Shangguan Jun and Qiao Ming were caught off guard when their teacher suddenly questioned them. Had it been a question about their studies, the two might have been able to stammer out a vaguely relevant answer. But as it was, Shangguan Jun and Qiao Ming just stood there, completely stunned.

「Meanwhile, in the backyard of Ming’s Restaurant.」

The last time Jiang Yuchuan and Gongsun Liangce had visited, they had entered through the back door into the yard where the Wu Brothers lived. Gongsun Liangce used the same entrance this time and was now having tea with the Ming siblings in the backyard.

Gongsun Liangce wore a set of plain clothes, washed until they were faded white. Dressed like this, it would be difficult for anyone on the street to recognize him as the Lord Governor of Jingzhao Mansion. He completely lacked the typical air of an official.

"You must be Mr. Ming of the famed ’Shangjing Twins,’ I presume?" Gongsun Liangce said with a chuckle. "They say seeing is believing, and it’s true. You are indeed a man of striking appearance, quite dashing."

Ming Chengyu shook his head repeatedly. "Lord Gongsun, you flatter me. That’s just an empty title my friends came up with for fun. I’m not worthy of such praise."

"That’s just you being modest, Mr. Ming," Gongsun Liangce replied. "In my humble opinion, the title of ’Shangjing Twins’ is well-deserved." After saying this, Gongsun Liangce brought up the calligraphy he had seen on the wall outside Ming’s Restaurant.

They say one’s handwriting reflects their character, and such fine calligraphy could not have been produced by an ordinary person.

After finishing his chat with Ming Chengyu, Gongsun Liangce finally turned his attention back to Ming Lingyi.

"Boss Ming, why didn’t you ask me to be a judge this time? Don’t you think I’m good enough? You came looking for me specifically last time!"

As he said this, Gongsun Liangce even let out a theatrical sigh of disappointment.

It was as if failing to be invited as a judge by Ming Lingyi was a matter of great regret.

Ming Lingyi: "..."

She was stunned for a moment, nearly blurting out, "Huh?"

The only reason she had been able to approach Lord Governor Gongsun Liangce last time was because of the slight rapport built from his frequent patronage.

But Ming Lingyi certainly didn’t think the relationship between a diner and a restaurant owner was strong enough to warrant a second invitation to the Lord Governor.

’I’m not that shameless.’

’So what’s going on now?’

"You... you don’t actually want to be a judge for our restaurant, do you?" Ming Lingyi asked, testing the waters.

She found it hard to believe the Lord Governor would voluntarily take on such a troublesome task.

Gongsun Liangce chuckled. "And why not? Being a judge at Ming’s Restaurant is fun! I deal with official business every day—now *that’s* boring. Coming to Boss Ming’s restaurant for a change of pace is the most interesting thing I can do."

Ming Lingyi blinked. She’d never realized the Lord Governor was so keen on volunteering his labor for free at her restaurant.

"Alright! Then it’s a deal. The next time my restaurant holds an event with judges, I’ll be sure to look for you, Lord Governor. I just hope you won’t find me too much of a bother then."

Ming Lingyi wasn’t one to mince words. Since Gongsun Liangce had made the offer himself, repeatedly refusing would make her and Ming’s Restaurant seem ungrateful.

"Hmm, however..." Gongsun Liangce stroked his beard. "I heard that the scholars who acted as judges today get to eat here for free from now on. Business at Ming’s Restaurant is so popular these days that I’ve come several times only to find no available seats. It’s not that I want payment, but... hmm, could I trouble Boss Ming to save a seat for me in the future?"

Gongsun Liangce had to admit it: he was just craving the food.

A man his age had few wants and even fewer desires—except for the pleasures of the palate.

If a man couldn’t even enjoy a good meal, what was the point of living?

Once she understood, Ming Lingyi burst out laughing.

She could see it now. The Lord Governor was genuinely interested in being a judge, but that interest was conditional on being able to get a meal at her restaurant.

Even if the Lord Governor’s motives weren’t entirely pure, she couldn’t possibly refuse his reasoning.

What restaurant owner wouldn’t love for customers to be completely hooked on their food?

Clearly, the Lord Governor had become a "die-hard fan" of their establishment.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be holding a grudge over missing out on a meal a few times.

"Of course!" Ming Lingyi said cheerfully. "Besides, whatever others get, you certainly will too, Lord Governor. From now on, when you dine at our restaurant, three meals a month will be on the house. Whenever you come, I’ll make sure you have a seat for a proper meal, even if I have to add an extra table and chair to the main hall myself."

Gongsun Liangce met Ming Lingyi’s gaze, then clapped his hands and laughed.

’Isn’t this a win-win situation?’

"In my opinion, there are probably quite a few people in Shangjing City who’d love to be a judge for your restaurant," Gongsun Liangce said.

He had several good friends in Shangjing City. Just recently, one of them had asked him how he had managed to become a judge for Ming’s Restaurant.

"Don’t tell me you want to be a judge there too?"

"Isn’t that obvious? Just ask around—what scholar *wouldn’t* want to? That’s a seat the Emperor himself has sat in! Anyone who becomes a judge for Ming’s Restaurant can say they’ve worked on something with the Emperor! That alone is enough to make people green with envy, you know? And that’s not even mentioning that Ming’s Restaurant has started putting out some kind of official gazette. Have you seen it?"

Gongsun Liangce had, of course, seen it. In fact, when Liufang Bookstore began heavily promoting that official gazette, he’d even felt a little embarrassed.

After all, he felt he hadn’t really done anything, yet there was his name in the gazette.

While it wasn’t exactly a rare classic that would be passed down for a millennium, a good reputation was something that could last for generations.

After all, what scholar didn’t dream of leaving a mark on history, achieving fame, and being remembered by posterity?

Embarrassed or not, he had still sent someone to fetch him a copy of the official gazette.

It cost five silver.

The thought of it still made Gongsun Liangce’s heart ache.

’That was five whole silver!’

If Gongsun Liangce had previously agreed to be a judge at Ming’s Restaurant merely as a favor to Ming Lingyi, he now genuinely wanted to continue in the role.

The chance to eat at Ming’s Restaurant, plus a newly published official gazette each month with his name in it for all to see... it was more than enough to satisfy the deep-seated vanity he would never admit to anyone.

What Gongsun Liangce hadn’t anticipated was the fallout from his own confident words. He had assured his friend that the judges had to be personally invited by the owner of Ming’s Restaurant, and that he could put in a good word for him the next time he was invited. As it turned out, he wasn’t even on Ming Lingyi’s invitation list this time. A grave miscalculation indeed!