"Are you okay?" Xing Yuanzhi's anxious voice came into his ears.
Cheng Jinyang slowly regained consciousness, only to find himself sitting on a chair against the wall, with a warm towel on his forehead.
Xing Yuanzhi was squatting in front of him, looking at him anxiously.
"I'm fine," he struggled to sit up, "I just..."
"Are you experiencing hallucinations again?" Xing Yuanzhi frowned.
Through the communication with Doctors Wu Quemei and Zhou Xingzhi earlier, she had a general idea of Cheng Jinyang's mental condition, mainly the fixed nightmares every night and the occasional hallucinations 2-3 times a week.
They were harmless but annoying because they could occur at any time.
"Never mind, let me take you home to rest first," she hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll go to the appointment by myself."
"It's okay, I'll accompany you," Cheng Jinyang stood up, rubbing his face, "hallucinations, once they occur, won't happen again for the next few hours."
"Are you really okay?" Xing Yuanzhi asked seriously, "Don't force yourself. I can go alone."
"Haha, but I'm your fiancé," Cheng Jinyang replied with a smile, "how can I leave you alone at a time like this?"
"I don't think being stubborn is cool. Smart men should know their limits," Xing Yuanzhi sighed, "but I don't know your physical condition exactly, so if you really want to come with me... um, it's up to you to decide."
The two tidied up and prepared to leave the training ground.
"This time we're going to meet Wang Xinzhi, the direct descendant of the Wang family in Taiyuan, and his sister Wang Wanrou."
"Don't be too nervous. People from such prestigious families generally observe etiquette and won't embarrass you in public or make you lose face. Of course, they will have their opinions of you behind your back."
"You don't need to care about their opinions. In the aristocratic system, supernatural ability is everything. If you can reach the fifth rank, regardless of any prejudices the Cheng family had against you before, they'll immediately include you in the inner circle of the family's power. And if you reach the fourth rank, the Wang family will regard you highly and treat you with respect."
"What if one reaches the third rank?" Cheng Jinyang asked.
Xing Yuanzhi fell silent for a moment.
"If you reach the third rank, then in this world, you can do whatever you want," she said in a low voice. "Even overthrowing the emperor would be possible."
"Hey, keep your voice down!" Cheng Jinyang hurriedly said.
In this world, there are not only the Jin Yi Wei (Embroidered Uniform Guard) but also the Dongchang and Xichang, all established by the predecessors of transmigrators, Sima Yi. If we were to be overheard by these imperial watchdogs, we would be in big trouble.
"There's no need to be so afraid," Xing Yuanzhi said with a light laugh, seeing his nervous expression. "The Sima family and the like are mostly cold-blooded and ruthless, only seeking profit. Whenever they use their leverage, they calculate whether it's 'worth it'."
"For us aristocratic descendants, saying a few bad things about him in private, causing the emperor a little loss of reputation, still wouldn't outweigh the cost of him using the Jin Yi Wei to arrest us. The emperor wouldn't engage in such a losing business."
"Even if they're concerned about the reputation of the aristocratic families and don't arrest us, they might still keep a record of us..." Cheng Jinyang expressed his concern.
"Of course," Xing Yuanzhi smiled, "Every descendant from a prestigious family, even if they fall into humble circumstances, will have records within three generations."
"But you see, as a member of the aristocratic faction, the more you speak ill of the emperor, the safer you'll be, understand?"
She raised a finger to her lips, indicating "those who understand, understand; those who don't need not ask anymore," then lowered her veil and continued walking.
Cheng Jinyang pondered for a moment, but soon understood.
Xing Yuanzhi was hinting at the current situation in Jiankang City, where the upper echelons are not just evenly matched but also at odds with each other.
It's a clash of titans.
...
The tallest building in Jiankang City is the Star-Picking Tower, standing at 1380 meters tall with 270 floors.
The top 90 floors are occupied by the military, while the lower 180 floors form the bustling commercial area. The 180th floor houses an upscale restaurant, which has ironically become a favored spot for wealthy families despite its high prices.
In one of the private rooms, Wang Xinzhi, around 20 years old, sits dressed in casual attire, exuding an air of confidence and talent. Sitting beside him is his younger sister, Wang Wanrou, appearing to be around 16 or 17 years old, with a gentle and graceful demeanor, possessing exquisite facial features that even rival those of Xing Yuanzhi.
However, the icy demeanor of our Ah Zhi surpasses her by far! Ahem, I'm digressing.
What catched Cheng Jinyang's extra attention is Wang Wanrou's hairstyle – a single ponytail wrapped around her neck, cascading down over her right chest. This hairstyle complements her gentle and approachable demeanor, but in the realm of classic anime, it's often associated with married women, who usually meet unfortunate fates soon after adopting it.
Perhaps staring at this "deathly hairstyle" for too long, Cheng Jinyang suddenly felt a weight on his body.
It's Ah Zhi's Quality-Gravity Technique, reminding him to quickly avert his gaze and not be rude.
Cheng Jinyang hastily sat up straight, keeping his eyes forward.
Wang Wanrou merely blinked, accustomed to being the center of attention with her exquisite beauty.
But this guy kept staring at her chest (actually, at the ponytail in front of her chest), which is a bit impolite.
Wang Xinzhi smiled as he greeted Xing Yuanzhi, "Yuanzhi is here."
Then he looked at Cheng Jinyang and asked, "Is this your fiancé?"
"Yes," Xing Yuanzhi smiled and replied, "Cheng Jinyang."
He's indeed from the prestigious Cheng family in the capital. After all, the Cheng and Xing families are closely related; it seems I have no hope.
Wang Xinzhi sighed inwardly, 'Well, I'll just give up here.'
He extended his hand with a slight bow to greet Cheng Jinyang.
Cheng Jinyang hurriedly returned the gesture. In this world, bowing is similar to shaking hands on Earth; it's very simple, just clasping hands in front of the chest and bowing slightly.
"Is Jinyang still a student? Where is he studying?" After the four of them were seated, Wang Xinzhi briefly introduced himself and his sister, then casually inquired.
"Qinhuai Middle School," Cheng Jinyang replied.
"What a coincidence, my sister also attends Qinhuai Middle School." Wang Xinzhi was somewhat surprised.
"I didn't expect us to be schoolmates." Wang Wanrou smiled charmingly, "Perhaps we've met before."
"Wanrou, you should still be in the tenth grade, right?" Cheng Jinyang asked.
"Tenth-grade, class ten," Wang Wanrou replied.
"My Jinyang is in the twelfth-grade, class three; he can take care of Wanrou since she's his junior sister," Xing Yuanzhi took over the conversation, saying casually.
"Is it okay, senior?" Wang Wanrou asked with a smile.
"Of course," Cheng Jinyang naturally agreed.
The atmosphere around them suddenly changed.
Xing Yuanzhi was slightly stunned, while Wang Xinzhi showed a serious expression, frowning as he reprimanded, "Wanrou!"
"Oh, senior, do you not know about the unique bloodline of our Wang family?" Wang Wanrou didn't respond to her brother, but rather asked Cheng Jinyang in curiosity.
"What is the unique bloodline of the Wang family?" Cheng Jinyang asked curiously.
"It's the 'Mind Steel Seal,'" Wang Wanrou said with a smile. "It's a demand proposed by our Wang family. Once you agree, a seal will be placed in your mind. For the rest of your life, you will spontaneously fulfill this demand without any possibility of going back on it."
Cheng Jinyang was also stunned, thinking, "'Does this mean I'll have to 'take care of her' in the future? But what exactly does 'taking care of her' entail...'"
As his thoughts raced, he heard Wang Wanrou chuckle again, saying, "However, I didn't activate the ability just now."
The atmosphere around them eased once more. Xing Yuanzhi visibly relaxed, while Wang Xinzhi immediately explained, "If the Mind Steel Seal is successfully activated, you will have a very clear perception, as if you've signed an absolutely unbreakable agreement and are subject to extremely strict mental constraints. If you don't perceive anything, it means the Mind Steel Seal hasn't been placed. This information is publicly available from our Wang family; you can look it up online."
Then he turned to Wang Wanrou and said sternly, "Even if you don't activate the Mind Steel Seal, descendants of the Wang family should not casually make demands of others! Have you forgotten our family rules? Apologize to him immediately!"
"I'm sorry, senior." Wang Wanrou stood up and solemnly apologized, bowing her head to him. "I shouldn't have jokingly made a demand of you. Please forgive me."
"Um." Cheng Jinyang nodded and smiled to defuse the situation, "It's okay, after all, the junior sister was just joking, right?"
"Jinyang, whether you accept it or not is your business," Wang Xinzhi said solemnly, "but Wanrou must formally respond to this offense, this is the tradition of our Wang family in Taiyuan, it cannot be taken lightly."
With that, he turned his head again and instructed, "Wanrou, you will accompany the two back later, and bring gifts to apologize in person in a few days."
"Okay, elder brother," Wang Wanrou replied obediently.
This is a bit too much... Cheng Jinyang thought to himself, gaining a whole new understanding of the arrogance and self-importance of these aristocratic children.