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“I was worried about you all, but it turns out you’re the one who’s been hiding your wealth.”
“Yes, Jingyu, your family is really wealthy, huh? You’ve been so low-key.” Initially, they thought these people were just moderately affluent, but now it was clear that they were not just well-off but extremely wealthy. Bringing out 200,000 silver tickets like it was nothing.
Wang Jingyu casually tossed the 200,000 silver tickets onto the table. “It’s all here. Where’s yours?”
Zhao Hongjie couldn’t stop sweating, feeling like Wang Jingyu was looking at him like he was a monster.
How could someone so unassuming turn out to be like this?
“I… “
“Let’s make the bet.”
Zhao Hongjie instinctively turned at the sound of the voice, surprised to see the newcomer. “Big brother, why are you here?”
“Here’s 200,000 silver tickets.”
Wang Jingyu glanced at the person without saying much.
It was Luo Su whose eyes lit up as he asked, “Jingyu, if you win, do we get a share?”
“Agreed.”
“Jingyu, you truly are a great brother to us.”
“What about us?” The people who had recently become acquainted with Wang Jingyu couldn’t help but join in.
“Everyone is included.”
“Now that the wager has been established, we need to find a reputable person to act as the witness for this bet,” someone suggested.
Selecting a respected individual as a witness was to prevent anyone from reneging on the bet if they lost.
The group looked at each other, unsure of who to choose as a reputable witness.
“I can act as the witness for this wager. What do you all think?” A voice, elderly and wise, spoke from the corner.
Upon hearing the voice, everyone turned to see an elderly man, appearing to be in his seventies or eighties, sitting in the corner.
“It’s the former Prime Minister.”
“Yes, the former Prime Minister retired to his hometown a long time ago and hasn’t visited the capital in ages. Yet, he’s here now.”
“I participated in setting the exam questions. Do you both agree to have me as the witness?” The former Prime Minister smiled and asked Wang Jingyu and the others.
Wang Jingyu smiled and shook his head. “Thank you, former Prime Minister. We have no objections.”
The former Prime Minister nodded in satisfaction with Wang Jingyu.
Since the beginning, this young man had shown humility and composure, avoiding impulsiveness. His agreement to the wager was likely provoked by the other party’s aggressive behavior.
This child shows great promise, and those around him are also quite impressive.
It seems that this time, the Emperor will find several candidates he favors.
“And you?” The former Prime Minister turned to Zhao Hongjie and asked.
Zhao Hongjie instinctively looked at his brother, feeling a bit worried.
His brother, however, nodded in agreement. “We have no objections either. Thank you, former Prime Minister.”
The former Prime Minister waved his hand. “No need to thank me. In that case, I’ll hold onto the money for now. Shall I bring it out tomorrow morning? Any objections?”
“None.” Wang Jingyu and Zhao Hongjie shook their heads simultaneously.
While Wang Jingyu might not be very familiar with the former Prime Minister, Zhao Hongjie knew him well.
The former Prime Minister was known for his integrity; when he left his position, he declined the Emperor’s rewards and only took his personal belongings. There was no doubt about the safety of the silver tickets in his hands.
“Since that’s settled, let’s disperse for now and reconvene tomorrow.”
Zhao Hongjie followed his brother back, furrowing his brow as he asked, “Brother, have you made all the arrangements on your end?”
“Don’t worry, everything is arranged, and there shouldn’t be any major issues. Besides, the exam questions were discussed with you beforehand, so you should be able to answer them correctly.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongjie felt completely reassured.
With a dark expression, he said, “I’ve had my eye on them for a while now. They come from a small place, yet they are more popular than me.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongjie’s brother gave him a stern look. “Don’t talk nonsense. Seeing them casually produce 200,000 silver tickets, their family is definitely not ordinary. Be cautious when dealing with such people.”
“I understand.”
“By the way, what’s his name? Where is he from?”
“His name is Wang Jingyu, and he comes from Fu’an County, just a small place.”
Narrowing his eyes, Zhao Hongjie’s brother said, “Don’t underestimate anyone, and this coincidence is too much. Besides, his surname is also Wang.”
“What do you mean by that?” Zhao Hongjie looked at his brother discontentedly, wondering what his brother was trying to convey.
“The Princess Yu’s fief is in Fu’an County, and she also has the surname Wang. If he is the Princess Yu’s brother, then things could get complicated.”
“Wouldn’t this be more beneficial for us?”
Zhao Hongjie’s brother glanced at him and didn’t say much.
The next morning, Zhao Hongjie and his brother went to the tavern from the previous day, where Wang Jingyu and his group had already arrived.
Today, everyone was dressed in very nice attire.
Seeing Wang Jingyu’s outfit, Zhao Hongjie sarcastically chuckled, “Do you think changing your clothes will help you win against me? What a far-fetched idea.”
Wang Jingyu had no interest in engaging with Zhao Hongjie. Talking to someone like him would only lower his own intelligence.
“Jingyu, how can you tolerate this?”
“What is there not to tolerate? I’ve heard worse things before and managed to endure them. Why wouldn’t I be able to now? Besides, the word ‘endure’ has a knife at the beginning. It’s just that this knife might not necessarily stab the same person in the end.”
Luo Su’s eyes lit up as he suddenly understood Wang Jingyu’s meaning. “Jingyu is right. We just hope that certain individuals won’t end up in tears later on. That wouldn’t look good.”
“Who are you referring to?”
Qin Lang looked coldly at Zhao Hongjie. “Did A Su mention you? Did he point at you or mention your name in his words?”
“You…”
“Enough. Don’t seek temporary satisfaction from others. It’s pointless.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongjie felt stifled and remained silent. “I understand.”
When the former Prime Minister arrived, he smiled and remarked, “It seems you are all eager for the results. It’s not even fully light out, and you’re already here.”
“Why did you come so early, former Prime Minister?” Wang Jingyu asked.
“The old man is in good health and wanted to see how you young people perform as soon as possible. After years of hard study, one looks forward to this day of achievement,” the former Prime Minister said with a smile.
Everyone couldn’t help but laugh.
However, most eyes were on Wang Jingyu and Zhao Hongjie. In reality, they were both eager to know who would ultimately emerge victorious.
They didn’t particularly like Zhao Hongjie, as he was arrogant and didn’t treat others with respect. In contrast, Wang Jingyu was the complete opposite – polite and courteous to everyone, making conversations with him very pleasant. If given the choice, they would definitely choose Wang Jingyu over Zhao Hongjie.
“Former Prime Minister, you mustn’t show favoritism,” Zhao Hongjie said with a smile.
The former Prime Minister looked displeased at Zhao Hongjie, but before he could speak, Zhao Hongjie’s brother spoke up first. “Hongjie, apologize.”
“But, brother…”
“Apologize.”
The former Prime Minister looked at the brothers and calmly said, “There’s no need for an apology. My conduct during my many years in office is well-known to all, and it cannot be tarnished by a few words.”
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