Chapter 93 The Unfaithful One

Chapter 93 The Unfaithful One

Old lady Jin responded promptly and hurried back into the house, retrieving a basket from the cabinet. The basket was filled with red envelopes wrapped in red paper, each containing a silver coin worth two qian.

These were the rewards Qiu Huanian had prepared in advance, specifically for the day the results were announced.

Each of the officials received a red envelope, and upon feeling its weight, they knew the amount was substantial, their smiles widening even more.

"We won’t stay for tea. There are still other successful candidates in this area, and we must hurry to deliver the good news."

The team delivering the good news was divided by regions, visiting homes in order of rank, with Du Yunse, as the Jieyuan, being the first to receive the news.

Qiu Huanian did not detain them and had old lady Jin see them out properly.

Meng Yuanling found the firecrackers they had bought earlier, with Chun Sheng bouncing excitedly behind him.

"Quick! Let’s set off the firecrackers!"

Qiu Huanian handed him the incense stick and instructed old lady Jin to keep a close watch.

Chun Sheng placed the firecrackers at the main gate, stood at a distance, stretched out his arm to light the fuse, immediately dropped the incense, covered his ears, and ran back inside.

Behind him, the firecrackers exploded, sending up smoke and crackling loudly for a full three hundred bangs, startling all the neighbors nearby.

With the Jieyuan of the province coming from their vicinity, everyone was jubilant, feeling they had touched the brilliance of the literary star.

Soon, people from various households began sending representatives with gifts to offer their congratulations.

With Du Yunse becoming the Jieyuan, their home was now the most watched place in all of Liao Province. Qiu Huanian ordered the main gate to be opened wide, the threshold removed, to brightly welcome all visitors.

Every servant who came to congratulate on behalf of their masters was given a red envelope containing a reward.

Gifts that were not too extravagant were all accepted, with Meng Yuanling responsible for registering them, noting the favors to be returned in the future.

By the time Jin San finally returned home, sweating profusely after checking the results, the main house had already received countless waves of congratulatory visitors.

Jin San knew the master was already aware of his rank but still delivered a heap of auspicious words.

Whether it was him, old lady Jin, or Shanhu, their smiles were so wide they almost reached their ears.

With the master’s bright future, the servants could also benefit. Even among servants, there were distinctions.

When their former master was convicted and his property confiscated, the family was scattered, sold by officials thousands of miles away, and they once thought there was no hope in life.

Who would have thought that in just over half a year, they would become servants in the household of a Jieyuan!

Young Master Du, so young, had already become the Jieyuan, and even better days were ahead. Just thinking about it made their hearts race.

After delivering the auspicious words he had been thinking about all the way, Jin San smacked his dry lips and began talking about the ranks of others.

"This year’s provincial examination admitted thirty-two successful candidates. Our master is the Jieyuan, and that Master Qi Yazhi is the second-place Ya Yuan. Qingfeng Academy had six candidates on the list, and among those the master specifically inquired about, Master Wang Yinzhi made it, ranked thirty-second."

The Ya Yuan is the second place in the provincial examination. As another strong contender for the Jieyuan widely expected by the public, Qi Yazhi also performed very well.

Qiu Huanian remembered that this year’s Liao Province provincial examination had over a thousand scholars registered, but only thirty-two were admitted, with an admission rate of less than three percent, truly stringent.

Qingfeng Academy had six successful candidates, living up to its reputation as the top academy in Liao Province. When this year’s results spread, Qingfeng Academy and its headmaster Min Taikang would become famous again.

Qiu Huanian asked one more question, "What about Yu Min?"

Du Yunse's eyes flickered slightly.

"Mr. Yu was not on the list. I saw him from afar when I was looking at the list, but he was sitting in a carriage, so I didn't see him clearly."

"Alright, go to the front yard and help old lady Jin with the gifts. Many families have sent fragile items, so be careful."

After Jin San left, Qiu Huanian smiled and looked at Du Yunse.

"Were you secretly looking at me just now? What were you thinking? Be honest."

"...Is Brother Hua very concerned about Yu Min?"

Qiu Huanian chuckled, "He's at least an acquaintance. I was just curious about how he did in the exam. But he didn't make the list."

Du Yunse said earnestly, "Yu Min is strong in literary talent but slightly immature in practical strategies. Taking this provincial exam was already a stretch. Even if he had passed, he would have been ranked low."

"He left the academy two months before the exam and changed his study environment. Not passing was expected."

Qiu Huanian sighed, "It's good to settle down a bit more. Being an official requires practical ability. I just wonder if the Yu family will regret it."

After a moment of reflection, he changed the topic.

"Is that Wang Yinzhi also from Qingfeng Academy? You specifically asked about him."

"He is a student from Class B, nearly thirty years old, from a poor family. He just passed the imperial examination last year and had no more energy to focus on studying, so he took a chance with this provincial exam. If he didn't pass, he planned to drop out and return home to open a private school to make a living."

"Class B, that's really impressive."

Qingfeng Academy's classes are divided based on student levels. Many scholars from Class A didn't pass, but Wang Yinzhi from Class B did. Anyone who hears this would call it inspiring.

"This is a kind of survival against the odds. Every provincial exam has different situations, some families are happy, others are sad."

Du Yunse's reputation as Jieyuan spread like the wind throughout Xiangping Prefecture. Zhu Jingcheng and Zhu Jingwei personally came to congratulate him.

Su Xinbai was unable to go out due to his health, but he personally selected gifts and had Zhu Jingcheng bring them over.

"Jieyuan, haha, I, Zhu Jingwei, actually have a Jieyuan friend! Last year during the Dragon Boat Festival, I went to the Love River to watch the dragon boats, and it was the right decision!"

Zhu Jingcheng glanced at him, "You didn't study properly, sneaked out to play behind the teacher's back, and you can still speak so grandly?"

Zhu Jingwei quickly admitted his mistake, "Brother, you are my dear brother. Don't be harsh on such a good day."

A smile appeared on Zhu Jingcheng's face.

"Although skipping school was your fault, getting to know Yunse and Huanian is indeed something to be credited for."

Zhu Jingcheng initially made an effort to befriend Du Yunse, partly because he admired Du Yunse's talent, and partly as an early investment in a promising scholar.

At the time, he never imagined that the investment would pay off so quickly, producing a Jieyuan in just over a year.

Given Du Yunse's momentum, in another six months, he might even invest in a Jinshi.

Perhaps even... Tanhua, Bangyan, Zhuangyuan.

After the news of Du Yunse becoming Jieyuan arrived, the patriarch of the Zhu family couldn't hold back and specifically met with Zhu Jingcheng, instructing him to manage the relationship with Du Yunse's family well.

The patriarch understood clearly that to do business well in this world, one must have official backing.

In this generation, the Zhu family has gained Su Yi's favor and is relying on the Left Administration Commissioner of Liaozhou.

In the next generation, perhaps the reliance would be on Du Yunse.

With this thought in mind, the Zhu family prepared their gifts with utmost care.

The two brothers first presented the gifts they had prepared themselves, then, away from everyone's eyes, they brought out a box.

Inside were the deeds to two shops in the capital and one estate in the suburbs.

One shop was a single-story building, the other a two-story building, both of considerable size and located in bustling areas. The estate covered sixty acres, making it a medium-sized property.

Given the property prices in the capital, these items were worth at least three to four thousand taels of silver.

Moreover, the capital, being the most prosperous and stable place in the dynasty, rarely saw its shops and estates sold unless a family was in dire straits. Even with money, it was not always possible to buy such properties.

The magnitude of this gift shocked Qiu Huanian, no wonder it was kept secret from everyone.

Zhu Jingcheng looked solemnly at Du Yunse.

"Having known each other for over a year, Yun Se should have a clear understanding of my character and the overall conduct of the Zhu family. This gift is from the entire Zhu family, please accept it."

This was a clear gesture of allegiance to Du Yunse.

Qiu Huanian did not intervene, leaving all the intricacies of officialdom to Du Yunse to weigh.

Officials and merchants are inherently inseparable; merchants need officials as a backing, and officials need merchants to facilitate channels and handle matters that are inconvenient to deal with directly.

As long as there is no collusion between officials and merchants to exploit the people or harm the populace, there is no need to be overly averse to such relationships. A completely untainted official may not necessarily be a capable administrator.

Du Yunse reached out to take the deeds, locking eyes with Zhu Jingcheng.

"I accept these because you are the next leader of the Zhu family."

Zhu Jingcheng smiled, "Thank you for your trust and esteem, Yun Se."

The deeds gifted by the Zhu family were not only of high value but also highly practical.

With these, Qiu Huanian would have ready locations in the capital, whether for opening Qiu's Six Staples shops or for agricultural research.

The sincerity of this gift was impeccable from any angle. Du Yunse accepted it, and Qiu Huanian felt reassured, trusting Du Yunse's judgment.

The day after the release of the provincial examination results was the traditional Lu Ming Banquet.

The chief examiners from the capital, along with other examiners, toasted with the new successful candidates.

Throughout Xiangping Prefecture, from the literati and beauties to the common laborers and vendors, everyone was talking about the new successful candidates from this year's provincial examination.

Du Yunse, young, handsome, and with an outstanding reputation, topped the list, attracting the most admiration.

Someone discovered that the currently most popular shop in Xiangping Prefecture, Qiu's Six Staples, was opened by the husband of the new Jieyuan, and everyone rushed to join the excitement.

Meng Yuanling returned from the shop and said, "Originally, with no flower dew for sale in autumn and cooling oil not selling well, the shop was not as bustling. But these past two days, it has become lively again."

"Each person who came to see the excitement bought a little popcorn, a roast duck, and other snacks, adding up to a significant amount. The sales of snacks have doubled!"

Meng Yuanling had learned to keep accounts from Qiu Huanian, using the familiar terms Qiu Huanian used.

"Tell the staff to give everyone who buys snacks an extra twenty percent, saying it's to share in the joy."

"Understood!" Meng Yuanling said with a smile, "Many people coming to the shop want to meet the legendary husband of the Jieyuan."

"I'll visit the shop more often when I have time, after dealing with the cotton matters."

These days, many new Juren have been hosting banquets. As the Jieyuan, Du Yunse has received invitations from almost every household and has to go out for social engagements.

Qiu Huanian asked, "You and Jiu Jiu are being so mysterious, not letting me handle the banquet. How is it progressing?"

Meng Yuanling and Jiu Jiu are jointly responsible for organizing Qiu Huanian's birthday banquet and Du Yunse's celebration banquet for passing the imperial examination. They have been preparing for some days and have spent money on many things.

Every time Qiu Huanian wants to know the details, they refuse by saying that the birthday person shouldn't handle their own birthday banquet.

Keeping it so secret makes Qiu Huanian look forward to what surprises await.

Meng Yuanling said tightly, "We've already set the date, seven days from now. Tomorrow, the seamstress will come to take measurements for you and Brother Yunse to make new clothes. Brother Hua, make sure you keep the time free."

They won't even let him see the fabric and design of the clothes.

Qiu Huanian nodded helplessly, "Alright."

"By the way, Brother Hua, I know your birth date, but not the exact time. Can you give me your birth details? We need to light a lamp for you in front of the gods."

"Since when did you believe in gods so much?"

"I've inquired, families in Xiangping Prefecture all light lamps for birthdays, we can't miss it."

Qiu Huanian had to convert and write down his birth details.

The first few characters of his real birth details are the same as the original owner's, but the specific time is different. Out of a bit of superstition, Qiu Huanian wrote his own. After all, no one knows the original owner's exact birth time anymore.

Meng Yuanling happily took the birth details and left.

Jiu Jiu watched from afar, and Meng Yuanling gave her a gesture indicating successful completion.

...

After the provincial examination, the Juren of Xiangping Prefecture have been continuously hosting banquets.

As the new Jieyuan, Du Yunse receives countless invitations every day. To make connections with fellow Jinshi, he mostly attends them.

Today, a wealthy Li Juren is hosting a banquet at his residence. He has hosted many times before, and Du Yunse initially planned not to go, but Wang Yinzhi came to find him.

"Brother Wang wants to invite me to the Li family together?"

Wang Yinzhi was embarrassed. After becoming a Juren, he felt enlightened, and many previously vague questions now had answers in his mind.

He wanted to take advantage of this feeling to go to the capital for the metropolitan examination next spring and give it another try. But given his family's financial situation, even with the 15 acres of land awarded by the court for being a Juren, it would be difficult to save enough for the trip to the capital by next spring.

A low-ranking, already married Juren has no wealthy merchant families to support him.

Wang Yinzhi also dared not take money from those who only wanted to use a Juren's name for wrongdoing.

Wang Yinzhi wanted to work as a tutor for half a year in wealthy families to save some money, and he has been busy with this these days.

He is not good at socializing, and at previous banquets, he relied on Du Yunse's help. This time, he could only swallow his pride and come to ask.

"I heard that today at the Li Juren's house, besides fellow Juren, there are also many people from the big families of Xiangping Prefecture..."

Du Yunse understood and stood up, "Then I'll accompany Brother Wang."

Qiu Huanian came out from inside, and Wang Yinzhi quickly bowed in greeting.

Qiu Huanian smiled and said, "Mr. Wang, no need to be so polite. You and Yun Se are not only classmates at Qingfeng Academy but also fellow Juren in the same year. We will surely support each other in the future."

"I'll have Jin San prepare the carriage to take you there."

Qiu Huanian stepped forward to help Du Yunse adjust his collar, "Don't drink too much at the banquet, and come back early."

Wang Yinzhi smiled as he watched them, thinking of his mother, wife, and children back home, his heart softened.

Once he secured a well-paying teaching position, he could bring his family to Xiangping Prefecture for a good visit.

The son of a farming family carries the livelihood and hopes of the entire household.

Jin San drove the carriage to take the two to the Li residence. Today's banquet was held in the garden of the Li residence.

Li Juren was considered somewhat talented, and at a young age, he was noticed by a wealthy merchant from his hometown, who betrothed his daughter to him. Merchants were not allowed to take the imperial exams, but their sons-in-law could. Marrying off daughters was a common method for merchants to gain official connections.

However, this method was slow and could easily result in a total loss.

Before Li Juren passed the exam, his extravagant spending was entirely funded by his father-in-law, and he had to lower his head in front of his wife.

But now that he had passed the Juren exam and ranked third, his future was bright, and the power dynamics with his in-laws immediately changed.

On the day the results were announced, his in-laws selected a beautiful sixteen-year-old girl from their clan and sent her over, fearing they would lose the opportunity if they were slow.

Within ten days of the results being announced, Li Juren had already taken three concubines and bought over a dozen beautiful maids and servants.

It was said that Mrs. Li had been staying indoors, only coming out once when her cousin was sent over, and the rest of the time she claimed to be ill, while Li Juren enjoyed his freedom.

Du Yunse and Wang Yinzhi entered the garden and were quickly led to their seats by servants. Many people approached Du Yunse to chat, and Wang Yinzhi also got to know quite a few people through him.

The Li family's garden was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus, with a small lake in the center. The lotus flowers had already withered, and silk-made artificial flowers competed for beauty in the water.

In the pavilions and towers built along the lake, beautiful maids and servants fluttered their sleeves, bustling about to serve the guests.

Du Yunse sat calmly at the table, while Wang Yinzhi felt slightly uncomfortable.

Soon, Li Juren, the host, came out. He had musicians play string and wind instruments and greeted the guests with a bow.

"They say an elegant banquet needs to be interesting, otherwise it becomes dull. Coincidentally, I just acquired a new concubine a couple of days ago who is skilled in dance. Let her perform a dance for everyone."

Some guests whispered among themselves, "Which concubine of Li Juren is this?"

"It seems to be the fourth one he just took, bought from an official broker. They say she's very charming, and Li Juren took a liking to her at first sight."

"Well, then we're in for a treat today."

Wang Yinzhi frowned slightly and whispered to Du Yunse, "Brother, let's find an excuse to leave later."

The banquet was getting increasingly chaotic, and he was not used to it.

Du Yunse nodded. If it weren't for accompanying Wang Yinzhi, he wouldn't have wanted to come at all.

The two decided to leave after the dance performance on the water pavilion ended.

However, as soon as the dance ended, Li Juren came over with his new concubine.

"Jieyuan Du, why are you leaving so soon? Was my new beauty's dance not to your liking?"

"Zao'er, apologize to Jieyuan Du."

The woman named Zao'er had her face veiled with light gauze, her slender waist wrapped in a red silk skirt.

Her beautiful eyes glanced at Du Yunse's face, her heartbeat quickening.

This Jieyuan gentleman is truly young and promising, handsome beyond compare...

"Zao'er?" Li Juren was slightly displeased.

Zao'er immediately snapped back to reality, swaying as she bowed, "It is Zao'er's poor dancing skills, please forgive me, Jieyuan gentleman."

Du Yunse said indifferently, "It's nothing, I have matters at home, I must take my leave now."

Li Juren stopped him, waving his fan and teasing, "Jieyuan Du, why are you in such a hurry to go back? Is there a fierce husband at home?"

A cold light flashed in Du Yunse's eyes.

Li Juren, still unaware, laughed heartily, "Brother Du, you are already a Jieyuan, why are you still so timid? Even if your husband is a Township Lord, no matter how well his shop is doing, won't the family still rely on your promising official position in the future? Do you want me to teach you how to establish authority?"

Many people at the banquet had already turned their attention to them.

Du Yunse, young and promising, with no children and no large family behind him, had long been someone people wanted to win over by sending beauties.

If it weren't for Qiu Huanian being a Township Lord personally conferred by the emperor, and Du Yunse always cherishing his husband at home, making his stance unclear, someone might have already made a move.