Top Scholar

Chapter 294 Old Man Huang Cleans Up the Mess
Pearl Lane, Su Mansion.

Su Youcai has suffered thirty consecutive losses. Su Lu gave him a handicap of rooks, knights, and cannons, but he still can't secure a single victory...

"This child, can't you let your dad win a round?" Even the landlady couldn't stand it anymore.

"How about letting Dad have another shot?" Su Lu suggested.

"You let me have the old general! I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore..." Su Youcai slammed the chess piece on the table and said angrily, "You brat mistook me for that old scoundrel Huang and beat me up!"

"I'm sorry, Dad, but I can't lose today." Su Lu apologized and patted his father's chest.

"Sigh, you too," Su Youcai said with heartache for his son, "Why didn't you leave some room for maneuver? Even if the three groups of matchmakers were spread over three days, what would have happened?"

"Because only in this way can we kill that old scoundrel Huang and force him to accept this marriage against his will," Su Lu said in a deep voice.

"Then what are you worried about?" Su Youcai said speechlessly.

"Because I wasn't the one who delivered the decisive blow." Su Lu sighed.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded in the courtyard, and Xiaotiantian pushed open the bamboo curtain and rushed in.

She was out of breath, beads of sweat glistened on her nose, strands of hair clung to her forehead, and she was waving a red woven object in her hand at Su Lu!

"Brother, this is from your sister-in-law!" Xiao Tiantian finally caught her breath, and her first words made Su Lu ecstatic.

"Thank you, little sister!" Su Lu rushed forward and took the item from Xiao Tiantian's hand. It turned out to be a love knot woven from seven-colored silk threads, with two crimson main threads intertwined. The intertwining and twisting seemed to be thousands of threads of love binding two hearts in harmony.

A knotted incense stick, a handkerchief with two jade characters, symbolizing unity!
"Did it work?" Su Youcai and the proprietress asked in unison.

"Yes, it's done!" Xiao Tiantian exclaimed excitedly, "Sister Huang E is so brave! She recited the love poem my brother wrote for her right in front of the old abbot and the grandmaster!"

"Oh my, this girl is really great! She's a woman of the Su family!" Su Youcai was overjoyed upon hearing this. To be honest, he had been worried that the woman wouldn't be as committed as his son, and even if they got together, Qiu-ge'er would become henpecked...

There's no need to worry now; both of them are willing to go all out.

"Little sister, you've done a great service this time! I really don't know how to thank you enough." Su Lu bowed repeatedly to Xiao Tiantian with joy: "It's all thanks to you passing on the message that we were able to coordinate from the inside and outside and catch that old thief off guard!"

"Why are you thanking me, brother? Isn't it only natural for a sister to help her brother?" Xiao Tiantian covered her mouth and laughed. "If you want to thank so many matchmakers, I won't add to your burden."

"I don't need your pig head!" Su Lu was so happy that he was incoherent.

"Brother, why are you still swearing?" Xiao Tiantian giggled, and the whole family was overjoyed, as if they had won a great victory!

~~
The atmosphere at the woman's home wasn't as lively.

Huang Feng's face was ashen; he neither ate nor drank nor spoke, looking like a dead man.

Huang Ke wasn't much better off.

Huang Mingyu, a man who prides himself on his intelligence and talent, is usually the one scheming against others. But this time, he was thoroughly outmaneuvered by that brat surnamed Su. It's true what they say: patience brings peace, but backing down only makes one angrier...

What's most infuriating is that we have to clean up the mess ourselves, which is a double loss!

He was sulking in his study when he suddenly heard slow, melodious piano music coming from outside the window. Huang Ke couldn't help but listen intently, and heard that the melody was very clear and gentle, bright and open, as if orchids were about to bloom and light was about to arrive.

Huang Ke was an expert in music and could tell at a glance that this was "Youlan" that the old headmaster had given to Huang E.

This piece was supposed to be deep and melancholic, but my daughter played it so cheerfully...

He chuckled softly, then closed his eyes slightly, listening quietly as his daughter poured out her joy. Finally, the music gradually quieted down, returning to boundless peace and tranquility.

'This result isn't bad...' Huang Ke finally felt relieved.

At this moment, the butler appeared at the study door once again.

Huang Ke jumped in fright and blurted out, "Another marriage proposal?"

"No." The butler brought good news first, then bad news: "It's Lady Tai Shu who's here."

Huang Ke said with a headache, "Just say I'm on a business trip..."

"Why don't you just say you went on a pilgrimage to the West?" A woman in her fifties or sixties appeared angrily at the study door.

"Sister, you're here..." Huang Ke stood up awkwardly, facing the mess Su Lu had made.

The person who came was Huang, the mother of Han En, the commander of Luzhou Guard, Yang Tinghe's aunt, his cousin, and a third-rank official titled Tai Shuren.

The news that Su Lu had invited five heads of prominent families, two prefects, an old scholar, and a grandmaster to act as matchmakers to propose to Huang Bingxian's beloved daughter had already spread throughout Luzhou City.

Madam Huang naturally came to demand an explanation!

Seeing the old lady's fierce expression, Huang Ke took a step back and said, "Sister, let me explain." "I won't listen to your excuses, just answer me!" Madam Huang waved her hand and glared, displaying the demeanor of a military family, "Brother, just answer me, Yang Shen is coming tomorrow, how do you plan to explain to him and my brother-in-law?"

"To be honest," Huang Ke said with a wry smile, "I will apologize to Brother Shizhai myself."

Yang Tinghe, courtesy name Jiefu, sobriquet Shizhai.

"Then what about repairing that side?" Madam Huang asked.

"There's nothing to explain to him," Huang Ke said, knowing when to be soft and when to be firm.
“I locked my daughter up for a whole year, and Yang Yongxiu didn’t come. Now he’s only showing up after mealtime, who can I blame?!”

“Yes, Yongxiu has indeed dragged it out a bit too long,” Madam Huang said, her tone softening slightly. “But brother, even if the King of Heaven himself were to act as matchmaker, couldn’t you have waited a couple more days? Let Yongxiu and Xiumei meet first?”

"Sister, you have to think about it for your brother too. Why did that kid come to propose marriage today? He must have heard something!" Of course, Huang Ke couldn't say, "My daughter exposed herself, what can I do?" He still had to cover for Huang E.

"Once Yang Yongxiu arrives tomorrow, it'll be impossible to hide it anymore. What will I become in other people's eyes then? A laughingstock!" Old Huang, cleaning up the mess, could only take the blame upon himself, muttering in a low voice:
"I'm not selling my daughter, I don't need to compare prices. Since that young man surnamed Su is so sincere and seems like a decent person, then let's just go with it..."

"..." Madam Huang thought his words made sense, and sighed in frustration, "How did such a wonderful thing turn out like this? I'm never doing matchmaking again!"

“Little sister, this has nothing to do with you.” Huang Ke also sighed, “It can only be said that the two children are not destined to be together.”

"Then I'll just skip this birthday celebration," Madam Huang said dejectedly.

"No, don't! We should do what needs to be done. The money is for your birthday celebration. Wouldn't it be even more awkward if you didn't?" Huang Ke advised.
"My sister spoke frankly and openly with that child, saying, 'If anyone's to blame, let him blame me!'"

"Is this anyone's fault?" Madam Huang said, wiping away her tears. "What a lovely couple they were, it breaks my heart that they can't be together, you know?"

"Alas, children and grandchildren have their own blessings..." Huang Ke sighed. "Some things are not something we can control."

~~
The next day was the day that Prefect Jia was to leave office.

In order not to steal his thunder, the Grandmaster set off early.

The newly appointed prefect, Lu Zhaoye, led all the civil and military students in the city to the dock to see him off. The Grand Master naturally gave the students a few more words of advice, urging them to study hard and not to slack off.

Before parting, he specially called Su Lu over and said with a smile, "Yesterday I also went to propose marriage for you. When thanking the matchmaker, you can't leave out this pig-headed guy."

"Definitely, definitely!" Su Lu exclaimed with delight upon hearing this, "Why did the Grandmaster go too?"

“I happened to run into him when I visited Senior Pang. He said he wanted to propose marriage for you, and as your teacher, how could I stand idly by?” Xiao Tixue said with a loud laugh.

"I don't know how to thank the Grandmaster," Su Lu said, flattered.

"It's very simple if you want to thank me. First, keep up your studies and strive to win the top prize in next year's autumn examination!" Xiao Tixue said solemnly. "Second, I visited Mr. Gangshan and had an in-depth discussion with him about the 'hypothetical-deductive method.' The more I thought about it after returning, the more I felt that this method was truly a profound truth in the world, so I want to promote it in schools throughout the province."

"Yes. It will definitely be helpful to the students." Su Lu didn't want to boast, so he could only nod.

“But Mr. Gangshan said that this method was mainly created by you, and we need your help to draft a plan on how to promote it.” The Grandmaster looked at Su Lu with a smile and said, “Since you haven’t started school yet, why don’t you help your teacher with this?”

"Yes." Su Lu nodded without hesitation, "It is my wish, but I dare not ask."

"We must be meticulous and feasible, and proceed steadily. Even if the steps are small, we must not cause widespread complaints, otherwise it would not be worth it," the Grandmaster solemnly instructed.

"Yes," Su Lu hurriedly replied in a deep voice.

"Then I'll leave it to you." The Grandmaster patted him on the shoulder as encouragement.

Only then did they board the official ship, and under the escort of several naval warships, head to the next stop.

~~
After the Grandmaster's ship sailed away, Prefect Lu, who had changed into a blue official robe with a white pheasant embroidered on his chest, asked Su Lu with a smile, "Hongzhi, is the Grandmaster going to make you a laborer?"

"Nothing can be hidden from my grandfather." Su Lu nodded with a wry smile.

“Of course. All officials are like that; they would never offer help for no reason.” Lu Zhaoye finished speaking, touched his nose, coughed, and said, “Of course, it’s not like that between us, master and disciple.”

"Yes." Su Lu nodded, deeply agreeing, "Back then, I was just a penniless mountain boy. Without the selfless help of my great-grandfather, how could I be where I am today?"

"Well, it's mainly thanks to you," Lu Zhaoye said happily. "From now on, you should still call me 'Sir,' you don't have to be like them."

"Yes, thank you for your kindness, sir," Su Lu replied respectfully.

"Let's go, let's go to the county office for tea." Lu Zhaoye greeted him with a smile, "Today is the day to say goodbye to the former, I, the current one, have to stay out of the limelight and not steal their thunder."

"Yes," Su Lu replied.

As for Prefect Jia, he had already expressed his gratitude last night and presented him with a gift commensurate with the house, so there was no need for him to join in the fun today.

(End of this chapter)