"Him!"

Luo Feiyan slapped Jiang Lingtian on the shoulder, nearly knocking him off the carriage. The carriage swerved, and startled, she grabbed Jiang Lingtian's arm and pulled him back. "Ouch, ouch, you..."

"You're way too weak."

Luo Feiyan looked guilty. Well, she was a little stronger than others, but he was indeed too weak.

She almost slapped me away.

How can a man be more fair-skinned and delicate than a woman? He's such a pretty boy.

Inside the carriage, Yuan Bao'er was so frightened that she quickly supported Chen Jin'er. Looking at Chen Jin'er's belly, she also looked guilty. "Is it okay if we... run away like this?"

This is a prince running away in her belly!

"If it weren't for the Fourth Princess and Jing Tian discovering Prince Jing's conspiracy and letting us escape in advance, we would have really been burned to ashes. What use is the emperor's favor if it can't even protect me and the child in my womb?"

"Prince Chen and Jiao Jiao are still missing, and there's a huge fire in the palace. Instead of searching for them and finding out the truth to avenge us, he actually appointed Prince Jing as the crown prince. What a fool!"

Chen Jin'er uttered these outrageous words, patting her belly and looking at the blue sky outside the car, "The sky outside is still bluer, the sky is high and the sea is wide. Why not just treat it as a dream and look at the beautiful landscape of this world?"

Yuan Bao'er covered her ears, refusing to listen.

Luo Feiyan grinned at Yuan Bao'er, "It's too late. From the moment you slipped out of the Buddhist hall, there was no way out."

"Alas, it's just a pity for my thirteenth brother. I heard that you left a letter for the Empress Dowager to become a monk in a nunnery. Now they're searching all the nunneries in the capital. Otherwise, Xiao Bai wouldn't have gotten the coachman's job... cough, not him."

The word "pretty boy" almost slipped out, but Luo Feiyan quickly stopped herself. There was still a long way to go, and she didn't want to upset him any further.

Yuan Bao'er blushed and glared at Luo Feiyan. "It happened so suddenly, and I was worried about you, so I had to come with you. Now that the general is guarding the border of Northern Mongolia, it would be too conspicuous if he came along."

"As for Brother Jiang, after what happened, it's best for him to stay away."

Luo Feiyan rolled her eyes. "What's the point of avoiding it? What plagiarism? A top scholar with a broken leg makes a few baseless accusations, and everyone believes him? He's Master Li's last disciple. Isn't this a blatant slap in the face to his teacher?"

Outside the carriage.

Jiang Lingtian tightened his grip on the reins, his expression stiffening. He never expected that his articles would be leaked and used as evidence to falsely accuse him of plagiarism.

Those articles... were written in his early years. The only one he had ever seen was by Jiang Xue, the concubine of Prince Jing, or rather, the concubine of the Crown Prince.

The person behind this is anyone's guess.

Actually... as early as when Jiaojiao told him that Prince Jing's people were watching him and Xiangling, he knew that his second sister was no longer his second sister.

Unexpectedly, she completely disregarded the bond between siblings.

If they hadn't planned ahead, he would have become enemies with Young Master Li over Xiangling, ruining his reputation and possibly even being imprisoned for murder.

As for the articles that falsely accused him of plagiarism, the gentleman had never seen them and therefore could not testify for him.

In a fit of anger, the gentleman agreed to Prince Jing's request and entered Prince Jing's residence, becoming the Crown Prince's tutor, which was a natural progression.

And he...

Regardless of whether it's true or not, his reputation is already ruined. The school has also fallen apart because of Mr. Li's departure. Poor students value their pride even more. As long as the stain on his reputation remains, let alone taking the imperial examinations, they will find it difficult to even go out.

When he was feeling depressed and unable to find a solution, he suddenly wanted to see that sunny woman.

Unbeknownst to him, he arrived at the general's mansion and saw the three people who had slipped out of the mansion. The bright and beautiful woman he couldn't forget was wearing a curtain and sneakily driving the carriage.

Why did he suddenly become so obsessed, stopping the carriage and then...?

That's all.

Now he's in a bind, and he can't say whether he regrets it or feels fortunate.

He regretted that he was so weak and powerless, how dare he step forward? Shu County was far away and the sky was high, could he really hold on?

And I'm also relieved...

If they hadn't run into him, the three of them would have been incredibly audacious. At least he was a man, which made things easier for him.

As Jiang Lingtian was lost in thought, Luo Feiyan's voice rang in his ears again.

"I don't believe that Xiao... Jiaojiao's second brother would plagiarize. What's so great about being the top scholar? He even got his leg broken. Maybe he was fighting over a girl at some brothel, or maybe he got beaten up because of gambling debts. Anyway, he's not a good person!"

Luo Feiyan never expected that the kick she gave at Baima Temple was aimed at this top scholar, and she never expected that it would break his leg.

She was still angrily complaining, "But my grandmother, I don't know who she listened to, wanted to arrange for me to meet him. I hate those pedantic scholars the most; they never tell the truth!"

"Don't even mention me marrying him, even if he were to marry into my family, I still wouldn't look down on him!"

Outside the carriage.

Jiang Lingtian's smile froze before it could even bloom. The General's Mansion... had taken a liking to the top scholar?

Is it because he was the top scholar in the imperial examination?

Jiang Lingtian felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest, as if he had been slashed by an invisible blade.

If his reputation hadn't been damaged, and if he had tried a little harder this year, would he... would he have had a chance?

Oh no!

How could he... how could he possibly covet her?!

He doesn't deserve it!

He doesn't deserve such a radiant and sunny woman!

Jiang Lingtian's heart was in constant turmoil, splitting into two little figures. One desperately wanted to get closer, telling himself that he would treat her very, very well, while the other slapped her face again and again, telling her that she was not worthy!

He was a down-on-his-luck nobleman, lacking talent, ability, official rank, and social standing...

Oh no, the title of Marquis has already been taken away. Thanks to Jiaojiao and her elder brother, they still call him the Second Young Master.

How could she be worthy of the legitimate daughter of General Weiyuan's mansion?

Or... should he marry into the family?

A crazy and bizarre thought suddenly popped into my mind and I couldn't suppress it; it took over!

right!

When they return from Shu County, he will take the imperial examination and marry into the general's family!

A hopeful red sun rose slowly from Jiang Lingtian's heart, giving rise to boundless strength and courage!

Inside the carriage.

Chen Jin'er let out a soft exclamation, "Why does the carriage feel so much more stable?"

Luo Feiyan put her accusations out of her mind as soon as she finished, and her mood improved. She then laughed, "Second Brother Jiang is indeed worthy of being Master's last disciple. He's become much more composed in less than half a day. Hahaha, we didn't bring the wrong person!"

"drive--"

The carriage started moving, both steadily and quickly, with almost no bumps felt inside.

Yuan Bao'er gave a mischievous smile.

She glanced at Luo Feiyan, then at Jiang Lingtian driving straight behind her, and exchanged a look with Chen Jin'er, who had just realized what was happening. A hint of gossip crept in.

If Luo Feiyan were to bring home a prospective son-in-law, the scholar with the broken leg would be out of luck, wouldn't he?

hey-hey……