"I know, I'll teach him a good lesson when he returns. My son has a bit of a temper. Please stay far away from young Master Qian the next time you see him." Acknowledging a mistake was necessary, and so were some promises. As for whether the son would actually be punished upon his return, who knew? The key was to send the current guest away first.
Old Master Qian felt a little displeased but couldn't bring himself to say anything about retaliating. He could only leave after Old Master Zhou presented him with a gift. After all, one's hands are tied when accepting gifts, and one's mouth is softened by receiving favors. Since an apology had been offered, what more could be said?
Watching Old Master Qian's receding figure, Old Master Zhou felt a headache coming on. He anticipated another storm when his son returned in the afternoon. However, since his wife had dared to do such a thing, she had to bear the consequences. It didn't concern him much, so he'd let her face it herself.
Just as he expected, his son, young Master Zhou, returned from the academy in the afternoon, seemingly preoccupied. He sought out his mother to ask if the matter was true.
Madame Zhou stared blankly at her son, unable to believe these words were coming from him. For a moment, she didn't know how to answer. She wasn't unaware of Old Master Zhou's neglect over the years, and she did feel some pity for her child. However, admitting those things felt too shameful; she feared her image in her son's eyes would crumble.
But if she didn't admit it, how would he seek help if he encountered trouble in the future? Especially since he was embarking on an official career, his biological father could be of great assistance, allowing the child to climb faster.
Young Master Zhou saw his mother's conflicted expression and hesitant demeanor. He understood everything. His eyes slowly shifted from hope to disappointment. Before his mother could reply, he stumbled away.
Madame Zhou reached out a hand, her mouth opening and closing, wanting to say something but not knowing where to begin.
Just then, young Master Zhang finally returned. On his journey, he had already received a letter from the shopkeeper and was aware of most of what had happened to Wu Caiwei.
The thought of her almost meeting with disaster during his absence made him eager to return. As for the matter between her and Ouyang Chen, although the shopkeeper had been very vague, he could still guess the gist of it.
Wu Caiwei had already told him that a relationship between them was impossible, stating she already had someone in her heart. Yet, the shopkeeper's words suggested a mutual attraction. Had they known each other for a long time?
This wasn't impossible. Given his understanding of Wu Caiwei, her defenses were very high. Someone who would leave with another person upon their first meeting was definitely not simple.
Seeing her sitting gently at the table from afar, meticulously taking pulses and prescribing medicine for each patient, he wished time would stop forever at this moment. Just seeing her felt incredibly blissful. She must have truly entered his heart, to the point where he couldn't possibly remove her.
Wu Caiwei sensed someone watching her. When she looked up, she saw young Master Zhang smiling at her. She returned his smile and then continued her work. He had returned from a long journey, and she should have exchanged pleasantries with him. However, seeing him travel all this way just to see her, she feared he was getting too deeply involved and didn't want to give him any hope, opting for a professional demeanor.
Young Master Zhang had originally intended to ask about Ouyang Chen. But seeing her attitude, he left feeling somewhat dejected. The thought of himself and this woman growing further apart caused him unbearable heartache.
Old Master Ouyang, fearing Ouyang Chen would slip from his control, had people constantly monitoring him. As soon as he returned home, he summoned Ouyang Chen to his side and said meaningfully, "You did a good job with the task the Emperor assigned you this time. However, I heard you got a bit close to a doctor while you were in the south. She's married and has children, and you're not on the same level."
Ouyang Chen lowered his head and listened respectfully. He knew what Old Master Ouyang wanted to say next and paid it no mind.
Seeing that he agreed with his view, Old Master Ouyang nodded with satisfaction. He continued, "You are destined for an official career. I hope you will find a virtuous wife to support you in the future."
Ouyang Chen knew he didn't have the power to resist him yet, so he agreed to everything he said. Whether he would actually do it was another matter.
The two then engaged in pleasantries for a while, discussing what he had seen and done during his trip to the south. Old Master Ouyang mainly asked, and Ouyang Chen answered. Finally, as usual, Old Master Ouyang spoke of his longing and concern for him during this period. Seeing Ouyang Chen look extremely grateful, he was satisfied and let him leave.
When he was alone in the room, he stroked his beard. He felt something was not quite right. Ouyang Chen had agreed quite readily, but what if another woman caught his eye?
The best solution was to tie him to someone related to the Ouyang family. He remembered that his wife's family had a niece who would be a perfect match for him. He would have a good talk with his wife about it another day.
Ouyang Chen was unaware that he was being schemed against. Even if he knew, he would have just smiled indifferently. After all, betrothals typically took a long time to lead to marriage, and unforeseen circumstances could always arise.
The original host was a smart person, just too emotional. But now that he was here, things would change. After all, the original host had already paid him with his life as a form of repayment. He would walk a different path.
The original host had long sensed the Emperor's wariness towards the Ouyang family. He believed that if the opportunity arose, the Emperor would surely eradicate the Ouyang family. However, he was powerless and could only do his best to lessen the Emperor's suspicion.
Even though he now wanted to defect to the Emperor and slowly distance himself from the Ouyang family, the Emperor wouldn't dare to use him if he approached directly. After all, no matter what, he had been promoted by the Ouyang family. If he dared to stab them in the back, the Emperor would believe he might betray him one day as well.
Therefore, he had to wait for an opportunity. In the past, the original host had been loyal to the Ouyang family with all his heart and paid little attention to many things. Ouyang Chen, as an outsider, saw clearly that the Ouyang family never treated him as a human being; he was merely a knife in their hands, used to strike wherever they pointed. They only gave him a little treat when needed. So, he shouldn't be blamed for turning his back on them.
Ouyang Chen was not a bad person and maintained contact with his martial arts companions from his youth. Many of them wished to leave the life of fighting and killing and live as ordinary people. However, if they left unilaterally, they would definitely be hunted down by the Ouyang family to the ends of the earth. In the past, they had secretly contacted Ouyang Chen, but he had never agreed.
Now that he was here, it was different. While maintaining contact with them, he also needed to cultivate his own forces. Only when his own forces grew strong enough to contend with the Ouyang family could he gain control of his own destiny.