Chapter 97: Heart of the Struggle
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
When Fang Zhengzhi looked at Han Changfeng, Han Changfeng was also looking at Fang Zhengzhi.
Their eyes met.
Han Changfeng instantly felt as if a sharp sword was pointed at him. The expression in his eyes instantly changed, and the faint movement of air began within the sleeves of his white official robe.
"That expression in his eyes is so sharp! This sharpness has already reached such a stage?"
"Elder Han!" Right at this moment, Imperial Messenger Qin who had all along been standing behind Han Changfeng suddenly spoke.
Han Changfeng frowned, and the air moving in his body quickly vanished. A moment later, the expression on Han Changfeng returned to its original, calm state.
"Yes?"
"The announcement of the theory examination top three has been completed, may I seek permission to inform the Imperial Academy as soon as possible, and pass it to the left prime minister for reviewing!" Imperial Messenger Qin instantly asked respectfully.
"The left prime minister is busy with imperial affairs, we'll wait for the combat examination to end, and report them together!" Han Changfeng thought for a moment, and shook his head.
"Roger!" Imperial Messenger Qin nodded and withdrew.
When Han Changfeng looked at Fang Zhengzhi again, he didn't feel the sharpness from before. What was left was the faint smile of a sunshine boy.
Then, he also noticed Yan Xiu, who had been standing beside Fang Zhengzhi all along with an ice-cold expression.
After a moment of thought, Han Changfeng quickly made his way beside Fang Zhengzhi.
"Are you Fang Zhengzhi?" Han Changfeng's tone of asking was only left with the amiability of an elder.
"Yes." Fang Zhengzhi nodded.
"Not bad, solving the Illustration of All Creation at six years of age, planting the heart of Dao. Your future would definitely be limitless. This combat examination, I have great expectations of your performance!" Han Changfeng smiled gently.
"Thank you chief imperial messenger!" Fang Zhengzhi returned the same gentle smile.
"Ha ha… good, very good!" Han Changfeng nodded, and instantly turned around and left.
Fang Zhengzhi gazed at Han Changfeng's leaving figure, and the smile on his face didn't change at all. He didn't know what was Han Changfeng's intentions, but, if one really wanted to talk about the heart of the struggle.
He seemed to have long ago stood at the top.
"To the Moonview Restaurant?" Fang Zhengzhi turned around and looked at Yan Xiu.
"Okay." Yan Xiu nodded.
As such, the two walked shoulder to shoulder towards the direction of the Moonview Restaurant.
As the crowd of scholars looked at the leaving figures of Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu, they were filled with admiration. To be able to be praised personally by Han Changfeng was something every scholar under the skies would yearn for even in their dreams.
But, other than admiration, there was also jealous, and even a mysterious sense of hatred.
The crowd gradually dispersed, and the doors of the capital office slowly became empty again. All that was left were two huge words glowing with golden light at the position of first-class roll champion- Fang Zhengzhi.
River of Trust Capital, theory examination roll champion!
…
Within the Moonview Restaurant.
In an exquisite study room, Wu Yuer, wearing a black pleated skirt was reading the books on her table. The rays of light passed through the window and landed on her body, adding a lush glow to her already beautiful face.
"Master, Su Jiu asks to meet you!" A lady in a red skirt respectfully spoke at the door.
"Yes, let him enter." Wu Yuer nodded, but didn't put down the book in her hand.
"Roger!" The maid withdrew.
Not too long later, Su Jiu, dressed in his boy servant attire, walked into the study room. But, he stood still after taking two steps, and didn't dare to advance further.
"Master, this is the accounting records for this month!" Su Jiu fished out an account book from his pocket.
"Put it down." Wu Yuer nodded.
"Roger! Master is indeed smart and wise. Fang Zhengzhi had really attained the theory examination roll champion, and the betting table set up outside the capital office indeed earned quite some money. But, there's a small accident. Before the release of the roll, Young Master Fang wanted to bet, and I replied according to master's orders. Young Master Fang had initially already left, but afterwards due to the slip of my tongue… he came back and betted a hundred taels!" When Su Jiu reached the end of his sentence, his voice very evidently became softer.
"You will go and pay two hundred taels of fine, then find the fourth sister to receive your punishment!" Wu Yuer's actions still didn't change at all.
"Thank you master!" Su Jiu breathed a sigh of relief, and instantly withdrew.
After Su Jiu withdrew, Wu Yuer put down the book on her hands, turned around and looked at the sky outside the window. Smiling, she spoke. "Only betting a hundred taels? Looks like his impression of Su Jiu isn't too bad!"
"Master, Young Master Fang is here! Do you wish to meet him?" At this moment, the maid's voice sounded out from outside the door again.
"Alone?" Wu Yuer's eyes lit up.
"There is also Young Master Yan Xiu from the Western Liang Yan family." The maid replied respectfully.
"Why did he bring a wooden plank here, this is indeed dull… go and prepare first, and treat them well!" Wu Yuer twitched her mouth and seemed somewhat unhappy.
"Roger!" The maid quickly responded, and withdrew.
…
Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu sat down in an exquisite room in the Moonview Restaurant. The maid returned with another teapot filled with fragrant tea, and gave them the menu.
The previous time Fang Zhengzhi came to the Moonview Restaurant, he had never seen the menu. After all, Wu Yuer had paid the bill.
Hence, his only impression was that the Moonview Restaurant's dishes were not too bad.
With the menu placed down, as the person treating the guest, Fang Zhengzhi naturally, very courteously, pushed the menu towards Yan Xiu, signalling him to order as he wished.
On the other hand, Yan Xiu didn't show Fang Zhengzhi any trace of politeness, and in an instant ordered a pile of dishes of all kinds. There were no less than twenty kinds of dishes.
Fang Zhengzhi instinctively felt around for the money in his pocket.
Three pieces of hundred tael notes, and a bag of broken silver. It should be enough for a meal.
After Yan Xiu had finished ordering, Fang Zhengzhi wanted to order a few fruits for dessert, hence, reached out his hand and picked up the menu to take a look.
Just this one look caused Fang Zhengzhi to be completely struck dumb.
"This is… a robbery?!" Fang Zhengzhi had indeed already prepared himself. He knew that the dishes in the Moonview Restaurant would definitely not be too cheap.
But, he had absolutely never expected it to be so expensive.
Roughly sweeping his gaze across it, based on what Yan Xiu had just ordered, it required at least five or six hundred taels of silver to pay it off.
Could it not be so dark?
Treating a guest and not bringing enough money, what to do?
Fang Zhengzhi really wanted to ask, can I write an IOU? After all, there isn't any card swiping in this world…
Just as he was deep in distress, somebody walked in from outside the door. It was Su Jiu.
At this moment, Su Jiu instinctively felt around on his buttocks, but, the smile on his face was very respectful. The way he looked at Fang Zhengzhi was remarkably alike looking at a relative.
Fang Zhengzhi was also smiling.
Because, when he saw Su Jiu, he also felt as if he had seen a relative.
"Ah Jiu congratulates Young Master Fang for attaining the capital theory examination roll champion! At the same time, also congratulates Young Master Yan Xiu for attaining second in the capital theory examination!" As Su Jiu spoke, he bowed towards Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.
"Ha ha…" When he heard Su Jiu's congratulatory words, the smile on Fang Zhengzhi's face became even wider.
