Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Protective

Chapter 9: Protective

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

In the blink of an eye, it was the day of Xiao Liulang’s exam.

Gu Jiao woke up early and leavened some dough. Then, she steamed a basket of porcelain-white steamed buns, and cooked a pot of wild fungus soup.

The wild fungi were picked on the mountain, and they had already finished the first harvest. These were freshly picked yesterday, and there was still a lot left; she planned to sell them at the market later.

In fact, she had also picked some wood ear fungus, but fresh wood ear fungus was poisonous and had to be sun-dried before it could be eaten.

While waiting for dinner, she went back to her room to take her medicine.

The wounds on her wrist and the back of her head had already healed, and she was almost finished with the medicine. The ointment was more efficient, and there was still more than half of the bottle left.

On the other side, Xiao Liulang had also got up.

Gu Jiao knew that he had studied late last night and did not wake him in the morning, but he was still very early.

Gu Jiao arranged the bowls and chopsticks, and scooped half a bowl of wild fungus soup for him. She was worried that he would need to use the toilet after entering the examination hall, so she specially did not fill it to the brim.

However, Gu Jiao did not know if it was her imagination, but she felt that the look which Xiao Liulang’s gave her from time to time was a little resentful.

The exam would take an entire day, so Gu Jiao prepared some steamed buns and water.

After pausing for a moment, she seemed to have thought of something and stuffed another ten copper coins into the bag.

Xiao Liulang’s eyes flickered when he saw her stuffing the copper coins in, but he did not say anything.

Gu Jiao handed him the bag she had packed. “I’ve already arranged for transportation and paid the fare. I asked them to send you directly to the academy.”

“Okay,” Xiao Liulang replied. He took the bag and walked out with his walking stick.

Gu Jiao looked at his crippled leg and resisted the thought of sending him to the village entrance. He would not be receptive to the idea either way.

When Xiao Liulang arrived at the village entrance, Second Uncle Luo’s ox cart was already parked under the pagoda tree. There were many people sitting there, villagers bringing their vegetables and eggs to sell in town.

When the villagers saw him, they crowded him, smiling and greeting.

Xiao Liulang was a scholar. He appeared cold and aloof most days, but he did not put on much airs. Any family who wanted to read or reply to a letter would come looking for him. Although Gu Dashun was also a scholar, Gu Dashun was in a private school during the day and buried himself in his studies at night when he returned home, so the villagers rarely looked for Gu Dashun.

There was one last seat on the ox cart. It was probably reserved for him.

Just as Xiao Liulang was about to go up, he felt a figure flash past and block his way.

The other party pressed on the ox cart with one hand and supported another figure behind her with the other. “Shun’zi, hurry up!”

It was Madam Zhou and her son from the Gu family’s eldest branch.

Madam Zhou blocked Xiao Liulang completely, not giving him a chance to get on the ox cart.

On the ox cart, a woman said, “Hey, Shun’zi’ mother, Liulang came first.”

Gu Dashun stopped halfway while climbing the cart.

He turned his head and looked past his mother at Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang’s eyes were cold and his expression indifferent.

Madam Zhou snorted nonchalantly. “My Shun’zi has an exam to take! So what if he came first? Why should he delay my Shun’zi from taking his exam just because he came first?”

Everyone in the village knew that Gu Dashun was someone promising. He had been admitted to the county school a while ago, and it was even said that he did not have to kneel and bow when he met the county magistrate.

Although Xiao Liulang was a good young man, he was not as important as Gu Dashun’s future.

If Gu Dashun made it big, not only would he bring glory to the Gu family, but the entire Clearspring Village would also benefit from him.

No one made a sound.

“Well…” Second Uncle Luo said awkwardly, “Liulang… he’s also going to take the exam.”

Last night, when Gu Jiao came to look for Second Uncle Luo, she had already explained to him that Xiao Liulang was going to take an exam at the academy. Since Xiao Liulang could not walk easily, she instructed him and asked him to make sure to send him there. For this, she even gave him two copper coins.

Second Uncle Luo was puzzled. The fool from the Gu family, who did not get along with Xiao Liulang, seemed to have become an entirely different person when she was talking to him.

However, before he could ask further, Gu Jiao had already left.

Even upon hearing that Xiao Liulang was also going to take the exam, Madam Zhou did not take it to heart at all. How can Xiao Liulang’s exam even compare to my son’s?

On the other hand, Gu Dashun looked at Xiao Liulang in shock. “Are you… going to Divine Academy too?”

“Yes,” Xiao Liulang replied indifferently.

When Xiao Liulang first came to the village, he was already a junior scholar; at that time, Gu Dashun was also a junior scholar. Later, when Gu Dashun passed the academy’s exam to become a scholar-officiate, Xiao Liulang was still a junior scholar, so Gu Dashun did not think much of Xiao Liulang.

“You haven’t been to the private school for half a year…” Gu Dashun shook his head.

Obviously, he was insinuating that Xiao Liulang had no chance of passing the exam at all.

Second Uncle Luo, who had originally planned to persuade another villager to give up their seat for Xiao Liulang, silently held back his words.

If he doesn’t stand a chance, there’s no need to go through the trouble.

Second Uncle Luo took out his money pouch.

The fare for going to the market was two copper coins, while the slightly better places cost three copper coins. Gu Jiao gave him two more on top, for a total of five copper coins.

When Second Uncle Luo counted the copper coins and returned them to Xiao Liulang, Gu Dashun was pushed onto the ox cart by Madam Zhou.

However, before he could seat himself properly, a thin hand suddenly reached out from behind, grabbed the back of his collar, and yanked him down from the ox cart!

Gu Dashun was two years older than Xiao Liulang, and he was already nineteen this year. He was a sturdy young man, but he was pulled so hard that he staggered and almost fell to the ground.

Madam Zhou was scared out of her wits and hurriedly went to Gu Dashun.

“Who is it!?”

She spun around angrily.

Then, along with everyone she spotted the spindly and small Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao’s eyes were cold, exuding an unruly chill.

Everyone was shocked.

“Gu Jiao, are you nuts?!” Madam Zhou wondered who was so bold, but it turned out to be this fool.

“Take the copper coins back.” Gu Jiao ignored Madam Zhou and only looked indifferently at Second Uncle Luo, whose hand was frozen in midair. She frowned impatiently. “I booked the ox cart last night. If you want to go back on your word, then refund everyone’s fares as well.”

“What’s that mean?” Madam Zhou asked.

“Exactly what it means. If Xiao Liulang can’t get on the ox cart today, then no one is allowed to get on the ox cart,” Gu Jiao said.

“And on what basis?” A woman snorted.

Gu Jiao slowly pulled out a sickle from behind her back. “On the basis of me being an idiot?”

Everyone’s faces turned pale when they saw the blade.

Madam Zhou, who had wanted to rush forward and pull Gu Jiao’s hair, was so frightened that she did not dare to take a single step.

This fool… A fool’s really capable of anything.

However, this fool has never liked Xiao Liulang in the past. Why would she make things difficult for the Gu family, who she had always been close with, for his sake?

Not only the villagers, even Xiao Liulang’s eyes flashed with shock.

“If you want to go get Old Master Gu, hurry up,” Gu Jiao said, puffing on the sickle which she had polished until it gleamed.

Madam Zhou really wanted to go.

However, she was stopped by Gu Dashun.

It’s impossible to reason with a fool. And it’ll be bad if I was delayed for the exam.

Sure, Xiao Liulang will also miss the exam, but Xiao Liulang wouldn’t pass anyway, so it doesn’t matter for him. I’m different.

Eventually, it was Second Uncle Luo who thought of the idea to get Madam Zhou to buy one of the villagers’ dishes, so the villager would give up his seat to Gu Dashun.

Gu Jiao did not care whose seat Gu Dashun had bought.

However, in order to prevent any more incidents along the way, Gu Jiao carried the sickle on her back as she followed.

There were no extra seats for her in the ox cart.

She dragged her thin, small body for more than ten miles, sending Xiao Liulang safely to the examination hall.