Chapter 2

"Who is that young man?"

"He is very composed, sitting for half an hour without changing his posture. He only took a sip of tea at the beginning, probably out of politeness, and didn't drink any more after that... In fact, he only touched his lips with the first sip, not out of shyness, but more like caution, with deep thoughts and strong vigilance, even a hint of hostility."

"It seems he's a smart person, at least somewhat clever... How old is he?"

"Fourteen years old."

"I remember I was about that age too."

"His demeanor is too composed, making him seem older."

"Is he just an ordinary person?"

"Yes... His aura is ordinary, clearly he hasn't even undergone the bone-washing ritual. Though it's hard to tell his potential, at fourteen, even if he starts cultivating now, he won't have a bright future."

"Even if he had a bright future, could he be compared to the disciple of the Eternal Life Sect's sect leader?"

"Madam, is the marriage contract real?"

"The token is real, so the marriage contract is naturally real."

"How could the old master... arrange such a marriage for the young miss?"

"If the old master were still alive, or if you could ask him, you would know... Open the door, I'll go see him."

With a creak, the door slowly opened. The clear sunlight from outside the courtyard flooded into the room, illuminating every corner, brightening the madam's radiant face and the jade pendant she tightly held in her hand. The old nanny who had been speaking with her stood in the corner, her entire body shrouded in shadow, and it was hard to notice her if you didn't look carefully.

The madam, supported by the old nanny, walked out of the room, moving slowly like a gentle breeze through a willow. The expensive gold hairpin in her hair and the jade pendants on her body made no sound, which seemed somewhat eerie.

The courtyard was dappled with tree shadows, and there were more than a dozen large trees that required several people to encircle. There were no servants or maids in sight on either side of the stone path. In the distance, many people could be seen kneeling, and the atmosphere was filled with a sense of solemnity, like the straight trees reaching towards the sky or the cold weapons displayed in the hall.

The owner of this mansion was Xu Shiji, a renowned general of the Great Zhou Dynasty with many military achievements. The general treated his mansion like an army camp, and it was always serious and quiet. Because of the incident today, all the servants were driven to the side garden, making the atmosphere even more oppressive, as if the spring breeze blowing from outside the courtyard walls would freeze.

Madam Xu crossed the courtyard, stopped in front of the side hall, and looked at the young man inside, her eyebrows slightly raised.

The young man was wearing an old Daoist robe that had been washed until it was almost white. His face was young, his features were regular, and his eyes were bright, with a certain indescribable quality, as if he could see the hidden truths in many things, like a mirror.

At his feet was a piece of luggage that looked ordinary but was neatly organized, and there was no sign of travel dust. The straw hat on top of the luggage was wiped clean.

What made Madam Xu raise her eyebrows was not these things, but the fact that the tea on the table had no heat left, yet the young man remained calm, showing no signs of impatience, a calmness and patience that was rare for his age.

This was a difficult person to deal with.

Fortunately, such people are often very proud.

...

...

After entering the general's mansion, Chen Changsheng spoke a few words with the nanny and was then ignored. He sat in the side hall for half an hour, naturally feeling a bit bored, but he was used to solitude from a young age and didn't find it particularly difficult.

He silently recited the content of the sixth volume of the Huating Sutra to pass the time, while waiting for someone to come and take the marriage contract back so he could resolve this matter and attend to his own affairs.

He had indeed only taken a sip of the tea on the table, just to moisten his slightly dry lips, not out of caution or vigilance as the nanny had guessed, but because he thought it would be impolite to drink too much tea and need to use the restroom at someone else's house. Moreover, although the tea bowls in the general's mansion were extremely valuable Ru kiln porcelain, he was not used to drinking from other people's utensils.

In this regard, he had a bit of a cleanliness obsession.

He stood up and bowed to the elaborately dressed madam, guessing that she was probably Madam Xu of the general's mansion. Thinking that he could finally resolve this matter, he reached into his chest to take out the marriage contract.

Madam Xu gestured for him to wait, then sat down gracefully in the main seat, took the tea served by the housekeeper, and said calmly, "Have you visited the Heavenly Book Mound yet? The Naihe Bridge? Or perhaps you could visit the Evergreen Vine at the Imperial Palace, the scenery is also very beautiful."

Chen Changsheng thought this was just small talk. He didn't think it was necessary, but since it was an elder speaking, he couldn't be impolite, so he briefly and respectfully replied, "Not yet, I will visit in a few days."

Madam Xu's hand holding the tea bowl paused in mid-air and asked, "So, you came straight to the general's mansion as soon as you arrived in the capital?"

Chen Changsheng honestly replied, "I didn't dare to delay."

"Is that so."

Madam Xu raised her head and looked at him coldly, thinking that a poor young man from a remote village, not attracted by the grandeur of the capital, came directly to the mansion to discuss the marriage, was indeed laughable.

Chen Changsheng didn't understand the meaning of "Is that so," so he stood up again, reached into his chest, and prepared to take out the marriage contract to return it, since he had already made up his mind and didn't want to waste more time.

However, his action caused another misunderstanding. Madam Xu looked at him, her expression becoming even colder, and said, "I will not agree to this marriage. Even if you take out the marriage contract, it will be meaningless."

Chen Changsheng didn't expect to hear these words and was momentarily stunned.

"The old master was saved by your teacher many years ago, and then this marriage was arranged... This seems like a beautiful story, doesn't it?"

Madam Xu looked at him coldly and said, "But in reality, it's a story that only happens in plays, not in the real world. Who would believe it except for some foolish literati?"

Chen Changsheng wanted to explain that his intention was to break off the engagement, but hearing these condescending words and seeing the undisguised contempt and coldness in Madam Xu's eyes, he found it hard to speak. His hand was still in his chest, touching the slightly hard edge of the paper, a paper with the marriage contract written by the Grand Secretary, and another paper with a young girl's birth date and time.

"The old master passed away four years ago, and this marriage no longer exists."

Madam Xu looked at the young man in front of her and continued, "I know you are a smart person, so we should talk like smart people. What you need to consider now is not continuing this marriage, but carefully considering what kind of compensation you can get. What do you think of my proposal?"

Chen Changsheng took his hand out of his chest, not holding the marriage contract, and let it hang by his waist. He asked, "Can I ask why?"

"Why? That's not a question a smart person should ask."

Madam Xu looked at him expressionlessly and said, "Because your teacher, though skilled in medicine, is still just an ordinary Daoist, and this is the general's mansion. Because you are just a poor young man who can only afford an old Daoist robe, and my daughter is the young miss of the general's mansion. Because you are an ordinary person, and the general's mansion is not a place for ordinary people. Is my explanation clear enough?"

Chen Changsheng's hand tightened slightly, but his voice didn't tremble. "Very clear."

Madam Xu looked at the still youthful face and decided to put more pressure on him. She knew very well what a smart and proud young man could not tolerate. Soon, he would propose to break off the engagement himself.

She put the tea bowl on the table, stood up, and said, "The tea on your table is Mingqian Butterfly Tea, which costs five taels of silver per liang. The tea bowl is from the Ru kiln, more valuable than gold. The tea is cold, and you didn't drink it, which means you don't have the fate to drink this tea. You are just a root in the mud, not porcelain, but rubble. Do you think you can change your life by attaching yourself to my general's mansion? I'm sorry, this might make you happy, but it makes me very unhappy."

Madam Xu's voice was calm, not deliberately condescending, but it still pressed the person to the ground. She didn't deliberately look down, but it was as if she was looking at an ant from the sky.

All these emotions were accurately conveyed to Chen Changsheng.

This was a naked insult, especially the part about changing his life by attaching himself to the general's mansion. For any proud young man, this was an unacceptable accusation. To be able to hold his head high and leave proudly, many people would probably choose to argue angrily, tear the marriage contract in half, throw it at Madam Xu, and even spit on her.

And this was exactly what Madam Xu wanted to see—had the marriage contract not been so special, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths.

The side hall was silent, with no sound.

She looked at Chen Changsheng coldly, waiting for his anger.

However, the development of events was completely unexpected.

Chen Changsheng looked at Madam Xu calmly and said, "Actually, you misunderstood. I came to the general's mansion to return the marriage contract. I came to break off the engagement."

The hall fell silent.

The wind from the garden blew, making the old bamboo branches on the veranda rustle.

Madam Xu was slightly surprised and asked, "Say that again?"

She didn't notice that her voice was a bit tense and relaxed, because the unexpected situation was hard to imagine. Whether this young man was unwilling to lose face and said this deliberately, or really came to break off the engagement, it was what she wanted to see.

Chen Changsheng looked at her seriously and said, "Actually... I came to break off the engagement."

In the corner of the side hall, the old nanny, who had seemed to disappear for a long time, changed her expression.

Madam Xu's expression remained unchanged, but her hand lightly touched her chest.

The entire general's mansion seemed to become much lighter in that moment.

Chen Changsheng's expression suddenly became serious.

He said, "But now... I've changed my mind."

The spring breeze in the mansion became cold again, and the atmosphere became extremely oppressive. In the dark corner of the side hall, the wrinkles on the old nanny's face, deep like countless ravines, suddenly seemed to be washed away by a flood.

Madam Xu suddenly felt she had done something wrong.

She forcibly suppressed the unease in her heart, trying to make her voice as gentle as possible, and said, "Since you've thought it through, why say such angry words? How about..."

However, she was surprised to find that the young man had no intention of continuing to listen to her.

Chen Changsheng picked up his luggage from the ground, put it on his back, and walked directly out of the hall.