Rushing to the capital, taking the exam, waiting for the results, the palace examination, and then rushing back, for him the time was tight and passed quickly, but for the Zhao family, it was an extremely long period of time.
The weather was no longer as cold as when he went there. Although the snow fell quickly and heavily, diligent people had already cleared a passable path.
In front of the Zhao Mansion, he dismounted.
Suddenly I saw the white elegiac couplet posted in front of the door. It was not only old and slightly yellowed, but half of it had been blown away by the wind.
It looks like it’s been there for a long time, but it wasn’t there when he left, and the owner was no longer around.
While knocking on the door, he was thinking aimlessly. He even imagined that Old Mrs. Zhao suddenly took in a distant relative, but unexpectedly the relative was old and passed away after only two days, and they had to arrange the funeral.
When the gatekeeper saw him, his eyes lit up immediately and he bowed repeatedly to congratulate him: "Master Ji is back! Master Ji, you are the top scholar today!"
Although the letter was difficult to send back, the news about the number one scholar's name spread extremely quickly, and the Zhao family had already known it.
Ji Wenxu was very successful outside and didn't think it was a big deal, but when he came to the Zhao family and was complimented like this, he felt a little embarrassed.
He said helplessly that it was not necessary, but the servant was smart enough to run in and tell Master Zhao that Xiu Mu was at home.
After a while, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao came out, smiling and looking relieved. They took his hand and said that they had known he was a good boy and that he would definitely pass the exam.
They are Huanhuan's parents. Such recognition made him feel elated and the corners of his lips curled up.
Mrs. Zhao said she wanted to hold a banquet for him, and Mr. Zhao said he wanted to change the name of the family school, as it was the school that had produced the top scholar.
After all, he couldn't wait any longer.
Ji Wenxu interrupted the two abruptly and said with a smile: "Uncle and Aunt, I want to go to Huanhuan first to take a look."
He said a little shyly: "I haven't seen her for a long time since I went out..."
He couldn't keep his balance at all and almost ran towards that direction.
"Mr. Ji!" Mrs. Zhao, who had been smiling just now, called him hurriedly.
Ji Wenxu looked back in confusion.
Mrs. Zhao's expression had changed, and sorrow was reflected in her eyes. The impatient young man was stopped by her, and she was at a loss for words for a moment.
"Don't go..." Mr. Zhao spoke slowly and waved his hand at him. His movements were stiff, and he looked a little old.
Ji Wenxu slowly turned around and looked at them, a blank look on his face.
"What do you want to say?"
An unbelievable guess suddenly popped up in his mind, and he felt cold all over. Although he was standing under the warm sun, his body felt as cold as if it was buried in an ice cellar.
Mr. Zhao lowered his head and could not continue. Mrs. Zhao looked at him with red eyes and tears in her eyes.
He slowly recalled that on the day he left, Mrs. Zhao had the same expression on her face, which was like a blow to the head.
"Is she, is she sick again?" He asked, clinging to his last hope. When they didn't speak, he imagined a worse outcome. "Is she not feeling well?"
They still didn't speak.
Ji Wenxu couldn't stand it anymore, his mind collapsed, and he said angrily: "Why is it not good! I am here, I am with her, I save her... She takes medicine every day, why does she take so many medicines..."
He scolded, recalling, but his voice was shaking.
"You, go and take a look," Mrs. Zhao whispered, not daring to look at his face. The moment she did, she would be reminded of the grief of that day.
"I'll go find her."
He walked hurriedly towards the warm room, but he stumbled and was not steady at all.
On the way they passed the wall they had climbed together, and the timber piled underneath was gone, and the pavilion had been repaired;
Passing by the pond, Zhao Mingyan and Zhao Minghe were crowded together fishing, competing with each other for the fish, which was very lively;
Passing by the yard where the old lady lived, there were guests in her room. The old sisters were talking about the past, and bursts of laughter came through the window.
The spring breeze brings warmth, and everyone is happy everywhere. There is no sign of sadness at all.
All those words just now seemed like a nightmare. He walked faster and faster, trying to leave the nightmare far behind.
The spring scenery is so beautiful, full of vitality and hope.
So he was also infected and thought that maybe he had heard it wrong just now. She was just suffering from a minor illness. Maybe she has recovered now and is full of energy and is just waiting for him to knock on the window to scare her.
However, when he finally reached the door of the warm room, he stopped and the tears that he had been holding back for a long time suddenly fell.
The spring breeze filled the old courtyard, except for the snow in front of her house.
No one lives here, so no one comes to sweep the snow.
He suddenly lost everything that supported him, and fell to his knees on the ground, staring blankly at the remaining snow, tears streaming down his face.
He remembered that when he first came to the Zhao Mansion, the ground was also covered with snow, and he was also in this house.
He and Uncle Zhao warmed themselves against the wall before going in. When they opened the curtain, they saw her nestled in the old man's arms, her eyes bright and arrogant.
Nothing has changed.
It seems like I can see her by lifting the curtain.
Even though the distance was so close, he couldn't stand up at all and almost had to crawl inside.
She was not in good health, and he had actually already prepared himself for not being able to grow old with her.
That's okay too.
After they got married, he took good care of her, making her feel better and better, and living longer. When things really got worse, he probably didn't have much time left, and soon he would go to accompany her...
How could it be so fast?
Everything hasn't even started yet.
He had already grabbed the curtain, clinging to his last fantasy, but he didn't dare go inside.
The newly crowned top scholar, full of high spirits, prostrated himself in front of the door, his body shaking and crying loudly.
.
At the tender age of twenty, Ji Wenxu got what he wanted most. He became the unrivaled number one scholar in the imperial examination, with a bright future and a long and promising future.
It was also in this year that he lost his most precious sweetheart, a person he would never forget for the rest of his life.
.
The imperial edict has been issued, and he will soon return to Beijing with his parents to take up his post.
The familiar little maid handed him a box, saying that it was what she had instructed him to do.
He prepared himself mentally for a long time, wondering if it was a longing that she would never express in words, or a reproach for him coming back too late.
But when he opened the box, there was a jade pendant inside.
He gave it to her, it was an heirloom of the Ji family.
There was another piece of paper underneath with only two words on it.
"Give it back to you."
Really, I didn't leave him any thoughts at all.
Huanhuan, how cruel! He smiled helplessly and shook his head, but his tears rolled down onto the paper, soaking the two words.
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