Chapter 99

In the city of Nancang, at the Yu residence, Yu Cheng'en received a jade slip and was taken aback: "Ye Qing, the top scholar, and Fan, third place?"

Under the dim light, Yu Cheng'en held the jade slip in silence for a moment, then asked, "The troops we sent out haven't been in contact yet?"

"Lord, we haven't been in contact yet!" Mr. Dai, who was usually carefree and unrestrained, stood up immediately upon being asked, "I've sent several messages, but there's been no response."

"Prepare yourself. If there's still no news, you must go to Pingshou County immediately!" Yu Cheng'en said with a stern face. "Take all the scholars with you."

Mr. Dai didn't say anything more and was about to leave. Yu Cheng'en took a deep breath and added, "Wait, how is Fan doing?"

"Lord, everything is fine. Mr. Kou is with him, so there shouldn't be any problems." This was a matter between father and son, and Mr. Dai naturally couldn't interfere.

Yu Cheng'en thought for a moment, a chill running through him. After a long silence, he asked, "What about the Yinzhu Pavilion?"

Mr. Dai glanced at Yu Cheng'en and said, "It's said that there's only 300 taels of silver left in the pavilion. Five days ago, I met the manager, who said the money was too little and asked if it could be increased, but the residence refused."

"The rumors in the pavilion say that Lord wants to disinherit Young Master Fan. People are in a panic, and most have already left. Only a few poor scholars are still holding on..."

Yu Cheng'en's expression grew increasingly severe as he listened. He had heard these rumors occasionally, but this was the first time someone had mentioned them to his face. Thinking of Yu Fan's expression, he put down his teacup and nodded to Mr. Dai, saying, "The Yinzhu Pavilion must continue to operate. Tell them to allocate another 3,000 taels."

Mr. Dai agreed and was about to leave when another scholar entered, saying, "Lord, a military report has come in..."

Yu Cheng'en frowned and scolded, "Don't ramble. Where's the jade slip?"

The scholar handed over a jade slip, and Yu Cheng'en read it silently. He then said to Mr. Dai, "Wait a moment. I'll read it and then talk."

Mr. Dai, dressed in gray, stood up to leave but heard a voice from above, "Tell Yu Chong to withdraw the troops!"

"Lord, why not—?" the gray-clad scholar said.

"I order you to withdraw the troops. Didn't you hear me?" Yu Cheng'en said coldly, but immediately realized he was being too harsh. He took a deep breath and softened his tone.

"It would have been better if Yu Chong had captured the Ye family's manor earlier," he said, handing the jade slip to Mr. Dai, who took it and read it carefully.

After a moment, Mr. Dai sighed and said, "Lord is right. It would have been better if it had happened earlier. Unfortunately, the Ye family seems to have been prepared and the connection has been cut."

"The signal flare disk has been repaired, but it's too late. Even if the spellcasters cooperate now, it will leave a trace—what bandit has spellcasters?"

"Ye Qing becoming the top scholar is a significant event for the state. The court will take it seriously. If this young man dies now, even if it's not our doing, it will cause a lot of trouble..."

"Even if we could destroy the entire family to undermine their foundation and reduce their influence, Ye Qing is only sixteen. Even as a commoner, he can start over. Lord, we must stop now before we create a mortal enemy!"

"As for the future, there will always be opportunities." Mr. Dai's words carried a chilling intent.

"You're right. So, pass on my order to withdraw the troops according to the original plan." Yu Cheng'en, losing interest, waved for them to leave.

After staying in the dark room for a while, he went up the stairs and soon reached a hidden door.

Opening the door, he found himself in the ancestral hall, staring at a row of memorial tablets, lost in thought.

In the governor's residence of Yingzhou, Ye Qing heard the faint sounds of music and walked through several corridors. In the distance, he saw a tall building in the garden, accessible by a winding white marble railing.

Ye Qing walked to the sixth floor and saw that the building had seven stories, with the top floor offering a panoramic view of the entire city.

"A tower stands a hundred feet tall, where one can pluck the stars with their hands.

Dare not speak in a loud voice, for fear of startling the people in heaven..."

Looking at the bright lights and hearing the sounds of the banquet, Ye Qing paused on the steps and recited the poem slowly. After finishing, he asked, "What is this building called?"

A bright-eyed and fair-skinned maid, hearing the poem and looking at the deep red official robes of the scholar, felt a mix of awe and admiration. Blushing slightly, she answered carefully, "It's called the Qingshan Tower."

Ye Qing, revisiting a familiar place, teased the maid with a pun, but seeing her innocent face, he laughed and let it go, looking out.

The vast, dark land and the endless city lights rushed into his field of vision.

Though not as grand as a metropolis on Earth, with no other tall buildings and the silence of the world, it created a sense of vertigo.

"The banquet is about to start, Scholar," the maid said softly, holding a candle. This was a kind gesture, showing that she had been well-trained in the governor's residence.

Ye Qing glanced at her, noticing the intricate patterns on her clothes, the mark of the governor's residence.

Such maids, with their broad horizons, beauty, and character, were rare even in small clans. They were specially trained and selected from a young age. Though they had no power, they were as precious and fragile as water lilies, with low value in times of great calamity, and only prime ministers and nobles could afford to cultivate, hide, and enjoy them.

Even in this prosperous era, they could be cultivated in the residence of a third-rank official and brought out for important occasions to entertain guests.

What would be the fate of this young girl?

As he pondered, the maid blushed under his gaze and took a small step back. "Scholar, shall we go in?"

Ye Qing nodded, stepped forward, and pushed open the door. Inside, he saw that most of the newly appointed scholars had already arrived, gathered in groups, talking.

A young woman was singing a delicate song, her voice like a stream of mercury, piercing through the air. Even Ye Qing was captivated.

"Oh, Ye Qing, Scholar, you've finally arrived!" Jia Zixing, who came in second, was entranced until the song ended. He then turned and said, "You should be fined a cup of wine!"

The other scholars laughed. "Indeed, you should be fined!"

One scholar stood up and smiled. "You should be fined, but if you can write a poem about this tower, we'll let you off the fine. What do you think?"

"Agreed, agreed!" someone responded, and Ye Qing, before he could speak, heard someone say, "That's a good idea!"

Turning around, he saw an old man approaching, and the previously lively hall fell silent.

"You all were having an interesting discussion, why the silence?" the governor smiled. "I've heard about your poetic talent, Scholar. You should write a poem."

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere relaxed.

Ye Qing bowed and looked at the governor seriously. In his previous life, he had seen this seemingly kind old man many times, but who would have thought that he would become a ruthless governor, making decisive decisions and even suppressing Yu Fan for nearly seven years! One could say that Yu Fan's failure was closely related to this man. After a moment of thought, he smiled. "As the lord commands, how can I refuse? I will comply."

Standing up, Ye Qing took seven steps and then turned to write:

"The sun sets behind the mountains, and the river flows into the sea.

To see a thousand miles, one must climb to a higher floor."

"Excellent, excellent!" the governor clapped and praised, "The calligraphy is beautiful, the poem is beautiful. Someone, frame this and hang it on the wall!"

Everyone applauded, and a steward came over, whispering something to the governor, who was even more surprised. "Indeed, a talented scholar!"

However, it was time for the banquet to start, so he couldn't say more. He moved to the front and said, "I'm busy with official duties, please bear with me."

All the newly appointed scholars, invited to the banquet, knew the situation and praised the governor, "The governor is dedicated to the people and is a model for scholars."

The governor, hearing the flattery, laughed. "Not so, not so. Since I'm late, I'll penalize myself with a cup of wine."

He had just come from the political hall. If it were a subordinate's banquet, being late would be a minor matter, but these thirty new scholars had a bright future and were meeting for the first time after the exam results. He needed to show them respect. After a few pleasantries, the banquet began.

For most of the scholars from prestigious families, the food and wine were simple, but this was the "Qingshan Tower Banquet," a biennial event in Yingzhou City. The food was secondary; the reputation was more important.

However, Ye Qing was particular about his meals and had a habit of not indulging in formalities.

There was a joke:

Two scholars met, and Scholar A mentioned the poor food and unattractive courtesans at the Qingshan Tower Banquet in the 15th year of Pingjing.

Scholar B was shocked, "The 15th year of Pingjing? I was there too, why didn't I recognize you?"

Looking at the other carefully, he suddenly realized, "Aren't you the one who was always looking down at the turtle soup?"

This was a veiled insult to someone from a small county, a "country bumpkin."

At this, Ye Qing smiled, "Then I'll be a dedicated country bumpkin!"

Thinking of this old joke, he scanned the room and saw that the scholars had eaten a few bites and then resumed their composure—after all, they weren't there for the food.

Ye Qing, however, savored the meal. There was indeed a turtle, and he carefully ate a piece, finding it quite delicious, contrary to the rumors.

Except for Ye Qing, the governor was the only one who didn't pay attention to the banquet. He was still eating, but he didn't forget to invite the scholars to taste the food. No one would be impolite, and whenever the governor looked up, everyone would start eating. But as soon as he looked down, all the chopsticks would stop, even the usually charming Yu Fan looked "uninterested in the food."

Ye Qing almost laughed out loud, "So pretentious? What's the point?"

This atmosphere continued until the food was cleared away, and many light-veiled girls came to dance in the hall. These courtesans, specially trained and cultivated from the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, finally livened up the scene.

At this point, Ye Qing was bored. No matter how beautiful they were, they couldn't compare to Qianqian at home. Even in terms of allure, Jiang Zinan far surpassed them.

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