Chapter Four: The Furious Jiang Zhensheng

Jiang Han turned and walked back to his courtyard without looking back. Since he had already broken off the engagement with Gu Xirou, there was no need for any unnecessary words.

Although Gu Xirou was quite beautiful, the world was not short of pretty girls. Naturally, he wouldn’t be a desperate fool like his previous self.

As he walked, he sorted through some thoughts.

The original Jiang Han was a son of a concubine, but his treatment was only slightly worse than that of a legitimate son because his mother and the main wife were sisters—Jiang Zhensheng had married a pair of sisters back then.

After Jiang Han’s mother gave birth to him, she was frail and sickly, passing away within two years. The main wife, who was also his aunt, had been quite kind to Jiang Han, and Jiang Zhensheng had high hopes for him.

The Jiang family was a scholarly lineage. Jiang Han’s grandfather had been a provincial graduate, and by the time of Jiang Zhensheng’s generation, the eldest branch had caught the eye of a powerful official in the capital during an imperial examination journey. He married a beautiful wife and rose swiftly in officialdom.

Jiang Zhensheng himself had also passed the provincial exams, but after several years of repeatedly failing the metropolitan exams, he had given up after a decade and reluctantly become the head of the Dark Fragrance Academy.

Yet he remained somewhat depressed over his failure to pass the metropolitan exams, pinning his hopes on his sons.

Jiang Zhensheng had two sons and a daughter. He had intended to cultivate both sons into talents—if one could pass the provincial exams and the other the metropolitan, he could finally hold his head high before his elder brother.

However, the eldest son Jiang Feng showed little aptitude for studies, though he displayed remarkable martial talent. After three years training under a martial instructor north of the city, he could easily defeat ten such instructors. If he participated in the military exams the following year, he might yet make a name for himself.

Still, Jiang Zhensheng hoped one of his sons could pass the metropolitan exams. With the eldest hopeless, he placed his hopes on the second son Jiang Han, but Jiang Han dealt him a crushing blow.

Not only did he fail in studies, but he lacked his brother’s martial talent and had no business acumen—he was essentially good for nothing, deeply disappointing Jiang Zhensheng, who later sent him away to a separate courtyard.

Jiang Han shook his head. That was fine—being alone was quieter, and he didn’t have to face this “father” he had never seen.

He stepped into the courtyard and looked up, only to find someone there—a dignified middle-aged man dressed in Confucian robes.

It was none other than Jiang Han’s father, Jiang Zhensheng.

“How dare you come back?” Jiang Zhensheng’s face was as cold as ice, his voice furious.

Today, Jiang Zhensheng had heard that a great figure had come to Yunyang County, holding a literary gathering at Cuiyun Garden. Even Zhongli You, one of the seven great families of Dayu and a renowned Confucian scholar, had come to attend.

Dayu revered Confucianism and Taoism, hosting many such gatherings, but one that attracted Zhongli You was clearly extraordinary.

Jiang Zhensheng had already found out where Zhongli You was staying, planning to pay a visit that night. But then he heard the news that his second son Jiang Han had been rejected by the Gu family.

Jiang Zhensheng was instantly furious!

He resented the Gu family’s unreliability, breaking off the engagement without consulting him, and he was even more enraged at Jiang Han’s failure, which had brought him great shame.

He had no mood left to visit Zhongli You and stormed straight to the courtyard.

Jiang Han glanced at Jiang Zhensheng, frowning slightly.

He might have been older than this middle-aged man in his previous life, yet for some obscure reason, a faint and subtle fear stirred deep within him.

The original Jiang Han must have been terrified of this father, and this influence had somehow seeped into his own heart.

But the fear quickly vanished, and Jiang Han looked at his father calmly.

Jiang Zhensheng glared furiously. “You failed in your studies, have no talent for martial arts, lose money in business, and after years of trying medicine, you have still achieved nothing! Now even that Gu girl has broken off the engagement. You’ve utterly disgraced me, Jiang Zhensheng!”

Jiang Han listened quietly, then earnestly replied, “I failed in studies and martial arts perhaps because I am simply not cut out for them. As for losing money in business, there is no guaranteed profitable trade in the world. Father, you are a learned man—you should understand this.”

Jiang Zhensheng was stunned. He had expected this useless son to cower before him, but instead, Jiang Han met his gaze steadily, showing no panic, only calm.

Jiang Han continued, “Regarding the broken engagement, if Gu Xirou despises me and insists on ending it, then let her keep the marriage contract. Otherwise, even if we marry, it would only breed mutual loathing. Moreover, a man need not worry about lacking a wife.”

Listening to him speak so plainly, Jiang Zhensheng stopped in his tracks, utterly taken aback. When had this son ever dared to look him in the eye and speak so boldly?

Jiang Zhensheng then shouted angrily, “Now you’ve become the laughingstock of Yunyang County, yet you still speak so shamelessly?”

Jiang Han raised his brows slightly, unfazed. “As the saying goes, better to fool an old man with a white beard than to underestimate a poor youth. One day the dragon will pierce the phoenix; I don’t believe a lifetime of poverty. Thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west—how can it be certain I’ll be poor forever? Let them laugh!”

Perhaps because Jiang Han’s words were so surprising, Jiang Zhensheng found himself at a loss for a retort. He opened his mouth but only managed an angry snort: “Shameless!”

With that, he turned and left.

Jiang Han raised an eyebrow. “Father, wait... I’m planning to go into the perfume business. Would you help me advertise?”

As head of the Dark Fragrance Academy, his endorsement would be quite valuable.

Hearing this, Jiang Zhensheng felt nothing but disappointment and left the courtyard without a word.

Perfume? Who in Luoyang could rival the renowned Mianxiang Workshop? And are you even cut out for business?

Such wild dreams—it was truly no wonder he was his son.

“If you can sell even one tael of silver worth, then you’ll be my father from now on!” Jiang Zhensheng spat this out in anger, perhaps in utter despair.

Jiang Han was momentarily stunned. That wouldn’t be necessary, would it? He had no intention of overthrowing the natural order.

Jiang Zhensheng stepped out of the courtyard, his face gloomy. He thought, I am a clever man, my students have passed exams, so why can’t my own son even pass the initial tests?

Just then, he saw two young women walking toward the courtyard, passing him by.

Jiang Zhensheng didn’t think much at first, but then suddenly stopped, face full of astonishment.

Wait... weren’t those two girls the distinguished guests from the literary gathering at Cuiyun Garden?

One of them was Meng Hongchang, the foremost dancer of Dayu!

Why were they coming here?

Jiang Zhensheng turned his head to watch them enter the courtyard, his expression doubtful. He wasn’t sure if he had seen correctly.

If he hadn’t, how could Meng Hongchang have stepped into this courtyard?

Meng Hongchang was not only a dancer; her swordsmanship and sword-dance were famous throughout Dayu. Even Zhongli You had praised her: “The sword-dance astonishes all directions; in its stillness, rivers and seas bow.”

Jiang Zhensheng stood there for a while but ultimately did not follow them inside. Instead, he left, full of suspicion.

Inside the courtyard, Jiang Han looked at the graceful young woman approaching and paused, then frowned.

“Miss... we don’t accept returns without reason within seven days here!”