Chapter 75

Shuiqing didn’t particularly value whether the imperial examination was taken seriously or not.

“Some people are knowledgeable but just not suited for exams; others have strong practical skills but struggle with tests,” she thought to herself, unperturbed by the challenge of the three individuals before her. Yet, as a scholar, Fan Jin seemed quite concerned about the imperial examination. His eyes, once gleaming, dimmed noticeably, his eyelids drooping to conceal a sense of defeat.

Arching an eyebrow, she asked, “Whose dog wasn’t properly tied up and got loose?”

Zheng Pingsheng initially found it amusing to see his senior brother rendered speechless, but he suddenly bristled upon being insulted as a dog.

Upon seeing that it was a woman who had insulted them, he grew even angrier, squinting as he asked, “Who are you calling a dog?”

“I call it as I see it,” Shuiqing replied bluntly.

Being taunted as dogs left the three scholars unable to save face. Zhou Wenzhang gripped his folding fan and pointed at Shuiqing through gritted teeth. “You dare mock us as dogs? You’re the real dog here!”

“And who is the dog barking at?” Shuiqing retorted without hesitation.

“You’re the one the dog’s barking at!” Zhou Wenzhang shot back without hesitation.

The diners at the surrounding tables erupted in laughter.

Zheng Pingsheng quickly tugged at Zhou Wenzhang’s sleeve, who, amidst the laughter, came to his senses and flushed with anger.

Originally, the five children wanted to rush forward upon hearing their father being insulted, but now they were all stunned into silence.

Fan Jin hadn’t expected Shuiqing to remain unfazed by others’ mockery and even come to his defense!

These three men were inseparable when they went out, and they were always quick to ridicule him when they met. He had always adhered to the principle of staying away.

After all, he failed the imperial examination, and what others said was true; he couldn’t argue back.

He had argued in the past, but people around him only criticized him for not being able to pass.

They said he wasn’t knowledgeable, and his temper was bad.

They said he focused on competing and being competitive, no wonder he repeatedly failed the exams…

Others would only criticize him, but Shuiqing was different. She didn’t care at all whether he passed or failed; she defended him with confidence.

Zheng Pingsheng heard the laughter around him, looked at Fan Jin, whose head was originally bowed low, gradually raising it.

He looked at Shuiqing with disdain and said coldly, “The sage is right, only women and lowly people are hard to raise.”

Shuiqing retorted, “If you want to argue, argue. Why bring gender into it when you can’t win? Being a woman is now your excuse for attacking her?”

“That’s all you’ve got!” Zheng Pingsheng sneered.

“The emperor rules with filial piety, yet you disrespect your mother. Truly a waste of a scholar.”

Scholars fear being accused of filial impiety; serious accusations can ruin their careers!

Being labeled as unfilial made Zheng Pingsheng anxious. He hurriedly defended himself, “How am I unfilial to my mother? You, a mere village woman, don’t talk nonsense!”

Sitting casually at the table, Shuiqing calmly questioned Zheng Pingsheng who was standing before her, “You said only women and lowly people are hard to raise. Since your mother is a woman, and assuming your father is a man, putting her in the same category as lowly people, isn’t that unfilial?”

“You, you, you…” Zheng Pingsheng turned red with embarrassment, struggling to find a rebuttal.

Whispers began among the diners nearby.

Sun Qiang saw his two companions rendered speechless. They were used to criticizing others; when had they been pushed to this extent?

Here’s the translation of the text into English:

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Suddenly, Sun Qiang was furious and took two steps forward, confronting Shuiqing directly, and rebuked, “A woman without talent lacks virtue!”

Shuiqing didn’t argue whether this statement was correct or not, but asked him, “What is the preceding sentence to that statement? Tell me.”

Sun Qiang certainly couldn’t say it!

If he did, wouldn’t he be humiliating himself?

But the diners around them were not willing to let it go, clamoring, “So there’s a preceding sentence? What is it? Quickly tell us!”

“Is there anything we can’t hear?”

“Oh, three scholars, can’t let yourselves be outdone by a woman. Speak up, let’s evaluate!”

The diners around, full from their meal and drink, looked like they were eager for entertainment.

Zheng Pingsheng and the others knew they were being made fun of, but in their current situation, staying or leaving were both no good.

But it was impossible for them to say it.

As long as they didn’t say it, others wouldn’t know and they wouldn’t lose face!

Fan Jin looked at Shuiqing, the disappointment in his dark eyes vanished completely, replaced by a hint of a smile, and he leisurely said, “A man of virtue is indeed talented.”

Shuiqing clarified for the surrounding diners, “A man with ambition should prioritize virtue and complement it with talent. It reminds every man to value virtue!

But how come when it comes to you three, you only remember the demands and constraints on women, and don’t remember anything about yourselves.”

The three men never expected that Fan Jin’s wife understood scholarly matters.

How could that be possible!

Fan Jin’s wife was just the daughter of a butcher, how could she know knowledge from books? And argue with them.

Especially since they hadn’t argued yet!

Shanhai Building was among the best in Guangning Prefecture, and most of the people who came to eat were businessmen making money, not very understanding of scholarly words.

As soon as Shuiqing explained, they immediately understood!

Businessmen had low status in Mingguo, and now they saw that scholars, who had always been high above them, were just like this, suddenly feeling that people couldn’t be judged by their professions.

There were dishonest businessmen among them, but not all scholars were good!

“Are these scholars? I’m better off being a businessman!”

“Virtue, from start to finish, I didn’t see a bit of it.”

“Three grown men speaking about a woman, forgetting that their own mothers are also women? At home, they are obedient, but outside, they are arrogant!”

Zheng Pingsheng and the three men had always come to the Shanhai Building dressed in scholar’s robes. Even though they didn’t order many dishes, they were always treated politely and respectfully.

When they spoke well, there were even businessmen clamoring to pay for them!

Today, they also wanted to talk big and find a wealthy businessman to pay the bill, but unexpectedly they were looked down upon by the businessmen they had always despised.

The three were about to turn and leave, when the waiter came over with a large wooden tray, shouting, “Guests, sorry for the wait! Your dishes are here.”

They saw braised pork, stir-fried baby chicken, shrimp with scrambled eggs, steamed fish, braised rabbit meat… all delicious dishes, causing the three to salivate.

Shuiqing was not an easy-going host, and now he was striking the fallen, asking, “We were just having a good meal, and you three started mocking us for eating dumplings at a roadside stall. Look at yourselves clearly, did we order dumplings?

Oh right, I heard you mention earlier, who has already become a scholar? Taking the next step means entering the officialdom as a government official, can your virtue qualify you to be officials?

Come on, which one of you is a scholar, let everyone see the elegance of a scholar!”

Zheng Pingsheng originally loved seeing his mentor, who later became his father-in-law, Fan Jin, unable to lift his head. But now the one unable to lift his head had become himself, and he wished he could escape with oiled feet.

Especially afraid of people knowing his name.