Chapter 288 Finally Speaks (Additional Update)

Chapter 288 Finally Speaks (Additional Update)

"Written in the previous text, the word count will be compensated. I've thought about it again today. It's actually quite simple to fix that issue. However, there's another method I can use. I'll try the alternative first, and if necessary, I'll revise these two chapters later. (This is the downside of writing in installments!) Thanks again for everyone’s suggestions."

Xianjin turned around and left; sleeping was just a pretense.

She went to see Chen Fu first. Chen Fu had been moved from the stables to the inner courtyard of the eastern wing. Dr. Wang hadn’t returned to Jing County yet, so he was called back to treat Chen Fu.

Chen Fu's face was flushed red, his forehead was sweating profusely, his lips were purple, and there was a strong smell of blood on him. His pants were pulled up, revealing a large bruise on his knee.

Xianjin sat by Chen Fu's bedside. Her nose stung with a mix of bitterness and sharpness. She turned away to wipe her eyes, then quickly looked back, afraid Chen Fu would see her tears if he woke up.

As soon as Dr. Wang entered, he exclaimed "oh oh oh" several times, barely having time to put down his medical box before rushing over to take Chen Fu's pulse. His hands moved extremely fast, swiftly inserting the silver needles like a gust of wind.

Sun Shi gestured for Xianjin to sit and have some tea in the side room. "Go sit down! You’ve been through a lot too!"

Xianjin didn't move.

Sun Shi clicked her tongue and glanced at her son Sanlang, who sat in the hall sipping hot tea, clearly shaken. She then looked at Xianjin, who had a gloomy face and red eyes sitting next to Chen Fu.

Sun Shi sighed, "You’re such a strong-willed, stubborn girl, so proud and always thinking you’re above everyone else! But that moment of hesitation for your father’s sake shows how much he cares for you... and your mother."

Sun Shi lowered her voice and muttered for a while. "I may be bad, but I only wanted to make you the legitimate wife of the accountant. Old Madam must have lost her mind..."

Muttering to herself, Sun Shi looked up at the wide-open window and continued, "This whole situation started because of Erlang. Now that he’s back, we need to decide what to do, regardless of the outcome."

She then pushed Xianjin. "Go get some water. It’s not appropriate for you to be here while we treat your father with needles."

Only when Xianjin heard this did she get up, her face expressionless as she walked inside.

Sun Shi's flower room, like the person herself, was ostentatious and magnificent, with even the side tables having gilded patterns.

On the side table were writing brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone. A layer of dust covered the inkstone, clearly just for show—Sun Shi rarely used it.

Xianjin took a piece of plain xuan paper, spread it out, ground the ink for a long time, moistened the brush tip, and began to write with her head lowered.

As soon as she started writing, large teardrops fell onto the paper.

Underestimating the enemy.

She had underestimated them.

Thinking Madam Qu had already revealed her final trick by throwing Chen Sanlang into her room, which was the most despicable tactic, she didn't realize that Madam Qu's real move wasn't about Chen Sanlang at all. It was about involving her own son, betting on who would be more reluctant to let go.

She had only thrown Chen Fu into Jing County, following the situation of Zhou Ergou and his group, and moved the people close to her far away, thinking it was foolproof.

But one mistake could lead to total failure; the weakest part of success is often where you think it's the strongest.

These years had been too smooth.

She had seen with her own eyes how Chen Jianfang possessed wisdom that was not inferior to modern people, yet she had gravely underestimated Madam Qu. Her overconfidence had caused her to stumble hard.

If she had been more vigilant, Chen Fu wouldn't have suffered this undeserved disaster.

Xianjin turned her head and forcefully wiped her face, took a deep breath, and wrote furiously. A line of words fell onto the paper—"Yiyuan Determination and Hardship Action Review Analysis."

A review was necessary; how could she improve without a review? Without a review, how could she avoid being tricked next time? Without a review, how could she trick others next time?

Xianjin felt the ideas pouring out of her, way more inspired than when she was working on the essays Master Qiao had assigned.

Xianjin kept writing until the sky outside turned dark.

Sun Shi poked her head in, her face a mix of curiosity, eagerness, and a bit of restraint, though she tried to look calm. Her expression was almost too much, like she was trying too hard to hide something.

"Erlang’s waiting for you in the small room. You should probably go—after all, the old madam must know he’s here. It might be good news."

Xianjin didn’t look up from her work. "I’m not going."

Sun Shi clicked her tongue. "You really should go. If Erlang’s coming now, the old madam must know about it. Could be important."

Xianjin didn’t even pause in her writing. "There’s no need."

There was a soft knock on the door.

Chen Jianfang stood in the doorway, looking more exhausted than earlier, but his eyes were sharp and focused on Xianjin. "Xianjin—"

Sun Shi quietly backed away, closing the door behind her with a soft click, leaving them alone.

Xianjin set down her brush, turned to face Chen Jianfang, and met his gaze with a calm intensity.

Chen Jianfang shifted under her gaze, lowering his eyes before speaking. "Grandmother has decided against matching you with Sanlang."

Xianjin nodded. "Thank you, but it’s unnecessary. There will never be anything between me and Sanlang, now or in the future."

Chen Jianfang watched her, his expression unreadable, as if he couldn’t quite understand why she felt the need to say that.

"My household registration documents were processed through the collusion of Madam Qu and Vice Prefect Cao—Third Master had already registered me as a female head of household. According to Article 138 of the Great Wei laws, any transfer of my household documents must be known to, agreed upon, and signed by me in person."

"They skipped this step entirely."

"Even if I sign the concubine agreement today, if in the future my household documents are found to have missing items or omitted steps, all the documents signed today will become void."

Xianjin's voice was calm, "All I need is to hold onto this leverage. I believe Assistant Prefect Wen, who has long been in conflict with Vice Prefect Cao, would be very interested in Cao's collusion with wealthy merchants and the falsification of household registrations."

Xianjin smiled, "I don't even need to trouble Prefectural Magistrate Xiong. Assistant Prefect Wen would surely go to great lengths for me."

Chen Jianfang lowered his eyes slightly and remained silent for a moment, "In front of everyone, if you sign the concubine agreement, even if the documents are later voided and you are exonerated, how can you possibly restore your reputation and honor?"

"Do you think signing the concubine agreement would destroy my reputation and honor? That I would become a dirty, contemptible concubine?" Xianjin countered.

Chen Jianfang clenched his fist, "You know that's not what I meant!"

Xianjin smiled, "Do I really care about reputation and honor? I am a merchant; I do what is most beneficial to me. How much is reputation worth?"

Xianjin's smile gradually faded, "Reputation is just a mask, a shackle imposed on those who follow the rules—I want to be the one who makes the rules, not someone who bends to them."

Xianjin finally voiced her thoughts.

Chen Jianfang gently lifted his head. The girl's eyes were slightly red, but her fair skin remained smooth and lustrous, exuding the same vibrant vitality as always, as if no obstacle could break her spirit.

Chen Jianfang's throat tightened, the words twisting around his mouth again and again, until they softened into silk and light snow:

"This time you suffered an unjust disaster, all because the old madam saw me standing and pacing at the entrance of Yiyuan."

"A long, long time ago, there were many things I wanted to say."

"But due to various misunderstandings, those words were stifled in their infancy."

"Xianjin, if you are willing, I will entrust my future to you;"

"If you are willing, I would be honored to walk with you through life, grow old together, continue our lineage, and enjoy the bliss of life—Xianjin, would you be willing to wait for me until I pass the exams next spring and marry you in a grand procession?"