Chapter 94: Rather Generous
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
As the scholars were hoping for their names to appear on the roll stones, they were also guessing the top three in this time's theory examination.
As someone who had just been transferred to the River of Trust Capital, Su Jiu naturally wouldn't give up such a good opportunity to make money. Hence, early in the morning, he brought a few other boy servants to lay out tables not too far away from the capital office.
"Guess the roll champion, or the top three, the pay-out is high!" Su Jiu called out with great energy.
A group of scholars on the other hand surrounded the table, and incessantly fished out their money.
Fang Zhengzhi was a punctual person, but he wasn't someone who liked to wait mindlessly in front of the roll stone. Hence, only now did he walk over shoulder to shoulder with Yan Xiu.
As he passed by the betting table, he also heard Su Jiu's shouts.
Thinking that Su Jiu was after all an acquaintance, he believed that he should still go and greet him. Furthermore, he also wanted to see whether there was anybody wise enough to bet on him attaining Roll Champion.
"Let me go take a look!" Fang Zhengzhi looked at Yan Xiu.
"Alright." Yan Xiu nodded, turned around and followed Fang Zhengzhi towards the betting table.
Fang Zhengzhi didn't expect Yan Xiu to have such an interest, and was rather taken aback. But, he quickly understood. He heard that rich people always had a habit of gambling.
Yan Xiu was rich.
But, even if he wasn't obsessed, he definitely wouldn't be too conservative in such an area.
Yan Xiu's appearance naturally caused the surrounding scholars to part ways very consciously. Fang Zhengzhi was satisfied at such an outcome, the feeling was just like shooting a high-pressure water gun around.
As Su Jiu called out to collect money, he realised that the scholars in front of the table had dispersed, and thought whether the government had come to raid?
Raising his head, he realised it was Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.
"Ah, it's Young Master Fang, ha ha…" Su Jiu instantly began to laugh, but quickly placed his hand at an area on the betting table.
Fang Zhengzhi was also smiling.
Because, he had already seen clearly the words on the table in front of Su Jiu. And where Su Jiu covered with his hands, was exactly where his name was.
Other than that, more than ten names were densely written on the table.
Below, pay-outs of all kinds were listed below them.
Among them, Zhang Hetong's Roll Champion payout was the lowest, yet the amount of people who betted that was the most. Next was Hua Kangan, the pay-out was more or less similar to Zhang Hetong. After them, were a few other random people.
Tang Yulong, and even Cai Yongfeng's name were all listed under Roll Champion.
"Can I bet on myself?" Fang Zhengzhi smiled
"Ha ha… Young Master Fang, can you come with me?" Su Jiu reached out his other hand, and signalled to Fang Zhengzhi.
Fang Zhengzhi nodded, turned out and walked in the direction Su Jiu was pointing to.
Not too long later, the three people arrived under a tree.
"Young Master Fang, my master had said that as long as you bet on yourself in attaining Roll Champion, no matter how much you buy, we will pay double on the spot!" Su Jiu smiled happily.
"I only wish to know, why is Second-Class Roll below my name? And, the pay-out is so low?" Fang Zhengzhi didn't directly reply Su Jiu's question.
"Seems like Young Master Fang had seen it, ha ha… this is to earn money, I hope Young Master Fang won't blame me! After all, we have to adapt to the cries of the crowd." Su Jiu smiled apologetically.
"Ah, nobody bet that I would enter the First-Class Roll?" Fang Zhengzhi didn't press Su Jiu further.
"Nobody!" Fang Zhengzhi said confidently, then, seemed to have thought of something. "But, there is one person who bet that Young Master Fang would be Roll Champion! I initially thought that you sent someone to bet, but now it seems like… it isn't!"
"Someone betted that I would be Roll Champion?" Fang Zhengzhi gazed suspiciously at Yan Xiu, who was standing beside him with a cold expression.
Yan Xiu shook his head lightly.
If it isn't Yan Xiu, who could it be? Fang Zhengzhi was somewhat confused, who else would be so wise in the River of Trust Capital? Actually betting that he would become Roll Champion?
"Say, should I still bet on myself?" The edges of Fang Zhengzhi's mouth curved into a smile.
"My master said, however much you bet, we will pay the same amount on the spot!" Su Jiu quickly laughed again.
"She is indeed quite generous. Never mind, help me check, who is the one who betted that I would become Roll Champion!" Fang Zhengzhi turned around and left. Anyway, he had never prepared to bet today, and he felt that earning money with such a method was akin to asking money from girls.
"Alright!" Su Jiu instantly nodded.
After Fang Zhengzhi walked out a few steps, Su Jiu began to mumble again. "Master is indeed supremely clever; Young Master Fang really didn't bet!"
"Wait a minute, I bet a hundred taels!" When Su Jiu's words just left his mouth, Fang Zhengzhi turned back again.
Su Jiu's face instantly turned bitter.
"Young Master Fang, you really bet?"
…
With two hundred silver taels on his hand, Fang Zhengzhi leisurely walked towards the roll stone, shoulder to shoulder with Yan Xiu.
Then, very naturally, a path was formed for them.
But, compared to the previous moment, there were much more sounds of chattering.
"Quick, look, Fang Zhengzhi is here. I had betted that Fang Zhengzhi will enter the Second-Class Roll!"
"Brother Wang is indeed wise! I also betted that he would enter the Second-Class Roll!"
"I betted Fang Zhengzhi will miss the roll…"
"Miss the roll? Is your head squashed by a door? No matter how many people there are in this capital examination, and no matter how intense the competition is, Fang Zhengzhi's theory examination would never miss the roll! He would definitely be on the Second-Class Roll!"
"Exactly, betting that Fang Zhengzhi would miss the roll? You are indeed stupid enough!"
The scholar within the crowd who betted that Fang Zhengzhi would miss the roll was instantly condemned and denounced by the crowd, and pulled out a dozen strands of hair gloomily.
And at this moment, a few result officials wearing black official robes also walked out from within the capital office.
"Give way!" The leading result official gazed at the impenetrable crowd of people, and frowned. This time's capital examination had exactly five times the amount of people compared to before. They were indeed extremely tired.
Very quickly, the crowd gave way.
The result official directly walked in front of the roll stone, and in the same order as before, announced the Second-Class Roll first.
The leading result official fished out a black seal stone from his pocket and pressed it onto the roll stone. Instantly, with a flash of light rays, a list of densely packed names began to appear on the roll stone.
Even though the number of people participating in the capital examination was five times more than before, but, the number of people making it onto the roll was still fixed.
All the scholars at this moment craned their necks and widened their eyes, carefully inspecting the roll stone for their names. Not too long later, the cries of scholars began to sound out.
"Ha ha ha, I made it, I made it…"
"I also made it, I also made it!"
A few of the people who made it onto the roll began to exclaim happily. After all, this capital theory examination was too hard. To be able to make it onto the Second-Class Roll was already extremely lucky.
And when they further thought about the special prize in this time's capital examination, they became even happier.
"Tsk, it's just a Second-Class Roll, what is there to be happy about?" Of course, there were also some smug and self-righteous people who mocked those who made it onto the Second-Class Roll.
"I won?! I won! Ha ha… I won!" Right at this moment, an untimely voice rang out from within the crowd.