Chapter 205 Zhou Zhongliang and Su Wenxuan
Led by a local resident familiar with the route, the group took advantage of the darkness and followed a back path, quietly arriving at a secluded corner in the southern suburbs of the capital just before dawn.
From afar, the majestic city walls of the capital city revealed their outlines in the morning light.
However, just as they were about to enter through a secluded city gate, they bumped into a group of well-dressed students chatting and laughing, who seemed to have just returned from an all-night poetry gathering.
The leader, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a handsome face, was none other than Su Wenxuan, who had struck up a conversation with Jiang Ling and invited her to the Autumn Poetry Gathering when they were admiring the autumn leaves in Xishan that day.
Zhou Zhongliang's eyes, which were originally slightly cloudy due to fatigue, suddenly became sharp as a knife the moment they met Su Wenxuan's face, and his anger almost burst out.
Ignoring his still-healing leg injury, he rushed forward and blocked Su Wenxuan's path, his voice trembling with extreme anger:
"Su Wenxuan! You scoundrel! You come from a scholarly family, yet you've resorted to such petty theft, colluding with the examiners to steal my name and claim my degree! How can you still call yourself a scholar, talking about poetry and integrity?!"
This angry rebuke, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly shattered the tranquility of the street.
Su Wenxuan and his companions were all stunned, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Su Wenxuan was initially taken aback, but after recognizing Zhou Zhongliang, a fleeting, almost imperceptible panic crossed his face, quickly replaced by intense contempt and anger.
He steadied himself, gave a cold laugh, and adopted an arrogant demeanor:
"Who do we have here? It's you, you failed-the-exam madman! Zhou Zhongliang, you've failed the imperial examinations several times, and your inner demons have taken root. You've even started to fantasize about me? What impersonation? That's utterly absurd! It's clearly because you're less skilled than others, and you can't stand seeing others succeed in the examinations. You're just jealous of me! All of you classmates can witness that this man is mentally unstable and has been spouting nonsense for quite some time now!"
The students behind him echoed his sentiments:
"Yes, Brother Zhou, gains and losses in the examination are common, why be so fixated on them?"
"Brother Su is exceptionally talented, and his high school admission is well-deserved. How dare you slander him!"
"They must be desperate for money, trying to extort the Su family?"
Jiang Ling was shocked as she listened. Su Wenxuan, who had been so gentle and refined in the maple forest of Xishan and invited her to the poetry gathering, was actually the culprit who had taken Zhou Zhongliang's place in the imperial examination!
However, Zhou Zhongliang's statement alone cannot prove anything; evidence is needed.
Zhou Zhongliang was so angry that his eyes were about to burst, and he hissed, "I saw it with my own eyes! That day I was outside the examination hall..."
"Enough!" Su Wenxuan interrupted sharply.
"What you call witnessing with your own eyes is nothing but a hallucination caused by your mental confusion after failing the exam! The government has already determined that you suffer from delusions due to your failure. Who would believe your words?"
He looked around and saw that most of the students and even the few ordinary people who were gradually gathering around looked skeptical or indifferent.
Indeed, for a poor scholar with no evidence to accuse a man from a prominent family of scholars who had passed the imperial examinations, it was, in the eyes of most people, tantamount to a mantis trying to stop a chariot, or even, as Su Wenxuan said, madness.
“I, Su Wenxuan, act with integrity and uprightness. Why should I get entangled with a mad dog here? If you really have evidence, you can go to the government to sue me. Why bark like a mad dog here? I can’t be bothered with him. Let’s go.”
He deliberately emphasized the word "mad dog" in an attempt to solidify the impression that Zhou Zhongliang was mentally unstable.
A group of people just left so blatantly.
Zhou Zhongliang was about to rush forward to argue when Jiang Ling pulled him back forcefully and whispered words of comfort:
"Young Master Zhou, calm down! He's powerful now, and we have no concrete evidence. The more agitated you get, the more he'll turn the tables on you, further solidifying your reputation as mad. Then no one will believe you. This matter needs careful consideration; don't act impulsively!"
Zhou Zhongliang froze, watching Su Wenxuan's carriage disappear into the distance, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.
He studied diligently for ten years, hoping to change his fate through academic success, but he never expected to be trampled on by the powerful.
Just then, a patrol of soldiers from the Jingzhao Prefecture came by. Seeing a group of people gathered at the city gate, along with several ragged refugees, they immediately stepped forward to question them:
"What's going on? Why are you gathered here? Where did these refugees come from? This is the capital, a place of great importance. How dare you linger here! Leave at once!"
As he spoke, he tried to drive away the refugees who had helped Jiang Ling and the others.
The refugees looked terrified, and Zhou Zhongliang was both anxious and angry, but there was nothing he could do.
"Wait!" Just as Jiang Ling was about to explain, a familiar and urgent voice rang out from behind her.
"Jiang Ling!"
Jiang Ling turned her head and saw Cheng Fang leading several guards, walking briskly through the dust.
Cheng Fang looked exhausted from not having slept all night. When he heard the familiar voices coming from the street, he thought he was hallucinating.
He had just led his men to Black Wind Stronghold when he found the stronghold deserted, leaving behind only some miscellaneous items that had not been taken away and dozens of bewildered refugees.
He searched the surrounding mountains and forests but couldn't find Jiang Ling. He was extremely anxious and asked Zhao Jingxing to stay behind while he rushed back to report to His Highness the Crown Prince.
Unexpectedly, he encountered Jiang Ling in the capital.
"Cheng Fang!" Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him.
Cheng Fang strode to Jiang Ling's side, his gaze quickly sweeping across the room to confirm that she had no obvious external injuries. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and ask urgently:
"It's good that you're alright! When we arrived at Black Wind Stronghold, we couldn't find you anywhere. How did you escape?"
Jiang Ling then briefly recounted how she escaped with Fang Shijie, how they were fortunate enough to meet Zhou Zhongliang and the refugees who helped them take a shortcut back home.
She specifically pointed to those refugees:
"Thanks to these fellow villagers who knew the route, otherwise we might not have been able to return safely so quickly."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Fang looked at the group of refugees.
Unexpectedly, they looked familiar, and upon seeing Zhou Zhongliang, they recognized them as the group of people they had encountered on their way to Beijing.
He revealed his identity to the leading officers and soldiers:
“I am Cheng Fang from the Marquis of Wu’an’s residence. These people are righteous citizens who helped my young master’s distinguished guest. They are not ordinary wanderers. I have my own arrangements for this matter. You do not need to drive them away.”
Upon seeing this, the officer immediately changed his expression to one of respect, cupped his hands in agreement, and led his officers and soldiers to retreat to the side.
Taking advantage of this break, Jiang Ling whispered Zhou Zhongliang's ordeal to Cheng Fang.
After hearing this, Cheng Fang looked at Zhou Zhongliang with a scrutinizing gaze.
He pondered for a moment and said to Zhou Zhongliang:
“Young Master Zhou, you have helped Miss Jiang. I have taken note of your actions. The Su family is a powerful and influential family, and their accusation against a Jinshi is no small matter; it requires irrefutable evidence. I will secretly send someone to investigate, and if what you say is true, I, Cheng Fang, will not stand idly by.”
Zhou Zhongliang, who had just been feeling utterly hopeless, now felt as if he had been given a new lease on life.
Upon receiving Cheng Fang's promise, tears welled up in his eyes, and he bowed deeply.
"Young Master Cheng is so righteous! I am deeply grateful! If my name can be cleared, I am willing to serve you like a slave to repay your kindness and Miss Jiang's kindness!"
Fang Shijie stood aside, watching the whole thing unfold, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
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