12dz Chapter 360 You'll Regret It
Chapter 360 You'll Regret It
"Hahahaha!"
As soon as Jiang Tao finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted around him.
Since ancient times, the birth of a legitimate son or a concubine has always been a competitive one.
Jiang Tao thought he would never meet this down-on-his-luck Jiang Bei in his life, but he never expected to meet him here today. Such an opportunity to humiliate Jiang Bei is rare.
We must show him properly that as a son of a concubine in the Jiang family, his status is as insurmountable as that of the legitimate son.
Jiang Tao casually fanned himself with his folding fan, then circled Jiang Bei, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Jiang Bei, you're dressed so smartly today. Are you trying to get into the Naxian Academy?!"
After Jiang Tao finished speaking, a hint of jealousy appeared in his eyes.
Everyone thought that Aunt Lin would have a hard time after being divorced, but they didn't expect that although she was not dressed in fine clothes, she was still wearing fine cotton cloth of good quality, and there were even subtle patterns embroidered on the cuffs.
I don't know where she climbed the social ladder, but she's dressed even more elegantly than she did in previous years when she was at the mansion.
Zhou Miao, who was standing nearby, was furious and was about to step forward to argue, but Jiang Bei grabbed his arm and shook his head at him imperceptibly.
He remained calm and turned to look at Jiang Tao, his face expressionless: "What, am I breaking the law by entering the academy?"
Jiang Tao glanced disdainfully at the two people in front of him, and snapped his folding fan shut. "Jiang Bei, I know you're not giving up after being kicked out, but Naxian Academy isn't a place for just anyone. Do you think the teachers would take a discarded student seriously?"
At this point, Jiang Tao's eyes darted around: "To get into this academy, you need a recommendation letter. You're an outcast, did you steal the master's seal and forge your own recommendation letter while working as a servant somewhere?"
"Hahaha! Stealing official seals and forging recommendation letters? Only he could come up with such a method!"
"That's right, after all, he was born to a concubine, so he's bound to have the habit of stealing chickens and dogs in his bones!"
The laughter of his followers was like dirty water being poured over Jiang Bei's head.
Some people even tiptoed to peek at the scrolls in Jiang Bei's arms, deliberately making a lot of noise: "Quick, quick, is the recommended book hidden inside?"
Zhou Miao stepped forward, blocking Jiang Bei's path: "Stop spewing nonsense here. My cousin Jiang is a man of true talent and learning, not someone like you cowards can compare to!"
Jiangbei, standing behind Zhou Miao, felt an indescribable sense of emotion as he watched Zhou Miao's retreating figure.
Even though she was younger than him, she always stood in front of him without any hesitation.
Whether it was at other academies before, or at the entrance of Naxian Academy now, it remains the same as always.
To have such a friend is truly a great blessing in life.
When Jiang Tao heard the student speak up, he immediately became angry: "I'm afraid you have something to hide, and the book recommendation came from an illegitimate source!"
"Everyone, get out and search them!"
Jiang Tao gave the order and called for the students to step forward.
Four fists are no match for countless hands, and the two were immediately pinned to the ground by human flesh.
Jiang Tao pulled the recommendation book out of Jiang Bei's arms.
Sure enough, he had a letter of recommendation!
His sense of superiority as the eldest son made it impossible for him to allow Jiang Bei to enter the academy.
Jiang Tao gripped the corner of the recommendation book as if he were holding something dirty.
He looked down at the two men pinned to the ground, his eyes burning with jealousy.
"So there really was a recommendation letter?"
He scoffed and picked up the recommendation letter, ready to tear it to shreds.
Jiang Bei struggled to get up, but the person behind him pressed his shoulder down tightly.
He looked up angrily: "Jiang Tao! You dare touch the recommendation letter!"
"What am I afraid of?"
Jiang Tao suddenly raised his hand, holding the recommendation letter in mid-air: "You think you can get into the Naxian Academy just by having this piece of paper?"
"Let me tell you, as long as I, Jiang Tao, am alive, you won't be able to step into this door!"
Zhou Miao was so anxious that his face turned red, and all he could do was curse: "Jiang Tao, you spineless coward!"
Besides bullying others by taking advantage of your numbers, what else can you do?
You're nothing but a good-for-nothing who's all show and no substance! If you dare tear up my recommendation letter today, I'll have my older brother and sister-in-law chop you up!
"At that point, even if your dad protects you, or even if they put you back in your mother's womb to start over, it won't save you, you damn fool!"
After Zhou Miao finished speaking, he quickly apologized to Lin Xi and Gao Mengli in his heart.
He didn't mean to cause trouble.
Jiangbei is our own family. If we don't even protect our own people, we're not worthy of being called family.
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Tao was stunned, and Jiang Bei was also stunned.
Zhou Miao was a good student, but no one expected that his swearing skills would be even better.
Yeah, he has his older cousin and his wife protecting him, what's there to be afraid of!
Jiang Bei snorted coldly, "Jiang Tao, you dare to tear up the recommendation letter, I'll make you regret it!"
When he gets back, he will go to find Mengze.
No matter what, Mengze will put a sack over Jiang Tao's head every night and beat him up every day.
Jiang Tao's eyes reddened at Jiang Bei's words, "I'll make you regret this."
The arrogance of the eldest son and the sting of shame exploded in his chest. He actually grabbed the letter of recommendation into his palm without any regard for the consequences, and with a crisp "rip," the plain paper tore apart.
Jiang Tao tore up the recommendation letter and slammed it into Jiang Bei's face: "I'm going to tear it up, what can you do about it!"
Seeing the recommendation letters scattered all over the ground, Jiang Bei was furious: "Jiang Tao, you're finished!"
Jiang Bei's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a chilling, icy edge.
Jiang Tao didn't take it seriously, and with a "whoosh," he unfolded his folding fan and leisurely fanned himself twice: "Without the recommendation book, Jiang Bei, you're just a discarded pawn who can't even get close to the academy. You still dare to challenge me?"
His eyes were filled with satisfaction. "Hmph, this is what happens when you overestimate yourself!"
"Oh, Lord Li, your prefecture is truly teeming with talent! The scholars here are of noble character; I never imagined I'd witness such a magnificent spectacle!"
Just then, a woman's teasing voice came from the crowd.
Jiang Tao was feeling smug when he heard this and suddenly turned around, his arrogance instantly freezing on his face.
The crowd parted to make way for a middle-aged man in a scarlet official robe, who stood with his hands behind his back. This man was none other than the Prefect of the city—Lord Li.
Standing beside him was a woman dressed in a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the one who had spoken just now, who was now looking at him with a half-smile.
What's Prefect Li doing here?
Before he could even figure out who the woman was, Jiang Tao was so frightened that he quickly signaled to his classmate to release the two people on the ground.
Jiang Bei quickly helped Zhou Miao up, and when he turned around and saw the two familiar faces, he was overjoyed.
My older cousin and his wife have arrived!
Prefect Li's gaze swept over the scattered scraps of paper on the ground, then fell on the folding fan that Jiang Tao was waving enthusiastically in his hand, and his brows furrowed into a knot.
This academy shouldn't be under his jurisdiction, but where there are people, there are bound to be conflicts; it's commonplace.
But once the "get-out-of-jail-free card" in front of him spoke, he couldn't pretend he didn't see it.
In his mind, he cursed each of the troublemaking students and their ancestors for eighteen generations.
They had arrived long ago, but the two people next to them told him to keep quiet.
So he saw the whole story from beginning to end.
"Mrs. Lin is right,"
Prefect Li cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on Jiang Tao again. "Although I am not in charge of the academy, this is a recommendation letter from the local magistrate of the imperial court."
This represents the court's high regard for scholars; how could you possibly slander it in public?