My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!-Chapter 83 - 81: The Truth [Request for Monthly Ticket]

The Han Family was not close to the County Magistrate's Office; naturally, the time taken by carriage or on foot differed.

Li Nuo had returned to the County Magistrate's Office for a long while before County Captain Wang arrived with a group of witnesses.

Since the case had no doubts, County Magistrate Pei merely asked the deceased's neighbors some routine questions, went through the process, and then let them go.

The government office was actually quite busy today, with many citizens queueing outside.

Under the directive of County Magistrate Pei, the officials at the office prioritized the cancellation of Han Zhuo's household registration.

By the time Han Zhuo had finished all his affairs, a carriage was already waiting outside the County Magistrate's Office.

Li Nuo saw him onto the carriage and said again, "Grieve not..."

Han Zhuo's face was sorrowful; he clasped his fists in a hug and his lips moved, but no sound came out.

It seemed he was too heartbroken to speak.

Soon, the carriage started and slowly pulled away from the County Magistrate's Office.

Sitting in the carriage, Han Zhuo didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt the road from the County Magistrate's Office to his home was exceptionally long.

So long that it seemed not much faster than walking back.

Perhaps because his mind was too chaotic, even time seemed to drag on.

After what felt like a long time, the carriage finally stopped at his home.

"Ah Zhuo, you must grieve."

"Your mother did everything for your sake."

"After returning to the academy, you must study hard so as not to fail the sacrifices your mother made..."

"Aunt Zhang's funeral arrangements will be made by us..."

...

Han Zhuo got out of the carriage, and the neighbors once again offered their consolations.

After a while, Han Zhuo entered the yard, shut the gate, leaned against it, and let out a long sigh of relief.

After who knew how long, he stepped forward again, walked through the courtyard, and entered the main hall.

During his time at the County Magistrate's Office, the neighbors had arranged the mourning hall for him.

The coffin was not yet bought, and before the mourning hall stood only a simple wooden bed.

His mother's body lay on the wooden bed, covered by a white cloth.

He knelt on a cushion in front of the mourning hall, looking at the body under the white cloth, his face showing a complex mix of sadness, pain, guilt, and a deeply hidden sense of relief and resignation.

His achievements today owed much to his mother.

She had brought him up, skimping on food and clothes, living frugally her whole life to support his studies, making today's Han Zhuo possible.

Without his mother's sacrifices over the years, he could not have been admitted exceptionally to Qingfeng Academy.

He had also hoped, after achieving success, to enjoy a good life with his mother.

But Qianqian was unwilling.

She was a noble's daughter, unwilling to greet a low-born daily. Her only condition for agreeing to marry him was not to live with his mother.

If they married, Marquis Huaiyang's Mansion would gift him a house.

This house was vast, situated in a bustling area of Chang'an, a luxury he could never afford in ten lifetimes.

Moreover, they would hire the best riding and shooting instructor, the best musician, and provide him the best training in the next six months to help him progress further in the upcoming Imperial Examination.

Being from a poor family, he was decent in the Book Department and Ritual Department and could compensate with his efforts.

However, riding and shooting, and Music, were not subjects a poor student could afford—they were his biggest weaknesses, far inferior to the disciples from wealthy families.

With better training, he could surely attain a higher placement in the Imperial Examination.

A higher placement meant a higher starting point in officialdom; even a half-grade difference could save him years of hard labor.

Moreover, once allied with Marquis Huaiyang's Mansion, even starting as a mere Ninth-rank County Captain, he could rapidly ascend to heights unreachable by others in their lifetimes.

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On the contrary, without noble support, he might linger at the bottom ranks all his life.

This was an opportunity—a chance for him to soar, to bring glory to the Han ancestral graves.

Such an opportunity, if not tightly seized, would never come again in his lifetime.

The academy gathered the brightest from across the land—without Han Zhuo, there would be Zhang Zhuo, Li Zhuo; others always ready to replace him.

Yet, on the surface, Han Zhuo could not abandon his mother. If he really did so, neither the people, the laws, nor the court would tolerate him.

For his future and the Han Family's future, he had to sacrifice his mother.

It was the best solution, satisfying Qianqian without tarnishing his reputation.

When he told his mother of this plan, though she stayed awake all night, by dawn she had agreed.

She would feign a grave illness, not wishing to burden him, and end her own life.

Thus, Han Zhuo would not be implicated, Marquis Huaiyang's Mansion, and Qianqian would be satisfied.

Indeed, the plan was seamless, easily deceiving the Chang'an County Government and the Ministry of Justice.

It could not be called a deception; since his mother was already dead, unless he spoke up, no one would know the truth, not even Qianqian.

This matter, he would bury in his heart, take to the grave.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, it was over...

Just then, a sudden noise caught his attention, Han Zhuo turned his head.

The door that was open abruptly shut itself, startling Han Zhuo.

The next moment, there was noise behind him; turning back, he saw the simple wooden bed covered by the white cloth. His mother's body abruptly sat up, slowly turned her head, and her bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at him.

"Ah!"