“Well, if it isn’t Official Wang! You don’t have classes today, so why have you come to the prefectural school? Could it be that you’re looking for your future son-in-law, Song Yile?” Zhong Ming tossed the horse reins to a servant boy and walked over to address Wang Wenzi.

“Zhong Ming, stop with your sarcastic tone,” Wang Wenzi was furious. “When did Song Yile become my future son-in-law? Don’t talk nonsense.”

This Zhong Ming used to have a firecracker temper, easily provoked and extremely straightforward, daring to say anything. He had been transferred to Lin’an City after being used as a pawn in the capital, but now he had learned to be sarcastic.

“To become your son-in-law, he broke off his engagement with the Ye family. The Ye family spent four or five thousand taels of silver to carefully nurture him into a provincial graduate, but as soon as he passed the examination, he broke the engagement. Not only did he show no gratitude, he also cost them several hundred taels of silver.”

“Song Yile would rather bear the reputation of an ungrateful white-eyed wolf and break off his engagement, all because you keep saying day and night that you want him as your son-in-law. Now that he’s broken his engagement, aren’t you going to hurry up and have him bow to you and call you father-in-law?”

Seeing Wang Wenzi’s face turn red with anger, his eyes wide as bells, Zhong Ming chuckled and continued, “Well, we are fellow graduates of the same year after all, so let me tell you—Song Yile forgets kindness when he sees profit, and rushes to break engagements when he finds a better marriage prospect, forgetting the kindness the Ye family showed him. If you make him your son-in-law, what happens when he passes the imperial examination and then breaks off the engagement with your family too? Not only would all your efforts be wasted, but your daughter’s lifelong happiness and reputation would be ruined.”

As he spoke, he sang a tune learned from who knows where, walking with his head high and chest out, entering the prefectural school.

Wang Wenzi was furious, but this was at the main gate of the prefectural school with many students watching—hardly the place for an argument. He could only enter the school feeling stifled. Following last night’s change in perception about Song Yifeng, his disgust had risen several more notches.

The prefectural school had talented jinshi graduates like Wang Wenzi and Zhong Ming teaching classes and reviewing essays. Students could also encourage each other, making it a place with a good learning atmosphere. Therefore, even after passing the provincial examination, many scholars still came to study at the prefectural school.

Today was Zhong Ming’s teaching day, and many provincial graduates had come to attend his class. The conversation between the two officials had been overheard by quite a few students.

As soon as the two teachers left, they began to discuss among themselves.

“Did you hear what Official Zhou just said? What’s going on? What happened to Song Yile?”

“Yes, wasn’t he engaged to the Ye family? Since he was ten years old, the Ye family has been supporting his studies. He was able to buy that two-courtyard house in Willow Leaf Lane and acquire farmland, all thanks to the Ye family’s money. From what Official Zhong was saying, has he broken off his engagement with the Ye family?”

Song Yifeng had studied alongside many of his classmates at the prefectural school. While the neighbors in Willow Leaf Lane might not know the details of the Song family, his classmates were very clear about his situation.

Where there are people, there are politics. Song Yifeng had passed the provincial examination at a young age, and with the Ye family’s support, he had become quite well-off. He had also caught the eye of several teachers including Wang Wenzi, which inevitably led to some arrogance on his part.

Some who had struggled but failed to pass the provincial examination remained licentiates and envied Song Yifeng. Others simply disliked his smug demeanor. These people would bring up how Song Yifeng was supported by his future in-laws, which was why many knew about Song Yifeng’s poverty and how he relied on his fiancée’s family to continue his studies.

“I know, I know,” said a student named Zhu Lindao, who had family connections with Old Mrs. Li. “I attended Old Mrs. Li’s birthday banquet last night, and at the feast, someone mentioned…”

He recounted the rumors he had heard to everyone, finally concluding, “In short, now that Song Yile has passed the provincial examination, he looks down on the Ye family for being merchants. Not only does he want to break the engagement, but when they asked him to return the money they had given him all these years, he refused to pay it back. In the end, the Ye family said they wouldn’t agree to breaking the engagement unless he returned the money, so he finally returned some. I heard he still managed to avoid paying back several hundred taels of silver.”

Finally, he added, “Mrs. Wu was invited by the Ye family to be a witness to the broken engagement. She saw all of this with her own eyes.”

With Zhang Yuniang present, the fact that Mrs. Wu had been invited as a witness would eventually spread. Therefore, she had openly spoken about it last night, describing Song Yifeng’s behavior in detail.

After all, since Secretary Wu needed to interact with wealthy merchants and gentry to raise money for road and wall construction, having some relationship with them was no secret. Everyone could understand why the Ye family would invite Mrs. Wu to be a witness.

Since the party breaking the engagement was a provincial graduate, they needed a provincial graduate’s wife to keep things under control; otherwise, Song Yifeng could use his status to pressure them, and the Ye family would suffer greatly.

Zhu Lindao had a good memory and excellent speaking skills. Most importantly, he had some grudge against Song Yifeng. On his way here, someone had pulled him aside and given him ten taels of silver, promising another ten taels as a reward if he would speak about Song Yifeng’s situation at the academy.

Zhu Lindao didn’t recognize who this person was and strongly suspected they were from the Ye family, but considering that Song Yifeng also had many enemies at the prefectural school, it might well have been someone who resented Song Yifeng for writing better essays and blocking their path.

In any case, he disliked Song Yifeng, and twenty taels of silver was not a small amount—he considered it pocket money. So he vividly described to everyone what Mrs. Wu had said, leaving the students astonished.

Song Yifeng was quite a prominent figure at the prefectural school. Passing the provincial examination wasn’t anything special, but what was rare was his young age, good looks, and the recognition he had received from Wang Wenzi. His essays were posted on the wall after every examination for everyone to study.

Now, hearing that the seemingly dignified Song Yifeng was so two-faced in private, everyone’s idealized image of him was shattered.

“You must be talking nonsense! How could Senior Song be the kind of person you describe?”

“That’s right,” someone agreed. “Could it be that the Ye family did something that forced Senior Song to break the engagement, and then spread rumors to damage his reputation?”

“This is true,” another student stepped forward. “I also attended the birthday banquet last night, and I heard this directly from Secretary Wu himself. You surely won’t question Secretary Wu’s character, will you?”

With this statement, everyone fell silent in doubt and surprise.

Secretary Wu had a good reputation in Lin’an City. Most importantly, as the secretary to the Prefect, he wouldn’t speak carelessly. Since he had said this, it must be true.

Today was Zhou Ming’s class day, and it was almost time. More provincial graduates and licentiates were arriving.

“What are you all doing here?” Those arriving later curiously asked, seeing everyone gathered in a circle.

“Lindao, what are you all doing here? Hurry inside, or you’ll be late. Today is Zhou’s official class.” A familiar voice sounded behind Zhu Lindao.