C13 Give Her Another Chance

Hongfu House, one of the four renowned dining establishments in the capital, is as famous as Songhe House.

Gu Changping stepped out of the carriage and waited for Shen Changgeng to join him before they leisurely entered the restaurant. An attendant from Ministry Shea's entourage greeted them respectfully and led them to a private room.

Upon their arrival, Ministry Shea stood to exchange pleasantries and ordered the steaming dishes and wine to be served. After a few rounds of drinks and a variety of dishes, Ministry Shea waved off the attendants, leaving the room to the three of them.

"Lord Gu, how is my son's essay?" Ministry Shea inquired.

Gu Changping responded warmly, "Like father, like son. Your son's essay is excellent, and he should soon be admitted to the Imperial College."

Ministry Shea sighed in relief and offered a toast in gratitude. Afterward, he asked, "I've heard there's a scholar named Jing Bao from Lin’an Prefecture?"

Gu Changping's expression grew slightly serious. "There is such a person. What would you like to know, Ministry Shea?"

Ministry Shea chuckled, "I wouldn't dare to give orders. I just wanted to inquire about his essay. Has he been admitted?"

"What concern is that of yours?" Shen Changgeng couldn't help but interject. "Revealing your son's results was already against the rules."

Ministry Shea's face darkened, and his voice lowered. "Don't misunderstand, Shen. I was merely making conversation."

Just then, a knock on the door startled the three men. A man dressed as a legal advisor entered. He had long eyes and an aquiline nose, appearing to be in his early thirties. It was Wu Ann, the trusted aide of the Chief Minister.

Wu Ann bowed to Gu Changping. "I saw your carriage as soon as I got out of mine. I asked around and, sure enough, you were here."

Gu Changping quickly stood and returned the gesture. "Is the teacher here too?"

Wu Ann's gaze drifted to Ministry Shea, and he smiled. "He's in Room One. He'd like you to join him for a chat."

Gu Changping straightened his clothes, apologized to Ministry Shea, and left the table, with Shen Changgeng following closely behind. Ministry Shea watched the empty table, sipped his drink, and chuckled coldly. "Running into each other here, what a coincidence!"

In Room One, several officials sat around a man who was in his fifties, dressed in fine clothes. He was sipping tea, his eyes on Gu Changping, not as gentle as usual but rather sharp and intense.

Gu Changping composed himself and respectfully greeted, "Sir!"

Cao Mingkang waved his hand. "This isn't the court. Just call me teacher like you do in private. Come, have a seat."

As he spoke, an official made room for Gu Changping, who sat down, took a clean cup, filled it with wine, and toasted his mentor.

After a few drinks, Cao Mingkang gently traced the rim of his cup and remarked, "I hear Ministry Shea is hosting today?"

Gu Changping chuckled, "He came to ask about young Mr. Stone's performance."

Cao Mingkang inquired, "How did he do?"

Gu Changping replied, "The essay was well-written, but..." He trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid. Yet, everyone at the table was sharp enough to catch on and turned their eyes to Elder Cao.

Elder Cao and Minister Shea both served in the same court, favored by the emperor. The only difference was that Elder Cao was closer to the Crown Prince, while Minister Shea remained solely loyal to the emperor.

At this moment, Shen Changgeng interjected, "Besides asking about his own son, he also inquired about the Marquis's son-in-law."

"Can't you keep your mouth shut with a drink in hand?" Gu Changping reprimanded sharply.

"If he's allowed to ask, why can't I speak?" Shen Changgeng muttered, sneaking a glance at Elder Cao before sheepishly lowering his head to sip his drink.

Elder Cao turned to Gu Changping, "How did the Marquis's son-in-law perform?"

Gu Changping quickly composed himself, "The essay is missing a few lines, but everything else is excellent."

Elder Cao tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully, "Perhaps he was distracted by other matters. In my opinion, he deserves another chance."

Everyone at the table agreed, except for Gu Changping, whose face suddenly turned pale.

As the gathering dispersed, the group moved on to find entertainment elsewhere, but Gu Changping claimed that Minister Shea was still waiting for him, and he didn't join them.

Cao Mingkang patted him on the shoulder, his eyes showing a hint of approval.

When he returned to the room next door, Ministry Shea had already left. He stood by the table for a moment, then sat down, unhurried.

Shen Changgeng walked in cheerfully. "Hey, where's old Shea?"

Gu Changping didn't want to engage, sipping his cold drink in silence.

Shen Changgeng leaned in, shamelessly saying, "I'm just trying to nurture talent, you know?"

"You're not nurturing talent; you're pushing people into the fire!"

"That Shea wouldn't dare!"

Shen Changgeng slammed the table, his face flushed with urgency. "Right under the emperor's nose, there's still law and order."

Gu Changping looked at this clueless fool, feeling a headache coming on.

Inside the residence, Jing Bao tended to his injuries. "Check that horse, find out why it went wild."

Yan was just waiting for the Seventh Master's command. With a quick "Yes," he vanished into the night.

Mann was suspicious. "Could it be the Great Madam's doing?"

"The Great Madam? She hasn't even secured her position in the Jing family. Why would she want to harm me? Get some sleep!"

Jing Bao stifled a yawn, his eyes misty, causing Mann's heart to skip a beat.

Oh no!

At some point, the Seventh Master's every move had taken on a natural grace. Who knows if he can keep it hidden in the future?

The next day.

Jing Bao had just gotten up when the head steward of the Jing Mansion, Jing Qing, arrived.

"Seventh Master, you should head to the front. We have an important guest."

Jing Bao was puzzled. "An important guest? Who?"

Jing Qing replied, "It's Mr. Shen from the Imperial College. He's here to deliver a letter!"

A letter? Did she get accepted?