Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 443: Ning Zhijun's Thoughts

Cuiwei Tower by the lake.

As the largest restaurant in Shuntian Prefecture, it can accommodate hundreds of people.

Chen Ce is holding a banquet today, and the Confucian scholars came here early to wait for Chen Ce's arrival.

After Chen Ce arrived at the restaurant, he confessed to all the Confucian scholars at the banquet that he was not the one who taught Zhu Zhishan, and that it was a rumor spread outside. In fact, the person who really taught Zhu Zhishan was someone else.

When this group of Confucian scholars learned that it was the Zhang brothers who were secretly teaching Zhu Zhishan, they were filled with disbelief.

However, after Zhu Zhishan personally admitted it, the Confucian scholars no longer suspected him.

After all, as a scholar, no one believed that Zhu Zhishan would lie about such a thing, but the fact is that Zhu Zhishan did lie.

Not only did he lie, he also praised the Zhang brothers heavily, saying that the Zhang brothers predicted the imperial examination questions for him and their predictions were very accurate.

For a time, this group of Confucian scholars were full of admiration for the Zhang brothers and wanted to become their disciples.

The Zhang brothers were not polite and pretended to be calm, saying that there were more and more students joining them these days, and they couldn't accept everyone. They either had to be talented or rich...

After this was said, countless Confucian scholars were willing to pay a high price to become disciples of the Zhang brothers, but they were all fooled by them.

Chen Ce naturally did not stay here for long and handed the spotlight to the Zhang brothers. He came here today just to go through the motions, and all subsequent matters would be left to the Zhang brothers.

Chen Ce left the banquet with his hands behind his back. Just as he was about to leave, he happened to meet Ning Zhijun.

"Mr. Chen, are you eating here too?"

Chen Ce hummed, nodded slightly and said: "What are you doing?"

Ning Zhijun said, "My father and I have invited Zhan Ruoshui to a banquet. If you are free, you can go and have a chat. It won't take up your time, right?"

Chen Ce shook his head and said, "I won't go over. Please congratulate Zhan Ruoshui on my behalf."

"it is good!"

Ning Zhijun did not try to persuade him to stay and walked towards the private room.

"Mr. Chen."

Chen Ce turned around and found Zhan Ruoshui standing at the door of the private room and calling him. He couldn't help but frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded, saying, "Congratulations."

Zhan Ruoshui came over quickly and said to Chen Ce, "Go in and sit for a while. Bo Chou and Lord Ning are all here."

Chen Ce shook his head and said, "I have something else to do."

Zhan Ruoshui said: "It won't take much time, let's go in and have a chat."

Zhan Ruoshui had good intentions. He knew that Lun Wenxu might be harboring resentment towards Chen Ce because he failed to come up with the right couplet during their wedding ceremony, and thought that Chen Ce was deliberately making trouble and targeting him.

So taking this opportunity, Zhan Ruoshui wanted to talk things out and clear up the misunderstanding.

Zhan Ruoshui was very enthusiastic, and Chen Ce couldn't refuse, so he followed him into the private room.

Ning Cheng, Ning Zhijun, Lun Wenxu, Lun's father, Lun's mother, and Zhan Ruoshui, that's all the people in the private room.

After Chen Ce came in, he sat down and exchanged a few words with everyone, then nodded to Zhan Ruoshui. He was about to leave with the excuse that he had something to do.

Zhan Ruoshui smiled and said, "I still haven't figured out the perfect couplet that Chun Jian gave me when we got married last time. Bochou and I have been thinking hard for a long time but still can't figure it out... You really make it difficult for us." Chen Ce glanced at Zhan Ruoshui slightly. He seemed to understand what Zhan Ruoshui meant. He looked at Lun Wenxu deeply and said, "In fact, I heard about that couplet from hearsay. I still haven't figured out the second half of it myself."

Zhan Ruoshui is a very thoughtful person. Last time at Lun Wenxu's wedding banquet, Chen Ce proposed a couplet, but Lun Wenxu failed to match it, which probably made him lose face at the banquet.

Lun Wenxu was a man with a strong sense of self-esteem. He was defeated in the area where he was most confident. If someone had gossiped about him at that time, he would probably have held a grudge against him.

That's why Zhan Ruoshui took this opportunity to help Lun Wenxu resolve his emotional issues.

Chen Ce understood and immediately explained according to Zhan Ruoshui's words.

Zhan Ruoshui also took a deep look at Chen Ce, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart that it would be a great pleasure in life if he could make friends with someone like Chen Ce.

He was too smart and understood the ways of the world too well to care about his own reputation at all. How could he not be able to answer the first verse he had proposed?

But now he deliberately belittles himself just to resolve this unnecessary right and wrong. His broad mind, tolerance of mundane affairs, everything about him is beyond the reach of others!
Zhan Ruoshui admires Chen Ce from the bottom of his heart.

"Haha, Bochou, you and I have been studying hard for so long. I thought that when I met Chunjian today, I would be able to see the second half of the poem. But it's a pity that Chunjian didn't even think of the second half!"

Lun Wenxu smiled but didn't say much.

Ning Zhijun spoke at this time. He looked at Chen Ce and said, "Chun Jian, the imperial examination is about to begin. There are no outsiders here. I would like to ask you to help my father smooth out the relationship with the Ministry of Rites."

Zhan Ruoshui was slightly stunned. Miss Ning's words now were just to provoke Bo Chou, weren't they?

As expected, Lun Wenxu's face fell again.

Doesn't she know that Bochou is a bit sensitive by nature?

Chen Ce looked at Ning Zhijun in astonishment, then looked at Lun Wenxu. He was silent for a moment, and said to Ning Zhijun: "Miss Ning, I really can't do anything."

Lun Wenxu sneered, "Mr. Chen does have some connections in the officialdom, that's undeniable, but I think he still has no say in matters like the imperial examination."

He clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, father-in-law. I will go to Master Liang to plead for mercy."

Ning Zhijun said: "Master Liang is from the Hanlin Academy, so he probably has no say in the Ministry of Rites, right? My husband, you don't know anyone from the Ministry of Rites, but Chunjian has a good relationship with Minister Cheng..."

Lun Wenxu interrupted Ning Zhijun and said, "Why can't Master Liang have a say in the Ministry of Rites? We shouldn't bother outsiders with our own affairs, right?"

"In any case, my father-in-law will definitely not have any problems in this imperial examination."

Chen Ce glanced at Ning Zhijun and Lun Wenxu. Anyone who was not a fool should be able to see that there was a problem in the relationship between the couple.

Chen Ce nodded and said, "Lord Lun is right. Minister Cheng and I are just nodding acquaintances, so I can't be of much help."

"Well, you guys eat first. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

Chen Ce stood up and bowed to say goodbye. Ning Zhijun suddenly said, "Dad, don't worry about it for the time being. My husband said that he will not let you get into trouble during this inspection. My husband is still capable in the Hanlin Academy, so you can rest assured."

When Chen Ce heard this, he paused for a moment, and finally shook his head helplessly. Miss Ning was really putting Lun Wenxu on the fire!

If Ning Cheng passes the imperial examination without any problem, it will be a good thing for the Ning family. If Ning Cheng passes the imperial examination without any problem, Lun Wenxu will be just bragging today and lose all face.

How long have they been married? Has their relationship broken down? However, Chen Ce would not care so much about other people's family affairs.

(End of this chapter)