The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 141: Recommended by the Wangs

Chapter 141: Recommended by the Wangs

Even after the strip show, the exam had to continue. The extra stick of incense would give participants a chance to transcribe the answers they have already scribbled in the first portions of the exam.

They were also graded on their penmanship and how closely it matched the standard fonts of Donghua.

With the interruption from the alleged cheating incident, there wouldn’t be time for the test takers to let their scrolls dry properly. There was also no way all of this could be kept hidden. With exactly 78 test takers and 19 proctors, there were too many chances for this to get out of control.

Xiao Pei glared at the trouble makers, Sun Ming Hua, Bai Mo, and Xu Feng. Now each of the men was fully focused on transcribing their thoughts with care. But nearly an incense stick ago, they were causing havoc during his first lead proctor appointment.

To minimize the situation, Xiao Pei decided he needed to tell the lead proctor in the next building. Would they possibly need to make this more public?

While no papers or other documents were found on the tall ger, he would need to be proven to have no chance of cheating beyond a reasonable doubt. There was no secondary test to give, but maybe they could test him publicly.

Xiao Pei gritted his teeth as he read the registration information provided by the ger:

Name: Xu Feng

Age: 17 years old

Address: Bai Mansion, Western Hua District, Yilin Town, Bei Prefecture

Home Town: Sun Village, DongQing Town, Dong Prefecture

School: None

Teacher: None

First Recommendation: Wang Yuze

Second Recommendation: Wang Yusen

It was simple and clear to all that the tall ger, Xu Feng, was friendly with Bai Mo. His address for the application was the Bai Mansion. While his hometown wasn’t even in the same prefecture.

Xiao Pei wasn’t sure where Sun Village was located, and he had never been to Dong Prefecture. It was out of the way and far from the capital. Most scholars moved closer to the capital when possible, and Xiao Pei had done the same.

To him, Dong Prefecture was somewhere he had never thought of beyond a possible exam question.

Not only was Xu Feng not a local with connections to the Bai family, but his two recommendations were also from the Wang family...

Everyone in Yilin town knew that Wang Yuze was a retired high court official with standing in Yilin town and Jinghua, the capital. While his son Wang Yusen hadn’t followed in his father’s footsteps, he had achieved the highest title of Jinshi and passed the palace examinations in the capital.

The Bai family was the most prominent immortal blood family with a second class rank, but the Wang family was arguably more notorious and prosperous.

The Wangs didn’t have immortal bloodlines in their lineage, so they didn’t qualify for a second class or first class family under the laws of Donghua, but Wang Yuze had a noble title conferred by the previous king.

The Wang household was undoubtedly the most prominent and influential family in all of Yilin town. How had this tall ger with no formal education gotten in contact with them?

Xiao Pei felt a cold sweat run down his back as his mind began to wander far from the Xuicai examination winding down in front of him.

Had Xu Feng married into the Wang family? That wasn’t possible, the Wangs couldn’t vouch for him if he was a daughter in law of their family.

Xu Feng was also not married to Bai Mo. Bai Mo had just finished his mourning period for his parents’, it was only this spring that he should be able to begin marriage talks. Yet, Xu Feng had pierced ears that hadn’t seemed raw or fresh, they looked as though they had healed months or even years ago.

This left Xiao Pei’s head reeling. Had Ming Hua caused him to make a big mistake with a hidden giant? One that the Wangs and Bai Mo both took care of?

Thinking back to Xu Feng’s clothing, nothing about him seemed poor like a farmer’s child or even a commoner’s child.

He wore dark colors, and muted styles, but the quality of his clothing and the details were apparent on closer inspection. He dressed in a similar fashion as Bai Mo, but purposefully low key. He should have been trying to keep a low profile.

At this realization, Xiao Pei became angry. Angry at himself and angry at Sun Ming Hua. It was clear the second young master of the Sun family disliked Bai Mo, and he seemed to know Xu Feng as well.

This was some internal fighting between big families, and Sun Ming Hua had attempted to use him as a shield.

It was uncertain which family Xu Feng married into, but it shouldn’t be a small family at all. Xiao Pei tried to narrow down the list of families against the Sun family, but influential enough to know the Wang family.

He still couldn’t figure out which family’s young mistress he had possibly offended. Even if Xu Feng was a concubine, he was allowed to take the Xuicai exam even after marriage, his status wasn’t low.

Xiao Pei knew he had to make things right.

Xu Feng had proved his innocence in front of the entire courtyard by choosing to strip and toss away his modesty for his honor as a scholar. If the Wang family or Xu Feng’s in laws came after Xiao Pei for this offense alone, he couldn’t shoulder this burden.

Something had to be done to publicly show Xiao Pei’s support of the taller ger. In addition, he should send a well written letter to those reviewing the exams detailing the events of the day.

What else could he do?

"Senior Xiao," came the gentle voice of the junior proctor standing at Xiao Pei’s side. It was unknown how long he had been trying to get the lead proctor’s attention.

"Ah, proctor Lin has something to say?"

"The stick of incense has run out..." the junior proctor motioned to the incense and the courtyard full of gers ready to be dismissed.

They wouldn’t have time to wait for their answers to dry, but most had finished the exam in the time allotted. Whether their answers were good, or their writing was clear enough would be known soon enough.