<h4>Chapter 118.1</h4>


    Gu Jiao and Xiao Ling first sent the three younger brothers to Tianxiang Academy and private school before they headed to the county yamen together.


    Imperial Academy''s enrollment documents had indeed been issued, and there was also news of the rmendation slot, but the one who got it wasn’t Xiao Ling.


    "How did this happen?" Gu Jiao asked.


    "This..." The County Magistrate had an embarrassed look on his face as he faced Xiao Ling and Gu Jiao. "I don''t know if this official should say this."


    "There’s no harm in saying what you think." Xiao Ling said.


    The County Magistrate let out a sigh.


    Anyone with a discerning eye could see that there was an inside story. Ever since the county exam was held in this county, there hadn’t been a single student better than Xiao Ling. Even though Xiao Ling failed to be the top scorer in the college exam, his total score was still ranked first in the entire entry-level exam.


    Moreover, he was also a student of Tianxiang Academy, and a direct disciple announced unterally by Dean Li. He led a totally clean life and there wasn’t half a stain on his reputation. It was unreasonable for him not to get the rmendation slot.


    The County Magistrate was also worried.


    The first name he wrote was of course Xiao Ling''s, but who would have known——


    "This official really can''t speak of this matter, may the two of you let me off this time. I''m just a small County Magistrate and can''t afford to offend those dignitaries!"


    "Who did you give the slot to?" Gu Jiao asked.


    The County Magistrate hesitated but ultimately answered her, "An examinee named Feng Lin."


    Gu Jiao and Xiao Ling exchanged nces.


    "Which Feng Lin?" Gu Jiao frowned. "Feng Lin from Tianxiang Academy?"


    The County Magistrate was surprised and looked at the two of them, saying, "Ah, that’s right! Do you know him?"


    Gu Jiao turned to Xiao Ling beside her and said, "How many Feng Lin are there in your academy?"


    "There is only one." Xiao Ling replied.


    Gu Jiao murmured, "It''s strange. How can Feng Lin''s grades be higher than yours? No, it''s not about grades."


    Xiao Ling said to the County Magistrate, "He’s not a local of this ce at all. He is from Song County. How can our county’s rmendation slot be given to him?"


    "That''s what this official said too, but..." In the middle of his speech, the County Magistrate realized that he almost let it slip and changed his words at once, "In any case, there''s nothing I can do! Xiucai Xiao, Lady Xiao, please go back first."


    The County Magistrate felt really sorry for Xiao Ling. It was a pity that such a good young seedling didn''t join a good family. Otherwise, would his future not be immeasurable?


    "This matter should have nothing to do with Feng Lin." Xiao Ling exined to Gu Jiao as they walked out.


    "En, I know." Gu Jiao nodded.


    Neither of them were people to easily lose their reason. Perhaps others'' first reaction after hearing this news was to suspect Feng Lin, but both of them knew Feng Lin''s character. He would never stab Xiao Ling in the back.


    Besides, he didn’t have this capability. He didn’t have any powerful background after all.


    Anyway, this matter was clearly aimed at Xiao Ling, and the other party wanted to use Feng Lin to suppress Xiao Ling. Such maliciousness!


    Gu Jiao said, "Why don''t we go to the prefectural city and ask?"


    "Aiya! You don''t have to go! The documents came from the prefectural city!" When the County Magistrate heard that they wanted to make an appeal, he was very worried that he could not keep his official hat. He rushed out and said, "To tell you the truth, the other party is a nobleman from the capital, so it would be useless even if you go to the prefectural city!"


    "Which nobleman is it from the capital?" Gu Jiao knew that there was only one noble personage from the capital who would possibly make life difficult for Xiao Ling.


    "It’s a Marquis." The County Magistrate told them that the person who came to deliver the documents identally had a slip of the tongue. However, it only let him know that the other party was a Marquis, as for which Marquis it was, he really had no idea even if you beat him to death!


    “Marquis?” Gu Jiao muttered.


    Just as she uttered the word, a carriage stopped at the county yamen.


    Marquis Gu swaggered down, looking refreshed and energetic as he straightened thepel of his clothes, then his eyes fell on Gu Jiao and the little cripple Xiao Ling, "Yo? It’s you guys? What a coincidence? I presume you’ve heard about the Imperial Academy’s enrollment, so you came to see if you got the rmendation slot, right? Oh, let this Marquis guess. Is the slot gone? Hahaha! Hahaha!"


    Marquis Gu rested both fists on his hips andughed out loud.


    "Let memunicate with him for a bit." Gu Jiao said to Xiao Ling and then dragged Marquis Gu back into the carriage.


    Dong! Dong! Dong!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    "Ah—"


    "Ah—"


    "Ah—"


    After a few moments of tumultuous and chaotic activity, Marquis Gu copsed in the corner of the carriage with an ashen and bloodlessplexion.


    Gu Jiao grabbed him by the cor and said coldly, "Change the rmendation slot for me!"


    As soon as the County Magistrate saw Marquis Gu arrive, he hurried back into the County yamen and dug up the brocade box sent by Marquis Gu earlier. By the time he took the brocade box to the carriage, Marquis Gu had been beaten beyond recognition.


    He didn''t have the qualification to have Marquis Gu lift the curtain directly, so he just spoke respectfully, "Lord Marquis, about the thing you want this subordinate to handle, I’m afraid it’s already impossible. You are a stepte. The rmendation slot for entering the Imperial Academy has already been given to others by someone else. You should take your things back."


    Marquis Gu no longer had the strength to speak...


    Gu Jiao paused, looked at Marquis Gu who had been beaten like a sandbag by herself, and asked, "You didn''t mess with the rmendation slot?"


    Marquis Gu who was almost dying, "Uh... Huh?"


    I... What the hell did I get beat up for?


    Gu Jiao: Er, seems I beat you up by mistake.


    Gu Jiao dusted off her hands and got off the carriage solemnly.


    Marquis Gu did intend to do something underhand, but it wasn''t to prevent Xiao Ling from going to the Imperial Academy. On the contrary, it was to let him enter it. Because only if Xiao Ling entered the Imperial Academy was it possible for Gu Jiao to go to the capital with him.


    He sent Huang Zhong to give orders to the County Magistrate overnight, bribing him with a generous amount of money, so that the County Magistrate could leave the rmendation slot to him.


    Just now, heughed at Xiao Ling for not getting the slot, only because he was confident that the slot was in his own hands. Although it was for Xiao Ling, he thought it wouldn’t be so bad to hear the girl speak a few words of plea!


    What he didn''t expect was that shortly after Huang Zhong left, the Country Magistrate received themand of another nobleman, and this Marquis was even more powerful than Marquis Ding''an.


    The County Magistrate could only fail to live up to Marquis Ding''an’s expectations.


    Of course, he wouldn’t tell the truth and only say that Marquis Ding''an was a stepte.


    Marquis Gu felt wronged as he looked up to the sky. Seriously, for what reason did he get beaten up again today?


    On the way back, Gu Jiao didn''t ask Xiao Ling why a Marquis in the capital was targeting him. Could it be, it was because of this Marquis why he didn’t want to go to the capital?


    Anyway, if he wanted to talk about it, she didn’t need to open her mouth to ask.