Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 13 Every Transmigrator Encounters a Charlatan

In the early morning in the inner city of Xuandu, ordinary people began their busy day.

A luxurious carriage was parked next to the breakfast stall. A little girl with her hair in two buns stood on tiptoe, tilted her head, and leaned against the carriage window, talking incessantly into the carriage.

"Ah, sorry, it's still steamed buns."

"There's no filling. Forget about beef; even if we were to fall and die, it would be impossible for my family. We couldn't buy any mutton either; Butcher Liu said that the Du family had already booked it for their banquet."

“These days, if you haven’t shaved a pig…” He seemed to realize something and immediately changed the subject, “I think meat buns are out of the question, so let’s make vegetable buns instead.”

"But at this time of year, the rapeseed in my yard has just been sown. If all else fails, I can go outside the city to dig up some shepherd's purse, but my grandfather and the others won't allow it, saying that the area outside the city is in a lot of chaos right now."

Shen Qing sat quietly in the carriage, occasionally chiming in with a few words. He enjoyed listening to Sanya talk and guessed that she must have been a student before she transmigrated, with an innocent look in her eyes that showed she hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society.

We couldn't be late any longer, so we had to interrupt Sanya, who was still eager to continue, and agree to come back tomorrow.

The cart wheels turned, heading towards the imperial city.

Nothing unexpected happened on the way, and Shen Qing smoothly entered the West Pavilion, sat down in her seat, and felt that her luck might be about to change.

This course is so boring! Shen Qing can't help but drift off. Is it really necessary to take this course?

"His Majesty has arrived!"

A servant announced the emperor's arrival from outside, and everyone rose to their feet, for the emperor's face had to be respected.

Scholar Su waved his hand, signaling everyone to be patient, and said he would go out and take a look first.

Sure enough, the emperor was heading to the East Pavilion, which was none of their business. However, these girls who loved to join in the fun all pricked up their ears and eavesdropped through the doors and windows.

When Emperor Yongxi entered the East Pavilion, he took the teacher's seat, and the students below bowed deeply in respect.

"Greetings, Father Emperor."

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Rise. I just happened to come and see if you, the future pillars of the nation, have made any progress."

The emperor's favor was bestowed equally upon everyone, and Emperor Yongxi personally examined each person by name.

When it was Jiang Se's turn, he asked, "What do you study?"

Jiang Se replied, "Control the troops."

How should we interpret the art of war?

"Warfare is based on deception..."

……

Shen Qing picked at her ears, listening to herself doze off, and often felt like a hopeless illiterate.

"Very good. Do you have any writing skills?"

There are no words yet.

"Both the zither and the se are instruments of a gentleman, so let's take the name 'virtuous sound'."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Se's eyes flickered with emotion, her heart filled with complex feelings. She bowed deeply in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing this inscription."

Dewey's face darkened. Just the other day he had made fun of Jiang Se's name, and today the king was here to support her. It must have been Jiang Jieyu's influence.

He felt the ambiguous gazes of his classmates around him, and his face burned as if he had been slapped several times. He was indignant and felt that the king had not cared about the face of the Du family at all. Now even a bastard could climb over him!

The emperor's arrival was just a minor incident. Apart from Jiang Se having a courtesy name and Dewey leaving early on the grounds that it was his grandfather's birthday, everyone else went about their business.

During the break, Li Wan took Shen Qing to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the scenery.

Xuandu's actual geographical name is Wanhe County. Thirty years ago, Emperor Taizu established his capital here. The imperial city still looks very new, with no trace of time.

In Shen Qing's eyes, the Imperial Garden was just an ordinary small park with some flowers, trees, rocks, and a hole dug to draw water and raise some koi. It couldn't compare to the Yiheyuan Garden. Of course, in an era of constant warfare, if the royal family were to indulge in pleasure, the country would be doomed in no time.

Just as they were taking a walk, a bunch of flowers flew towards them and landed in... Li Wan's arms.

Looking up, she saw a young man in a blue robe sitting on a branch winking at Li Wan.

Shen Qing: "..."

What a clumsy way to flirt! Li Wan's face was slightly flushed, but her eyes and brows were full of smiles.

Shen Qing: !!

He quickly pulled Li Wan away, like an old father seeing a blond-haired man trying to abduct his precious daughter.

"This kid is too frivolous!" Shen Qing, who was trying to sow discord among others, completely ignored how bad he used to be.

"Huh?" Li Wan tilted her head to look at Shen Qing. "But the Su and Li families have been friends for generations, and Jin Yu and I have known each other since we were little."

Wow, another childhood sweetheart couple! They're still a perfect match, as always. But as the ancients said, "A man's infatuation can be explained, but a woman's infatuation cannot." Character is the most important thing!

Then Shen Qing said, "Birds of a feather flock together. He hangs out with that idiot Dewey all day long. He's not exactly a smart guy either."

“But the Su and Du families are old friends. Besides, Du Shaoyu is just a bit arrogant like a scion of a powerful family. Jin Yu can’t just stop associating with him over such a small matter, can he?”

Okay, okay, so you've already made excuses for Huang Mao and your cousin, right?

"Qingxi is right!"

Qiu Yinong always appears so unpredictably, popping up from who-knows-where and putting her arm around Shen Qing's shoulder.

"How good can it be if Sukhoi can hang out with Dewey?"

Seeing Li Wan's unfriendly expression, Qiu Yinong had no intention of arguing with her and immediately changed the subject.

"Let's take a gamble and see how many people skip the Grand Master's birthday banquet tonight."

Seeing her beaming with excitement, as if she had just discovered something amazing, Shen Qing asked, "Is something going on here?"

Qiu Yinong scoffed, "Some people are still living in a dream, always thinking about returning to the past when the aristocratic families were the only ones in power, and they're trying to collude with each other. Anyway, my father and brothers won't go, and I doubt the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat will either."

Does this mean someone is planning something? Could it be a coup?

No, no, no, Qiu Yinong wouldn't be in touch with something as serious as a coup, nor would she talk about it so casually. At most, she would report it to the Unity Party to fight for greater rights.

"Some people are really strange. They usually keep a high profile and don't conform to the common people, but when you give them a prestigious official position, they start fighting for power and profit." Qiu Yinong sighed. "It's a pity that although the current emperor is not the founding emperor, he is the founding crown prince. How can those increasingly corrupt families easily control him?"

It seems Emperor Yongxi has quite a story to tell. There are bound to be undercurrents during the transition between the old and the new. He needs to go back and sound out the Shen family father and son to avoid getting inexplicably caught up in other people's power struggles.

I absentmindedly waited until school was over, and when I got home I found that the two of them were indeed at home. They hadn't gone to any of those birthday banquets, which put my mind at ease.

After dinner, Shen Shi suddenly announced that Master Huiyan of Anguo Temple would be giving a sermon the next day, which would be his and Shen Che's day off, so the whole family could go to Huaqing Mountain to worship Buddha.

Shen Qing: ? ? ?

Hiking? Burning incense? Is Shen Shi taking his whole family on a spring outing?

"Father, the palace school is still open tomorrow, so I won't go."

Qin Zhen said, "There's nothing good to go to the Imperial Academy. Master Huiyan is a highly accomplished monk whose predictions have never been wrong. Emperor Taizu established the capital at Wanhe under his guidance, and even the current emperor holds him in high esteem. Sister-in-law, just send someone to ask for leave for you."

Shen Qing: "..."

Did Su Xueshi know how unrespectable he was?

Sure enough, every time traveler encounters a charlatan.