Having lost both parents at the age of twelve, been bedridden several times, repeatedly made things difficult during the preliminary examinations for aspiring scholars, forced to leave his hometown after his successful bid for the provincial examinations, had his metropolitan examination results changed, and is now being schemed against and slandered. He has truly experienced the full spectrum of human emotions.
From this perspective, Xu Mo's life has undoubtedly been full of hardships.
But when he thought of his younger brother, who was tense behind him, his younger sister, who was as patient as a calf, and his three friends who were full of worry, as well as the title of top scholar and the rank of compiler, he seemed to be lucky.
Many people have encountered similar hardships to Xu Mo, but none have achieved the same outcome as Xu Mo.
Ultimately, it comes down to his unwavering character, his courageous wisdom, his indomitable perseverance, and his kind and upright conduct.
Even now, amidst the clamor and commotion around him, with scholars and students shifting like reeds in the wind, and friends and family expressing concern and worry, his first thought was not of himself, but of that sickly, frail young man leaning against the willow tree.
The promises made with such conviction in the past still echo in my ears, yet the kindred spirit I found amidst the flowing waters of mountains and rivers is now confined to my sickbed.
Even knowing that his friend was born with a disability, and even knowing that his friend was past twenty, he still couldn't help but feel a deep sorrow at this moment.
"I'm here today to seek justice for my elder brother, to make this thief disgraced and kicked out of Fengjing!" Wang Yuyao's voice rang out at the right moment.
Countless scholars and students were stirred up, their Adam's apples trembling wildly as they shouted, "Get out of Fengjing!"
"Thieves, get out of Fengjing!"
"The imperial examinations cannot be cheated on; the truth will come to light sooner or later."
"Xu Mo, get out of Fengjing and return the glory of Fufeng."
A person who lacks wisdom and reason can be easily swayed by a few words and stubbornly and firmly believe in what is before them.
The more they supported Xu Mo in the past, the more they now slander him.
They shouted loudly, seemingly appealing to the injustice of the imperial examination system, or perhaps complaining about the hardships they encountered in life, finding this gaping hole to vent their frustrations.
Jiang Sheng was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes. Wen Zhiyun trembled as he pushed away the students who tried to rush at him. Qi Huai'anjun and Zhu Sihuan formed a human wall to protect the upright young man.
Countless roaring faces transformed into gaping maws, determined to devour the truth.
Wang Yuyao was satisfied with the result. The anxiety she had been feeling subsided. Fang Yuan should accept the engagement this time, right?
She was so happy that she didn't see that the students at the gate had been dispersed at some point, and Wang Fufeng, supported by her loyal servants and family members, entered the Wenchang Pavilion.
Despite the piercing shouts and the excited crowd, he took a deep breath and spoke with all his might, "Everyone, please calm down."
The young master's voice was clear and melodious, like the bright moon and sparse stars, like a babbling brook.
Unfortunately, the surroundings are noisy, but the stream flows into the sea and hardly makes a ripple.
He was not discouraged and continued to call out, "Everyone, please calm down."
"Gentlemen, please calm down."
Gradually, the crowd fell silent. Countless scholars and students, as if encountering coolness amidst the heat or ice and snow in the sweltering summer, stopped talking in astonishment.
Wang Yuyao turned her head and saw the person who should have been bedridden. She was so shocked that she almost lost her balance. "Brother, you... how did you get here? How could you possibly be in Fengjing?"
The young master lowered his eyelashes and said in a calm tone, "Anything is possible."
Those around them exchanged surprised glances, still not understanding what was going on.
He seized the opportunity, smiled faintly, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Greetings, fellow students and friends. My name is Wang Fufeng. I am honored by your kindness in giving me the title of Young Master Fufeng."
Therefore, the living Young Master Fufeng has appeared.
The crowd erupted in commotion.
Several young masters have emerged from Wenchang Pavilion. No matter where they live, they are known and talked about. Young Master Qingzhu and Young Master Sihuan are admired by students all over the world and often engage in eloquent discussions.
The young master of Fufeng was mysterious and unpredictable. No one had ever seen his true face, let alone discussed the past and present or expressed his thoughts freely.
Some say that the young master of Fufeng is likely a delicate woman who should not show her face in public.
Some say that Young Master Fufeng is in poor health and has the potential to die young.
Some people say that the title "Young Master Fufeng" is a pseudonym used by many people to gain popularity among young students.
It is precisely because of his mysterious nature that he has gradually been regarded as the foremost young master in recent years. Even outrageous rumors such as "he ghostwrote for Young Master Qingzhu" have been believed by some students.
Ultimately, people tend to have endless imaginations about people and things they don't understand.
The more you imagine, the more mysterious it becomes; the more mysterious it becomes, the more unpredictable it becomes; in the end, even historical facts become unclear.
Fortunately, he showed up.
The real Young Master Fufeng has arrived!
The young master was about seventeen or eighteen years old. He was thin and frail with a sickly air about him. His face was clear and handsome, clean and warm. He wore a thick fur coat, and the fox fur around his neck accentuated his unparalleled nobility.
Pure and noble, weak and thin.
He is like a snowflake in winter, twirling and falling in the air, beautiful and clear, making you want to reach out your palm to protect him, but losing him the moment you touch him.
"Is this really Young Master Fufeng?" whispered among the crowd.
A response came quickly: "I heard this Miss Wang call him brother, so it must be."
The entire Wenchang Pavilion finally fell into complete silence. All the students stared at it in a daze, some with curiosity, some with surprise, and some with reverence.
There was also a look of disbelief, almost trembling.
If he initially thought the sound was a hallucination, then the deathly silence of the main hall and the refined, smiling young man at this moment were all proof that his friend, whom he had been worried about, had reappeared before him after nearly three years.
"Fu... Fufeng?" Xu Mo stammered in disbelief.
The young master smiled gracefully and gave a slight bow, saying, "It's been a long time, Brother Xu."
It feels like a long time ago, yet it also feels like yesterday.
Xu Mo stepped out from behind the human wall, passed through countless students, and stood facing him from a distance. "This is Fengjing."
“Yes, Fengjing is beautiful in winter,” Wang Fufeng smiled. “It’s much more prosperous than Anshui County.”
"What I mean is," Xu Mo tried his best to remain calm, "how did you manage to get to Fengjing when you weren't feeling well?"
And why did you come in such a cold season?
Because of him?
The person beside him hesitated to speak, but was stopped by a gentle wave of his hand.
"These past two years of recuperation have made me feel much better, and I wanted to see this beautiful land, so I came." Wang Fufeng glanced at Wang Yuyao, who was trying to back away, and smiled as he changed the subject. "Besides, my cousin is getting married to the Fang family's son, and as her cousins, it's only natural that we should see her off."
As expected of Young Master Fufeng, he hit three key points in one sentence.
One reason is that Wang Yuyao kept calling him her brother, and people assumed they shared the same parents, but it turned out they only shared the same grandparents.
Secondly, Wang Yuyao actually married into the Fang family, so what about her previous actions...?
Thirdly, of the two sons of the Wang family's principal wife, besides Wang Fufeng, only Wang Mingyu remained, and unexpectedly, he also came.
The once carefree playboy is now thin and wiry, his face etched with the marks of time.
He seemed to be looking for Zheng Ruqian, but after carefully searching and finding nothing, he lowered his head dejectedly.
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