Chapter 115: The Wise Adapt to Circumstances

Before Lu Xingchuan could speak, Che Lang cupped his hands toward Cheng Dingbang and said, "Fourth Young Master Cheng, you may not be aware, but your third brother spoke quite insolently just now, which is why Brother Zhou Zhixian took it upon himself to teach him a lesson. You could say your third brother brought it upon himself."

"Third Young Master Cheng, we are all scholars, and you are known as the 'Child Prodigy of Qingdu,' a man of letters and reason. Since your third brother suffered no actual injury, why not let this matter rest for the sake of my humble self, Che Lang?"

Che Lang spoke with such nonchalance that no one present expected Cheng Dingbang to agree. They secretly thought, *Let it rest? He is a scholar from the household of the renowned Cheng the Scholar; is he really that docile?*

However, to everyone’s utter astonishment, Cheng Dingbang replied without a moment’s hesitation, "That is exactly what I wanted to hear from you, Brother Che. Very well! For your sake, I shall not make things difficult for that boy Zhou Zhi today!"

Fan Jin and the others could barely stifle their laughter upon hearing this. Is this the extent of Cheng Dingbang’s wit? To let it go just like that? Amazing, truly amazing. A prodigy is a prodigy indeed—so magnanimous, such a broad mind!

Having said his piece, Cheng Dingbang did not linger and turned to leave.

Cheng Dingye, who had been standing there blankly, had expected his fourth brother to stand up for him. He was left completely baffled, watching his brother retreat in such a lackluster fashion. With no other choice, he hurried after him on his short legs. Once outside, he asked urgently, "Fourth brother, is... is that really all there is to it?"

Cheng Dingbang smiled faintly. "Yes, that is all for today. Did you see who was sitting at the table with Zhou Zhi? Wei Haogu and Fan Jin go without saying; those two are useless wretches, and I naturally fear them not. But Che Lang and Lu Xingchuan are different. You may not know the influence behind Lu Xingchuan, and it is not my place to say. As for Che Lang, we are both students of Teacher Qu, and we have always been at odds. Yet, the old gentleman is very fond of him; if Che Lang were to speak ill of me in front of him, I would find it difficult to handle."

"This is called enduring a moment of spite for the sake of peace; he who understands the times is a hero."

Having said this, Cheng Dingbang chuckled with self-satisfied cleverness. Then, his expression turned icy, and he said in a sinister tone, "Do not worry, Third Brother. It was Zhou Zhi who struck you, and I certainly will not let him off. Heh! In a couple of days, I shall show that boy the true extent of my power!"

Cheng Dingye immediately smiled with admiration. "Fourth brother is wise. We cannot make enemies of everyone, but as for Zhou Zhi, he must be dealt with properly."

"Heh! Exactly!" Cheng Dingbang laughed.

The two brothers climbed into their carriage, whispering, and departed.

Inside the tavern, Zhou Zhi and his companions had already risen, and Zhou Zhi naturally moved to settle the bill. The tavern owner, Lady Li, and her daughter, Li Zhenzhen, were so overcome with gratitude that they refused to accept his money. Li Zhenzhen even knelt to thank him, adamantly refusing payment. Finding himself with no choice, Zhou Zhi finally relented.

Not only did they refuse Zhou Zhi’s money, but they also waived the bill for Liu Hui’s table.

Lady Li said, "Today, the Cheng family has officially divorced my daughter, which is a relief for me. We no longer wish to stay in Zhao Village. In a few days, we shall leave for Jiangnan to seek refuge with my daughter’s uncle! We have saved enough money over the years; it will be good to live a peaceful life in Jiangnan."

The group exchanged a few final words with Lady Li and left the tavern.

As soon as they were outside, Fan Jin chuckled, "The great scholar Cheng Ke is a man of profound learning and worldly wisdom, quite a shrewd individual. Heh! His two sons are certainly something else."

The implication was clear: his words were dripping with sarcasm regarding the performance of Cheng Dingye and Cheng Dingbang. Indeed, one was a fool and the other a simpleton—it was quite a spectacle.

Che Lang, however, wore a serious expression. "Though Cheng Dingbang’s handling of the situation was slightly lacking, his actions today should not be underestimated. This man clearly harbors ulterior motives. He will certainly hold a grudge against Brother Zhou Zhi and will surely seek revenge."

Zhou Zhi nodded slightly. He had realized that despite Cheng Dingbang’s words, he would not let the matter rest. However, Zhou Zhi remained calm. Having offended the Cheng family, he would simply have to deal with whatever came next. He would take it one step at a time.

Outside Zhao Village, the five parted ways, each returning home.

Zhou Zhi planned to head to the Qingdu county seat the next day to find Qu Renbin. Since Qu Renbin had expressed a desire to meet him, it was an incredibly fortunate opportunity. If he could receive even a little personal guidance from the old scholar on writing the eight-legged essay, it would be of immense benefit.

Though the county seat was only sixty or seventy *li* from Bailuo Village, a round trip would take at least two days.

When his mother, Mrs. Zhou, heard that he was going to Qingdu, she couldn't help but worry. She repeatedly urged him, "Though you are grown, you have never traveled so far. Be careful on the road and take good care of yourself."

In the Ming Dynasty, sixty or seventy *li*, especially for those from the remote Bailuo Village, was considered a long journey. Her concern was only natural; a mother always worries when her son travels far from home.

His father, Zhou Tie, however, felt differently. Upon learning that Zhou Zhi was going to seek knowledge from Mr. Qu Renbin, he was overjoyed. Though he did not know who Qu Renbin was, the title of "County Academy Instructor" was enough to fill him with pride. In his eyes, Zhou Zhi was now truly a scholar, and to be recognized by the county’s instructor was a great honor for the Zhou family.

At dinner, his mother and sister, Zhou Luyun, prepared two extra meat dishes to see him off. The family enjoyed a harmonious meal, and Zhou Zhi returned to his room to rest.

The night passed without incident. At the first light of dawn, Zhou Zhi set out with a simple pack on his back.

He followed the official road north from Bailuo Village toward Gaochang Town, then passed through the town, heading northeast toward the Qingdu county seat.

Zhou Zhi felt very excited. He was finally going to the county seat. Since his transmigration, he had been cooped up in the small, stifling confines of Bailuo Village. The world outside was vast; only by traveling further and meeting more people could he truly grow.

Because of the recent incessant rains, the roads were muddy and difficult to traverse. Zhou Zhi had been walking for over two hours and had only covered twenty *li* past Gaochang Town.

The sun was scorching by now, and beads of sweat covered his face. He wiped his brow and looked ahead. The villages were sparse, and in the distance, he saw a river.

He had heard Che Lang mention that due to the exceptionally heavy rainfall this year, the Ma Family River, which had been dry for many years, was now full. Since the river had been dry for so long, the old bridges had been dismantled. To reach the county seat, one had to take a ferry.

The river looked close, yet it took another ten *li* of walking before he stood on its banks.

Looking out, the river was not particularly wide, perhaps three or four hundred meters.

Now that the Ma Family River had water, the villagers along the bank had found a way to make a living. They moored boats to ferry travelers across, earning a decent income each day.

A small boat was moored by the bank, and the boatman, seeing Zhou Zhi, greeted him with a smile, "Young master, are you looking to cross? Come aboard! There is already one passenger; now that there are two, I can take you across!"

Zhou Zhi stepped onto the boat, and as he did, he looked up to see a handsome young man staring at him in astonishment. His heart began to beat wildly.