Chapter 188: Chapter 77: Secondary Amines (Part 3)
The official was a little impatient, “If everyone comes to check, where would we find the time?” Actually, the official was not opposed to checking, he was just expecting a red envelope.
Ma Yuan hurriedly stuffed a red envelope and said, “Please help me check, to see if it’s my son.” After speaking, he reported Ma Peng’s information.
When the young official heard it was the son of a Ministry of Rites official, he promptly became nimble and, after checking, handed the results to Ma Yuan, “Please confirm it.”
After Ma Yuan had looked through it, he became so excited that he was babbling, “It’s my son, no mistake, it’s really my son.” His son had placed in the second tier, what could be more exhilarating than this.
The official saw the data and confirmed it was indeed the son of his boss’s boss, naturally heaping on the praise, “Congratulations, congratulations.” Strange things happen every year but this year was especially prolific, he who thought he had not passed had actually secured the forty-eighth rank—his luck was off the charts.
Ma Yuan ran to the Ministry of Rites to first report the good news to the Old Master; then he would return later to inform the young master. When Ma Yuan reported the news to Ma Chengteng, his face flushed with excitement.
Ma Chengteng asked in surprise, “Could it be a case of the same name?” Still, one had to maintain appearances, to make everyone believe it was his son’s good fortune.
Ma Yuan’s face was blooming like a chrysanthemum as he grinned, “Old Master, there’s no mistake, I checked the records, it is the eldest son. Old Master, the eldest son has passed, he placed forty-eighth.”
Only then did Ma Chengteng break into a smile and turned to ask his boss for leave, who also happily granted a day off and did not forget to extend his congratulations.
Zhuang Changhe joyfully ran home. Ruo Lan was sewing a pouch for Zhuang Changhe when, seeing her brother run in smiling, she set down the pouch, “You saw the results?” From her brother’s demeanor, she knew he must have done well.
Zhuang Changhe dashed up to Ruo Lan, “Sister, I’ve passed, I’ve passed.”
Zhuang Ruolan was not surprised at all and said with a smile, “I know you’ve passed, I’d already received the news.” A young servant had already brought the message earlier.
Zhuang Changhe waved his hand, “No, sister, I’m not talking about me, I’m talking about brother-in-law too. Sister, brother-in-law ranked forty-eighth and I was fifty-second; brother-in-law did even better than me.”
Ruo Lan simply inquired, without any surprise, “It must be a case of the same name.” Someone who ranked more than two hundred in the imperial examination and then passed the Palace Graduate exam at forty-eighth sounded utterly fantastical.
Zhuang Changhe couldn’t help but laugh and cry at why everyone’s first reaction was to suspect a duplicate name, “No, no. Sister, I went to the Ministry of Rites with the Ma Family’s Chief Steward to check the records myself, the candidate we verified is indeed your husband. Sister, it’s not a duplicate name, nor a mistake, it is really your husband.”
Ruo Lan was still reluctant to believe, “Really passed?” It wasn’t that Ruo Lan didn’t believe it but a ranking of forty-eighth was truly beyond belief for Ma Peng, whom she would have believed if he had placed even in the third tier.
Zhuang Changhe hurriedly said, “Sister, it’s absolutely true, there’s no mistake. I’ve checked at the Ministry of Rites, it definitely is your husband.”
The Personal Maid Cai Yun said with a beaming smile, “Congratulations, Miss, congratulations, Miss. The master has become a Palace Graduate, naturally, it’s a big joyous occasion.”
Finally, Ruo Lan revealed a smile, “Passed, truly passed.” This truly was an unexpected delight. Having become a Palace Graduate, his future was certainly promising. Although Ruo Lan had said that being content with their life was good enough, naturally, it was a bonus that her future husband had such bright prospects.
Zhuang Changhe’s smile widened, “Sister, I’m going to give father the good news.” After speaking, he ran off to report the joyful tidings to his father.
Ruo Lan chided laughingly, “So big already, nearly about to get married, yet acting like a child.” Ruo Lan also rarely felt such joy. It seemed her fiancé’s scholarly abilities were average, but his luck was exceptionally good indeed. Having performed so poorly in the provincial exams and yet so well in the Palace Graduate examination, if not luck, then what else could it be.
Lord Zhuang, on hearing from his son that Ma Peng had done even better, was not joyful but worried, worried that the Ma Family had employed some unsavory means.
Zhuang Changhe, a shrewd man, seeing his father in such a state could guess, “Father, you’re not suspecting there’s something fishy about brother-in-law doing so well, are you? Father, it’s completely unexpected, you don’t know that brother-in-law thought he hadn’t passed and didn’t even go to look at the list.”
Lord Zhuang thought for a moment and then nodded, “You go down first!” It would not be too late to be happy after checking into this matter. If only the son-in-law had unexpectedly scored high, it would be no issue. But if there are many unexpected successes, then that could indicate a serious problem.
Zhuang Changhe, although dissatisfied with his father’s suspicions, said nothing. The innocent are naturally innocent, and he believed Ma Peng was not such a person.