Chapter 690: Confused

This imperial edict was truly delivered to the Li family; Vice Minister of Works Lord Li led the whole family to kneel in the courtyard before the Zheng Ting.

At the moment the imperial edict was proclaimed, Lord Li was completely dazed.

From head to toe he felt as if struck hard, his body slightly trembling, and he had no choice but to kneel and thank the emperor for his grace.

Lady Li cried out in alarm, "Isn't this trying to ruin our son?"

How can a scholar be forced to keep taking the imperial exams, unable to become an official unless he ranks top scholar? What nonsense is this?

She was about to argue, but her husband beside her gripped her arm tightly; Lord Li turned his face away and coldly glanced at his own wife.

His eyes full of warning, "Is this woman crazy?"

The imperial edict has been issued; if they dare speak nonsense again, their whole family's heads are not enough to be chopped off.

Xiao Yin is ruthless; before becoming emperor he was a complete lunatic, and now he is just taking out his anger on the Empress and seeking revenge on the Li family.

After Zhao Defu read the imperial edict, he looked at the trembling Li family, his eyes full of contempt, secretly sneering in his heart.

Truly giving face but not taking it, the Princess Fuqing and the Empress have such great dignity, yet the Li family thought they were just joking with them.

Who would have thought that as soon as the emperor's edict came out, each of them turned pale with fright; they truly deserved it.

Eunuch Zhao didn't bother with extra words, clasped the imperial edict in his hands, looked at the kneeling Lord Li before him, and said, "Lord Li, receive the edict."

Lord Li knocked his forehead again with a thud, trembling as he crawled forward, took the edict from Eunuch Zhao's hands with both hands, and knocked his head again.

Eunuch Zhao gave a light laugh, turned with his attendants, and walked out of the Li residence.

Behind Lord Li, the Li family's eldest son Li Zhao had a face clouded with uncertainty.

He opened his mouth, and a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes.

He thought highly of himself, believing he could achieve official rank.

But now the imperial edict makes it crystal clear: if he fails to become top scholar in this lifetime, he must keep taking the exams.

He suddenly felt a twinge of regret; in that case, it would be better to become Princess Fuqing's prince consort.

At the very least, his status and position would be greatly elevated.

Now, against Xiao Yin, it was practically a slap across the Li family's faces; his cheeks felt burning hot.

He never expected that the unwanted Princess Fuqing would be sought in marriage by the all-powerful Shangshu Gu himself, who came to her door.

Even going so far as to sacrifice his own future for Princess Fuqing, the matter caused an uproar throughout Shang Jing.

If yesterday he had caused a scene at the Eastern Si Ma Gate, losing Princess Fuqing's face, today Gu Kang has snatched love by force, yet he tramples the Li family's faces into the ground.

"Father, what should we do?" After the palace people left, Li Zhao hurriedly knelt before Lord Li.

"You wicked son!" Lord Li suddenly kicked Li Zhao, wishing to kick to death this son who brings shame.

He shouted, "Who gave you the guts to cause a scene at the Eastern Si Ma Gate?"

"You don't even piss to look at yourself—what sort of thing are you, daring to lose face even before the Empress?"

"Don't you realize the person the emperor holds dearest is the Empress? Your actions cause her to lose face—how could the emperor let you off?"

"Now it's just letting you keep taking the imperial exams; if they wanted your head, that would be reasonable as well."

"How did it come to this? What are you thinking? Did you consult me before causing a scene at the Eastern Si Ma Gate, you little beast!"

Lord Li's anger made his chest ache; Lady Li, distressed, stepped in front of their son and raised her head, saying, "My lord! My lord, why be so angry? If our son really does become top scholar, the emperor's edict says that as long as he ranks top scholar he can still enter court as office—it doesn't say he cannot."

"A woman's opinion!"

Lord Li gritted his teeth and said, "This child has been spoiled by you; look at his conduct—he's hardly top scholar material."

"He can't even pass the presented scholar exam, how could he possibly rank top scholar? Who knows whose gossip he's listened to? Exactly! It's that Jiang Cheng!"

"Isn't it that little brat who stirred you up to do all those messy things? Come! Bring that scoundrel here."

Lord Li was fuming; he had also asked earlier about the few people who drank wine with his son that day.

Everyone said it was Jiang Cheng who incited his own son to cause trouble at the Eastern Si Ma Gate.

His own son and wife are too foolish to see it, but he, having mingled in the Jing Cheng officialdom for many years, knows that Jiang Cheng is no good.

The Li family has treated him well, yet he harms people like this; he cannot let that scoundrel go.

The servant sent to Ke Yuan to look for someone returned and reported, "Sir, Young Master Jiang is not in Ke Yuan; he has already packed up and left, and I don't know where he went."

Li Zhao's face turned pale: "You… what did you say? Jiang Cheng left? He actually left without saying a word to me? This scoundrel!"

Li Zhao felt a chill run through him; he suddenly realized he had truly been played this time.

After calming down, he again thought about the things Jiang Cheng said at the drinking banquet when he was drunk—every word was a trap set for him.

He suddenly felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, his whole body turned icy, he staggered back a few steps, and fell with a thud to the ground.

The Li family should have been imperial relatives, close to the emperor's wealth and honor, yet he has completely pushed them away, bringing upon them such a great disaster.

Li Zhao muttered softly, "Jiang Cheng… although he deliberately deceived me, I will surely become top scholar! He's just jealous! He left—so what? Next spring exam I will definitely rank top scholar and show them."

Outside the most remote dock by the river, a tall, thin youth in a gray cotton coat and a bamboo hat hurried over.

At that moment his steps were a little unsteady, he occasionally staggered, almost falling to the ground.

Jiang Cheng cut off Li Zhao's foolish path; Li Zhao is a fool, but Lord Li is very sharp and will eventually guess that he was meddling.

Jiang Cheng felt a rising sense of pleasure; why should he have to rely on others, why should he live at their mercy, watching that fool Li Zhao's expression to act?

What he cannot obtain, others should not even dream of.

He also worried that the Li family would seize him, so he snatched some of their silver and valuables and hurried to the riverside, intending to leave Shang Jing.

Besides, he's not cut out for study; taking this money back to his hometown, he might still have a chance to make a comeback.

Seeing the dock approaching, Jiang Cheng suddenly stopped his steps, incredulously gazing at a young man walking slowly toward him from ahead.

That person was tall and sturdy, his bearing fierce, a mask covering his face, making him awe-inspiring to behold.