"Zhan Xiaomengtong, have you thought this through? Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Tong Xu's expression was grim. Five thousand taels of silver weren't enough? Did she think a powerless little girl could protect a formula?
"No need for Young Master Tong's concern," Zhan Feiyu was unmoved.
From the moment Tong Xu spoke of buying the formula, Wan Yunhao's eyes narrowed slightly. It was only natural; if the Qin family could get wind of it, Lord Tong, with his connections in court, would surely have even more up-to-date information.
Recalling how the Tong manor had been vociferously condemned by the scholars of Nanxuan Prefecture due to Sun Fu's affair, Wan Yunhao felt reassured. If this unknown formula was worth five thousand taels, Zhan Feiyu would likely prefer to sell it to the Qin family.
Scholar Zhang glanced at Tong Xu unobtrusively. Seeing Tong Xu nod almost imperceptibly, he spoke with an imposing air, "Zhan Xiaomengtong, are you returning the money now, or do you want to settle it in court? Four thousand taels, not a single coin less!"
"One moment," Zhan Feiyu agreed readily and turned to walk towards the bedroom behind the main hall.
"Did she really borrow the money?" The waiter from Tai Fu Restaurant couldn't help but murmur. That was five thousand taels! Even his master couldn't produce that much on the spot.
Old Master Xie squinted at Scholar Zhang, whose face had suddenly turned ugly. "Tsk, tsk," he thought, "no one expected Zhan Feiyu to actually intend to repay the money, and so generously, without haggling."
After appraising the jade pendant, Shopkeeper Tao retreated to the side and stood with Madam Wang and Madam Ma. The three of them looked somewhat uneasy. While this matter didn't directly concern them, they had sided with Scholar Zhang.
Zhan Feiyu, at such a young age, could produce five thousand taels. Coupled with her scholarly talent, if things came to a reckoning in seven or eight years, what would they do?
The main hall fell silent. Zhan Feiyu's returning footsteps became exceptionally clear, and with a swish, everyone's gaze turned towards her.
"Here are the bank notes for four thousand taels," Zhan Feiyu placed the wooden box containing the bank notes on the Eight Immortals table. She then picked up the triplicate receipt. "Scholar Zhang, please take a look. If there are no issues, sign and leave your thumbprint. Great-grandfather, I'll trouble you, the village chief, and Shopkeeper Xie to act as witnesses."
Scholar Zhang, his face ashen, took the receipt and scanned it quickly. Upon seeing the nascent yet powerful calligraphy, his expression grew even more solemn.
The four thousand taels were merely passing through his hands, but the enmity between him and Zhan Feiyu had deepened. Even though Scholar Zhang detested Zhan Feiyu, he had to admit that her character, as reflected in her writing, made her a formidable enemy.
The moment he pressed his thumbprint, Scholar Zhang suddenly regretted poisoning Madam Lin. Otherwise, their conflict would not have escalated to such a point of no return.
"Excellent calligraphy!" Old Master Xie couldn't help but praise, secretly thankful for his timely change of heart. If he had persisted, he would have faced dire consequences later. He had wealth, but it was ultimately no match for the noble purity of scholars.
Shopkeeper Tao, having managed Treasure Pavilion for many years, had some understanding of calligraphy and paintings. He leaned closer to Old Master Xie for a look and appeared shocked. To achieve such calligraphy in less than a year of study, it was no wonder everyone said Zhan Xiaomengtong studied diligently.
After signing and sealing, the jade pendant was returned to Zhan Feiyu. Scholar Zhang, his face grim, collected the four thousand taels in bank notes and left.
Tong Xu, watching Zhan Feiyu, who remained unfazed despite losing money, also wanted to leave. However, considering the current situation of the Tong manor, Tong Xu suppressed his anger and stayed.
"Zhan Xiaomengtong, since there's nothing else, we'll take our leave." Perhaps sensing Tong Xu's displeasure, Old Master Xie immediately bid farewell.
Shopkeeper Tao, Madam Wang, and the others also left awkwardly. Lingering any longer would offend not only Zhan Feiyu but also the noble young master. They were truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Qin Ye, having fallen, remained to watch the spectacle. Unfortunately, Tong Xu's warning gaze fell upon him. No matter how precarious the Tong manor's situation, it was not for a brash young man like Qin Ye to mock!
"Young Master, we bid farewell." Wan Yunhao patted Qin Ye's shoulder, and the two of them left first.
The old clan elder and the village chief remained, but the other clan elders departed.
"Go stand guard outside," Tong Xu commanded coldly.
Two attendants walked out and stood like sentinels at the main gate, startling the villagers who remained in the courtyard. They kept peeking into the main hall.
"Zhan Feiyu, have you truly considered this? Do you really want to be an enemy of my Tong manor?" Shedding his mask of a noble young master, Tong Xu's young face was clouded with gloom, his eyes filled with a terrifying ferocity.
Before Zhan Feiyu could speak, Tong Xu coldly threatened, "My Tong manor has a third-rank official in the imperial court, and the Tong family's in-laws hold official positions across various regions. If you wish for a fight to the death, the Tong manor will see it through! But can you, and your clansmen, withstand the Tong family's immense wrath!"
Since ancient times, commoners did not dare to fight officials. Zhan Feiyu, having been rewarded for offering the formula, was temporarily safe from retaliation by the Tong manor. However, the Zhan clan, including the people of Jinlin Village, could be easily crushed like ants if the Tong family decided to act.
The old clan elder and the village chief's expressions immediately tensed. While Tong Xu's words were infuriating, they were also the truth.
Ordinary commoners dared not offend even low-ranking yamen runners. Tong Tongzhi was a fifth-rank official. The Tong family's in-laws and associates, even if they were seventh-rank county magistrates, were more than enough for them to handle.
Zhan Feiyu remained unmoved. Her fair, plump face was calm, which made Tong Xu furious, clenching his fists. To be pushed to this point by a country girl was an utter humiliation!
"Zhan Feiyu, my third brother, Tong Yao, is of suitable age for you. You study diligently not just for a good future. If you are willing to betroth yourself and form a marital alliance, your studies and imperial examinations will receive the Tong family's support. After marriage, Tong Yao will have no concubines, your dowry will be yours, and the family property divided by Tong Yao will be inherited by your children!"
Tong Xu once again dangled a bait, selling out his third brother. His third brother disliked studying, and marrying a capable wife like Zhan Feiyu would allow him to support the third branch of the family, at least preventing him from dragging Tong Xu down.
Zhan Feiyu suddenly laughed. She stepped forward and lowered her voice so only the two of them could hear, "Young Master, for an ordinary formula, your threats would indeed be effective. Unfortunately, this formula concerns all scholars in the world; it is a brand new printing technique. Do you think the Tong family's in-laws and associates will still retaliate?"
Tong Xu stood up in shock. No wonder she had offered the formula to the court. Once this matter was settled, Zhan Feiyu would surely be grateful to all scholars in the world.
Thinking of Sun Fu, who was still in the county jail, Tong Xu's face turned pale. He sank back into his chair.
After a long silence, Tong Xu seemed to have lost all his spirit. He looked at Zhan Feiyu with a complex gaze. The marriage proposal, the formula, none of it mattered anymore. He had to extricate the Tong family before the news leaked.
Beneath the large banyan tree, Qin Ye disdained the coarse villagers. He glanced at Wan Yunhao, who was chatting amiably with the villagers, and curled his lips in disdain, standing aside in a daze.
Suddenly, Qin Ye called out, "Brother-in-law?"
Wan Yunhao turned around and saw two horses galloping away. On their backs were Tong Xu and his attendants.
"They don't even want the Tong manor's carriage?" Qin Ye muttered in confusion. Whipping the horses again and again, as if they were rushing to their deaths.
From the villagers, Wan Yunhao had learned about Zhan Feiyu's experiences over the past few years. Who would have thought that an eight-year-old girl would be so cunning and so cold-blooded? Wan Yunhao seemed to see another version of himself.
"Let's go, we're returning to Zhan Feiyu's home." After politely bidding farewell to the villagers, Wan Yunhao, with Qin Ye, headed back towards Zhan Feiyu's house.
The old clan elder and the village chief had not yet left. Seeing Wan Yunhao enter, their brows furrowed. Although they didn't know his identity, his attire indicated he was either wealthy or noble.
"Is Scholar Wan also here to discuss the formula?" Zhan Feiyu asked coldly.
She had made an enemy of the Tong family due to Sun Fu. In the future, for the county and provincial examinations, she would have to go to the prefectural city. Whether it was Sun Fu or the Tong family, they would surely retaliate. Therefore, Zhan Feiyu had no choice but to choose Prefect Zhang to prevent future trouble.
Magistrate Chen had shown kindness to Zhan Feiyu, and he had also chosen Prefect Zhang. Simply put, it was a matter of the west wind overpowering the east wind, or vice versa. The three parties were already an alliance.
Wan Yunhao seemed oblivious to Zhan Feiyu's hostility and smiled gently, "Prefect Zhang's foundation in Nanxuan Prefecture is shallow, otherwise, he wouldn't be constrained by Lord Tong. The Qin family is a scholarly lineage. If Zhan Xiaomengtong wishes to pursue imperial examinations in the future, besides Prefect Zhang's protection, with the Qin family's escort, she will surely soar to great heights."
The formula was of little importance to Prefect Zhang. Sun Fu's assault on the county school's instructor and several students had already implicated the Tong family. Prefect Zhang would certainly seize this opportunity to consolidate power and firmly control Nanxuan Prefecture.
However, if the Qin family obtained the formula, Zhan Feiyu would gain another ally.
Prefect Zhang would be promoted and transferred in the future, but the Qin family's roots were in Nanxuan Prefecture. With the Qin family's protection, even if the Tong family retaliated later, the Qin family could safeguard Zhan Feiyu and the Zhan clan.
"If I don't agree, does that mean I'll be an enemy of the Qin family?" Zhan Feiyu retorted coldly.
No matter how tempting the bait Wan Yunhao dangled, she would not agree. Cooperating with him was no different from seeking a tiger's skin.
"That wouldn't be the case. The Qin family's magnanimity is not that narrow-minded. It's just that without the Qin family's help, Prefect Zhang would only have a fifty percent chance of winning. If Prefect Zhang loses..." Wan Yunhao's difference from Tong Xu lay in his ability to strike directly at people's hearts, targeting their weaknesses.
"Man proposes, God disposes. Scholar Wan, there's no need to say more. My formula has already been submitted to the court, and I will not cooperate with any family. Please leave." Zhan Feiyu's attitude was resolute.
"I'd like to see how long you can remain so arrogant!" Qin Ye exclaimed in anger, grabbing Wan Yunhao's arm. "Brother-in-law, let's go. She'll regret this!"
It was just a mere formula, and she thought she had obtained a death-exempt token!
Since Zhan Feiyu refused to be sensible, Qin Ye waited to see her stumble. She was just a little girl from the countryside, hmph, still thinking she was someone important. When the Tong family retaliated, she would know fear.
After Zhan Feiyu produced four thousand taels, the old clan elder and the village chief decided not to interfere in this matter. They cautioned Zhan Feiyu a few more times to be careful and then left. The affair was too significant for their old bones to manage.
...
As night fell, Jinlin Village was tranquil. Candles were extinguished in every household, but after lying in bed, people couldn't help but talk about the day's events. Four thousand taels, they had never seen so much money in their lives.
Yin Wuyan appeared silently, without disturbing Madam Li in the other bedroom.
"The transition is not smooth enough." As soon as Yin Wuyan spoke, Zhan Feiyu, who was practicing calligraphy, showed surprise. She then picked up her brush to rewrite, but unfortunately, she made the same mistake.
Seeing Zhan Feiyu write three characters in succession, Yin Wuyan hesitated for a moment, then stood behind her. His long, yet cold hands took hold of Zhan Feiyu's, "Relax your grip, follow my movements, and carefully feel the brushwork at the transition."
This was the difference between having a teacher and not. Instructor Zhao and Master Dou were very good to Zhan Feiyu, but they also had to teach other students, making it impossible for them to instruct Zhan Feiyu so meticulously.
A quarter of an hour later, she finally found the feeling. Zhan Feiyu turned and looked gratefully at Yin Wuyan, "I've learned it."
Under the candlelight, the young girl's smile bloomed like a flower, her dark eyes filled with the purest joy. Yin Wuyan didn't know how long it had been since he had seen such clear eyes.
In the Imperial Guards, he apprehended only great villains and wicked evildoers, their hearts utterly black. And whether in the palace or the capital, anyone Yin Wuyan encountered, even a child of five or six, either feared him or fawned over him.
Only this young girl before him. Everyone said she was intelligent, cunning, and resourceful, but Yin Wuyan only saw the kindness hidden beneath her cold-bloodedness. For every bit of kindness she received, she would repay tenfold. She was timid when scared, but when stubborn, she possessed the heroic resolve and determination of a scholar dying for a confidant.
Zhan Feiyu picked up another sheet of paper and began writing with focus and seriousness.
After filling a sheet of paper, looking at the last few characters, Zhan Feiyu's eyes curved into happy crescents, "I'm done."
Yin Wuyan put down his article. He couldn't reconcile this essay with the young girl smiling for praise. The opening and elaboration were so sharp, and judging from the word choice and sentence construction, one would think it was written by someone in their thirties. Zhan Feiyu, at times, truly didn't seem like a child.
"The court is treacherous, and you are still young. You can practice your left-hand calligraphy," Yin Wuyan said in a deep voice, looking at the wide-eyed young girl. "With your talent for getting into trouble, having an extra skill is an extra layer of protection."
As for other matters, Yin Wuyan planned to personally select a few people after returning to the capital. Once they were trained, he would send them to the young girl's side. That way, even if he wasn't around, she would at least have self-protection.
Zhan Feiyu looked at her own fair and plump left hand and made a gesture of holding a brush, feeling awkward in every way. The thought of practicing left-hand calligraphy made her scalp tingle.
"You can also practice a second style of calligraphy with your right hand." The Taige style was only for examinations. Yin Wuyan carefully observed Zhan Feiyu's recent practice, and she could indeed practice cursive script.
You don't have to practice... Meeting Yin Wuyan's unfathomably cold phoenix eyes, Zhan Feiyu immediately caved, her face contorted into a bitter smile as she nodded, "I'll try my best."
Seeing her expression of daring to be angry but not to speak, a smile flashed quickly in Yin Wuyan's seemingly cold eyes.
"Big Brother, why are you here?" Zhan Feiyu quickly changed the subject, afraid that Yin Wuyan would assign her calligraphy tasks.
"After Tong Xu left Jinlin Village, he met with Sun Fu and returned to Nanxuan Prefecture at full speed half an hour later," Yin Wuyan reported the situation. The Tong family would surely abandon Sun Fu to protect themselves. "The Tong family has some issues, but their crimes do not warrant death."
This meant that the Tong family would be implicated by Sun Fu and would fall into a disadvantage in the contest with Prefect Zhang. However, even so, he was still the Tongzhi of Nanxuan Prefecture, Zhan Feiyu's enemy.
Zhan Feiyu nodded in understanding. If possible, she would not want to make enemies, but she had no choice.
If she were to remain an ordinary young girl, after marriage, she would face conflicts with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. If she wanted to earn more money, she might encounter ruffians. Even more unfortunately, if she encountered a lustful man or a scoundrel, her situation would be even more tragic.
Zhan Feiyu did not want to be driven by fate, nor did she want to gamble on this possibility. Therefore, she could only strive to study and pass the imperial examinations, making herself stronger. However, in doing so, her enemies would also become stronger, like the Tong family.
"I've Come to Ancient China to Take Imperial Exams" without errors will continue to be updated, there are no ads on this site, please bookmark and hand-type it!
(