Chapter 265: 152 Youth Toasting (First Update)

After reprimanding Zheng Siye, the Grand Tutor headed back to the Imperial Study Room to appease His Majesty.

His chosen strategy was to never deny Zheng Siye’s faults, however, as the saying goes, clear waters are devoid of fish. Visible deceptions were always stronger than those unseen, and besides, these were old scores from years ago. Zheng Siye had not displayed such behavior recently, proof of his, repentance.

He earnestly asked His Majesty to give him a chance to reform.

Furthermore, the Guozijian was in an awkward transition phase lacking capable candidates. No one was more suitable than Zheng Siye for the position of Libationer.

Li Siye, after all, was a bit young and lacked experience, his tactics were immature, ineffective against the older hardheads.

Sometimes, it took someone as cunning and capable as Zheng Siye to be a sharper and more effective tool for His Majestyn/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

It was precisely why the Grand Tutor was so competent. This perspective of dissecting problems was something an average person would hesitate to adopt.

But His Majesty recognized the genuine truth in those words. He also wished for the court of Zhan Country to be entirely uncorrupt, but as Grand Tutor said, a too honest knife is too dull, ineffective, and a too sharp knife has its risks.

Finding a knife that is sharply effective without causing self-harm was too difficult.

If only the old Libationer was still around…

In the end, the Emperor was appeased. He retained Zheng Siye’s official position and the impending decision to appoint him as the Libationer of Guozijian, but punished him with half a year’s salary suspension as a warning to others.

Outwardly, it was proclaimed that the ledger was forged to malign Zheng Siye.

Zheng Siye waited outside of the imperial palace and seeing the Grand Tutor emerge, he devoutly bowed, “Great Tutor’s kindness to this humble official is as if creating me again, this humble official will go through fire and water for you in the future, no objections!”

The Grand Tutor responded coldly, “Just because His Majesty didn’t pursue this doesn’t mean you can act recklessly, don’t give anyone anything to use against you!”

Sweating profusely, Zheng Siye bowed and responded, “Yes, I will remember.”

The Grand Tutor added, “And about the monthly exams, you’ll have to find a way to handle it!”

“…Yes!”

With aching teeth, Zheng Siye returned to Guozijian.

Xiao Liulang was sitting in the shade of a tree, tutoring Lin Chengye, when he saw Zheng Siye approach in a huff. He casually glanced at him.

Suddenly a wave of intuition hit Zheng Siye – it was Xiao Liulang who did it!

But wasn’t this strange?

The exam papers were hidden in an alcove behind a wall painting, and the ledger was hidden in a secret room in Minghui Hall. How could Xiao Liulang know so many secrets, moreover, how was he able to sneak into Minghui Hall without being discovered?

Zheng Siye’s heart was like a bundle of fire, the pressure unbearable.

Xiao Liulang casually averted his gaze, even one more glance at him was a waste.

Zheng Siye was utterly provoked, regardless of whether the boy was involved, he was thoroughly disgusted by him!

But he could not act against the boy anymore!

“Ah, Zheng… Siye.” Lin Chengye noticed him.

Xiao Liulang handed Lin Chengye the corrected exam papers, circling the areas where he lacked finesse. Xiao Liulang then looked at Zheng Siye faintly, “Did Zheng Siye come here to apologize?”

“Apologize for what?” Zheng Siye was taken aback.

Xiao Liulang flicked his sleeve casually and said in a leisurely way, “My paper, I don’t seem to have gotten a single question wrong. How did Zheng Siye grade me? Or is it as the rumors go that Zheng Siye has a bias against me?”

‘Yeah, I am biased against you, so what?’

‘What can you do about it!’

An hour ago, Zheng Siye could express his thoughts freely, but not anymore.

Zheng Siye grinned sarcastically, “I clearly told them that you were first in the positive sense, I don’t know how they misunderstood it as you being last.”

“Oh.” Xiao Liulang raised an eyebrow, “Then, may I trouble Zheng Siye to correct my score?”

The sound of Zheng Siye’s clenched fist echoed, the vein on his forehead throbbing, “Change… I’ll change it right away!”

Not only did Zheng Siye have to correct Xiao Liulang’s scores, but he also had to publicly apologize to Xiao Liulang. This was a direct order from the Grand Tutor.

If he couldn’t bear even this level of humiliation, then he wasn’t worthy of being a tool in Grand Tutor’s hand.

The pleasure Zheng Siye felt while bullying Xiao Liulang was proportionate to the loud slap of an apology aimed at him.

Gritting his teeth, Zheng Siye threatened, “You just wait, wait till the day I become the Libationer of Guozijian…”

‘Just you wait!’

At the monastery school, Xiao Liulang often waited in the classroom after school for Xiao Liulang to pick him up.