Chapter 103: The Zheng Siblings Get a Taste of Humiliation, It Hurts So Much

Chapter 103: The Zheng Siblings Get a Taste of Humiliation, It Hurts So Much

Zheng Hongyan, a male character, drew a sharp breath in astonishment.

"How am I supposed to go? As the eldest son of the Zheng family, I am duty-bound to stay in the Capital City and inherit the family business."

"Cough, calm down. I didn't say you have to stay in the south permanently. You go and keep an eye on things first. Once I'm done with my affairs here, I'll come and relieve you."

"What's the matter with you? Aren't you just trying to persuade her to go south with you? This is simple. I'll just tell my parents and mobilize the whole family to help persuade her."

"No, no, please don't. You have no idea about Jinyu; she's rebellious to the core. The more you do this, the less willing she'll be to leave, and she might even suspect that you're trying to send her away because of Zheng Jinxiu."

"Oh?" Zheng Hongyan was utterly perplexed.

That was precisely what Jinxiu was thinking.

Her mother's arrangement was meant for her own good, but Jinxiu interpreted it as an attempt to get rid of her for Jinyu's sake.

So if they were to persuade Jinyu to depart, would she also entertain such suspicions?

It's truly beyond comprehension what these young maidens have in their minds; I can't fathom their thoughts.

"Why can't I just tell her directly that it's for your sake?"

"No, that would only make things worse. She'll end up accusing me of being despicable and manipulating the whole family to force her compliance."

Zheng Hongyan: "...." Is she really that unreasonable?

"Well then, what's your plan?"

"I have my ways. Just leave this matter to me, and go keep an eye on things for me in the south."

"How long will that take? Let me clarify, our friendship can only endure me watching over things for up to three years."

"Alright, three years it is."

Zheng Hongyan: "...."

Zheng Hongyan stood there with his mouth slightly agape, unable to respond.

How did the conversation lead to him agreeing to guard the southern borders for three years?

"No, what I meant was..."

Xie Peiyu interrupted him directly, "I understand, Big Brother. Thank you."

Zheng Hongyan: "..." What do you understand? I didn't say anything.

For the sake of one 'Big Brother', he was supposed to leave his hometown for three years?

Why should he?

After returning home, Zheng Hongyan felt more and more uneasy about the situation.

If Zheng Jinyu didn't want to leave the Capital City, Xie Peiyu made him leave instead.

She didn't want to part from her parents, but he didn't want to part from his either.

Why was this fair?

Feeling a sudden abdominal discomfort, Zheng Hongyan recalled that he was supposed to visit the latrine. However, he had forgotten about it when he encountered Xie Peiyu halfway.

In a hurry, Zheng Hongyan got dressed and put on his shoes before rushing to the toilet once more.

...

News of Cui Yongnian being Qinghe's Master Qinghe had spread. Both Zheng Hongqi and Zheng Hongxu, who had missed classes at the Imperial Academy the previous day, were now aware of this fact.

The two of them were still confined in the family temple, with only Zheng Jinxiu delivering their meals daily.

They were like loyal dogs raised by Zheng Jinxiu, ready to obey her every command. It took effort to train them to be so obedient.

Zheng Jinxiu expressed her willingness to share their punishment, but the brothers were pained by the thought of her suffering alongside them. They always tried their best to soothe her and convince her to return home.

Despite their efforts to dissuade her from joining them for meals, they could not change her mind. Eventually, they acquiesced to her insistence.

Amid their meal, the serving maid mentioned Cui Yongnian's matter, causing Zheng Hongqi and Zheng Hongxu to be startled for a while, both wearing expressions of disbelief.

"How could that be? That... good-for-nothing..."

Zheng Hongqi shot a fierce glare at Zheng Hongxu.

With the failed engagement between Cui Yongnian and Zheng Jinxiu, they had long ceased to dislike him. They even felt apologetic for their previous actions towards him.

Zheng Hongxu paused, then corrected himself, "How can it be? Cousin seems so ordinary, how could he be Mister Qinghe? And he's still so young, barely of age, whereas Mister Qinghe has been renowned for years."

Zheng Hongqi turned to look at Zheng Jinxiu, who responded, "It was indeed him. The Chancellor of the Imperial Academy attests to it, and both Father and Mother are aware. Father even personally asked him, to which he admitted."

The two exchanged bewildered glances.

Zheng Jinxiu continued, "Moreover, he didn't go to the Imperial Academy as a student but as a teacher. He went there with an invitation from the Chancellor to teach. I've heard that those who criticized him at the poetry appreciation banquet were now too scared to even breathe loudly."

Heavens, did they really need to hear this?

If it was true, they could easily imagine the scene without being told – it would surely be awkward enough to make them dig holes in the floor with their toes.

Their absence spared them the awkward scene, leaving them unaware of whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that they missed the drama unfolding in the ancestral shrine.

Now, it was not a matter of whether they wanted to enter the ancestral hall or not; they were at a loss as to how to even step forward.

Their only hope was to be kept apart for a few more days, lest they have to share a table together when they were released. The awkwardness would be unbearable.

The two of them were confined for several more days until, finally, the appointed time arrived.

Zheng Jinxiu followed the butler to come and release them.

The two of them were like two frost-bitten eggplants, devoid of any vitality.

I remained silent the entire journey, saving my words until the evening meal.

In the Zheng family, unless there were special circumstances, meals were typically taken in the dining hall.

As they approached the dining hall, Zheng Hongxu suddenly tugged on Zheng Jinxiu's arm and said, "Jinxiu, Cousin Cui is quite a decent fellow, isn't he?"

Zheng Jinxiu nodded gently.

"So... tell me, would you be willing to marry and live in Qinghe for him?"

"Aah?" At that moment, Zheng Jinxiu was also seized by panic.

In fact, she had been feeling anxious for several days now.

Ever since discovering Cui Yongnian's true identity, she had been weighing her options, trying to decide which choice would secure her a more prosperous life in the years to come.

The possibility with Prince Chen was completely out of the question. On the other hand, Lu Shen came from a reputable family, and he seemed to have feelings for her. With just a signal from her, he would rush to her side.

But Cui Yongnian's talent surpassed Lu Shen's by leaps and bounds; he was Mister Qinghe. She had overheard her parents discussing how the Cui family had elevated him to a pedestal, staking their future on him.

If the future of the Cui family rested on Cui Yongnian, did that mean there was a high likelihood that he would inherit the position of head of the Cui household?

Thus, Zheng Jinxiu's heart was in turmoil.

"Jinxiu,"

Zheng Hongxu's call startled her back to reality. The two of them looked at her with concern. Zheng Hongqi asked, "Jinxiu, do you think Cousin Cui is capable again?" A fleeting panic flickered in Zheng Jinxiu's eyes before she softly said, "Second Brother, Third Brother, let's go have our meal first." She led the way, lifting her skirt slightly and jogging into the dining hall. Zheng Hongqi exchanged a glance with Zheng Hongxu. "I think you were probably right. Jinxiu must believe Cousin Cui is capable again." Zheng Hongxu replied, "That's only natural. Not just her, even I'm starting to think Cousin Cui is capable again." "What should we do? Cousin Cui was the one who said they weren't suitable. We can't just backtrack and cling to him because of Mr. Qinghe's identity, right? Don't forget how we treated him before." How could they forget?

The mere thought of it was enough to make them feel awkward, almost to the point of digging their toes into the ground.

"Never mind, let's just go in first. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Expecting ridicule from Cui Yongnian, they were surprised to find that he hadn't given their actions a second thought and treated them as usual. In turn, it made them feel like the petty ones, assuming ill intentions where there were none.