Xue Qian’s roaring laughter was like a slap to the face of Young Master Liu, striking him particularly hard and causing a stinging pain.
It made him wish he could dig a hole to crawl into.
He thought back to just monts ago when he was here, heaping all sorts of humiliation on the other party, only to have that person slap his face with their strength monts later! His own face was burning hot, especially around his eyes, which were now blurred.
The opportunists nearby were even squeezing their way to Su Ke, endlessly praising him, virtually lifting him to the heavens.
All of this was akin to plunging another knife into the already wounded heart of Young Master Liu!
"What’s there to be smug about? Haha..."
He simply couldn’t swallow his anger and, instead of bursting into rage, he sarcastically laughed, "Don’t you just rely on your uncle-in-law’s status? With His Majesty as your backer, even if you didn’t want to pass, it would be difficult not to. Passing the exam isn’t strange at all. If you really have the ability, try to beco a Jinshi Scholar all by yourself without any help!"
"What do you an by that?"
Before Su Ke could respond, Xue Qian spoke up, "Are you implying that Brother Su’s results were obtained through nepotism? By saying this, do you intend to accuse His Majesty of being unjust and unkind? But don’t forget, the examination papers for the Beneficent Examination were all reviewed by several officials from start to finish! Or do you think that the officials responsible for reviewing the papers are all just freeloading?"
These words turned Young Master Liu’s face instantly pale!
No matter how talented he was, he wouldn’t dare to question the officials who reviewed the papers, let alone His Majesty!
Coming to his senses, he swiftly stood up, "Xue Qian, don’t you spout blood! When did I ever say such things? Don’t twist my words!"
"Is it I who twisted the topic, or is it that so people have such dark hearts that they suspect evil in everything? Ha!"
Xue Qian said coldly, finishing his statent and casually pulling Su Ke by the arm, patting his shoulder, "Don’t mind him! This kind of person has no ability other than to make noise."
"Don’t worry."
Su Ke glanced at him, casually saying, "Those dogs that know no better always bite when people aren’t paying attention. But one can’t sink to biting a dog back, can they? Let’s go!"
With that, he led the group away with swagger!
Did he just compare to a dog?
Young Master Liu, left behind, had a face alternating between green and white. He wanted to chase after them and argue, but he didn’t have the guts to do so!
"Brother Su, we had already agreed that if you beca successful, you’d treat us. You can’t go back on your word!"
Xue Qian, beaming with more joy than if he himself had succeeded, said, "I don’t care, three days from now, at the Yueyang Tower, we’ll make sure to skin you for a layer! Let’s not miss it!"
"Fine! It’s just a sit-down buffet, isn’t it? I, Su Ke, can certainly afford that."
It was only at this mont that Su Ke’s soaring spirit gradually settled down, bliss spreading across his face.
He patted his chest happily, "At that ti, you call all our classmates together. We’ll have a grand drinking bout and won’t return until we’re fully drunk!"
"Excellent, a pledge to not return until fully drunk! Haha..."
Xue Qian burst into another round of laughter.
"Speaking of which, Brother Su hasn’t yet had the chance to congratulate Brother Xue on his triumphant top rank as a Jinshi Scholar. Incredible indeed!"
Su Ke bowed to Xue Qian again and again.
Indeed!
The top rank in this Autumn Imperial Civil Service Examination was not taken by others, but by Xue Qian himself!
Xue Qian, the son of Lord Xue, had always been a hot favorite for success. His attainnt of the top rank as a Jinshi Scholar was expected by everyone; unlike Su Ke, the dark horse who suddenly burst into everyone’s line of sight.
"Well said, well said!"
Although Xue Qian was also happy, he wasn’t very surprised, "You know my ambition... let’s talk more about it when I truly succeed in the future!"
Xue Qian’s goal was never just to be a top-ranked Jinshi Scholar; he had grander ambitions and had set his sights on being among the top five nas in the palace examination.
"That’s settled... when you pass the imperial examinations in the future, let’s celebrate then,"
Su Ke nodded in agreent.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw Xiao Liu excitedly squeeze forward, holding up the cloth bag in his hand: "Master, Master, I got it, I got it!"
What he was holding was the 500 taels of silver he had just won from his bet!
At first, in a mont of rash excitent, he had bet all 500 taels on his master’s success in the imperial examinations. Walking back, he felt incredibly conflicted, but now he was just as thrilled.
"We won a full 2,000 taels of silver! Master, we’ve struck it rich!"
With the odds at four to one, 500 taels of silver had turned into 2,000, and he couldn’t help but be overjoyed!
"Since you’ve won, you keep it. In a couple of days, we’ll use the silver to prepare a sit-down buffet to treat everyone,"
These words made Xue Qian and the others burst into laughter!
"Alright, alright! Now that we have the silver, we have nothing to worry about. Everyone at the mansion is still waiting for us to return. Let’s hurry back!"
Su Ke suddenly rembered upon hearing Xue Qian’s words that everyone back at the mansion still didn’t know he had passed the imperial examinations. Indeed, it was ti to bring the good news back!
At this mont, the Su Family’s Mansion was also a scene of joy.
Just before, the entire mansion was imrsed in tension, especially after hearing the joyful and harmonious sounds from outside. Patriach Su had even ordered the doors to be closed to avoid the external noise from disturbing his peace of mind.
Unexpectedly, soone outside began banging on the door.
"Hurry and open the door! Open the door, Master Su has passed!"
The person outside, who had co to bring the news, had quite a struggle reaching the mansion door amidst the revelry, only to be greeted by a closed-up scene. With no choice, he began pounding on the door relentlessly.
After a while, the door cracked open slightly: "Passed what?"
"It’s the young master; the young master has passed!"
The bearer of good news bead with joy: "Congratulations to the Su family of Luoyan Village in Yongze County, Yongzhou, for the esteed Su Ke, son of Old Master Su, passing the imperial examinations!"
Passed? Who has passed?
Everyone inside, previously disheartened, now craned their necks.
"It’s the young master, the young master has passed the examinations!"
The servants cheered and leapt for joy, hurriedly inviting the news-bringers into the main hall, offering them the finest tea and wine, while soone was sent to fetch Su Ke back ho.
"Ke’er has passed the examinations?"
Patriach Su could hardly believe his ears until the ssenger handed him the official notice. He held it in his hands, reading and re-reading it ticulously, confirming the printed words: "Su Ke of Luoyan Village in Yongzhou, Yongze County". Only then did his heart settle back in place.
"It’s Ke’er, it’s my Ke’er who has passed! This is fantastic, absolutely fantastic! The ancestors have shown their favor! Quickly, prepare the incense table, I must perform ancestral worship!"
He could never have imagined that in his lifeti he would see the day his grandson passed the imperial examinations!
He still rembered the year his eldest son beca a successful candidate in the preliminary imperial examinations, how overjoyed he was, opening the ancestral hall and holding a three-day-and-night banquet for the neighboring locals, laying out a lavish sit-down buffet.
But compared to his grandson Su Ke’s achievent, it was nothing.
For a mont, Patriach Su’s joy brought him to tears, and he sobbed uncontrollably!
Su Lao Si also danced with joy!
His son had made sothing of himself!
There was nothing better than this.
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