Chapter 48.3

As soon as the blue-clad juren had finished speaking, Zhao He, who was sitting opposite, waved his hand, “Brother Lin, I know that you are kind and can’t bear to see the people in that city die. It’s just that you’re not versed in medical theory. What’s the use of medical books alone? Besides, although we have finished the exam, we are waiting for the rankings to come out. If you pass the exam, there is still the palace examination. Brother Lin, it’s better to study more.”

Lin Shiheng nodded with a smile, “Naturally, I won’t delay my studies, but now that the entire imperial court is bickering over the matter. I believe the examination topic for the palace examination would probably be asking for the solution to the stalemate of the three cities.”

Zhao He was startled, it seemed that… It really was possible!

Wrong, wrong!

He immediately waved his hand as soon as the idea popped into his head, “How could this be? Over the years, hasn’t it always a straightforward question?”

“Over the years, there hasn’t been such an incident before the palace examination.”

The blue-clad Juren looked up at Hu Chuan who was looking towards them. He hooked the corners of his lips and smiled back, then looked back towards Zhao He in seriousness, “Zhao He, if you believe me, when we get back… Take a good look at the books regarding water affairs. This year’s palace examination has an 80% chance of being the choice of the three cities.”

Hu Chuan had just managed to catch this sentence when he came over, he felt amused. He looked around but saw no one, and then sat down, “Why is that Brother Lin, seeing that he had failed this exame, has started to influence Brother Zhao’s thoughts?”

He had inquired about Lin Shiheng and found that the latter’s grades were poor. He had never heard of such a person in Zhi County before, so he must have failed the exam, but Zhao He was different. This guy had always been among the best in his grade. So although he didn’t want to admit it, Zhao He had an 80% chance to have passed this past exam.

Unaware that he was being jealous, Zhao He was about to get angry at Hu Chuan’s words but was held down by Lin Shiheng. The blue-clothed scholar had a gentle smile and a good-tempered demeanor.

“Just betting on the question. Now that the matter of Yanjiang is a problem for His Majesty. This foolish brother was just thinking that this topic will come up in the palace examination. Brother Hu can also read books on the subject, it would be a good thing if you were to hit the mark.”

“Hit what mark?”

It so happened that the scholars, who had separated the two arguing people, came over as well. When they heard this, they curiously asked, so Lin Shiheng repeated it again.

Although the two scholars also didn’t feel that this examination would test this, they still praised, “Brother Lin is truly generous, even willing to share your guess about the question with others. If this really ends up being the question, we would owe Brother Lin a big favor.”

“Why? As we are all scholars, we naturally need to help each other.”

Lin Shiheng smiled modestly, looked embarrassed by the compliments, and slowly looked up at Hu Chuan, “Does Brother Hu not also agree?”

Hu Chuan, who could feel that he didn’t pass the exam but still needed to owe an enemy a ‘big favor’ no reason at all: “Yes.”

So hateful!

Why didn’t he(HC) just leave? He(HC) just had to come back!

But Zhao He felt like he wasn’t irritated enough and stood up again, and pulled Hu Chuan’s stiff body down and pointed to the food he had ordered. “Brother Hu, you said that you would invite me to dinner, but you were nowhere to be found. Brother Lin and I deliberately didn’t eat and waited for you to come back!”

With that, he eagerly handed the chopsticks to Hu Chuan.

“Come on, let’s quickly eat.”

How could Hu Chuan not know what it meant by ‘fawning over someone for no reason, then you are either a crook or a thief’? “I’ll… I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“Brother Hu! Why are you so polite? It’s okay to treat this time, but you still want to treat us the next time?”

Zhao He smiled brightly at him, “Hurry up and eat, Brother Lin and I still have to go outside to see the lanterns.”

Hu Chuan squeezed the chopsticks tightly and was about to complain, but the two jurens beside him sighed, “Since this was Brother Hu’s invitation to Brother Lin, we will leave first.”

Can’t even complain.

With other people watching, if he had a fit, Zhao He, this shameless one, would surely say he(HC) had said it himself.

Thinking of this, Hu Chuan gritted his teeth and placed down his chopsticks, “Suddenly, I have lost my appetite. You two should eat.”

Zhao He smiled brilliantly again, “Okay!”

Lin Shiheng, who had kept silent, picked up some food with his chopstick, raised his head, and smiled gently with his handsome face.

“Remember the bill.”

Hu Chuan: “…”

He held his chest and even stumbled a bit as he went to settle the bill at the front counter.

Lin Shiheng! Zhao He!

You guys just wait!

Once he wins the Third Prince’s trust, he’ll definitely make them suffer!

They don’t even have enough of an ability to side with a prince!

***

Hu Chuan’s mind was filled with how to handle these two people once he got into power, but a few days later, the rankings were published, and Lin Shiheng surprisingly scored first place, while Zhao He only ranked second.

Hu Chuan, however, didn’t rank and failed.

So regardless of how dispirited and resentful Hu Chuan was, the Zhao residence was proud. The surrounding neighbors knew that this small mansion was the residence of the first and second place of this season’s examination, and they all came to the door to express their good wishes. Coupled with wanting to rub off some good fortune from them, it could be considered to be very lively.

Arguably, there would have been some time before the palace examination, but it was brought forward by quite a bit.

Zhao He was a little surprised, but then he remembered that Brother Lin told him that this year’s palace examination might use the Yanjiang River as a theme for the topics. Right now, the Yanjiang River was still holding on, but it was a matter of great urgency. So for His Majesty to choose to have an early examination, this was probably the only reason why it was done.”

Did Brother Lin really guess correctly?

With a dubious heart, he began to consult books regarding water conservation, intending to be prepared even if there was only a 30% chance of it being on the mark.

The palace examination quickly arrived. When the group of scholars opened their scrolls after paying their respects to His Majesty sitting on the throne, the last question really did ask about how to deal with the Yanjiang River.

On this side, Zhao He wrote with joy while Lin Shiheng, on the other hand, wrote calmly and slowly. Once the exam was finished, the test paper was then handed over for review.

This dynasty’s palace examination wasn’t like the previous dynasty’s, where the exam took a few days, and usually, after the exam, the scholars were arranged to go back and rest. Instead, the ministers would begin to read the examination papers in front of them, and when the papers are finally selected, they then advance to the Emperor, so that he could select the three that he thought were the best.

***

Zhao He was excited when he was taking the exam. But when the test was over, the more he thought about it, the more he was hesitant, and he couldn’t help but ask his friend, “Brother Lin, how did you answer?”

“I’ve been checking medical books for the past few days and found an ancient prescription which I included in my submission. If nothing unexpected occurs, it should be able to cure the plague.”

Zhao He was shocked.

He thought his best friend had just off-handedly said that he was going to check the medical records, but he actually did check.

“Brother Lin, how can you do such a risky thing? You haven’t even tried the prescription! If it doesn’t work, even if you answered well in the previous questions, you still wouldn’t score well in this palace examination! You! You are really… ah!”

Zhao He was anxious, “I was thinking about Brother Lin when I saw the question. You were smart enough to have guessed the question, but your answer was really, really…”

Lin Shiheng just continued to sit silently as he watched Zhao He spin round and round before he added, “Naturally, I didn’t just write a prescription.”

“Although this was a test of the three cities, we also need a standard answer. I wrote about the water conservatory first, as I had told you, and only included the prescription in the back. It was said to cure epidemics… So if they are willing, they can try it.”

Zhao He paused his circling steps and turned to look at his friend who was looking at him calmly, his face rather awkward.

“Ahem… As I’ve said, you’re so smart, so how could you be so foolish.”

Lin Shiheng smiled, “Brother Zhao, I remember you once told me that your mother has a number of pharmacies in her family.”

“Yes.”

Zhao He nodded and didn’t quite understand why the other wanted to ask this.

“When the exam is over, I will give you the prescription. If it works, you can send a letter back to your family.”

Zhao He clapped his hands, and his eyes lit up, “My family will make a fortune with those medicinal herbs!”

Lin Shiheng quietly looked at him, his eyes saddened, full of condemnation, “Now is the time to save lives, how can Brother Zhao only have copper stench in his heart?”

Zhao He was stunned by this sight, “Brother Lin, I didn’t mean it! It was just something I often hear at home! That’s why…”

When Lin Shiheng looked over, his eyes were full of ‘hating iron for not becoming steel’, and he shook his head, “Saving a life is better than building a seven-floor pagoda. Brother Zhao should not only think about money.”

(Tnote: Hating iron for not becoming steel = resentful towards someone for failing to meet expectations.)

“I know, I’ll send a message back. If the prescription works, I’ll tell my family to buy the medicine and donate it to Nancheng.”

Seeing that he was so sensible, the handsome scholar nodded his head with satisfaction.

“As it should be.”

“After donating the medicinal materials, remember to find some people to spread the word that the medicine was donated by your family. It should be clear so that people would know that it was medicine donated by the Zhao family in Zhi County. At this time, His Majesty has been anxious because of this matter, yet the court still couldn’t come up with any method. So if your family, as merchants, donated the medicinal materials, His Majesty may even reward you with an official position once he feels pleased.”

Zhao He, who was strongly condemning himself just before, was internally stumped.

“Brother Lin, didn’t you just say… That I shouldn’t think of things that stink of copper?”

Lin Shiheng seemed a bit confused, “I only wanted to ask Brother Zhao to not focus on the gold and silver ah.”

“This official position doesn’t count.”

“But, but helping the people is a righteous act, how can you ask for an official position because of this?”

“Brother Zhao is wrong.”

Lin Shiheng smiled warmly, “The fact is that people were saved. But if you don’t spread it, who would know it was the Zhao who saved them?”

Zhao He has been stunned, “But Teacher had taught that there is no need to leave a name for a righteous act… If you do this in order to win an official position, wouldn’t it be just the same as those treacherous court officials?”

“Still wrong.”

Lin Shiheng coughed gently and tried to persuade, “Brother Zhao’s family has done good deeds, but without telling anyone, only some people would be helped, so this is a small good. But if they do good deeds and publicize them, finally getting an official position. Brother Zhao’s family will definitely work harder to do good deeds in the future. Others would see that they will get an official position if they did good deeds, so they will certainly follow suit. Afterward, only more and more people will be helped. This is a great deed.”

“Tell me, Brother Zhao, am I right?”

Zhao He finally understood and hurriedly gave thanks to his friend.

“I almost went astray, it’s truly shameful…”

“Thank you, Brother Lin, for mentioning it and pulling me back from the brink!”

Lin Shiheng smiled warmly and returned the salute.

“You’re welcome.”