After the examination, Zhao He seemed to have lost all his vital energy. Fortunately, he still had some martial arts foundation in his body, so he didnât fall directly onto the person who came to meet him once he stepped out of the door like others but could still sit in the sedan chair steadily.
As soon as he sat in the sedan chair, his tiredness finally hit him and he directly fell asleep. When he woke up, he was not surprised to find himself lying in bed.
Zhao He yawned and got up. He could smell the odor from his body since he hadnât taken a bath for a long time. Frowning at first, he struggled to get out of bed to move his arms and legs. In a daze, he planned to go to bathe when suddenly, he stopped walking and clapped his hands.
Ah!
How could he just fall asleep like that? He should have asked about Brother Lin before sleeping!
He barely lasted through with his strong body, but Brother Lin was so weak⌠What if he didnât make itâŚ
Forgetting to even take that bath, Zhao He hurriedly went outside. As a result, as soon as he pushed the door open, he happened to meet a book boy who was bringing in a cup of tea.
âYoung Master! Youâre awake!â
When the book boy saw him, he immediately cried out with surprise. He placed the tea on the table and said, âMaster, you really scared us. Youâve slept all day. Now that the exams have just finished, all the physicians have been called away. I really didnât expect that Master Lin, who had always been in poor health, would be safe and sound, while you actually collapsed, Young Master.â
Zhao He was just about to ask after Lin Shiheng, but he sighed in relief after he heard this sentence.
âIs Brother Lin really ok? When I came out, I already thought that it really was too cold in the capital. If it werenât for the hot pot base and the copper beads, I would probably have suffered until I was half-dead.â
âHeâs fine, Master Lin is fine. Right! Young Master, let me tell you ahâŚâ
The book boy has always been with Zhao He; so naturally, he knew how bad the relationship between him and Hu Chuan was, and now that his young master had woken up, the book boy was immediately unable to conceal the gloating and murmured about Hu Chuan vomiting blood in front of the examination entrance.
âThis matter has already spread all over! At that time, Master Lin was also there, and from the appearance of it, it looked like it was a dispute with Master Hu. Because of this, many people mistook Master Huâs vomiting of blood was due to Master Lin. But Master Hu expressed that it had nothing to do with Master Lin, and it was because of his own frail body that he vomited blood after being in the examination room for so many days.â
Book Boy said so with a smile on his face, a look full of joy. So Zhao He, who had been staring at the book boy while being mentally shaken by the incident, rolled his eyes and weakly lifted his hand to knock the book boy on the head.
âAre you so happy about Hu Chuanâs accident? I can hear you laughing through your teeth.â
âHow can I not be happy? Before, Young Master was ostracized in the academy. Wasnât it precisely because of them? Young Master spent so much time inside the academy, but because they stirred things up, someone like you, who liked to make a wide range of friends, had such a hard time making even a single friendâŚâ
âGo go go.â
Zhao He knocked on his head again, âWhen making friends, itâs better to be precise than to have many. Canât you see that Brother Lin and I are good friends? When youâre making friends, you have to find people like Qinzhi who are pure and kind-hearted yet also share your interests. Most of those people in the academy are only pedantic scholars, how would I even be interested in them.â
The little book boy quirked the corners of his lips but made no reply.
The door to the room was pushed open, and a scholar in a white cloak came in with a smile, just in time to hear those words which were added in passing.
âThatâs not what Brother Zhao said to me before when we were drinking and chatting.â
Zhao He immediately remembered that scene when he became drunk and spat out all the grievances he had suffered at the academy to Lin Shiheng.
What had he said at that time again?
It shouldnât have been about that time cold water was thrown on his blanket in the middle of winter by someone, right?
âWell âŚâ
Lin Shiheng yawned and smiled as the book boy retreated outside, âNow we just have to wait for the rankings to be released. I wonder if we passedâŚâ
âWhatâs the point of thinking about it if the test has already been taken.â
Zhao He suddenly sighed in relief when he saw that Lin Shiheng didnât plan to continue the previous topic. If he hadnât been drunk, he definitely wouldnât have told anyone about this matter of him being bullied.
âBrother Lin, I heard that Hu Chuan was quarreling with you before he vomited blood. How was it that the people didnât go on to misunderstand you?â
The handsome scholar, who had removed his white cloak and placed it on the chair, seemed to be very confused and bewildered as he tilted his head and slowly knelt to sit. As he picked up the teapot and poured the tea, he asked curiously, âWhy would they misunderstand me?â
Zhao He wasnât too surprised at this reaction. After all, Brother Lin had always been such a pure and good-natured person. So even if people talked about it, he probably wouldnât become angry.
However, remembering that Hu Chuan wasnât a friendly character on any scale, Zhao He asked again, âBrother Lin, although I know it has nothing to do with you, before he vomited blood, what exactly did that Hu Chuan argued with you about?â
If Lin Shiheng tells him now then later, if Hu Chuanâs trio came to attack back, he could still help to think of a way to counteract it.
âIn fact, it also wasnât anything serious.â
Lin Shiheng took a sip of tea, âIt was just that the hot pot base had smelled too fragrant. And since I sat behind Brother Hu, it affected him.â
Zhao He was stunned, he also knew how fragrant the hotpot base smelled. Although the taste was indeed good, if the taste was 8 points then the aroma was 12 points, so even if you were not hungry, you would still want to eat it. Therefore, once you smell it, you wouldnât be able to help but crave it.
Was it really because of this smell that Hu Chuan became angry?
Ah, that man is too pettyâŚ
To actually vomit blood because of a bite of food. Tsk tsk.
Although he felt that Hu Chuan made a mountain out of a molehill, a good friend was still the most important after all. So Zhao He spoke righteously, âBrother Lin doesnât have to worry about those rumors outside. If someone really blames you for Hu Chuanâs vomiting blood and misunderstands, I will definitely argue for you!â
âWhy argue?â
Zhao He sighed in his heart because his Brother Lin was truly too simple-minded but this purity also seemed a bit too much. A scholarâs reputation was most important to them. Although Lin Shiheng didnât have much of a relationship with that Hu Chuan, they were in the same examination room, so they were also considered to be classmates. If others insisted that he vomited blood from anger, wouldnât Brother Lin have to bear a bad reputation on his back?
But it doesnât matter, even if Brother Lin didnât care about these hollow rumors, he must help out.
Thinking of this, Zhao He immediately looked serious.
âOf course, you must argue! Otherwise, what if you are misunderstood by others, Brother Lin?â
âOthers are others, they have nothing to do with me.â
Lin Shiheng smiled warmly and looked a little embarrassed as he hung his head slightly before taking a sip of his tea, âBesides, there isnât a misunderstanding.â
âBrother Lin, you donât have to blame yourself. It is Hu Chuan who is narrow-minded. I know you are a kind person, but reputation is a lifetime thing.â
The handsome scholar who took off his white cloak to reveal the blue clothes inside pursed his lips and smiled before putting his cup down, he spoke warmly, âBrother Hu was right. I deliberately tried to use food to affect his rest.â
Zhao He almost suspected that something was wrong with his ears. He stared at the person in front of him.
A gentle smile, clear and warm eyes, a temperament like an ancient gentleman, as elegant as orchidâŚ
How could such a person do such a, such aâŚ
âYou⌠you did it on purpose?â
Lin Shiheng smiled sheepishly, âActually, it really wasnât too intentionalâŚâ
âBefore the exam, I offered the hot pot base to Brother Hu, but Brother Hu refused to accept it, so I canât be blamed.â
Phew!
Zhao He heaved a sharp sigh of relief. He knew it! How could a gentleman like Brother Lin do something to plot against someone?
He tried to calm down the excited mood from just now and waved his hand, âBrother Lin, next time you speak, donât sound like youâre so breathless like just now. How was this âbeing deliberateâ? It was clearly Hu Chuan who was ungrateful and blaming you. You donât know what kind of person he is, so how could you know he was going to refuse before you asked him.â
âI knew.â
âBrother Hu had always been enemies with Brother Zhao. Naturally, he wouldnât have believed me as I was a good friend of Brother Zhao. I said I want to gift him the base before the test precisely to make him regret not taking it once he smelled it.â
When Lin Shiheng saw Zhao Heâs dazed, stiff and incredulous gaze, his eyes revealed some confusion, âWhy is Brother Zhao looking at me like this? Wouldnât you have done so if it had been Brother Zhao?â
âThis, this is notâŚâ
Zhao He smirked, âHu Chuan and I have an old grievance, and I didnât want to dispute it with him at first. But it turned out that he was really going to try and ruin me at every opportunity, so of course, I had to make the first moveâŚâ
He just didnât expect⌠Lin Shiheng, who he always thought was so pure and innocent, had actually silently plotted against Hu Chuan.
Zhao He thought about it, then suddenly there was a flash in his mind, and he clapped his hands and stood up.
âBrother Lin! Could it be that you were already plotting against Hu Chuan since you asked them to make the hotpot base?â
âIf thatâs the case, youâre too powerful, Brother Lin!!â
Faced with Zhao Heâs praise, the scholar in blue somewhat bashfully revealed a shy smile, âBrother Zhao is overpraising, itâs just an average ability.â
Zhao He was so excited that he sat down again with a thump and slapped the table, âHow is this an ordinary ability?! If I had a brain like yours, I wouldnât have lost half my life before when Hu Chuan and the others tortured me!â
âYou wouldnât know but the three of them would stay together every day. Whenever someone else was there, they would treat me incredibly well, but when thereâs no one around, they would do all sorts of tricks. So when people were around again, people would only see how they were good to me and give me an expression as if I was a bastard who didnât know what was good for me. To begin with. the people in the academy were already reluctant to associate with me, so with such a disturbance, they despised me even more.â
Lin Shiheng raised his eyebrows slightly, âWhen the late emperor was around, he began to promote the status of merchants. We obviously have descendants of merchants going to study. Even if some people have grievances, at least they should maintain peace on the surface. Why was Brother Zhaoâs academy so full of stubborn people?â
Zhao He shrugged, âBrother Lin wouldnât know but our side of Wei County was once occupied by the now-defunct Eastern Dynasty. It was only 35 years after that our ancestors finally won back the land. Therefore, Wei County was more deeply influenced by the previous dynasty than other places, thus the status of merchants is not as high as other places. Otherwise, my family would not be as adamant in having their children become officials.â
âI am a merchantâs son, so it was originally already rather embarrassing at the academy. Although the teachers would not despise me, they also wouldnât favor me. At that time, if I hadnât known I was the only one at home who could study, I would have long wanted to go back.â
Lin Shiheng listened thoughtfully, but Zhao He was full of excitement after speaking.
He was not at all afraid of Lin Shiheng, who had silently made a big move with his excellent methods. The only thing left was excitement and thrill after the previous hint of disbelief faded away.
Of course, he was excited. Brother Lin was on his side after all. If he could teach him a trick or two, when he met those three again in the future, he definitely wouldnât be so overwhelmed every time.
âBrother Lin, since you are so powerful, can you teach me how to deal with Hu Chuan? Iâm not saying to plot against them or make them lose an arm or a leg, just make them feel a bit more humbleâŚâ