The Prime Minister’s Darling-Chapter 374 - 195: Protecting the Shortcoming (Two Updates in One)_5
Chapter 374: Chapter 195: Protecting the Shortcoming (Two Updates in One)_5
Xiao Liulang reads. He writes.
The main gist is that Xiao Liulang agrees to take his provincial exam for him, specifically each would put the other’s name on their paper. Xiao Liulang promises to get him into the top three in the exam, and in exchange, he’ll pay Xiao Liulang a fee of five thousand taels of silver.
“You can’t wrong me and cause trouble for me and my family.”
“You can’t demand your fee back.”
“You can’t get someone to steal it back.”
“You can not rob me.”
...
He Jinghong: “…”
Finally, an agreement was written and signed by He Jinghong.
Xiao Liulang also marked his signature.
He Jinghong said coldly, “In case you don’t make it to the top three…”
Xiao Liulang cut him off, “You’ll be refunded half of the fee. If you don’t pass I will return the full amount.”
He Jinghong sneered, that seemed fair enough!
Two copies of the same agreement, each party held one. He Jinghong first paid half as a deposit, the remaining fee would be settled after the results were announced.
After keeping the document safely, He Jinghong stood up, patted Xiao Liulang’s shoulder satisfactorily: “Study well, don’t disappoint me.”
Xiao Liulang rarely let out a smirk, “Don’t worry.”
Xiao Liulang rarely smiled, but when he did, it was enchanting enough to captivate even He Jinghong, a tough man.
He quickly gathered himself, cleared his throat awkwardly, and walked out.
As Xiao Liulang looked at the document in his hand, his smile gradually turned cold.
He then went to the Jingzhao Residence and reported He Jinghong to the court with a statement!
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Before He Jinghong could even return to the Duke’s Residence, he was arrested by the government officials for the Jingzhao Residence.
He Jinghong looked bewildered, what was happening?
“Yes, that’s him. He forced me to establish an agreement, making me take the exam for him. He also threatened that if I didn’t agree, he would torment my entire family.”
In the court, Xiao Liulang said heartbrokenly.
Xiao Liulang, with his scholar’s reputation, did not need to kneel.
He Jinghong didn’t need to kneel either, but he was too emotional. One angry attitude to the Jingzhao Residence had him forcibly knelt down.
He Jinghong was about to go mad!
Who is blatantly lying here? Who exactly forced whom to create the agreement?
Xiao Liulang sighed: “He said his cousin is the famous Duchess, I can’t fight him. Unless I want to die, I must obey him. Otherwise, he could kick me out of the Guozijian tomorrow.”
He Jinghong fumed: “I never said that! Don’t believe his fabrications! It was him who made me write the agreement! He voluntarily offered to take the exam for me! He set me up!”
Xiao Liulang asked: “Why would I set you up when we have no grudges?”
He Jinghong answered angrily: “Because, because… because your wife beat me up! You were afraid I would take revenge on her, so you agreed to take the exam for me!”
As soon as he let out the word “agreed”, He Jinghong realized he had misspoke.
Xiao Liulang said sadly: “Sir, this matter has nothing to do with my wife. She has never met him. I don’t know who he offended to the point where he threw mud at my wife and threatened me.”
To Xiao Liulang’s surprise, it was the first time he tried lying without a hint of shame, and it went more smoothly than he expected—
Was he innately talented in this respect?
The Jingzhao Residence Magistrate had seen all sorts of scam artists and could easily uncover the truth.
He called over He Jinghong’s servants. Not one of them had seen Gu Jiao.
He Jinghong’s scam was exposed.
Jingzhao Residence Magistrate: “Do you have any other witnesses?”
“No!”
“Yes!”
The two spoke simultaneously.
The Jingzhao Residence Magistrate looked at the two, his eyebrows furrowed: “Xiao Liulang, you said there’s a witness. Where is this witness?”
Xiao Liulang replied, “At the residence of Lord Zhuang.”
The heart of the Jingzhao Residence Magistrate sank: “Which… which Lord Zhuang?”
Xiao Liulang answered with a serious face: “The fourth son of Grand Tutor Zhuang, Zhuang Xianzhi.”
Oh God, the Zhuang family was getting involved!
The Jingzhao Residence Magistrate was sweating. He couldn’t take this case lightly: “Who… who is your witness?”
“Magistrate Zhuang’s nephew, Du Ruohan.”
Xiao Liulang decisively revealed Du Ruohan’s identity.
Fen Lin and Lin Chengye only knew that Du Ruohan had an uncle in Capital City, but did not know who the uncle was exactly. Xiao Liulang knew because he had seen Du Ruohan enter the Governor’s Mansion with Zhuang Xianzhi in the prefecture city.
Du Ruohan had even referred to Zhuang Xianzhi as his uncle.
Zhuang Xianzhi was the son of Magistrate Zhuang. Due to a disagreement with his father’s political views, Zhuang Xianzhi had split from the family and lived separately.
Zhuang Xianzhi was not at the mansion when Du Ruohan visited, so he arrived alone.
The Jingzhao Residence official asked in a serious tone, “Xiao Jieyuan claimed that Mr. He threatened him into taking the exam on his behalf, and that you are a witness. Is this true?”
Du Ruohan glanced at Xiao Liulang, realizing this crafty youngster already knew they were lurking in the corner!
“Yes!” Du Ruohan confessed about Wang Yun coming over and trying to coax Xiao Liulang.
He Jinghong’s face turned pale: “You… you… you’re lying!”
Du Ruohan rolled his eyes in response: “Whether I’m lying or not is up for the officials to investigate, isn’t it? It’s not up to you to comment!” he said, turning to the Jingzhao Residence official, “If your honor has any doubts, you can send people to ask around. Many of our neighbors have seen his servants been here!”
The Jingzhao Residence official indeed sent people to inquire, and it was confirmed that Wang Yun did indeed visit Xiao Liulang’s home.
He Jinghong defended himself: “My lord! You can’t just believe him! Why would he be at Xiao Liulang’s house? Clearly, they know each other! They… they’re in collusion!”
Xiao Liulang calmly replied: “Knowing each other equates to collusion? Young Master He also knows the Duke, so does that mean that the Duke endorses Young Master He’s actions?”
What a shocking accusation!
The Jingzhao Residence official almost fell off his chair!
He Jinghong was also taken aback.
He felt that Xiao Liulang was arguing absurdly, but he simply couldn’t refute it!
With evidence and witnesses, He Jinghong could not escape the charge of cheating in the examination.
Cheating in the Imperial examination is a serious crime, especially when it involves threats and bribes, it is particularly severe! He Jinghong could never set foot in the exam site ever again!
No longer able to participate in the Imperial examination, he would be discarded by the Duke’s Residence.
The Duke would not risk tarnishing his own reputation for a discarded piece like He Jinghong, leaving him powerless to continue harassing Gu Jiao.
—
The incident caused quite a stir, and by nightfall, Gu Jiao was informed.
The two took a stroll in the courtyard.
Gu Jiao asked him, “Aren’t you afraid of implicating yourself?”
After all, he had signed the document too. If they happened to encounter a confused Jingzhao Residence official, he might be charged as well.
“What about you?” Xiao Liulang countered.
Gu Jiao fell silent.
After a long while, she formally said, “I have told you that I only helped him up!”
Xiao Liulang raised an eyebrow, “Oh? And with Luo Du and Zhao Rui, you just happened to lend a hand?”
And then helped them so much that they were bedridden for months?
Gu Jiao stubbornly insisted: “I… I only helped out a little!”
Xiao Liulang chuckled lowly.
This was the first time Gu Jiao had seen him laugh like this. She realized he could actually laugh, and it was so captivating.
How did the saying go? A brother’s smile isn’t a smile, it’s a bewitching poison.
A thought crossed Gu Jiao’s mind.
This man could only laugh for her from now on.
—
Soon it was February, and the Provincial Exam was approaching.
Last autumn, Xiao Liulang and his group had encountered the most intense Provincial Exam. Unfortunately, this year there were no warm spring flowers, only an infrequent late cold snap.
The Capital City in February was shivering in the north wind, and a snowfall actually occurred on the fifth day of the month.
Those who had fallen into the ice lake by the Suo Bridge during the accident hadn’t fallen ill, but the late cold snap sparked a wave of illnesses.
The Medical Hall suddenly saw a boost in business.
Gu Jiao had Dr. Song and others prepare the medicine into pill form for convenience, so even after the Provincial Exam, the scholars could continue taking the medicine.
The Provincial Exam was divided into three rounds – the first round tested the Four Books and Five Classics, the second round tested Eight-Leg Essays, and the third round tested policy questions. The content and procedures of the exam were similar to the local examination, with all candidates entering the day before and leaving the day after.
The first day of the exam was the eighth day of the month.
Gu Jiao got up early that day.
