si-mexico Chapter 115 Helping Him Out of a Dilemma
Chapter 115 Helping Him Out of a Dilemma
Looking up, a painting hangs behind an exquisite screen in the lobby on the first floor.
The painting depicts only a rabbit staring blankly at the moonlight.
The painting bears the inscription of a poem: "The moon palace itself has its phases of waxing and waning."
It seems the shop owner wanted to use this painting to complete the couplet.
Jiang Zhi did not linger and went straight to the private room on the second floor.
"Your Highness," Wu Shi poured Jiang Zhi a cup of tea, "Xiling Pavilion is truly extraordinary. Shall we stay here for the whole day?"
“No.” Jiang Zhi’s gaze fell on the lobby on the first floor. “We’re waiting for someone.”
Her eyes flickered slightly, and she took a small sip of tea.
On the same day in his previous life, Min wanted to go to the capital to take the imperial examination, but got into a dispute with someone here.
He was condemned by everyone that day.
Later, he became the top scholar in the imperial examination and a high-ranking official of the emperor, and was also taken in by Gu Yuan.
Jiang Zhi only learned these things later.
She came here today to see Min Xiang.
A short while later, a commotion arose downstairs.
Jiang Zhi paused in his teacup, then looked down at the building and saw several young masters clashing with a boy.
The boy had somewhat feminine features, but his well-defined bone structure gave him a handsome appearance, which caused the young ladies around him to whisper among themselves.
“Look,” Jiang Zhi put down her teacup and looked up at noon, “it’s here.”
The two walked out of the private room and slowly descended the stairs, when they heard a sharp argument.
"You country bumpkin, you don't actually think you can rise to prominence just by taking the provincial examination, do you?"
Do you know how much this jade pendant costs?
"Forget it, you're too poor to afford to pay for it anyway."
A clear, gentle voice retorted, "Your jade pendant clearly fell off by itself, so why blame me? If I really broke it, I, Min Xiang, will naturally compensate you, regardless of the price."
The young man in blue threw the jade pendant hard at Min Xiang.
"I see you're a scholar," he roared. "So many people here saw you break my jade pendant. You'd better give me an explanation today, or you won't leave here alive!"
"You must be from out of town. Don't you know that what Yanjing has in abundance is poor kids like you with no connections?"
"Does he think that just because he can compose a few lines of poetry, he can be praised by the world and be considered a reincarnation of the Poet Immortal?"
Jiang Zhi and Wu Shi overheard the blue-clad young man's mockery of Min Xiang.
Jiang Zhi's gaze fell on the young man in blue. Judging from his clothes, he was probably a scion of a prominent family in Yanjing.
She looked away and gazed at the painting.
In the lower right corner of the painting, the original poem now has a second line.
Clearly, this was what Min had come up with.
The young men from aristocratic families became jealous when they saw that Min Xiang could attract the attention of the women around him by reciting that line of poetry.
Jiang Zhi strolled forward, examining the painting in front of him, which immediately attracted the attention of those around him.
"Who is this?"
"It seems to be the Princess Consort of Liang."
Whispers arose, and Jiang Zhi looked at the poem displayed in the painting and read it aloud.
'The sorrow of parting and reunion is ever-present in Weiyang Palace'
She turned around, looking at Min Xiang with a gentle expression, her gaze even softer than the moonlight in the painting.
"Was the second line of this poem written by you, young master?" Jiang Zhi asked.
Min looked at Jiang Zhi, his eyes darkening imperceptibly, and replied, "It is indeed I."
Jiang Zhi's gaze lingered on Min Xiang for a moment.
The young man in blue standing beside him felt ashamed when he saw that Jiang Zhi was also curious about Min Xiang.
"What's so great about being able to compose a couple of lines of poetry?" the blue-robed young man said again. "You smashed my jade pendant and still won't admit it. Do you have any conscience? Do you even know how much my jade pendant is worth?"
Jiang Zhi looked at the jade pendant in the blue-robed young man's hand and reached out to pick it up.
"How much is it worth?" she asked.
"Eighty taels of silver," the young man in blue said disdainfully.
Jiang Zhi stared at the jade pendant in his hand for a long time.
“It really is a piece,” Jiang Zhi said with a smile, “a top-quality imitation. Young master, you’re so shrewd, why don’t you scheme against your own conscience?”
“You—” the young man in blue lowered his head and said through gritted teeth, “I swear on my integrity that I am not lying.”
“Then is your character enough?” Jiang Zhi asked.
Jiang Zhi took out five taels of silver from his sleeve and threw it at the young man in blue.
The young man in blue was so angry that his face turned red. He was about to step forward to argue with Jiang Zhi when he was pulled back by the man next to him.
The man whispered a reminder, "She is the Princess Consort of Liang. Even the King of Liang has to be careful around her. We should be more discreet."
The young man in blue had no choice but to stop, take the five taels of silver, and leave in anger.
As soon as Jiang Zhi turned around, she saw Min Xiang walk up to her and hand her the silver.
"Thank you for helping me out, young lady. Here's the five taels of silver back to you." Min Xiang's tone was gentle and polite. "May I ask your name, young lady? I will remember your kindness in helping me out today."
Jiang Zhi glanced at the silver in his hand and smiled, "Jiang Zhi, daughter of the Marquis of Zhenyuan."
"No need for money," Jiang Zhi said softly. "You're here to take the imperial examination, aren't you?"
Min paused for a moment, his expression calm.
"I came to Yanjing right after the provincial examination, waiting for the autumn examination," Min explained. "I heard that many talented people gather at Xiling Pavilion in Yanjing every day, so I wanted to see if I could learn anything from it."
Min Xiang's brows furrowed deeply, and he sighed softly, "I never expected to encounter something like this."
After finishing speaking, Min looked up at Jiang Zhi.
"Since you have just arrived in Yanjing and do not have much money, if you really want to repay my kindness, it is not too late to repay your kindness after you pass the imperial examination and become a good official."
After saying that, Jiang Zhi left with Wu Shi.
Min Xiang stared blankly at Jiang Zhi's departing figure.
We walked out of Xiling Pavilion.
At noon, he asked, "Your Highness, how did you know that person's jade pendant was a fake?"
"I don't know," Jiang Zhi answered honestly. "I was just making things up. He knows my identity, so even if it's ten taels of silver, he wouldn't dare to do anything. Besides, he deliberately broke that jade pendant because he was jealous of Min Xiang, and he was afraid I would investigate further."
Therefore, he had no room for rebuttal.
"So, we'll just leave it at that with Young Master Min?" Wu Shi asked.
“He will come along,” Jiang Zhi said.
Since he was participating in the autumn examination for his younger brother's sake, how could he not inquire about his brother's whereabouts?
Sure enough, a short while later, on the way, Wu Shi turned around and saw Min Xiang following behind them. "Your Highness, he's here."
Jiang Zhi smiled calmly.
"Your Highness, wait a minute—"
Min came running over, panting.
He walked up to Jiang Zhi and gave him a curtsy.
Min looked up at Jiang Zhi and said, "I have something to discuss with the Princess. May I take up a little of the Princess's time?"
He had been secretly searching for his younger brother, Min Youxiang, and he knew that Min Youxiang had entered the palace.
He then thought of participating in the autumn examination and winning a prize, hoping that he might be able to save Min Youxiang in the palace.
Not long ago, he learned from some women that the Princess of Liang had rescued a palace servant from the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
The description sounded very much like Min Youxiang. After inquiring repeatedly, he learned that the Princess of Liang was the daughter of the Marquis of Zhenyuan, Jiang Zhi.