The Zhang family had originally been a modestly wealthy merchant household in the prefectural city, selling silk and cloth garments there.
Even the cloth trade in the towns and villages outside the prefectural city had a Zhang family presence.
Half a year ago, when the Zhang family's eldest son, Zhang Fusheng, took the prefectural examination, he seized first place in one stroke and became a scholar of Mirror Platform Prefecture.
This brought the Zhang family boundless glory for a time, but they did not know that this very matter had also brought down a monstrous calamity upon them.
For among those taking the prefectural examination was Xiao Chenliang, the third son of Mirror Platform Prefecture's prefect.
Before the prefectural examination had even begun that day, Xiao Chenliang had already sent people to warn every candidate.
This time, only he was qualified to become Mirror Platform Prefecture's scholar.
Whoever dared defy his command would have only one road ahead—death.
The outcome was easy to imagine. Less than half a year after Zhang Fusheng earned his scholar title, his family had already been destroyed and its people scattered.
Of course, that was only one reason. Another reason was the Zhang Family's Daughter, Zhang Yingxue.
It was said that Xiao Chenliang had once taken a liking to Zhang Yingxue and wished to take her as a concubine, but Zhang Yingxue rejected him.
Zhang Yingxue had even bluntly declared that she already had someone she loved: Wei Zhize, the young master of the Wei Family, who had grown up with her as childhood sweethearts.
Yet after Xiao Chenliang made his declaration, every member of the Wei Family unexpectedly left the prefectural city.
Wei Zhize, the beloved man Zhang Yingxue had been waiting for, did not even leave behind a single word before vanishing without