I'm not a fortune teller.

Chapter 104: Upsetting Things
Today is a happy day for Zhou Zhijie. It is said that if you don't return to your hometown when you are rich and powerful, it is like walking in the night in gorgeous clothes. But how many chances can you have to return to your hometown after becoming an official?

This time when I returned to Beijing to report on my work, I was facing senior brothers whose family background and academic performance were better than mine. It felt so good to host a banquet for them as a senior official and reunite with my classmates!
Looking at the familiar faces sitting below him one after another, he couldn't stop smiling.

"I haven't seen you all for three years. It feels like a lifetime ago. Seeing you all again today reminds me of the days when we studied hard. Compared to the current busy schedule, I miss the old days more. Come, I'll toast to you all and wish you all success in the college entrance examination in advance!"

"By Brother Zhou's good words"

"Thank you, Brother Zhou!"

Upon hearing this, the scholars sitting below hurriedly stood up and held up the wine, agreeing with the other party's words, but they felt uncomfortable in their hearts.

Back then, Zhou Zhijie's grades in Class A of the academy were mediocre, and the teachers thought that he had little chance of passing the exam. As a result, those who were capable and had a good background gave up the exam. In the absence of a tiger in the mountain, this monkey actually became the king, and now he runs in front of them to show off, which is really disgusting.

You still miss the time when you studied hard. Why don't you quit your job and go back to study hard?

But even though he was indignant, he could only accept it. After all, it was because others passed the exam and became officials, while he and others were still stuck at the most difficult hurdle.
It is said that the lineup for this year's imperial examination is strong. With the addition of those who gave up the exam in the previous session and the newcomers this session, the number of candidates is nearly half more than the usual imperial examination, but the number of Jinshi places has not increased. When thinking of the competitive pressure, many people feel that they have suffered a great loss.

If I had known earlier, I should have rushed forward.
"Where do you work now, Brother Zhou?" One of the scholars tactfully asked Zhou Zhijie the most interesting question.

"Alas, I am incompetent. I have wasted three years without any progress. I have no choice but to be transferred back to Tianshui County, Nanming Prefecture, Jiangnan, and I am still a seventh-rank county official. I am embarrassed for everyone."

"Brother Zhou is really modest!" A group of people were shocked when they heard this and quickly echoed: "This kind of lateral transfer is no different from a promotion. According to the standards of Tianshui County, in another three years, Brother Zhou will at least be a provincial governor!"

This bastard is really good at scheming!
Tianshui County is a famously wealthy county in Nanming Prefecture. The annual tax revenue is so much that it can make the neighboring prefect's eyes sparkle. In this position, as long as you show some filial piety to your superiors, your future will not be bad. It is almost the safest step to promotion.

The most important thing is that most of the people present are from Nanming Prefecture, and many of their family businesses are in Tianshui County. They are afraid that they will have to ask for help from each other in the future. When they think that this nouveau riche, whom they once disdained to make friends with, has fallen to this point, they become even more anxious.

Especially the tall scholar sitting opposite Zhou Zhijie.

The scholar's name was Liu Hong. He was the leader of the non-aristocratic class A that year. His family had been officials for four generations, and was a family of scholars. However, he did not expect that he would be overshadowed by a nouveau riche. He is now thirty years old and has not yet passed the imperial examination, while the other party is only twenty-two. If he fails to pass the examination this year, he may not have the face to attend the next class reunion.

"By the way, I remember that the four of you went to Beijing to take the exam together, and it seems that you all passed. What about the other three?"

Hearing this topic, others also looked over curiously. No matter what, they were all classmates. If they made the list this time, they might have to take care of each other in the future, so they had to build a good relationship in advance.

"Oh," Zhou Zhijie said with a smile, "Jin Shaochen's position is not bad either, in a small county town in Yunzhou, and it's also a horizontal transfer, which is much better than the last time. He caught a cold yesterday and couldn't come to the cocktail party today, so let me apologize on his behalf."

Hearing that the other one was also transferred to the same position, many people felt a little relieved. If they and others had not passed the exam yet, and the person who once sat in the corner position had become a prefect, that would really make them unable to sleep.

"What about Cui Yan, the most handsome man in our Bailu Academy?" one of the scholars asked curiously.

As soon as these words came out, many people looked at Zhou Zhijie curiously. Cui Yan was also a hot topic in Bailu Academy back then. The daughter of the prefect of Nanming Prefecture was determined to win him over. That boy was really ignorant and directly rejected the prefect's proposal. Fortunately, the prefect Qi was a gentleman back then, otherwise, with a little bit of trickery, Cui Yan would not have the chance to come to Beijing for the exam.

It is said that although the prefect's daughter is married, she still misses Cui Yan and is secretly inquiring about Cui Yan's whereabouts. Last time, her husband's family found out and made a big fuss. If it weren't for the fact that her father is the prefect, they might have divorced her. This happened the year before last and is still the gossip of many people.

Cui Yan has been in office for three years now. If he is transferred back to Jiangnan like Zhou Zhijie, it will be exciting to watch.

"Brother Cui?" Zhou Zhijie was a little sarcastic. "I don't know who he offended back then, and was exiled to a place like Southern Xinjiang to serve as an official. It is said that he was involved in a big case when he came back this time. I don't know if he can come today. It's a pity that he didn't know how to use such a good appearance and ended up in this situation now."

At that time, all the unmarried daughters of the Nanming Prefecture stared at Cui Yan like wolves, especially the daughter of Magistrate Qi, who was determined to marry that pretty boy and ignored her despite his attentiveness.

How is it now?

Now he will be the prefect in three years at most, and Cui Yan will have to eat insects in southern Xinjiang for many more years.

"I'm talking about you."

Zhang Rui, who had already reached the door but had not yet entered, looked at Cui Yan with gloating eyes.

This pretty boy is really being envied, right?
"No one told you whether you were very happy or not?" Cui Yan rolled his eyes at Zhang Rui.

Zhang Rui's face suddenly fell when he heard this.

Because he found that those so-called classmates, after talking about Cui Yan, skipped the topic and started talking about other things.

Hey, weren't we just talking about the four people who were going to Beijing to take the exam? I only mentioned three of them. Did you forget the remaining one?

I was just about to enter the scene when you were talking about me.
Seeing Zhang Rui's distorted expression, Cui Yan couldn't help but smile and explained in a low voice: "The essay you wrote back then was rubbish, and you were scolded countless times by the teacher. When you shamelessly asked the teacher for a recommendation to go to Beijing to take the exam, no one thought you could pass. Now, although you have passed the imperial examination, I think you must have subconsciously not done very well."

"A bunch of blind bastards." Zhang Rui pouted and complained, but he was not too upset. He didn't really want to get to know these classmates whom he didn't even remember.

The reason I came here today was just because I didn't want to be accused of looking down on my former classmates after I got promoted. If I had known that a group of people didn't care about me, I might as well have taken a hot bath at home.

Cui Yan found Zhang Rui's complaints interesting and was about to make a few more sarcastic remarks when he heard a handsome scholar in the corner say, "Master Zhang Rui is not coming today?"

"Who is that?"

Zhang Rui outside the door suddenly felt curious that someone would mention him like this.

"Yang Qi, who belongs to the aristocratic family, is only known to be a good friend of An Qixuan. They rarely come into contact with each other on weekdays." Cui Yan frowned: "You don't remember this person?"

"You said we didn't have much contact on weekdays, so how could I remember?" Zhang Rui made up an excuse and then asked, "If that's the case, why did he take the initiative to mention me?"

"What do you think?" Cui Yan said with a smile, "An Qixuan is not in the same group with us, but he took the initiative to attend Zhou Zhijie's classmate banquet today. Do you think he is really doing this for Zhou Zhijie's sake? He is obviously here to cause trouble for you."

Zhang Rui: “.”

"Master Zhang Rui?"

A group of people were stunned, and then they realized: "Oh, by the way, Zhang Rui also passed the exam."

Many people were even more angry when they thought of this. How could Zhang Rui's poorly written essays win the imperial examination? What kind of idiots were the candidates for the imperial examination? I remember that when many people heard the news, they were so angry that they couldn't sleep for several nights.

Soon, everyone heard even more shocking news.

"Brother Zhang is extraordinary." Zhou Zhijie said with a fake smile, "He was promoted to a higher position the first time he returned to Beijing to report on his duties. Now he is working in the Dali Temple. He is doing much better than me."

"What?"

"real or fake?"

"Brother Zhou, are you kidding?"

Many people looked over in disbelief.

That guy who was scolded by the teacher all day long was actually promoted to an official in Beijing?
If this news spreads back, I'm afraid the teacher won't be able to sleep at night.
"I really didn't realize this, Brother Zhang is really... a person who has accumulated a lot of experience and is now ready to make a breakthrough." One of the scholars thought for a long time and came up with this word.

"Really? Who would have thought that among our group of brothers, the first one to run out would be Brother Zhang."

"That's right, Brother Zhou, where is Brother Zhang? Didn't he come today?"

"Should I come?" Zhou Zhijie said with a guilty conscience.

He really couldn't see through Zhang Rui. He remembered that he was obviously a dull country boy, but he passed the imperial examination and the teacher said he was extremely lucky. Such a guy followed his group to Beijing to take the imperial examination and not only passed the imperial examination, but now he has become an official in Beijing.

When he heard the news a few days ago, he was unable to figure it out the whole night.

After I sent someone to inquire about Zhang Rui's residence yesterday, I was even more confused.

Zhuque Street, a luxury house with a lake view close to Zhuque Gate, my God!
I have made a lot of money in the past three years, but with that little money, I can only buy a toilet in Zhuque Street at most. He, on the other hand, has even bought a mansion. Wasn't this guy allocated a poor small county in the north before?

Is this going to skin the people of that county?
Zhang Rui sighed as he listened to everyone's discussions. Just as he was about to knock on the door and go in, there was suddenly a commotion at the entrance of the restaurant downstairs.

Then an extremely dull voice came from downstairs: "Zhang, get out of here!!!"

(End of this chapter)