In a dilapidated mud house at the east end of the village.
The man was lying on the bed, tossing and turning as he made pancakes, when he turned around and saw a dark figure suddenly appear at the window. He was so frightened that a chill ran down his spine. "Where did this petty thief come from, daring to steal from my Feng family!"
"It's me." The shadowy figure looked up.
Half of his face was visible in the moonlight, making it perfectly clear to the person on the bed.
However, Feng Zicai's brows furrowed even more. "It's you! What are you doing sneaking into my house in the middle of the night? Didn't the villagers already chase you out of the village this afternoon?"
Just then, Feng's mother's voice came from the west room, which was separated by a hall, "Zicai, what's wrong with you?"
Seeing that Meng Yun'er was familiar with the way and was using the window to pull the latch, the man quickly raised his voice and said, "Mother, I'm fine here. I just caught a mouse that was stealing food."
Mother Feng paused slightly, "Don't worry about these dead rats. Next time we go to town, I'll buy a bag of rat poison and use it on all the rats. You go to sleep now. We have to get up early tomorrow to go to the end of the village to deliver pheasants to the Lady of Le'an County. Don't be late, understand?"
"Understood," Feng Zicai replied hesitantly.
As soon as she finished speaking, Meng Yun'er chuckled softly, her eyes dark as she looked at the pheasant tied up in the corner. "Giving Su Hua a pheasant? Feng Lang and Aunt are really generous. A two-pound pheasant would fetch at least fifty or sixty copper coins at the Fugui Restaurant in town, yet they just give it away like that."
"This is none of your business." Feng Zicai got out of bed, looking at her with disdain. "You'd better leave before the villagers find you, otherwise, it'll be embarrassing for both of us!"
Even knowing the ruthless nature of the person before her, seeing him avoid her like the plague still made Meng Yun'er feel uncontrollably uncomfortable. "It is often said in the world that the righteous are often the butchers, and the learned are often the faithless."
I didn't believe it before, but I know it now. Although Feng Xiucai is not very good at studying, he is the best at being unfaithful.
I was so blind back then.
The man's face darkened slightly as he was scolded. "What exactly do you want from me today?"
Meng Yun'er smiled gently, her eyes concealing all emotion. "I've come today to discuss a business deal with you. I want you to marry me..."
Feng Zicai refused without hesitation halfway through the conversation, saying, "Impossible! I will never marry you in my life! Everything else is negotiable, but this is something you shouldn't even think about!"
One is the county lord who owns the entire Qingshui County, and the other is the daughter of a murderer.
Anyone who isn't an idiot knows which option to choose.
His biggest regrets now are twofold: first, breaking off his engagement with Xiao Hua a few months ago; and second, taking her body in a moment of passion last night, which has made her cling to him like a leech. He now only hopes that Xiao Hua will never find out about this, so how could he possibly marry her!
"You won't marry me? Do you still dream of marrying Su Hua?!" Meng Yun'er sneered, raising her eyes to scan the man up and down for a long time. "Don't you even look at yourself? How can you compare to any of the women around Su Hua?"
Leaving aside the General of Zhennan, son of the county magistrate, just consider the Third Young Master Yan who came today; his appearance and family background far surpass yours by a thousand times.
Moreover, Su Hua now knows that you and I, Meng Yun'er, have already been intimate. Do you think she would abandon so many other men and specifically go back to you, this old flame?
Every word was like a knife piercing his heart, turning Feng Zicai's face completely black. By the end, he wished he could strangle the person in front of him. "How would Xiao Hua know? Did you go and gossip about her?"
"Xiao Hua? You're calling her that so affectionately." Meng Yun'er was completely unafraid, her smile widening. "That old man is the Valley Master of the Divine Healer Valley, and your so-called Xiao Hua is the Valley Master's closed-door disciple. Can't you even see that?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Zicai was struck dumb, as if by lightning.
Yes, he had heard people in the village say that the old man with the messy hair at Old Su's house was the master of the Valley of Divine Healers.
Xiao Hua, having received his personal instruction, would likely know all about these intimate matters at a glance. Moreover, the villagers clearly saw him returning in the same car with Meng Yun'er this morning, so she must already know.
Thinking of this, the man was enraged and raised his hand to slap Meng Yun'er across the face. "You slut! If you hadn't deliberately concealed the fact that Xiao Hua is the Princess of Le'an County yesterday, how could I have been bewitched by you and ended up with you! It's all your fault..."
Meng Yun'er smiled sarcastically and directly reached out to grab the man's hand, which was swirling with the force of his palm strike.
She adjusted the gold hairpin in her hair again. "You resent me? You even want to hit me?! Did you really go to the gambling den and gamble your way into a stupor?"
Now, in the entire Shanghe Village, only I, Meng Yun'er, can help you pay off your gambling debts, save your hands, and get back into the academy to take the imperial examinations.
After saying that, she gently released her grip and pushed her cheek forward a little more. "Go ahead and hit me. If you want to hit me, hit me here. It would be best to slap me and destroy the last bit of your future!"
Feng Zicai narrowed his eyes and looked at the gold hairpin in her hair. "What do you mean by that?"
Even if you could pay off my gambling debts, Qingshan Academy has already expelled me. Everyone in Tangshan Prefecture knows this, and there's not a single person willing to vouch for me. How can I possibly pass the imperial examinations!
"What is Qingshan Academy?" Meng Yun'er sneered. "It's just a small academy in Tangshan Prefecture. How can it compare to the academies in the capital?"
I have done a favor for Princess Mingzhu, and she is the emperor's niece. It would be easy for her to get you into the capital academy with just a flick of her finger.
As for the guarantor, there's no need to worry. In the capital, who would dare disrespect the Prince of Yan's residence?
Feng Zicai's eyes lit up upon hearing this.
Yes, his reputation in Tangshan Prefecture is ruined, but as long as he goes to the capital, no one will know what happened to him here. And the teachers at the academies in the capital are no worse than those at Qingshan Academy. If he studies hard for another two or three years, he will have a chance to succeed.
However, upon seeing Meng Yun'er's cold expression, the man's joy faltered slightly. "What would it take for you to help me?"
During the day, he and she had completely fallen out, and he wasn't naive enough to think that a pie would fall from the sky and land in his mouth.
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