Chapter 58 Title: The Golden List

As they had anticipated before, the matter of Miss Jun and Lu Yunqi was being spread in a distorted manner.

"There are people from Jinyiwei and the Imperial Hospital." Fang Jinxiu spoke.

"It's really despicable, only knowing how to play tricks on matters between men and women." Seventh Chen said indignantly, "If Miss Jun were a man, would they dare to do this?"

It's always a bit rougher on women in this world.

"What's so strange about this, aren't they just those kinds of people?" Fang Jinxiu stated, "Don't bother with such pointless questions anymore."

She looked towards Miss Jun.

"How did the talk go?"

Miss Jun shook her head.

"Not so well." She didn't hide the truth.

How could it not go well this time? Fang Jinxiu's expression was grim; Lu Yunqi was a far cry from that minor clerk in Yangcheng.

"It doesn't matter, if everyone can't come to an agreement, just keep going on." Miss Jun smiled and said, "Who's afraid of whom, I can't trouble him, and he can't trouble me either."

With the imperial decree in place, Lu Yunqi couldn't do anything too outrageous, for instance, abducting someone.

But this could damage her reputation if it continued.

"Reputation?" Miss Jun laughed, "I don't use my reputation to heal and save people."

That's also true, Seventh Chen smiled.

"You should get some rest." He said, "I'll let Manager Liu know, so he won't worry."

No matter how tired or perilous, Miss Jun always made sure to keep fit and have good rest and food.

After night fell, Jiuling Hall sank into quietness.

While inside De Sheng Chang's inner courtyard, lights stayed on until the dawn turned pale.

Seventh Chen drank down the strong tea in front of him.

"The family should have received the message by now, right?" He said, his voice a bit hoarse from staying up late or from too much tea.

Manager Liu's expression was not much different from his, showing a hint of fatigue, not from this matter, but from staying up late.

"If we change horses and don't stop, it will reach in three days." He mentioned, then gave a wry smile, "What can the young master do after knowing? The family will provide money if money is needed, and the imperial decree is given, everything that could be offered has been provided."

Seventh Chen touched the tip of his nose.

"We could also offer a person." His eyes lit up as he spoke, "If Miss Jun is being harassed by Lu Yunqi, what could he do if Miss Jun were married?"

Manager Liu looked at him with an almost smiling expression.

"Are you talking about the young master?" He asked.

"Yes, for the young master, Miss Jun once pledged herself to him, and now the young master can reciprocate." Seventh Chen said.

Manager Liu laughed, then sighed.

"Firstly, the young master and Miss Jun's marriage proposition had already been enacted once, and everyone knows it was a sham." He held up a finger as he spoke, "If it happened once, it could happen again, and during a crisis no less, no one will believe it, and the Jinyiwei will believe it even less."

Seventh Chen frowned as if wanting to say something, but Manager Liu put up another finger.

"Moreover, even if Miss Jun and the young master got married, what then?" He questioned, "It's not like Lu Yunqi's side houses are free of other men's wives."

Seventh Chen touched his nose.

"It's one thing to pester an unmarried Miss, and quite another to trouble someone else's wife. After all, the latter will provoke more public anger." He said.

Manager Liu stroked the table and laughed.

"The Jinyiwei have done things to provoke public anger before," he stated, "what can public anger do?"

Seventh Chen poured himself another cup of tea.

"I understand what you mean now." He said, looking at Manager Liu, "No matter what, even with an imperial decree, the Fang Family is still just a merchant, and no matter how angry or resistant they are, to someone as influential as Lu Yunqi, it's all inconsequential."

Manager Liu also poured himself a cup of tea.

"Isn't it a cruel reality?" He said.

Seventh Chen smiled, his body weary from sitting all night, sinking into his chair.

"What's so cruel about it? It's a fact, and thus, not cruel." He said, "Big shots have their brand of cruelty, and ordinary folk have their own ways. So be it, there's nothing to fear."

"Yes, there's nothing to fear," Manager Liu also kicked off his shoes and sat cross-legged in his chair, "it's just that Miss Jun has it pretty tough."

"What's ever easy? Even loafing around waiting to die isn't easy." Seventh Chen said, "When I was loafing around waiting to die, I was still bullied, submissive and keeping a low profile."

"However, to tell the truth, it has been many years since I've lived like this," Manager Liu knocked on the table and said, "It's so damn exhilarating."

The two laughed heartily, and both yawned simultaneously, just about to suggest taking a rest, when suddenly the sound of firecrackers came from outside the door, startling them both.

"What happened?" Seventh Chen promptly sat up straight. "It's not a bridal procession, is it?"

Manager Liu listened intently for a moment; the sound of firecrackers waxed and waned. Then it dawned on him.

"The top scholar has been announced," he slapped his thigh and said, "The palace examination has ended."

The once-in-three-years examination for top scholars was a significant event. Before Seventh Chen came to the capital, he thought to return in March just to witness the top scholar's parade and to visit the imperial family's gardens. With some luck, he might even catch a glimpse of the emperor. However, the succession of events before and after the new year kept him so busy that he had completely forgotten about the top scholar.

Now, hearing Manager Liu's words, sleepiness vanished, replaced by excitement.

"Who became the top scholar?" he said. "Let's go and take a look."

.........

Imperial Street was crowded with people, more joyous than during the Ministry of Rites examinations, as the palace examination didn't eliminate candidates by ranking. The crowd on the street was cheerful, and from time to time the sound of firecrackers erupted; there were even people handing out reward money right on the street, causing a surge of people. Fortunately, the feudal authority's soldiers were maintaining order to prevent chaos.

Seventh Chen and Manager Liu, looking exhausted, struggled through the crowd, escorted by several strong men, and managed to reach the front of the golden billboard. They saw the name of the top scholar at a glance.

Both were somewhat stunned, finding the name both familiar and unfamiliar.

Ning Chang.

Who was Ning Chang?

"From the Ning Family of Beiliu, Shanxi province, Yangcheng. The tenth son, named Chang, styled Yunzhao," Manager Liu said.

Ning Yunzhao.

Then it dawned on Seventh Chen. Ning Chang, Ning Yunzhao, Tenth Noble Son Ning.

"The top scholar," he said. "The Ning Family has produced another top scholar."

With this new top scholar, the Ning Family was set to flourish for another generation.

As the top scholar, Ning Yunzhao would immediately enter the ranks of the capital officials, achieving a status many officials and palace graduates might not attain in their lifetimes.

This is the scholar, the highest order among the people, the most respected origin among officials.

If one were to be the wife of such a person, surely Lu Yunqi would not dare to provoke her, right?

This thought suddenly popped into Seventh Chen's mind.

But then he laughed, a laughter tinged with a trace of melancholy.

Becoming the wife of such a person was not so simple; otherwise, Miss Jun would not be faced with her current plight.

They were worlds apart before, and now, even more, there would be no more connections.

Seventh Chen felt somewhat dispirited and tugged at Manager Liu's sleeve.

"Let's go, let's go. We've seen enough, let's attend to our own business," he said.

Meanwhile, Miss Jun had also stepped out of the Jiuling Hall.

Although she did not stay overnight at Prince Huai's mansion, she still had some concerns in her heart and decided to go and have a look.

The noise on the street drew her attention as well.

"The results have been released," the coachman said. "The top scholar was announced last night."

The top scholar.

Miss Jun looked towards the street.

"Who is it?" Fang Jinxiu asked.

"Ning Chang from Beiliu, Ning Yan's nephew," the coachman said with animated eyebrows, then he remembered something. "Miss Jun, he's from your Yangcheng."

Fang Jinxiu raised an eyebrow.

"Uh," she said. "So his name is that, pretty ugly."

Miss Jun laughed.

"Zhao, to trim also, to smooth the edges and corners of an object, but the spirit always remains," she said, giving Fang Jinxiu a smile. "Let's prepare another gift."

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Thank you to Jianla Ni, Mumo 2004, Lin Nianzhen, Ice from the South for the rewards and He's Bi.

Happy Monday! Let's keep up the good work, everyone!