?" Qin Hualang put his hand behind his ear. "You said you were going to kill me?"
Qin Hualang burst into laughter, and the guards and friends following him also joined in the laughter, as if they had heard some incredible joke.
“You’re just a woman from a merchant family, how dare you speak so arrogantly as to say you want to kill the son of the Vice Minister of Revenue?” one of them said. “Do you know that Vice Minister Qin has powerful backers?”
"Otherwise, how could the top scholar position be predetermined?"
"Oh?" Jiang Wan Ning said in a flat tone, "I'm quite curious to know who the big shot behind Qin Zhaolin is."
"Oh? You even know my father's name?" Qin Hualang said with some surprise. "It seems you've put in a lot of effort to climb the social ladder."
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