Chapter 34: Striving for Greatness

"To think that a self-respecting man could even utter such words!" Ma Yuantong was so infuriated that his dark face flushed, making him look like the legendary Judge Bao.

"There is no need for you to put on an act," Wang Ziyu retorted. "What are you truly thinking? Isn't it exactly the same as me? You are simply inferior to me. At the very least, I have passed the preliminary examinations. Don't forget, you have yet to pass the prefectural examination. If you want to lecture me, you should first secure your status as a scholar!"

Wang Ziyu had originally believed that even if others misunderstood him, Ma Yuantong would surely understand, as they shared the same status and background. Yet now, Ma Yuantong was standing there on his moral high horse, pointing a finger at him. How dare he? Wang Ziyu was a scholar by the age of fifteen; even if Ma Yuantong passed his exam this year, he would already be sixteen—he could never compare to him. By what right did he use such a condescending tone?

Ma Yuantong had never imagined that Wang Ziyu was such a person. Previously, he had observed Wang Ziyu to be diligent in his studies, humble in conduct, and handsome in appearance. Deep down, Ma Yuantong had felt that if the Third Miss of the Dantai family were to be with Wang Ziyu, it might not be a bad outcome. He believed that if Wang Ziyu worked hard and climbed the ranks, he would be grateful for the kindness of Master Dantai and cherish the wife who had accompanied him through his struggles.

But now, it was clear that Wang Ziyu was a petty man—a hypocrite. Everything he had shown before was merely a facade. If he truly cherished the Third Miss, how could he act in such a manner? Had the Third Miss not fallen into the water and lost her voice, causing her to change her attitude toward him, her entire life would have been ruined. At that moment, Ma Yuantong felt a surge of relief that the Third Miss had not been deceived by Wang Ziyu. There was still time!

Without another word, Ma Yuantong flicked his sleeves and stormed off.

Watching his retreating figure, Wang Ziyu spat on the ground and sneered, "We are two of a kind, except I am the superior one and you are the lesser. If you want to throw a temper tantrum at me, you should first see if you are even worthy. If you were a son of an official, perhaps, but who do you think you are?"

Ma Yuantong walked quickly, angrier than he had ever been in his life. It was not that he lacked the strength to strike Wang Ziyu—he spent his days helping his parents with farm work and tending to the fields of his teacher; physically, Wang Ziyu was no match for him. But he could not. He could not bring trouble upon the Third Miss. If he were to brawl with Wang Ziyu, another piece of gossip would spread through Zecheng, claiming they were fighting over her, which would leave the Third Miss in an impossible position.

The Third Miss was a golden phoenix; she should not be tainted by scholars from humble backgrounds like them. He had to help her by crushing Wang Ziyu’s arrogance. The only way was through the prefectural examination in August. He had to pass and become a scholar. Furthermore, he had to outperform Wang Ziyu to truly suppress him.

Scholars who passed the preliminary exams were ranked in three tiers. Wang Ziyu was merely a bottom-tier *fusheng* (attached student). Ma Yuantong vowed to work hard to achieve the top-tier *linsheng* (stipendiary student) status, so that Wang Ziyu would never again have the qualifications to swagger through Zecheng.

Dantai Jing was unaware of the resolve Ma Yuantong had formed on her behalf. At that moment, Nanny Jiang, Nanny Gui, Nanny Xu, and Suxin were sitting in the main hall of the Liruo Courtyard, awaiting her instructions. Dantai Jing could not yet fully trust Nanny Jiang and Nanny Gui. It was not that they were unreliable—they were sent by her maternal grandmother, Lady Dong, and were undoubtedly capable—but she was a prefectural official's daughter who had lost her mother and her voice, trapped in a household full of enemies. Her future was uncertain, and she could not be sure if these nannies would gamble their own futures on her.

Suxin brought over the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, then went to stand guard on the veranda. Although the Third Miss could not speak, the nannies needed to report back, and they could not risk being overheard.

Nanny Xu stood by Dantai Jing’s side. When Dantai Jing finished writing a note, Nanny Xu read it aloud: "The Third Miss asks Nanny Jiang and Nanny Gui, what do you think of the current situation in the manor?"

The two nannies hesitated, but Nanny Xu stepped forward. "Since Nanny Jiang and Nanny Gui are new here, perhaps I should speak first."

Seeing Dantai Jing nod with a smile, Nanny Xu frowned. "Madam Ye will not relinquish control of the household accounts. Even if the Master has given the order, she will not let go. She will surely create obstacles so that when the Third Miss takes over, problems will arise, forcing her to hand the management back."

Nanny Jiang, having met Madam Ye and Master Dantai Shanchang, recalled her duty from Lady Dong. "I am not worried about such matters. With my experience, she will not be able to pull any tricks under my nose. My concern is the situation outside."

Nanny Gui, who had spent the day dealing with Wang Ziyu, added, "I agree with Nanny Jiang. As for the internal household, we can handle Madam Ye. But the Third Miss's reputation..." Nanny Gui looked at Dantai Jing with pity. "If I may be blunt, the Third Miss must look further ahead. No matter how much chaos there is in this house, it will only last a few years. If the Third Miss secures her dowry and marries well, that is all that matters. But with her reputation currently damaged, it will be difficult to find a good family. If she marries into an ordinary one, would that not be escaping the tiger's den only to enter the wolf's lair?"

Nanny Xu nodded repeatedly. "That Wang Ziyu is truly hateful. If not for him, the Third Miss would not be in this plight!"

The three women looked at Dantai Jing with concern, waiting for her reaction. Though only twelve, Dantai Jing’s eyes held a wisdom and clarity far beyond her years. Her slender fingers moved across the paper, and Nanny Xu read the words aloud: "To repel enemies from without, one must first stabilize from within. The solution lies within the inner courtyard."

The three women looked at each other in confusion. Just as they wondered what to do next, Suxin called out, "Isn't that Taohong from Madam Ye’s side? Why has she come here personally?"