Chapter 94 Don’t Hold Grudges Too Much!
Gu Qingheng used to think his opponents should be incredibly formidable figures.
Even if they weren’t as monstrous as his brother-in-law, they shouldn’t be such subpar opponents.
But…
At the banquet, Gu Qingheng felt he had overthought things; in reality, there were pig opponents everywhere!
Looking at the group surrounding him, suddenly starting a poetry competition with loud voices, they directly attracted everyone nearby.
Among them were several imperial court ministers, now crowding around with gossip-filled expressions. This made Gu Qingheng realize for the first time that being the male protagonist of gossip wasn’t as good as he’d imagined.
Today was his banquet for achieving the top scholar in the imperial examination, yet these people were foolishly coming to cause trouble. Didn’t they fear he would retaliate later?
After all, Gu Qingheng wasn’t exactly a gentleman and wouldn’t preach about repaying resentment with kindness.
Following Gu Yu these past few years had slightly corrupted Gu Qingheng’s originally upright personality. While it hadn’t changed him too much, there were subtle differences compared to before.
Unlike Mengyao, whose personality was already formed, Gu Yu’s influence on her wasn’t as significant. However, Gu Qingheng had been with him since childhood, and subtly, things had naturally changed.
Gu Qingheng didn’t think much of it, even if he did notice. It was simply that the Gu family had begun to tacitly approve of Gu Yu’s actions.
When something is commonplace, why would anyone find it strange or different!
“Young Master Gu, they say a person in good spirits is invigorated by good news. This year’s imperial examination saw you achieve the top scholar, which is a great joy. Why not recite poetry and enjoy yourselves with us? It would be even more cheerful and carefree.”
After inviting Gu Qingheng, seeing that he didn’t immediately agree, the scholars surrounding him exchanged glances. One of them immediately stepped forward and said a few words.
He spoke with a sincere expression and earnest words, appearing completely harmless, a true seedling for learning acting.
However, Gu Qingheng remained unmoved, continuing to drink his wine.
He was waiting.
It would be more lively once more people arrived.
Besides, not just any cat or dog could move him… these few pretentious scholars, did they think they were worthy!
However, Gu Qingheng couldn’t voice his inner thoughts directly, not only because his words were crude and involved personal attacks but also due to the sheer number of people around.
For this imperial examination, thanks to his brother-in-law providing advance notice, Gu Qingheng knew he was guaranteed to pass.
Therefore, as an important minister to be closely watched, Gu Qingheng had to be mindful of his every word and action, so as not to let outsiders make fun of him, which would be a drag on the Gu residence.
Moreover, it would not be conducive to his first appearance in the imperial court.
Of course, judging by the current situation, this wasn’t entirely a bad thing.
The reversal from danger to safety was the most exciting part.
Moreover, these few people in front of him were pig opponents, simply offering themselves as targets… Gu Qingheng felt he didn’t need to overcomplicate things to resolve the situation perfectly.
It could even add a bit of reputation for him, serving as a small prelude to the upcoming imperial examination.
Even though his selection was already decided, Gu Qingheng still didn’t want to embarrass the Gu family!
Moreover, his brother-in-law Gu Yu’s help was only for a moment. Ultimately, it was he, Gu Qingheng, who would truly assist Empress Bai Qian, so he had to showcase his true abilities to be valued.
His brother-in-law had said it well: since the path had been chosen, he couldn’t hesitate any longer.
The imperial court was like a battlefield; one could not slacken!
“Why are so many people gathered here? Has something interesting happened?”
Just as more people were gathering around, a clear, loud voice suddenly rang out. This caused everyone to turn their gaze towards the source of the sound, letting out exclamations of surprise.
“Oh my god, it’s Wang Suili, who’s been quite ‘famous’ recently. Li Fei is also here. Aren’t they rivals in love?”
“Shush, you should speak more softly, be careful they don’t retaliate together.”
“What are you afraid of? Everyone in the capital knows about this matter!”
“Hehe, another good show is about to unfold. Gu Qingheng didn’t need to bother with those unknown nobodies, but if it’s Wang Suili and Li Fei, and Gu Qingheng continues to remain silent, he’ll offend both of them.”
“Rumor has it that these two were hurt by love, and now they’ve become lovers~”
As everyone was ‘whispering’ their discussions, Li Fei covered his face, feeling a headache. He hadn’t expected bad news to travel so fast, while good news didn’t!
With Wang Suili’s flashy appearance, even if he truly liked men, he wouldn’t like someone like that!
After discovering Zhou Feifei was seeing two people at once, Li Fei didn’t impulsively confront her. Instead, he decided to spend a few days gathering evidence before meeting Wang Suili.
He initially thought it would take considerable effort, but to his surprise, he obtained the evidence in less than a day.
This made Li Fei realize that when things are too unusual, there’s bound to be a reason behind it. However, thinking of the note he received, he immediately understood that someone was behind the scenes, fanning the flames.
He thought about it carefully and realized this was no disadvantage to him; instead, it could foil the Zhou family’s scheme and prove his break from the conservative faction.
It was a plan to kill two birds with one stone and also seek revenge for his emotional betrayal!
Therefore, when Li Fei presented the evidence to Wang Suili, Wang Suili also detested that woman Zhou Feifei to the extreme. They directly completed the steps of rivals meeting—shaking hands in peace—and then switching sides together, and even formed a friendship thereafter.
Upon hearing that the top scholar was from the Gu family this time, Li Fei and Wang Suili came together. Who knew they’d hear about some interesting activity halfway there.
They originally intended to join the fun, but after the crowd dispersed, they suddenly realized the situation seemed a little off.
They had both fallen into a trap again. Their only option now was to continue playing along.
Hoping Gu Qingheng wouldn’t hold grudges too much!
Looking at the two men in front of him, Gu Qingheng quickly recalled their identities. At the same time, he estimated that the time and location were about right, and coupled with the surrounding crowd being perfect gossip disseminators.
He could begin.
“Your Excellencies, it’s just a joke among some of us examinees. However, if you are interested, it can directly turn into a fun event of reciting poetry together.”
Gu Qingheng said with a smile. This made Li Fei and Wang Suili, who were already regretting getting involved, put on gentle smiles outwardly while inwardly feeling bitter and pained. They knew that Gu Qingheng, this 14-year-old youth, was not someone to be trifled with.
If they were to work together in the future, he would definitely be a considerable trouble!
However, they were now in a difficult situation and could only brace themselves.
“I feel an immediate kinship with young brother Gu. There’s no need to call me ‘Your Excellency.’ You can call me Elder Brother Li… We’re drinking well today, and appreciating poetry together sounds very interesting. Let’s begin!”
Li Fei looked at the smiling Gu Qingheng and could only speak with a wry smile, deciding that regardless of the outcome, he would first establish a relationship with Gu Qingheng.
He didn’t want to gain a formidable enemy!
