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"How did you know about all this?"

Young Master Piao flashed a smile. "Because my family is rich."

Oh, for crying out loud! Damn rich second-generation heir! It was bad enough that he had nothing better to do than toy with a female cat, but now he was even prying into other people's privacy.

"Pig Kid, there's no need to panic. My purpose in coming here is very simple. I'm only asking you to go to Dongxu Mansion and find something for me. Once the job's done... you know what I mean." He gave a sinister smile and rubbed his fingertips together, shaking off a seductive stench of money.

Narrowing her eyes, she cleared her throat and pushed away his tempting fingers. "I don't even know whether I'll pass the exam!" To preserve her innocence in this world, she had already rejected the examiner's confession. There was no such thing as a free lunch—how could she pass the imperial examination after offending the examiner?

"Don't worry. I guarantee you'll pass with flying colors."

"You know that too?"

"Because my family is rich."

"..." What an infuriating reason. Was society really this dark? "What do you want me to find for you?"

"Inside Dongxu Mansion, there's a little court. It's the emperor's behind-the-scenes think tank. Though none of them hold official positions, every one of them wields real power, surpassing many court officials wearing official caps. The emperor favors them deeply, and he bestowed a seal upon each of them..."

"You want me to steal their personal seals? I, Young Master Ba, would never commit such a criminal act!" Steal the seals of the emperor's trusted aides? Did he think she had several heads?

"Steal?"

"Didn't you say they each had a seal, and then ask me to steal one and give it to you so you could do all sorts of evil things in their names?"

Young Master Piao blinked and waved his hands, looking utterly innocent. "Those seals are merely gifts meant to be given to someone."

"Nani? A... a gift?"

He nodded repeatedly. "Just a little gift that can be used as a Death-Exemption Token."

"A Death-Exemption Token? That's an incredibly valuable thing! How could I possibly steal one?"

"Pig Kid, your mind is awfully twisted. When did I ever ask you to steal someone else's belongings? I only want to know whom they gave their seals to."

"..."

"What do you mean by that suspicious look?"

"Why do you need to know something like that?"

"Of the several academy students most trusted by His Majesty, aren't you curious where the imperial power and ministers on the future grand court will ultimately place their hearts?"

"You mean..."

"The person who receives the seal they give away must be the person they care about most, right?"

That was true! Those were Death-Exemption Tokens, after all. If they didn't keep them for themselves but gave them to someone else, didn't that mean that person was more important than their own lives? For that person, they could risk everything!

That might be so, but... she glanced sideways...

"Young Master Piao, forgive me for speaking frankly, but you haven't even sorted out your own romantic troubles. Isn't this a little too gossipy?"

"Little Jing is one of those six people."

So that was it! No matter how he went about it, this was still about finding out more about Young Master Chenjing, wasn't it?

"So you didn't receive Young Master Chenjing's seal?"

"..." He smiled without answering and gazed into the distance.

What a desolate smile... After learning that Young Master Chenjing cared most about someone else, he couldn't suppress the small disappointment in his heart, so he planned to spend money to buy information from her, the "love intelligence broker," right?

It seemed she was only investigating some harmless gossip. It violated neither morality nor human nature, and she had often done similar things while gathering material for love letters in the past. It was completely acceptable. Mm-hmm!

"How much silver can I get once it's done?"

"How about I write you a blank banknote?"

"A... a blank banknote? You really can?" Her eyes lit up.

With the silly cat perched atop his head, Young Master Piao smiled calmly. "Because my family is rich."

Oh! The same words really did have different effects depending on when you heard them. What a marvelous line of dialogue!

"I'll arrange an identity for you. It'll be very helpful for investigating secrets."

"What identity?"

"You'll know when the time comes. Just obediently follow my arrangements, pay attention to people's expressions, and handle this properly for me. Once it's done... heh heh, you know what I mean!"

"Deal!" It was only a few rumors and romantic scandals, yet they were worth so much! What a bargain!

"Then, here's to a pleasant cooperation, Pig Kid. Come, let's seal the alliance with a high five."

With that, Young Master Piao held out his hand to her. Two crisp high fives rang out beside the river in the setting sun, startling countless crows into the air as they cawed and flew about.

A few days later, the results were posted at the city gate. Zhu Bafu was indeed among those listed, becoming a newly admitted student of Dongxu Mansion.

She had actually avoided being "harmonized" by the Prime Minister's Son. This world really did prove that money could make the devil turn millstones. Young Master Piao's line, "Because my family is rich," was even more effective than an imperial edict! Zhu Bafu felt she had found a sucker. Rich young masters truly led empty lives with no spiritual support—he had actually started caring about the romantic gossip surrounding future court officials.

Still, it worked out perfectly. She had picked up a huge bargain for free: not only could she enter the mansion to study, but she could also rake in some extra silver!

Xiaojiu! Praise her! Praise her for killing two birds with one stone, accomplishing two things at once, having one husband and multiple wives—anything was fine, as long as he praised her extravagantly!

Hahahahaha!

"You passed?" Looking at the admission notice Zhu Xiaojiu had brought home with a smug swagger, little Zhu Xiaojiu remained as calm as ever. "Naturally."

...That was it? Just those three words? What did he mean, "Naturally"? As her younger brother, shouldn't he encourage and cheer on his hard-working, overburdened sister who supported the household?

"Starting tomorrow, you'll attend classes at the academy with me. Remember to pretend you don't know me. Don't cause me any unnecessary trouble."

Ranking List

Historical Romance

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Woman Dressed as a Man