Chapter 44

Chapter 44

The students, startled by Wang Ying, recoiled. "You... what are you going to do?"

"I haven't even asked what you're up to! Spreading rumors and causing trouble right outside someone's shop—just wait until I bash your faces in!"

"We're not spreading rumors! Why doesn't Chen Qingyan come out and confront us face to face? Sending his husband to fight his battles for him—is he even a man?"

"Like hell you are!" Wang Ying raised the bamboo pole, ready to strike.

Chen Qingyan emerged from the house. "A-Ying!"

"Go back inside. You don't need to help here."

"This started because of me. I should resolve it myself..."

Wang Ying wouldn't dare let him handle it alone. This fellow was too honest—such a thing should never be admitted, even if beaten to death. If he confessed, he'd never clear his name!

Someone called out, "Tell us, were you disqualified from the county exam for cheating?"

...

"Yes."

"Did you hear that? He admitted it himself!"

From ancient times, people have loved a good spectacle and gossip. Soon, a crowd had gathered, buzzing with speculation. "No wonder he stopped studying and opened a private school at home—turns out he cheated and can't take the imperial exams anymore!"

"With character like that, who would dare let him teach? He might corrupt the children."

Wang Ying quickly explained, "He was framed! Someone hid crib notes in his brush. My husband never cheated!"

"Hah, you say someone else put it there, and we're supposed to believe that?"

"Exactly! The county exam isn't the provincial exam—what good would it do to frame you?"

"He's just making excuses to fool his family."

The students chattered noisily, and Wang Ying couldn't get a word in. His face flushed with anger, his chest heaving. For the first time, he felt the terrifying power of public opinion.

He realized this group had come specifically to ruin Chen Qingyan's reputation. It undoubtedly had something to do with Zhang the Scholar!

If he had known the man was so despicable, he should have beaten him to death back then!

Someone else, oblivious to the danger, continued, "Chen Qingyan, you were jealous that someone else passed the *xiucai* exam, so you had his leg broken—isn't that right?!"

Chen Qingyan's lips trembled, as if the scenes from his nightmares were merging with reality. He let out a loud cry and completely broke down.

People back then valued reputation above all else. He had nearly died from depression after being disqualified from the exam. Now, with rumors spreading throughout the town, it seemed everyone knew—wasn't this pushing him to the brink?

Wang Ying dared not argue with them any longer. With red-rimmed eyes, he pointed at them and declared, "I remember your faces. If anything happens to my husband, we will fight to the death!"

The group was startled by his fierce expression, and the more timid ones already slipped into the crowd, planning their escape.

Wang Ying ignored the noisy crowd, pulling Chen Qingyan and hurrying home.

Along the way, Chen Qingyan remained silent. The proud young man seemed to have had his spirit broken, his head bowed, with no spark of life left in his eyes.

Wang Ying watched, his heart aching, a lump in his throat—unable to swallow or spit it out, just an unbearable choking sensation.

Upon reaching home, he led Chen Qingyan directly to the backyard. He didn't dare tell Li Shi, as it wouldn't help and would only cause her unnecessary worry.

"Qing Yan, listen to me. Don't take those people's words to heart—they're all talking nonsense! They don't understand the situation at all. It must be Zhang the Scholar behind this. Just wait until I find someone to teach him another lesson!"

Chen Qingyan grabbed his hand and slowly shook his head.

Wang Ying's nose stung, and he choked up. "Don't be like this... it hurts me to see you like this..."

Chen Qingyan remained silent. In truth, Wang Ying didn't know that he was already ill. In modern medical terms, this was a panic disorder caused by intense stress, leading to an imbalance in brain neurotransmitters and an overactive central nervous system response to anxiety.

It wasn't that Chen Qingyan didn't want to speak—he simply couldn't express his emotions normally.

For the next three days, Chen Qingyan remained in this state, unable to utter a single word. They called a doctor several times, but there was no cure. The doctor said it was a "heart illness"—only he could recover if he managed to overcome it himself.

Even if Li Shi was slow to notice, she eventually realized something was wrong with her son.

Seeing that he couldn't hide it any longer, Wang Ying told her what had happened that day.

After hearing the story, Li Shi felt dizzy and nearly fainted. Chen Rong quickly supported her and cried out, "Eldest sister, you mustn't collapse! The younger generation is counting on you to stand up for them. If you fall, who will take care of these poor children?"

It took Li Shi a long time to catch her breath, tears streaming down her face. "Why does my Yan'er have such a bitter fate..."

Chen Rong was also furious and shed tears. Her nephew was such a good child, yet he repeatedly encountered such hardships—it was truly heartbreaking.

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, seeing Chen Qingyan growing increasingly haggard, Wang Ying feared he would become bedridden again as before. He decided to take him to live at the country estate.

*

"Are you really moving to the estate?"

"Qing Yan is in this state now. Staying cooped up at home isn't helping. I want to take him to the estate to clear his mind—maybe he'll get better after some time." With rumors spreading everywhere, Wang Ying couldn't silence everyone, so he could only take Chen Qingyan away to avoid the gossip and return once he recovered.

Li Shi said, "Should I go with you?"

"What about the children? This family still relies on you."

Chen Rong also advised, "Going to the estate might be better. The town is crowded and full of gossip. A few days ago, when I went out to buy things, I could hear people discussing our family affairs..."

Li Shi sighed again upon hearing this. "Fine, you go. I entrust Yan'er to you."

"Don't worry, Mother. I will take good care of him."

The day before their departure, Wang Ying went out with Er Shun. They went to the Welcome Guest Tavern again, but this time, instead of Teng Guang, they met Zhang the Scholar himself.

Zhang Shiqiu never expected Chen Qingyan's husband to take the initiative to request a meeting. At first, he thought he had misheard, but after some thought, he decided to come anyway. He didn't believe Wang Ying would dare kill him in broad daylight.

As soon as they met, Wang Ying got straight to the point. "You were the one who spread the rumors in town, weren't you?"

Zhang Shiqiu scoffed, "Which part is a rumor? Chen Qingyan cheated, and your family was the one who broke my leg. Aren't these all facts?"

Wang Ying didn't bother arguing with him and said coldly, "I only came to ask you one thing: Chen Qingyan considered you his sworn brother. Why did you hide crib notes in his brush?"

"Heh... haha... hahahaha..." Zhang Shiqiu suddenly burst out laughing, as if he had heard something incredibly amusing. He laughed until tears streamed down his face. "What's the use of bringing this up now that it's already happened?"

Wang Ying said, "Qing Yan is kind, but I'm not a good person. I was the one who had your leg broken."

Zhang Shiqiu looked like a rooster with its neck wrung. His laughter cut off abruptly. He never expected the other to admit it so directly.

"I'm going to report you to the authorities!"

"Go ahead. Guess whether the magistrate's men will believe you or me?"

Enraged, Zhang Shiqiu grabbed a teacup and hurled it at Wang Ying, but the latter nimbly dodged and swiftly closed in, punching him to the ground. Blow after blow rained down on Zhang Shiqiu's face until blood spurted from his nose and mouth.

Er Shun, fearing Wang Ying might kill him, hurriedly pulled him back, "Young Master, please calm down..."

Wang Ying stepped on his face and said, "I brought you here today to make it clear: I can have your left leg broken, and I can have your right leg broken too. If you dare slander Qing Yan's name again, I'll make sure you crawl for the rest of your life!"

Zhang Shiqiu turned pale with terror. "You... you wouldn't dare..."

"Why wouldn't I? At worst, hiring someone to kill you would only get me exiled for three years. If I didn't fear Qing Yan's heartbreak, do you think I'd spare your wretched life? Who the hell do you think you are!"

"Ah!" Zhang Shiqiu was so terrified by the raw murderous intent in Wang Ying's eyes that he wet himself, releasing a foul, pungent odor. Disgusted, Wang Ying moved his foot away.

Killing this man would only dirty his hands. What he wanted was for Zhang the Scholar to live in constant fear and anxiety from now on, paying the price for what he had done!

*

The mule-drawn cart trundled along the country path, its wheels caked with mud. The weather had warmed recently, and the snow on the road had thawed, leaving the ground muddy. The wheels sank into the mud several times along the way.

Aside from Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan, only Uncle Chen and Dun Zi accompanied them back to the countryside. Er Shun was left at home to help out.

Initially, Qing Song and Qing Yun had wanted to come along, but Wang Ying persuaded them otherwise. "You two are older now and should start sharing responsibilities. The shop will need managing after I leave. Can you handle it?"

"Don't worry, sister-in-law, we'll definitely take good care of it!"

Chen Rong held Wang Ying's hand and urged, "Take good care of your health at the estate. Don't overwork yourself and fall ill."

"Alright, I understand."

Fortunately, Third Aunt was also at home, otherwise Wang Ying wouldn't have felt at ease. Luckily, the estate wasn't too far from town, so he could return to check on things whenever possible.

Wang Ying lifted the carriage curtain. The snow on the mountains hadn't melted yet. In a while, once the ground softened, he planned to build a retreat halfway up the mountain.

He had already chosen the spot—right next to the hot spring. They could enjoy hot springs in winter and also conceal the source of their vegetables.

Wang Ying had no intention of stopping the vegetable shop business. In the future, Dun Zi would transport vegetables from the estate to town every three days.

"Remember the last time we returned to the estate? You were bitten by a grass snake, and it scared me half to death. I thought it was a venomous snake."

Chen Qingyan nodded slightly but still couldn't express himself.

Wang Ying laced their fingers together, holding his hand tightly, hoping his health would improve quickly once they settled at the estate.

After traveling for over two hours, they finally arrived at Chen Village. Manor Head Chen Xi had been waiting outside the village early.

He had received word a few days earlier that the Young Master and Young Master would be staying at the estate for a while and had already prepared the house in advance.

"Whoa~" The mule cart stopped beside him. Manor Head Chen Xi stepped forward with a warm smile. "Greetings, Young Master, Young Master!"

Wang Ying quickly opened the carriage door. "It's so cold outside. Why did you wait for us at the village entrance, Manor Head?"

Manor Head Chen Xi rubbed his hands together. "I heard the Young Master and Young Master were coming. I had nothing to do at home, so I thought I'd take a stroll and see if I could meet you."

"Let's head back quickly."

"Alright."

Once inside the village, Manor Head Chen Xi guided the cart directly to their lodging. Hearing that Young Master had returned to the estate to recuperate, he assumed they wouldn't want to see strangers and didn't take them to his own home.

"This is the matrimonial home I prepared for my second son. He won't need it for a while. If you and the Young Master don't mind, you can stay here."

"Of course, we don't mind." Wang Ying helped Chen Qingyan out of the carriage.

The Chen family originally had an ancestral home on the estate, but it hadn't been maintained since the grandfather moved to town. Over the years, rain had washed it away, leaving only the foundation.

The new house wasn't far from Manor Head Chen Xi's home. It consisted of three mud-brick rooms and an additional side room.

The small courtyard was neatly tidied and paved with gravel to prevent mud from sticking to their feet on rainy days.

A heating stove warmed the interior, making it cozy as soon as they stepped inside.

The East Room was where the two would stay, furnished with a new bed and several cabinets. Wang Ying found them familiar, as if they had been moved from Manor Head Chen Xi's home.

The middle room was the kitchen, fully equipped with utensils. The West Room also had an old bed, likely intended for servants.

"It must have been difficult for you to prepare the house in such a short time, Manor Head. We'll stay here for two months and move out to build a new house when spring comes."

"Young Master, you're welcome to stay as long as you like!"

"Qing Yan's illness requires peace and quiet for his recovery. Please don't let anyone disturb us these next few days. If there's anything, just speak to Uncle Chen."

Manor Head Chen Xi nodded quickly in agreement. "We've already prepared meals. Should I bring them over now or later?"

"I've caused you enough trouble. I'll come over to fetch them myself later."

"Then I'll have my young grandson bring the meals over."

Wang Ying remembered the two children and nodded with a smile.

After Manor Head Chen Xi left, he and Uncle Chen quickly unloaded the luggage and arranged the rooms. The items on the carriage were only a small portion; most of their belongings had been stored in the experimental field by Wang Ying, to be unpacked later in the evening.

Sitting in the dimly lit bedroom, Wang Ying hugged Chen Qingyan, who was sitting listlessly beside him. "You'd better recover quickly, you rascal!"

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Author's Note: Every plot point serves to drive the story forward. Only after hitting rock bottom can one reach the peak. A new opportunity is coming soon.