Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 105 The Wonders and Marvels of the World: Words Reveal the Great from the Small, Truth is Undeniable

Suddenly opening her eyes, Cheng Jianwei felt the slippery sensation in her hand, and her vision blurred, everything was dark, and she could hardly see anything in front of her—it seemed to be an inn.

Why am I here?

How did I suddenly end up at the inn?

A jumble of memories flooded back, and Cheng Jianwei had already made up her mind about the whole thing.

A female corpse whose face is obscured, a sudden fire—these can conveniently cover everything up. They can conceal love and hate, as well as differing desires for money and power.

"you……"

"I'm going to the capital. You go back to Huizhou and find someone you trust."

"Is it really Zhang Shuwen?"

Ling Xiao is very smart, just like Liu Jiao'an. He always sees things around him very clearly.

"Yes."

"Did he specifically send someone to harm me?"

"Yes."

Cheng Jianwei didn't waste any more words. She had things to do as soon as possible, otherwise, once the woman's body was buried and the man in the capital came to his senses, Ling Xiao wouldn't be able to escape!
"Go and tidy yourself up, cover your face, and I'll hire someone to take you." He had enough money to get to the capital. Even though his official rank wasn't high, Zhang Shuwen wouldn't dare to easily harm a high-ranking official just to cover up the truth.

Cheng Jianwei knew she had too many things to prepare for that night, and had no time to dwell on those memories that would be considered superstitious if spoken of.

The old case of her adoptive father, Mr. Guan, was finally cleared, and her own academic success was also due to a man named Cheng Heng who helped her pass the exam. This favor was immense, but Cheng Jianwei had no interest in it and had no way of settling the score or finding this person...

"You're not Cheng Heng, you're Cheng Jianwei, right?"

Ling Xiao was indeed clever; he could tell that this way of handling things was definitely not Cheng Heng's usual practice: "You're back, so has Cheng Heng gone back to where he belongs?"

"I don't know." Cheng Jianwei didn't expect the girl in front of her to realize the change in the person next to her so quickly, which saved her the trouble of explaining.

"You guessed right, I am indeed not Cheng Heng, I am the original Cheng Jianwei."

The girl also played a part in her godfather's case. Cheng Jianwei was not an ungrateful person, so of course she would not let Ling Xiao go unattended. She patiently answered the latter's questions.

"So, are you still going to the capital?"

"Of course we must go to the capital."

"But he really..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ling Xiao felt incredibly foolish. Now, who in this world could possibly have a grudge against him? Who else could it be but Zhang Shuwen?

"If you see Zhang Shuwen, could you ask him for me if he ever had feelings for me? Or was I just a pre-planned excuse from the beginning?"

No matter how you calculate it, you can't escape the fickleness of men. Ling Xiao suddenly understood why Liu Jiao's wish was to go to the mountains rather than continue to drift in this mortal world.

"Just as the play was performed on that stage, most men in the world are fickle, and those who betray their hearts are often scholars."

Ling Xiao had to admit that his feelings for Zhang Shuwen weren't entirely uninvolved, not without calculation. All she wanted was someone to rely on, and for her descendants not to suffer the same fate as him.

But Zhang Shuwen was different. He refused the marriage proposal because of himself, and it was also Zhang Shuwen who set an ambush on the way to the capital, causing his own death.

"As a fellow man, do you understand his thoughts?" He thought that the long wait and the constant advice, and even the impurity in his own heart, had worn him down so much that he no longer loved him. But when he opened his mouth, the choked throat still made Ling Xiao want to shed tears.

"Women in this world are not ordinary; how could I possibly understand the thoughts of a faithless man?"

Whether someone is affectionate or indifferent is a question that cannot be answered definitively, let alone the complex and subtle thoughts of a person. Cheng Jianwei believed that no one could have already made up their mind from the very first meeting.

"You have your own answer in your heart, and I can't ask it for you."

If he didn't ask, Zhang Shuwen would inevitably probe to find out how much Cheng Jianwei knew about Ling Xiao's death. But if he did ask, then Cheng Jianwei would also die!
"Yes, I should have the answer in my heart." Ling Xiao appeared calm, but most of his emotions were directed at himself.

Was everything predetermined from the moment I tacitly allowed Zhang Shuwen to get closer and closer with my own calculations?

"Whether he's affectionate or not, now that he's harboring thoughts of taking your life for his own selfish reasons, you should let go of all your love and hatred." Cheng Jianwei couldn't see through the woman's thoughts, but he could sense the dim yellow light reflected in those seemingly calm eyes, along with the bloodstains.

Once some things happen, love and hate no longer matter...

"Yes, how could someone who constantly professes love me possibly plot to kill me?"

Both Ling Xiao and Liu Jiao'an are intelligent people. If there's anything wrong with them, it's that they were born in the wrong era and met the wrong people. We can't blame the scholarly atmosphere for failing to raise Liu's father and Zhang Shuwen to be decent people, nor can we blame the two girls for misjudging people.

“I know you have your difficulties… Even if it’s Cheng Heng from that era, the one he mentioned who didn’t have so many considerations, he still had to weigh things carefully.” Ling Xiao knew that Cheng Jianwei was someone who had grown up entirely in this era, and it was already quite remarkable that he could make choices about certain things, such as the boundaries between men and women and the feelings between father and son, after careful consideration.

“Take good care of yourself. Cheng Mian’s parents and Guan Yin will take good care of you. Before things come to light, you must hide yourself under an assumed name.”

Zhang Shuwen was able to become the top scholar in the imperial examination. Even if he had a mentor who was adept at navigating social circles and had established himself in the capital early on through his literary talent, how could someone who became the top scholar be a fool or an mediocre person?

A charred corpse can be hidden for a while, but not forever. Besides, the justice for this young woman still needs Cheng Jianwei to seek it on her behalf.

"Okay." Full of anticipation, he headed towards the capital, but his body was injured and his heart was aching. Ling Xiao's originally boiling blood was like a sword being thrown into cold water. With a "sizzle", all the heat and the blush on his cheeks faded away.

All that remained was a bleak heart, with nowhere to turn. Ling Xiao laughed mockingly at himself—but how could a single laugh outweigh the fact that most of his life's expectations had vanished into thin air?

A wisp of white on the horizon, its color indiscernible, concealed a bluish-green hue seemingly intertwined with life and death. Ling Xiao silently packed his belongings…

"Here, take this to Guan Yin."

Before handing Ling Xiao over to the family who had lost their daughter, Cheng Jianwei also gave Ling Xiao the letter he had written: "I entrust this Miss Ling Xiao to your protection."

Originally, the mother was reluctant to part with her daughter's unrecognizable corpse, which could not yet be buried. Cheng Jianwei explained her purpose and identified herself. As women, having heard Ling Xiao's story, they couldn't help but shed tears.

"Okay, I promise you." Not a single unnecessary word was said, and he didn't even force Cheng Jianwei to seek justice for his daughter.

There are too many unfaithful men in this world, it's a wonder you still have a heart.

Ling Xiao left, and Cheng Jianwei hired people to make a big show of it, carrying a coffin, and headed towards the capital.

"Send me a letter to the capital, specifically to Lord Zhang Shuwen. Send it as fast as you can, without delay... Tell him that Lord Zhang's beloved was murdered by villains on her way to the capital, and that I, Cheng, have failed to live up to Lord Zhang's trust."

Cheng Jianwei didn't mention her injuries, only saying that she felt sorry for Zhang Shuwen for not being able to take good care of her future brother and sister-in-law.

In a short time, the two letters went their separate ways, and when they reached the recipients, Cheng Jianwei, leading this grand funeral procession, was less than fifty miles away from the capital.

"Sir, there is a letter from the capital."

The Mr. Guan of yesteryear, and the Mr. Guan of today, both teach with great patience. Over time, Guan Yin's true identity has become an open secret.

None of the students brought it up, the parents didn't say anything, and Guan Yin acted as if nothing had happened.

However, Cheng Jianwei's letter completely disrupted their previously peaceful life, and the stirred-up troubles made Guan Yin uneasy.

“It’s not Cheng Heng anymore.” Guan Yin hadn’t even opened the letter yet, but the handwriting was enough to prove that the sender was no longer Cheng Heng, who came from the same era as him. “My old friend has ridden the yellow crane away, leaving only the Yellow Crane Tower here.” Looking at the short poem, Guan Yin murmured, “Cheng Jianwei has returned, but has Cheng Heng gone back?”

There was a dark brown stain on the letter, with a faint hint of dark red.

Guan Yin could guess the purpose of such a hastily written letter and its vague words—Where was Ling Xiao? How was Ling Xiao?

"Sir, sir, I have a question."

"Sir, could we rest for a while...?"

Students are the same in every era. Teachers are busy with their own things, and students have free time, so naturally they will think about slacking off.

"No need."

Guan Yin usually let his students do as they pleased. Who didn't grow up at this age? Playing is always easier than studying.

"what?"

The somber atmosphere caused a group of students to return to their seats in bewilderment, though their eyes kept glancing at the teacher holding the letter.

"You should all go home early today. I have some urgent business to attend to... If you'd like to stay and study, that's fine too, just don't wander off."

Some students did stay to study, but most silently packed up and hurried home.

Guan Yin didn't care about the students' departure or stay. Once he made sure that those who stayed were sitting peacefully in the house, he walked alone to the tree in the courtyard—if he went back, or went to another place like this, would he still dream of him?
Unfortunately, Guan Yin couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did.

When it was time for the usual end of get out of class, the students who stayed behind said goodbye to Guan Yin. A moon revealed its outline on the mountaintop. Guan Yin finally sighed, raised his head, and rubbed his sore neck.

In this place that was both strange and familiar, she was finally all alone... and the future that awaited her became even more uncertain.

"Tuk-tuk-tuk."

Someone was knocking on the door. Guan Yin hurriedly stood up, walked to the door, and tried to pull the latch, as if he already knew who was standing at the door.

But when he got a few steps away from the wooden door, Guan Yin couldn't lift his legs; it was as if his legs were stuck to the ground.

"Who is it?" Guan Yin had no choice but to ask, to find out if the person over there was indeed the one he was thinking of.

"it's me."

It really was Cheng Heng.

Guan Yin didn't move, but the person outside had already walked in. Before Guan Yin could react, he was covered in blood.

"You are not Cheng Heng, Cheng Heng..."

Has Cheng Heng gone back? Cheng Heng is no longer here. Guan Yin suddenly woke up and realized that everything just now was nothing more than a bizarre dream.

There was someone who appeared in her dreams time and time again, but there was someone who wasn't that person—Cheng Heng had already gone back.

Guan Yin repeated it over and over, as if trying to brainwash himself, telling himself that everything would eventually come to an end.

The same mountains, the same brushstrokes, Guan Yin's yearning for respecting teachers and valuing the Way could not compare to an era that respected the existence of "human beings" more... First live as a human being, then learn to respect each other with students.

"Tuk Tuk Tuk!"

There was another knock on the door.

"Who is it?" This time, Guan Yin did not stand up on his own initiative, nor did he even open his eyes.

Cheng Heng, covered in blood, was too terrifying; Guan Yin couldn't bear to see the bloodshed again.

"it's me."

It turned out to be Liu Jiaoan.

"Wait for me..."

Guan Yin sat up effortlessly and suddenly realized that Liu Jiao'an had gone to see her cousin on the mountain, not in the village, and certainly wouldn't be visiting her late at night.

The dream is over.

"Tuk Tuk Tuk!"

The knocking grew more urgent with each knock.

It is Lingxiao.

The urgent letter had barely arrived when, in Guan Yin's mind, Ling Xiao should have already headed to the capital.

It was a dream again...

"Tuk Tuk Tuk!"

It is the Three Constants.

Sanheng had long since taken his parents back to their hometown to farm, so it was impossible for him to come looking for himself again—one absurd dream after another.

That night, the knocking became almost a nightmare for Guan Yin. Every time he thought he had really woken up, he would find himself in another dream.

"Tuk Tuk Tuk!"

There was another knock on the door.

Guan Yin has decided to stop dealing with it.

Whether someone had actually come or it was just another deceiving dream, Guan Yin no longer had the strength to get up, ask any more questions, or open the door.

She raised a finger and whispered in a voice almost inaudible, "Stop playing tricks on me..."

"The gentleman has a fever!"

"Sir, you didn't sleep outside all night, did you?"

This time, the knocking on the door wasn't a dream, but rather a group of students arriving for the lecture.

The man didn't open the door for a long time. Some mischievous children climbed over the wall and saw him alone under the tree, wearing only a thin shirt. There were withered leaves stuck in his shoulders and even in his hair, but they didn't notice.

After climbing over the wall and opening the door, a group of students began to express their concerns in a flurry of voices.

"Ever since the man received that letter, he seems to have been acting very strangely..."

"No, that letter..." Guan Yin heard the word "letter" and tried to reach for it, but his hand, which he had just raised, fell back down weakly.

My body is feeling hot and cold all the time; I must be sick.

Guan Yin was indeed ill. A letter and a night in the wind caused Guan Yin to develop a fever, and this illness lasted on and off for nearly ten days... During these ten days, Cheng Jianwei met Zhang Shuwen, and another story unfolded in the capital.