Chapter 576 - 214: Lu Ming Banquet (2)
Chapter 576: Chapter 214: Lu Ming Banquet (2)
Besides, on a day this important, the area in front of the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office was certain to be packed with carriages. If he had taken one, he likely wouldn’t have even made it past the mouth of the alley.
Sure enough, the mouth of the alley was completely blocked by carriages.
Farther ahead, the road was filled with countless more carriages.
Overall, however, the road wasn’t too chaotic. Constables from the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office had been directing traffic since early morning, and every family’s carriage was parked in an orderly manner on both sides of the road, preventing any major delays.
Just as Zhao Jing was approaching the entrance to the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office, he happened upon Wang Chengde walking toward him.
Wang Chengde had passed the Provincial Examination by the skin of his teeth, securing the very last place.
Though he was at the very end of the list, he was now a scholar. He had finally made it after all his hard work.
His long-cherished dream had finally come true. The joyous occasion put Wang Chengde in such high spirits that he seemed to have shed a few years.
But upon seeing Zhao Jing, he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
’Who would have thought?’ He hadn’t passed the examination with his old friend, but he had passed it alongside his old friend’s son. And with one of them placing first and the other last, it would surely be considered a fine tale if word got out.
’If his old friend could see this from beyond the grave, he would surely be pleased.’
"Mr. Wang."
"Jing! Oh, but I can’t call you that anymore. I should be calling you Mr. Jie Yuan now."
"It’s one thing for others to be so polite, Mr. Wang, but why are you acting this way too? Please, just call me what you always have. It feels more familiar to me."
The two of them walked side by side into the government office. Once they were inside, even more people began to recognize Zhao Jing.
The other successful scholars came over to pay their respects, each saying, "I’ve heard so much about you."
"Mr. Jie Yuan, your essay was truly eye-opening. I am wholeheartedly convinced that you deserve the title of top scorer in the provincial examination."
Zhao Jing took the hint and asked, "Has the collection of selected essays been published yet?"
"It came out early this morning. Didn’t someone from the government office deliver one to you? That’s improper of them. Let me go fetch a copy for you."
’Normally, a complimentary copy of the essay collection is delivered to every new scholar. If they didn’t send one to me, there must be a specific reason.’
Zhao Jing declined the man’s kind offer. "Perhaps it was delivered to my gatehouse, and the keeper forgot to give it to me. It’s no great matter. I’ll just ask when I return home."
The man didn’t press the issue, but instead continued to pester Zhao Jing. "Mr. Jie Yuan, will you be heading to the capital for the Imperial Examination? Ah, what a silly question. After becoming the top scorer in the provincial examination with your outstanding literary talent, now is the perfect time to ride that momentum into the spring Imperial Examination and seize the title of Metropolitan Examination Champion!"
"There’s always someone better out there. I wouldn’t dare let anyone else hear such talk. Thank you for the high praise, but I do hope you won’t spread this around. Otherwise, the great scholars of the realm will surely mock me for overestimating my own abilities."
"Nonsense, nonsense..."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with these strangers, someone finally came to Zhao Jing’s rescue.
The first was a classmate of his from Xiaocheng Hall, followed by Ding Shutian and Huang Chen, who had arrived together.
As the group approached, Zhao Jing had the perfect excuse to bid farewell to the strangers around him and join his friends.
In no time at all, a large crowd had gathered in the front square of the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office.
Some sat in the sun, chatting idly with friends. Many more, however, were milling about the square, exchanging greetings with everyone they passed, regardless of whether they knew them or not. They were trying to make their faces known; this was how you built connections for the future.
Zhao Jing paid them no mind, simply introducing his classmate from Xiaocheng Hall to Ding Shutian and Huang Chen. The group then moved over to a dazzlingly beautiful Moju chrysanthemum to talk.
"Jing, has something happened at the De’an household? I’ve been hearing some rumors lately..."
Ding Shutian trailed off, as the rest of what he had heard wasn’t pleasant.
Zhao Jing truly hadn’t heard any gossip.
He had been exhausted after the examination. He attended the obligatory banquets but turned down all the nonessential ones, choosing to spend a few days recuperating at home. In the last couple of days, he had been visiting Orchid Alley frequently, so he really had no idea what rumors were circulating on the streets.
But judging from Ding Shutian’s expression, the rumors must be rather unpleasant.
Then it occurred to Zhao Jing that Xu Yanlin had been visiting the Chen family every other day, and Xu Shiling was there so often he might as well have been living with them.
’They must have been seen by someone,’ he thought, ’who then started spreading all sorts of nonsense.’ Both men were of high status, and to the residents of Orchid Alley, they were complete strangers.
A look of realization dawned on Zhao Jing’s face. He then said, "Something has indeed been going on, but it’s nothing bad. It’s just not the right time to tell you the details. You’ll find out when the time is right."
As they spoke, the various officials, led by the Provincial Governor, began to arrive, followed by the chief and deputy examiners. The front square of the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office instantly fell silent.