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墨書 Inktalez
Although Qin Yaru had long known that the Gentle Blue Princess was a very intelligent woman, regardless of whether she truly loved Chen Wenyue to the point of not caring about anything else, her actions at this moment were the wisest.
If she were to act unwaveringly devoted now, it would signify genuine feelings. People would admire the pure-hearted girl who yearns for love; although they might mock her foolishness, they would ultimately praise her for being sentimental. Even if she made many mistakes, she would easily gain others' forgiveness.
After all, she was just a girl madly in love.
Gentle Blue first ensured her own safety before having the capacity to do anything else. If she truly cared for Chen Wenyue, with her as a Princess, even if Chen Wenyue's future were completely ruined, he would not have to worry about food and drink. He would still enjoy a life more affluent and luxurious than most common people, which could be considered a path for him.
However, Qin Yaru doubted whether Chen Wenyue could survive if he truly fell to such depths.
After all, she had been childhood friends with Chen Wulang, a couple in both past and present lives, spending decades exploring and pondering why that man could be so heartless.
Now, Qin Yaru had come to terms with it; she no longer thought of him but helplessly understood his nature deeply—
Chen Wenyue had immense ambition; for power, he could abandon even his ancestors. Moreover, he had a significant flaw: he looked down on women. This disdain was not the typical male chauvinism.
Men with tendencies toward male chauvinism might look down on women and consider them useless, but they would never take advantage of them. On the contrary, they often care for women in many ways.
But Chen Wenyue was different; he was the type who concealed his true feelings and endured silently. He casually used his wife's dowry without feeling any shame and relied on his father-in-law's support to pursue education. Yet afterward, he stopped at nothing to remarry and even sought to send his childhood sweetheart away to flatter the Marquis without batting an eye.
What kind of person could treat their wife as less than human and regard her merely as their possession?
A man like him might suck the life out of any woman who came close enough for him to exploit, like a leech.
Such a man, if in favorable circumstances without any upheaval, might hide his true nature forever and act as a gentle and considerate husband.
Qin Yaru sneered—she hoped that the Gentle Blue Princess would never have to tear off that guy's ugly facade. No, it would be best if neither of them had the chance to strip away each other's outer layers.
In this life and the last, step by step understanding that man—from hope to despair to indifference—Qin Yaru thought that she didn’t need to untangle any emotional knots. A man like that, even with wealth and power, what difference would it make? In such barrenness, he would probably never know what happiness was!
Three days remained until the palace examination. In previous years at this time, all gossip in Kaifeng City would vanish except for those related to the Keju. However, for some reason, this time there was an exception.
The rumors about Chen Wenyue are still rampant, showing no signs of abating.
Finally, it was time for the imperial examination. A group of students who had overcome numerous challenges and achieved victory sat in the grand hall, which was the most important and glorious place for them.
Chen Wenyue also sat there, his back straight, seemingly oblivious to the strange gazes directed at him from the surroundings. His face was expressionless, pale and gray, with dark circles under his eyes. Yet deep within those eyes, there seemed to be a flicker of flame burning wildly.
The exam questions were simple; at least, he thought they were simple. He wrote swiftly with beautiful regular script on the paper, believing that no one could surpass him. He would be appointed as the Top Scholar by Long Live, ride through the streets on horseback, and marry the most beautiful and gentle noblewoman among them, step by step reaching the pinnacle of power.
Chen Wenyue could almost see himself dressed in purple robes, high in the court, pointing out the landscape with an air of elegance while those who once looked down on him bowed their heads submissively at his feet.
He sat motionless, his gaze fixed directly on the Imperial Eunuch.
"The decree states: Junjiao Wudang Chen Wenyue has the most inferior qualities. There are rumors that he killed his wife and children, causing great public outrage. He is dismissed here..."
Dismissed, dismissed...
"This is an unfounded accusation!" Chen Wenyue suddenly stood up, letting out a piercing scream. The Imperial Eunuch frowned and sternly said, "Take him down immediately. Such behavior before the emperor is inappropriate; he shall receive fifty lashes."
The entire hall fell silent.
Two expressionless burly eunuchs roughly dragged him out of the hall, pulling Chen Wenyue from his dream of glory into a nightmarish abyss.
Everyone held their breath in silence; they all knew that the current Official was quite benevolent, even understanding towards the eunuchs and palace maids around him, rarely flying into a rage. Clearly, Chen Wenyue had truly incurred the Official's deep disdain to be humiliated so publicly. However, no one was particularly surprised; after all, before the examination, people had speculated that such an outcome might occur, and many even anticipated it.
A carriage bearing the Xiangyang Wangfu plaque sped along Yujie.
Gentle Blue gently held a damp handkerchief in her hands and wiped away the fine beads of cold sweat from Chen Wenyue's forehead as he sat there in a daze. After a long while, Chen Wenyue suddenly collapsed onto her lap, crying uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face, staining her delicate silk yellow dress with a misty hue.
Gentle Blue softly stroked his back and said gently, "Wang Wu, no matter what happens, Gentle Blue will stand by you through thick and thin. Do not worry; the Official has always been kind to me and will not stay angry for long. Furthermore..."
Her voice was gentle as water, but her gaze was dark and enigmatic. If Chen Wenyue were to look up at that moment, he would probably no longer think of her as the tender and charming woman in his heart.
The most enduring stories throughout the years are those that occur during the Keju, and this year's Keju has been particularly tumultuous. Chen Wenyue, who was once regarded as a top scholar and had many people optimistic about his prospects, unexpectedly fell from grace in the grand hall. The golden list had not yet been posted, and he had not even had the chance to ride through the streets celebrating his success; the Qionglin Ban had yet to take place.
Chen Wenyue was already famous throughout the capital, but this fame was something he would rather die than desire.
In the early morning, outside the window, magpies chirped joyfully. Qin Yaru opened the window and saw two magpies with long black tails and snowy white wings singing to each other.
Gao Feng stood under a tree. Upon seeing Qin Yaru, he waved his hand and smiled proudly, "So? Have you vented your anger?"
Qin Yaru naturally knew he was referring to Chen Wenyue. She shrugged and sighed, "It really feels good, like eating ice cream in the heat of summer—refreshing."
"Not nearly enough," Gao Feng took a deep breath. "However, such people are not important. Let's finish our serious business first, then we can deal with him properly."
Qin Yaru was taken aback. If Chen Wenyue had merely abandoned her, she would have likely let go of her resentment by now. There might still be a hint of reluctance; at least she wouldn't want to kick him when he was down.
People in later generations might disdain her as a saintly figure, but in truth, that person had grown up with her. After several years of marriage, there were indeed feelings involved. Even if he favored wealth over poverty or had some flaws in character, it would be one thing to cut ties completely; how could she bring herself to be so ruthless as to send him to hell?
But now it was different. The relationship between Chen Wenyue and Qin Yaru was no longer just one of marital discord; they could very well be enemies—bitter foes who had caused her Qin Family to fall into such dire straits.
Even if Chen Wenyue were to die a thousand deaths, it would be hard for him to atone for his sins!
"Qin Yaru, you should be careful lately. I'm afraid Chen Wenyue may harbor resentment and turn against you. Why not stay at my General's residence for a while?"
Qin Yaru couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. "What are you saying? If I move into the General's residence, won't I just become a target for gossip? Besides, if I really moved in there, it wouldn't just be one Chen Wenyue who would turn against me."
Those noble families hoping for a marriage alliance with General Gao and those hopeful young ladies filled with romantic notions would probably all hate her to their core.
It's worth noting that there wasn't even a single concubine in General Gao's household. The current General Gao was just like the previous playboy—surrounded by no women at all.
Now that she thinks about it, Qin Yaru feels quite lucky. If Gao Feng had crossed over in a body that was flirtatious and lecherous, already surrounded by a group of Wives, she would have been quite troubled and upset.
"Don't worry, we've been through all kinds of storms before; why fear just a Chen Wenyue?"
Qin Yaru's eyes sparkled, and she appeared so relaxed. Indeed, things were different now. As long as this man was by her side, she felt secure. If it had been her returning to the Song Dynasty and encountering this situation, she would have likely felt anxious.
"Tokyo is not Wudang; it is originally The Land of Abundant Virtue. Nangyun Study is certainly not a remote place. Even if Chen Wenyue wants to do something, he has to see if he dares to take action. Moreover, if he really does take action, I might even be pleased. At that time, you can step forward and see whether this Chen Wulang's heart is truly dark."
Gao Feng chuckled and nodded.
Since meeting Qin Wenyuan, he had begun investigating the Qin Family. Although initially his strength was insufficient and he was far from Tokyo, making it quite difficult, after five years of investigation, he had followed the trail of Qin Yizhi's actions step by step and discovered many clues. Unfortunately, they were all circumstantial evidence and could not currently incriminate Xiangyang Wang.
However, there was no longer any doubt about the Qin Family's innocence.
Gao Feng stretched lazily and said with a smile, "In a few more days, once the most important witness is in hand, it will be the day your Qin Family's grievances are cleared. Qin Yaru, don't rush; just wait a little longer."
Even though she had been prepared for this moment, Qin Yaru's eyes still turned red. The matter she had been thinking about for so long was about to be realized. If it depended solely on her efforts, she didn't know how many years it would take or if she could achieve it in her lifetime. Her greatest gain from being reborn in the Twenty-First Century was having Gao Feng by her side.
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