Thinking that he could no longer surpass Wang Yongan in academics, he simply decided that it would be better to take the martial arts examination.
He became single-minded in his quest to find a renowned master to study martial arts under.
Upon learning of this, Lady Wu and Benefactor Wu decided to send Zhongbao to their relatives outside Jing County to immerse him in a scholarly environment and rectify his thoughts.
However, Zhongbao believed he had a natural talent for martial arts and was certain he was stronger than Wang Yongan, so he naturally refused to go to Jing County.
He even threatened his parents, declaring that if they sent him to Jing County, he would remain a bachelor for life and let the Wu family lineage die out.
What else could Lady Wu and Benefactor Wu do? Their son was their only child, and as excessive as he might be, they, as parents, had to endure it.
After all, they were getting on in years and it was too late to have another child, so they had no choice but to cajole him.
In the end, they reached a compromise. Zhongbao would not go to Jing County. Instead, Lady Wu asked her family to bring back an even more impressive teacher to instruct Zhongbao to become a Scholar first, and then discuss other matters.
This teacher was indeed extraordinary. Though he only taught Zhongbao for two or three years, he also helped Zhongbao pass the Scholar examination after Wang Yongan.
After becoming a Scholar, Lady Wu and Benefactor Wu dared not hope for more, so they pleaded with Zhongbao to start a family. Since the son was disobedient, they wanted to have a grandson whom they could pin their hopes on for the next generation.
Zhongbao was not naive. Why could he do as he pleased? Because he was the family’s only offspring!
If he were to marry and have children, would his family still indulge him as much? Besides, why should he pass on things he disliked to his future son?
Why should he listen to them about everything?
Because of this, he made a grand vow: he would not marry until he had established a career!
Benefactor Wu had no choice, Okay, you establish a career first, win the examination! Fine, study hard!
Zhongbao refused! He wanted to take the martial arts examination!
Benefactor Wu was nearly faint with frustration. There was still a glimmer of hope in the civil examination, but with Zhongbao’s mediocre martial skills, wasn’t he aware of his own son’s inadequacies?
If his son truly went to take the martial arts examination, weapons did not have eyes, and if an accident happened, the Wu family could end up without a future generation!
For the sake of the Wu family’s lineage, Benefactor Wu was adamant and would not budge, and now father and son were at a stalemate.
Usually, Benefactor Wu would accompany Lady Wu back to her family in Jing County, but this year, for some reason, Benefactor Wu sent a letter instead, and it was decided that after the fifteenth, Zhongbao would go to his maternal family to pay a New Year’s visit and stay a few more days.
Zhongbao couldn’t help complaining at this point, "Do they think I don’t know what they’re plotting? Isn’t it just to let me be influenced by the scholarly atmosphere of my maternal family, and with a few more persuasions from my cousins, agree to go to the provincial capital for this year’s imperial examination?"
Wang Yongzhu looked at Zhongbao and thought, he indeed was Benefactor Wu’s own flesh and blood; if he wasn’t, he would have been strangled to death a long time ago, and would not have been allowed to live such a carefree life.
That Benefactor Wu, too, was a maniac when it came to doting on his son. Otherwise, given Zhongbao’s age, by the standards of this era, he really was an over-the-hill bachelor, yet his parents could tolerate him not marrying and having children. This was true parental love!
"Since you know, why did you agree?" Wang Yongzhu couldn’t help but criticize.
"I had no choice; this year, my mother was resolute. If I didn’t go, she said she’d actually die to prove her point!" Zhongbao looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with desolation.
Wang Yongzhu really wanted to spit on him—his attitude had driven his bookish mother to the brink of threatening to hang herself. What was he acting desolate about?
Glaring at Zhongbao dismissively, Wang Yongzhu turned and walked away.
Left alone, Zhongbao gazed toward the horizon and sighed, "Ah, indeed, no one understands my loneliness—"
Wang Yongzhu almost tripped over her own feet and, turning around, glared at Wu Zhongbao before hurrying away.
Upon boarding the carriage, she saw Song Chongjin saying something that made Old Granny Zhang beam with joy.
Spotting her, Song Chongjin raised an eyebrow knowingly, "You can’t stand him either?"
Wang Yongzhu let out a long sigh, "If I were Lady Wu, I’d strangle him before saying anything else! Otherwise, he’d drive me to an early grave!"
A glint of amusement flashed in Song Chongjin’s eyes, "Don’t be fooled by his current arrogance, he can’t escape the palm of Lady Wu. Do you really think this trip to Jing County is just to visit his maternal family? It’s because the marriage Lady Wu arranged for him is coming to fruition, as the girl is about to finish her mourning period."
It seemed like there was more to the story? Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang looked at Song Chongjin.
Song Chongjin explained leisurely.
It turned out that Wu Zhongbao’s carefree lifestyle wasn’t because Lady Wu was truly intimidated by him, but rather because her chosen future daughter-in-law was in mourning.
The future bride was the daughter of Lady Wu’s close childhood friend and several years younger than Wu Zhongbao, which was why Wu Zhongbao had initially resisted the idea of marriage, as his fiancée was still young.
Two years ago, when the fiancée’s father passed away, she went into mourning, postponing the marriage for another three years.
Now that the mourning period was almost over, the wedding was naturally back on the agenda.
Poor Zhongbao was utterly clueless, unaware that leaving for his in-laws would be easy, but returning would prove difficult!
Upon hearing this, Old Granny Zhang realized that Young Master Wu was already betrothed, which eased the worries she earlier harbored for Song Chongjin.
Wang Yongzhu took another look at Song Chongjin, who seemed too well-informed about the Wu Family’s affairs to have a mere casual acquaintance.
Song Chongjin winked at Wang Yongzhu, indicating he would be honest with her later.
Seizing an opportunity, the two of them alighted from the carriage and walked aside.
Song Chongjin then revealed why he was so close to Wu Zhongbao: they were disciples of the same Teacher.
The Teacher Lady Wu had invited from Jing County years ago was also his mentor.
He had studied with Wu Zhongbao under that Teacher and not only had Wu Zhongbao become a Scholar, but he had as well.
However, his Teacher had arranged for him a separate household registration in Jing County.
After passing the Scholar examination, the news was only known in Jing County, and Qilidun remained clueless.
Wang Yongzhu couldn’t help but look at Song Chongjin, wondering just how many secrets this man held.
Seeing the look in Wang Yongzhu’s eyes, Song Chongjin panicked a bit, quickly embracing her and whispering in her ear, "Yongzhu, I didn’t mean to keep things from you, I just never found the right opportunity to tell you! Really, I—"
Wang Yongzhu wasn’t really angry; after all, these were things that had happened before she arrived. Given Song Chongjin’s past environment, being extra cautious and keeping secrets was the right thing to do. Otherwise, how could he have freed himself from the Song Family?
She felt even more sympathy for Song Chongjin. How many hardships and torments did it take for a teenager to be so full of solicitude and caution?
But she immediately realized something was off, "Wait, what about Hunter Qin and Shopkeeper Zhang? Didn’t they claim to be the ones who taught you martial arts and literacy?"
Song Chongjin scoffed, "After Shopkeeper Zhang taught me a few characters, he left me to my own devices. I would hang out in his bookstore to help out and sneak in some reading time. That’s when I met my later Teacher, who took pity on me and accepted me as his Disciple. I don’t know what he said to Shopkeeper Zhang, but afterwards they turned a blind eye."
So that was it! Wang Yongzhu still felt something was amiss but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Rather than dwell on it, she decided to let it go.