Chapter 282: No Longer Insisting

Chapter 282: Chapter 282: No Longer Insisting

"I won’t let you talk about Linghua like that! She may have fallen on hard times, but she had no choice. Our relationship is completely pure! Every time we met, we would compose poetry, appreciate tea and flowers—there was never anything sordid about it, and certainly not... not what you’re implying..."

"If you don’t understand, then don’t slander her! Twenty taels might seem like a lot to you, but it’s nothing in Yeyang. If Linghua were some gold-digger, she would have had plenty of other opportunities to make a fortune..."

"Her rank may not be high, but that’s because she’s intentionally holding back for my sake. She only wants to see me. She was even willing to give up the chance to become the star courtesan for me..."

Ji Liantang’s heartfelt narrative, delivered with a face swollen like a pig’s, was utterly comical.

Never mind how the others in the main hall felt upon hearing this; Mrs. Zhu was growing faint.

First, she was stunned by Ji Liantang’s arrogance.

’Twenty taels is nothing? He spends half a year in Yeyang and suddenly thinks he’s some big city lord?!’

Then she realized something even more astounding.

"You mean... you spent all twenty taels of silver, and you didn’t even sleep with her?!"

"How crude!"

Feeling his character had been insulted, Ji Liantang flew into a humiliated rage.

"Third Sister-in-law, must you think so poorly of everyone?!"

So he was admitting it! For Mrs. Zhu, this was a real eye-opener.

"I’m not the one thinking poorly of her! I just never imagined that after all your years of study, you could still be so stupid! Heavens above!"

Mrs. Zhu clapped her hands and stomped her foot.

To think she once considered this brother-in-law a sharp one. Turns out he was a complete simpleton!

’If Mingmao turns out like this after his studies, I’ll cry myself to death!’

’But Mingmao takes after me. He has a sharp mind. Of that, I’m quite confident.’

The color drained from Ji Liantang’s face, going from red to purple with rage.

"She is devoted to me, and I respect her! We would never... we would never..."

Mrs. Zhu cut him off. "If she’s so devoted to you, why does she need your silver just to have tea with you?"

"The madam is the one who collects the fee! Even if she’s not famous, she still has to earn money for the brothel!"

"Hmph! I refuse to believe it. Is there a girl in this world who doesn’t like a handsome face, or a prostitute who doesn’t want to be the star? I don’t think she has high standards; I think she lacks the talent. So she has to target a bookworm like you. Getting paid just to eat, drink, and sit around—who wouldn’t want a deal like that?"

"You... you..."

Ji Liantang was used to being praised and revered at home. Neither Ji Qingshan nor Aunt Kang had ever spoken a harsh word to him, let alone Mrs. Zhu, a sister-in-law he’d never bothered to give a second glance.

’I don’t know what’s gotten into this stupid woman today. Not only is she targeting me at every turn, but she even dares to call me a bookworm.’

Mrs. Zhu was illiterate, but she had learned from Aunt Kang’s example how to argue her point even when she was in the wrong. And since she was actually in the right this time, she was even more merciless with her words.

"What about me? Am I wrong? You spent all that money and got nothing tangible in return. If that’s not stupid, what is? You didn’t study your way to a Scholar title, but you sure studied your way into sainthood! If I were one of the women in that brothel, I’d love a patron like you too."

’What kind of nonsense is this!’

Ji Lianhuai’s face darkened, and he tugged on her arm. Only then did Mrs. Zhu reluctantly shut her mouth.

Ji Liantang was so furious he was speechless.

He didn’t want to stoop to Mrs. Zhu’s level, but he couldn’t bear the insult. So, just as he always had, he turned his pleading eyes to Aunt Kang, waiting for her to come to his defense.

Aunt Kang’s heart was already aching unbearably.

She strode forward and pounded her fists on Ji Liantang’s shoulders.

"You foolish child! If you were going to spend all that money, you should have at least gotten your money’s worth! Where did all your cleverness go? How could you be so dense!"

Ji Liantang was dumbfounded.

Although Aunt Kang wasn’t hitting him hard, this was the first time she hadn’t taken his side.

He was bewildered and filled with a sense of grievance.

"Mother, even you’re acting like those commoners!"

Aunt Kang paused for a moment, then burst into even louder sobs.

She thought her son wasn’t in his right mind. He must have had his soul stolen by a fox spirit.

"She’s a calamitous vixen, Fourth Son, and you’ve fallen for her tricks! Why don’t you think about it? How many of those whores are any good? How could she possibly not love money? If she doesn’t love money, then how did you get all these injuries?!"

"Well..."

Ji Liantang was stumped.

In truth, his funds were already tight even before the prefectural examination. On top of that, there was a "sealing fee" for the exam papers and various other miscellaneous costs. As a result, he rarely brought Linghua gifts when he visited Chunyi Building during that period.

Linghua didn’t seem to mind and even encouraged him to focus on his exam preparations.

After the examination, he remained at the county school to await the results, and Linghua was especially tender and attentive. His purse was empty by then, and Linghua had even pleaded with the madam to let him defer his payment for a few days.

On the day the results were posted, Linghua personally went with him to view the announcement list. They searched back and forth in front of that list no fewer than ten times, but to their astonishment, the name Ji Liantang was nowhere to be found.

Linghua seemed even more disappointed than he was. When he tried to speak to her, she ignored him.

Ji Liantang hadn’t expected to fail the examination again either. Dejected, he returned to Chunyi Building and began drinking to drown his sorrows.

Linghua still paid him little mind. It was only after Ji Liantang swore to the heavens that he would get money from his parents to buy her jewelry that she allowed him to stay for a few more days.

But the madam was no longer willing to wait. When several days passed with no sign of the money, her patience ran out. She brought several thugs, burst through the door, and demanded he pay his debts.

Where was Ji Liantang supposed to find money at a moment’s notice? He didn’t dare go home right away.

The madam let loose a torrent of vicious insults. When she was done, the burly men swarmed him, raining down punches and kicks.

Linghua, as if unable to bear the sight of his beating, turned her back to him.

Ji Liantang was beaten to the brink of consciousness several times, and the one jade pendant he wore for appearances was stripped from him.

And that wasn’t all. Those thugs then carried him out of Chunyi Building and dumped him at the entrance of the county school, utterly humiliating him!

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhu rolled her eyes.

"What other reason could there be? She was betting on you to become a Scholar. Who knew the bet would be a bust? Your coin purse was empty, so she couldn’t be bothered to keep up the act."

"You’re lying!" Ji Liantang gritted his teeth. "Linghua isn’t that kind of person! My beating had nothing to do with her. It was all that black-hearted old crone!"

Mrs. Zhu was about to argue further when she heard Ji Lianhuai cry out, "Father! Father, what’s wrong?!"

She turned to see Ji Qingshan trying to cough but unable to, his face turning a dark purple.

Ji Lianhuai frantically patted his back. After a long moment, with a sickening GAG, a mouthful of dark blood spewed from his lips.

"Husband!"

Aunt Kang forgot all about Ji Liantang. Screaming, she lunged over to help her husband catch his breath.

She knew he had been overcome with rage and feared he wouldn’t pull through. She urged Mrs. Zhu to boil some water and sent Ji Lianhuai to fetch a doctor.

Mrs. Zhu and Ji Lianhuai were also badly shaken by the sight of blood. Their interest in the spectacle vanished, and they left the main hall without another word.

When the black spots in his vision faded, Ji Qingshan caught his breath, his eyes still fixed intently on Ji Liantang.

"Fourth Son," he began, "those students said you knew that... that woman... back when you were studying in town."

Ji Qingshan couldn’t bring himself to say the word.

"So, your desire to go to the county school wasn’t about having better resources. It was just to make it easier to fool around with her, wasn’t it!"

Ji Liantang said frantically, "That’s not the whole story, Father! The town academy is nothing compared to the county school. I truly felt I made great progress in my half-year at the county school."

"If you made such great progress, then why didn’t you come back as a Scholar?"

At this, Ji Liantang’s face filled with indignation.

"That’s because the chief examiner has no eye for talent! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have... I can recite my essay for you, Father, so you can see..."

Ji Qingshan waved his hand dismissively.

"I can barely read. I can’t compare to your profound knowledge. But no matter how well-written your essay was, it’s useless if you can’t pass the exam. I suppose the Ji family is just not fated to have an official... Let’s not force it. And you shouldn’t either."

Ji Liantang froze. "Father... Father... what do you mean by that?"

Ji Qingshan refused to speak to him any further.

He turned his head to Aunt Kang, mustering the last of his strength to give an order.

"Tell them... from now on, this matter is to be buried and forgotten. No one is to ever speak a word of it outside this house. Especially you. If you truly care for our fourth son, then control... control your... tongue..."

Before he could finish, Ji Qingshan slid from his chair onto the floor. His eyes were shut tight, and two trickles of blood flowed from his nostrils.