Man Tang Huacai

Chapter 605: Noble Disciple
Following the path up Jinping Mountain, there is a treasure land with excellent feng shui, which is the location of Cui family's ancestral tomb.

There are several thatched huts in front of the mountain gate of the tomb chamber. Passing through the small woods behind the huts, one can see the villages and houses lined up at the foot of the mountain, all of which belong to the Cui family.

An old man in a white linen robe was sitting on a rock with his eyes closed. He was the elder of the Cui family, Cui Yu.

Cui Dong finally came over, a little out of breath, and stepped forward to greet him, "Uncle."

He looked down the mountain and realized that he could see the bamboo forest house where they were gathering. If he had a telescope, it would be even clearer.

Thinking of this, Cui Dong turned his eyes and glanced at the old servant serving Cui Yu, and actually saw a long box on the plate next to him.

"The ancestors created karma, and their descendants will bear the consequences. You were born in the Cui family, enjoying the protection of your ancestors, but if you don't cultivate your ancestors' virtues, the remaining protection will end."

"Yes." Cui Dong said, "I will respect your uncle's teachings."

Speaking of Zude, he brought up how Cui Jing used his friends to cover up his mistakes.

After hearing this, Cui Yu said slowly, "I am hard of hearing. I didn't hear clearly who you were talking about just now."

"Ji Ji is my friend."

"You just wrote a poem for Yuan Xiaoshu, right?"

"Yes." Cui Dong replied.

Cui Yu asked, "Then do you know why the Cui family invited Yuan Xueshu?"

Cui Dong said: "I don't know."

"It is to identify your friend Ji Ji." Cui Yu looked at his old servant and said, "Show him the result of Yuan Xiaoshu's identification."

"Here." The old servant took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and unfolded it in front of Cui Dong.

Cui Dong looked and saw the words "Du Wu" written on it.

He couldn't help but ask: "What does this mean?"

Cui Yu asked, "You know Huangfu Ran, but have you not heard of the five candidates who passed the imperial examination?"

"Uncle, are you saying that he is actually the emperor's best friend... Du Wulang?"

"With your intelligence, can't you see it?"

Cui Dong smiled bitterly and said, "I only care about like-minded people when making friends. I have never guessed his identity. If I really knew, I am afraid he would not be friends with me."

"Let me ask you something." Cui Yu raised his hand and pointed to the Luo River in the distance, saying, "Is that Cui's farmland?"

"No."

"Seventy years ago, our ancestor was persecuted by Lai Junchen and sold half of his land. Only after arranging for concessions did Empress Wu go to Jinping Mountain and write the four characters 'Jinping Wonder'. My grandfather said that when Lai Junchen came for the first time, he also sat in that elegant house and remained calm." Cui Yu said slowly: "Can you understand what I am saying?"

"Uncle, are you worried that I'm letting a wolf into your house?" Cui Dong said, "But Du Wulang is definitely not as cruel as Lai Junchen."

Cui Yu sighed and said, "The problem is not Lai Junchen or Du Zhuo, but the emperor standing in the Mingtang has the same feelings as Empress Wu back then."

Cui Dong said: "Then what should I do?"

"The Cui family does not covet power and influence, nor does it try to curry favor with the rich and powerful. Send this Buddha away." Cui Yu said, "Remember, you can give him anything you can afford, so that we will not let each other down."

Cui Dong understood what he meant. Whatever Cui Dong could not afford, the Cui family could not give to Du Wulang.

"Uncle, what about Cui Jing?"

Cui Yu said to the old servant, "Go with Sanshijiulang to investigate. Don't let one or two bad guys appear in the clan."

"Here."

Cui Yu sat there alone. After a while, a servant came over and said, "Alang, the county chief clerk is here."

~~
Du Wulang sat in the elegant house in a daze, his mind full of a mess of thoughts.

Before, Daying Xixi thanked him for his “favor of not killing me”, which made him feel like a saint for a while, but when the same thing happened, he did not change Chunlan’s fate.

To put it bluntly, his fate had nothing to do with him. He was nothing. With or without him, Cui Jing had always been seducing and abandoning the maids.

As he was thinking, Du Wulang looked up again and found a figure outside peeking at him.

He then chased after him and called out to him.

"Yan Fang? It's really you. Come with me."

Du Wulang took a few quick steps, pulled Yan Fang into the bamboo forest, and decided to persuade him again.

Xue Bai is right. To change the world, we must start by abolishing slavery. We can try setting an example first.

Yan Fang was a little afraid of Du Wulang, so he lowered his head and carefully pulled his sleeves back.

"Kichiro-kun."

"Let me ask you, are you really not going to take the test?" Du Wulang asked, "What are you thinking? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"

Yan Fang hesitated and whispered, "I want to tell Mr. Ji that Chunlan was not killed by you. But if I tell you, can you keep it a secret for me?"

"Don't worry, I won't say you told me that."

Yan Fang hesitated for a moment and said, "Chunlan was pushed into the river by someone else."

"Who?"

"It was the Third Steward who pushed it."

Du Wulang was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why did the Third Steward push her into the river?"

"I... don't know." Yan Fang said, "Ji Langjun asked Sanshijiu Lang to arrest San Guanshi and we will know after questioning him."

After saying that, he bowed, turned around and ran away.

Du Wulang wanted to talk about the exam, but he had already run away.

After waiting for a long time, Cui Dong finally saw the elder coming over, and Du Wulang couldn't wait to tell him that it was the third steward who killed the maid. Cui Dong immediately had the third steward arrested and interrogated.

After a lot of trouble, the third manager finally admitted it when he saw that the truth was revealed.

"Yes, I plead guilty. I pushed Chunlan into the river and she drowned."

"Why are you doing this?"

The third steward raised his eyes slightly and glanced in the direction of Cui Jing. He did not dare to confess the real reason, but said: "I wanted Chunlan to be my slave, but that little bitch was very arrogant and refused. I held a grudge and drowned him."

Cui Dong was furious. He stepped forward and kicked the steward to the ground, and ordered, "Send him to the authorities."

The servants rushed over, tied up the third steward and took him away.

Yan Fang stood behind with his head down, watching the scene. Seeing Cui Jing still standing there, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful, fearing that Ji Langjun would expose him.

Du Wulang thought of something, so he followed the Third Steward and said, "Wait, let me ask you something."

"Mr. Ji, please speak." Although the third steward was tied up, he still nodded and bowed.

"Let me ask you, what did you say to Yan Fang when you were in the county office that made him suddenly change his mind?"

"I didn't say anything." The third steward replied simply.

Du Wulang couldn't help feeling disappointed, and then he heard another strange sentence.

"Since ancient times, there has never been a lowly slave taking the imperial examination. Why should Mr. Ji allow him to do what he wants? If you want him, just tell me and I will get him."

"What do you mean?"

Du Wulang was stunned, and then he saw the three managers giving him a flattering look. The lewd look contained in their eyes made him quite uncomfortable.

After the other party was taken away, Du Wulang still didn't realize what that meant.

It was not until he looked at Yan Fang again and found that Yan Fang was avoiding his gaze in fear that he suddenly thought of a possibility.

"No way? He wouldn't think I was..."

~~
Feeling that Mr. Ji was looking at him again, Yan Fang quickly lowered his head and avoided him.

He didn't know what to do.

Before going to the county office, he had thought that he could make a name for himself by following Ji Langjun, but his experience at the county office suddenly woke him up.

In this world where family background is the most important thing, how could a lowly person take the imperial examination? Who is Ji Langjun? How could he possibly accomplish this? Moreover, the questions Ji Langjun asked were nothing like the questions from previous imperial examinations.

Then, why did Jilangjun help him?
It was the third steward who gave Yan Fang the answer.

——"I know you're itching and can't wait to follow Jilang-kun."

When Yan Fang heard this, he turned around and saw Ji Langjun and Cui Dong arm in arm. He immediately understood that the two of them had a homosexual habit, so Cui Dong gave him to Ji Langjun.

This was not the first or second time that he encountered this kind of thing. Cui Jing's friends often played similar jokes on him.

"Hahaha, the Cui family didn't give Forty-Sanlang a maid, but gave him this handsome servant instead. It seems that the elders underestimated Forty-Sanlang."

This is the reality that Yan Fang faces in this life.

He was too naive to believe that others would help him take the imperial examination.

When his dreams were shattered, he finally accepted his fate.

He admitted that he had high expectations but poor skills, and that he was extremely lucky to be Cui Jing's servant. At least Cui Jing was not a homosexual, and being a servant was a respectable job that a lowly servant like them could have.

If it weren't for Chunlan's death, Yan Fang had originally planned to serve Cui Jing as a servant for the rest of his life.

But he still had a trace of unwillingness, he wanted to fight against fate.

Chuntao had told him privately that Chunlan was pushed into the river by the Third Steward. But he knew that Cui Jing had ordered the Third Steward to do it.

Yan Fang thought about it for a long time, and today he came up with a plan, planning to use Cui Dong and Ji Langjun to get rid of the three stewards. He would then join Cui Dong, who had a more promising future, and look for an opportunity to fill the position of steward.

But things didn't seem to go smoothly. At the critical moment, Cui Dong was taken away, and he was targeted by Ji Langjun again.

"Yan Fang."

Yan Fang quickened his pace and tried to escape, but Ji Langjun had already caught up with him and stopped him.

"You changed your mind because you don't believe I can help you. If that's the case, I might as well tell you who I am."

"Ji Langjun, I have no talent."

"My last name is not Ji, but Du. My last name is Du Zhuo, and I am a close friend of the current emperor."

Du Wulang waved his hands, showing a youthful spirit that did not match his age, and said: "I am not lying to you. I can let you pass the exam and get rid of slavery, because we want to promote the imperial examination and abolish slavery!"

Yan Fang was frightened and stood there in a daze, his face turning pale.

Du Wulang said: "Promoting the imperial examination system and abolishing slavery, this is a path that your majesty has personally walked. 'There is no road in the world, but when more people walk on it, it becomes a road'!"

With a "thump", Yan Fang fell to the ground.

He couldn't believe that he was so lucky, but he was so eager to change his fate, like a drowning man grabbing a life-saving straw.

"The heavens have finally opened their eyes and are willing to look after us, the lowly people who live like mosquitoes."

"Can you set another example for the lower classes in the world?" Du Wulang said, "I need to see your talent."

"Okay, I'll take it with me, please have a look at it, sir."

Yan Fang took out a crumpled paper from his bosom with shaking hands and handed it to Du Wulang with both hands. Du Wulang took it excitedly, but after a look, he found that he didn't know whether it was good or bad, so he just muttered: "You need to practice your handwriting more."

Yan Fang swallowed and became even more nervous.

"My dear, I have something to report to you."

"Just say it."

"In fact, it was Cui Jing who ordered the third steward to kill Chunlan." Yan Fang said, "I know that Chunlan is pregnant with Cui Jing's child, and she has been using this to force Cui Jing to take her as a concubine."

Du Wulang frowned and said, "Don't worry, I will not let this master and servant take human life lightly. I will make them pay the price."

~~
Not long after, Du Wulang asked Cui Dong for Yan Fang again, and this time he wanted to take Yan Fang's parents away.

Cui Dong nodded and agreed without saying anything.

This made Du Wulang feel embarrassed.

Cui Dong hesitated, but out of friendship, he still reminded Du Wulang a few words.

"Ji, Brother Ji. I see that you care a lot about these servants, but..."

"Just what?"

"These people have miserable lives and are pitiful. You and I can help them, but don't get too close to them."

"Why?"

Cui Dong said: "They are of humble origins, so it is inevitable that they value money more, and they value profit more than shame. They are disrespectful when you are close to them, and resentful when you are far away from them. It is quite difficult to get along with them. In short, you should know your limits, be grateful for a little and hate for a little."

Du Wulang said: "How can you generalize like that?"

"Ugh."

Cui Dong sighed and told a story from his past.

"In the past, I was like you, quite close to servants. Originally, there was a servant who took care of flowers and plants in my courtyard. I saw that she was gentle and kind, so I rewarded her with more cakes and seasonal fruits. After we got to know each other, I saw that her family was poor, so I asked the kitchen to send some grain, flour, meat and poultry every month. At that time, I was kind-hearted, but I didn't expect her to have other ideas. One time when I was taking a nap, she came into my room. From then on, gradually, she began to ask me for things, from small items like sachets, to gold, silver, jade, and finally, she asked me for a status... But I was just kind-hearted at the beginning."

Du Wulang scratched his head and asked, "What happened next?"

"Mother sent her away." Cui Dong said, "This is a common thing for children from noble families. Those maids are of humble origins and cannot talk about poetry and books with you. They only keep asking for things. Although the Cui family is a big family, I don't want to be treated as a gold mine. When we interact with others, we have to be able to look them in the eye."

After saying that, Cui Dong drank a glass of wine and toasted Du Wulang.

He didn't say anything else, but Du Wulang could feel that after this glass of wine, Cui Dong didn't want to deal with him anymore.

~~
In the field, an old farmer was hunched over and cutting grass.

"Grandma!"

Yan Fang shouted, and ran to the old farmer quickly, saying: "Grandpa, come with me quickly, I have met a noble man, and I am going to take the examination, you should also return to your hometown!"

Old Yuan became anxious when he heard this. He didn't expect his son to be so stubborn and still ambitious to this day, so he scolded his son.

The same curses were used. What about the crops that were planted? How can I repay the Cui family's kindness? How can I pay the rent and labor service that I owe after returning home? How can I make a living in the future?

"Grandpa, I've told you all that the court has a new policy. If you return home, you'll be exempt from rent and labor service, and the land will be redistributed. There will also be a spring seedling loan. All the grain you grow next year will belong to you!"

"Idiot, if I listen to you, a severe drought in one year will wipe out the Yuan family."

"When disaster strikes, the imperial court will provide relief..."

"The imperial court, the imperial court. We are no longer common people of the imperial court. It was not easy for us to become the hereditary servants of the Cui family!"

Seeing that her grandfather was so stubborn, Yan Fang burst into tears again and cursed: "What good is a shitty servant! Have you forgotten how my sister died?!"

Old Yuan was stunned and his body froze.

"If it weren't for your elder sister, would you have become a servant?"

"The Cui family has already given us away. It's written in black and white. This matter has no say for Grandpa! We slaves are just like objects. The master can give us away whoever he wants!"

When Yan Fang shouted, Old Yuan opened his mouth, but had nothing to say.

The wind blew through his wheat fields, and the wheat waves formed layer upon layer, which was very beautiful. This year was a bumper year.

But this wheat field has never been his.

Before leaving, Yan Fang went to pay his respects to his elder sister again.

His grandparents never talked about how his elder sister died, but as he grew older, he saw a lot of things. When he recalled the whispers between his mother and elder sister when the family slept on the big bunk bed, he already knew what happened.

"Silly girl, don't let your husband fool you. I think it's better for you to marry a tenant farmer instead of marrying a high-ranking official."

"No, my dear, he said he likes me."

Yan Fang didn't know which young man from the Cui family they were talking about, she only knew that her elder sister was really beautiful that year.

But his mother didn't believe it and asked again, "Did you really say that?"

"Ah."

"But why would a man like him like a clumsy girl like you?"

Yan Fang still remembers his sister's joyful tone.

"He said my eyes were beautiful and sparkling, like the stars in the sky..."

At night, the team traveled from Shou'an County to the outskirts of Luoyang City. Yan Fang looked up at the starry sky and saw a sky full of stars, as if there were tens of millions of them.

~~
Cui Dong lost a friend and felt very sorry.

That day he was sitting in the elegant house reading a book. When he heard someone bringing in tea, he opened his eyes and immediately frowned.

"How could it be you?"

"I am back, Sir." The third steward knelt before Cui Dong humbly and said, "I deserve death, and I have come to apologize to you, Sir."

Cui Dong was furious. His kindness made him unable to bear to see such a person who took human life lightly wandering around under his nose as if nothing had happened.

"What's the point of apologizing to me? What you owe is to be brought to justice by the authorities!"

"My dear, the county office has brought this servant to justice." The third steward said, "According to Tang law, any master who kills a guilty servant without reporting it to the government will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane. I have already been punished with 100 strokes of the cane."

"What did you say?"

Cui Dong was surprised and looked the manager up and down. He saw that although he pretended to stagger, he was not injured at all.

"Okay, okay, okay, you're going to teach me Tang Law, right? I'm willing to learn... someone, come here!"

Cui Dong's followers entered immediately.

"Lang Jun."

"Bring me the knife. I will kill this evil servant today, and then let the county magistrate beat me with a hundred sticks!"

The third steward was terrified when he heard this, and immediately kowtowed and begged for mercy, saying: "I am loyal to the Cui family. Over the years, I have really risked my life for my master..."

Just as they were arguing, a maid came hurriedly and said, "My dear, the lady wants you to come over."

Cui Dong pointed at the third steward fiercely and went to see his mother.

His mother was fond of Buddhism and was kneeling in front of a Buddha statue chanting sutras. When she heard him coming, she said without even looking up, "Let the Third Steward go."

"Mother, you don't know what he has done."

"As a mother, I only know that he works tirelessly for you."

Cui Dong said: "When did the child send him? But mother doesn't know that he killed a maid for Cui Jing..."

"Amitabha." The woman kneeling on the mat sighed and said, "I didn't want to tell you this, but your grandfather is very angry."

"Because the child made a friend?"

"That year you were about to enter the Imperial College in Dongdu, and Chunzhi made a big fuss. Do you know who cleaned up the mess for you?"

Suddenly hearing this name again, Cui Dong stood there in a daze, muttering, "Chunzhi?"

"It's the Third Steward. He is indeed a loyal servant. He not only works for Cui Jing, but also for you."

"What...what? Mother, you said that you let Chunzhi get married."

"Marry someone? She's obsessed with you, a handsome, unrivaled young man from a noble family. How can she marry someone else? She would rather die than destroy you!"

Cui Dong's eyes gradually lost focus, and he asked fearfully, "What did you do to her?"

"With your intelligence, it's not that you can't guess, you're just too lazy to care, but do you know who Haruji's brother is?"

"Could it be Yan Fang?"

"So I said, your grandfather was very angry. He didn't expect that such a smart kid like you could do such a stupid thing. In the past, no matter how dissatisfied that servant was with you, he was still a servant of the Cui family. We all rose and fell together. The stewards were watching and could beat him to death at any time. But you sent him to the emperor's favorite. Don't you know the principle of 'a little bit of rice is a favor, a big bit of rice is a grudge'?"

Cui Dong stood there, already distraught.

He didn't expect that he and Cui Jing were actually the same. He claimed to be noble, but in fact he had been stained with blood in this pool.

This is why he does not care about his official career or economic situation, but just hides safely under the protection of his ancestors, while exploiting thousands of poor and lowly slaves.

"Child...child..."

"Although this matter is small, the emperor is close to Luoyang. If he uses this matter to suppress the Cui family again, your grandfather asked you to visit two people, one is your good friend Huangfu Ran, and the other is the Chief Censor Cui Youfu. Tell them the truth and tell them that in Shou'an County, the Cui family will definitely obey the will of the court, release the lowly and return all the fugitives to their hometowns."

Cui Dong didn't expect his family to bow down so quickly.

He had previously heard from his brothers in the clan that most of the emperor's various new policies were intended to take money out of the pockets of the aristocratic families. The Cui family had no intention of taking the lead in resistance, but they would certainly not cooperate honestly.

"Don't think about it." The woman sighed, "It's all because of you that I brought back Du Wulang."

Cui Dong left the temple in a daze and returned to his residence, only to see the third steward still standing there with his body hunched over.

"My dear, I heard that you were going to prepare a generous gift, so I have prepared it. Please have a look."

Cui Dong looked at the servant's face and felt disgusted, but he could not change anything...

~~
Luoyang, Mingtang.

Xue Bai put down the paper in his hand and said, "Not bad, he is a useful person."

"Really?" Du Wulang said, "It seems that I have done something great again."

"It's just the beginning." Xue Bai said, "I will issue an edict to reform the Tongshi, emphasizing that those who pass the Tongshi, regardless of their original status, will be imperial students in the future. You secretly let him take advantage of this loophole."

"Taking advantage of a loophole in secret?"

"That's right. When he makes the list, let those who are dissatisfied make a fuss. When they make a big fuss, I can strike back and issue an edict in anger, expressing my attitude of abolishing slavery and attracting supporters."

Du Wulang barely understood and nodded secretly.

"This matter must be kept secret. We must not let the news leak out first and let people guess our intentions."

"Your Majesty, don't worry."

At this moment, an eunuch came in and reported, "Your Majesty, Minister Cui wants to see you."

(End of this chapter)