Chapter 2122: Chapter 2122: Is Meng Yunzheng Casting a Wide Net?
But Meng Yunzheng is specialāhe was once the son of Gong Qiu, but later exposed Gong Qiuās crimes to avenge his mother.
The late emperor wanted to reward him, but he refused and went straight home.
Once he left, many people stopped paying attention to him, thinking he was really going to inherit his fatherās profession and become an escort.
To their surprise, he went to take the imperial examinations. Starting from the county level, he advanced step by step, cutting through all challenges with ease. Within just three years, he came to the capital for the final examination as a Top Scorer.
Heās a talented person whose future achievements should not be underestimated.
Many people only learned about Meng Yunzheng after he became the Top Scorer in the provincial examination, and some wanted to connect with him.
However, they soon found out that during the turmoil in Changjin Prefecture last year, Meng Yunzheng was working closely with Qi Lie.
They assumed he had already pledged allegiance to Qi Lie early on, but who would have thought that Qi Lie fell seriously ill at the end of last year, and Meng Yunzheng, upon coming to the capital recently, did not visit Qi Lie.
Not only did he not call on him, but he also visited Grand Tutor Qi, Minister of Central Judicial Office Lord Jing, Minister of Public Works Lord Yao, and even dined with the Princely Heir Xiang Weinan.
In short, it seemed like he was networking widely.
People speculated that Meng Yunzheng, seeing Qi Lieās prolonged illness, decided not to follow him and instead shifted allegiance, casting his net wide.
Soon, invitations started arriving at his doorstep from those wishing to further their acquaintance with Meng Yunzheng.
These people didnāt care if Meng Yunzheng was ungrateful or morally questionable. They only saw that he was ambitious and capable; after all, he was able to bring down Gong Qiu and achieve such success in the examinations, his abilities were undeniable, and he would be a formidable ally in the future.
However, those reaching out to Meng Yunzheng were not of particularly high status or rank.
For instance, the Count Mansion that came today has the title of earl but lacks actual power.
Speaking of this Uncleās Mansion, Xia Yan lowered his voice, "This Lord Uncle isnāt just trying to make connections with our Sir; he wants to marry his daughter to him."
Seeing Shu Yuās expression change, Xia Yan quickly reassured, "But donāt worry, Miss, the Sir isnāt interested in other women at all; itās them who are blindly enthusiastic."
"Do they not know that Yun is already engaged?"
"How could they not know? The Sir said long ago he would marry this year, but they donāt care." In this world, many people abandon their wives and children once they gain fame and fortune, let alone an unmarried fiancĆ©e.
Even though Shu Yu is a county magistrate, what does it matter? A county magistrate might hold weight locally, but in the capital, itās nothing.
Moreover, Meng Yunzheng and Shu Yu have been engaged for three years. If they were to marry, would they wait three years? Isnāt Meng Yunzheng already twenty-three or twenty-four years old, well past the typical age for marriage?
Shuyou, listening beside, became indignant, "Donāt these people have any sense of propriety and shame? Theyāve read so many sage books yet have less decency than old rural women."
Zhao Xi nodded repeatedly, "The lady is right."
"But now everythingās fine," Xia Yan said happily, "Miss is here, and coincidentally seen by the servant of that Uncleās Mansion, so if they have any decency, they wonāt come to bother again."
At this moment, Xia Yan did not yet know that because that servant saw Shu Yu, rumors about Shu Yu would start flying the next day.
But at this moment, Shu Yu was focused on another matter, "Did you just say that Qi Lie is seriously ill?"