Chapter 107.4: Just a Child, Poison, Court Examination

“Then, in mama’s view, was it that eighth brother just didn’t sleep well last night, or was it this kind of situation?”

“Nine times out of ten, it’s the latter.”

“Have to say, people who act out against innocent little children truly are unforgivable.”

“Hasn’t miss already warned that Huan Yiniang? As long as she’s a smart one, she’ll know what to do. She probably won’t dare to do anything to eighth young master again. At most, she’ll just let eighth young master become closer with her, so as to disgust third madam. Eighth young master’s symptoms right now are light, so as long as it doesn’t reach the nightmare stage, he’ll be fine in a few days.” Moreover, the other medicine was a kind concocted medicinal liquid, the scent very faint. The best time to use it was at night, and just one drop on the pillow or blanket will suffice. And by the next morning, one won’t be able to find any marks. This kind of thing wasn’t something that Huan Yiniang could easily get her hands on. Most likely it had something to with wangye again, just he probably didn’t expect that this woman would be this malicious, using it on a child. Severing her source should take care of it. However, if she’s indifferent to miss’s warning, then wangye perhaps will just dispose of this chess piece. According to wangye, anyone that goes against miss are all unnecessary existences, even though Huan Yiniang herself probably isn’t even aware that her encountering Luo Rong Ping wasn’t really the will of heaven, but actually human-caused.

“However, if eight brother didn’t come today, I would’ve already forgotten about Luo Jing Ying. How is she, does mama know?”

“Her daily meals have all been simple congee, and the clothes sent in have also been changed to coarse fabric and hemp garments. At first, she threw a tantrum, so the old madam had someone firmly sort her out twice, and she finally settled down. However, she was still unwilling to eat. Old madam didn’t bother with her either, just letting the servants send the meals on time. If she doesn’t eat, then just immediately carry it away. After enduring for two days, the meals that were sent later on were immediately eaten clean. In the recent few days, she’s actually been admitting to her mistakes and repenting everyday, hoping the old madam can let her out.”

“Someone like her, as expected, needs to be sorted out in this sort of manner.”

“Miss letting third madam go beg old madam herself, this is preparing to let fourth miss out?”

“Having been locked up for this long, this should more or less be enough. Can’t exactly have her locked up forever. And even if no one goes to plea, prior to third brother’s wedding, grandmother will still have to let her out. After all, when time comes, with that many people coming to the manor, someone will eventually ask. Overall, it’s not good to say that she’s still sick, too unlucky. In any case, family scandals must not be aired out.”

Gong mama nodded. Letting her out was also good, else wangye’s plans won’t be able to carry out. Fourth miss is a very important link in it after all.

Liu-shi perhaps thought this was Jing Wan’s advice for her, and thus actually went to go beg Luo Old Madam. Luo Old Madam indeed didn’t make things difficult for her either, just neither lightly nor heavily said a few words, letting her properly educate Luo Jing Ying after going back, and if there’s a next time, she won’t be forgiven this easily.

The next morning when going to give her morning greetings, Jing Wan saw Luo Jing Ying who’d lost quite a bit of weight, though it did also fit her recent ‘still sick’ image, feeble and weak, as if the wind could knock her over, really making one pity.

Just don’t know whether or not she was sorted out again by Liu-shi after she went back. This while, she actually had her head lowered the whole time, appearing rather quiet, seemingly as if she’d truly deeply reflected upon herself. However, exactly what she was thinking, no one really knew. In any case, Jing Wan didn’t believe that Luo Jing Ying would recognize her own mistakes this easily. When they were at the Grand Elder Princess Manor, that burst of resentment towards her, afraid, was impossible to erase in this lifetime.

“Today is the court exam. After the court exam ends, the top three successful candidates will parade through the streets. Those that are interested in going out to see the excitement, at the end of the chen hour (9am), go outside the second gate and head out together with your brothers. Today, there will be numerous people in the streets, so don’t wonder off. ————Fourth girl, you don’t need to go out.”

Luo Jing Ying’s body uncontrollably flinched, “Yes.” Her voice somewhat choked up and carried a indescribable grievance.

Regardless whether this grievance was feigned or real, all in all, no one paid her any attention.

Speaking of which, at the moment, the three hundred candidates for the imperial exam that are participating in the court exam were already waiting outside the palace gates.

Because there were still some time at hand, they gathered in groups of three and five, chatting with one another. One has to know, among these people, some might become colleagues in the future. After entering officialdom, there were three kinds of relationships that were the most intimate, and that was between schoolmates, between those from the same hometown, and as well as between those in the same administrative division. Having good relations with these people, there would only be benefits and no harm for oneself.

Moreover, among these people, there were quite a few that had people from their family currently serving in court as officials. If one were to inadvertently become friends with someone that had an important figure behind them, then one could perhaps struggle many years less.

Chen Zheng Min also had two three good friends he made after entering the capital among them, and at the moment, they were currently chatting with him. Those that were close by naturally learned that he was the one being paid attention to yesterday. Speaking of which, the incident that happened in front of the list of names yesterday could also be considered strange, so naturally there were people that just couldn’t help sizing him up. If one has to say what his greatest characteristic was, it was probably his youth, looking to be no more than sixteen seventeen years of age, yet didn’t, because of his good results in the metropolitan exam, exhibit the high-spirits that youngsters ought to have. The feeling he gave others was tranquil, and that smear of coldness between his brows made others feel he was difficult to approach.

A person’s temperament, unless having experienced through the great calamity of life and death, was unlikely to change this thoroughly. It was probably still because he momentarily haven’t completely come around, more or less subconsciously feeling that others all harbored malicious intentions towards him, laughing at him, and thus was somewhat unapproachable. After some time, he probably won’t be like this anymore.

Among these people, there was no lack of people in their thirties and forties, each and every one all can’t help but inwardly think to themselves, the youths of today really were impressive, if each and every one were all like this, then ‘old fellas’ like them all don’t need to struggle anymore.

“Zheng Min.” Luo Rong Wei walked before Chen Zheng Min.

“Fourth biao[1] uncle.” Chen Zheng Min quickly greeted him, “Still haven’t congratulated biao-uncle yet.”

Luo Rong Wei waved his hand, “Nothing worth congratulating, your biao-uncle, I, is just a mediocre one. Yesterday, I received news that back at home, they didn’t even prepare any good fortune money[2], and can be said to have thoroughly ignored me. Even your fourth biao-aunt rolled her eyes at me.”

Chen Zheng Min laughed. Have to say, the Luo family really were busy lately, and moreover, his own grandfather even went to make a ruckus yesterday. Perhaps it didn’t get made known to everyone, but it still wasted quite a bit of paternal great aunt’s time. Perhaps it was just that the matriarch of the household had forgotten, thus the people below couldn’t do anything either. This while, he was somewhat apologetic, “Afraid it was because of grandfather……….”

“Has nothing to do with this. It was your great uncle that instructed, if one doesn’t enter the top fifty, won’t get even a single copper coin. He said, back then, he just casually took the exam and got first place in the metropolitan exam, and if not for his good looks and youth, how could he’ve been appointed as the flower snatcher[3], he was someone with the talent of a top scorer[4]. The thickness of that old face, even third girl couldn’t keep watching and stabbed him with a few words……….” Seeing Chen Zheng Min’s smile fading a little, Luo Rong Wei just knew that he’d accidentally stabbed his sore spot. Last night, his old father had said that there was no need to distance this child. “Yet he doesn’t realize, how could everyone in the world all be the same as him?”

(T/N: There’s a popular belief that the third place ranker in the imperial exam is picked for their good looks, or rather third place is the handsomest of the three top rankers. No idea where this idea originated from, but it is a popular belief.)

“Great uncle’s learning is indeed good to the point that it makes one speechless. The few rare times one has gotten guidance from him have all been beneficial.”

“You rather have the chance this time to walk his steps.”

“Zheng Min will do one’s best.”

Luo Rong Ping nodded his head, “I’ll go stroll around, you all chat.”

[1] Biao – Relative of a different surname, whereas relatives of the same surname are referred to with ‘tang’. It’s been quite a while since this address popped up again, guess should also had this to the historical notes page.

[2] Tip given on a happy occasion.

[3] Title for third place in the imperial exam, I’m fairly certain the results are determined from the final court exam. The origins of this title comes from the idea that the person in third place snatched the flower from the rest of the people below. The flower is referring to this red ball of fabric (pictured below) that the top three scorers get to wear.

[4] In chinese the title is ‘zhuang yuan’ which literally just translates to ‘strong first place’.