Chapter 48: Hungry

On the day of Zheng Xi's return to the capital, Zhu Ying woke early, stirred by the city's drumbeats. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, dressing neatly.

The Jin household was bustling with joy, everyone dressed immaculately, even the dining table shone a bit brighter, and the serving maids wore cheerful smiles.

Zhang Xianmu, holding a bun, urged Zhu Ying, "Little Third, eat quickly. Shouldn't we welcome Lord Zheng later?"

Zhu Ying replied, "There's no rush. Lord Zheng will be occupied with official matters today; my presence would only add to the chaos."

From her previous experience, Zheng Xi's return would be filled with duties like reporting to the emperor and meetings with significant figures. Her turn wouldn't come in these two days. It was already good if Jin Liang could make it home to relay messages or arrangements. She planned to use these days to move back to her rented place, reorganize, and sell off what they no longer needed.

Unfortunately, the goods Zhu Ying brought back from her hometown did not catch the high prices before New Year. After the holidays, the demand from many households decreased, leading to slightly lower prices.

It was a pity.

After breakfast, Zhu Ying was still diligently practicing calligraphy in her room. The practice sheets she used were the same ones she bought back in the prefectural city, not expensive or from famous masters but decently "straightforward". She was somewhat dissatisfied with the stack of writings she prepared for Wang Yunhe, so she was determined to improve her handwriting.

As she wrote, Zhang Xianmu couldn't help but go in and out of the room, offering her water, snacks, checking the charcoal basin, the inkstone for freezing, the ink supply, and grinding more ink for her... Zhang Xianmu was anxious for Zhu Ying to quickly attach herself to Lord Zheng to avoid further belittlement by others. But Zhu Ying remained unmoved, leaving Zhang Xianmu to worry alone.

Lady Jin also had concerns; Zhu Ying wasn't directly rescued by them from jail, and she felt somewhat guilty, hoping her husband would return soon. Instead of hovering around Zhu Ying, she paced back and forth in her main hall, muttering complaints about her husband's delay: "You dead ghost, why aren't you back yet?! Are you also attending an imperial audience with Qi Lang?"

By noon, the kitchen started preparations for the meal. In these days, Lady Jin had ordered a countless number of pig's trotters. Anticipating visitors with Jin Liang's return, she instructed, "Buy ten more trotters!"

The maid sighed, advising, "Madam, this is the third time you've ordered more. If we buy again, that'll make forty! Even ten pigs wouldn't suffice for your purchases!"

Lady Jin slapped her forehead, "Look at my memory!"

Jin Liang arrived home by noon, without any delay or additional company, knocking on the door while calling out, "I'm back! Where is everyone?"

Upon opening the door, Jin Liang pushed past Lai Fu, stepping inside with a loud, "Madam!"

Jin Biao was the first to run out and throw himself into his father's arms, exclaiming, "Dad!"

Jin Liang, with his son tucked under his arm, strode forward. The Zhu family, residing in the front yard, watched as Zhang Xianmu hurried Zhu Ying in the side room, "Hurry up! Brother Jin is back, why are you still here? Go greet him and see if he has any messages for you."

Putting down her pen and washing the ink from her hands, Zhu Ying adjusted her sleeves before stepping out to greet, "Big Brother Jin."

Jin Liang, holding his son, spun around to see her emerging from the side room, squinting his eyes at the sight.

It had been nearly two months since he last saw Zhu Ying, who had grown a bit taller and even thinner. Setting his son down, Jin Liang walked over to Zhu Ying and gave her a hearty pat on the shoulder, saying, "Good lad!" His hand grew heavier as he gripped her shoulder, the thinness of the boy's frame felt like paper under his coat, the bony structure uncomfortably pressing against his hand.

Jin Liang patted her again, repeating, "Good lad!"

Zhu Ying suggested, "Sister-in-law has been waiting for you for a long time, go and have a chat with the family."

"Ahem! Old couple, what's there to talk about? Come on, let's go have a drink together!" Jin Liang coughed.

Zhu Ying, with a smile, stepped back, "I don't drink."

Jin Liang, lifting his son by the collar, saw his wife coming from the backyard and coughed awkwardly, "Here you are!"

Lady Jin greeted, "You're back?"

"Yes."

Lady Jin instructed, "Hot soup and water are ready. Go wash your face and change your clothes. Who are you trying to impress by wearing that in the house? Hurry up!"

Jin Liang replied, "Understood!"

The Jin family of three went to the back, where their son clamored for any gifts brought for him, and his wife recounted recent events. These included New Year's household exchanges and Zhu Ying's situation. Jin Liang listened intently, handed a leather ball to his son, and then pulled out some money, saying, "Go play!" He half-embraced his wife with his upper body.

Jin Biao ran off with the ball, then circled back to snatch the money. Jin Liang, nearly kicked out in response to the bump, scolded, "You little rascal!"

Lady Jin coughed, placing a handkerchief to her lips and stepped aside, handing the money to her son and nudging Jin Biao out. Without glancing at Jin Liang, she instructed, "Wash up! Your clothes are on the rack!"

She moved behind the clothes rack to watch Jin Liang wash and change. He inquired, "I heard that Brother Zhu and his wife were beaten by Shen Ying? Clarify that for me."

Lady Jin explained, "Such is the heart of parents worldwide! They hadn’t seen the Feng or Shen families recently. Spotting Shen Ying on the street, they attempted to plead with him, only to be dismissed by Shen’s servants as beggars trying to extort money. How could they not recognize them?"

Jin Liang commented, "Why wouldn’t they recognize them? It's just snobbery! They didn’t even speak much along the way. Qilang was so eager to mentor and discipline, but upon reaching the capital, he wanted to take someone! Zhulang is prideful; he didn’t follow and held a grudge."

Lady Jin asked, "What about now?"

Jin Liang answered, "Qilang has lunch with the lord; he plans to bring Zhulang to the mansion afterward."

Lady Jin, pleased, said, "Oh, that’s wonderful! I’ll check on the meal. And since you’ll be entering the mansion, maybe skip the drinks at noon? You can drink a whole jar tonight if you like, just don’t miss the mansion’s errands."

Jin Liang agreed, "Alright."

…………——

At lunch, the two families ate separately. Zhang Xianmu discussed while eating, "Master Zheng can’t leave again, right?" She then asked Zhu Ying, "Are you determined to see this through?"

Zhu Da said, "Look at your bowl."

"What are you looking at?!"

Zhu Da said, "There's something dry to eat in the bowl, right? There's meat on the table, right?"

"I'd rather starve than see her in trouble."

Zhu Ying wiped the rice grains sprayed on the table with a cloth and said, "Let's eat. Starving to death is still death, and dying full is also death."

This topic had been discussed many times, but Zhang Xianjun would easily start worrying again, and once Zhu Ying didn't respond to her, she would become quiet again. Then the cycle repeats.

After dinner, Zhu Da started to doze off. Zhang Xianjun didn't need to wash the dishes herself, so she just hovered around Zhu Ying, who was still slowly writing.

Noticing Zhang Xianjun's growing unease, Zhu Ying put down her pen and asked, "How much money do we still have?"

Zhang Xianjun replied, "About twenty guan left."

"Do we still have our goods at home?"

"They're all left untouched. I also asked Jin Daye to find someone to sell the mule. We can't afford to keep it, and the cart hasn't been sold yet; it's all left at home."

Zhu Ying thought that after selling the goods, they would have roughly forty guan in hand and said, "We should take out some to compensate Jin Dasa for these days' expenses. It's not good to just give money; we should also prepare some gifts." After calculating everything, it would cost about ten to twenty guan. Not to mention eating pigs' feet at Jin's house, just the fact that Jin Daye was willing to take them in meant they couldn't be too stingy.

Zhang Xianjun said, "Aren't you going to start working? Shouldn't you make some arrangements?"

After calculating, the mother and daughter found themselves tight on funds. Zhang Xianjun said, "We've lived through times without money before. Now, we're saying twenty guan isn't enough; how did we even manage to live those days?"

Zhu Ying chuckled, "Unexpected expenses are a bit higher, but once I start receiving my salary, things will improve."

"Are you sure you'll get a salary? How much can it be?"

"Each month, I should get at least five guan," said Zhu Ying. "I've inquired about it; even a jailer in Jingzhao can make five guan."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xianjun said, "That'll do. We can live frugally and save two or three guan a month!"

After discussing for a while, Zhang Xianjun felt less anxious, and Zhu Da was still napping. Jin Liang had finished eating and resting, ready to take Zhu Ying to Zheng's residence.

He arrived outside Zhu Ying's door and called, "Is Sanlang here?"

Zhang Xianjun quickly lifted the curtain and said, "Yes, Brother Jin, come in and talk."

Jin Liang glanced around the room and said, "Not bad. Get ready, I'm taking you to see Qilang."

Surprised, Zhu Ying asked, "Now? Doesn't he have other things to do?"

Jin Liang replied, "I heard about your situation on the way, and he said once he's back from the imperial audience, he wants to see you. He hasn't met anyone else yet."

Zhang Xianjun began to worry again, "Brother Jin, is it good news or bad? You can't blame our Sanlang for this! We're innocent!"

Jin Liang reassured her, "Big sister, listen to me, Qilang is thinking of him, wanting to nurture him!"

Only then did Zhang Xianjun stop crying.

Jin Liang said, "I have something else to discuss with Sanlang."

Zhu Ying replied, "Mom, you should rest too. With Brother Jin here, I'll be fine."

Zhang Xianjun closed the door, feeling uneasy, and went to wake up Zhu Da: "Still sleeping! You won't die from it! Hurry, get up! Listen to what Brother Jin has to say to the kid."

Rubbing his eyes, Zhu Da got up: "Why are you fussing over nothing?"

"We're going to see Zheng Daren."

"That's good news."

Zhang Xianjun said, "Sanlang mentioned that Zheng Daren is very busy and it would take a few days before we could see him, and now suddenly he wants to meet. Isn't that strange?"

Unable to tolerate her nagging, Zhu Da replied, "Alright, alright, let's go see."

They arrived just in time to hear Jin Liang raising his voice outside the door!

…………

As soon as Zhang Xianjun left, Jin Liang said to Zhu Ying, "Before you meet Qilang, there's something I need to discuss with you privately. You need to make a clear decision now, not later. What are your plans regarding your mother-in-law's family? I've heard 'you can't have your cake and eat it too.' You can't expect to be nurtured here by Qilang and also play the good son-in-law over there—huh! Shen Ying is no good relative either!"

Zhu Ying responded, "Oh."

Jin Liang pressed, "You really need to have a clear stance."

"Understood."

Believing he was being sincerely helpful, Jin Liang couldn't help but raise his voice in frustration at Zhu Ying's nonchalant response: "This is about your future; do you think this is a joke? Once you step into the competitive arena of the capital, one misstep could be fatal! Many think they're smart enough to manipulate others, only to end up being manipulated to death themselves! Get up! Speak seriously!"

Zhang Xianjun was startled outside the door and, with Zhu Da, rushed in to appease Jin Liang, "Brother Jin, don't be angry, let's talk it out calmly. I'll talk to her. Sanlang, what's going on?"

Zhu Ying replied, "Ah, it's nothing. You two rest..."

Jin Liang insisted, "You can't leave! He's being foolish, but as his parents, you can't afford to be! What do you really think about his marriage situation? Is it not humiliating? Huh? Qilang is willing to mentor him, but if he ends up picking up shoes for Shen Ying, who's being disgraced?"

Zhang Xianjun immediately responded, "We won't aim too high! It was never a formal engagement to begin with, just a mutual support through tough times before parting ways. Now... we'd rather this engagement didn't count at all, Brother Jin!"

Zhu Ying commented, "And my sister gets caught in the middle."

Jin Liang couldn't help but say, "Living Buddha, you're still thinking about her! Why don't you think about your father and mother?! Did they suffer those beatings for nothing? You say she's a good woman, but even if she were a fairy, she wouldn't be worth your parents enduring beatings from her family! You..."

Zhu Ying said, "I know. I..."

Jin Liang said, "We've come to this point, what can't you say?"

Zhu Ying said, "I regard her as a sister, as family. I must at least make things clear to her, so she's not left in the dark..."

Jin Liang said, "Is she really that good?!"

Immortal Zhang murmured, "She indeed is a good person," only to be nudged by Zhu Da's elbow.

Jin Liang said, "As her parents, you have the final say in his affairs, and he himself is reluctant about this marriage. Can we resolve this matter cleanly?"

Zhu Ying said with a bitter smile, "You forgot, my household registration and contract don't match. To settle this matter cleanly, either both families agree to call it off, or we must go through official channels, making my parents stand trial. Then, the issue with the household registration will become muddled again."

Jin Liang said, "So, the beatings were for nothing?"

Immortal Zhang, feeling sorry for her daughter, defended Zhu Ying, "We owe Sister Cheng Hua a debt of gratitude. We must ensure she finds a good place to call home before we can let go."

Jin Liang, not berating Immortal Zhang, deliberately chided Zhu Ying, "Where is your mind? As long as you're not divorced, you are her husband every single day. Besides you, where does she have a better future? I've seen men find successors for their wives, on the battlefield, nearing death, making sure they're well cared for. What is this? If you don't want her, eyeing a married woman, can you be considered a decent man? Worthy of trust? Her family is still here, her uncles are here, her maternal uncle is the Prime Minister. Do you think you can just marry her off? If you want her, sue to bring her back home. If not, withdraw early! You neither take her away nor let go, what are you thinking? This isn't like you!"

A statement that awakened someone from a dream!

Initially persuaded by Zhu Ying, Immortal Zhang now said, "Youngest brother, we can't give her what she wants. Let go. The good family you arrange for her, could it be some high-ranking official's son? Whether the person is good or bad, we'll watch from the side and help if we can. You need to be on solid ground yourself to save someone drowning."

Zhu Da also said, "You don't even want this marriage, why should they listen to you?"

Indeed, why should Sister Hua listen to her? She couldn't even tell Sister Hua the truth, how could she let Sister Hua blindly follow her into a pit? Besides, were her parents' beatings really in vain? Aren't they now a stain on Shen Ying's face, or hers?

Zhu Ying's expression fluctuated, saying, "I understand, I'll get the divorce right away."

Jin Liang asked, "Really? Can you do it?"

Zhu Ying sighed and told Jin Liang, "Well, her uncle's servant beat up my parents, and there are still some scars. The examination might not show all traces. Even if not apparent now, I could allege injury since the beatings did happen. Falling out with Shen Ying is not an issue; we've had no affection for a long time, but Sister Hua was my concern. Tomorrow morning, I'll confront Shen Ying. Shen Ying cares about face, as does the Feng family. They surely won't insist on this marriage, regardless if I'm Zhu San or Zhu Ying. Should they try to coerce me, I'll appeal to the Capital District office. With the Capital District's seal, we'll part ways amicably. Even if our secrets are exposed, I was never destined for a high-ranking official's life; starting from a minor position is already good enough."

Jin Liang said, "Isn't that resolved then? It's her fate, if there's blame, blame destiny, not you."

Zhu Ying gave a bitter smile, truly having no perfect solution to this matter, and said, "I'm just afraid she won't blame me."

Jin Liang asked Zhu Ying, "Can you leave?"

"I can."

Feeling he had done a good deed, Jin Liang said, "Let's go."

With no spare horse for Zhu Ying, Jin Liang chose not to ride, and the two left the Jin residence side by side.

Jin Liang glanced at Zhu Ying and felt something was amiss. Oh! The lad's clothes were a bit small. He thought it was too late to find a fitting replacement, but given his handsome appearance, it was still presentable.

Jin Liang, worried Zhu Ying might be blown over by the wind, slowed his pace. As they walked, he conversed with Zhu Ying without bringing up the matter of marriage again. He explained at length about Zheng Xi, how he wrote to Zhong Yi, never expecting Zhong Yi to fail so utterly, and so on.

Zhu Ying listened quietly, believing in Jin Liang's sincerity and that Zhong Yi did attempt the task. It wasn't about her significance but the troublemaker Zhou You's considerable influence.

Yet, Zhou You couldn't entirely escape this time.

Zhu Ying shrugged lightly.

…………——

Upon reaching the Marquis of Zheng's mansion, Jin Liang led Zhu Ying through a side entrance. Familiar with the place, he joked with the passing servants. The younger male servants called him "Uncle" or "Brother," while those even younger referred to him as "Elder."

They encountered almost no female servants along the way.

Zhu Ying observed as they went; the estate was grand, even more imposing than the Chen residence in the capital city. Having wandered the capital for some days, she had seen few homes superior to this one.

At the end of the first lunar month, the flowers and trees had yet to sprout, but the branches were all neatly pruned. Two ancient pines stood tall with their deep green needles, proudly erect.

Jin Liang led her to a building, saying, "This is Qi Lang's external study. Just wait here a moment." He went in to announce their arrival and soon, Lu Chao came out with a smile, saying, "Come in!" He winked at Zhu Ying and, comparing their heights, commented, "You've grown taller!"

Zhu Ying, expressionless, deliberately stood on tiptoe, mocking Lu Chao's own not-so-tall stature, which annoyed him into glaring at her.

Upon entering the study, they were enveloped by warmth, the charcoal brazier burning hotter than any Zhu Ying had experienced. Her nose tickled, and she sneezed. Zheng Xi asked, "Caught a cold?" and offered her a handkerchief to wipe her nose.

After taking it and wiping her nose, Zhu Ying said, "It's just warm in here," and placed the handkerchief aside, standing upright.

Zheng Xi said, "Take a seat. When have you ever been formal with me?"

Hearing his tone, not sounding angry and even more cordial than their last meeting, Zhu Ying gratefully accepted the seat. Zheng Xi then gestured for Jin Liang to sit as well.

Zheng Xi noted, "You've grown a bit taller."

Zhu Ying calmly replied, "It's the new year, I've aged another year."

Without mentioning his dealings with Zhong Yi or Zhou You, Zheng Xi simply stated, "I should have arranged this before the new year. I didn't want to delay you further, and yet you've had to endure unnecessary hardship." Then he changed his mind.

He said, "Go home today and get your things in order. From tomorrow, start studying diligently!"

Zhu Ying, surprised, asked, "What? I thought you were going to have me work?"

Zheng Xi replied, "Work what? You need to study first. Starting tomorrow, you'll come here, to my school, and study along with people from home."

Jin Liang was very pleased for Zhu Ying and said, "Aren't you going to thank Qi Lang? This is our family's school. Those who haven't attended schools like the Imperial Academy study here! It's all renowned teachers inside!"

Zhu Ying stated, "I came here to work! This isn't what was agreed upon!"

Zheng Xi replied, "This is your task now. Once you've learned well, you can then enter into service. A few years' time, I can afford to wait."

Zhu Ying said, "My background isn't clean; by the time of my grandfather, we already lacked a foundation."

Zheng Xi looked at her calmly, making Zhu Ying realize her folly—such matters were trivial for someone like Zheng Xi. To arrange a position for someone, he might not even need to conduct exams as Wang Yunhe had mentioned. Zhu Ying had heard of such things among the common folk too. Winning favor from a noble could secure an official post. As for family registries, creating a new one was possible; her current registry was filled in afterwards.

Zhu Ying boldly asked, "Did your new assignment also fall through?"

Jin Liang hurriedly exclaimed, "Nonsense!"

Zheng Xi stated, "I will make arrangements for someone else to handle it."

"Could they do it better than me?" Zhu Ying challenged.

Jin Liang said, "It's something others beg for, how could you..."

Zhu Ying asked Jin Liang, "Have you ever truly been hungry? The kind of hunger that comes from not having food, not just because food isn't readily available or a meal wasn't prepared properly—that's not real hunger.

If someone told you to endure hunger for two more meals, and then you could eat whatever you wanted afterward, if you've been hungry your whole life, you wouldn't be able to wait. You'd take whatever little bit of food you could get and think about where the next bite would come from.

If you've never lacked food since childhood, you could endure a bit longer.

It's not about being shallow, it's about being hungry.

I'm hungry. But I'm stronger than others; I might not endure for two meals, but I can withstand one."

Jin Liang looked at her in astonishment. Zhu Ying remained composed; she had decided that she needed a status, an official one, soon. Characters like Zhou You acted thoughtlessly; being law-abiding was not enough to ensure her family's safety. She needed an official status quickly. Although low-ranking officials were easily manipulated, their situation was much better than that of ordinary citizens. Study for three to five years? That would be enough time for Zhou You and his cronies to throw her in jail hundreds of times. It'd be one thing if it were just her, but if her parents were imprisoned...

Zheng Xi nodded, "This one meal, how do you plan to 'starve'?"

Zhu Ying replied, "I'll take the Ming Law examination. I've already read some of the legal texts and statutes; it won't take long. After all, it's just memorization! As for the classics and their interpretations, others delve too deeply. I can't bluff my way through those discussions without revealing my ignorance. But memorization, I can do. Once I pass the Ming Law exam, I'll be qualified for any task in your assignment. There's still some time before the exam; it's doable."

Zheng Xi pointed to a shelf in the study, "The materials for your exam are all here. What do you think?"

Zhu Ying said, "Even if I have to swallow them whole, I'll digest them."

Zheng Xi pondered for a moment, then agreed, "Very well."

Jin Liang was uncertain whether this was a good plan. He had never heard of the "Ming Law examination," let alone what it entailed, how it was conducted, or when. Who normally cares about such a thing?! Just as he was about to speak, Gan Ze rushed over, announcing from the doorway, "Qi Lang, there's a matter!"

Zheng Xi inquired, "What's the matter?"

Entering, Gan Ze glanced at Zhu Ying and reported, "San Lang's parents have been beaten!"

…………

After Jin Liang and Zhu Ying left, Immortal Zhang discussed the situation with Zhu Da.

Immortal Zhang proposed, "If it doesn't work out, I'll go to court. I signed the marriage contract; I'll take responsibility!"

Zhu Da cursed, "You don't understand anything! If you step forward, what about the child's identity? We've just managed to secure a new household registration!"

"Then what do you suggest?"

Zhu Da declared, "I'm all in! Let's go to the Shen family, let him beat me again! You watch, and when they start, you cry out, saying they're beating their in-laws! Heh, after beating his in-laws, would he still have the face to demand our child as his son-in-law?"

"It's a son-in-law by marriage!"

"Then we'll make a scene at the Feng family's place too!"

Everyone calculated every possibility but forgot one thing—Immortal Zhang and Zhu Da were shamans, and many in this profession resorted to deception to make a living. Zhu Ying was an anomaly in their line of work.

If this couple didn't have some cunning tricks up their sleeve, they wouldn't have managed to raise a child in their difficult circumstances.

The two charlatans, having borrowed Lai Fu from Jin Da Niang Zi, instructed him to look out at the street corner: "As long as we're not dead, don't come out. If it looks like we're about to be killed, then come save us!"

They went to the Shen residence, claiming kinship as before. Zhu Da, who had been humble and earnest last time, was now cursing, uttering all sorts of unsavory words like "Forgetful bastard!"

As expected, they were beaten up.

After the beating, the couple deliberately didn't protect their faces, showing their injuries as they ran to the Feng residence. The Feng family was even more baffled than the Shen family; Madam Feng had no idea who these "in-laws" were, and the gatekeepers were even more clueless. Seeing the couple's crazed appearance, they chased them away with a broom.

Having been beaten twice, Zhu Da and Immortal Zhang were relieved and sat at the street corner, slapping their thighs and howling with laughter.

Lai Fu watched in astonishment. He knew the world had its share of rascals, and he had seen many, but he never expected the couple who lived in his house, who were exceptionally polite to his masters, and who eagerly did chores, to be such scoundrels! Could these two really have raised someone like San Lang?

It was truly an unbelievable sight!

Lai Fu hurried over, helping them up, one in each hand: "Old man, madam, get up quickly! Oh my, what has happened here?!"

This spectacle caught Hua Jie's attention in the inner courtyard, as she faintly heard the maids gossiping. A mother is always a mother, but brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law are not blood relatives, and the maids from her sister-in-law's side looked at her differently. Upon asking, those maids didn't hide the truth, saying bluntly: "Some beggars claiming to be your father-in-law and mother-in-law were driven away from the gate."

Hua Jie was shocked, running to the gate in her skirt until the maids and the old nanny stopped her, allowing her to clearly hear Immortal Zhang's cries and curses. The old nanny advised her, "Young madam, don't bother with these scoundrels. Let's go back."

Trapped in the crook of her arm and blocked by two maids, Hua Jie cried out in desperation, "It's her! It's her! Why are you stopping her? That's my mother-in-law."

The old nanny responded, "How could that be? You must have heard wrong."

"Even the accent is the same."

"There are many people from the same hometown."

Hua Jie said, "Madam Wang, you don't know, she used to exorcise illnesses and drive out demons for people, and the songs she sang were melodious..."

Immortal Zhang's talent as a shaman was not exceptional; she knew only three tunes in total, all of which Hua Jie had heard and remembered.

While Hua Jie inside the mansion wanted to go out, Immortal Zhang outside at the alley's entrance was crying and singing, creating quite a scene.

Old Madam Wang, extremely anxious, saw Madam Feng being summoned by her daughter-in-law and approached to complain, "They claim to be the young madam's in-laws, but they truly don't seem like it! Utterly indecorous! How can this be acceptable? Even common families wouldn't want such relatives!"

Madam Feng was utterly outraged, unwilling to accept such relatives again without even consulting her brothers or discussing with her heirs and daughter. She kept saying, "How can such rude people become relatives? How can such rude people become relatives?"

Old Madam Wang then incited, "You are the senior lady of this house. Your word is law here. Now you decide, let's call off this marriage arrangement!"

Madam Feng, thinking it reasonable, ordered, "Bring those two beggars to the gatehouse and retrieve the young madam's marriage contract." She intended to return the contract immediately and also demanded Zhu Da to draft a divorce agreement. Hua Jie wanted to speak, but Madam Feng's face darkened: "Please escort the young madam back to her room! She is not to come out without my permission."

Zhu Da, delighted, wanted to smile even with a bruised face, pulling at the muscles in his cheek, resulting in a grim smile. Old Madam Wang, annoyed, said, "Hurry up and write!"

Zhu Da's knowledge, not extending beyond three hundred characters, was insufficient for drafting a divorce document, prompting Madam Feng to instruct the steward, "You draft it!"

After the steward finished drafting, Madam Feng reviewed it, signed it herself, and then had Zhu Da sign it as well.

Zhu Da and Immortal Zhang happily annulled the marriage! They reclaimed their original marriage contract and took the divorce document written by Madam Feng, pressing their fingerprints on it. The parents from both sides of this marriage arrangement were truly "each delighted with their own way", and Madam Feng said, "Now that we are no longer relatives, I won't keep you here any longer! Someone, see the guests out!"

Lai Fu, watching on the side, was dumbfounded, and along with Zhu Da and Immortal Zhang, was swept out the door. Not daring to drag them back on his own, he dug into his own pocket to hire a carriage and stuffed the two into it to take them back to the Jin residence.

Jin Da Niang Zi, upon seeing them, exclaimed in surprise, "What happened?!"

Today, Lai Fu had suffered a great loss! Trembling, he recounted the events: "I don't know what's so joyful about canceling an engagement, they must have been beaten senseless? They were laughing all the way here."

Jin Da Fu Niang scolded, "Watch your mouth! How can you speak that way about guests? Go, call a doctor."

Zhu Da still grinned crookedly, "Madam, rest assured, our own matters have been properly settled! There's no need to go to court."

Jin Da Niang Zi could never have imagined they would pull off such a stunt. While summoning a doctor, she also sent someone to inform the Zheng residence.

………………

Everyone in the study room listened to Gan Ze's account as if it were a novel story, all finding it extraordinary. Only Zhu Ying knew her parents were truly capable of such an act!

It had been a while since they performed as shamans, and in recent months, both had taken their roles as "the future official's parents" more seriously, something she had overlooked!

With a stern face, Zhu Ying said, "We had an agreement, it must not change."

Jin Liang swallowed and said nervously, "Your hands, don't tremble, let's not get angry, okay? We're in the capital, street killings aren't tolerated, and assassinating a court official is a capital offense! Don't go after Shen Ying, and you can't seek revenge on the Feng family like this, you hear?"

Zhu Ying replied with a smile, "I'm not angry at all. My parents have canceled the marriage, saving me the trouble. How could I dare to be angry?!!!"

Zheng Xi said, "Get a carriage, you better head back quickly, and take some bruise ointment with you."

Jin Liang responded, "Ah!"

Zhu Ying asked, "You haven't said, does our agreement still stand? I did take the Ming Law exam."

Zheng Xi affirmed, "Of course, it stands! It's only a few months; I can wait! First, go take care of your parents' injuries."

Zhu Ying bowed to him and dragged Jin Liang out the door.

Jin Liang obediently followed her for a while, then reminded her, "The medicine!"

After getting the medicine, he stuffed Zhu Ying into the carriage and hurried back home!