While listening, a drunkard dressed in relatively scholarly attire burst in holding a wine pot, plopped down on a stool, and without any explanation began addressing him as a brother.

“Brother Zhou, you’re here too? That good thing I gave you last time – is it working well for you?”

Lu Changxuan ignored him. There were often drunk men who mistook people for others, so he simply said: “Sir, you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

The drunkard took a sip of wine, then pulled out a dark pill from his sleeve. Looking at the woman, he said meaningfully: “Brother Zhou, on such a beautiful night with a beauty present, why are you only having her sing? Did you actually take the pill I gave you last time? If it wasn’t enough, I have more! Here!”

With that, he solemnly placed the pill in Lu Changxuan’s hand.

Lu Changxuan didn’t take it seriously, but the pill emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance that was quite agreeable to smell. Lu Changxuan picked it up and sniffed it. The closer he brought it, the more intense the aroma became – he had never smelled anything like it before.

The drunkard said: “Brother Zhou, this is a good thing from overseas called Black Fragrance. Haven’t you been suffering from dizziness and headaches lately, and that, that sister-in-law also finds you lacking in vigor? This can cure it! It enhances masculine vitality and strengthens essence and energy.”

Black Fragrance?

Lu Changxuan had vaguely heard of it.

Indeed, as the drunkard said, it was also reportedly able to treat chronic headaches, dizziness, deafness, stroke, poor vision, hoarseness, coughing and other ailments. It was said to be a main ingredient in “universal antidote formulas.”

Lu Changxuan couldn’t help but be curious and examined the pill carefully.

He couldn’t make out anything special about it.

Although Lu Changxuan was curious, he wouldn’t trust this stranger. After looking for a while, he tried to return the pill: “Sir, you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

But the drunkard wouldn’t take it back, only saying: “If you don’t pacify sister-in-law properly, that won’t do. Try it – it might have some effect.”

He glanced at the beauty again, laughed heartily a few times, and said: “Since Brother Zhou has good fortune, I won’t disturb you. I’ll come again tomorrow night – you should come too. The examination essay you mentioned the other day, I’ve also written one. Brother Zhou must give it a thorough critique!”

With that, the drunkard swayed and left.

The pill was left on the table.

After thinking it over, Lu Changxuan took the pill with him when he left. Of course, he wouldn’t rashly consume it.

The next day, he naturally didn’t go to Feihua Tower but continued running around trying to borrow some silver.

Who would have known that on the third day, he would be suspended from office.

Lu Changxuan immediately smashed one of his favorite teacups.

Lu Changxuan was both hateful and angry, his depression impossible to dispel. He came again to that wine house and requested the same room.

Sure enough, that drunkard came again, but this time he was even more intoxicated than before, unable to walk steadily. Holding a scroll of paper, he pushed open the door and almost rolled to Lu Changxuan’s feet.

The drunkard’s face was still streaked with tears: “Brother Zhou, if I hadn’t been implicated in the examination fraud case, how would I not even have a chance to take the examinations? I’m unwilling to accept this, unwilling!”

Lu Changxuan understood immediately – this person was probably affected by the imperial examination fraud case from nine years ago. Back then, the results of that year’s candidates were invalidated, and they were permanently barred from taking future examinations.

Lu Changxuan examined this person. He was about thirty years old. If he had taken the examination nine years ago, that would make sense. At that time, he would have been in his early twenties, which meant he was quite accomplished.

Lu Changxuan became somewhat curious and took the paper. Opening it, he saw it was indeed this year’s policy essay topic, with what appeared to be the drunkard’s essay below.

Lu Changxuan skimmed through it quickly and saw that the handwriting was very steady, the content flowing and comprehensive – it was truly a fine essay. Therefore, when this person claimed he wanted to take the examination, he must be a scholar. Judging from this essay, it couldn’t be false.

Lu Changxuan’s curiosity grew stronger. He examined the man again and saw that his clothing looked clean and scholarly, but his behavior was quite dissolute.

This time his clothes were different from last time and had some patches, but these patches were sewn very skillfully – clearly the person who mended them had put considerable thought into it.

He asked: “Sir, may I ask your honored name?”

The man said: “I’m Che Jiaming! Brother Zhou, you, you’re not drunk, are you? Don’t you recognize me anymore?”

Lu Changxuan didn’t argue and pondered silently.

Che Jiaming didn’t pursue the matter further. Shaking the paper and craning his neck, he asked Lu Changxuan: “Brother Zhou, you, you just tell me – is this essay of mine any good? Any good? I, I… wuu wuu wuu…”

His crying was pitiful – the pain of having talent but no opportunity to display it.

When his grief reached its peak, Che Jiaming’s voice became mournful and heartbroken.

Lu Changxuan had been feeling very troubled, but Che Jiaming’s crying stirred up his own concerns. Though Che Jiaming was miserable, wasn’t he equally so?

After ten years of arduous study, achieving scholarly honors and official position, now he faced suspension and investigation over these inexplicable, trivial matters.

That appointment as prefect in the south was certainly ruined!

He had talent, ability, and ambition. If he could govern a region, he would surely achieve great things for the court. Now, because of such disgraceful matters…

All his aspirations turned to flowing water!

Lu Changxuan drank a cup of wine in frustration. Che Jiaming poured himself a cup and drained it in one gulp, crying until tears and snot flowed together, looking both disgusting and pitiful.

“Brother Zhou, today we have wine, today we get drunk. Come, come…”

“Brother Zhou, don’t worry about having no friends ahead – who in the world doesn’t know you?”

“Brother Zhou, if not for my second brother finding a livelihood, I probably couldn’t even afford food now! Second brother, it’s all big brother’s fault for harming you. You could have originally pursued officialdom through the examinations, but now you’re forced into base occupations… Sister, it’s all big brother’s fault for harming you. Otherwise, you would now be an official’s daughter. Why should you be reduced to mending clothes for others… Mother, it’s your son’s lack of filial piety, making you suffer with me at your age…”

Lu Changxuan said nothing. Che Jiaming cried and sang until he was exhausted and fell into a drunken sleep.

Lu Changxuan read his essay carefully once more, sighed, placed the scroll on the table, settled the bill, and left.

Because of his suspension, and not wanting his family to know, he still pretended each day to leave home on schedule, wandering around all day before returning. He couldn’t bear to deal with his colleagues, who were mostly there to watch his disgrace.

When he wanted to seek out the criminal organization, he was short of funds. To borrow money, he could only turn to colleagues and friends.

He naturally didn’t want to approach colleagues. The Lu family relatives were all poor enough to come begging for handouts themselves – how could they possibly lend money? As for the Qin residence, Lu Changxuan was too ashamed to ask his father-in-law for money.

Thinking it over, besides Feihua Tower and wine houses, there was nowhere else to go.

The next day, he went to that Feihua Tower again. For some reason, he found himself vaguely hoping that Che Jiaming would come. This person was even more down-and-out than himself. In front of him, he surprisingly didn’t need to hide anything and actually felt relaxed and comfortable.