Chapter 24: Fulfilling the Bet

Su Mu was truly shocked for a moment. She hurried to the ceremonial room to check the posted results.

Outside the ceremonial room, it was packed with people. Su Mu recognized several who had previously mocked her smugly for being illiterate. Now their faces had turned the color of pig liver. Seeing Su Mu walking towards them, they all lowered their heads in shame and made way for her.

Su Mu stepped forward and indeed saw her name hanging at the top of the list.

“I never thought the one who would pass the exam in the end would be Su Mu.”

“Yes, and she’s even ranked first.”

“Indeed, everyone thought Shen Yuxue would surely be first.”

“The exam papers are all anonymous. I heard the examiners had long known of Shen Yuxue’s famous ‘Water Melody’ poem. When they saw Su Mu’s paper with its brilliant writing, they kept praising it, saying it was indeed worthy of Shen Yuxue, that a talented lady is truly talented. But when they tore off the cover to reveal the name, it turned out to be Su Mu. The examiners were completely stunned!”

“Who could have imagined that Su Mu was hiding such depths? But what’s even more unbelievable is that Shen Yuxue actually turned in a blank paper, which almost angered her mother to death!”

Several examinees vividly described the scene of Shen Yuxue being chased by her mother afterwards, laughing out loud. Although they themselves had failed the exam, seeing Shen Yuxue in an even more miserable state made them feel better.

“You useless girl! How did I give birth to such a worthless daughter? How many years have you been taking this exam?” Liu Cui looked at the list without Yan Ruyu’s name and scolded furiously.

Yan Ruyu, being publicly scolded, felt embarrassed: “Father, let’s talk about this when we get home.”

“What’s there to talk about!” Liu Cui was furious, his voice high-pitched with anger: “How did you so confidently promise me before that you would definitely pass this time? Did you pass now? Even Su Mu, that commoner, passed, but you couldn’t. All day long you just fool around with those cheap hussies in your room! Look at how useless you are!”

The surrounding students burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Yan Ruyu couldn’t bear the embarrassment and pushed her father: “How was I supposed to know that Su Mu, who barely studied for a few days, would do so well? Perhaps…”

Yan Ruyu’s eyes rolled: “Perhaps she cheated!”

Su Mu, who had been watching the commotion, couldn’t stay calm upon hearing this. Being falsely accused of cheating – forget about her, even the examiners and county magistrate would all be beheaded. Did the Yan family have hereditary mental deficiency?

“Miss Yan, you can’t speak so recklessly. You’re slandering me and insulting my integrity. Come, I’ll take you to the Education Commissioner right now to sort this out properly!” Su Mu grabbed her hand and said sternly.

“No, no, no.” Yan Ruyu had spoken carelessly in her anger and panic, only realizing she had dared to accuse someone of cheating out loud. If this got blown up, it could be a capital offense!

Yan Ruyu immediately deflated, her legs going weak and nearly collapsing to the ground. She begged: “Su Mu, Lady Su, I didn’t mean it. I spoke carelessly. Please be magnanimous and forgive me.”

“Yes, yes, Lady Su, we used to be family after all. They say even a day of marriage creates a hundred days of affection. Although you’re now divorced from Jiyue, please consider our past relationship and let her off the hook! I’ll go back and properly discipline this brat who doesn’t know how to watch her mouth!” Liu Cui also realized how serious falsely accusing someone of cheating was, and just wanted to quickly smooth things over.

The onlookers laughed loudly.

“This Yan Ruyu, having no ability herself to pass the exam, can’t stand seeing others succeed. She really lacks the magnanimity of us women.”

“Exactly. Although I didn’t like Su Mu much before, she was able to pass the exam on her own merit! We have to acknowledge that!”

The students who had previously mocked Su Mu all chimed in agreement. After all, women should respect strength and ability.

“Oh right, I remember Yan Ruyu made a bet with Su Mu before. If Su Mu passed the exam, she would give Su Mu 100 taels of silver!”

“That’s right, I remember too.”

“Go away, don’t talk nonsense.” Yan Ruyu shook her sleeve, trying to shoo away the crowd.

“Nonsense? Miss Yan, have you forgotten? You made that bet with me right here, and many people heard it… Or are you trying to go back on your word?” Su Mu seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.

“That’s right, we all heard it.” The observing students said.

There was no way out. Although Yan Ruyu had some money, her character was poor. So seeing Yan Ruyu having to part with 100 taels of silver, everyone was happy to help Su Mu.

“A bet?” Liu Cui angrily grabbed Yan Ruyu’s ear: “You’re good, not only frequenting brothels, but now you’re gambling too? Do you think 100 taels of silver grows on trees?”

Su Mu laughed inwardly. Indeed, it wasn’t blown in by the wind, it was stolen from the Yan family treasury.

“Well, Lady Su, now that you’ve passed the exam and become a scholar, you wouldn’t quibble over such matters with us commoners, would you?” Liu Cui rubbed his hands together, smiling at Su Mu.

The implication was for Su Mu to give up on the bet.

100 taels of silver – enough to buy a small house in Juancheng to settle down. How could she possibly give that up?

Did she look like such a pushover?

Su Mu smiled slightly and said: “That’s not quite right. One thing at a time. Besides, it was Miss Yan who voluntarily proposed this 100 taels of silver back then. Everyone knows how noble the young lady of the Yan family is. Surely 100 taels of silver is nothing, not such a large sum that you can’t produce it, right?”

Liu Cui’s face darkened: “That’s not how we should look at it.”

“Then how should we look at it?” Su Mu smiled, looking at Yan Ruyu. Knowing she cared about face, Su Mu deliberately provoked her: “So it turns out Miss Yan’s previous bravado was all fake. Losing a bet means you can just renege on it? Such a small amount of money, and you still need your father to step in.”

“Who says I’m reneging!” Yan Ruyu immediately flared up. When it came to a woman’s dignity, she absolutely couldn’t tolerate it: “It’s just 100 taels!”

Yan Ruyu directly pulled out a bank note from her bosom: “Here, take it. This little money means nothing to me!”

“You—” Liu Cui watched helplessly as the 100-tael note went into Su Mu’s hands, stomping his feet in distress. That money could buy so many pieces of jewelry and make several sets of clothes.

“Father, stop embarrassing me here, let’s go!” Yan Ruyu pulled Liu Cui onto the carriage.

“I’m so angry, 100 taels of silver, you little brat, just gave it away to her like that!” Liu Cui was so angry his teeth were about to shatter, repeatedly poking Yan Ruyu’s forehead with his finger.

“Alright, Father, just let her have it. Consider it given to a beggar. But think about it, there are people even more upset than us right now.”

“Who could that be?”