Chapter 137 - 100, note
The white-clothed Baiyi Lane at night was bustling with people flowing over the bluestone-paved road like a shuttle through a loom.
Today was the Autumn Imperial Examination, and many Qingyin Small Class establishments had hung lanterns painted with green bamboo branches and leaves, which exuded an air of slender elegance.
These lanterns held a secret.
Scholars and literati could pay fifty taels of silver to buy a lantern and write their "bet" on the topics that might be examined under the category of "current affairs". If someone guessed the topic correctly, they could go to the Qingyin Small Class on the day the results were announced and be celebrated as the "top scorer" for the night.
Tonight, Baiyi Lane was as lively as the City God Temple Fair during the Lantern Festival, with brilliant lights illuminating the stone-paved streets.
At that moment, a carriage slowly pulled up outside Baiyi Lane. Jin Zhu, who was driving, climbed into the carriage and removed a black cloth from Chen Ji’s eyes, "We’ve arrived."
Chen Ji stood up to get out but was pushed back down by Jin Zhu.
With a grave expression, Jin Zhu said, "Before we meet Liu Mingxian, you’ve got to tell me why we’re here. After Jiao Tu and Yun Yang revealed Old Master Liu’s coffin, there was an uproar among the civil officials. If we don’t have concrete evidence now, we absolutely cannot touch another member of the Liu Family."
Chen Ji stood up again, smiling, "Lord Jin Zhu, if you trust a person, do not doubt them; if you doubt a person, do not use them. Since you’ve approached me, stop looking so worried."
Finished speaking, he picked up a bamboo hat from inside the carriage, placed it on his head, jumped out, and blended into the crowd.
Jin Zhu pressed down on the brim of his own bamboo hat and muttered to himself, "I’ll trust you this time."