It's all ruined, who cares about the chastity arch

Now, although those painful memories are as distant as a dream, they are still vivid and clear to the point of taking my breath away.

Su Wanyu slowly walked to Zheng Chengyan's bedside. Her voice was as cold as the biting winter wind: "Husband, you fell ill after returning from the imperial examination. What happened there?"

There was concern in her words, but also a hint of vigilance.

Zheng Chengyan didn't want to show his weakness in front of her, so he coughed a few times to cover it up: "It's nothing serious, I just caught a cold in the Imperial Examination Hall, I will be well soon."

His voice sounded much weaker than usual.

However, Su Wanyu was not easily fooled. Her tone became even colder, and there seemed to be a hint of chill that could not be ignored: "On my way back, I heard people talking about how the topic of this examination was changed at the last minute. It seemed that there were some unknown twists and turns behind it."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Chengyan suddenly opened his eyes, his face turned ashen in an instant, and he clutched the corner of the quilt tightly with both hands. The turbulent waves in his heart almost broke through his forced calmness. He tried hard to restrain himself and not let his emotions get out of control.

Su Wanyu did not stop asking questions and continued, "I also heard that the test questions before the exam were suspected to have been leaked by someone inside the court. Your Majesty attaches great importance to this matter and is making every effort to investigate it thoroughly."

Hearing this, Zheng Chengyan couldn't help but increase the strength of his hands, and the corner of the quilt was wrinkled in his hands.

"Some people even privately said that His Majesty was furious about this matter. Once it is confirmed that cheating has occurred, the participants will be exiled to the remote Nanrong and will not be allowed to return to Beijing for life."

Su Wanyu's voice floated gently in the air, with a barely perceptible worry: "My husband, who do you think is so bold as to do something under the nose of His Majesty?"

Zheng Chengyan had his back to her, his fingers turning slightly white from exerting too much force, his lower lip was tightly bitten, he endured the double pain of body and mind, not letting any moan leak out.

Even so, the slight vibration of the quilt did not escape Su Wanyu's keen observation. She asked softly, "Husband, did everything go well in the recent exam?"

Zheng Chengyan's body stiffened for a moment, then he spoke slowly, each word seeming to be carefully considered: "Whether it is happy or sad, everything will be revealed on the day of the announcement."

There was helplessness but also some determination in his voice.

Facing her husband's answer, Su Wanyu smiled, her smile was warm and encouraging: "Then I will wait for good news, hoping that my husband can pass the imperial examination and embark on the journey of the palace examination again."

Zheng Chengyan frowned and clenched his teeth, as if he was making some important decision.

Finally, he suddenly lifted the quilt covering his body, looked directly into Su Wanyu's eyes, and said with some uncertainty in his voice: "Wanyu, you...are you still resentful of me?"

Faced with this sudden question, Su Wanyu was slightly stunned, but she quickly shook her head, her eyes gentle but firm: "No, I don't hate you."

Her words were simple and direct, yet they seemed to have the power to heal all wounds.

However, the resentment in my heart grew like weeds, with deep roots and difficult to uproot.

She wove all her frustration and unwillingness into the deepest part of her soul, not letting anyone see its mottled traces.

Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, this emotion would surge in like a tide, gnawing at her heart, but she could only bear it alone in silence.

Today, the coldness on Su Wanyu's face seemed to have melted a little. Zheng Chengyan seemed to have caught this subtle change and quickly seized the opportunity to whisper in an almost pleading tone: "Wanyu, can we put aside the past and start over?"

"My husband, even if times have changed, you are still my husband. How can we start over again?"

Su Wanyu's words revealed a hint of helplessness. Then, she slowly took out a piece of paper with obvious creases from her bosom. Her voice was distant and a little cold, "However, there is something I must explain to you. I recently met a man named Fang Rongze in the mansion."

"He gave me this piece of paper, which actually contains the questions for the upcoming exam. In this case, is my husband also involved in the scandal of leaking the exam questions?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze instantly.

Zheng Chengyan originally thought that Su Wanyu had regretted it, but he didn't expect her to say such shocking words. The fear on his face was clearly visible, and even his voice trembled unconsciously: "Wanyu, what do you mean?"

Su Wanyu lowered her head, her eyes fixed on the note, with a faint but meaningful smile on the corner of her lips: "The palace is currently investigating this matter. If I report this as evidence, what kind of situation will the Zheng family face? Husband, have you ever thought about it?"

Zheng Chengyan was struck by lightning when he heard this. He faltered and stared at his wife, who was once so tender and affectionate but now seemed so strange to him. "Wanyu, how could it come to this?"

Su Wanyu's eyes were as sharp as a blade, piercing straight into his eyes: "Husband, do you still remember what I asked you a few months ago?"

"what's up?"

Zheng Chengyan asked anxiously, with a hint of panic in his tone.

Su Wanyu lightly swept across the scattered ink on the table, and every movement seemed to carry a heavy weight: "Discussion of divorce."

Zheng Chengyan's face was pale and he looked panicked: "Wanyu, I know I was wrong. Regarding the matter of Zhang Yingying, I was confused for a moment and my heart was blinded, but in my heart, there is only you."

Su Wanyu lowered her eyes slightly. The note in her hand seemed to be her only support. The sneer on her lips became colder and colder. "But haven't you always disliked my family of merchants?"

Zheng Chengyan did not refute, but admitted sadly: "It is true that your family background is not prominent, but Wanyu, even so, my feelings for you are by no means false."

"How much is your so-called true love worth?"

Su Wanyu responded sarcastically, every word piercing her heart.

True love, what is true love?

In the past, she never asked for the purest and most genuine emotions in the world, but only hoped that the couple could respect each other and spend ordinary years together.

However, this humble wish ultimately resulted in endless pain and heartbreak.

"Is it worth nothing, or can it only be sold for two coppers?"

Su Wanyu's voice was as cold as ice, and every word she spoke was like a sharp blade, cutting the air and also cutting people's hearts.

Zheng Chengyan couldn't help but take two steps back after hearing this. He pointed at her with anger and humiliation and almost yelled, "As expected, businessmen only care about profit and have no loyalty or affection at all!"

"I am sincere to you, but you treat me like a piece of trash. Su Wanyu, who do you think you are?"