TRHC

Chapter 01

"Young master, it's time to prepare. The horse carriage that Laoye sent has already await at the entrance." Chunyu's eyes were red, didn't know how many times she cried last night, but looking at her young master's appearance now she couldn't help but feel sad.

"Mother, this child is unfilial, this child is unfilial."

Get married, and succeed in the imperial civil examination.

This was his mother's expectations of him when she was still alive.

However, Xu Chang An knew that his mother's expectations couldn't be realized in her life because he didn't have the capability to achieve them. But now, he finally had the opportunity to achieve his greatest heart's cherished desire for the past three years.

"Chunyu, let's go ba." Turning his head away, the longing expression was gone, replaced with unhesitating expression once more. Xu Chang An had yet turned his head, the crisp 'gangan' sound of Xu Family's horse carriage arrived to pick him up.

Since three years ago, Xu Chang An's mother had died of illness, and his father had send him away to this manor in a small village to observe his mother's mourning period. For children to observe one's mother's mourning period was in line with the principles of heaven and earth(1). Certainly, Xu Chang An knew why his father sent him away.

His mother's long-term lingering sickness was not because of poor health, but because someone had secretly given prolong tiny portion of poisonous drug in her meals, and when the poison accumulated enough, she died suddenly at night!

It was all because he would participate in the imperial civil examination on that same year, and his former two general examinations were all first places! That woman's son was still young, thus she couldn't withstand that he, in one go would pass brilliantly with San Yuan(2) of this unprecedented Great Xiao Dynasty. Indeed, what a beautiful sight she and her son would be, for not have to turn over in their sleep every day again!

Hence, that cruel woman might as well be cruel to make his mother kick the bucket, and that he would miss the opportunity to participate in the imperial civil examination because of the mourning period.

"Cough, cough!" Even if the matter had already passed for three years, but when he thought of it often, Xu Chang An's state of mind still could be troubled to suppress. How could a cruel woman like that be in this world, and again how could a muddled-headed father like that be partial?

His father was not the mastermind behind the suffering his mother was subjected to over many years, but nevertheless he was an accomplice! With his connivance, his mother as the first wife, lived in the partial courtyard, and he was the legitimate son and heir, but every servants considered the child that the concubine gave birth to as the second young master!

Even more! He discovered his mother's cause of death. That woman's face and plot was revealed, but his father chose to step back and not supporting to avenge his mother or support him to uphold justice. Instead, his father chose to continue to protect her (concubine) from giving herself up. His father even thought of his mother's mourning period as an act to control him to secretly drove him out of the family. At the end, confined him in this small manor at outskirt the city gate.

Father frequently read holy book when growing up, for what reason he (XYN) continually doted on his illegitimate son more? Xu Chang An couldn't understand his father. Xu Chang An could bring honor to the family, could make the wealthy family, rich and influential family in the capital city to see this family advanced higher in one's eyes. But it was impossible for the concubine's son!

"Cough, cough." It was already late autumn and the weather had turned cold. Xu Chang An had a cold for many days now but it was not getting any better. Every morning, now and then he would cough non-stop either from excitement or agitation.