Time slipped by, and Rui'er was already fifteen. For years, mother and son had rarely ventured out. Rui'er had been voraciously absorbing knowledge, having started his studies at the late age of eight, with much time previously lost. Wu Caiwei, meanwhile, secretly managed their businesses, multiplying the Zheng family's fortune several times over. She also brought in orphans from outside, teaching them various skills, as she didn't want to place all the burdens on her son's shoulders.
With someone to share the load, his path became smoother. The one thing that puzzled her was that after so long, she still hadn't encountered him. This made her feel a hint of panic. Could he not have followed them? It shouldn't be.
She hoped he was in this world too, and that the two of them simply hadn't had the serendipity to meet.
A few days ago, their tutor finally announced that Rui'er could participate in the Xiucai examinations. A smile lingered on Rui'er's face for days. Although Wu Caiwei doted on him, she knew he harbored a deep desire to prove himself to everyone.
Wu Caiwei had long noticed this. She often tried to counsel him, but some things couldn't be reasoned through with mere words, especially at his age.
To ensure her son would pass the Xiucai exam smoothly, Wu Caiwei suggested to the tutor that they simulate the examination environment for him to adapt in advance. The tutor, upon hearing this, wholeheartedly agreed.
He quickly made arrangements. In truth, the tutor was even more anxious than Wu Caiwei. This was, after all, his first student. They had been like friends for many years. It was worth mentioning that he himself had failed the examinations repeatedly over the years, and in a way, he projected his own unfulfilled ambitions onto Rui'er.
Regardless, Rui'er had been diligently studying martial arts and medicine all these years, and his health was excellent. A few days of consecutive exams wouldn't be a problem for him. Let them go through with it.
Until the exams, Wu Caiwei didn't pay him too much attention. This brought a sense of relief to the unusually nervous Rui'er. Though he felt his studies over the years were solid, his eagerness to showcase himself made him unable to sleep in the days leading up to the exam, even resorting to having Wu Caiwei press his sleep acupoint.
After the first exam, Wu Caiwei was somewhat surprised that her son had achieved the top score. This, in turn, made her think of him. While he had consistently placed first in his imperial examinations, that was the result of achievements accumulated over many lifetimes.
For someone like Rui'er, who started learning at eight and studied for seven years to achieve such results, it had to be said that he truly had a gift for academics. Upon knowing his score, a smile naturally bloomed on his face, calming his previously unsettled heart.
Knowing his studies were not lacking, he was even more motivated to revise. Wu Caiwei, seeing his calm and composed demeanor, nodded in satisfaction.
He performed normally in the subsequent two exams as well, smoothly passing the Xiucai examination and securing the top spot.
Wu Caiwei was overjoyed and arranged for a lavish banquet in their home to celebrate. She personally poured a cup of wine for the tutor, thanking him for his years of guidance. The tutor was exceptionally proud and drank too much, and it was Rui'er who saw him back to his room.
While the Zheng family rejoiced, the atmosphere in the Yang family was considerably more somber. Yang Zhongqing, upon learning how capable his son was, regretted letting him leave. Although he was now a military official, the status of military officials in the court had always been inferior to that of civil officials. He wished for his descendants to participate in the imperial examinations and forge a new path.
Sometimes, things don't go as one wishes. He had a son, and seven years ago, Wu Qingzhi had given him a robust baby boy, plump and healthy-looking. Unfortunately, his mind wasn't quite sharp, and he always gave the impression of being a brute. He inherited none of his father's intelligence and wit; one couldn't tell who he took after.
However, it was too late to say anything. Not long after Wu Caiwei took Rui'er away, she had him change his surname to Zheng. No matter how great his achievements in the future, they would belong to the Zheng family, not the Yang family.
Wu Qingzhi outwardly maintained a calm demeanor, but inwardly seethed with resentment. She saw her husband's sighs and felt some blame towards her son for not being more capable, but there was nothing she could do. No matter how strictly she managed him, the child simply wasn't inclined towards academics.
In fact, for many years, Wu Caiwei had been investigating the affairs of the Zheng family. However, the events had happened very suddenly, and she knew very little. The only clue she had was the former steward of the Zheng family at the border and his son. Unfortunately, the last time she heard from them was ten years ago, and she hadn't found any trace of them in the years since.
In recent years, feeling her own strength dwindling, she had also devoted half her energy to Rui'er, wanting him to grow up quickly. Her original plan was to wait until he could manage the household independently and her own influence was established, then she would lead people to the border to thoroughly investigate the past events. But things seemed more complicated than she had imagined.
She had assumed the steward's family had colluded with foreign enemies, leading to the downfall of the Zheng family. Unexpectedly, after her son passed the Xiucai exam, Wu Caiwei was astonished to discover they were being followed. This couldn't help but make her suspicious.
At first, she wasn't entirely sure and thought she was being overly cautious. But one day, Rui'er was riding his horse outside when the horse inexplicably became agitated and bolted straight towards a large tree. He suffered a fatal head injury on the spot. Fortunately, he had been diligent in practicing martial arts over the years, allowing him to save himself at the critical moment, otherwise, the consequences would have been dire.
Over the years, Wu Caiwei had also subtly told him stories, warning him of the treacherous nature of people. Therefore, the moment the incident occurred, he immediately examined the horse and found a poisoned needle on its hindquarters. He carefully removed it, wrapped it, and brought it home.
Wu Caiwei held it up to the sunlight, examining the poison. This particular poison primarily caused horses to go mad, and its effects were very rapid. This meant that the moment the needle struck the horse, it would essentially begin to take effect.
"Only one friend was accompanying me at the time, and he doesn't know martial arts. It couldn't have been him, could it?" Rui'er had rarely gone out over the years, and his friends were few. Brother Li, who had accompanied him, was one of the few friends he could confide in. He privately did not want to believe that the person who attacked him was him.
"While he is a suspect, it's not necessarily him. Have you noticed that recently, we've been followed whenever we go out?" Wu Caiwei reminded him. If it were ordinary people, Rui'er would have discovered them long ago. However, those who were tracking them were all experts.
"What? Someone has been following us? But we haven't done anything recently." Rui'er was perplexed. Although the years spent hiding on the border and in the deep mountains were agonizing, the years since returning to the capital had been smooth sailing, slowly dispelling the shadows in his heart and causing him to let down his guard unknowingly.