People from the Jianghu

"So Madam Xu is gone?" Fan Lingzhang reached out and hugged his wife, who had her arms outstretched. He felt that she was still a little unconscious. He chuckled to himself, thinking how adorable his wife was right now.

"Mmm." Sui Zhixu yawned as she leaned against him. "I'm sleepy."

"It'll be past midnight soon, it would be strange if you weren't sleepy."

She was having dinner with several other young women, and Fan Lingzhang didn't want to disturb them. However, when he tried to remind them that it was getting late, he found that they had all disappeared.

I asked Afu and found out that they had all gone to the Cheng family.

Fan Lingzhang: Why didn't you tell me sooner?

Afu: I forgot.

I really want to dock his wages.

"Have they all gone home?" Fan Lingzhang asked casually, his hand slipping around her waist and lifting her up in his arms.

"I've gone to the inn, I'll come find you then."

Suddenly, she cupped Fan Lingzhang's face in her hands and asked in confusion, "Why don't you open an inn?"

"Me? Because Father didn't leave me an inn." Fan Lingzhang paused for a moment, then quickly shifted the blame onto his father.

"Why won't you open it?" Sui Zhixu persisted, making a move to get out of his arms.

Fan Lingzhang sighed and hugged her tightly, saying, "I'll drive from now on."

She finally calmed down, and after a while she asked him again, "How have you been lately? I dreamed about Jiang Li a few days ago. She told me that the Gu worm had flared up, but I didn't even know it."

"Do you think I should look for her? Compared to that madwoman Gu Qingyi, she's actually quite normal."

"I don't want you to die."

As Xu continued to ramble on, he sighed, "I don't want to die either."

He pushed open the door and put her on the bed. She rolled over twice, whimpering softly.

His fingertips traced her face, and a shadow fell over his eyes. He had no idea that Ah Ling had been infected with a Gu worm before.

Do you still have any Gu worms in your body?

The woman was sometimes drunk and sometimes sober; her hazy peach blossom eyes had now regained their clarity as she looked into his eyes.

She beckoned him closer with her finger and then hugged him. "No, don't worry."

"Once the city gates open tomorrow, Mingyi will be able to fly away. I wonder which person from Tianque Tower will be it?"

Fan Lingzhang shook his head. "I couldn't find out. They've been going on missions frequently lately, and there are too many of them to easily find out."

He added, "Perhaps it's because they're too poor."

Why are we poor?

The two of them joined forces to ruin Ye Taoyao's business, and Sima Xian didn't receive the disaster relief funds either, so of course he was poor.

As a smile crept onto Sui Zhixu's lips, she couldn't help but recall Cheng Zhijie and Xu Mingyi.

Cheng Zhijie had witnessed the shady dealings within the grand mansions of the wealthy and powerful since childhood; he wasn't born a prince.

Cheng Zhijie's grandfather had five sons, three born of the principal wife and two born of concubines. The concubines came from different concubines. The eldest son was born to the first wife. Cheng Zhijie's father was the youngest son of the second wife and was the youngest legitimate son in the Cheng family at that time.

The backyard was crowded with people and complicated relationships. Cheng Zhijie's grandmother was frail after giving birth to Cheng Zhijie's father, and his concubines vied for power, employing all sorts of tricks in the inner quarters.

When Cheng Zhijie's father came of age, he married a daughter of the Zheng family of Rongyang. The Zheng family had a pure family tradition and had stood the test of time through the dynasties. They had countless scholars under their tutelage. Cheng Zhijie's father rose rapidly in his official career, surpassing his elder brothers and half-brothers, and became the heir apparent of the Marquis of Wu'an at that time.

Cheng Zhijie was born in the same year. He was deeply loved by his grandfather, but this also brought him a lot of trouble.

The things Xu Mingyi encountered after returning home were the same things Cheng Zhijie had experienced in his childhood. Madam Zheng was not yet the future Mrs. Cheng; in the Cheng family, she was more like a symbol of the Zheng family helping Cheng Zhijie's father. Family and fate were intertwined, and the involuntary nature of one's position was enough to change a person beyond recognition.

When Madam Zheng was young, she was too busy scheming and fighting with the other wives to pay attention to Cheng Zhijie. Cheng Zhijie's father was even more so; the struggles in the backyard seemed to have nothing to do with their husband, and were all just the wives' squabbles.

Cheng Zhijie knew from a young age that his father was the unseen beneficiary, and that he had risen rapidly through the ranks after becoming the son-in-law of the Zheng family. He was never seen in their childhood; it wasn't until Cheng Zhijie learned to read and write and became a scholar that they suddenly remembered they had a son.

And so, they officially became Marquis Wu'an and Lady Cheng, wielding great power.

It was at this time that the Liu siblings appeared in Cheng Zhijie's life, and he suddenly became Liu Xi's good older brother and Liu Zhengshan's good brother...

Cheng Zhijie knew that Madam Wang, a close friend of Lady Cheng, was the daughter of the Langya Wang clan and the wife of the Duke of Liu.

None of the concubines in the Liu family's backyard had children, leaving only the twins Liu Xi and Liu Zhengshan in the vast Duke's mansion.

When Cheng Zhijie was young, he often stood aside and saw that Madam Zheng and Liu Xi were as close as mother and daughter. Madam Zheng treated Liu Xi even better than Madam Liu. The little lady had countless pastries and toys in Madam Zheng's yard. Whenever Liu Xi came, without her saying what she wanted, a bunch of people would bring them to her.

Liu Xi's female tutor, who was a little older, said that he had the demeanor of a great lady, which made Madam Cheng even more fond of him. She then pulled Madam Liu to want Liu Xi to be her daughter-in-law.

The marriage proposal circulating in Chang'an originated from this.

When Cheng Zhijie was twenty years old, he was invited by Marquis Wu'an, who had secured his position as Marquis, to be named his heir. Madam Cheng began to frequently bring Liu Xi and Cheng Zhijie together.

Fourteen-year-old Liu Xi lived up to the praise he received a year earlier, and his talent began to shine at the Chang'an Poetry Festival.

The two, a perfect couple, understood each other implicitly, and this is how Cheng Zhijie described them.

Cheng Zhijie knew that Liu Xi maintained a friendly relationship with the young men he had met at the poetry gathering, and that he was not the only option for the Liu family.

He accepted it readily, but Madam Cheng came to Cheng Zhijie's study to explain at length that the rumors outside could not affect the friendship between the Cheng and Liu families.

Cheng Zhijie was no longer the child who secretly spied on Madam Cheng when he was young.

Madam Cheng and Madam Liu were not just close friends; after their marriage, they took charge of their husbands' families' social interactions. Coincidentally, they needed each other, but more often than not, Madam Cheng needed Madam Liu.

He understood Madam Cheng's explanation to Cheng Zhijie; in truth, none of it mattered to him.

Fifteen-year-old Cheng Zhijie harbored the same dream as countless others: to pass the imperial examination with flying colors, to ride the crest of success, and to see all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day.

"He was indeed his father's prized student, a man of high moral character and integrity. He inherited his father's aspirations very well, it's a pity."

Sui Zhixu touched his ear and pressed her face against his; her little Furong was still the one who didn't make her worry.

She still couldn't quite understand how the two of them had gotten to where they were today.

In Yungang Village, Cheng Zhijie entrusted his orphan to someone, and every sentence was related to Mingyi. When Mingyi talked about Cheng Zhijie at Shanhai Academy, he also showed tenderness and timidity.

She originally thought that the two of them would be like her parents, but unexpectedly, the Cheng family's situation was complicated. They were all entangled in power. To put it bluntly, Mingyi was the most innocent person among them who was implicated.

Before their marriage, Cheng Zhijie bravely ventured to Hedong, risking his life, not only to seize power for himself and to resist the Wu'an Marquis's family, which had never appeared from beginning to end.

In fact, Madam Cheng had no say in this marriage. She had been longing for Liu Xi for many years, and in the end, it was Marquis Wu'an who made the decision.

He agreed to the marriage between Cheng Zhijie and Xu Mingyi.

"It's just a matter of fate," Fan Lingzhang said, letting Sui Zhixu play with his earlobe, a faint smile on his face.

"Maybe." Sui Zhixu and the other person changed the subject, laughing and joking around.

I slept without any dreams.

Sima Xian remained silent for a long time, which made Xu feel uneasy.

Cong Lan is now secretly gathering Sima Xian's men and targeting him at every turn.

Sui Zhixu sat in Yunlai Tower, as always, leaning against the window, idly watching the pedestrians and carriages on the street.

"Aren't you uneasy if he doesn't take action?"

The lady's pale pink dress unfurled, spreading vibrant flowers across the ground, while her green shawl resembled twining vines.

It's rare to see my wife wearing such a different outfit.

Fan Lingzhang walked behind her, rested his chin on her shoulder, and asked softly.

Sui Zhixu reached back and ran her hand through his hair, gently placing her forehead on the veins on his neck.

"Yes, a little."

A familiar figure flashed past the street corner, and her eyes sharpened. "Wait for me."

She flipped over and jumped out of the window, and curses and snorts echoed from the dark alley.

"stop!"

Sui Zhixu drew a soft whip from his waist and lashed it at the person who had attacked him.

"Where did this young lady come from? Mind your own business." He leaped away, dodging the vicious whip.

He turned around, and there was a handsome young man in him, whose features seemed somewhat familiar to her.

"Cough cough."

The person being beaten on the ground was Cheng Zhijie. It had been almost a month since the Mingyi case, and this was the first time she had seen him.

Sui Zhixu frowned. How did he become like this?

His unkempt appearance, along with the injuries on his mouth and face, made him look even more disheveled.

She rushed to his side and pulled him up, asking, "Are you alright?"

"Cough cough, I'm fine."

"Hmph, if you hadn't arrived so quickly, I would have killed him long ago." The young man opposite him spoke in an unfriendly tone, his words filled with disgust for Cheng Zhijie.

Should we send him to the authorities?

“No, he said his name is Ming Zhuo, and he is from an outlying branch of the Ming family.” Cheng Zhijie leaned against the wall and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Mingmao?"

Upon hearing this, Sui Zhixu put down her whip and carefully examined him. No wonder she felt that his face was familiar to her; upon closer inspection, he and Mingyi had many similarities.

Especially the eyes.

Mingyi's eyes are peaceful and non-aggressive, even revealing a hint of pity, making people want to protect her.

However, he was arrogant and threatened to kill Cheng Zhijie, so Sui Zhixu did not immediately connect him with the young lady in her memory.

He appeared in Chang'an, which means he intends to seek refuge with them.

Is she alright?

"Shut up, what right do you have to ask her?" With that, he turned and ran away without looking back.

As Xu looked at his hurriedly departing figure, he realized that he had come to the capital just to beat up Cheng Zhijie.

She glanced at Cheng Zhijie and said, "Father said he let me see you and asked you to go find him."

"I understand. Thank you for relaying the message, Madam. Please tell the teacher that I will definitely go when I have time." Cheng Zhijie bowed with his hands clasped, his upright posture still resembling that of the distinguished young man he once was.

Sui Zhixu nodded, and Fan Lingzhang hurried over from behind, speaking urgently.

"Ah Ling, come with me quickly! A letter has arrived from Jingzhou; something has happened to the people of Jingzhou."

What's wrong with the people of Jingzhou?

It's April now, and there shouldn't be any disasters happening in various places.

"It seems to be a Gu worm. The patriarch sent Chi Gong and Xia Niangzi back to Jingzhou as soon as he found out. Now the patriarch and Cong Xiang have a dispute, and the patriarch has to go back to Jingzhou to take charge, so the two of them started arguing."

The words "Gu worm" struck a chord with Sui Zhixu. He gripped the whip tightly. No wonder Sima Xian had remained so calm, showing no reaction even when his own men were pulled away from the court.

It turns out he made a move against Jingzhou.

"Let's go back, we'll talk about it when we get back." Sui Zhixu took the lead.

Fan Lingzhang bowed to Cheng Zhijie behind him as a farewell.