With no other options, the two of them packed their belongings, gathered their trusted confidants, and left in shame.
Fortunately, when the person had gifted her gold and silver jewelry, they had advised her to save it, fearing some unforeseen circumstances might arise, making it impossible to take from the mansion. Trusting Shangguan Ke, and knowing the money couldn't be returned, she had quietly deposited it in the largest bank in the capital. Otherwise, being driven out like this, their situation would have been dire.
In this lifetime, the two wandered and stopped, eventually arriving at a small town in Jiangnan. Seeing its beautiful scenery and the warm, simple folk, they opened a small pharmacy. They’d open at sunrise, close at sunset, and after dinner, stroll from one end of the town to the other, living a leisurely and contented life.
A few years later, they adopted a child with a good disposition, teaching him to read, practice martial arts, and study medicine, living the life of an ordinary couple, content and enjoying it.
In this life, they had never been apart. After seeing Shangguan Ke off, Wu Caiwei left that world and seamlessly entered the next mission. She was eager to see him quickly. Decades of companionship had accustomed her to his presence by her side. Having been separated for such a short time, she already missed him.
"Who are you?" the gatekeeper asked impatiently, looking at their disheveled appearance.
Wu Caiwei, having just arrived in this world, quickly scanned her surroundings. She found herself outside the Yang family’s gate. If nothing unexpected had happened, she must have just knocked. Still unsure of who she was, she could only offer a dry, embarrassed laugh, "I'm sorry, I seem to have come to the wrong place."
The little boy beside her tugged at her sleeve, looking at her with confusion.
Guilty, Wu Caiwei pulled him to a small alley beside the Yang residence, clutched her stomach, and weakly said, "I don't feel well. My stomach hurts so much. I’ll just sit here for a moment and rest with my eyes closed, and I’ll be fine. Don't wander off."
"Do you need me to call a doctor?" the boy asked with unusual maturity.
"No, I’ll be fine after a short rest." With that, she quickly closed her eyes and began to absorb the memories. The young boy sat beside her, gazing at her intently. Although his mother had told him not to bother with a doctor to save money, as a son, he had to monitor her condition at all times. If her illness worsened, he would insist on spending the money.
After an unknown period, Wu Caiwei slowly opened her eyes and met the boy’s concerned gaze, tenderly stroking his head.
This child had endured much hardship with the original owner. The original owner’s name was Zheng Nian’er. She was the only daughter of the Zheng family. From childhood, she disliked poetry and song, preferring to wield swords and sabers, much to her parents' worry, as they feared she wouldn't find a husband.
One day, while out, she took a liking to Yang Zhongqing, who spoke up for justice. She felt a strange sense of satisfaction when he confronted a young master from a noble family over an unrelated commoner and silenced them with his words. After all, the daughters of those noble families disdained her, finding her crude and ill-mannered.
She was not an ordinary girl. Since she had taken a liking to him, she approached him proactively, "My name is Zheng Nian’er. What is yours?"
Yang Zhongqing unconsciously looked up at the source of the voice. Suddenly, he felt time stand still. The woman shone like sunlight, illuminating everyone around her, as if glowing. In that moment, he clearly felt his heart pounding uncontrollably. He knew he had fallen in love at first sight.
"My name is Yang Zhongqing," he replied after a tense swallow, his voice barely audible.
"My family has been military officials for generations. Judging by your attire, you are also a practitioner of martial arts. My brother is hosting a martial arts exchange event at our home the day after tomorrow. I hope you can attend." With that, she produced an invitation from her怀 and handed it to him.
Yang Zhongqing quickly accepted it, standing rooted to the spot, watching her disappear. He remained lost in thought for a long time before finally taking out the invitation from his怀 and examining it closely. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. If his family hadn't fallen into ruin, he might have been considered her equal. But now, what did he have? Even with his extensive knowledge, he couldn't participate in the imperial examinations. He was destined to be a commoner, worlds apart from her; there was no chance of them having any connection.
With these thoughts, he returned home in despair. Looking at the cramped courtyard and simple furnishings, he sighed. That night, lying in bed, he involuntarily took out the invitation again, looking at it repeatedly.
On the day of the exchange, he wore the new clothes his mother had recently made for him and, armed with the invitation, successfully entered the Zheng manor.
His attire, so out of place among the guests, naturally drew many eyes. Everyone looked at him with bewildered gazes, unsure of his origins and hesitant to approach him.
Only Zheng Xilin looked at him with a critical eye. His younger sister was a treasure in their family, and he couldn't believe she had taken a liking to this poor young man.
He recalled how his sister had told him she had a strong liking for a certain man and asked him to look out for him. He had been so surprised. After inquiring about his name, he had immediately sent people to investigate and naturally learned all about the Yang family's affairs.
The Yang family's ancestors had risen through military merit. However, later generations had produced scholars, and the family gradually transitioned to civil service. To maintain physical strength, they retained some military traditions, such as requiring all males in the family to learn martial arts from a young age, which not only strengthened their bodies but also provided them with the ability to protect themselves.
He studied diligently under his father's guidance and at seventeen, he passed the provincial examination. He expected a bright future, but soon after, his father became entangled in a bribery case. Not only was he stripped of his official title, but he also lost his life.
The Emperor then issued a decree prohibiting any member of the Zheng family for three generations from participating in the imperial examinations, completely cutting off their path to an official career.
Suddenly being told that the efforts he had dedicated over ten years to were now useless, Yang Zhongqing fell into a period of confusion. It was only after he came to terms with it himself that he decided that if the path of a civil official was blocked, he would hone his martial arts. He refused to believe that with his effort, he couldn't rise through military merit.
However, after that blow, the Yang family had completely declined. It was rumored that only a maid and a housekeeper who handled cleaning and cooking remained in the household.
After gathering this information, Zheng Xilin strongly objected, fearing his sister would suffer if she married into such poverty. But Zheng Nian’er was very open-minded and cajoled him, "His family's conditions are not good, but as long as you are willing to help, I believe he can carve out a path for himself."
Seeing that his sister genuinely loved the man, Zheng Xilin reluctantly nodded. Although he had prepared himself mentally, seeing the young man still made him want to find fault. In his eyes, his sister was perfect, and few men were worthy of her; this young man was getting off easy.