Transmigrating into the Female Supporting Character with a Good Life in a Laid-Back Novel

The next day, the weather was clear and breezy, blessed with lovely spring sunshine. Once the doors to the gongyuan were opened, the candidates who had participated in the metropolitan examination, students from various academies, and the sons of government officials poured in. 

The people who had seen Wen gongzi’s exam papers yesterday wanted to prostrate themselves in admiration, especially the essay on current affairs which made people gasp in awe. This time around, Wen gongzi was going to cross swords with the great scholars, and with such a good learning opportunity in front of them, it was natural that they would not miss it.

Meanwhile, Ruan Xi sat in a horse carriage without the Earl Chengyi Residence sign, watching the crowd pour into the gongyuan through the carriage curtains before she issued a soft sigh.

It was a pity that women were prohibited from entering the gongyuan, or else even she would have wanted to admire the magnificence of Wen Ting Zhou crossing swords with the renowned Confucian scholars.

“Young Lady, Wen gongzi should be arriving soon, right?” Su Yu asked in a low voice.

“He should be here soon.” Ruan Xi glanced at her oldest brother who was a short distance away from the horse carriage. When she remembered the words her Earl Father had told her,  Ruan Xi’s lips hooked up. 

Minister Wen and Wen furen not throwing their anger at the Earl Chengyi Residence was within Ruan Xi’s expectations, but judging from her Earl Father’s insinuations, Ruan san niang would not be escaping unscathed. 

Ruan Xi was glad to see that happen. 

With Ruan san niang’s constant unscrupulous behaviour, she feared that she had completely forgotten the tragic and painful lessons she had learned in her previous lifetime. It was about time to let her experience the august of the imperial family. 

“The Wen Residence’s horse carriage is here.” Someone in the crowd yelled, causing everyone to stir instantaneously. Quite consciously, the crowd opened up a wide path. 

Ruan Xi snapped back from her reverie immediately, turning her attention towards the approaching Wen Residence horse carriage.

The Wen Residence’s horse carriage slowly trotted to the large entrance of the gongyuan, before all eyes were fixed on the tall and slender figure that was stepping off the horse carriage in a concurrent fashion.

Wen Ting Zhou was wearing a dark brocade robe today, with a wide jade coronet binding up his hair, while a vermillion and white belt jade belt cinched his waist with a white jade girdle ornament hanging down. All in all, he appeared respectable, elegant, handsome, and at ease.

A glimmer of astonishment flitted past Ruan Xi’s eyes. 

Under thousands of staring eyes, Wen Ting Zhou did not step into the gongyuan’s large doors immediately. Instead, as he was straightening his posture, a guard came forward and sidled up to Wen Ting Zhou to murmur a few sentences to him in a low voice. Wen Ting Zhou’s lips curled slightly, and his gaze immediately looked in the direction of Ruan Xi’s horse carriage.

Inside the horse carriage, Ruan Xi’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Wen Ting Zhou couldn’t possibly know that she was also here, right?

Reality proved that Wen Ting Zhou was indeed aware that Ruan Xi was inside the distant horse carriage.

Since it was still early, the corners of Wen Ting Zhou’s mouth raised slightly as he decided to talk to Ruan Ruan. Hence, he started walking towards Ruan Xi’s horse carriage in large strides without showing the slightest hesitation.

Ruan Xi: “……”

Su Yu and Su Zhu were extremely energised.

“Young Lady, Wen gongzi seems to know that yõu are here.”

“It is not ‘seems’, he is certain.”

Moments later, Wen gongzi had already stopped in front of the horse carriage’s window. He glanced at the distant Ruan Yu Wen, who proceeded to wink at him, which made his heart settle. Then, he raised his hand to knock on the carriage window gently.

“Ruan Ruan, stop hiding, I know you’re inside the carriage.”

When Ruan Xi heard Wen Ting Zhou’s smooth and distinctive voice, she pulled aside one corner of the carriage curtain with a speechless expression, thus revealing her exquisite countenance partially. In a small voice, she asked:

“Ting Zhou da ge, why did you suddenly come over?” And under the circumstance where so many people are watching too.

“It’s still early. Ruan Ruan, I’ll be accepting the great scholars’ evaluation later, aren’t you going to give me some words of encouragement, and support me?” Wen Ting Zhou fixed his eyes on Ruan Xi attentively, gaze brimming with hope.

Ruan Xi: “……”

“Ting Zhou da ge, I believe in you, no matter what the results are, you will always be the best in my heart!”

Ruan Xi stared into his eyes as she enunciated every word carefully, her tone of voice earnest and sincere.

Wen Ting Zhou revealed a delighted smile, looking like he was glowing with health and vigour. 

“Now that I have Ruan Ruan’s encouragement, I feel more confident.” 

Ruan Xi pursed her lips into a smile. As the pair were conversing, Wen Ting Zhou told Ruan Xi about his parents’ attitude in a considerate manner, asking her not to worry because there would be no changes to their marriage arrangement. 

Ruan Xi felt her heart warm. 

“Ruan Ruan, once the evaluation is over, let’s meet at Jixiang Restaurant.” Seeing that the great Confucian scholars were about to arrive, Wen Ting Zhou said the parting sentence. Ruan Xi smiled, nodding her head before she replied: “Mn, see you at the Jixiang Restaurant.”

As the surrounding crowd witnessed Wen Ting Zhou wearing a gentle and elegant smile as he talked to the person inside the horse carriage that was devoid of a clan insignia, they could not help but whisper among themselves.

“Does anyone know who is inside that horse carriage?”

“Can’t you see that Oldest Young Master Ruan is standing a short distance away from the horse carriage? Apart from Wen gongzi’s fiancée, who else could be inside that horse carriage?”

“It should be Ruan si xiaojie, it can’t be wrong.”

“It seems like Wen gongzi genuinely likes Ruan si xiaojie. I was assuming that the Wen Family would follow the Marquis Huaiyang Residence’s example in breaking off the engagement, but it seems like I was happy for naught.”

“You’re thinking too much, the havoc wreaked by Ruan san xiaojie, how does it concern Ruan si xiaojie?”

“……”

As the crowds whispered among themselves, the noble daughters in the surrounding horse carriages revealed disappointed expressions. 

Before Wen Ting Zhou entered the gongyuan, he specifically called Ruan Yu Wen to go together with him. When everyone saw that, their gazes were peculiar.

In one of the horse carriages was Mu Qing Ling, whose complexion was exceedingly ugly, and she issued a low curse hatefully. 

“Young Lady, we should be returning, or else Furen will be talking about yõu again.”

Ever since her Young Lady had her engagement broken off by the Wen Family, her temper had gone from bad to worse, and beating and scolding her servants had become a common occurrence.

“We’ll go back later, I don’t want to see Mu Qing Ci’s despicable face.”

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Ruan Xi noticed that after Wen Ting Zhou departed, the majority of the people were looking at her horse carriage, going as far as dispatching their slave-maidservants over. Making a prompt decision, Ruan Xi ordered the carriage driver to go to Jixiang Restaurant. 

While Ruan Xi waited in the Jixiang Restaurant, Wen Ting Zhou’s public examination began. 

There were ten impressive-looking and well-known Confucian scholars sitting on an elevated platform, and the invigilating officials from the previous metropolitan examination. When the scholars below saw this scene, they were excited and stimulated, fervently wishing that good events like these could happen more frequently. 

“Wen Ting Zhou, we have reviewed the answers on your exam papers, the written verses are excellent, the answers for the classics and current affairs essays are prototypical as well, the new questions will be drawn from those aspects.”

“The student respectfully requests the great scholars to ask their questions.” Wen Ting Zhou spoke deferentially.

The crowd below held their breaths with rapt attention.

In quick succession, three great scholars raised topics on different poetry verses, and it would have sufficed if no digression occurred, but Wen Ting Zhou was calm and collected. Within a short period of time, he created an eloquent poem, which gained the crowds’ acclamation. 

“The younger generation will be redoubtable in years to come.”

The second and third place candidates in the imperial civil service examinations gasped in admiration. They had been studying literary works intensively for ten years at the least, but they did not dare to say that they could speak like a printed book and attain victory over Wen gongzi. 

After the fluent recital, the explanation and interpretation of the Confuscianist classics was next. Wen Ting Zhou also gave a fluent response, his opinions unique and his train of thought was new and original, which made the scholars praise him to the high heavens, commenting that it was exceedingly marvellous. The scholars below seemed intoxicated as they continued to listen, and they were incomparably stirred.

By this time, they were already subdued by Wen Ting Zhou’s talent and style.

Those with ulterior motives could only sigh. It was not possible for anyone to block the cutting edge that Wen gongzi possessed. 

After today, Wen gongzi’s name would inevitably shake the land under the Heaven.

“Alright, the essay on current affairs shall commence next.” The great scholars were wearing smiles on their faces, since they were very satisfied with Wen Ting Zhou’s previous assessment. 

The current affairs essay was the main show. The imperial examination was meant to select the best talents that could bring peace and stability to the country, hence why the Emperor and the examiners grading the exam papers attached such great importance to the examinees’ current affairs essays. 

Many scholars have bitterly studied for more than ten years but they were completely indifferent to the country’s affairs, and the current affairs essays that they wrote were extremely shallow and impractical.

Wen Ting Zhou had studied abroad for more than two years, and the current affairs essay he wrote had substance, and his real ability and learning could be discerned.

After the ten great scholars gathered to have a brief discussion, they decided on the contents of the question.

The crowd below was waiting for the great scholars’ topic for the current affairs essay as well.

One cup of tea later, the Confucian scholar of the greatest virtue and prestige acted as the representative to verbalise the question. 

“Wen Ting Zhou, the common people of this reign suffer from all kinds of natural disasters every year, please declare a good strategy for disaster management.”

Once the topic was released, the crowd below was given a start. New tactics were being conceived every year for the strategic planning for disaster management, which was why having to explicate them was not an easy task, and everyone wanted to hear Wen gongzi’s ideas. 

Wen Ting Zhou remained silent for a long moment before he opened his mouth. 

“With regards to good strategies for disaster management, one reckons that everyone is extremely familiar with all sorts of disaster relief methods that are rather effective, and I will be voicing my slightly shallow opinion here.”

The officials that came here to spectate straightened their postures one after another.

“Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but we can use human effort to alleviate those disasters. My solution and tactics intercede from two major directions, the first being the precautions taken before the disaster, and the second being the emergency relief after the disaster.”

When everyone heard this answer, they were not surprised in the slightest, but they were slightly disappointed. However, when they considered Wen gongzi’s age, they also felt that it was a matter of course.

“When it comes to protective measures before a disaster, everyone should have some knowledge of it, and I will be adding my shallow opinion on that foundation. For instance, warehouses to store grain can be built. For the longest of time, grain that has been taxed and levied foodstuffs have always been used, but I believe that the court can contribute a part of the silvers or have an Imperial edict order the government officials within villages and large landlords to donate some silvers, thereby building a granary in every hamlet, province, and prefecture. During years of bountiful harvest, the old can be changed for new, and during years with disaster, stored grain can be sold at fair prices or the aid can be distributed to give emergency relief to the victims.”

Granary…. Beneficial to the people and practical. 

The expressions of the officials present congealed slightly. Certainly, this was a practical plan. 

The candidates within the crowd could not resist praising the idea out loud. Quite a few candidates among them were born from poor and humble families, and they remembered that during disasters and famines, the disaster relief granaries in all parts of the country were either insufficient, grain that had been stored for many years, or mouldy foodstuffs. Hence, they felt that this plan was good. 

Because it would guarantee that there would be sufficient grain for disaster relief , and the common people would not have to eat mouldy foodstuffs.

“For protective measures before disasters, I will only raise the suggestion of constructing granaries. Right now, I will be speaking of post-disaster emergency relief. Everyone is aware that the strategies for post-disaster emergency relief can be described as comprehensive, and it can be summarised into aspects that include but are not limited to: tax exemption, giving relief aid, levying grain, lending money, eliminating the harmful pests, pacification, and comforting and compensating a bereaved family.”

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, that certainly was the case.

Wen Ting Zhou smiled slightly.

“My age and experience are placed here, and rather than offering an arbitrary suggestion, I will only suggest that we provide work to relieve poverty. “

In front of the crowd, Wen Ting Zhou explained the implementation and bylaws of providing work to relieve poverty. The crowd was incredibly roused because the suggestion was quite good, and it could kill two birds with one stone. Why had no one suggested it prior to this?

At this moment, everyone had already been thoroughly convinced by Wen Ting Zhou. 

Whatever suspicions of there being a black screen during the imperial civil service examinations or rumours of Wen gongzi cheating were complete nonsense as a whole.

“However—” Wen Ting Zhou’s speech took a turn, and the crowd went quiet again.

“All of us are aware that no matter how perfect the strategies for disaster relief are, all sorts of problems will crop up, like victims starving to death or insurrections for instance. I have a plan to solve it, but it will have major implications.”

Wen Ting Zhou paused, not speaking any further. The great scholars and officials on the elevated platform and the crowd below were exceedingly anxious, wanting Wen Ting Zhou to articulate his solution.

Wen Ting Zhou smirked upon seeing that, a dark glint flashing past the bottom of his eyes.

“As a matter of fact, the main reason why victims starve to death or incite insurrections is because the officials in those areas are outwardly devoted but opposed internally. They drill gaps, take advantage of the loopholes, and exploit the common people while stuffing their own pockets with bribes. My solution is to rigorously rectify the style of governing among the minor officials before the disaster relief, have the common people supervise, and if they discover officials embezzling disaster relief funds, or taking disaster relief foodstuffs that exceeds a hundred liang, those officials should be tied up and sent to the capital for punishment, and anyone who obstructs it will be put to death immediately.”

两 (pinyin: liang) — 50 grams.

The officials: “……”

So vicious!

The great scholars laughed. 

Under normal circumstances, the Emperor could still close one eye to the embezzlement and bribery, but trying to exploit a disaster to accumulate wealth would incur the common people’s resentment, and heavy punishments had to be meted out. 

The crowd below started agreeing loudly because that was how it ought to be. If the Emperor could instate Wen gongzi‘s suggestion as a standard law, it would be even better. 

……

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Once Wen gongzi‘s public appraisal ended, the curtains finally dropped on Earl Chengyi Residence’s Ruan san xiaojie for sparking the disturbance surrounding the imperial civil service examination. 

Wen Ting Zhou became famous in one move. 

The granaries, provision of work to relieve poverty, and the rectification of the administration of local officials that he suggested spread throughout the capital very swiftly. 

The Emperor’s imperial countenance was greatly delighted, and everyone praised Wen Ting Zhou for having the intellect befitting a zhuangyuan.

状元 (pinyin: zhuang yuan) – top scorer in the palace examination.

Hence, the top-ranking zhuangyuan was predetermined. 

Of course, the clique of officials under the Wen clan demanded for severe punishment against the main culprit who incited the entire disturbance and the people who had been spurred by their ulterior motives to guide the rhythm, if only to kill the chicken and warn the monkeys, or else anyone would dare to make empty and groundless accusations that the imperial examinations were unfair. 

Earl Chengyi was on the edge, deathly afraid that the Emperor would take his anger out on the Earl Residence, and his back was already completely soaked with sweat. 

The Emperor nodded his head in agreement. Since the third young lady from Earl Chengyi Residence was an unmarried young girl, she could be spared from heavier sentences, but it would be hard for her to escape from smaller hardships, so she was to be escorted and detained in the imperial prison for a month. 

Earl Chengyi heaved an inaudible sigh of relief before he repeatedly thanked the Emperor for his generous clemency. 

Although being detained in the imperial prison was terrible for his legitimate daughter’s reputation, and she would not be able to marry a good family, Earl Chengyi’s heart had long chilled from the disappointment he felt for Ruan san niang, and he even wished that he did not have such a daughter. Thus, he did not particularly mind. 

Once the Emperor uttered those words that were weighted like gold, there were imperial guards immediately setting off to the Earl Chengyi Residence to arrest and escort her to the imperial prison.