First he was betrayed by his wife, then he was imprisoned for no apparent reason. After all these experiences, his demeanor had changed. At least he was no longer the useless scholar who couldn't even stand when he saw the Marquis.
The emperor looked at Yang Zhengwen below the stage, and was shocked that a country boy could get the top spot. He also couldn't help wondering if he had already colluded with Gu Yong. As a military commander, Gu Yong was already more powerful than ten thousand people. If he could get help from the civil officials in the court, wouldn't he be like a fish in water? But at this moment, he couldn't think too much. Now that Yang Zhengwen had ascended to the hall, he was the only one on the surface, but those people from Yuelu Academy were standing behind him. Even though he was dissatisfied with Yang Zhengwen in his heart, he still suppressed his displeasure and appointed him as the top scholar.
——
After the routine parade of the top scorer, Yang Zhengwen quickly said goodbye to many of his fellow examinees and rode his horse back home quickly.
"The top scholar is back!"
As soon as he entered the door, he heard Mother Chen's voice. Yang Zhengwen lowered his head and walked into the yard with a smile on his face.
"Teacher, why are you here too?" I didn't expect to see the dean in the courtyard as soon as I came in?
"What? You don't welcome me?" The dean raised his eyebrows and pretended to be angry.
Yang Zhengwen quickly bowed and shook his head, "How dare I? It should be the students who pay respects to the teachers."
The dean just waved his hand, "It's just a formality..." He looked at Yang Zhengwen's bright robe and sighed, "When I first saw your article, I thought you were a steady scholar. Now that you've been through prison, you seem to be more dignified than before."
He smiled bitterly again, "I think the officialdom is difficult nowadays. You can see it without me telling you. I established Yuelu Academy for the purpose of teaching and cultivating people. Now that you have entered the officialdom, I can no longer be friends with you. I just hope that you can live up to the clothes you wear."
Yang Zhengwen's hand traced the dark pattern on the corner of his robe, his heart filled with sincerity, "Since I have put on this official robe, I am worthy of the heavens above and the earth below."
"Okay, okay!" After saying okay several times in a row, the dean stroked his beard again, looking intentionally or unintentionally at Ah Xiu who was secretly looking at him from the side, "A man should get married and start a career. Since you have already established your career, you should also have a family." When Ah Xiu who was standing next to him heard this, the clothes in his hand fell to the ground.
At this moment, everyone was talking in the courtyard, and when they heard the sound, they all looked over. Ah Xiu's face immediately turned red, and she didn't care about anything else. She threw down the clothes in her hands and went back into the house.
The dean smiled and said, "A Xiu is a good girl who never left you even in times of trouble. It is your blessing to marry a virtuous woman." The dean meant something. Yuelu Academy is not an ordinary academy. Many dignitaries wanted to get involved, but he finally chose Yang Zhengwen, first because he was talented, and second because of his character.
Those who could enter Yuelu Academy had to have been investigated in every aspect. The dean knew his student's past, so he was naturally happy that after going through so many hardships, he could still meet a good girl like A Xiu.
"A Xiu treats me sincerely, but it's a pity that I can't give her the position of my wife." At this point, Yang Zhengwen sighed softly.
He was still engaged to his ex-wife, so he couldn't remarry. And now she was nowhere to be found, so he couldn't just divorce her in person. Otherwise, how could he explain to his father-in-law? After all, he was his mentor.
"I think Ah Xiu understands. She is a good girl." He patted Yang Zhengwen on the shoulder. "If you want to be worthy of her, don't think about anything else. The first thing to do is to welcome her into your home in a grand manner."
Yang Zhengwen nodded, "The students know."
Compared to the Liu family who are in high spirits and are preparing for the marriage of Yang Zhengwen and A Xiu, the people in Changping Princess's Mansion, whether they are the masters or the servants, are not having a very happy time these days.
Although she escaped unscathed from the incident a few days ago, she lost both her wife and her army. It was okay that Biyu disappeared, after all, she was just a beautiful maid, and she had everything she needed. The most regrettable thing was Eunuch Xu! He was a chess piece arranged by her father long ago. Not only did he have the emperor's trust for many years, but she also held Biyu, his weak spot! She always thought that this person would be of great use in the future, but she didn't expect that he would be killed here for no apparent reason!
"What is the Liu family doing now?" Changping asked.
The maid beside her stepped forward tremblingly and said, "It seems, it seems like they are preparing for a wedding."
Changping's expression instantly turned into an extremely furious one. He had lost his wife and his army, but the other side was full of joy and success. How could he not be furious? "Go and call Chen Liu over to me!" Changping said in a sinister voice.
As soon as the maid heard Chen Liu, she knew what the princess was thinking, and she knelt down and said, "Princess, please think twice. In any case, the Liu family has already caught the emperor's eye, and they are protected by the Gu family. Chen Liu is just a gangster. If he gets caught, there's no guarantee that he won't give out -"
"Shut up, how dare you talk back to me?!"
The saying that appearance reflects the heart is true. Although Princess Changping has a beautiful face, her expression at this moment is chilling.
The maid clearly remembered the fate of her predecessors, and dared not say anything more at this moment, "I dare not."
"They are just a few country bastards, yet they caused so many twists and turns! I was blinded by my own shortcomings and was too cautious about them. If I really hired someone to kill the two of them, would Gu Yong really be able to kill me?" Changping sneered and raised his eyebrows, "I just want him to know that it was me who did it, and I want him to be unable to do anything."
The scar on her nose was still there. If it weren't for Gu Yong protecting that wild girl, how could she not get justice? After killing that girl, she would scratch her face for Gu Yong to see, so that he would know that although she, Changping, was a woman, she was not easy to bully! ——
Yang Zhengwen was a high school scholar, and there was nothing to delay in getting married, so he entrusted Mother Chen to propose to A Xiu.
Ah Xiu was not a shy person. Besides, the two of them had lived in the same courtyard for such a long time. Now that he wanted to give her a legitimate status, of course she would not refuse. Ah Xiu agreed happily. After Liu received the news, she and Chen Mama prepared for the wedding for the two.
Logically speaking, Yang Zhengwen's success in the imperial examination should have led to a grand wedding. However, when Liu suggested a more grand marriage, he refused.
"Don't waste it like this. I'm only in high school and I don't have much money. Why would I bother to go to such lengths? Just keep the wedding simple."
Liu thought he was worried about money, so she quickly said she could make up for it.
Yang Zhengwen said, "It's not because of this. No matter how grand the wedding is, it will only make the neighbors talk about it. It's Ah Xiu and I who are living together. It's fine for us to know it ourselves." Ah Xiu came over at some point and heard what the two said. She also went over and said, "My husband is right. We can live our lives behind closed doors anyway. Why do we need such a grand wedding?"
Seeing that both of them were like this, Liu felt it difficult to insist any longer.
"Forget it. In fact, no matter how big the show is, it doesn't matter. We are new to the capital. How many friends can we invite?" At this point, Liu also smiled and said, "Then let's do as you say."
Although the wedding was simple, it still cost a lot. Three tables were set up, and all the guests were Yang Zhengwen's classmates and teachers. The banquet was held at the best restaurant in the capital, and one table cost two hundred taels. All the ingredients used were top-quality. Liu was grateful for the kindness of her cousin's classmates and teachers, so she naturally would not be reluctant to give up this.
If the wine is good, you can't help but drink it.
Liu and A Xiu also drank a few cups. Shen Qingqiu also wanted to join in the fun and have a sip or two, but before he could raise his paw, Liu glared at him, so he could only eat her sweet soup dejectedly.
After drinking for a while, many people couldn't stand up, so Mother Chen and Jin Cai helped them to the back to rest.
Well, the two of them supported each other and came out.
Jin Cai pinched her head, feeling the road getting shakier and shakier as she walked. "Mom Chen, is the wine too strong today? Why do I feel so dizzy?"
Mother Chen couldn't walk straight at this moment, and she forced her eyes open. "It's very strange, it's the wine I drank before, why is it so strong today?" As soon as she finished speaking, she fell to the ground with a bang.
Jin Cai tripped her and then fell on her. His eyelids moved, but he finally fell into a deep sleep.
It was late at night, and a group of men in black were surrounding the Shen family's home, which was decorated with red lights.
The leader was called Chen Liu, with a black cloth covering his face. After estimating the time, he waved his hand and asked the brothers to go in. Then he saw a group of men in black holding a bucket of glycerin in their hands. After receiving Chen Liu's order, they poured it on the gates around the Liu family, surrounding them in a circle.
"Sixth brother, it's almost done. The torch is all around fire. Even a living person can't be dug out, not to mention that there are people fainting inside."
Chen Liu nodded and raised his hand in the air to signal them to light the fire.
One of them brought the fire closer. Logically, the fire should have started burning immediately after it came into contact with oil, but the fire did not catch fire for a long time.
"You want to set it on fire?"
A slightly childish female voice came, and he looked up.
I saw a half-grown girl doll made on the wall, wearing red clothes and holding a half-eaten candied haws in her hand. Under the light of the torch, her red lips, which were eating the candied haws, looked a bit seductive.
"Let me help you?" Shen Qingqiu smiled and waved his hand forward.
The fire that had been impossible to light suddenly started, but it was not the wall of Liu's courtyard that started the fire, but the man in black in front of him!
Shen Qingqiu is not a living Bodhisattva, and these people pouring oil at her doorstep are not here to cook for her.
They set fire and she killed people, that's not too much, right?
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" The flames suddenly rose from the ground, and the man in black was burned to charcoal after just a moment of struggle.
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