Chapter 10, and the legendary Prince Cheng severing ties with his robe.

Wang Fulian said without turning his head: "Just take care of your own feet, and then go to bed early"

The innkeeper, feeling that the young gentleman over there looked somewhat familiar, suddenly realized upon hearing Xu Jie’s words that he was indeed the protagonist of the recent uproar in Huizhou City. He recalled that the young man had previously stayed at his inn, and could not help but scrutinize him for a while. He then readily replied, "Of course, we have plenty of vacant rooms available. Would Master Xu and Master Ma also like to stay here? I will have someone clean a guest room immediately!"

The flame on the lighthouse flickered, and Young Master Cheng, oblivious to Wang Fulins ghostly pale face, boldly took a seat for himself. With a sharp snap, he opened the folding fan in his hand and spoke clearly, "You and I have all passed the county, provincial, and metropolitan examinations together, with our ranks closely aligned. Therefore, we should share both fortune and misfortune! Those who measure a gentleman's heart with a petty mindset dare to slander our friendship and tarnish your reputation; this is intolerable! My dear brother, I, your foolish elder brother, have decided to stand with you through thick and thin!" Those who measure a gentleman's heart with a petty mindset dare to slander our friendship and tarnish your reputation; this is intolerable! My dear brother, I, your foolish elder brother, have decided to stand with you through thick and thin!

Wang Fulian immediately looked up and saw that it was a boy of about sixteen or seventeen years old. The boy wore a ponytail scarf, dressed in a Yangming robe, and donned cloud shoes. His brows and eyes were filled with emotion, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth. He appeared elegant and refined; at first glance, who would not consider him a charming and handsome youth? However, for someone who had inexplicably barged in and called out his childhood name, Wang Fulian felt nothing but a splitting headache, as he did not recognize the person at all

Wang Fulian looked at the master and servant, then gracefully lifted the hem of his casual robe and, without a moment's hesitation, swung his right hand holding a dagger downward. With a sharp sound, the hem of his garment was severed, and the piece of fabric slowly floated down to the ground. Only at that moment did he lower the dagger and, with a tone tinged with heartfelt sorrow, said: "Brother Cheng, I appreciate your intentions, but please do not concern yourself with my affairs! From now on, let bridges be bridges and roads be roads; we shall sever our ties and part ways!"

We ran all day, and after resting at home for a night, we will come back tomorrow morning. You should serve me a bit more attentively. Ma continued to smile as usual, but inadvertently added another remark, "Do not underestimate the youth in poverty. This person was sent by the gentleman from the Southern Ming, who is from Songming Mountain, with proper arrangements made at home to carry the sedan chair. The truth will only be revealed tomorrow."

Behind the series of official buildings in She County, including the county government office, official residences, and the academy, there are several shops such as taverns, restaurants, and inns along County Back Street and Cross Street. Most of these establishments cater to officials and students. The Ma Family Inn is located right next to the Huang Family Walled Village and is considered average among the row of shops. Two lanterns hang in front of it, and in the dimming twilight, the dark tiles and white walls appear quite clean.

"Good, good!" Young Master Cheng's laughter abruptly ceased as he looked at Wang Fulin, who was full of admiration, and said, "You, my dear brother, possess the spirit of the ancient sages. I did not expect you to be so selfless, your noble intentions are commendable. However, I, Cheng Naixuan, am not one to shy away from challenges! You will still have to face the Grand Master’s inquiries tomorrow, and you need to conserve your energy. Therefore, I shall return home tonight and join you tomorrow to face this together!"

However, he did not hear any response. Instead, accompanied by the rustling sound, someone stood beside him and then lightly laughed, saying: "Shuangmu has remarkable composure; even when faced with the imminent collapse of Mount Tai, he still chooses to read the 'Analects with Commentary' by lamplight. Truly, he possesses the demeanor of a great general from ancient times!"

Wang Fulian remained silent, yet Young Master Cheng felt that he was being put in a difficult position, and was moved. He immediately stood up and said: "Shuangmu, I came out today to leave a book at home. Tomorrow, I will go with you to the Hetushitang to meet the Grand Master and clear this disgrace"

Wang Fulin and his companions had just stopped in front of the Majiakuzhan Inn when a servant promptly approached them with enthusiasm. Recognizing Xu Jie and Ma Neng, he immediately began to address them as Master Xu and Master Ma without pause. Before long, even the innkeeper personally came out to greet them. After casting a glance at Wang Fulin, who was lowering the pole, he beamed and said to Xu and Ma, "I have heard that Master Xu and Master Ma were on official business. Have you returned now?"

Faced with this scene, the previously eloquent and impassioned Young Master Cheng immediately resembled a quail with its throat grasped, emitting a vague and indistinct sound from his throat. After kicking over a stool and retreating a few steps, he stammered, "Virtuous brother... what is this... what are you doing?"

I have truly severed ties with this person, not out of fear of implicating him, but why does no one believe in my resolve

Upon hearing Young Master Cheng finish his words, he solemnly clasped his hands, his face filled with determination. As he looked outside, he saw heads peeking out—some were the bearers from the family of the Southern Ming scholar, others were villagers from Songming Mountain, and even the attendants from the inn were present. Each face was filled with admiration, awe, and reverence, clearly reveling in the spectacle without concern for the trouble it might cause. Although Wang Fulian's expression remained unchanged, he could not help but let out a silent cry of despair in his heart

Wang Fulian was utterly dumbfounded! He sincerely hoped that someone would come along to break the awkwardness, allowing him to dismiss this self-righteous Young Master Cheng, who fancied himself as a paragon of righteousness. However, not only was Jinbao nowhere to be found, but all the bearers and villagers had also vanished without a trace. It was unclear whether they were simply exhausted from the journey or if Young Master Cheng had already made prior arrangements before his arrival, resulting in an eerie silence outside, devoid of any sounds. Left with no choice, he could only force a strained smile.

Although it is close to the government office and there are no places of entertainment nearby, and not a single hidden prostitute can be seen, faint sounds of singing can be heard from the inn at this moment, clearly indicating that there are countermeasures in place against the policies from above

I naturally understand! Mo Xiang, you must take good care of it and absolutely do not let any boring people disturb it

Hearing the familiar phrase "ink fragrance," Wang Fulian felt a chill run down his spine. It turned out that this young man was the legendary Young Master Cheng! He had planned to confront this person, suspected of having an intimate relationship with Long Yang, after passing tomorrow's trial, yet this individual unexpectedly arrived uninvited tonight. Did this person not realize that the rumors had already implicated him? Shouldn't the correct course of action at this moment be to protect oneself?

At this moment, Wang Fulian was not merely twitching at the corners of his mouth; he felt as if his teeth were aching. It seemed that this Young Master Cheng was not only self-righteous but also quite adept at fabricating scenarios, directly dumping this bucket of dirty water onto that old woman Xie! However, one must remember how that old woman behaved when she came to deliver goods; her face was despicable, and her words were threatening. She deserved to bear such a burden and would likely find it difficult to conduct business in the future

Wang Fulian was so distressed that he even contemplated death. Had he known earlier, he would not have coveted the proximity of the Ma Family Inn to the academy and would have chosen to stay elsewhere. Thinking of the troubles that had come to his doorstep, he took a deep breath, and a cold glint flashed in his hand, revealing a dagger he had carried for self-defense today

"Brother Cheng..." He barely forced out these two words through clenched teeth, striving to make his expression appear more natural. "Brother Cheng comes from a wealthy background and has a bright future; it is better not to get entangled with someone like me, who is awaiting punishment!"

Jin Baodeng suddenly recalled the words he had heard from Liu San. He intended to speak them out, but as the words reached his lips, he bit his lower lip and finally said softly: "Then I will go find Uncle Kang to get some wine for the medicine."

You and I walk uprightly and sit straight, embodying the open and honest friendship of gentlemen. Even if I were to meet the grand master in the hall, I would dare to say the same! If you are a person awaiting punishment, then I, too, am a person awaiting punishment! If it were not for my foolish eyes mistaking the person, entrusting that perfectly good matter to the gossipy Madam Xie, leading her to spread rumors outside and tarnish your reputation

He did not know how much time had passed, but when he saw Young Master Cheng's passage again, the two large doors creaked open. He thought it was Jinbao returning and immediately said without raising his head: "Apply the medicine and go to bed early; you have walked all day on the mountain road today"

I did not say I needed teammates, so please do not assume that on your own

The ink fragrance outside was originally devoted to guarding, but upon hearing the commotion, he couldn't help but peek inside. Upon seeing the scene, he was immediately stunned. Instinctively, he rushed into the room, spreading his arms wide like a hen protecting her chicks, and exclaimed in a panic: "Young Master Wang, my young master is genuinely trying to assist you; what do you mean by this?"

At that moment, another head emerged from behind the crowd, and it was the shopkeeper himself. He cleared his throat and cautiously said: "Young Master Wang, a young man who was just traveling with you has left. When I inquired about his destination, he ran off quickly, so I had no choice but to report this back to you."

Mo Xiang was stunned, and Young Master Cheng was bewildered. This strange and rigid atmosphere lasted only for a few moments, and was soon completely shattered by Young Master Cheng's sudden burst of laughter

Fortunately, the shopkeeper here knows that I have a close relationship with Shuangmu. As soon as you arrived, you sent a message to my home, which is located in Huangjiawu. Otherwise, I would not have been able to come over so quickly

For him, who has no memory of the past social interactions, this diary is the only medium connecting him to the former Wang Fulian.

As soon as the shopkeeper left, Jin Bao could not help but yawn. Seeing Wang Fu Lin getting up to organize his luggage, he quickly stood up and said, "Father, let me do it."

My brother Cheng, I beg you to go back and stop causing trouble, will you

"It is a matter of public tolerance. That Wang Xiaoxiang over there is the main character in this recent scandal regarding academic titles. He has just arrived, and the Grand Master has sent word that the matter will be concluded tomorrow. He will be staying with you tonight. You old fellow wouldn't say you have no vacant rooms, would you?"

Wang Fulian, without any doubt, responded with a sound of acknowledgment. Just then, a creaking noise was heard at the door, indicating that the little one had gone out. At this moment, he took out the household registration documents that his uncle Wu Tianbao had obtained during a previous trip to the city, as well as a copy of the family genealogy issued by the clan leader Wang Daohan. After securely placing these two most important items, he took out the book "The Analects with Commentary" and began to read it thoughtfully.

In the blink of an eye, another person appeared outside the door, bowing respectfully with hands at their sides. They then whispered, "Young Master, we sneaked out. You must hurry, or else if the old lady and madam find out, they will surely kill me."

Throughout the day, welcoming and sending off guests was the main business, and the proprietor was particularly adept at navigating social interactions, quickly grasping the situation. He personally went to greet Wang Fulin and led him to a completely vacant and clean courtyard at the back, where he settled the entire group. As Xu Jie and Ma Neng took their leave, he arranged several tables of food and drink to entertain the guests. Initially, he thought that Wang Fulin, being at a critical moment in safeguarding his reputation, would certainly want to keep him around to gather information. However, to his surprise, the other party did not retain him and merely rewarded him with a few coins before sending him off. With the money in hand, he had a sudden idea.