Tang Dynasty Little Godfather

Chapter 171 The deeper the love, the deeper the hate

"A delicacy of unparalleled freshness?"

Huangfu Sengnian and Li Jieman both said in unison.

Wang Xi nodded and then told the three of them about the Bai family.

"No wonder."

Huangfu Sengnian nodded.

Wang Shuang asked curiously, "No wonder what?"

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Actually, I've always felt that the Bai family father and daughter are a bit strange, especially Bai Siyong. She really doesn't look like a businessman; she looks more like a scholar."

Then he said to Wang Xi, "But Que-ge'er, this is a family matter, and outsiders should not interfere. Moreover, this kind of thing is always quite troublesome. Even if His Majesty intervenes, it may not be of any use. On the contrary, it may offend the Cui family and bring unnecessary trouble."

Wang Xi said, "I know that, but we have known each other for a while. The key is that the couple has even had a daughter. If they hadn't had a relationship, I wouldn't care."

Li Jieman said, "Brother Que, you already have a little princess and a teacher, but you're still thinking about Xiaobai. Aren't you afraid of overeating three of them?"

Wang Xi chuckled and said, "I'm not afraid."

Huangfu Sengnian asked in surprise, "What? You're still thinking of provoking Xiaobai?"

Wang Xi replied, "If I said no, would you believe me?"

All three shook their heads at the same time.

Wang Xi shrugged and said, "Does it even matter what I say?"

Actually, he was just asking about it. He would help if he could, and do his best if he couldn't. He wouldn't force himself to help if he couldn't. After so many years of marriage based on social class, he wasn't a god and couldn't break through it all by himself.

While they were discussing this matter, Xue Jun and the others outside were also whispering among themselves, but each of them looked troubled.

They were all making grand promises in front of their sisters, but little did they expect that the man would directly refuse.

How am I supposed to explain this when I get back?

As evening fell that day, Xue Jun quietly returned home. After looking around for a moment and seeing that his sister was not there, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

A clear, crisp voice called out, "Xiao Jun."

Xue Jun was startled and looked up to see a beautiful woman in a red robe and boots, with a tall and proud figure, walking out from the side.

"Sister Bao'er."

"Xiao Jun."

Xue Bao'er immediately came over and asked, "How is it? When can my daughter enroll in school?"

"Uh this."

"You didn't forget to say that, did you?"

"No, no, how could I forget what Sister Bao'er told me?" Xue Jun said awkwardly.

Xue Bao'er asked, "Didn't the master agree?"

Xue Jun blinked.

Xue Bao'er asked, "Why didn't you agree, sir? Didn't you say there was no problem?"

"I."

Xue Jun hurriedly said, "Sister Bao'er, it's not that the master didn't agree to your request, but that he didn't agree to anyone else's."

Xue Bao'er frowned and asked, "Why? Those palace courtesans can go, but we can't?"

Xue Jun said awkwardly, "It's because Linglong and the others are of such lowly status that the master is worried that if you go, it will be difficult to make arrangements."

Xue Bao'er snorted, "What kind of logic is this? Aren't you all nobles? You can get along, but we can't?"

Xue Jun scratched his head and said, "Anyway, that's what the master said, and I've done my best."

Xue Bao'er said, "I don't care about that. You promised me, and I've already told the other sisters. You have to do it for me."

"what?"

Imperial College.

"Yang Er, you seem to be in a good mood today?"

Cen Wenzhi, who had just arrived at the academy, saw Yang Zhan humming a tune, completely different from the previous two days, and couldn't help but ask.

Yang Zhan chuckled and said, "Brother Cen saw through me."

Cen Wenzhi asked curiously, "What is the good news? Tell me about it."

Just then, Wu Chongwen and Xu Daoxuan walked over.

"What are you talking about?" Wu Chongwen asked.

Cen Wenzhi hurriedly said, "It seems that Yang Er encountered something happy today."

Wu Chongwen and Xu Daoxuan immediately looked at Yang Zhan.

Yang Zhan glanced at him and said, "Didn't I say before that that brat Yang Hun won over my cousins' hearts with his connection to Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo?"

To my surprise, after watching it, my cousins ​​also wanted to study at the nameless academy like Zhu Yingtai, and even fantasized about meeting Liang Shanbo. It's hilarious!

Yang Hun confidently assured her that he could help her cousin get into school, but to her surprise, the nameless old man refused without hesitation, leaving my cousin so angry that she couldn't sleep all night. Haha.

As he continued, Yang Zhan couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Cen Wenzhi nodded and said, "Indeed! Ever since everyone read Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, many noble ladies have wanted to study at the academy. However, our Imperial Academy will not accept them. At present, the only academy that accepts women is the nameless academy."

Yang Zhan chuckled and said, "That's the most infuriating part. My cousin thinks that Wuming Academy accepts even palace prostitutes but doesn't want them, which implies that they are not even as good as palace prostitutes."

As the group chatted animatedly, they suddenly noticed Wu Chongwen lost in thought. Yang Zhan, seeing this, asked, "Brother Wu, what are you thinking about?"

Wu Chongwen was taken aback. "Perhaps we can use this to ruin that nameless man's reputation."

Yang Zhan hurriedly asked, "Brother Wu, what brilliant plan do you have?"

Wu Chongwen said, "Think about it, the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is clearly an implicit encouragement for women to go to school."

But the truth is that he himself does not accept women as disciples. The female students of the nameless academy are sent by the Ministry of Rites, not taken in by the nameless old man.

What else could this be but the act of a despicable person, a fraudulent attempt to gain fame and fortune?

Yang Zhan pondered for a moment, "I think it's feasible. They can win the favor of many women with this opera. We can use this to sow discord between them."

Xu Daoxuan said somewhat nervously, "Let's skip it. We haven't gained any advantage in the past. Besides, if we say that, Wuming Academy will take the opportunity to recruit these young ladies, wouldn't that be doing them a huge favor?"

We've already learned our lesson several times; we can't keep forgetting the mistakes we made!

Wu Chongwen countered, "Then tell me, why is the nameless old man unwilling to accept it now?"

Xu Daoxuan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Why do you think that is?"

Yang Zhan immediately said, "I know about this. It's because all the female students at Wuming Academy are palace prostitutes. Even Hongxiu is from Pingkangfang. With my cousin's personality, if she went there, would she listen to them? She might even slap them a couple of times." Wu Chongwen smiled and nodded, "That's exactly right. Besides, my father told me before that he would no longer interfere with our grudges with Wang Xiaoque and the others."

Cen Wenzhi said, "Then why did you still do it?"

Wu Chongwen laughed and said, "If my father doesn't interfere, then we can deal with them however we want."

An unnamed academy.

"Sparrow."

Cui Gu'er approached Wang Xi and said, "I've already inquired about it for you these past two days."

"How is it?" Wang Xi asked anxiously.

Orphan Cui shook his head and said, "No chance."

Wang Xi asked, "Why?"

Cui Gu'er said, "My father said that although some people in both the Boling Cui clan and the Qinghe Cui clan have made money through marriage and social status, they are all distant branches. But the branch you mentioned is extraordinary. They have produced four prime ministers and more than a dozen governors from the Northern Wei to the Kaiyuan era. They have never married into any poor families."

Wang Xi frowned and asked, "Is there really no way at all?"

"no!"

Cui Gu'er shook his head. "Not only that, but when my father found out that it was you who asked me for help, he specifically told me to tell you not to get involved in this matter, lest you get into trouble. Even if His Majesty intervenes, it will be impossible, and it may even affect the relationship between your Taiyuan Wang family and the Cui family, causing trouble for your father and mother."

In fact, neither Emperor Gaozong nor Empress Wu Zetian restricted intermarriage among the five surnames and seven noble families, but they did not force them to marry into families of humble origins.

Wang Xi nodded and said, "I understand."

Since Cui Gu'er has said so, Wang Xi will not force him. However, he is now worried about the Bai family father and daughter. Can one million coins really solve the problem?

Just then, Huangfu Sengnian suddenly walked over and asked, "Are you talking about the Cui family of Zhengzhou?"

Wang Xi nodded. "But it's hopeless."

Huangfu Sengnian was not surprised at all. "I told you, never get involved in this kind of thing."

He paused, then added, "Besides, we don't have time to deal with this for the time being."

Wang Xi looked at Huangfu Sengnian with a puzzled expression.

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Suddenly, many opinions have emerged outside, criticizing you for deceiving the world, seeking fame and fortune, and having only an empty reputation."

Wang Xi asked, "What's going on?"

"It's about women's education."

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Some people say that when you wrote the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, you were obviously using the fact that women were studying to win their favor. But when those women wanted to study at the nameless academy, they were rejected by you. Therefore, they criticized you for being all show and no substance and deceiving the world."

Wang Xi snorted, "What nonsense are they talking about? Our academy is the first academy to officially admit female students."

Huangfu Sengnian said, "But don't forget, Linglong and the others were all sent by the Ministry of Rites. They weren't recruited by us. We have never recruited female students from outside."

Wang Xi frowned and said suspiciously, "This is rather sudden!"

Huangfu Sengnian laughed and said, "No need to guess, it was Wu Chongwen and his gang who did this."

Wang Xi said, "I didn't expect them to dare to provoke us. It seems we haven't taught them a lesson enough!"

The orphan Cui asked anxiously, "How should we deal with this?"

Wang Xi glanced at Cui Gu'er and asked, "When you told your cousin that our academy wouldn't accept them, what was your cousin's reaction?"

Cui Gu'er said, "Of course I was very unhappy and resentful. I thought that the master was implying that they were not even as good as palace prostitutes, and he gave me a good scolding."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xi's brows furrowed even more, and he said, "We still need to consult the master about this matter first."

Huangfu Sengnian nodded.

They said they were going to consult a teacher, but in reality, it was a secret discussion among the four senior brothers.

Back hall.

Upon hearing that Wu Chongwen and the others were up to no good again, Li Jieman angrily said, "This is outrageous! How dare they be so presumptuous? Haven't they suffered enough before?"

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Our grudges with them are only getting deeper and deeper, and I'm afraid they won't end anytime soon. Moreover..."

He paused for a moment, then sighed, "This matter may be a bit tricky. If it is not handled properly, it will inevitably have endless consequences and may even affect our charity performance."

Wang Shuang asked, "Is it that serious?"

Huangfu Sengnian nodded and said, "In the end, saying one thing and doing another is the behavior of a petty person, and will be despised by others, especially since Lao Tao is now a teacher."

Wang Shuang scoffed, "That's just a story, how can you take it seriously?"

Huangfu Sengnian said, "You can't say it like that. Since the story is written this way, it means that you sympathize with Zhu Yingtai and support women going to school."

This is why many women previously admired the gentleman, but now they fear that their love may turn into hatred, thus affecting our charity performance.

Li Jieman was also startled, "Is it that serious?"

Huangfu Sengnian nodded and said, "Because this will hurt those audience members who originally supported the opera. If I were Wu Chongwen and the others, I would wait for the next charity performance and go to cause trouble. At that time, we would not be able to give a reason, and the audience members present would definitely stand on their side."

Li Jie frowned and asked Wang Xi, "Brother Que, what should we do?"

After so many rounds, the four of them gradually developed a tacit understanding, each fulfilling their respective roles: Huangfu Sengnian was responsible for analysis, Wang Xi offered suggestions, and Li Jieman and Wang Shuang were responsible for doing the work.

“Monk Nian is right. We cannot be careless about this matter. If we do not handle it properly, it will really bring us endless trouble.”

Wang Xi pondered for a while and said, "Isn't the theme of Liang Shanbo about the poor and the noble? Why doesn't anyone mention this?"

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Why is no one mentioning it? It's just that discussions about social status and marriage have never stopped, and everyone is used to it."

Wang Xi then asked, "If it's a choice between two options, should we offend the social class or the woman?"

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Are you trying to confuse the topic by mentioning social status and marriage?"

Wang Xi said, "Actually, these two things are related. The reason we refused Sister Cui and the others was because of the difference in social status. When we face a situation, we must consider both things together."

Li Jieman said, "Of course it's better to offend women. As for our social standing, we are a prominent family, and we can't afford to undermine ourselves."

Huangfu Sengnian said, “That is not right. Many people are dissatisfied with social status nowadays and consider it a bad habit. Even the court holds this attitude. Therefore, even if we say that social status is bad, no one will care too much.”

But women are not to be trifled with, especially since they nowadays greatly admire our traditional opera.

"I think so too."

Wang Xi nodded slightly and said, "But we can't say it like that. Since you admire Taoism, we must explain it from the perspective of Taoist thought. In this way, we might be able to promote Taoism."

Li Jieman asked in surprise, "How can this be related to Taoism?"

"Of course."

Wang Xi said, "The words of sages have always been ambiguous. If you take specific things and apply them to the text, you can always find a reason for it."

(End of this chapter)