Chapter 101 Bribery (Second Update)
To prove his identity, the young man even produced a token from his own residence.
It's not a bronze plaque, but an iron plaque with engraved patterns.
Gu Jiao hadn't been here long, and she usually only interacted with the villagers, rarely dealing with wealthy families. However, she was well aware that such tokens were subject to very strict regulations in the Zhao Kingdom.
Ordinary wealthy families could only use wooden plaques, then fishbone plaques, and only officials could use iron plaques.
The official's iron plaque had the emblem of the Zhao Kingdom's government on the back, but this iron plaque clearly did not.
There is only one possibility: the other party may not be an official, but their background may be even more powerful than that of an official.
"Jiaojiao?" Xiao Jingkong looked at Gu Jiao with a puzzled expression. He was still young and did not understand what was going on.
Gu Jiao patted his little head and said to the young man, "Okay, I'll go with you." Then she said to Xiao Jingkong, "Go find your great-aunt."
"No, no!" Xiao Jingkong shook his head like a rattle drum. He had been studying at the private school every day for the past few days and hadn't had time to play with Jiaojiao. He finally had a day off and wanted to become Jiaojiao's little shadow!
Looking into his big, expectant eyes, Gu Jiao finally didn't refuse: "Okay."
The young man smiled and gestured: "Please!"
Gu Jiao first went next door to tell Xue Ningxiang to look after the house, and then she and Xiao Jingkong got into the carriage prepared by the young man, while the young man rode alongside on horseback.
The carriage soon arrived at the town's only tea shop.
The owner of this tea shop is from the provincial capital and is said to be quite influential. Usually, the shop is frequented by prominent figures in the town. However, today the tea shop is empty, apparently having been booked out.
That's quite a generous offer.
Gu Jiao and Xiao Jingkong were led by the young man into an elegant and unique private room.
The young man had his servants serve him tea and snacks.
He seemed very attentive to Gu Jiao. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be a little smug, but Gu Jiao remained calm.
As the saying goes, no one visits a temple without a reason, and there must be something fishy going on if things are not normal. Her current status is not worthy of being served like this.
The young man said, "Please wait a moment, Madam Xiao. I will go and fetch Steward Zhou right away."
Gu Jiao hummed in agreement.
The young man's politeness towards him was merely superficial; Gu Jiao could sense the contempt in his bones. However, Gu Jiao did not insist. Some people go blind at a young age; it was his loss, not hers.
The young man didn't really take a village woman seriously, especially since Gu Jiao was so ugly, he was even more dismissive of her.
The steward had instructed him to treat the scholar's wife with utmost courtesy and not to show her the slightest disrespect.
The young man turned and went to ask his steward.
Manager Zhou arrived very quickly.
He was clearly a capable manager; his facial expressions were far superior to those of the young man, and at least the smile on his face looked incredibly genuine.
Gu Jiao took a plate of snacks from the table and handed it to Xiao Jingkong: "Go play in the yard for a while, I have something to talk to someone about."
"Okay!" Xiao Jingkong jumped off the wooden stool, took the plate of snacks, and scurried out.
With the window open, Gu Jiao could see the entire courtyard from where she was sitting.
Little Jingkong found a small stone stool and sat down, swinging his short legs as he ate. Perhaps noticing Gu Jiao watching him, he turned his head and gave her a sweet smile!
Gu Jiao smiled too, he was so happy he was practically flying, and continued to bury his head in eating his snacks.
Manager Zhou patiently waited for the siblings to finish their interaction before stepping forward and bowing to Gu Jiao, saying, "Zhou greets Madam Xiao."
Gu Jiao did not get up to greet him, nor was she flattered. She simply nodded, appearing completely calm and collected.
Manager Zhou was somewhat surprised. He looked Gu Jiao up and down and realized that, in terms of both clothing and appearance, she was just an ordinary village girl. In fact, because of her disfigured face, she should be more ashamed and embarrassed than ordinary women.
However, she did not do that at all; instead, she gave people the illusion that she was unapproachable.
Steward Zhou composed himself and said to Gu Jiao, "Madam Xiao, I am from the Lin family in the provincial capital. Have you ever heard of the Lin family?"
"No," Gu Jiao said succinctly.
Steward Zhou was surprised. Was this girl a local? How come there were people who hadn't heard of the Lin family? The Lin family was like local tyrants in Youzhou. Even the governor had to give them some face.
The Lin family originated from the salt transport business. In the early days, they formed their own salt gang by selling smuggled salt. The imperial court sent troops to attack the salt gang, resulting in a stalemate. Later, the imperial court adopted a policy of appeasement and incorporated the salt gang into its ranks.
Although it was incorporated into the government, the salt guild was still under the control of the Lin family; the only difference was that the profits from salt transport were split equally between the Lin family and the imperial court.
Furthermore, the salt gang must no longer oppress the people or plunder their wealth; if necessary, they must also assist the imperial court in suppressing river bandits.
Manager Zhou gave a general explanation of the Lin family's background, and then waited for Gu Jiao to be greatly surprised.
Gu Jiao remained calm as a result.
Is this girl stupid?
Being a fool is fine too.
Manager Zhou smiled and said to Gu Jiao, "I came to Qingquan Town because I heard so much about him. I haven't yet congratulated Madam Xiao on his success in passing the imperial examination. This is a congratulatory gift. Please accept it."
As he spoke, he winked at the servants outside the house.
A maidservant carried in a heavy box.
After placing the box on the table, Steward Zhou waved for the maid to leave.
Manager Zhou opened the box, revealing gleaming silver inside.
Gu Jiao's gaze fell on the silver ingots, and she asked indifferently, "Manager Zhou, please speak frankly."
Seeing the country folk remain so calm in the face of so much silver, Steward Zhou grew increasingly suspicious of this Miss Xiao, though he showed no sign of it on his face. He smiled and said, "Miss Xiao is truly a straightforward person. To tell you the truth, young Brother Xiao achieved top marks in both the county and prefectural examinations, a remarkable achievement. My master, after reading his essays, greatly admires his talent and would like to invite him to the Lin family in the provincial capital."
Gu Jiao didn't rush to agree.
Steward Zhou continued, "My master is genuinely interested in befriending Brother Xiao, so we would appreciate it if Madam Xiao could do him a favor."
Gu Jiao said calmly, "Why don't you go to him directly? Or did you try to contact him but were rejected?"
Manager Zhou choked.
Gu Jiao said, "It seems they have refused."
After saying that, Gu Jiao got up and left.
Manager Zhou was completely dumbfounded.
So decisive? Not even giving her a chance to bargain? Is she even a woman? No, is she even human?
Steward Zhou hurriedly called out to her, "Madam Xiao! Madam Xiao, please wait! Do you think my sincerity is insufficient? This silver is merely a congratulatory gift; everything can be discussed!"
Gu Jiao remained unmoved.
Manager Zhou caught up with her, sweating profusely, and said, "The provincial examination is just around the corner. Since Brother Xiao is going to the provincial capital anyway, why don't you stay there for now? Our Lin family will take care of everything for Brother Xiao!"
The day of the provincial examination is indeed approaching.
Gu Jiao paused, then turned to look at him: "So what does he need to do? Pack up and go, and leave as soon as the exam is over?"
"Ah..." Steward Zhou was so speechless at Gu Jiao's bluntness that he almost couldn't speak. "It's like this, my young master is about to take the provincial examination, and I would like to ask Brother Xiao to stay at the manor for a while and give my young master some pointers on his studies."
Gu Jiao hummed in agreement: "So he wanted to be a teacher, but since he's already refused..."
"No, no! He didn't refuse!"
Gu Jiao looked at him strangely.
Manager Zhou said awkwardly, "To be precise, he didn't refuse the request I just made."
It turned out that when Steward Zhou went to Tianxiang Academy to find Xiao Liulang, he told Xiao Liulang that as long as Xiao Liulang guaranteed that the young master of the Lin family could pass the imperial examination, their master would reward the young master with two thousand taels of silver.
Although I knew that a scholar who passed the imperial examination was very valuable in ancient times, I did not expect it to be this valuable.
Isn't it great to be a rich second-generation heir who just eats and drinks all the time?
Why do people have to fight tooth and nail to become a scholar?
This has always been a source of worry for the Lin family. To put it nicely, the Lin family originated from the salt gang; to put it bluntly, they were salt merchants who used to be in cahoots with water bandits and rats. The Lin family was so poor that all they had left was money.
Why did the imperial court feel comfortable granting amnesty to the Lin family? Wasn't it because they saw that the Lin family's descendants were incompetent and would decline within two or three generations?
At that time, the salt gang would fall completely into the hands of the imperial court without losing a single soldier.
The Lin family was not unaware of the crisis facing the clan. However, although they appeared valiant, they no longer had the strength to confront the imperial court. Even if they fought with their backs to the wall, they could at most kill a few thousand more imperial troops, but no one from the Lin family would survive.
Being recruited by the government at least secured decades of peace for the Lin family. The Lin family hoped that their descendants would be successful and able to support the Lin family in the future.
After producing more than a dozen good-for-nothing playboys, the Lin family finally produced a sixth son who passed the imperial examination and became a scholar.
The sixth son was born to a concubine, but he was diligent and studious, and both Master Lin and Madam Lin valued him highly.
The entire Lin family treasures this sixth young master, and they have spared no expense in cultivating him.
Xiao Liulang was recommended by a tutor from the Lin family. The patriarch of the Lin family was a boorish man; how could he know anything about the eight-legged essay? But he trusted the tutor from the capital.
The teacher said that Xiao Liulang's literary talent was better than any teacher in the Lin family, and that having him teach the sixth young master would surely be twice as effective.
(End of this chapter)
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