Wanjin Lady

Chapter 273 Admonition
But the man was completely oblivious, with a concerned smile on his face. "Junior brother, if you want to rise to prominence, it depends on your own ability, but you also need the help of the Yue family. Whether in Kyoto or Bozhou, finding someone who understands your needs and cares about you would be the icing on the cake for you. Junior brother, you are going to Kyoto, at the feet of the emperor, so you must take good care of yourself to go far."

Suddenly.

Cheng Yunzhang's pupils shrank.

Looking at the man in front of him again, his eyes were deep and cold, as if he could see through all his disguises.

The huge sun was shining in the sky, burning away the darkness in his heart.

Wei Zheng…saw it!
He knew that his dirty feelings for Wen Wan were not tolerated by the world.

Cheng Yunzhang's breath was choked. He wanted to escape, but there was nowhere to escape. He was like a decent woman who was stripped naked and paraded through the streets. He wanted to cover his whole body, but he couldn't.

What about Wen Wan?

Does Wen Wan know this too?

Will she dislike him because of this?
Will he embarrass her?

Cheng Yunzhang's eyes fell uncontrollably on Wen Wan's face. The young lady lowered her eyes thoughtfully, her face was pale, and her brows were slightly furrowed. No one knew what she was thinking.

In a moment, countless thoughts flashed through Cheng Yunzhang's mind.

Is it a sin to like someone?
Even if the two of them have vastly different identities, even if they are cursed by the world, even if they lose everything...

Does Cheng Yunzhang dare to take that step forward?

Can?

May I?
Wei Zheng took a step forward and walked in front of Wen Wan, blocking Cheng Yunzhang's presumptuous gaze. He smiled and patted his shoulder, "Junior brother, when you leave, I will see you off."

Cheng Yunzhang suddenly came back to his senses and met Wei Zheng's smiling eyes. His shoulders relaxed as if he had been pulled out of the water and took his first breath of fresh air.

"Almost there. Almost there..." He said perfunctorily, a little absentmindedly, "I'll let my senior know before I leave."

After Wen Wan left, Cheng Yunzhang stared at her back until the thin figure disappeared around the corner of the street and then he came to his senses.

One last time.

Follow your heart one last time.

Cheng Yunzhang withdrew his gaze and saw Wei Zheng standing in the corridor. He was wearing a black brocade robe, with a tall and graceful figure and sharp facial features, just like his eyes.

Wei Zheng smiled, "Junior brother, have you ever looked in the mirror?"

"Ok?"

"If you had looked in the mirror, you would have known that love is written all over your face."

Cheng Yunzhang's lips were tense, and his face did not show any nervousness or anxiety after being exposed. He just pursed his lips tightly.

Wei Zheng didn't want to interfere in other people's affairs, but... Cheng Yunzhang was quite talented, and he really didn't want to see Cheng Yunzhang distracted at the critical moment of the imperial examination and delay the important events in his life.

"Teacher and Madam Master can see through your expression. If you don't restrain yourself, I'm afraid your feelings for Junior Sister Wen will become known to everyone."

Cheng Yunzhang turned his head away and said, "It's just my wishful thinking. It has nothing to do with Junior Sister Wen."

Wei Zheng frowned. He didn't understand why Cheng Yunzhang liked Wen Wan.

Junior Sister Wen is indeed a little different from other women, but not to the extent that Cheng Yunzhang would be completely infatuated with her.

"Brother Jinyu, you don't have to persuade me." Cheng Yunzhang sneered, "Believe me, I have persuaded myself countless times."

"She was a lowly merchant girl, and I looked promising."

"She's married and has two children. If I stay with her, I'll only push her into an irretrievable situation."

"She's a girl who stayed at home to find a husband, and I... definitely can't be a son-in-law."

Not to mention the personal grudge between Wen Wan and the third branch of the Yuan family.

Between them... there was always a huge, insurmountable chasm. "I just..." Cheng Yunzhang pursed his lips softly, the dim light slowly shattering in his eyes. The wind ruffled a corner of his robe, and he looked utterly desolate. "I pride myself on my intelligence, on my indifference to life and death, but I never imagined that the only thing I couldn't understand or escape was 'love.' The word 'love'—its origin, its end, its solution, its whereabouts are unknown."

Wei Zheng frowned and sneered: "If you can't break free, why bother struggling?"

Cheng Yunzhang raised his eyes.

Didn’t Senior Brother Jin Yu just advise him to cherish his reputation and draw a clear line between himself and Junior Sister Wen?

The man's voice was deafening, and just a few words turned his world upside down.

"Since you can't ask for it, why not force it?"

"Ah?" Cheng Yunzhang's throat rolled, and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Brother...shouldn't you advise me not to indulge in romantic affairs, turn around and pass the imperial examination as soon as possible?"

"If you only like someone a little, you can naturally give up at any time; if you like someone a little, you should also seek benefits and avoid harm and make a choice that is beneficial to yourself; but if you like someone a lot—"

Cheng Yunzhang stared at the man in a daze.

The night wind blew, and his vision was a little blurry.

Wei Zheng's voice was filled with a carefree smile, "Of course I should try my best to get it."

"Life is but a few short decades, and so many people's eventful lives are recorded in history books for only a few brief strokes. So, why not just follow your heart and live a carefree life?"

"But rumors are like knives and axes, and I feel fear in my heart..."

Wei Zheng sneered, "Then let go of this evil relationship!"

"No!" Cheng Yunzhang suddenly said loudly, his chest rising and falling slightly, and his chaotic mind began to clear up.

Wei Zheng smiled and patted his shoulder. "No matter what, for Junior Brother, the only way to control your own life is to win the first prize."

Yes.

Only by reaching the pinnacle of power can the mother be satisfied.

He can regain control of his life.

"Think carefully...how much do you really like Junior Sister Wen? Do you dare to risk the world's disapproval and marry a widow? Do you have the determination and courage to stand up to the world?"

Cheng Yunzhang remained silent for a long time, then solemnly bowed to Wei Zheng and said, "I understand. Thank you, Senior Brother."

Only after Cheng Yunzhang left did Wei Zheng sigh softly.

Junior Brother Xiu Wen and Junior Sister Wen... what a pair of infatuated lovers...

I just wonder what Junior Sister Wen’s deceased husband would think when he saw this scene.

It’s just that when a person dies, it’s like a light goes out, so it’s no wonder that the newcomers are superior.

————————————————————

"inappropriate!"

When Cheng Yunzhang returned home, he immediately went to see his mother and proposed his idea of ​​selecting a clan member to come to Beijing in advance. However, the elder lady did not agree.

It was a dark night with a dim lamp. Madam Yuan was a Buddhist and there was a shrine in the house. Cheng Yunzhang could clearly smell the burning incense and... the smell of medicine in his mother's room.

The elder lady had an impaired body when she was young, and as she got older, she was constantly taking medicine, like a medicine jar that had been soaked in flavor.

"Mother, coming to the capital early can help me avoid acclimatization problems. I also want to make friends with the students in Kyoto. This is a completely beneficial thing. Why are you stopping me?"

The elder lady was washing her feet. Nanny Yan beside her handed her a clean handkerchief, and then placed her two feet, which were as dry and mottled as old trees, on her legs and wiped them clean with the handkerchief.

The elder lady wiped her feet and then slowly said, "Today, the magistrate is celebrating his mother's birthday. There are many young talents at the banquet. The magistrate's wife is quite interested in seeing some of them."

Cheng Yunzhang felt a tightness in his heart.

As expected, the elder lady continued to speak slowly.