Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Although Fu Gui had never worked as a hired hand before, he was sharp-witted and lively, quickly hitting it off with everyone else.

By the time half a month had passed, as he stood at the shop entrance, every trace of his noble upbringing had vanished. He looked exactly like a shop assistant who had spent years hustling in the marketplace.

He had excellent calligraphy and even wrote a new signboard for the shop.

Paired with some paintings and calligraphy, my small wonton shop immediately became much more elegant.

A few months later, the inn next door was completed.

Xie Zhixue named it “Golden List Tower,” implying that all the scholars who stayed there would see their names on the Golden List of successful candidates.

Trading on Xie Zhixue’s reputation as the Zhuangyuan Lang, many people headed straight for the south of the city to stay at the Golden List Tower as soon as they entered the capital on the day it opened.

The Golden List Tower did not serve meals. After the guests settled in, they naturally came to my Song Zhu Wonton for a bowl of wontons.

Amidst the idle chatter, the story of Xie Zhixue’s gratitude and repayment of kindness began to circulate once more.

Hearing this, Fu Gui’s face filled with disdain.

Once the shop closed for the day, he began to complain to me:

“He’s just a commoner fishing for fame!”

“This scheme was definitely cooked up by that father-in-law of his. Xie Zhixue has no foundation in the imperial court; how is marrying the daughter of the Chen Family any different from marrying into her family as a resident son-in-law?”

“That old fox is single-mindedly focused on paving the way for his son-in-law!”

After saying all this, he looked at me, his eyes filled with frustration at my perceived weakness:

“And you, Song Zhu! They’re using you to play these mental games, and yet you haven’t reacted at all!”

My hand stopped as I was calculating the accounts.

“What are they using me for?” I asked, looking up.

“Using you to seek a good reputation!” Fu Gui said loudly. “They’re also using the scholars coming for the exams to spread word of the Chen Family’s kindness across the world!”

I smiled. “The silver they gave me was real. The inn was actually built to provide free lodging for scholars during the exams. Where is the ‘use’ in that?”

“They have done good deeds in reality, and they deserve the good reputation that comes with it.”

“But-” Fu Gui still wanted to argue.

I reached out and poked his forehead.

“Judge a person by their deeds, not their intentions. They’ve followed through on their good deeds to the very end; what more do you want?”

“Doing a good deed should be pure; one shouldn’t seek a reward for it!” Fu Gui insisted.

“Only a saint could achieve that,” I said, spreading my hands. “Where are there so many saints in this world?”

Fu Gui fell silent again.

The next day, the way he looked at the Golden List Tower became increasingly complex, though the disdain was gone.