CHAPTER 304: CHAPTER 291: PLAGIARISM

Zhao Zhixin paid no mind to his fifth brother’s threats. He ran a gambling house, not a joke shop. Once the dice are cast, there’s no turning back. Regardless of who it is, they must abide by the rules of the house.

Especially this fifth brother of his, who refused to listen to the family’s words and insisted on starting an escort agency. He’s long wanted to teach him a lesson.

The entire shabby escort agency loses money year after year, yet he stubbornly persists. The youngest of them all, he sports a beard that makes him look older than any of his elder brothers.

"Fourth Brother... that thousand taels I just borrowed from Second Brother. My escort agency’s entire crew is waiting on me to pay them.

Fine if you won’t give it to me, but after Second Brother lent me a thousand taels, you rob me. Are you even human?

If you don’t give it back, I won’t leave." Zhao Escort Master started to play rogue.

Zhao Zhixin walked towards the stairs, "Then you just stay put. I’ve got to make a trip to Qianse Lou."

Zhao Escort Master grabbed his fourth brother around the waist, pleading, "Fourth Brother~~"

Zhao Zhixin twisted a few times, seeing he couldn’t break free, "You better let go, or I’ll tell Dad about both you and Second Brother.

Last year, Dad said that if your shoddy escort agency doesn’t make money, there won’t be any more investments.

I don’t know how you tricked Second Brother into giving you another thousand taels, but if I tell Dad about this, you both will face the scorn."

Zhao Zhixin thought of this: without this thousand taels to turn over, his fifth brother’s loss-making agency might just go bankrupt, just as he wished.

After all, in the Zhao family, there’s no such thing as a losing business. Only Fifth Brother’s escort agency is consistently losing, which is a disgrace to the Zhao family!

He’s truly impressed by his fifth brother; the more he loses, the braver he becomes. He even brags about opening his money-losing agency all across great lands. Whenever Zhao Zhixin thought of this, he had a headache. He hasn’t even run one house well but still dreams of opening branches, really...

If he opens branches, even his underpants might end up lost.

Zhao Escort Master snorted, reluctantly releasing his fourth brother, accusing him of always complaining to their mother, while he himself constantly uses their father as a threat.

"Humph, Yu Teacher is definitely going to win, by then my one thousand taels might turn into five thousand!" Zhao Escort Master said angrily and stormed off downstairs before his fourth brother.

Zhao Zhiquan stormed off in anger. As he passed the gambling table, he heard Steward Deng shouting, "The odds are one to five, bet a hundred taels on Miss Ma now, and in two days it might become five hundred taels..."

Zhao Zhiquan rushed over and slammed the gambling table, shouting, "Yu Teacher is bound to win!"

Steward Deng looked at Master Zhao Five in shock, and just as he was about to say something, Master Zhao Five glared at him before leaving.

Steward Deng was utterly baffled, he hadn’t provoked Master Five at all!

Yu Xiaolian returned to Xiangyang Lane and began practicing throwing arrows until her arm was sore, barely managing to hit five out of ten.

Little Tiger and Sun Manzhi, finished with their assignments, came out and were overjoyed to see Yu Xiaolian practicing arrows.

"Let’s have an archery contest?"

"There has to be a prize, though?" Sun Manzhi patted his empty pocket, completely broke, and had a clever idea as he whispered, "If I win, you do my homework tomorrow. If I lose, I’ll do yours. How about it?"

Little Tiger nodded enthusiastically, this bet was just what he wanted.

"Sister Xiaolian, can we play for a while?" The two rushed over to Yu Xiaolian energetically.

"Shoo, go away! I still need to practice!" Yu Xiaolian massaged her sore right arm and sighed.

Alas, why is her aim so poor!

"Sister Xiaolian, raise your arm a bit higher..."

"Sister Xiaolian, throw harder..."

"Sister Xiaolian, not that hard..."

"Phew... I’m done practicing!" Yu Xiaolian threw the arrow to the ground and decided to give up.

If there really is such an event on the first day of the new year, she’ll accept it. Other than arrow throwing, she’s confident in all other activities.

Hopefully, Ma Xiyue will issue poetry or couplet questions, so she can win effortlessly.

Honestly, what’s with girls throwing arrows.

Early the next day, Yu Xiaolian ran off to see the autumn rankings, and upon seeing the first place being Su Jingchen’s name, she grinned broadly.

Then looking down, she saw Ma Jingwen in second place.

Humph~ This Ma Xiyue had this planned all along.

Humph, with the Great Su God around, all the cattle, horses, snakes, and gods should step aside.

But where are you, Great God?

Did you hear my call?

Yu Xiaolian didn’t just want to cheat, she desperately wanted to!

Yu Xiaolian has never wished for someone to appear so much.

But by the morning of the first of October, Su Jingchen still hadn’t shown up.

The contest between Yu Xiaolian and Ma Xiyue was held at the Women’s Virtue Academy, judged by three people: Zhao Zhiyun, the principal of Jianyin Academy, Lu Manluo, the principal of the Women’s Virtue Academy, and surprisingly, Ma Xiyue’s father, County Magistrate Ma.

Oh wow, it’s not like Luocheng hasn’t had a literary competition before. The Zhao, Lu, and Yin principals have been the iron triangle of judges for years. Yet, County Magistrate Ma had the audacity to squeeze out Principal Yin and replace him as a judge.

The originally slated judge, Principal Yin, had now become the host.

Just as Principal Yin was about to announce the start of the contest, County Magistrate Ma signaled for a pause.

Principal Yin glanced sideways, what’s going on? Are you two admitting dishonor and surrendering?

County Magistrate Ma covered his embarrassment with a cough, "As I understand, this year’s autumn exam top scorer Su Jingchen is not in Luocheng right now. Since the top scorer isn’t here, the third question should be set by the second-placed candidate..."

"This is inappropriate!" Zhao Zhiyun was the first to object.

"From what I know, the runner-up in this autumn’s exam is precisely County Magistrate Ma’s son, and Miss Ma’s own brother. Even to avoid suspicion, the third question should not be set by Scholar Ma."

"I agree with Principal Zhao’s suggestion." Lu Manluo voiced her support.

County Magistrate Ma’s face showed a hint of unease, but in order for his daughter to acquire a graduation certificate from the Women’s Virtue Academy, he couldn’t care less about gossip.

Without the Women’s Virtue Academy certificate, it meant his daughter would be estranged from all those noble families.

He only had this one daughter, and he hoped she’d marry into a noble family, helping him climb the ranks in his career later.

Those noble families even required a Women’s Virtue Academy diploma to even lift a concubine. If a girl hadn’t attended the Women’s Virtue Academy, it signified her family’s poor background—either lacking money or power.

Having money and power but lacking the diploma was even more shameful than those who couldn’t afford it, representing that this girl’s virtue was flawed. No noble family would ever take interest?

Even those noble families would cherry-pick among the daughters holding the Women’s Virtue Academy diploma, not to mention those without one who didn’t even qualify to be chosen.

County Magistrate Ma steeled his resolve, "Rest assured, esteemed teachers, my son Jingwen will set the questions impartially, ensuring no bias for any party.

In truth, the reason my son ranked only second this time is due to his policy paper being plagiarized by a malicious person..."