Chapter 179

The last parting was nearly three years ago.

Don't worry, this is not a joyful reunion after a long separation, but a hateful encounter after long-held resentment.

Xu Mo could never have imagined running into Zhu Zhi at the gate of the Imperial College.

Zhu Zhi, who had passed the age of thirty, still had the hypocritical look Xu Mo remembered, with his short beard. Having relieved himself of the county magistrate's duties, he now carried more of a scholarly air as he entered the Imperial College, with an ease and comfort about him.

But what right did he have to be at ease and comfortable?

Xu Mo's eyes turned red as he thought of his falsely accused parents, their heroic joint suicide, the hastily closed case, and Zhu Zhi's smugness at being rescued.

The suppression slowed Xu Mo's steps, and the hatred made his hands tremble. His intense murderous aura spread out around him.

Even his younger siblings further away could feel it.

"What's wrong with Eldest Brother?" Zheng Ruqian asked softly. "I've never seen him like this before."

Wen Zhiyun opened his mouth.

Actually he had seen this before.

It was when the previous Anshui prefect had rushed to Xieyang County to handle the case of Xu the county magistrate and his wife. Eldest Brother had been truly frightening then, like a hurricane repressed with energy, ready to tear up the land to be pockmarked and ravaged.

"How exactly did Eldest Brother's parents die?" Having arrived at the gathering the latest, Chang Yan was the least familiar with these matters.

And Xu Mo was unwilling to talk about it, so they had never asked.

Jiang Sheng whispered, "Magistrate Xu and his wife were betrayed by Teacher Zhu, falsely accused of taking bribes, and thrown into prison. Zhu Zhi actually had no authority to handle Magistrate Xu's case, but something went wrong somewhere, and after Eldest Brother was taken care of, Xu the county magistrate and his wife committed joint suicide."

So the suspects who were originally awaiting questioning became those who had died avoiding punishment.

After Zhu Zhi hastily closed the case, he comfortably became the county magistrate of Xieyang County, and allowed his wife and brother-in-law to make mischief and harm the common people.

Thinking of their difficult early days, almost entirely thanks to Zhu Zhi, if the siblings didn't have some brains, they wouldn't have their current circumstances at all.

Yet in the end, after the Gao siblings paid the price, the culprit Zhu Zhi remained free from punishment, and even became a student at the Imperial College. How could this not make Eldest Brother hate him?

"I'm afraid Eldest Brother won't have a peaceful time studying at the Imperial College." Wen Zhiyun said softly.

The others didn't speak, only watched as Xu Mo went from trembling to calm, to walking steadily into the Imperial College.

He even walked past Zhu Zhi, smiling and nodding. The younger siblings all shivered.

A tiger roaring at you wasn't frightening, but it was terrifying when it quietly crouched, making you wrongly believe it was a kitten.

When your guard was lowered, that would be your end.

Zhu Zhi walked with his hands behind his back, chatting and laughing with the other young masters as they headed inside.

One fifteen or sixteen year old lad cheerfully asked, "Uncle finally passed the provincial examination after trying for nine years. Are you planning to take the imperial examination next, or go to the countryside to be an official?"

Zhu Zhi's expression darkened, clearly remembering some unpleasant matters. "I won't go be an official in the countryside, I'll stay in Fengjing."

While the status of a provincial graduate was certainly prestigious, to become an official still required being assigned to the countryside, unable to stand firm in Fengjing.

By saying this, Zhu Zhi had decided to take the imperial exam and then rely on his family's connections to enter Fengjing officialdom.

"Brother Fang seems to be taking the imperial exam too." The youngest boy suddenly said admiringly. "I wonder which of you, Uncle or Brother Fang, will succeed in becoming a jinshi."

Zhu Zhi's face instantly turned black.

He was Fang's uncle, nearly twenty years Fang's senior, yet had passed the provincial exam at the same time as Fang.

On its own this wasn't uncommon, but together it always gave Zhu Zhi a complex sense of shame that slowly turned into humiliation.

The boy who had spoken sensed something wrong and quickly nudged his younger brother. "You could both pass, that would be a double celebration for the Zhu family!"

Zhu Zhi gave a cold laugh. "Fang is one of the Fang family. Even if he passes the imperial exam, that's a celebration for the Fangs, what does it have to do with the Zhus?"

Everyone fell silent.

They lowered their heads and walked on quietly.

Completely unaware that Xu Mo, who had walked ahead earlier, was now behind them, watching their stiff backs and discordant hearts, chuckling coldly.

Looking back at his worried younger siblings, he waved his hand again.

Don't worry, your Eldest Brother is still your Eldest Brother, he won't act rashly.

The youth held the envelope erect, his spine straight, walking steadily and calmly.

Unafraid of power, undaunted by the abyss.

Not until the backs retreated from view did the siblings get in the carriage and leave dejectedly. "Eldest Brother really isn't angry?" Jiang Sheng rested her cheek in her hand. "But I feel like he's so full of hatred!"

"Hatred or not, Eldest Brother acts according to his principles." Chang Yan was still relatively calm. "Besides, we haven't established ourselves in Fengjing yet. Eldest Brother won't act recklessly."

Establishing a foothold, easy to describe and diagram, but extremely difficult to accomplish.

Xu Mo entering the Imperial College was the simplest matter.

When it came to Zheng Ruqian, it was the most stressful and difficult--earning money.

Fortunately Jiang San and Jiang Si arrived with a carriage full of cured meats, all top quality produce cured and dried by Liu Cui, untouched after hanging to dry for over a month.

Everyone in the compound helped sort through them.

As Zheng Ruqian worked, he worried about whether to sell the cured meats at the roadside stands in the west city, or deliver them to Fengjing's You Ran House.

In theory, the You Ran Houses in Xieyang County and Anshui Prefecture had bought goods from him before, so Fengjing You Ran House shouldn't reject him either.

But remembering the arrogance of the Fengjing deed officer when they were renting the house, Zheng Ruqian felt unsure.

If a mere deed officer was so arrogant, how high must the noses of the restaurant owners be?

Unexpectedly, Jiang Sheng changed into clean clothes and took a few jin of cured sausage to head out.

"Little Jiang Sheng, where are you going?" Zheng Ruqian was extremely surprised.

Jiang Sheng had a completely serious face. "Going to You Ran House to sell cured sausage, cured meat, and cured fish."

The little girl's thoughts were simple. She thought that since the workshop used to belong to Second Brother, and Second Brother had always actively gone to You Ran House to sell cured goods and sign supply contracts, now that the workshop's owner had changed from Zheng Ruqian to Jiang Sheng, naturally selling cured goods would fall to Jiang Sheng.

It was her responsibility so she would undertake it.

It was her job so she would do it.

Whether You Ran House was a massive establishment, and Fengjing locals were too arrogant were not part of Jiang Sheng's considerations.

"Little Jiang Sheng." Zheng Ruqian's voice was somewhat hoarse. "Are you that confident Fengjing's You Ran House will want our cured goods?"

Jiang Sheng revealed her gappy milk teeth. "Second Brother, if we don't try, how will we know the result?"

When it came to courage, if you added up all five brothers, they still might not equal their little sister alone.

Zheng Ruqian only felt his handsome face burn hotly, as the inferiority lurking in his heart swiftly expanded into pride, then shattered into self-mockery, finally settling into self-respect.

He suddenly stood up and said loudly, "Fine, Second Brother will go with you."

In the blink of an eye, the siblings stood at the door of Fengjing You Ran House.

And then, they were shocked.