Five Years After My Death, the Mad Emperor Still Summons My Spirit

Xie Ruijing also shot a look at the attendants behind him. No matter who Ming Lingyi invited out, the people he had arranged were to spare no effort in finding fault.

Upon hearing this, Ming Lingyi smiled openly. "Alright, then let us first welcome today’s esteemed judges."

As she said this, she had already taken a step to the side.

Jiang Yuchuan, who had been waiting behind the door curtain, gestured for the Lord Governor of Jingzhao Mansion beside him to go first.

Gongsun Liangce chuckled and stroked his beard. He didn’t refuse and walked into the main hall.

He had come in such a hurry that he hadn’t even had time to change out of his official robes.

At his appearance, the pupils of Xie Ruijing, who had been sitting below full of confidence, suddenly constricted.

And then, when Xie Ruijing saw Jiang Yuchuan emerge right behind Gongsun Liangce, he clenched his fists.

’What’s going on?!’

’Why is Jiang Yuchuan here?! Acting as a judge for this tiny little restaurant, doesn’t he find it embarrassing?!’

’And why am I seeing someone from the Jingzhao Mansion here too?’

The appearance of these two men, one after the other, caught Xie Ruijing completely off guard.

Many of the onlookers surrounding the restaurant were just as surprised.

"It’s actually Lord Gongsun!"

"Why would Lord Gongsun appear at Ming’s Restaurant?"

"Can’t you tell? It’s obvious! The judge Miss Ming invited is Lord Gongsun!"

"Ah, and Lord Jiang too. I told you before, Lord Jiang really loves dining at Ming’s Restaurant. I even saw him treating his colleagues to a meal here once! I just never thought Boss Ming would be capable enough to invite Lord Jiang over as well."

Even the students from the Imperial College stared wide-eyed when they saw the judges Ming Lingyi had invited for the day.

Zhang Zhidong hadn’t managed to grab a seat, and no one had saved him one. He was now trying with all his might and had only just managed to squeeze his way to the front.

Zhang Zhidong’s mouth hung open. "Ah, it’s actually Lord Gongsun! Boss Ming is incredible. I was worried someone would come to cause trouble, but it should be fine now. With Lord Gongsun here, I doubt anyone would dare to stir up a fuss."

Liu Lingxing, beside him, also nodded. "I thought it would have been impressive enough if Boss Ming had just invited a few reputable old teachers. To think she brought in two court-appointed officials at once. Tsk, Boss Ming really does things in grand style!"

Even Xu Qian, sitting next to Xie Ruijing, was quite surprised.

But soon, Xu Qian nodded in great satisfaction and turned to Xie Ruijing. "It seems that although this Boss Ming is just a woman, she has far more vision than those people from that Wangxian Building! That Wangxian Building really isn’t worth mentioning! It’s filled with useless good-for-nothings!"

Xie Ruijing: "..."

He gave a silent, forced smile.

Who would have known that Xu Qian was such a blockhead, the type completely unable to read the room? Seeing Xie Ruijing’s silence, he couldn’t help but press, "Don’t you agree?"

Xie Ruijing: "..."

’How had he never realized Xu Qian was so talkative before?’

"Wangxian Building is, at the very least, a major restaurant in the West Market. Ming’s Restaurant still can’t compare." Xie Ruijing had no desire to call the people at Wangxian Building useless good-for-nothings. Wouldn’t that be cursing himself out, as the boss behind the scenes?

The hint was already obvious, but Xu Qian was naturally dense. Or perhaps, this young master had long been accustomed to being the center of everyone’s universe. His own thoughts were all that mattered; what did the opinions of those around him have to do with him? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"You can’t really say that..." Xu Qian popped a piece of glistening, crispy pork belly into his mouth, closing his eyes in satisfaction. He then remarked, "The way I see it, Ming’s Restaurant might just surpass Wangxian Building in the future. After all, the chefs at Wangxian Building are nowhere near as skilled as the ones at Ming’s Restaurant! Don’t you agree?"

Xie Ruijing felt the fist he had just relaxed clench tightly again, as if of its own accord.

’He must have been out of his mind to invite Xu Qian to share a table with him today, just to make himself miserable.’

But soon, Xie Ruijing had no time to deal with the headache that was Xu Qian. He was determined to humiliate Ming’s Restaurant today. His original plan was to target the judges Ming Lingyi had chosen. Unfortunately, one was an official from the Jingzhao Mansion and the other was his own cousin, leaving Xie Ruijing both frustrated and furious.

’Could he really have his men publicly attack his own cousin for a lack of scholarship?’

One had to remember that when Jiang Yuchuan passed the imperial examinations, he had paraded through the streets on horseback. Innumerable young ladies in Shangjing City had thrown their handkerchiefs at him—a spectacular scene reminiscent of the old saying about a carriage filled by the fruits of admiration. Even if he disregarded the feelings between their two families and insisted on defaming Jiang Yuchuan, the common folk present would never allow it.

’If the third-place scholar, personally appointed by the Emperor, was considered untalented, then who was?’

While Xu Qian was preoccupied with his food, Xie Ruijing glanced at Jiang Yuchuan, who was still speaking, and summoned one of his men.

’Since the path of attacking the judges was blocked, Ming Lingyi could only blame her own bad luck.’

’He hadn’t originally wanted to pressure a woman like this, but as things stood, who told Ming Lingyi to be so capable?’

’A mere merchant woman with no backing, yet she could summon two court-appointed officials to her side. He had truly underestimated her.’

Just as Jiang Yuchuan had formally begun with a few pleasantries about being grateful for everyone’s trust, someone in the crowd of onlookers outside the restaurant "muttered," "This Boss Ming certainly has her methods. She’s just a merchant woman, yet she can invite court officials."

It was called a mutter, but the sound was a little too loud for that.

When Gongsun Liangce and Jiang Yuchuan had first appeared, it wasn’t that no one had said such things, but most people were just exclaiming in surprised admiration, thinking Ming Lingyi was incredible.

But the person saying it now obviously didn’t mean it as a compliment.

"Who knows what kind of tricks a young woman like her used? Haha, as for her private affairs, we couldn’t possibly know."

"I’d say this Boss Ming is quite the looker. Tsk tsk, it can’t be easy running this restaurant all by herself. It’s only natural she’d want to find someone to protect her!"

Soon, others in the crowd began to chime in, echoing the "mutter" that had come from nowhere.

These people made no attempt to discuss it in low voices; they just clamored loudly.

But there were simply too many people around the restaurant. Even if the staff of Ming’s Restaurant heard these words, they couldn’t immediately tell who was speaking.

Hearing these comments, Xiao Chun was so angry her fists clenched.

"What kind of people are they!" She stood on her tiptoes, trying to find the people who had been spouting such nonsense, but to no avail.

How could one pair of eyes possibly keep track of everyone?

Xu Qian had been busy stuffing his face. He had previously looked down on the atmosphere of Ming’s Restaurant, but when it came to its dishes, he would refuse nothing.

But now, hearing people outside slandering Ming Lingyi, Xu Qian suddenly looked up and shouted, "Bullshit!"