Chapter 54: Him? The Top Scholar of the Prefecture Exam? Are You Joking?

Qin Ming glanced at the scholar who regarded them as saviors. “Su-ge, should we save him?”

Lin Ze and Ren Shuhua thought Su-ge would likely help. After all, if they didn’t, and the scholar was caught by the gang chasing him, he’d surely lose his silver, and maybe even his life.

“We won’t save him.”

Not only Lin Ze and the others, but even the guards were stunned. In truth, the guards were reluctant to intervene—they were only responsible for the four’s safety, and rescuing a stranger would bring nothing but trouble. Still, they expected the scholars, with their usual compassion, would insist.

So when Li Su flatly refused, everyone turned to him in surprise.

“Think about it—if it were you, with a group on your heels, could you run this steadily, this swiftly? And look at his eyes—do you see any fear in them?”

The others looked over and realized: indeed, there was no terror in his gaze, only a burning greed.

It wasn’t the will to survive that drove him. He ran with remarkable speed and composure. Lin Ze and the others knew that if one were truly fleeing in panic, their steps would not be so sure.

Li Su went on, “And his clothes—they don’t fit. It’s all wrong.”

Only then did the others realize what had felt so off. The ill-fitting clothes made everything seem strange.

The three were well-protected by their families, but they weren’t fools. They now understood: this was a trap set specifically for them.

The journey had been quiet until now—just as they let their guard down, they were hit with a well-timed snare.

They gazed at Li Su with newfound admiration. If not for him, they would have helped the man. Had they done so, he would have joined them, and under the cover of night, who knew if they’d wake to find themselves robbed or worse. The world outside was truly perilous.

The man, seeing their guarded expressions and lack of intent to help, grew anxious. Why had such a clever ruse failed?

He continued his act, sounding even more pitiful. “Gentlemen, please save me! I’ll repay your kindness in any way you wish.”

Lin Ze glanced at him. “We scholars don’t usually call each other ‘brother’…”

The man faltered. “I…”

“We’ve already seen through you. If you don’t leave now, don’t blame us for what happens next. You may find yourself unable to walk away,” Qin Ming warned, glaring at him.

The man was speechless.

The pursuers soon caught up, putting on a show as they pressed a blade to the man’s neck. “Let’s see where you run now! Are these people with you? If you want to save him, hand over your silver!”

Li Su said nothing, inwardly scoffing at their poor performance. He replied coolly, “Then go ahead and kill him.”

“We only want—what?” The burly man with the broadsword stared in disbelief. Was this scholar really suggesting murder? Weren’t scholars supposed to be paragons of virtue?

The fake scholar shoved the blade aside. “Can’t you tell we’ve been exposed? Why keep up the act? Did you put the knife to my neck on purpose?”

The man with the sword was dumbfounded. Hadn’t they agreed on this beforehand? How was he supposed to know the plan had failed?

The guards gripped their weapons tighter. The impostor sized up their numbers and the armed guards and realized they could not win if it came to a fight.

The group slunk away, tails between their legs. They’d thought they’d found easy prey, but these scholars were far shrewder than the fools they’d duped before.

Once they were gone, everyone sighed in relief. A fight would have meant casualties.

Qin Ming swallowed nervously. “I’ll never again say my father is overly cautious.” His father had been wise indeed. If Shuhua’s father hadn’t arranged for so many guards, their fate today would have been grim.

They quickly doused their fire and left the area, this time paying much closer attention to their surroundings, determined not to be caught off guard again.

Fortunately, the rest of their journey was smooth, and by the afternoon of the seventh day, they arrived safely at the prefectural city.

The city was far livelier than their county town, bustling with the arrival of so many scholars. Most inns were already full, especially the better ones.

“We’ll find a place to rent instead of staying at an inn,” Li Su decided, seeing the inns were all occupied.

The guards would remain with them, and a rented house would be more suitable.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Ren Shuhua agreed.

They found someone to rent them a courtyard house. It was spacious, with the guards sharing rooms, while each of the four scholars had a room to themselves.

Upon arrival, the four bathed and collapsed into bed. Since their journey began, they’d not had a decent night’s sleep, and the recent days had been spent in constant fear.

Rested at last, they went out to eat. Not only had they been lacking sleep, but their meals had been poor.

Qin Ming, ravenous from days of hard bread, devoured his food as if starved. “After so long, this meal tastes divine!” he exclaimed, relishing every bite.

The others were hungry, too, though less dramatic than Qin Ming.

With five or six days left before the prefectural examination, the city was full of scholars from all the nearby counties, many of whom gathered in groups to discuss and debate.

No one came to seek out Li Su and his companions, however. They kept a low profile, rarely leaving their rented house.

Li Su devoted himself to study, occasionally helping Lin Ze and the others organize their thoughts.

After a day’s study, the four went out for another meal. At a neighboring table, they overheard a lively discussion.

“It seems this year’s top scholar will be Ye Wenshu. His performance at yesterday’s academic gathering was outstanding. He’s already top of his own county, and I hear he’s aiming for the Triple Crown this year.”

“Ye Wenshu—I know him, we’re from the same county. His father’s a provincial scholar, and though he’s only seventeen, he didn’t compete the past couple of years so he could pursue the Triple Crown in one go.”

“I can’t compare. I don’t hope for first place—just to make the list and become a xiucai, I’d thank the heavens. People like Ye Wenshu are born geniuses; there’s no point comparing ourselves.”

Li Su raised an eyebrow. The top spot in the prefectural exam—he had his sights set on that as well.

Qin Ming swallowed his food and declared, “I believe the top spot is destined for Su-ge.”

Although his voice was not loud, the crowded room meant someone immediately picked up on it. “Who is this Su-ge you speak of?” The recent stars among the scholars had no such name.

Qin Ming frowned in annoyance. “Why are you eavesdropping? Is our conversation yours to hear?”

“Apologies, I overheard by accident and was just curious. I didn’t mean to intrude,” the scholar said earnestly.

Qin Ming let the matter drop, then pointed proudly at Li Su. “Su-ge is right here!”

The scholar studied Li Su, who looked unfamiliar. “Him? The top spot? You must be joking.”