Song Jue smiled mockingly and no longer dwelled on this topic. Song Chuyi hadn’t sent a letter back to the capital in nearly two months, and it was only when Yu Shi sent a letter back that he learned Song Chuyi had already gone to Yangquan. Yangquan had just emerged from the chaos of war and was rife with disorder. For a young lady, no matter how capable, to go to such a place was extremely worrying. Moreover, this time even His Highness the Grand Prince and Lai Chenglong had been ambushed there.
He was worried and anxious in his heart, and thus paid even more attention to the Chen family’s affairs in the capital. The little miss had worked so hard to design this scheme—he couldn’t allow even the slightest mistake to occur in the process.
Therefore, after dealing with his friends, he turned down the street to the neighboring Chongyin District. Just as he sat down and took a sip of tea, he saw Fang Xiaoru emerge from behind the screen. To be absolutely safe, one of them had entered through the main entrance while the other took the side door—they absolutely could not let anyone see that the two of them were meeting.
“I’ve found the fuse to light the explosives,” Song Jue said straight to the point. He pushed open the window and pointed toward the colorful embroidered buildings layered behind the overlapping flying eaves. “Master Fang should know about that fool Zhou Chengfang throwing a birthday banquet for Lady Zhuo today, right?”
Zhou Chengfang had money and scattered it lavishly. The news of his grand expenditure for a courtesan’s birthday, throwing away a fortune just to make a beauty smile, had already spread far and wide. Everyone in the capital probably knew about it. Fang Xiaoru nodded meaningfully. He had known from the start that Zhou Chengfang was a fool, but he hadn’t expected him to be such a tremendous fool. No wonder the Song family had chosen him to be the cannon fodder—someone like this was born specifically to ruin things, wasn’t he? Just earlier on his way here, he had heard countless people mention the scene Zhou Chengfang had caused at Tianxiang Tower. This fool didn’t need anyone else to worry about him—he had already stuck his head out and offended everyone himself. When things eventually blew up, who knew how many people would be filled with righteous indignation just at the mention of Zhou Chengfang’s three characters.
Fang Xiaoru followed Song Jue’s line of thought and asked, “Does the First Young Master mean that scholar who was humiliated by Zhou Chengfang today?” He had heard about the commotion outside and became interested when he learned that Zhou Chengfang had caused trouble, knowing that Song Jue was probably planning to use this incident. Therefore, he had already sent a servant to thoroughly investigate the ins and outs of the matter, including Yin Zicheng’s background and where he was currently staying. As it happened, this Yin Zicheng was a talented scholar from Zhejiang, and through various connections, he happened to be from the same clan as Censor Tao’s wife. If they were to make an issue out of Yin Zicheng, it simply couldn’t be more perfect.
Song Jue liked talking to clever people like Fang Xiaoru. No wonder Elder Chen had also used him as his strategist—Cui Shaoting had nearly fallen by his hand. He tapped his knuckles on the table, his face full of smiles. “What does Master Fang think?”
Naturally it was good. Right now, Yin Zicheng probably hated Zhou Chengfang to his bones. With just a little hint to him, without even needing to fan the flames, he would probably rush forward like a fire and burn Zhou Chengfang, who had made him lose all face in the capital, to death.
He sighed inwardly, feeling that Song Jue was truly meticulous in his actions. He had clearly already pointed out the path, so how could he possibly refuse now? With a bitter smile at the corners of his mouth, he said, “Naturally it’s good.”
Hearing this, Song Jue stood up and pushed the window open a crack to look outside before turning back to look at Fang Xiaoru with a spring-like smile on his face. “Since Master Fang also says it’s good, then I’ll entrust everything to Master Fang. Yin Zicheng should be at his most frustrated right now. Master Fang, think of a way to leak a little information about the exam questions being leaked to him.”
Yin Zicheng might normally be a proud scholar who came to the capital unwilling to curry favor or rely on his distant maternal aunt by marriage, Madam Tao. But now, after suffering such humiliation and feeling he had suffered a tremendous injustice, he had no choice but to seek a patron.
Fang Xiaoru replied, “The First Young Master needn’t worry about this. Zhou Chengfang’s servants and attendants all have loose lips and are unreliable. They’ve sold several copies of the exam questions behind Zhou Chengfang’s back, and those people all passed the examinations relying on these questions. I’ll find a way to let Zhou Chengfang know about this, then have Zhou Chengfang make a big fuss about it.”
When it came to matters involving the imperial examinations, there were no small matters. Once a spark was lit, it absolutely could not be easily extinguished. Song Jue straightened his clothes and took his leave from Fang Xiaoru in a leisurely manner. “Since that’s the case, then I’ll just wait for your good news, Master Fang.”
Fang Xiaoru didn’t dare be careless. The matter had already progressed halfway—he could only succeed, not fail. Otherwise, if he failed, not only would the Song family’s side suffer, but Elder Chen would be the first to reach out and crush him like an ant. He could only devote all his heart and effort to making this happen. Between the two sides, he had to grasp one side to save his life, and comparatively, the Song family was naturally more reliable. Steadying himself, he sat in the room for a while longer before leaving Chongyin District and instructing his servant, “Go inquire about where that unfortunate scholar who was beaten is, and also find out when those idiots around Zhou Chengfang are going to collect debts from those scholars who passed the examinations.”
The servant respectfully acknowledged, then lowered his voice to ask him, “Master, after finding out clearly, what then?”
Fang Xiaoru lifted the curtain and poked his head out. The servant quickly leaned his ear over to listen carefully. After hearing everything, his expression became solemn as he acknowledged.
Yin Zicheng had just finished washing up, cleansing himself of his embarrassment. Now his heart was full of troubles and shame, and he didn’t even want to leave his room at the inn. Then his book boy rushed through the door with an indignant face, telling him in exasperation, “Young Master, this capital is truly a place where you can’t stay without throwing silver around! It’s too much! It’s not that your talent is insufficient at all, but rather that someone bribed the chief examiner in advance and obtained the exam questions—that’s how they could swagger and lord it over you!”
The book boy’s words were unclear and fragmented, but the key words within them were heard. Yin Zicheng immediately stood up and asked, “What did you just say?!” He thought he had misheard. What was this about bribing the chief examiner?!
The book boy was still indignant, feeling both wronged for his young master and that Zhou Chengfang had gone too far. He explained how Zhou Chengfang’s servants had come to the inn to collect debts, puffing out his cheeks and nearly breaking into wails. “Young Master, I didn’t mishear! That servant said the exam questions he provided were real, and he demanded silver from Wang Sanlang next door. I heard it with my own ears, absolutely didn’t mishear! I knew that Zhou Chengfang, with his fat head and greasy intestines full of dirty tricks, couldn’t possibly have passed the exam. Turns out he just spent a lot of silver. This is too much of a bully…”