Chapter 66 Things Are Not the Same, People Are Not the Same
"I didn't visit the Master..."
Xu Chong stopped and felt a little depressed.
Zhang Shunyi won the title of top scholar in the imperial examination and returned home. Logically, he should visit his mentor Wang Hezhi first.
This is an unavoidable rule set by the human relationships of Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, Parents and Teachers.
But he didn’t…
There is no doubt that this is the impact of Zhang Youde's death.
“Shunyi.”
Xu Chong looked at Zhang Shunyi seriously, "You shouldn't doubt the Master because of a few unclear words."
"I know."
Zhang Shunyi sighed and took the lead to step forward , "Master has been very kind to me. Without him, I would just wait patiently to inherit the bookstore and be the shopkeeper for the rest of my life."
"But I can't control my doubts."
"I am increasingly convinced that my father's death was caused by the Master."
Zhang Shunyi was obviously dressed more elegantly than before, but from his back, Xu Chong only saw helplessness, desolation, and contradiction.
“Heaven, Earth , the Emperor, Parents, and Teachers. Parents always come before teachers.”
Zhang Shunyi said to himself, "Sometimes I wonder, if my father really committed a crime, why didn't he be punished by the law fairly and strictly?"
"And if my father did not commit any crime, but only violated the Master's interests, why didn't the Master just kill my father?"
"Why was he allowed to die with a trumped-up charge and not even be allowed to have his name on a tombstone?"
Xu Chong remained silent and walked slowly behind.
He really wanted to tell Zhang Shunyi that it was not the Master who killed Zhang Youde, and that the Master had nothing to do with this matter from beginning to end.
Unfortunately he can't.
It is true that Zhang Youde died at the hands of a water ghost.
But the real reason for Zhang Youde's death was Xu Chong himself!
To take a step back, even if he could be so shameless as to conceal his existence and put the blame on the water ghost alone, it is highly likely that Zhang Shunyi could not pose a threat to the water ghost.
But how can I know the truth, and how can I say that this is the truth?
Unless everything is revealed, there is no way to explain it.
Therefore, Xu Chong could only remain silent.
"Brother Xu, you can rest assured about one thing."
Seeing Xu Chong remained silent, Zhang Shunyi added, "I will not do anything to you, Master. After all, these are just conjectures. I don't have any evidence."
"I just can't face him like I used to."
"It's better not to meet than to meet."
All right……
It seems that this is the only way for now.
Xu Chong sighed and changed the subject, "If I'm not mistaken, you are going to take part in the imperial examination in the spring, right? Why not move into the Xu Mansion? There is a large space there, and someone will take care of the chores so you can study with peace of mind."
“No need.”
Zhang Shunyi rejected Xu Chong's proposal without even thinking about it, "I just came back to see Brother Xu. I will leave for the capital today."
"Leaving today?"
Xu Chong was stunned, and stepped forward to stand side by side with Zhang Shunyi, "So urgent? You don't even spend the New Year here?"
The provincial examinations in Daqing were held in various prefecture-level cities, while the metropolitan examinations were held in the capital. The provincial government offices did not handle the imperial examinations.
The distance from Canglong to the capital city is more than enough to leave two months of travel time, and it is also possible to set off after the New Year.
"No."
Zhang Shunyi shook his head. "I am grateful to the Master for his high regard for me. He has sent me letters urging me to come to Beijing over the past few months. It would be extremely rude and disrespectful for me to leave only now."
"I see……"
Xu Chong nodded slowly.
It seems that Zhang Shunyi's path to imperial examination, which he had given up, is getting smoother and smoother.
In Daqing, only the chief examiners of the provincial and metropolitan examinations would be addressed as "Zuoshi" by the examinees.
The chief examiner of the provincial examination must be from the Hanlin Academy.
Although their rank may not be high, they are definitely upstarts in the court and have the potential to enter the cabinet in the future.
Being valued by such an existence, Zhang Shunyi can be said to have a smooth future.
Neither of them spoke again.
Zhang Shunyi didn't stop until he reached the door of a bookstore.
This bookstore was rebuilt on the site of Youde Bookstore, and the plaque reads "Zhiyuan Bookstore".
At this time, there were many scholars in long gowns choosing books in the bookstore.
"It's doing well. It seems that I was right to transfer the land deed to him."
Zhang Shunyi nodded and said with some emotion: "But I didn't expect that even though the signboard has changed, the bookstore is still built in the same way as before."
“Maybe everyone is used to it.”
Xu Chong did not comment.
"Brother Xu, do you still remember how we met?"
Zhang Shunyi suddenly laughed.
"Remember."
Xu Chong nodded. It was in his original body’s memory.
"Thirteen years ago, Youde Bookstore had just opened."
Zhang Shunyi recalled, "At that time, your father had not yet become rich, and Brother Xu had no money to buy books. He could only stand at the door and read, sometimes for a whole day."
"yes."
Xu Chong also laughed, "At that time, I was thinking, how come this store has so many books? I am so envious."
"I'm afraid it's more than just envy?"
Zhang Shunyi looked at Xu Chong teasingly and said, "I remember that after only a few days of reading, Brother Xu dared to sneak into the bookstore to read books while his father was taking a nap."
"Well……"
Xu Chong touched his nose and said, "I didn't expect there was another you in there."
"I didn't expect you to cover my mouth right away, begging me to keep it a secret for you, and even saying you would repay me in the future."
Zhang Shunyi glanced at Xu Chong and smiled with evil humor.
"Ahem..."
Xu Chong coughed twice.
Although this was his original self's embarrassing incident, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed when it was brought up in front of him.
"The days when I read books with Brother Xu are probably the happiest times."
"Unfortunately, it didn't take long before your father became rich the next year and Brother Xu no longer had to sneak into the bookstore."
At this point, Zhang Shunyi's voice suddenly dropped. "Your father's rise to fame was just as sudden as my father's... It was probably after that year that my father began to change."
Xu Chong's smile slowly faded and he remained silent.
Zhang Youde was born in a poor family . The fact that he was able to suddenly open a bookstore had a lot to do with being Zhou Ze's martial slave.
He has become a martial slave, his memory appears and disappears from time to time, it is good enough that he has not gone crazy, and it is not surprising that his personality has changed.
"In fact, no matter who killed my father, I don't have much hatred for him for killing my father."
"Because I know that my father was indeed abnormal at that time, and it is very likely that he had committed a crime."
"What I hate is that person made my father lose his original heart."
Zhang Shunyi turned his back, and there was no hatred in his tone, only endless sighs, "If a person loses his original heart, is he still himself?"
"in my opinion."
"That father who obviously doesn't have the habit of taking a nap but keeps pretending to take one..."
"He was killed more than a decade ago."
After saying that, Zhang Shunyi waved towards the distance.
A luxurious carriage slowly approached and finally stopped in front of the two.
"Brother Xu, take care."
Zhang Shunyi bowed to Xu Chong and got on the carriage.
Xu Chong just stood there, staring blankly at the wheels of the carriage starting to turn, carrying Jie Yuanlang gradually away.
