Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 137 - 132: Ranked 1st in the Exam

Chapter 137: Chapter 132: Ranked 1st in the Exam

Yu Li was momentarily stunned.

Wasn’t this supposed to be a leisurely visit? How did it turn into an exam?

In the pavilion.

Meng Qianqian was pleasantly chatting with Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Zhou.

Or rather, it was mostly the two of them chatting, while Meng Qianqian listened quietly. She rarely spoke, yet her occasional remarks were always on point, never leaving the atmosphere cold.

Mrs. Zhou couldn’t help but marvel at this. Zhou Nanyan appeared to be listening as well, but only the former knew this girl had already drifted into her own thoughts.

Mrs. Lin surely shared such sentiments.

At an age often marked by liveliness and restlessness, possessing such poise was truly remarkable.

Moreover, there seemed to be a maturity beyond her years in Meng Qianqian’s demeanor. The more one spent time with her, the more one was drawn to her character.

Zhou Nanyan looked around and asked Mrs. Lin, "Aunt Lin, where’s Aunt Wang? Didn’t she say she would come last time?"

Mrs. Xing had planned to visit her family today—a plan made half a month prior—but there had been no word of any other appointments for Lady Wang.

Meng Qianqian also found it puzzling.

Mrs. Lin sighed, "Imperial Censor Wang threw out his back, so Lady Wang is staying home to care for him."

"How did he throw his back out? Was it serious?" Zhou Nanyan asked.

Mrs. Lin coughed lightly.

Zhou Nanyan clung to her arm, whining, "Aunt Lin, tell us, tell us! Meng Jie wants to hear it too!"

Meng Qianqian froze for a moment.

When she saw Mrs. Lin glance at her, she nodded, "Oh, yes, I’d like to hear it."

"It’s not exactly a secret," Mrs. Lin said with a chuckle. "Imperial Censor Wang impeached his own father again. His father was escorted to the Taihe Palace and severely reprimanded by the senior ministers. When he returned home, the old man gave him a beating."

The elder Mr. Wang had already submitted his retirement notice and was merely awaiting the court’s approval to live out his days peacefully. Who could have imagined that, just before stepping into retirement, his son would once again drag him into public disgrace, tarnishing his reputation so late in life.

Meng Qianqian twitched at the corner of her mouth. That Imperial Censor Wang was something else. She could already imagine the elder Mr. Wang losing his temper completely.

After hearing all the gossip about Imperial Censor Wang, Zhou Nanyan walked over to Meng Qianqian, holding her arm. "Meng Jie, let’s go find Lin Jie!"

Mrs. Zhou hadn’t had enough of talking with Meng Qianqian. "You little girl, can’t you let your Meng Jie have one moment of peace?"

Zhou Nanyan pouted, "Mother, you chat with Aunt Lin! Meng Jie has been keeping you company for so long; now it’s my turn!"

"Hey—you—"

Mrs. Zhou’s call went unanswered as Zhou Nanyan led Meng Qianqian away with a tug.

In the Lin Family’s Book Pavilion, Meng Qianqian finally met the Lin Family’s young lady, Lin Xiaoru.

Lin Xiaoru was dressed in simple attire, with her long black hair coiled into a high bun secured by a wooden hairpin. She stood by a bookshelf, engrossed in a book.

She was a serene young woman, exuding a scholarly air. Her skin, from lack of exposure to sunlight, appeared overly pale.

Zhou Nanyan softly called out, "Lin Jie."

Lin Xiaoru turned slightly and looked towards the doorway. "It’s Yan’er."

Soon, her gaze shifted to Meng Qianqian. "You must be Miss Meng? My mother mentioned you. Please, come in."

The two entered the Book Pavilion.

Meng Qianqian greeted her, "Miss Lin."

Zhou Nanyan leaned closer, asking curiously, "Lin Jie, what book are you reading?"

Lin Xiaoru replied, "Feng Shui."

Zhou Nanyan asked in confusion, "Weren’t you reading about astronomy last month?"

"I got bored with that," Lin Xiaoru answered bluntly.

"Is this book interesting?" Zhou Nanyan asked.

Lin Xiaoru sighed as she held the yellowed pages of the book in her hands. "It’s interesting, yes. But alas, it’s incomplete—only the first half remains."

Zhou Nanyan said, "Why don’t you buy another copy?"

Lin Xiaoru shook her head. "It’s impossible to find. This book was the annotated manuscript of a reclusive scholar and only accidentally made its way into the workshop. I stumbled upon it by chance."

Meng Qianqian glanced at the book.

The handwriting... why did it look so much like Ji Li’s?

Lin Xiaoru finished the last page, then eagerly turned back to the first page to read through the book again.

Zhou Nanyan leaned in to Meng Qianqian, whispering, "Meng Jie, don’t take it to heart. Lin Jie isn’t being unfriendly—she’s like this with me too. She’s just a bookworm."

Meng Qianqian nodded.

The goodwill and malice of a person were, in essence, distinguishable. Lin Xiaoru was simply a focused individual. The Book Pavilion, to others, might just be a library, but to her, it was likely her most private sanctuary. Being allowed into this space was already a gesture of her warmest welcome.

Lin Xiaoru suddenly looked up and said to Meng Qianqian, "Almost forgot—feel free to read any of the books on the shelves."

Meng Qianqian spent the entire day at the Lin family’s residence, while Yu Li spent his day being examined thoroughly. From classics to policy discussions, from five-character couplets to imperial maxims, the vast number of exam questions left him utterly drained, his gaze vacant by the end.

Throughout the exam, Yu Li never left the study room—not even for lunch, which he ate in that very room. Naturally, Lin Ji was present throughout as well.

The distinguished Sacrificial Officer of the Imperial College personally administering an exam truly marked an unprecedented case in this dynasty.

By evening, Meng Qianqian took her leave of Mrs. Lin with a polite farewell. "Thank you, Mrs. Lin, and Mr. Lin, for today’s hospitality."

Mr. Lin had finally taken a rare day off, only to spend the entire day working.

Mrs. Lin waved it off lightly, "It was nothing at all. Besides, all I did was provide the opportunity to take the exam. Whether Yu can enter the Imperial College depends on his abilities."

It wasn’t until they were near home that Yu Li finally came to his senses a little. Breathing a long sigh, he said, "Cousin, thank you for today... but could you please give me a heads-up in the future for surprises like these?"

He had truly thought this was just a casual visit...

"Mr. Lin said this was the entrance exam for the Imperial College. To think he administered a private one just for me... Is he a lecturer at the Imperial College?"

"No."

"Then he is...?"

"The Sacrificial Officer of the Imperial College."

Yu Li jolted, his body stiffening!

Meng Qianqian curved her lips into a small smile. "Do I need to give you a heads-up for surprises like this in the future, Cousin?"

Yu Li’s face turned pale in an instant. "N-no need."

After seeing Meng Qianqian off, Mrs. Lin immediately went to Lin Ji’s study room.

As always, her voice reached him before she did. "How did that boy perform?"

Lin Ji had been grading as the exam progressed—whenever one section was completed, he had already finished grading the previous one. By this point, he had reviewed all of it.

With a serious expression, he remained silent.

Mrs. Lin’s face changed. "What’s the matter? Did he not do well? I heard from our son that his scholarship is quite impressive."

Back at the Xing Family, the young men had done more than just play pitch-pot and Cuju; they had also exchanged poetry and essays. Upon returning home, even their son had praised Yu Li.

"You blockhead, yes or no, just say it—why must you act like—"

Mrs. Lin grabbed one of the papers from the desk mid-sentence. The rest of her words were swallowed the moment her eyes fell upon the page.

She broke into a relieved smile. "All top grades, what a scare you gave me! Well, how about that? Wasn’t a waste of your time, was it? His scores could rank first in this year’s entrance exam! Such a promising talent—shouldn’t you consider taking him on as a disciple?"

Lin Ji replied blandly, "It’s merely a demonstration of exam technique. He’s not qualified to be my disciple."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Even their own son had yet to earn Lin Ji’s approval, so Mrs. Lin had merely brought it up casually without any serious expectations that he would take Yu Li as a student.

"Tell me, whom do you think is worthy?"

A certain figure flitted across Lin Ji’s mind. After a long pause, he frowned. "A pity; they have strayed off the proper path."