Such an arrangement made it difficult for Chang Yan not to smell the danger.
He turned his head. Jiang San was already knocking on the door.
On one side was the upcoming negotiation of the pastry cooperation. On the other side was the elusive Big Brother who was obviously being tailed.
With almost no hesitation, Chang Yan stuffed the pastries into Auntie Zhang's hands and pulled Jiang Sheng to hide in the corner, signaling Jiang Three and Jiang Four to stay away.
When the limping Master came to open the door, he only saw Auntie Zhang alone.
He was both shocked and delighted. "Why is it you... Did you come alone?"
"I guess so," Auntie Zhang answered in confusion.
Even though there were many people when she came, in the blink of an eye there was only herself left.
The pastries were still in her hands and the door was already open, so she had no choice but to grit her teeth and go in, "I came to visit Master Kong, and also to discuss the cooperation..."
The door opened and closed, returning to silence again.
Jiang Sheng could finally speak out, "Fifth Brother, did something happen?"
Chang Yan pursed his lips and shook his head. He originally wanted Jiang Sheng to go home first, but thinking of his sister's stubborn personality, he swallowed it back down.
Oh well.
Since they had agreed to stand together, even if there was danger, they had to face it together.
"It's Big Brother," he said softly. "Auntie will be fine at the Master's. Let's follow them first to see."
Jiang Three and Jiang Four didn't understand at first. But when they saw the two men in black, and the hurried expressions of Xu Mo and the others ahead, they were instantly excited.
After doing all kinds of trivial errands like deliveries and collections for so long, it was finally time for them to show their prowess.
At the same time, Xu Mo was holding the long-sought-after rice paper, reading the articles of outstanding talent on it, while searching for the residence of the author.
Such talent, such a student, studying bitterly for more than ten years, actually ended up making wedding clothes for Zhu Zhi. It was truly lamentable.
Fortunately, with the Qi brothers' persistent help in the search, they were able to find the student who helped Zhu Zhi obtain the juren status among the thousands of ghostwriters.
"This should be the place, right?"
After going through more than ten alleyways, they stopped in front of the most dilapidated small courtyard. They all felt somewhat doubtful.
According to what the first wealthy student said, after ghostwriting, they had all gotten quite a bit of silver. They couldn't be called extremely rich, but it should be enough to eat well, dress warmly and live comfortably, not as shabby as this.
Qi Huai hesitated and went up to knock on the door.
Not long after, a student came out, probably in his early twenties, wearing faded white clothes with a cold and gloomy expression.
Seeing Xu Mo and the others, he was not surprised. He just coldly asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"Are you An Jun?" Qi Huai asked.
The student's expression became even gloomier. After a long pause, he replied, "Don't look for me again. I don't ghostwrite anymore."
After speaking, he slammed the wooden door shut.
Qi Huai got a face full of dust and stayed silent awkwardly.
Beside him, Xu Mo's eyes lit up. He leaned forward and shouted, "Student An, I'm not here for ghostwriting. I want to chat with you about something else."
There was still no response from inside.
Xu Mo and Qi Huai looked at each other. They could only bring out their trump card, "I heard that you ghostwrote for Young Master Zhu and helped him become a juren..."
Before he could finish, the door opened again. An Jun looked at them resentfully.
"What exactly do you want? I don't ghostwrite anymore, and I don't have any money for you to extort. What else do you want? Do you have to force me to leave Fengjing?" He almost roared, "Fine, I'll leave. I won't take the imperial exam anymore. I won't enter Fengjing again."
After saying that, he started gathering his few remaining shabby clothes.
Qi Huai's expression changed, and Qi Yue couldn't help but step forward to stop him.
Xu Mo raised his hand to stop them and quietly watched An Jun vent his emotions.
The few clothes washed to whiteness with holes were crumpled and folded repeatedly, but in the end didn't make it into the cyan bag.
An Jun plopped down on the edge of the bed with a helpless long sigh.
The students who came to Fengjing all harbored hopes of making a name for themselves and moving up in the world.
But only after arriving in this prosperous city did they know that Fengjing was more like a beast that swallowed people heartlessly, devouring the destitute commoners who rushed here from all over.
Perhaps some really could achieve meteoric success, able to return home in splendor.
But no one saw that among the millions, only two or three bright stars appeared, while the rest were like foils, dimmed in the night sky unknown to all.
"I just wanted to take the imperial exam quietly. Why force me? At first you forced me to become a ghostwriter for money, for survival, so I agreed." An Jun choked up. "I also admit I had selfish thoughts, the essays I handed over were not good enough because I wanted to keep my real ability for myself in the exam."
"But they...they saw through my thoughts and took away my real essays, forcing me to write perfunctory essays myself. Because of this, I've already failed the provincial exam twice. I'm twenty-three, with elderly parents at home. I don't have much time left in Fengjing."
"If the imperial exam is not a path I can take as a lowly person, then I won't take it. I'll go home and farm the land, and honestly be a private tutor. I'll accept it if that's how I'll spend my whole life!"
An Jun murmured to himself. Finally he neatly folded the clothes calmly and put them in the cyan bag.
It was obvious he had completely given up hope.
Beside him, Xu Mo and Qi Huai looked at each other with heavy hearts.
It was unavoidable that ghostwriters concealed their talents, but being forced by prestigious families to hand over their true abilities and having to write perfunctory essays themselves in the actual exam was really going too far.
"Actually, you don't need to be so obedient," Qi Yue said sympathetically. "If you really passed as a juren, what could they do to you?"
This question was a bit naive.
What could a poor student do against prestigious families?
An Jun looked up indifferently, "They can report me for cheating and collusion. They can even use my own essays to falsely accuse me. Then not only would I not become a juren, even my private tutor status would be revoked."
In the face of power, ordinary people were completely powerless.
Qi Yue opened his mouth wide in shock.
Beside him, Qi Huai helped close his jaw and clenched his fist. "Maybe we can help you."
An Jun looked over doubtfully.
"Ghostwriting has already affected the fairness of the imperial exam, and forced more poor students into an endless loop. You're just one of the victims." Xu Mo said in a deep voice, "We need to let the people of Fengjing, especially the Imperial Court, know about this matter, only then can we completely eliminate this phenomenon."
"We know what you're worried about, worried that you'll also be punished if this is exposed." Qi Huai followed up. "But what could be more miserable than returning home in defeat? Besides, you are also victims. As the eldest son of the Minister of Rites, I will do my best to reduce the punishment for you."
Although it was just his best effort, the position of Minister of Rites carried tremendous weight.
An Jun sat numbly on the edge of the bed, struggling internally for a long time before finally gritting his teeth. "Okay."
Just as he spoke, the shabby wooden door was kicked open.
