Chapter 139: Wang Chunxiao's Path of Defending Her Husband

The person before his eyes was endowed with great destiny and was evidently destined to be among the top three, or even the top scorer, of this imperial examination. If he bestowed kindness upon him now, there might well be unexpected harvests in the future.

As for personal fame, Su Yang possessed profound self-awareness. He never seriously considered placing among the top three or becoming the top scholar; barely scraping by to secure the status of a presented scholar would be quite sufficient. That would be enough to secure a smooth appointment to Yanggu County, where he could carefully nurture his family and reign as a localized monarch in comfort.

As for the titles of top scorer, second place, or third place—honors that only exhausted the mind and drained the spirit—he would leave them for his descendants to claim in the future. Was not his newly born son, Su Qinchu, possessed of immense talent in the Confucian path? Perhaps he would be the top scholar of a future era.

Su Yang wondered whether he should plant a Gu worm in this man.

However, he quickly shook his head. If this man were to discover the parasite later upon achieving soaring success, he might prefer to shatter the jade rather than keep it intact, seizing upon some weakness to force Su Yang into removing the worm. Once removed, they would inevitably become irreconcilable enemies.

Such a Gu worm should ideally be planted only in those who served him willingly and devotedly; that alone was the prudent course of action.

Of course, one could also secretly plant a parasite without the person's knowledge, which might prove useful at a critical juncture, he thought to himself.

"Naturally, there is no problem."

Su Yang looked at the disheveled scholar Gu Chen and the sole horse standing behind him, and continued, "However, I only have one horse here!"

"It matters not; I can walk on foot behind you."

A trace of displeasure arose in the heart of the scholar Gu Chen, but to have someone protect him was already a stroke of fortune. How could he afford to be picky about walking or riding, especially since he had journeyed the entire way on foot thus far?

"No, my meaning is that you shall ride the horse!"

Without finishing his sentence, Su Yang leaped down from the mount, patted the horse's flank, and said, "Mount up. If we walk like this, when on earth will we reach Jiangcheng?"

"Ah?"

Before the sound of Su Yang's voice had even faded, Gu Chen's face revealed a look of astonishment. Recovering his wits, he hurriedly said, "Many thanks!"

Fearing that Su Yang might retract his offer, he hastily scrambled onto the horse's back and immediately declared, "If I achieve a high rank on the imperial roster in the days to come, I shall certainly not forget today's kindness."

"Very well, wait here for a moment!"

With that, Su Yang turned and strode toward the adjacent dense forest. Gu Chen, seated high in the saddle, felt an overwhelming wave of joy. With such a fine steed, the journey to Jiangzhou would be shortened considerably.

Watching the direction in which Su Yang had vanished, Gu Chen thought to himself that this fellow must have recognized his identity as a scholar, and thus awe had welled up in his heart. Knowing how bitterly the impoverished scholars of today labored before ascending the golden dragon throne tomorrow, the man had deliberately come to ingratiate himself, all so that he might receive patronage and care once Gu Chen achieved soaring success.

Since that was the case, he would simply make good use of this fellow along the journey.

As for when he eventually attained wealth and power, this person probably wouldn't even be allowed to cross his threshold.

Imagining the splendor awaiting him after the imperial examinations, a look of excitement spread across Gu Chen's face. He was certain to pass this autumn examination without fail, and by the coming spring, he could travel to the capital for the grand assembly examinations, where his name would undoubtedly be inscribed upon the roll of honor.

At this thought, Gu Chen grew even more ecstatic.

After waiting for a while, seeing that Su Yang had yet to return, a trace of doubt and anxiety crept into Gu Chen's heart, fearing lest some demonic creature suddenly leap out from the surrounding wilderness and swallow him whole.

"Why hasn't he returned yet?"

Gu Chen grew increasingly restless, feeling a rising tide of resentment and displeasure toward Su Yang.

Once he achieved glory in the future, even if this fellow came begging for favors, he would make sure to properly settle accounts for today's behavior.

"Roar, roar...!"

Right at that moment, a ferocious tiger's roar resounded from the nearby thicket. A massive black tiger burst forth from the underbrush, exuding an imposing aura and carrying with it an overwhelming surge of vital energy and killing intent. Seated upon the horse's back, Gu Chen's expression altered drastically, turning completely pale as his body tumbled straight down from the saddle.

"Oh mother, a tiger... a tiger...!"

Sprawled upon the ground, Gu Chen cried out in terror, his body desperately scrambling backward as his eyes filled with panic and despair.

"Hey, hey, brother, it's me...!"

A familiar voice rang out, instantly injecting a glimmer of survival into Gu Chen's heart. He hurriedly looked past the steed, and upon catching sight of Su Yang, he burst into loud sobs, while a faint smell of urine began to permeate the air.

Su Yang wore a look of profound awkwardness, never having imagined that he would literally scare the scholar into wetting himself.

After Gu Chen calmed down somewhat, the two mounted their respective steeds and hurried toward Jiangzhou. Su Yang naturally rode the newly captured tiger demon, which possessed the strength of the eighth rank.

Gu Chen sat upon the fine steed, gazing at the majestic and formidable tiger demon with eyes brimming with envy and a budding kernel of jealousy: by what right was that man able to ride atop a fierce tiger?

Feeling the ill-intentioned gaze from behind, coupled with the great beast beneath him, a trace of vigilance stirred in Su Yang's heart. The person trailing him was narrow-minded and petty; far from a gentleman, he possessed the insidious nature of a scholar who appeared entirely harmless and pure-hearted on the surface while indulging in all manner of corruption behind closed doors.

Yet, this man was endowed with genuine destiny and would likely secure a place among the top three.

Such individuals invariably possessed extraordinary encounters and fortunes denied to ordinary mortals. By remaining at his side, if the opportunity arose, he might well be able to harvest those windfalls and fortuitous encounters for himself. After all, when it came to destiny, even the old emperor himself could scarcely compare to someone who possessed eternal life.

With this realization, Su Yang's mood cleared and lightened.

All in all, he simply needed to exercise prudent caution against the scholar trailing behind him.

"May I ask your esteemed name, brother?"

Gu Chen rode his large horse closer, his face adopting a genial and amicable expression, though his mind was undoubtedly plotting who-knows-what.

"Su Yang."

"Like you, I am a scholar heading to Jiangzhou to take part in the autumn examinations."

Su Yang replied.

"What? You are also a scholar going to take the autumn examinations?"

Upon hearing Su Yang's words, a flash of astonishment crossed Gu Chen's face, followed immediately by an even heavier surge of jealousy. This fellow was actually a scholar just like him, and judging by his appearance, he seemed even a few years younger than himself. Moreover, he apparently possessed considerable accomplishments in the martial path!

Both civil and martial attainments?

At this thought, the envy burning in Gu Chen's heart grew even more intense.

They were both human beings, both scholars; by what right had this fellow managed to carve out a domain for himself in the martial arts, and why couldn't he do the same?

Human jealousy and resentment were powerful forces: one could smile at another's nothingness, yet hate them for their possession.

Seeing someone else make a profit was often far more agonizing than suffering a loss oneself.

Yet, upon second thought, Gu Chen rationalized that only those who knew they had no future on the Confucian path would resort to practicing such brute-force methods; this fellow's academic scholarship must surely be mediocre.

Confucian scholars invariably harbored a certain degree of disdain toward martial artists—perhaps out of jealousy or deliberate suppression—deeming martial practitioners crude and utterly lacking in refinement.

Only the Confucian path was the orthodox and legitimate way.

"Correct."

Su Yang nodded, then added, "I merely wonder whether I shall pass."

"You will certainly pass, Brother Su may rest assured."

Though Gu Chen spoke such comforting words aloud, his inner thoughts were entirely contrary; he fervently hoped Su Yang would fail miserably and be eliminated right away. Only then would his own mind find a measure of peace.

Since this fellow's martial talent was not low, he must surely have squandered all his time upon martial pursuits, leaving his Confucian studies mediocre at best.

At this reflection, Gu Chen felt much more comfortable.

Yes, it must be so.

"Indeed!"

Noticing the imperceptible flicker of emotion in Gu Chen's eyes, Su Yang smiled and said no more.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the nearest inn. This establishment was situated right alongside the official post road, with no cluster of towns anywhere in the vicinity. It remained a mystery why anyone would choose to open an inn in such a desolate spot.

Still, having an inn available was better than nothing at all.

Su Yang and Gu Chen directed their mounts toward the establishment!

...

Yanggu County.

The Wang Residence.

Liu Wenxiang was seated within the chambers of the eldest young miss, Wang Chunxuan, whose spirits had been profoundly low over the past few days.

The previous dynasty had fallen, and that imperial prince was undoubtedly dead.

Yet...!

Yet her husband no longer held any affection for her whatsoever, causing Wang Chunxuan immense distress.

In ancient times, a woman's greatest aspiration upon reaching adulthood was to find a good husband and properly raise the offspring of the household.

Though she had indeed found a good man...

It was just that this good man took no interest in her whatsoever, treating even the concubines within the household better than her.

If she were to reveal her true cultivation and strength, she could certainly force the man to remain in her boudoir bed by sheer physical might, but what good would that do when his heart remained elsewhere?

"Chunxuan, I understand your desire to win back your husband's heart, but you are merely an ordinary person. Although our seven counties of Yanggu have few demonic creatures left, what about beyond them? Once you step outside, encountering demons means facing mortal peril, not to mention the numerous bandits and outlaws lurking along the roads. How could you possibly keep pace with your husband and accompany him to the imperial examinations?"

"Even if you fail to reconcile with your husband and restore your marriage, it matters not. As your mother, I cannot bear to see you meet with some mishap and perish out in the wilderness."

Liu Wenxiang grasped her daughter's hands tightly, a look of pleading in her eyes as she urged, "Promise your mother that even if you cannot win your husband's heart, you must never do such a thing!"

"Mother, there is actually something I have wanted to confess to you for a long time, but I never found the opportunity, nor did I dare to speak of it. Only my father and I knew of this matter, but now that he has passed away, I am the only one who knows."

"Today, your daughter shall reveal this secret to you."

With that, Wang Chunxuan raised her hand and lightly struck the solid wood table beside her. A terrifying surge of vital energy rushed toward the wooden surface, and as she withdrew her slender, fair hand:

"Shatter...!"

The solid wood table instantly dissolved into a heap of fine dust, resembling flour; a portion drifted away into the air while the rest settled upon the floor.

"This...!"

Staring at the table that had been pulverized by her daughter's gentle tap, Liu Wenxiang was struck completely dumb. Her beautiful eyes widened in utter shock and disbelief.

Pointing at the dust upon the floor, her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "Daughter... was all this... all of this your doing?"

"You, you are truly a martial artist?"

"Mother, now you believe it, don't you? Your daughter will certainly have no problem protecting her husband."

Wang Chunxuan looked toward her mother and spoke softly.

"This...!"

Liu Wenxiang remained utterly stupefied. For all these years, she had never once realized that her own daughter was a martial practitioner.

That very night.

A figure slipped out of Yanggu County, telling no one within the household; of this departure, only Liu Wenxiang was aware.

...

"Qingxin Inn!"

"Quite a pleasant name...!"

Gu Chen gazed at the sign hanging above the inn and remarked, "Brother Su, shall we lodge here for the night?"

Seeing Su Yang nod, Gu Chen eagerly strode inside and called out, "Innkeeper, quickly prepare some fine wine and savory dishes; I am half-starved. And provide two superior rooms as well!"

"Coming right up!"

The innkeeper, who had been resting behind the counter, hurriedly responded while a bustling waiter rushed forward to seat Su Yang and Gu Chen, promptly taking Su Yang's horse to feed it. As for the eighth-rank tiger demon, Su Yang had already set it free.

Such a massive creature took up far too much space within his hundred-treasure pouch, and its material value was relatively low.

The dishes were served promptly. After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Gu Chen took the initiative to speak, "Brother Su, I have nearly finished my meal, so I shall retire to my room first?"

Without waiting for Su Yang's reply, he stood up, picked up his room tag, and walked toward the upper-floor lodgings.

"Innkeeper, settle the bill!"

Upon seeing this, a flash of displeasure crossed Su Yang's eyes. The majority of the dishes upon the table remained untouched; the fellow had essentially treated him as a wealthy fool to be fleeced.

He would find an opportunity to teach this person a lesson before parting ways.

"Esteemed guest, according to our establishment's rules, we do not settle bills at night. Everything is tallied together with tomorrow morning's lodging fees. Please head upstairs to rest; we have recorded everything in the ledger."

The innkeeper replied respectfully.

"Very well!"

Su Yang nodded, took his room tag, and walked up to the second floor. The accommodations of this rural inn were quite ordinary and rather crude, but being able to find any roof over one's head in such a remote wilderness was already considered fortunate.

Early the next morning.

When Su Yang arose and descended the stairs, he happened to run into Gu Chen, who was also just waking up.

"Brother Su, did you rest well last night?"

"Mm, not bad."

"Brother Su, I never imagined this inn would be so thoughtful as to prepare breakfast for us."

Seeing the morning dishes laid out upon the dining tables on the ground floor, Gu Chen's mood brightened considerably, and he hurriedly sought out a table to sit.

At that moment, Su Yang also took a careful look around the establishment. It appeared almost as if it had been hastily constructed. He hadn't examined it closely the previous night, but daylight revealed that tall weeds were sprouting profusely across the floor inside.

Aside from himself and Gu Chen, there were three other guests present: two scholars and a young woman. One scholar was exceptionally tall and robust, sitting alone at a table.

The other was a dark-complexioned scholar who also sat by himself; surges of vital energy rippled around him, indicating that he too had dabbled in martial arts, albeit merely as a ninth-rank practitioner.

As for the final guest, a young woman, she wore a green longdress with embroidered shoes that had grown somewhat soiled, and her appearance was slightly disheveled. She appeared to be the young mistress of some prominent household, and indeed, she was a sixth-rank martial artist. However, she seemed to have suffered severe injuries and remained extremely weak; currently, she could likely muster no more than the strength of a ninth-rank warrior.

Yet judging by the fine fabric of her garments, they were worth a small fortune.

With delicate facial features and the refined aura of a daughter from a noble clan, she had evidently fallen upon hard times.

Her petite face promised the makings of a great beauty.

Especially her eyes, which were bright and brimming with liquid light—the very definition of a delicate, exquisite maiden.

Gu Chen had unceremoniously seated himself right beside this young woman, glancing sideways at her from time to time while calling out to Su Yang, "Brother Su, come over here!"

Su Yang took a seat beside Gu Chen, his own gaze involuntarily lingering upon the woman a few times; she was indeed striking.

The inn waiter bustled over, serving the morning meal. After finishing their breakfast, the guests prepared to pay and depart, settling their tabs along with the previous night's lodging fees.

"What? One hundred taels of silver? Are you running a roadside robbery?" Right at that moment, the dark-complexioned scholar abruptly sprang to his feet and shouted, "Last night, I slept in the cheapest lower-tier room, and all I had was a simple breakfast just now! How can it possibly cost so much?"