Chapter 1, I have changed my mind

What caused Madam Xu to raise her eyebrows was not these matters, but rather the fact that there was not a trace of warmth left in the tea on the table. Yet, the young man remained calm, showing no signs of annoyance, possessing a tranquility and patience that is difficult to find at his age

However, the development of events was completely beyond his expectations

And this is precisely the scene that Madam Xu wishes to see—if it were not for the peculiar nature of that marriage contract, she would have no better means, so how could it come to this day, requiring her to expend such effort?

She did not notice that her voice was somewhat tense yet also relaxed, as it was difficult to imagine due to the unexpected circumstances. Whether the young man was unwilling to lose face and spoke this way intentionally, or if he truly came to annul the engagement, it was all that she wished to see

Fourteen years old

He indeed only took a sip of the tea on the table, merely moistening his slightly dry lips. However, it was not out of the caution or wariness that the old woman had imagined, but rather because he felt that as a guest in someone else's home, it would be somewhat impolite to drink too much tea and then need to use the restroom. Moreover, although the tea bowls used in the Divine General's residence were all exquisite Ru kiln porcelain, he was still unaccustomed to drinking from someone else's utensils.

If the old master is still alive, or if you can find out the answer... open the door, I would like to meet him

At the feet of the youth lay a piece of luggage, which appeared quite ordinary, yet was organized with great meticulousness, showing no signs of the wear and tear of travel. The hat tied atop the luggage was also polished to a spotless shine

The young man wore an old, faded robe, his appearance youthful, with well-defined features and bright eyes. There was an indescribable quality about him, as if he could perceive the hidden truths within many things, much like a mirror.

The token is genuine, and thus the betrothal is also genuine

She coldly gazed at Chen Changsheng, waiting for the youth's anger

After entering the Divine General's Mansion, he exchanged a few words with the matron, and thereafter, no one paid him any attention. Sitting in the side hall for half an hour, it was natural to feel a bit bored, but Chen Changsheng had been accustomed to solitude since childhood, so he did not find it particularly difficult to endure

Chen Changsheng took his hand out from his bosom, not holding the marriage certificate, letting it hang down to his waist, and asked: "May I ask why?"

Chen Changsheng looked at Madam Xu and calmly said: "In fact, you have misunderstood. I came to the Divine General's Mansion this time to return the marriage certificate. I originally came to annul the engagement."

She placed the teacup on the table, stood up, and said: "The cup of tea on your table is pre-Ming butterfly tea, which costs five taels of silver for one tael. This teacup comes from the Ru kiln, and is even more precious than gold. The tea has gone cold, and your refusal to drink it indicates that you are not destined to enjoy this cup of tea. You are merely a weed in the mud, not porcelain, just rubble. Do you think you can change your life by clinging to my divine general's mansion? I am sorry, while this may bring you joy, it does not please me at all." You are merely a weed in the mud, not porcelain, just rubble. Do you think you can change your life by clinging to my divine general's mansion? I am sorry, while this may bring you joy, it does not please me at all.

Chen Changsheng's hand tightened slightly, yet his voice showed no tremor: "Very clear"

The wind comes from the garden, rustling the old bamboo branches in the corridor with a crackling sound

All these emotions were accurately conveyed to Chen Changsheng

What kind of person is that young man

Yes... the aura is ordinary, clearly it has not even undergone the washing of the marrow. Although potential cannot be discerned, at the age of fourteen, even if one were to start cultivating again, the prospects would not be very promising.

He was very composed, sitting for half an hour without changing his posture. Only at the very beginning did he take a sip of tea, presumably out of courtesy, and thereafter he did not drink again... In fact, he only touched his lips to that first sip of tea; it did not seem like shyness, but rather caution, with profound thoughts and a strong sense of vigilance, even hinting at hostility.

The shadows of the trees in the courtyard are mottled, and there are more than ten large trees on the lawn that require several people to encircle them. There is no sign of any servants or maids along the stone path, and in the distance, many people can be faintly seen kneeling. The silent atmosphere is filled with a sense of solemnity, akin to the tall trees reaching towards the sky, and reminiscent of the cold weapons displayed throughout the flower hall.

Madam Xu's expression remained unchanged, yet her palm gently rested on her chest

To write about interesting people, Chen Changsheng must be the most interesting person I have ever written about in my life

Madam Xu suddenly felt that she had done something wrong

I see now

The lady, supported by the old matron, walked towards the outdoors, moving slowly like a breeze caressing a delicate willow. The precious gold hairpin in her hair and the ornaments on her body made no sound, which seemed somewhat eerie

Madam Xu looked at the still youthful face and decided to apply some more pressure. She was well aware of what the intelligent and proud young man could least tolerate; soon, he would surely take the initiative to propose the annulment of their engagement

The old gentleman passed away four years ago, and this marriage proposal no longer exists

Why? This is not a question that a wise person should ask

He stood up and paid his respects to the elegantly dressed lady, guessing that she was likely Madam Xu from the Divine General's Mansion. He thought to himself that he could finally resolve this matter and reached into his bosom, preparing to take out the marriage certificate

He quietly spent his time memorizing the contents of the sixth volume of the "Hua Ting Jing" commentary while waiting for the other party to arrive quickly, so that he could return the marriage certificate to them. After resolving this matter, he had many of his own tasks to attend to.

... ...

I remember it should be this big as well

The master of this residence is the renowned General Xu Shiji, a military hero of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The general governs the estate with the same rigor as he commands his troops, and the atmosphere within has always been serious and quiet. Due to the incident that occurred today, all the servants have been sent to the side garden, making the atmosphere here even more oppressive, as if the spring breeze blowing in from beyond the courtyard walls were about to freeze.

Madam Xu paused with the bowl cover in her hand and asked, "So, upon arriving in the capital, you went straight to the General's residence?"

Chen Changsheng picked up his luggage from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, directly walking out of the hall

In that moment, the entire Divine General's Mansion seemed to have become much lighter.

Accompanied by a creaking sound, the door slowly opened. Bright sunlight poured in from the courtyard, illuminating every corner of the room, highlighting the lady's radiant face and the half piece of jade pendant tightly held in her hand. The old maid who had previously conversed with her stood in the corner, completely shrouded in shadow, making it difficult to notice her unless one looked closely.

Madam Xu looked at him, her expression indifferent as she said: "... but in reality, that is a tale fit only for the stage, it cannot happen in the real world. Who would believe it, except for those foolish and naive women?"

How could the old gentleman have arranged such a marriage for the young lady back in the day

Chen Changsheng's expression suddenly became serious

Oh dear, at this moment I am with many readers, it is quite hot

She forcibly suppressed the unease that arose from an unknown source in her heart, trying to make her voice sound as gentle as possible, and said: "Since you have already come to terms with it, why speak such words in anger? Instead..."

It seems to be a clever person, at least somewhat clever... How old are you

It is just that the expression is too composed, and one always feels it should be larger.

Chen Changsheng looked at her seriously and said: "Actually... I am here to annul the marriage."

Even if there is a bright future, can it really be compared to the disciples of the Sect Master of the Longevity Sect

The spring breeze in the mansion has once again turned cold, and the atmosphere has become extremely oppressive once more. In the dark corner of the side hall, the wrinkles on the face of that old woman are deep, resembling countless ravines suddenly washed away by a flood

Thank you all for your hard work. This story begins with the strength of illustrations and books, and I suddenly feel a surge of confidence.

Many years ago, the old gentleman was saved by your master, and then this marriage was arranged... This seems to be a beautiful story

Madam Xu looked at him with a blank expression and said: "Because your teacher has decent medical skills, but he is still just an ordinary Daoist, while this is the Divine General's Mansion; because you are a poor boy who can only afford to wear old Daoist robes, while my daughter is a young lady of the Divine General's Mansion; because you are an ordinary person, and the Divine General's Mansion should not be a place where ordinary people can enter. Is my explanation clear enough?"

Just an ordinary person

The hall was completely silent

Chen Changsheng did not understand the meaning of the four characters "so it is". He stood up and once again reached into his bosom, preparing to take out the marriage certificate to return it to the other party. Since he had already made up his mind, he was not prepared to consider it any longer.

However, she was astonished to find that the young man had no intention of continuing to listen to her speak

Chen Changsheng did not expect to hear this sentence, and for a moment, he was taken aback

This is a very difficult person to deal with

This is a blatant humiliation, especially the phrase "changing one's life by clinging to the divine general's mansion," which is an unacceptable accusation for any proud young man. In order to leave with their heads held high and with pride, many would likely choose to angrily refute it, then take out their marriage certificate, tear it in half, throw it in front of the lady, and even spit on it a couple of times.

Here, I will not repeat that passage by Wang Xiaobo

In this regard, he has a certain degree of obsession with cleanliness

In the corner of the side hall, the expression of the old woman, who seemed to have disappeared for a long time, had changed.

Fortunately, such individuals are often very proud

The lady's voice was calm, devoid of any deliberate arrogance, yet it pressed people down to the ground. She did not intentionally adopt a superior position, yet it was as if she were looking down at an ant from the sky.

... ...

Madam Xu looked at the young man before her and continued, "I know you are an intelligent person, so we should converse like intelligent individuals. What you need to consider now is not the continuation of this marriage proposal, but rather to carefully contemplate what kind of compensation you can obtain. What do you think of my suggestion?"

However, his actions once again led to a misunderstanding. The lady looked at him, her expression becoming even more indifferent, and said: "I will not agree to this marriage, even if you produce the marriage certificate, it would be meaningless"

Chen Changsheng replied honestly, "I dare not delay in any way"

The lady raised her head, casting a cold glance at him. She thought to herself that it was truly laughable for a destitute youth from a remote countryside to be so unperturbed by the grandeur of the capital, coming directly to her residence to discuss marriage with such fervent intent.

Chen Changsheng thought to himself that this was indeed a form of pleasantry. He originally felt that there was no need for such formalities, but since it was an elder who spoke, he naturally could not neglect the proper etiquette. He responded briefly and respectfully, saying: "Not yet, but I will go visit in a few days."

We all need to be interesting people

Chen Changsheng wanted to explain that his intention was to break off the engagement. However, as he listened to the condescending tone of the words and observed the undisguised disdain and indifference in Madam Xu's eyes, he found it difficult to speak. At that moment, his hand was still in his pocket, already touching the edge of a slightly stiff piece of paper. One sheet contained the marriage certificate personally written by Taizai, while another sheet bore the birth date and time of a certain young girl.

The lady expressed mild surprise and asked, "Could you please say that again?"

The side hall was enveloped in silence, devoid of any sound

Madam Xu crossed the courtyard, arrived in front of the side hall, stopped her steps, and gazed at the young man inside the hall, her brows slightly raised

He said: "But now... I have changed my mind."

Madam Xu gestured to indicate that there was no rush, gracefully seated herself in the main position, took the tea served by the stewardess, and calmly said to him: "You haven't visited the Heavenly Book Tomb yet, have you? What about the Bridge of Sighs? Or perhaps you could visit the Summer Palace to see the ivy; the scenery is also quite splendid"

Madam, is that marriage contract genuine