WBSGVS Chapter 56

Qing Li, feigning frailty, made her way back to the Luo family home without any issues.

The front gate was ajar, so she pushed it open easily. Upon hearing the noise, Luo Yuzhi rushed out from the living room to close the door and angrily shouted, “Was it Cheng Zhaoyang bullying you again? I told you not to go back!”

“I’m not going back, I’m never going back! I’d rather die than go back!” Qing Li sobbed.

Neighbors overheard this and sighed sympathetically.

In the Luo household, except for Luo Yisheng, the rest of the family had gathered in Qing Li’s room. Luo’s mother, anxious but hopeful, asked, “Are you sure you won’t be caught?”

Luo Yuzhi, doing something like this for the first time, was terrified, but the thought of getting revenge on the Cheng family made him feel thrilled, his eyes shining brighter than usual.

The Cheng family had plotted against the Luo family, but now the tables had turned!

Qing Li smiled and wiped away her deliberately shed tears. In a soft voice, she said, “I didn’t start causing trouble until they had all eaten enough.”

“Good, good, they deserve it!” Luo’s mother chimed in.

“Let them bully my son!” Luo Yuzhi added.

“But don’t do this again. Once is enough,” Luo’s mother warned, still uneasy.

Qing Li nodded obediently. “Don’t worry, I won’t. From now on, I’ll make sure they face retribution openly.”

In recent days, all the money she got from the Cheng family was used by Luo’s mother to buy herbs. Along with regular medicine, they occasionally bought some herbs specifically designed to cause infertility. If they couldn’t find the herbs, Luo Yuzhi would use the excuse of visiting students’ homes to secretly search the mountains for them after school.

The herbs didn’t require deep forest trekking and were usually found at the mountain’s base.

Qing Li had used these herbs many times and was adept at it. She simply needed to increase the dosage, especially since it involved two men. The goal wasn’t just infertility—eventually, they would suffer from impotence as well.

Once the medicine was ready, Qing Li carefully timed her actions.

Two days after the official rankings were posted was Cheng Zhaohua’s rest day. Qing Li didn’t want to stay with the Cheng family any longer than necessary, so she timed it perfectly, letting Luo Yuzhi spread the word about her whereabouts. Hearing this, Cheng Zhaoyang, with his strong possessiveness, would undoubtedly come and ask her to return.

When she did return, it would be the moment both brothers became infertile.

If they ended up impotent, and the governor’s daughter still married him, things would get very interesting.

This plan required the cooperation of Luo’s parents, so Qing Li explained it to them. Given that she had read various books over the years and had considerable knowledge, they were surprised but not overly shocked. From Qing Li’s decision to marry Cheng Zhaoyang to her role as a teacher, it was clear that she wasn’t a simple, naive girl.

Devising such a method of revenge was entirely in line with her character. Their only worry was being discovered by the Cheng family, which might put their daughter in danger.

However, Qing Li was cautious, and ancient times were different from modern ones—there were no cameras. As long as they all kept quiet and destroyed the evidence, no one would ever know.

In the end, who would care about the truth?

Reassured by their daughter’s confidence, Luo’s parents finally relaxed. Luo’s mother, concerned that Qing Li hadn’t eaten, made her a bowl of pork noodle soup and watched her finish it before going to bed satisfied.

After seeing her mother off, Qing Li stretched and continued practicing martial arts. Time was running out to brush up on her skills, and if she delayed too long, the bandits might die before she could deal with them. If she had to rely on someone else, they might recognize her.

But she couldn’t be too late either. Today, she had given her students the day off, but she still had to teach tomorrow.

With this matter settled Qing Li could now fully focus on her teaching.

Her ambitions went beyond the students she currently had.

Next, she would study the examiners’ writing style and the trends in test questions, spreading the information so that as many people as possible could access the correct answers.

For this, she would need Wang Shanxue’s help, as his family had extensive connections.

Even though Cheng Zhaohua was talented, he wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime genius. If enough capable people were involved, he would be at a clear disadvantage.

After this incident, Cheng Zhaoyang never came back.

If it weren’t for the fact that they hadn’t officially divorced yet, they would already be strangers.

The Cheng family was unwilling to pursue a divorce, probably thinking that if something happened, they could still rely on the marriage connection for support. After all, staying married didn’t cost them anything.

Without the burden of the Cheng family, the Luo family no longer needed to print many books. Just the fees from the students were enough to live on, and although they still bought medicine occasionally, it was much less frequent than before.

Publicly, they said that Luo Qingli, heartbroken by Cheng Zhaoyang, had grown stronger and endured the pain.

No one doubted it—only sympathy remained for her.

Over time, a saying began to circulate: “Don’t marry into the Cheng family.”

The Cheng family themselves sneered at this, confident that once Cheng Zhaohua passed the imperial exam, countless families would seek him as a son-in-law. If it weren’t for Cheng Yue’er feeling she was getting too old, she might have waited another two years. If Cheng Zhaohua succeeded, her future husband’s status would be elevated.

However, even if she wanted to wait, no one dared to marry her.

As this rumor spread, another one soon emerged—did Cheng Zhaoyang care so little for Luo Qingli? Did he truly risk his life to save her from bandits back then?

Some argued it was a joke, while others countered, “There were witnesses—young lords and ladies saw it happen.”

But someone asked, “If you risked your life for a woman, would you refuse to spend even a little silver to treat her cold, leading to it developing into a lung disease due to lack of funds?”

That left people speechless.

There was no argument. Even for a pet you protected with your life, the bond would be different—who could ignore it like that?

Moreover, the neighbors had seen Luo Qingli over the past two years. Despite having a maid, she still handled all the household tasks, especially cooking. Her mother-in-law loved her cooking so much that Qingli’s skills had been honed through practice.

How could a daughter-in-law like that suddenly change so much in just two years?

As suspicion grew, so did speculation. After all, spreading rumors about common people wasn’t illegal.

Soon, a new tale emerged, suggesting that Cheng Zhaoyang had conspired with the bandits to stage a fake “hero saves the beauty” scene. The story spread far and wide, vividly told. This made Cheng Zhaoyang relive his worst nightmares, fearing that his secret might be uncovered.

For a long time, he couldn’t sleep peacefully.

And so, time passed until September arrived, and it was time for the provincial exams.

A few days beforehand, Qingli’s students came to bid her farewell. She patted their shoulders, gave them a few encouraging words, and didn’t say much more, not wanting to add pressure. After they left, Qingli turned to her parents to say goodbye as well.

She had some business to take care of and needed to leave.

The Luo parents didn’t understand, especially her mother, who clutched her chest and cried, “You’re just a girl, and there are so many bandits and thieves out there. If something happens to you, how will we live?”

She had already endangered her daughter once and didn’t dare to do so again.

“Mother, I’ll be fine,” Qingli said with a smile. “Don’t worry. I know how to protect myself, but I really must go.”

“But—” her mother started to protest.

Luo Yuzhi interrupted, “Alright, A-Li has made up her mind. We should respect her decision.”

Tears streamed down her mother’s face, but she said no more.

Qingli smiled at Luo Yuzhi. “Father, Mother, I’ll pack my things and leave tonight.”

Leaving during the day would attract attention. It was safer to leave at night.

“Be careful,” Luo Yuzhi said softly. “No matter what, your life is the most important thing.”

“I will,” Qingli nodded.

She left quietly. Since she rarely went out, no one noticed anything unusual. Even Luo Yisheng, having been taught by his parents, never mentioned his sister.

The provincial exams began as scheduled, and the Cheng family took them very seriously. If Cheng Zhaohua failed, he would miss the triennial national exam, and waiting another three years would be a huge loss.

To ensure Cheng Zhaohua did well, Mrs. Xiong reluctantly gave Cheng Zhaoyang money and asked him to take leave to care for his brother in the county. She didn’t go herself, fearing that her lack of knowledge might hold her son back.

Cheng Zhaoyang eagerly agreed to go, filled with determination.

Not wanting to put too much pressure on Cheng Zhaohua, he waited until the exams were over to ask, “How do you feel? Do you think you passed?”

Cheng Zhaohua smiled confidently. “I performed normally. The teachers said that with my abilities, passing the exam shouldn’t be a problem. If there are no surprises, I should be among the top few.”

Cheng Zhaoyang felt a wave of relief and a deep envy. He had also passed the scholar’s exam, but he had spent three years preparing for it, while his brother was achieving this in just one go. It was truly impressive.

The two were sitting by the window in their room at the inn, chatting over tea when Cheng Zhaoyang noticed a few familiar figures outside. They were students he had seen before, reportedly taught by Luo Qingli. He hadn’t fully severed ties with her yet, so he kept an eye on them, worried someone might tarnish his reputation.

Seeing them, Cheng Zhaoyang frowned. “Luo is just trying to gain attention, yet she’s teaching those students. They better perform well. If her students pass the exam, she’ll be insufferable.”

Cheng Zhaohua smiled mysteriously. “There’s no need for you to worry, big brother. Even if that happens, the situation is different now.”

“How so?” Cheng Zhaoyang asked, curious.

Cheng Zhaohua chuckled lightly. “Interestingly, the day before the exam, I met a well-dressed lady who looked much more elegant than the daughters of the officials I’ve seen. I saved her from a pickpocket, and she admired me for it. She told me her name—she’s the daughter of the appointed governor, Lord Wang, and she was secretly visiting him.”

“Really?” Cheng Zhaoyang gasped, jumping to his feet, excitement bubbling inside him. “Is she a legitimate daughter or a concubine’s child?”

“A legitimate daughter,” Cheng Zhaohua confirmed.

“That’s amazing!” Cheng Zhaoyang whispered in awe.

If his brother could succeed in the exams, he might become the son-in-law of the governor! The Cheng family’s fortunes could change overnight!

With this promise in mind, Cheng Zhaoyang became even more invested in Cheng Zhaohua’s success, deciding to stay an extra ten days at the inn while waiting for the results.

On the day the results were announced, Cheng Zhaoyang woke up early and dragged his brother outside to wait.

There were many others in the same situation, creating a bustling crowd.

As the official list was posted, the crowd grew even denser. Cheng Zhaoyang, with his limp leg, struggled to find a good spot. Despite the pain of being stepped on multiple times, his eagerness drove him to push forward until he finally made it to the front.

Looking at the list, he read the top names: First place: Chen Wen; Second place: Zhao Song; Third place…

To his shock, none of the top three names were Cheng Zhaohua’s!

His heart dropped as he glanced at his brother, whose face also looked pale.

Cheng Zhaoyang was too stunned to speak and continued scanning the list. After the top three, the rest were simply labeled as “Lins.”

Cheng Zhaohua’s name was listed in the middle of the Lins, due to the complexity of his characters.

Seeing the name made Cheng Zhaoyang’s heart sink even further. He turned to his brother, whose expression had turned grave.

If they missed the chance to become the governor’s esteemed son-in-law, it would be a painful loss.

At that moment, they heard cheers nearby: “Chen! You’re number one! Amazing!”

“First place! Oh my goodness, Chen! You did it!”

Cheng Zhaoyang and Cheng Zhaohua felt a pang of bitterness upon hearing “first place.” Following the sound, they were stunned to see the very students they had seen earlier, especially Cheng Zhaoyang, who recognized the one called Chen. Could it be the top scorer, Chen Wen?

It was true—he was first!

The brothers’ similar faces twisted with jealousy, and they returned to the inn in a somber mood.

Cheng Zhaohua felt dazed. It couldn’t be true!

How could he just be a Lin?

This was too disappointing!

His teacher had said he performed well and would likely be in the top three, as he had assessed the abilities of those around him.

Yet, the top three names on the list weren’t anyone he knew!

Of course, the others were listed too, but like him, they were just ordinary Lins, not in the top three. That rendered their achievements meaningless!

There were many Lins, and more were to follow; how could he ever connect with the governor now?

Knock, knock, knock. A waiter called out, “Gentlemen, your drinks have arrived.”

Cheng Zhaoyang’s face turned even paler. He suddenly remembered that before heading out to see the results, he had asked the waiter to bring five taels’ worth of wine to celebrate.

Even though being a Lin wasn’t bad, if Luo Qingli’s student was number one, there would be nothing to celebrate.

But since he had already paid, Cheng Zhaoyang opened the door.

To his shock, several officials in uniforms stood there, coldly stating, “Cheng Zhaoyang, someone has accused you of colluding with bandits and tricking a marriage. The county magistrate requests your presence at the office.”

Colluding with bandits? Trick a marriage?

Hearing these words and seeing the officials’ stern expressions, Cheng Zhaoyang’s heart raced, blood rushing to his head. He felt a wave of panic and suddenly his legs went weak, causing him to kneel and sit on the ground. He looked back at his brother in desperation. “Help me!!”