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墨書 Inktalez
Wang Kuan slammed a piece of paper onto the table. Meng Zhangyuan leaned in for a closer look and exclaimed, "You borrowed money from a loan shark?!"
Upon seeing the amount, which was five taels, he felt slightly relieved. It wasn't too much. "Later, you can take the money with me. I'll lend you these five taels, and you must pay me back first thing in the morning. I'll give you another fifty taels then. Even though it's just for one day, I don't know if it'll be enough."
Wang Kuan's eyes flickered at his words, and he smiled. "Don't worry, Meng Zhangyuan. This IOU is just bait. Once this matter is settled, the Yamen will return the principal."
Meng Zhangyuan still felt uneasy. The other party was powerful; what if things didn't resolve?
Wang Kuan replied, "Isn't there still Yongxin Marquis?"
At that moment, Wen Zhaojun also spoke up, "My family's connections can help."
Lian Baoying raised her hand. "If they dare to come after you, my family's guards are no pushovers. We can surround that residence so they can't enter or leave, trapping them!"
After expressing her support, Lian Baoying eagerly asked, "Tonight is your first time at that residence. Just this IOU has already shocked us. Did you gain anything else?"
The students were in the business of selling information; even a few words could be quite valuable. Yet they remained financially strained because they earned money on the spot only to spend it immediately, often not enough to cover their expenses, leading to this IOU.
The steward of the residence told them that spending money could open doors—essentially providing an opportunity to meet people. As for whether they would earn the other party's favor, that depended solely on the students' abilities.
They really did manage to invite some people over; several low-ranking officials showed up in person while mid- to high-ranking officials sent their stewards. It was unclear whether these stewards acted on their own or were instructed by their masters to seek some profit.
Through this route, a few had indeed made significant progress—some became sons-in-law of influential families, others married low-ranking officials as primary wives, or became concubines in the backyards of mid- to high-ranking officials. There were even those who secured good positions as county magistrates after passing the Imperial Examination.
These real-life examples convinced the students even more and flattered by the steward's words, some became overly ambitious without considering their own circumstances. They sought out suitable officials with hopes that more money would lead them to higher-ranking individuals.
Meng Zhangyuan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling frustrated at their lack of ambition. Their desire to climb higher drove them to need more money; they had no time left for studying and had become spies for that residence, digging for all sorts of information with all their might.
He had initially thought their mediocre performance stemmed from poor foundations and a sense of inferiority. Now it seemed they had all plunged into the pursuit of wealth and even cast aside their conscience!
Having finally gained admission here, if only they focused on their studies, there would surely be a day when they could rise above.
Even as women with dim prospects ahead, it was precisely because of this that knowledge became even more precious due to its scarcity. With careful planning, it was far better than being a concubine in the Rear Courtyard; wasn't he an example of that?
Sang Qingxiao said, "Meng Zhangyuan, don't be angry. The atmosphere at the Imperial Academy wasn't always like this; the root cause lies with those scheming behind the scenes. Once we bring this person to justice and thoroughly cleanse the Imperial Academy again, everything will return to normal."
"Let's hope so," Meng Zhangyuan sighed before turning to Wang Kuan and asking, "What excuse did you use to get that IOU? Whose information did you sell?"
Wang Kuan shook his head. "I didn't sell anyone's information; I approached the leader among the Surname Family students and lamented about my lack of funds. He took the lead."
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