The porter was the first to rush over with the good news, but he hadnāt gotten far when he heard someone exclaim, "The top student is Gu Jināan from Heāan Prefecture! Gu Jināan from Heāan Prefecture! He topped the county, prefecture, and academy exams, achieving the small three yuan. Our Jianghuai is finally famous!"
The speaker was Elder Bai, who was also a scholar in his youth, but despite trying until he was thirty, he never succeeded in his exams. Eventually, due to his loud voice, he became a storyteller. Now old, he passed on the storyteller trade to his second son, allowing him time to wander around.
Due to his enthusiasm for the imperial exams, he never missed the chance to check the results.
Seeing someone achieve the small three yuan this time left him extremely excited. Drawing from his storytelling skills, he summoned his energy from his diaphragm and shouted three times, making many people hear Elder Baiās words.
Tong San, the Young Master, after hearing this, grabbed the porter in a rush and asked anxiously, "Are you saying itās true? Gu Jināan from Heāan Prefecture really became the top student, achieving the small three yuan?!"
Tong Sanās questions came fast and furiously, his face barely holding its composure. His strong grip even caused the porter, who was used to running errands, to wince in pain.
The porter was stunned, noticing Tong Sanās displeasure towards Gu Jināan, and quickly said, "Perhaps I heard wrong. That Gu Jināan came from the Northwest seeking refuge; itās said he never attended a private school in his childhood, so even if heās talented, itās impossible for him to become the top student."
He carefully added, "Shall I go and find out for you?"
He needed to find an excuse to leave swiftly; otherwise, if Tong San got angry, he, as just a small porter, wouldnāt have a place in Linhe Prefecture.
Tong San quickly realized and urgently restrained his icy demeanor, smiling warmly at the porter, "So Brother Gu really achieved the small three yuan, a truly joyful and congratulatory matter. Besides the Old Master Yan from back in the day, heās only the second from Jianghuai to achieve the small three yuan."
He then looked towards his servant responsible for distributing joy money and said, "Dafu, why are you standing there? This gentleman brought us such good news; he deserves a generous reward. Quickly send Brother Gu a hundred taels of joy money."
Upon hearing this, Dafu hurriedly took out a silver note and handed it to the porter, "Brother, this is the joy money our Third Young Master of the Tong Family gives on behalf of First Place Gu. Thank you for informing us of First Place Guās achievement of the small three yuan. Please take it."
The porter was dumbfounded, looking at Tong San, then at Dafu, and finally at the silver note worth a hundred taels, not daring to accept it... Had Tong San gone mad? He clearly hated Gu Jināan to death and didnāt want to see him achieve the small three yuan. How did it switch so quickly to wishing Gu Jināan had achieved it and even giving joy money on his behalf?
His expression changed too quickly; he was a typical hypocrite, and the porter was fearful.
Seeing this, Tong San felt quite displeased but continued to feign a warm demeanor, "Brother, go ahead and take it. Itās what you deserve."
He then turned to the others in the private room and said, "Brothers, Brother Gu achieved the small three yuan, becoming the second in Jianghuai. This is an occasion worth recording in the Jianghuai Prefecture Records. We must celebrate properly."
The other young masters were bewildered but quickly raised their cups, responding, "Brother Tong is right, come, come, letās toast to Brother Gu."
Toast for what? They hadnāt even met Gu Jināan, yet here they were celebrating him? The more they thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Dafu again handed the silver note to the porter, "Take it."
Seeing this, the porter finally accepted it, saluted, and said, "Thank you, Third Young Master, for the reward. Third Young Master has such..."
"Appreciation for talent," Dafu prompted the illiterate porter.
The porter immediately said, "Yes, I will definitely tell everyone about Third Young Masterās appreciation for talent towards First Place Gu."
Tong San didnāt say anything but appeared quite satisfied, waving his hand to dismiss the porter.
Feeling absolved, the porter quickly ran off. Just as he exited the private room, he raised the silver note, saying, "Third Young Master Tong truly appreciates and cherishes talent. Although he didnāt become the top student, he was overjoyed upon hearing Gu Jināan achieved it, generously giving one hundred taels of joy money, saying itās on behalf of the Gu Family."
The people in the Golden List Tower were all shocked; they were not astonished by the money but by Tong Sanās magnanimity.
A guest remarked, "Third Young Master Tong truly is broad-minded. Despite missing out on the top student position himself, he harbors no jealousy towards others. Upon learning Gu Jināan became the top student, he even gave joy money on his behalf. Heās truly a gentleman who appreciates and cherishes talent."
The Golden List Tower is a property of the Tong Family, and who knows how many people are set here by the Tong Family. After this statement, someone added, "Those who said Third Young Master Tong was jealous of Fifth Young Master Yan and schemed to make him sick, preventing him from achieving the top of the county, arenāt they ashamed?"
Another person chimed in, "Exactly! Those who badmouth Third Young Master Tong and speculate he harbors ill intent are too much. Theyāre simply trying to ruin his reputation. Third Young Masterās a great person; heās helped many over the years, saved Old Qianās entire family, assisted Wang Heās family when their business failed. If not for Third Young Master, Wang Heās family wouldāve ended up selling themselves into slavery..."
The entire Golden List Tower was filled with praise for Third Young Master Tong until someone finally said, "Whatever one does, character is key. When it comes to character, with Third Young Master Tongās, heās the top student in my heart, no different from the one in Heāan Prefecture."
Someone quietly remarked, "Iāve heard that the whole family from Heāan Prefecture is unfilial. They even filed complaints against their own grandfather and grandmother. Itās not too much to say their whole family is evil!"
Xiao Sui chuckled coldly. Indeed, this group was just propping up Third Young Master Tong. They had no shame!
In the private room of the Golden List Tower, a young boy stepped out and shouted to those in the main hall, "You all are shameless, inverting right and wrong just to flatter the Tong Family. The evil deeds of the Old Gu Family were judged by the court. How can you blame it on Gu Jināanās family? Gu Jināanās family never accused Elder Gu; theyāre accusing Granny Gu of murdering Mrs. Fei. That Granny Gu is a monstrous woman, responsible for the deaths of Mrs. Fei, Yuan Jiaman, and even scheming against Lord Laiās original wife. With such a criminal misfit, whatās wrong with Gu Jināanās family accusing her?"
"As for Elder Gu, he was harmed by Granny Gu, and that poisonous Blood Vine was personally given by Elder Gu to Mrs. Fei. Everyone knows whether Elder Gu murdered Mrs. Fei. Gu Jināanās family respects filial piety; thatās why they didnāt dispute with Elder Gu, simply choosing not to bring him home to care for him."
"And both families have severed ties. Elder Gu still has a son, Gu Youfu, to live with. The Gu Family even gave Elder Gu a thousand taels of silver notes so he can enjoy his later years peacefully. Why donāt you mention these good deeds? Why only slander Gu Jināanās family?!"
This young boyās eloquence left the people in the Golden List Tower stunned.
Someone who recognized the boy pointed at him and cursed, "Qiu Hao, so itās you! Why arenāt you at the Fugui Building and came to the Golden List Tower? Are you here to cause trouble because the business is better here than at Fugui Building?"