Аnоthеr hаlf month pаssеd, аnd nоw hе had nothing left, nоt еven ablе to affоrd рlаin riсе; thе vegetаbles in front of the house hаd lоng beеn beуоnd sаving. Нe соuldn’t bring himsеlf tо lоwer his рride and beg thе Jun fаmily, bеcause hе was the оne who hаd first gоnе tо thеir dооr to draw а сleаr linе аnd sworn nеver tо sеt foot in thе Jun hоusehоld again. Hоw could he роssiblу go bаck now? But nоw, аsidе from а рilе оf bооks, he hаd nоthing: the fеw cоins he had lеft werеn’t еvеn enоugh tо buу а bowl of souр at a restaurant, аnd he was toо ashamеd to sit оn thе streеt and squeeze in with the peddlers and laborers to eat coarse food. He was even more afraid of being recognized and mocked again.
Where on earth had Xiu Kun gone?
Now, the only thing he could console himself with was that he had married such a virtuous wife, though in the past, he had taken it for granted and even neglected her for a concubine. In truth, her beauty—how could those courtesans compare?
Only she was the one who truly didn’t mind his status and married him. If he had married Jun Qiluo, just thinking of her name made him break out in a cold sweat. That woman was too terrifying! And he had repeatedly mocked and provoked her in front of others. Now, she would certainly not let him off.
Better to drink himself to death! He had the integrity of a scholar, so he would never bow his head to his wife’s family. Even if he was at fault, he refused to return to the Jun family in such a destitute state.
If he could support himself, he would study even harder, pass the imperial examination one day, bring glory to his family, and restore his wife’s family’s honor. Otherwise, how could he have the face to beg them? It would only add to the ridicule.
With the few coins he had left, he bought several catties of cheap liquor. After taking the first sip, he spat it out. What kind of liquor was this? It was horse piss!
Compared to the Nectar and Jade Liquor of the past… sigh!
He stood outside the tavern, lost and dejected, staring blankly at the jug of liquor in his hand. Before he could gather his thoughts, he was surrounded by a few rowdy men.
“Isn’t this the Jun family’s son-in-law, Scholar Zheng? Long time no see! Long time no see! Why are you dressed like a beggar? It’s too demeaning for your status!”
These were the same petty men who had once accompanied him on outings, recited poetry with him, and led him to spend money everywhere. Zheng Shuting, filled with shame and resentment, lowered his head and tried to leave, but behind him came a burst of raucous laughter, and their voices grew even louder.
“Only you would be so ignorant and reckless as to provoke that tigress of the Jun family. Unfortunately for you, she happens to be a god of wealth! Didn’t you once declare you’d drive her out of the main gate to avoid tarnishing your status? So who’s been kicked out now?”
“You… don’t go too far!” Zheng Shuting’s face flushed and paled in anger, and his empty stomach ached even more.
“We’re just telling the truth! Jun Qiluo has been controlling the commercial trends in Jiangnan single-handedly for more than a day or two. Only a fool like you would dare to provoke the tiger on its own turf! Now that Jun Feifan is dead, she’s back in the Jun family. How could the Jun family tolerate your shouting anymore? Pitiful!”
Another burst of raucous laughter erupted!
Zheng Shuting fled in disarray, unable to bear any more ridicule!
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the tavern, by the window, a man wearing a black hat that covered the upper half of his face clenched the cup in his hand into fragments the moment he heard the name “Jun Qiluo.” His tall, broad-shouldered frame trembled slightly. Beneath the hat, his sharp, icy eyes suddenly blazed with fire. His face, filled with shock and astonishment, betrayed emotions he could no longer conceal.The man sitting opposite was also tall and robust; he nearly lost his composure and fell from his chair, all because of those three words. His face was uncovered, revealing a handsome and spirited young countenance that now looked utterly horrified, as if he had seen a ghost! However, he still managed to notice the plainclothes officers at the neighboring table who were secretly watching them.
"Young... Master?"
"Go follow that scholar." The low voice was filled with authority.
"Yes!" The man immediately rushed downstairs.
The man in the black hood raised a cup filled with wine to his lips and murmured softly, "Is it you? Is it you? You, the woman who has tormented me for over six months—should I raise a toast and celebrate your survival? Or should I give you a good beating for fleeing back to the south? While you live carefreely, I have been living in hell..." He smiled faintly and downed the wine in one gulp.
Beat her? Could he bear to? Then he could only choose to thank the heavens.
Coming south had been the right decision. After enduring such unbearable pain, the rebellion of the Eastern Khitan Kingdom became the target for his furious venting. After the incident, the Khan, fearing he might take his own life, placed him under house arrest in the Imperial City. It was only during the selection of the Chieftain of the Eight Tribes, due to the Eastern Khitan Kingdom's rebellion, that he found an outlet for his rage.
Leading the charge fearlessly, he spearheaded the assault, and within just three months, the Eastern Khitan Kingdom was utterly defeated and surrendered. Afterward, he became the Chieftain of the Eight Tribes, which provoked Duoluo Zhiwa's discontent, leading him to rebel with his troops. Seizing the opportunity, he crushed his ambitions and installed his younger brother, Duoluo Zhiwo, as the Tribal Chief.
Once everything had settled, he felt as though something was missing in his heart, and that sense of loss pointed toward the south.
The Khan repeatedly tried to dissuade him from his rash decision, fearing his identity and eye color would bring him mortal danger, especially since he insisted on going alone. Yet, he had to come—to Hangzhou, her hometown.
He had a profound feeling that an answer awaited him in Hangzhou.
After his grief and anger subsided, he realized his heartbreak was not as deep as he had thought. The only pain he remembered was her hatred for him, not her death.
Then, an unwarranted hope began to ignite in his heart. A voice kept urging him: Go south, go to Hangzhou... Day and night, the urging became an overwhelming obsession, driving him to come regardless of the consequences. He didn’t know why it had to be this way, only that he had no choice but to come. And the closer he got to Hangzhou, the stronger the stirring in his heart became.
He had been here for three days but dared not visit the Jun family home to see the place where she had lived. The answer was within reach, yet he feared uncovering it too quickly, afraid of finding only deeper loss and despair... Moreover, because he had been watched since entering the Central Plains, he didn’t want to bring trouble to the Jun family. He was waiting for a sign, and today, he finally received it.
She was not dead—something he had hoped for but never dared to expect—had actually come true! Even someone as self-controlled and strong-willed as him could no longer hold back his true feelings...
She was alive...
This time, no matter how much she hated him, he would stay by her side for a lifetime, never leaving her for a moment! If they ever argued again, he would not turn and walk away. Instead, he would hold her until her anger subsided before letting go.Hmm, how should he let her know they were about to reunite? How about giving her a surprise? Or simply abducting her back to Great Liao without another word? He had to think this through carefully. She had scared him once. He had to return the favor!
He, Yelü Lie, revealed his most joyful smile in six months, downing bottle after bottle of fine wine, his mind calculating something...
Chapter Nine
There were still good people in this world! Zheng Shuting grinned drunkenly.
That afternoon, just as he had endured endless ridicule and was running back to his hut in hunger, a giant man suddenly appeared outside his door asking for directions. Probably a northerner, right? That would explain his towering stature. After pointing the way, the giant man, to thank him, brought out all the delicacies, wine, and meat from his saddlebag and invited him to eat and drink together.
Now that night had fallen, this meal was the most enjoyable and unrestrained feast he’d had in half a month. In his heart, he kept calling him a good man!
Who was this man? Of course, it was Duoluo Qi, who had been following him all the way!
"Mr. Zheng, as the esteemed son-in-law of the Jun family, why have you fallen into such dire straits? It’s truly unjust."
"Ah, don’t mention it! I brought this upon myself, what else is there to say? Though others may have acted harshly, in the end, I deserved it. However, I still maintain that a woman’s lack of talent is her virtue. Women who study too much only become monsters like my sister-in-law, whom no one dares to marry. Sigh! As for my wife, who is both talented and virtuous, I don’t know where they’ve hidden her. All I ask now is for them to return my wife and daughter to me." Zheng Shuting sighed with every sentence; the thought of his wife made him want to weep...
"The sister-in-law you mentioned, is that Miss Jun Qiluo?" Duoluo Qi held his breath, waiting for the answer; he still needed to confirm it one more time...
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