The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 18

Zhao Wenzhang felt a sense of trepidation in his heart. He could tell that the couple across from him were of noble status, but he had no idea why they had taken notice of him. After all, there were many talented scholars in Ruzhou, and he did not stand out among them.

Liu Qingyue knew their approach had been somewhat abrupt, so as soon as they were seated in the restaurant, she cut straight to the point.

“A few days ago, when my husband and I were dining at the Yunke Restaurant, you were also there for a gathering. You didn’t notice us then, but we overheard your brilliant insights.”

Her words were somewhat flattering. If Zhao Wenzhang were a man who fished for fame, he would have undoubtedly felt a surge of pride. However, he shook his head repeatedly; his temperament had mellowed significantly over the years.

“Madam overpraises me. I am but a poor scholar; what brilliant insights could I possibly have? I am merely a mundane person with shallow knowledge. Please, do not take it to heart.”

He spoke with genuine humility. Setting aside everything else, his choice of words alone showed he was no fool.

“Since you put it that way, then let us simply make friends as fellow ‘mundane people,'” Liu Qingyue replied with a smile, not bothering to argue further, as such debates were meaningless.

Zhao Wenzhang had no intention of making friends. He was a penniless student, and people of such noble status were far beyond his reach; he felt he lacked the qualifications to be their friend.

“My wife has always held great respect for scholars. You needn’t feel any pressure, Brother Zhao,” Gu Qingjia said with a smile, sensing the man’s reservations. He understood Zhao Wenzhang’s caution—after all, their appearance was quite mysterious.

“I know our actions today might seem sudden. Let me apologize to you by offering tea instead of wine. I hope you won’t take offense.”

It was the first time in Gu Qingjia’s life that he had apologized to a commoner, yet he did it with effortless grace. Liu Qingyue glanced at him, thinking he was much better at socializing than she was.

“My husband is right. I was simply too excited to meet you and lost my composure. I hope you can overlook it,” she added, following Gu Qingjia’s lead.

With the couple being so polite, Zhao Wenzhang couldn’t say much else. He could only accept the drink. “I thank the Young Master and Madam for your kind regard.” He pursed his lips; while he still had doubts, he had to maintain proper decorum.

“We know that you only set up a stall to sell calligraphy because of the pressures of making a living, and it truly pained us to see it. That is why my wife wanted to ask you to write a letter—it was a way to ease your predicament while expressing our sincerity,” Gu Qingjia explained, providing a logical reason for Liu Qingyue’s behavior.

“Thank you both for your help. However, though my family is poor, I have my own hands and feet and can still maintain a livelihood.” Zhao Wenzhang did indeed need money, but he couldn’t accept it without a clear reason.

“I will say it again: one should not receive rewards without merit. If Madam truly wishes for me to write a letter, ten copper coins will suffice. But if you are offering this out of pity or as alms, please take the silver back.”

To others, his words might have seemed pedantic—after all, that silver ingot could feed his family for a long time. But he wasn’t wrong. There are no free lunches; taking someone’s money creates a debt of gratitude. Monetary debts are easy to repay, but debts of favor are incredibly difficult.

“Since you insist, I will not force the silver on you as a fee,” Liu Qingyue said with a smile. “But I wonder… have you saved enough for your travel expenses for next year’s Spring Examinations?”

This was a question she already knew the answer to. If he had enough money, he wouldn’t be selling calligraphy on the street. Zhao Wenzhang lowered his eyes and remained silent. He had just refused their charity with such backbone, yet the truth was he hadn’t even gathered the funds to travel to the capital.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Qingyue knew he was in a tight spot.

“As my husband mentioned, I respect scholars and truly hope you will see your name on the golden list next year. Therefore, I wish to sponsor your journey to the capital. If you still insist on refusing, we won’t force you. My husband and I will still consider you a friend, and if you don’t mind, we hope you will view us as friends as well.”

She spoke with great sincerity. This was the first scholar she had hand-picked, and she genuinely intended to befriend him. Since Gu Qingjia didn’t plan to seek the throne, having a scholar as a friend wouldn’t cause any trouble.

Zhao Wenzhang knew that some wealthy families sponsored scholars, though it was usually older wealthy lords rather than young gentlemen like this.

“Since you both put it that way, then I shall accept you as friends.” He calculated in his heart that befriending such people wouldn’t be a disadvantage. He just didn’t know what they would want from him in the future. But having accepted a favor, he had to remember the kindness.

“Now that we are friends, Brother Wenzhang, please accept this silver. The journey to the capital is long, and there will be many expenses. My husband and I are not from Ruzhou; we are here to seek relatives and may leave any day. If we want to help you then, we might not be able to.”

Liu Qingyue felt that giving away one silver ingot was a small matter for them and wouldn’t burden their lives, but it would make his life much easier.

“It is just a single ingot. To us, it is nothing. But if it helps you reach the capital smoothly, we will be happy even when we are far away.”

Having agreed to the friendship, Zhao Wenzhang was prepared to accept the aid and stopped refusing. “Then I shall accept it with gratitude. Thank you both for your assistance.” He agreed with her—one ingot was nothing to the wealthy, but to a poor scholar like him, it was like rain after a long drought.

Liu Qingyue and Gu Qingjia never revealed their true identities. They only told him they were in Ruzhou to find relatives, but upon hearing the relatives had moved elsewhere for business, they wanted to see him one last time before leaving.

Zhao Wenzhang hadn’t expected them to leave Ruzhou so soon and felt a bit guilty for having doubted them. “When will Brother Gu and Sister-in-law be leaving? I shall come to see you off.”

“There’s no need, Brother Wenzhang. Let this meal be our farewell feast. I hope you will focus on your studies and succeed in the examinations next year. We shall have a proper drink together when we meet again.”

Gu Qingjia waved off the offer. If Zhao Wenzhang truly had talent and made the list, they would naturally meet at the Qionglin Banquet in the capital. Even if he didn’t pass, as long as he was in the capital, Gu Qingjia could find him if he wished.