CHAPTER 205: CHAPTER 39 SECOND PLACE

At this moment, people staying at the guesthouse heard the noise from the courtyard and hurried over.

"What’s going on? It’s the middle of the night, can’t people sleep?" Liu Erdao yawned. Tomorrow he had to travel with the convoy, and after a tiring spell, everyone was finally resting at the guesthouse for two days. Who would have thought they’d be woken up by Gu Chengyu and his crew!

Liu Erdao came over to see, and there was a small child there too. Glancing at the ground, he saw four people tied up. Weren’t the ones standing their followers? Scholars sure have awkward names; he couldn’t remember them!

What kind of trouble is this again?

Manager Niu saw all the guests awakened and quickly stepped forward to apologize.

"I’m really sorry. A small thief broke into the guesthouse; didn’t Mr. Gu catch them? The commotion was a bit large, disturbing everyone’s rest. I sincerely apologize! Please, everyone, go back to sleep!"

Gu Chengyu had to check the list at dawn and calculated that he could still sleep for about one and a half hours.

"What? A thief broke in? Did you catch them?" Liu Erdao suspiciously looked Gu Chengyu and his crew up and down, but left and right all he saw were two frail scholars and a servant. They seemed too weak to catch any thief.

Gu Chengyu ignored Liu Erdao’s look; he saw through it. This big guy was not too bright and couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

"Please, Manager Niu, hand them over to the government at dawn; we’re going back to sleep!" Gu Chengyu cupped his hands toward Manager Niu and said.

"No problem! No problem! It’s my fault too; who would’ve thought such a thief could appear at my guesthouse. These thieves are truly detestable!" Manager Niu forced a smile at Gu Chengyu; truly, this was disastrous! His guesthouse already had poor business, and now with thieves, future business would certainly be worse!

"You guys better let us go. If you catch us, our boss will make sure you pay!" One thief, upon seeing Gu Chengyu and his crew were indeed going to hand them over, panicked. He couldn’t endure the punishment for stealing!

The leader-looking tall fellow heard this and panicked! This fool, as a thief, he still had a chance to live, but if he implicated the boss, even a hundred heads couldn’t save him.

"Fourth! Since caught, let’s just admit it; it’s our first time doing this, just a moment of foolhardiness!" Second glared at Fourth desperately, thinking rightly that Fourth indeed was a fool, still shouting.

Gu Chengyu listened and thought they were not just thieves; they had knockout gas and knives. They might be desperados.

"Oh? Seems you have accomplices! Manager Niu, when handing them over to the government tomorrow, mention these are not simple thieves! I think their luggage should be thoroughly searched, maybe there’s something to be discovered! This matter is entrusted to Manager Niu to handle; we’re scholars, not convenient for us to get involved!"

Following this, Gu Chengyu called Ming Mo to prepare to return to their room; the rest was none of his business. Giving credit to Manager Niu was no big deal; as a scholar, he didn’t need such embellishments. Moreover, if handled well, it might even bring some business to the guesthouse!

Liu Erdao also saw this from the side; it was indeed a merit! This young gentleman didn’t want it at all; seems like a true gentleman with strong confidence! Let’s not talk about anything else, handing over these people would surely earn some reward money, right?

Gu Chengyu and Ming Mo went upstairs, and Gu Wanqian hurried forward.

"Uncle! How to deal with these two? Also, Uncle He and the others; I knocked on their room doors, but they ignored. I couldn’t get in; should I break the door open?"

"Mister! It might be that Mr. He and the others inhaled a bit of knockout gas; should be fine to wake them up by dawn. When I went, they only released a bit, so it shouldn’t be harmful!"

"Yes! Let’s wake them up later. I have an antidote for knockout gas here; let them sniff it when the time comes!" Gu Chengyu’s space originally didn’t have this antidote; he learned it from books because he was interested!

Actually, He Shunian and the others could wake up without the antidote; it was just uncertain when. Gu Chengyu was worried they’d wake too late. He sniffed it, and this low-grade gas wasn’t harmful; it just made people sleep for a while. When the two reached the room door, he knew, using inner strength to hold his breath to avoid inhaling when the gas released.

In the early morning, Gu Chengyu put down his brush and blew out the candle that was still burning. The night veil was gently lifted by the dawn light. The street was already bustling with hawkers, breaking the peaceful morning.

Gu Chengyu stood up from his desk and just happened to see out the window the woman from the household who was opening the courtyard door. The scholar previously seen still came out that door. This time the scholar was in a hurry, deaf to the words of the woman behind him.

The courtyard was not far from his window; with good eyesight, he could see the woman looked at the scholar with a hint of affection in her eyes. Gu Chengyu shook his head. People always say women are heartless, actors unfaithful, yet don’t know, heartless and fickle men are all too common!

"Mister! Come clean up! Today the results are announced, so many people; we should go early!" Ming Mo saw his master standing at the window looking out, so he urged Gu Chengyu to clean up.

After Gu Chengyu turned away from the window, the woman glanced at the window from where it opened in this direction, but seeing nothing, closed the courtyard door and headed inside.

Gu Chengyu watched Ming Mo squeeze into the crowd with ease, soon reaching the front. Ming Mo knew martial arts, naturally no problem getting in.

"Hey! Little Uncle! Will I pass this time?" Gu Wanhua was a bit nervous; if not, wasn’t the previous county examination in vain? For this exam, father saved Silver and didn’t come along, saying he was a married adult. Plus, He Shunian didn’t bring Uncle He, so father was too embarrassed to come!

"Aren’t we looking? Once Ming Mo checks, we’ll know!" This first round, he was sure to pass. Firstly, he was the county champion; secondly, he thought there should be no writing mistakes.

"Little Uncle you’re certainly not worried; you’re the county champion, after all, wouldn’t you pass?"

"Ming Mo is out; wait for his report!" Ye Zhiqiu saw Ming Mo squeezing out anxiously reminded everyone.

"Mister! You passed, but came second!" Ming Mo glanced at Gu Chengyu, voice slightly low. Remember, during the county exam, the master was first in all five rounds!

"Is getting second not cause for happiness? What’s with that expression?" Gu Chengyu was actually prepared. This time, thousands took the exam; the first round alone filtered out over a thousand. Other counties had their champions too, and those with better writing weren’t absent, not arrogant enough to think he’d be first in every round.

However, for the top ten, he had some confidence. Now it was the second round that mattered; this wasn’t something achieved by rote memorization!