Chapter 105

Chapter 105: The Results Are Posted Before Song Mingxuan's results were posted, Cui Zeyu had already headed south to buy cloth. Before leaving, he specifically instructed his elder sister to write to him immediately once the results were announced. After her younger brother left, Cui Lingrong noticed that Xuan-ge was tense every day, so she found a day to take the three children to Fan Tower for a meal. Song Mingjin was especially delighted and immediately began ordering dishes as soon as they arrived at Fan Tower. Song Yu took the initiative to pull Xuan-ge along to order food. "Don't be so nervous. Whether it's good or bad, you've already finished the exam. Your anxiety now won't help you at all." Only then did Song Mingxuan order two dishes. Their private room was on the second floor, and directly below in the center of the first floor was a storyteller. Song Yu leaned by the window, listening with great interest, and unconsciously stuck her head out. As luck would have it, they ran into Madam Qian—enemies always meet on a narrow road. Madam Qian from the adjacent room spotted Song Yu and brought her people over to greet them. Because of her natal family's troubles, Madam Qian hated Cui Lingrong to the bone, yet she still wore a smiling face. "When I saw Yu-jie, I knew the Marchioness Song must be here too. Now that Rongjia has married the Marquis of Song, we're all one family. Since we've run into each other, why don't we join together?" Cui Lingrong said the private room was too small. "As you can see, there isn't enough room for so many people." "That's no problem. Let the children stay here, and you and I can go next door to chat. Oh, by the way, my eldest sister-in-law will be coming shortly as well." Madam Qian said as she reached for Cui Lingrong's hand. Cui Lingrong glanced back at the three children, gave Yu-jie a look, and followed Madam Qian next door. She wanted to see what Madam Qian was up to. She sat down with Madam Qian and had just picked up her teacup when she heard Madam Qian say, "Come, let me toast you. What happened before was my Qian family's folly. But we are in-laws, and in the future we're bound to need each other's help from time to time. Why don't we use tea in place of wine and let bygones be bygones?" Cui Lingrong finished her tea but didn't take Madam Qian's words to heart. "I heard that Xuan-ge also took the county examination. What a coincidence—my Xu-ge came back and said they were in adjacent examination cubicles." Madam Qian looked at Cui Lingrong with considerable smugness. "The instructors at the Guozijian all praise Xu-ge for his excellent scholarship. I have full confidence in him." Cui Lingrong continued to sip her tea in silence, not responding. Madam Qian talked until her mouth went dry, and seeing that Cui Lingrong remained silent, she finally couldn't hold back. "If you ask me, we're all relatives. If Xuan-ge doesn't understand something, he's welcome to consult Xu-ge at any time. No need to be polite, don't you think?" "That would be too much trouble. It's only the county examination for now—I'm confident both children will pass smoothly." Cui Lingrong understood now: Madam Qian was showing off and, at the same time, trying to regain face by belittling Xuan-ge. But the county examination results hadn't even been posted yet—who could be certain that Xu-ge would do better? Even if Prince Rong had great influence, he couldn't possibly bribe the examiners to arrange first place for Zhao Xu. Cui Lingrong truly didn't understand what Madam Qian was showing off about. Just then, Lady Wu arrived with her children. With Lady Wu present, Madam Qian became much more restrained and stopped making disparaging remarks. Meanwhile, in the next room, Zhao Xu deliberately sidled up to Song Mingxuan. "Hey, let me ask you—did you hand in a blank paper?" "Zhao Xu, are you afraid my ranking will be higher than yours?" Song Mingxuan had thought it over for several days and figured out Zhao Xu's little scheme. Seeing Zhao Xu's face change, Song Mingxuan continued, "Zhao Xu, if you truly believe you're a pillar of talent, why would you fear me?" "Song Mingxuan, how dare you speak to me like that?" "It's not about how I dare—it's that you can't think clearly. Instead of threatening me, you'd do better to sharpen yourself. Studying hard is the true path." Song Mingxuan couldn't be bothered to argue with Zhao Xu. More arguing would be pointless and only waste his breath. Walking over to his sister, Song Mingxuan whispered a few words, and when Song Yu looked at Zhao Xu again, her eyes were filled with disgust. Song Yu grabbed Jin-ge's arm, and the three siblings headed outside together. Only when they reached the door did Song Mingxuan say, "Elder Sister, please don't tell Mother about my matter. She already worries enough about my county examination." "I know. That Zhao Xu is a little brat—don't pay him any mind from now on." Song Yu thought of Zhao Xu's smug face and felt disgusted, then took her two younger brothers to find their mother. When Cui Lingrong saw the children arrive, she rose to take her leave. On the way back to the mansion, Song Yu made up an excuse: "We just didn't get along with them and didn't want to stay longer. Especially that Zhao Xu—so arrogant and puffed up, as if he were about to become the Zhuangyuan. Utterly insufferable." "Then stay far away from them." Cui Lingrong also didn't want the three children to get too close to the Rong Prince Mansion. The carriage slowly made its way through the streets when, this time, the Duke of Dingguo caught up to them. The carriage suddenly stopped, and the people inside lurched backward. Song Yu asked the driver somewhat irritably what was going on. The driver was also startled and asked who the newcomer was. The Duke of Dingguo couldn't think of a reason on the spot and only said it was an accident. "My sincere apologies—I'm old and my eyesight is poor. I mistook you for an acquaintance and rushed out hastily. May I ask whose carriage this is? Allow me to offer my apologies." Cui Lingrong recognized the Duke of Dingguo's voice and lifted the curtain to say it was no matter. "The Duke need not concern himself. Since you mistook us for someone else, we'll be on our way." When the Duke of Dingguo learned that the carriage belonged to the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, he immediately found his direction and stepped aside to the roadside. After the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion's carriage had gone far, he promptly sent someone to investigate the mansion's background. "Find out whether there are any young men of similar age in the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion." In the past few days, he had occasionally thought of the young man he had seen that day, even dreaming of him at night. Cui Lingrong simply regarded it as an accident and did not think much of it. She brought the children back to the marquis mansion. A few days later, when the results were to be posted, Cui Lingrong took the children to a nearby teahouse early in the morning and sent Er Shun to secure a good spot. Song Mingxuan was extremely nervous. He believed he would surely pass the county examination, but he also wanted to rank higher than Zhao Xu. Otherwise, given Zhao Xu's demeanor, he would definitely point at him and mock him. Seeing him unable to sit still, Cui Lingrong comforted him, "I have confidence in you. The county examination is the simplest; don't worry too much." "Yes, yes, your son knows." Song Mingxuan said this, but his heart was in his throat. On the day the results were posted, the nearby teahouses were fully booked by nobles and officials, and the first floor was crowded with many scholars. As luck would have it, Madam Qian brought Zhao Xu to the teahouse directly across from Song Mingxuan's. The two saw each other, and both were secretly competing in their hearts. A servant from the Rong Prince Mansion came first to announce the good news. Across the street, Cui Lingrong and the others heard the servant from the Rong Prince Mansion shout loudly, "Congratulations to Second Madam and Second Young Master! Second Young Master has passed, ranking third!" To rank third in Bianjing, where talents abounded, Zhao Xu indeed had some real ability. Knowing his rank, Zhao Xu instinctively puffed out his chest and looked over at Song Mingxuan across the street with pride. Song Mingxuan grew even more nervous. Only two people ranked ahead of third place, and he believed he could pass the county examination, but he could not guarantee he would be in the top two. Sweat began to form on his forehead. When Er Shun finally came running over, breathless, Song Mingxuan's breathing stopped altogether. The air around him seemed to freeze, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest, "thump, thump," accelerating frantically.