Chapter 859: We're Looking for Our Son-in-law

“Your father, what’s written on the imperial proclamation that’s got you so excited?”

Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang, along with Tong Zhijie and Tong Zhaodi, went to the capital.

Upon entering the city, they saw the imperial proclamation pasted on the wall, with many people gathered beneath it to take a look.

They heard it’s the result of the imperial examination, and Tong Fusheng thought of Jingzhe, who was about to participate, and rushed over.

Mrs. Wang couldn’t read, seeing Tong Fusheng almost poking holes in the proclamation, she asked what it said that was so captivating.

Tong Fusheng looked from bottom to top, and after a while didn’t find Jingzhe’s name, breathing a sigh of relief. That little rascal acted all high and mighty in front of him and even mocked him for being just a child student at his age.

So the nephew failed the exam.

Tong Fusheng thought smugly, even if Jingzhe was the top child scholar and provincial exam winner, what good was that, he still failed the exam.

“This is the list of the imperial examination, it seems Jingzhe didn’t make it.” Tong Fusheng said gleefully to Mrs. Wang.

Mrs. Wang slapped her thigh and said, “Serves him right! This is just the comeuppance your dear sister deserves.”

“Dad, Mom, Jingzhe is this year’s Champion Scholar.” Tong Zhijie shouted, pointing to the name at the top of the list.

Tong Fusheng never expected Jingzhe to become the Champion Scholar, not even in the second tier did he think it possible.

So he had not looked at the top when checking for names earlier.

The three big characters ‘Jingzhe’ pricked Tong Fusheng’s eyes painfully, and he blinked hard, fearing he had made a mistake.

Mrs. Wang said, “Jingzhe is the Champion Scholar? With so many talents gathered in Shengjing, how could a rural boy from Qinghe Bay become the Champion Scholar? Zhijie, you might have made a mistake.”

Mrs. Wang, impatient for a definite answer, shook Tong Fusheng, saying, “Your father, is it wrong? Is Jingzhe not at the top?”

The onlookers were angry.

Many still remembered the recent grand spectacle of Jingzhe riding through the streets.

“This year’s Champion Scholar is indeed Scholar Gu.”

“That’s right, it’s the Jingzhe you speak of, from Ningxiang Village. His mother owns Jufu Supermarket.”

“Who are you people? You can’t stand to see others succeed, you can’t hide your jealous faces.”

“The Champion Scholar appointed by His Majesty is not for you to question.”

…

The crowd criticized Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang, wishing they could throw rotten vegetables or eggs at them.

Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang, along with Tong Zhijie and Tong Zhaodi, slipped out of the crowd in disgrace.

“Zhijie wasn’t mistaken, Jingzhe truly took the Champion Scholar title.”

Far away from the group, Tong Fusheng finally spoke, still incredulous.

Mrs. Wang frowned and said, “Heaven must be blind.”

Tong Zhijie rubbed his chin, full of envy, saying, “Jingzhe is the Champion Scholar, so in the future he’ll be a high official in the court.”

He glared at Mrs. Wang and Tong Fusheng, complaining, “If it weren’t for Dad and Mom offending Auntie, maybe Jingzhe could arrange for me to be something like a County Magistrate.”

Tong Fusheng stomped his foot.

He regretted it too!

He really didn’t expect Jingzhe to become the Champion Scholar.

Equally regretful was Fan Tong, looking like a beggar in the distance, as Jingzhe’s triumphant parade was too much for him.

Currently, Fan Tong was lingering in Shengjing, without money to return home, afraid of hard labor, and worried about being exposed by Historian Deng; it was truly a dilemma.

He wanted to pursue Gu Honglian persistently but feared the dogs at the pig farm.

“Jingzhe just became Champion Scholar, surely the emperor won’t bestow a high position on him immediately, there’s time for that,” Tong Zhaodi said, “Zhijie, once I establish myself at the Su Family, won’t you be able to have what you want? Lord Su is a high official in the court.”

Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang listened to Tong Zhaodi, and their eyes lit up; the shock from Jingzhe taking the Champion Scholar title faded, reminding them of their real purpose in coming to Shengjing.

The three of them came to Shengjing to “deliver” Tong Zhaodi for marriage.

After Tong Zhaodi married her former brother-in-law Wu Musheng, and following Wu Ren being removed as village chief, the Wu Family fell into ruin.

Tong Fusheng felt Tong Zhaodi marrying into the Wu Family was a loss, so he urged her to divorce after she had the child and remarry.

Tong Zhaodi gave birth to a daughter, which dissatisfied the Wu Family, and Tong Fusheng even more. He had already been proclaiming outside that Tong Zhaodi had the looks for sons so that she could remarry to a family wanting sons.

As soon as the child was one month old, Tong Zhaodi divorced under Tong Fusheng’s direction.

Initially, Tong Fusheng wanted to marry Tong Zhaodi to a wealthy family in Ning City as a concubine or as a second wife to an old widower. When Wu Musheng found out, he threatened that if Tong Zhaodi dared to remarry, he would feud endlessly with the Tong Family.

This scared Tong Zhaodi into not remarrying in the Ning City area.

Tong Fusheng was relentless and decided to match Tong Zhaodi outside Ning City, preferably in Shengjing.

Coincidentally, Tong Fusheng, while copying documents for others in Ning City, met a steward of a family estate. This steward was the cousin of Old Mrs. Su, managing property in Ning City for the Su Family.

The steward knew his cousin wanted to take a concubine for Su Shihang, disliked the flashy women due to the cost, and desired a pure, inexperienced, fertile farm girl for Su Shihang as a concubine.

So while visiting the Su Family during the spring festival to deliver rent, he persuaded Old Mrs. Su to allow Tong Zhaodi to come to the capital to be Su Shihang’s concubine.

Thus, after the spring festival, Tong Fusheng and Mrs. Wang brought Tong Zhaodi to the capital.

“Our son-in-law is a big official in Shengjing, once Zhao Di roots herself in the Su Family, all our hard work on this journey will be worth it.”

Mrs. Wang admired the bustling scene of Shengjing with a face full of yearning for the new life.

Although she hadn’t met Su Shihang yet, she automatically considered Su Shihang as the son-in-law.

Tong Fusheng nodded in strong agreement with Mrs. Wang’s words.

Lord Su is a Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Personnel.

Tong Fusheng had some understanding of imperial officials, knowing the responsibilities of the Chief of the Ministry of Personnel, just wait, what is Jingzhe’s Champion Scholar title, the evaluations and promotions in the future still depend on his son-in-law.

Tong Fusheng felt comforted.

The four members of the Tong family walked through the streets and alleys, seeing the sign of Tong’s Trading House, knowing it was Tong Huaqiong’s.

Tong Zhaodi held her head high, thinking if her sister, who had always been inferior to her, could marry Mr. Su and live in Shengjing thanks to her aunt, why couldn’t she.

Coincidentally, both sisters remarried men named Su, though she was just a concubine, the Lord Su she married was an imperial official, while Mr. Su was merely a teacher.

Once she entered the Su Family, she must flaunt it in front of Tong Pandi and her aunt.

Because of Jingzhe’s Champion Scholar title, the house was filled with guests these days, keeping Tong Huaqiong busy entertaining them and unaware that Tong Fusheng’s family also came to the capital.

The four members of Tong Fusheng’s family followed the address to the gate of the Su Mansion.

“Capital officials are different, even the gate is more grand than ordinary homes.” Mrs. Wang was excited.

“Who are you looking for?”

The gatekeeper, seeing the family of four dressed so poorly, assumed they were impoverished relatives of the Su Family from the original village hoping for charity, and without an order from the elder lady or the master, he dared not open the gate.

“We’re looking for our son-in-law.”

Mrs. Wang spoke instinctively.