Pei Zongli could only offer the Zhao family empty promises. Behind them was the Qian family, big and prosperous; even if the Government Office didn't need Zhao Yaocheng, the Qian family could still secure him a position. Wu Dongsi would not be the County Magistrate of Yuanyang forever, nor could he protect Pei Qin indefinitely. There would come a time when they would fall out, and Zhao Junchao's academic honors wouldn't be an issue. In the future, when Pei Wenli climbed up the ranks, he would surely pull up his brother-in-law Zhao Junchao with him, supporting each other.
The reputation of Old Pei's House might be whatever it is now, but in the eyes of the higher-ups, they were simply a family of sweet potato farmers who had received an imperial reward, which would always make it easier for them to take the academic examinations than others.
