Who Said a Study Servant Can't Win the Imperial Exam? - Chapter 59 - The Advance of the Little Soldiers Part 2

For children, the allure of the Mohoulo figurine was irresistible!

Recently, the storybook “Rainbow Cat” had become wildly popular. The Rainbow Cat Mohoulo figurine was something no child could refuse. And the way to obtain a Mohoulo figurine was simple-just gather some information about the Zhao Mansion from their parents!

These kids might not excel in their studies, but when it came to using their limited cleverness on their parents, they were spot on.

Thus, on this day, a man who worked as a gardener at the Zhao Mansion returned home. At the dinner table, his son suddenly said, “Dad, you must be tired after a long day at work.”

“I heard that the Zhao Mansion is grand and powerful. You work there, aren’t you afraid of being bullied?”

“Does the Family Elder or Young Master ever lose their temper and take it out on innocent people?”

The gardener was deeply touched, exclaiming how understanding and filial his son was. The father and son continued chatting about the Zhao family. The gardener casually mentioned, “Speaking of which, the Young Master at the Zhao Mansion does have a bad temper. Recently, he’s been smashing things at home, muttering…”

“This person could never be a genius, I want to kill him, things like that, quite frightening.”

He was merely chatting, not noticing his son’s eyes suddenly lighting up.

At a certain restaurant, several household servants from the Zhao family were drinking and eating in a small room. With no one around, one of the servants, having drunk too much, angrily said, “Seven years, I’ve worked at the Zhao family for seven years! I’ve been loyal to them!”

“But that Zhao Zhi, he bullied my Niangzi! I’m so angry!”

The other servants empathized and offered comfort. They didn’t notice that in the next room, the restaurant owner’s son was crouched by the serving hatch, eavesdropping. The busy waiter thought his young master was just playing and paid no attention.

At a certain brokerage, while his father was away, a teenage boy took a key and secretly opened the family storeroom. “I vaguely remember my dad saying when he was drunk that the Zhao family is filthy rich. Just the property deeds transferred at our brokerage are enough to fill several books.”

The boy muttered as he rummaged through the shelves in the storeroom. Where could it be hidden? Suddenly, his eyes lit up, “Great, I found it!”

In an inconspicuous private residence in Nanyang, a wealthy tea merchant discreetly invited Vice Magistrate Zhao over for drinks under the guise of a ‘banquet.’ The atmosphere was lively with toasts and exchanges. Finally, the merchant discreetly handed a stack of silver notes to Vice Magistrate Zhao, speaking obsequiously, “Master Zhao, just a token, just a token.”

Zhao Zhi accepted them with a smile, then embraced a beautiful woman and went to the next room. Neither of the adults noticed that the merchant’s six-year-old son had been sitting at the threshold of the living room, playing with a cat. But his little eyes were darting around, observing all the actions of his father and Vice Magistrate Zhao.

Outside Zhao Mansion.

An elderly woman with white hair lay in the alley, her eyes vacant and her face etched with despair. Cui Yu, who was cautiously lingering outside Zhao Mansion, noticed her and felt a pang of sympathy. The sight of the old woman reminded him of his own grandmother.

After a moment of hesitation, Cui Yu spent 1 wen to buy a steamed bun and asked the shopkeeper for a bowl of clear water. He then approached the woman and offered them to her. “Granny, please have something to eat.”

The woman lifted her head and saw the kind-hearted young man. She thanked him profusely, tears streaming down her face. “Good child, thank you.”

“That heartless Zhao Zhi is no human. He took all forty acres of my family’s land!”

Upon hearing this, Cui Yu was taken aback.

By the White River, in the bamboo grove.

The sky was just beginning to darken as Cui Xian waited patiently. Finally, he saw his brothers returning one by one.

The first to arrive was Li Heyu. He looked furious. “Xian, I’ve been investigating. The robbery at your house was likely orchestrated by Zhao’s family!”

“After losing the poetry contest, Zhao Yaozu and Zhao Zhi were humiliated. They learned of your talent for reading and have been holding a grudge.”

“I’ve also identified the Zhao family’s mole within our clan school.”

“But I haven’t acted rashly; I’ve pretended not to know.”

Cui Xian nodded approvingly. “Brother Heyu, well done. We must remain hidden and act in the shadows for now.”

When Zhuang Jin returned, his expression was grim. “Xian, I’ve gathered some information too.”

“Zhao Zhi owns countless properties.”

“He also accepts bribes. The proprietor of Wu’s Tea House gave Zhao Zhi a full two hundred taels of silver tonight! His son saw it with his own eyes.”

“And Zhao Zhi even assaults people!”

Assaults people?

Seeing the puzzled looks on Li Heyu and Cui Xian’s faces, Zhuang Jin continued angrily, “Yes! The young son of Wu’s Tea House saw it himself! Zhao Zhi took a woman to the next room, and she kept screaming, like a pig being slaughtered.”

“…”

Cui Xian was embarrassed and quickly said, “Alright, alright, this might not be a big issue.”

Zhuang Jin was somewhat dissatisfied. “Assaulting people can be reported to the authorities! How can it not be a problem?”

Cui Xian was at a loss for words.

Fortunately, Zhuang Jin didn’t dwell on the matter. He and Li Heyu both looked at Cui Xian expectantly.

Could this information bring down Zhao Zhi?

Cui Xian shook his head.

Embezzlement, bribery, trading power for favors, countless private properties-these seemed severe, but they were still not enough to bring Zhao Zhi to justice.

What was needed was a ‘typical’ crime.

One that could be magnified infinitely, enough to incite the anger of people from all walks of life-scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans-causing a storm that would reach the County Yamen, even the Yamen, forcing them to take action.

It would make the scholars and literati turn their furious gaze toward Zhao’s family.

Zhao’s family might be the leading gentry, true.

But in this ancient society where scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans were ranked, angering the scholarly class meant the end for any gentry.

If the crime was even more typical, Cui Xian was confident he could use Zhao’s family as a target and escalate the matter to Kaifeng Prefecture.

Let Zhao Zhi taste the wrath of the Provincial Governor!

Just as Zhuang Jin, Li Heyu, and Cui Xian were feeling disappointed, Cui Yu came running back.

Breathless, he said, “Brother, I’ve found out some things too. An old woman said her family’s forty acres of land were all seized by Zhao’s family.”

“Not just her, many families in their village have had their land annexed by Zhao’s family.”

Li Heyu was enraged upon hearing this. “That Zhao’s family is truly despicable.”

Zhuang Jin echoed the sentiment with disgust. “Scoundrels! Damn them!”

But Cui Xian’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he uttered words that made everyone present tremble. “Zhao Zhi, I’ve caught your tail!”

Land annexation!

This alone might not be enough to take down Zhao Zhi.

After all, while the crime is grave, Zhao Zhi wields immense power in Nanyang. Even if reported to Kaifeng Prefecture, success is not guaranteed.

But-

What if there was a famous poem, widely circulated and beloved by scholars, that could stir countless hearts with compassion for the plight of farmers?

Zhao Zhi, watch as I wield my pen like a sword.

To ‘slay’ you!