diskusbooks Chapter 104 Breaking the news
Chapter 104 Breaking the news
You think he's just pretending to be stupid?
Is it a deep-seated obsession, or simply outdated pedantry?
Seeing this, Lu Yunqing no longer gave them any face. It seemed that the Gu family wouldn't go very far.
As for that Gu Tongsheng, he's probably no better than them.
Fang Shiyu then walked up to Dongfang Jin and asked, "Jin-jie, is that young scholar Gu Yaohui you're talking about the one who just started at Yunshu Academy this year?"
His question silenced Lu Yunqing, who sensed something unusual.
He knew about these people before coming to Ling'an County, and he had also heard about them from his senior brother Yan.
These individuals are all quite remarkable, and they were all talents that Senior Brother Yan selected for that person.
Dongfang Jin also looked at him with curiosity. She knew that this guy was cunning and sly, just like a fox.
She experienced it firsthand the very first time they met.
Their collaboration with Ma Wencai was seamless, and the black man's performance was flawless.
The fact that he went up to her and asked her suggests that Gu Yaohui is probably not a kind person either.
It should be noted that the five of them were quite well-known in the county. Although they were born into a merchant family, they were kind-hearted and not the type to bully the weak.
Dongfang Jin raised an eyebrow, her face full of gossip, and asked, "Right? How many people named Gu Yaohui are there at Yunshu Academy?"
Ma Wencai laughed and said, "Jin-jie, there's only one, because there are a total of eighteen new students entering Yunshu Academy this year."
Ten of them came from surrounding counties, making this the largest cohort of students to enter the academy in the past three years.
However, there were only two from farming families. The other one was named Zhou Chang'an, whose family consisted of only a widowed mother. He could be said to have been raised by the entire Zhou family clan in Shuanghe Town.
Zhou Chang'an is also a very diligent student; he's the one who picked out books for us at the Four Seasons Study last time.
In his spare time, he would copy books at the Four Seasons Study to earn some money, and sometimes he would work at the docks doing odd jobs or bookkeeping.
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Jin also remembered that person: "Oh, it's him. He's a good person. You should help him if you can in the future. You'll reap good rewards."
But Gu Yaohui from Lingwu Village passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen!
Liu Lingzui walked over with his hands behind his back: "Jin'er, Fang Shiyu passed the imperial examination at the age of thirteen, while the rest of us passed at the age of fourteen."
I heard that there is a child prodigy in the capital who passed the imperial examination at the age of twelve. That was only because he was hiding his talent and didn't want to show off. Otherwise, he could have passed the imperial examination at the age of eight or nine.
He had already passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen…
Lu Yunqing...
Am I that famous?
Anxi...
The person you're talking about is right next to me.
Helian Shuo and Changsun Lan all looked at Lu Yunqing... it was him.
Dongfang Jin...
What are you guys showing off for?
Dongfang Jin glanced subtly at the villagers who were listening intently, a sly smile flashing in his eyes, before asking, "Then why don't you all take the imperial examination to become scholars?"
With one hand in front and the other behind his back, Fang Shiyu sighed like an old scholar, "Jin'er, do you think it's so easy to become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)?"
As you know, the exam questions change every year. There are just too many lessons to memorize, and we also have to write policy essays. We haven't even collected all those books yet.
Since there was really no certainty, I kept putting it off.
Our people wait at the Four Seasons Study every day for the new books to arrive.
He was indeed cooperating with Dongfang Jin at first, but as they talked, he got really into character.
That's for real!
Ma Wencai also frowned and sighed: "You don't know, some of those books didn't even make it to our Ling'an County before they were all stolen."
Even if we wanted to borrow it at a high price to copy it at home, we wouldn't have any connections. And even if you borrowed it at a high price, it would still be missing chapters and pages.
Liu Lingzui smiled bitterly and said, "Didn't I encounter such a thing a few days ago? I gave away twenty jars of Zhuyeqing liquor for nothing."
Just then, someone in the crowd said, "Didn't Gu Yaohui say that he would take the imperial examination to become a scholar next year?"
Xie Wenke said dismissively, "Him? We've all been preparing for three years, and none of us dare to boast that we'll be taking the imperial examination next time."
There are many people older than us, some of whom have been students for over ten years and still dare not say such a thing.
How could someone who spends his days in brothels possibly pass the imperial examinations? He's dreaming!
Dongfang Jin...
Here it comes...
She said that as soon as Fang Shiyu opened his mouth, the rest of the story would begin.
If these people were to serve in the imperial court in the future and continue to cooperate like this, they would be an invincible force.
If we don't kill those people, we'll be letting them down.
Gu Chenglin...
Mingling in brothels? Gu Yaohui? How dare he?
Jun Qirui...
Is this guy really that good at playing games? This guy even took the imperial examination? He wouldn't pass the first round of review; there's something wrong with his behavior.
Lin Yu...
You should know that the Gu family gave all their savings to Gu Yaohui.
No wonder he's lived in the county for so long, haha...
Clan Chief Gu...
He stared at them in disbelief. "Impossible!"
The villagers are no longer afraid of the county magistrate; some men even sit on the ground to listen.
Lu Yunqing...
This is the most absurd case I've ever gone off-topic during my time as county magistrate.
Anxi...
Is it so exciting?
Liu Lingzui added insult to injury, mocking, "You all don't know this, but he actually wanted to spend ten taels of silver to book Ningzhu, the young lady of Wanhua Tower. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Guo Yuming scoffed: "That Ningzhu is the top courtesan of Wanhua Pavilion. She starts at a hundred taels of silver."
Old Mrs. Gu turned pale and yelled at them, "You...you're talking nonsense! My son would never go to a prostitute! My son always asks for money to buy books!"
Xie Wenke pointed at Gu Meiyu: "Hey, ask her if Gu Yaohui is a regular at Wanhualou."
A few days ago, when a few of us passed through Ping'an Lane, we saw her extorting money from Gu Yaohui.
She said that Gu Yaohui wouldn't give her money to buy a bracelet, so she told his older brother about his trip to the brothel.
They even said something about his older brother finding a rich widow or something.
If her older brother knew he was using the money to visit brothels, he definitely wouldn't give him the money or anything.
We weren't the only ones who saw this that day; neighbors on both sides also peeked out to watch.
Guo Yuming then revealed: "They say that widow surnamed Zhao even gave birth to a big, fat son for Gu Yaohui's older brother!"
Ma Wencai put his hands on his hips and laughed loudly: "Haha, the younger brother extorts his older brother from stealing food, and the younger sister blackmails her younger brother into going to a brothel. Isn't that interesting?"
Lu Yunqing glared at Ma Wencai: "Be serious."
Ma Wencai immediately stopped laughing and stood up straight like a good boy: "Yes, Your Excellency."
Dongfang Jin: "..." This is so messy? How did a widow surnamed Zhao get dragged into this?
Gu Chenglin lowered his head: I am not their elder brother, it's not me, that person is not me.
Li snapped out of her daze and, disregarding who was present, slapped Gu Yaozong across the face with her long fingernails, yelling, "Ouch, Gu Yaozong, you bastard!"
Everyone...
"The war has begun..."
"Isn't Gu Yaozong the second son?"
"You don't know this, but in his family, everyone always calls Gu Yaozong 'elder brother'..."
"Then why did they come here to look for Gu Chenglin?"
"Are you stupid? You want money!"
"Pooh……"
Gu Yaozong was caught off guard by Li's attack, and several bloody streaks immediately appeared on his face.
"You vile woman! What are you doing?"
At this moment, Li seemed to have gone mad, her face contorted with rage, and she said viciously, "You're spending my Li family's money to find a young widow, Gu Yaozong, I'm not finished with you."
Gu Yaozong shoved her away, his face full of disgust: "You vicious woman, are you never going to stop now?"
You barren hen, all you've done in all these years of marriage have produced are two money-losing offspring.
"If it weren't for the chance to make some money off your family, do you think I'd keep you here? I would have sent you home long ago."