Leaving aside the clothes on their body, over these last three days, everyone was more or less the same. The preliminary round of the imperial exam was already a grueling matter to begin with. After coming out, ones that have suffered greatly weren’t in the minority either. There were even a few that directly collapsed onto the ground.
Chen Zheng Min’s situation was different from everyone else’s, with his complexion dark and heavy, his eyes scarlet red, appearing as if he’s never once closed his eyes in these last three days. His entire person was on the brink of violent rage. And this while, it seems he was increasingly unable to suppress it anymore.
Of the ones that recognized Chen Zheng Min, not one didn’t raise an eyebrow. Even if one didn’t perform well on the exam, one would be bawling. Seemingly, it shouldn’t be like this? Moreover, he even had such a fiancee, don’t know how many people were sour at his good luck. If not for having already set the engagement, where would it be his turn. “Virtuous little brother Chen, this is………….”
Chen Zheng Min paused his steps and firmly rubbed his face, turning to his friends and forcibly tugging the corner of his mouth, “Apologies everyone, something happened at home, once taken care of, this one will return to chat with everyone.”
Everyone came to realization. Just based on their understanding of Chen Zheng Min, even if he didn’t test well, he still wouldn’t go as far as to forget his manners like this. However, from the looks of it, something more or less must have happened prior to entering the site, just don’t know whether it affected his performance or not. The group hurriedly told him to quickly go back, everything else can be discussed later.
Chen Zheng Min nodded, and without another word, left ahead of them. Never mind that his steps were hasty, his every stride was all very big as well. He’d already noticed everyone of the Chen family that came to meet him. Seeing their expression, Chen Zheng Min just knew that they’d already learned everything. He clenched his two fists tightly. Never mind the back of his hand, even the veins on his neck popped out. “Li Ru Yu came to look for you all, didn’t she? And you all went to the Luo family, didn’t you?” Although he lowered his voice, it was still like a wild beast’s low growl.
His mother was extremely distressed, “My son, you’ve worked hard these last few days, let’s go home first, alright?”
“Mother, answer me. Right now, don’t say these useless things.”
Seeing his insistence, everyone knew, if he doesn’t get an answer, he will most likely continue on like this. Chen Zheng Min’s mother could only nod with great difficulty.
“What about the engagement, what about my engagement with younger cousin Wan, was it also rescinded?” Chen Zheng Min anxiously asked, also carrying a bit of cautious, and also that slightly trembling voice and body, all revealing to others that he was scared.
The Chen family finally understood, Jing Wan was right. If not for her warning, and directly telling him about the cancelled engagement, really don’t know what he’ll do. Everyone all stiffened, their lips trembling.
“Rescinded? Was it rescinded? Ah? Mother, answer me.” Chen Zheng Min firmly tugged his mother’s arm.
“No, no, not yet, your younger cousin Wan said to talk about it after your court examination. She said to let you properly take the exam. If you don’t test well, she will, she will ignore you.” It was obvious, Chen mother’s words were due to realizing just how much weight Jing Wan held in Chen Zheng Min’s heart, having the intention to mislead Chen Zheng Min.
Sure enough, Chen Zheng Min’s anger turned to joy. “Did she really say this, really say this?” Did this mean that this matter can still turn for the better? Perhaps because he was too happy and didn’t notice, or perhaps he simply just didn’t want to admit that he was scared, deceiving himself and refusing to notice the Chen family’s worry and apprehension.
Chen Zheng Min let go of his mother’s arm, preparing to leave in big strides.
“Where is my son going?” Chen Zheng Min’s mother subconsciously pulled him back.
“Of course to go look for younger cousin. I believe myself to have test quite well, so naturally want to go share this good news with her.”
The people of the Chen family although saw that he was smiling, but compared to earlier, he seemingly appeared even more off. However, what was worth cheering was that it seemingly didn’t affect his performance. On this bit, he has never boasted before.
“With your current appearance, do you feel no shame in going? Besides, this while, she’s most likely still angry, how can she possibly be willing to see you?” Have to say, Chen third old master really was worthy of someone who has mingled through officialdom for many years. Compared to his crumbling state from when the incident occurred, right now, he’d already adjusted, becoming calm, and even had a bit of rigid coldness.
“Then, then what should I do?” Chen Zheng Min became somewhat helpless again.
Chen third old master suddenly realized, it was good that this marriage was cancelled. If a man wants to have big accomplishments, how can he be this ‘drowned in romance and short on ambition’. His elder sister family’s granddaughter had too big of an influence on his grandson. If she really were to marry into the Chen family, wouldn’t that make his grandson indulge in the warm embrace. That way, what could their Chen family still hope for? However, he was also aware, right now wasn’t the time to berate him. The most important thing right now was to calm his grandson, and let him properly prepare for the court exam. This was the most crucial matter. “Naturally it’s to return home and properly wash up. After you’ve rested, prepare for the court exam, and once you get a good rank in the exam, you can then go look for her.”
“Yes, yes, grandfather, you’re right, let’s go home, go home right away.”
Chen Zheng Min, who was walking like a headless fly, fell into the eyes of the Chen family, as they worried in their hearts. But there was nothing they could do, for him to be willing to go home right now was already not bad.
After returning, Chen Zheng Min was rather obedient, doing whatever he was told, seemingly appearing to have returned to normal. But reality was only seemingly so.
Have to say, in these last two days, everything appeared calm and still on the surface, but, in reality, wasn’t the case at all. Since Luo Pei Shan had said that he wanted to look for Cheng Junwang to reason with, then it wasn’t going to be a simple matter. Moreover, Luo Pei Shan, because resided in the neutral faction, aside from official matters, and aside from those few fellow enthusiasts that he interacted with in private, very rarely came in contact with others. For him to suddenly go look for Cheng Junwang, how could it not draw everyone’s attention, especially since he’s been tightly under watch these days to begin with.
It was fine if other’s didn’t pay attention, but once others paid attention, wouldn’t the things that Li Ru Yu had done get thoroughly leaked out.
After Li Ru Yu returned home, she no longer had the guts to ‘offer herself up to someone to sleep with’. This while, she seemingly also finally realized that she might have done something stupid, then recalling Jing Wan’s words, she became increasingly scared. Beside, no matter how domineering she was normally, she was still just a spoiled young miss. With everything piling together, she momentarily was unable to bear it, and actually got a fever just like that.
And amidst her muddled state, she only blurted out ‘it hurts’, shouting ‘Luo Jing Wan hit me’. A junzhu of the imperial family getting beat by a daughter of an official family, how could this be good. Cheng Jun-wangfei was extremely furious, but when the servants were wiping down Li Ru Yu’s body, Cheng Jun-wangfei instead noticed that the ‘injuries’ on her daughter’s body weren’t normal. They weren’t at all like they were from getting hit. Thinking of a certain possibility, she nearly lost her soul. She had the servant girls all thrown out, leaving behind her most trusted mama. Cheng Jun-wangfei was shaking all over. For a moment, she didn’t have the courage to let the mama examine Li Ru Yu’s body. That mama naturally understood what the situation was.
“Master, some things, it’s better to know sooner than later.”
Cheng Jun-wangfei closed her eyes, “Mama, go have a look then.”
That mama pulled down Li Ru Yu’s pants, and with just one glance, she was already certain that this junzhu has already lost her virginity. It definitely must have been last night, and moreover, the other party was quite ruthless, not being the least bit gentle to junzhu.
“Master, junzhu……..”
Needless for the mama to say more, Cheng Jun-wangfei already saw. Everything went black before her eyes, and she nearly fainted. If not for the mama quickly catching her, she would’ve directly collapsed onto the ground. Cheng Jun-wangfei uncontrollably started crying, continuously calling out, “Unfilial child, unfilial child ahhhh.”
“Master, right now isn’t the time to cry, need to figure out what exactly happened. Who is this daring, to dare do this kind of thing to junzhu.”
Cheng Jun-wangfei finally returned to her sense, “Have those two lowly little wenches that followed junzhu out brought over.” Also, didn’t she say that she had gone to the Ding Duke Manor and spent the night there?
The two servant girls both had injuries on their face. It can be seen, on the way back, the two got whipped by Li Ru Yu again. At the moment, they were kneeling before Cheng Jun-wangfei trembling, and without needing to ask, just like popping peas, they had everything all narrated in full detail.
Cheng Jun-wangfei was nearly angered to death. The daughter she raised actually did something this stupid. Never mind drugging the guy and letting him sleep with her, she even had the guts to go look for his fiancee’s family to let them cancel the engagement. Such a thing, beating her was light, even having her beaten to death would’ve been deservedly so. Moreover, in Cheng Jun-wangfei’s eyes, Jing Wan was just a little girl, how heavy could her punches be, and Li Ru Yu’s body didn’t have any bruises. “Have these two lowly slaves dragged down and beaten to death.”
“Jun-wangfei, your highness jun-wangfei, please have mercy, ahh…..wuuu……”
For such a scandalous thing to have happened to their master, how could the two servant girls possibly keep their lives. “Where’s that carriage driver?”
Very soon, the servants came to report that the carriage driver disappeared without a trace. As for when he disappeared, and how he disappeared, no one knew. After carefully investigating, they learned that he was a lone widower, and most importantly, was an illiterate mute. Most likely he was afraid of getting silenced, and thus secretly ran away. Fortunately, he was an illiterate mute, so even if he ran away, he won’t be able to have this matter leaked out either, and Cheng Jun-wangfei was also too lazy to continue putting in the effort to go look for him. Moreover, openly looking for a single servant with great fanfare, wasn’t that just clearly telling others that something had happened?
T/N: part is Grandpa Luo vs Cheng Junwang, witness the power of Grandpa Luo’s poison tongue.
I’m also a bit surprised at how many people make conclusions about what happened in the novel based on their own assumptions, even though there aren’t any evidences so far in the novel to back up those assumptions. A few times I had to reread my translation because I was really confused as to how some people came to certain conclusions because it was very different from what I wrote, I had a lot of ‘wait what’ moments. The leaps in logic are kinda scary. I wonder if reading a lot of cliche cnovels condition people to think a certain way.
