Chapter 37: The Xu Family in Qingshui Town

Chapter 37: The Xu Family in Qingshui Town

The first thing Xu Zeli did after meeting Liu Huaizhi was to inquire about Xu Zeping's recent situation.

Liu Huaizhi, not understanding the reason, assumed it was out of concern for his younger brother and secretly praised Xu Zeping extensively, saying that the boy was not only smart and eager to learn but also very helpful. Most importantly, he had a kind and righteous heart...

Liu Huaizhi went on and on, recounting how Xu Zeping stood up for Gao Yan and generously tutored the students of Class B in "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art."

At the end, Liu Huaizhi said, "Zeli, I intend to take your brother as my last disciple. What do you think?"

Hearing Liu Huaizhi's lavish praise, Xu Zeli felt a sense of bewilderment. Kind, smart, diligent, and just—could this really be his younger brother, the one who used to cause trouble in the Xu family?

It seemed like a completely different person compared to what he had known in his previous life!

Seeing no response from Xu Zeli, Liu Huaizhi wondered if he disapproved. Could it be that having both brothers under the same master wasn't considered a good thing?

"Cough, cough, Zeli, I'm talking to you. Give me an answer," Liu Huaizhi said, deciding to push a bit more.

"Ah," Xu Zeli quickly responded, composing himself and sincerely said, "Master, I didn't hear clearly. What did you say?"

"I've decided to take your brother as my last disciple."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zeli was deeply moved. He knew that in his previous life, he was the master's last disciple... This time, the master had declared he would not take any more disciples when he took him as a disciple. Now, he wanted to make his youngest brother his last disciple?

Xu Zeli felt an urge to cry. Could it be that his prayers had moved heaven, changing the fate of the Xu family?

He trusted his master's judgment. If the master saw potential in his youngest brother, then it must be true.

"For Master to take him as a disciple is his fortune." Xu Zeli bowed slightly. "Zeli thanks you on his behalf."

Liu Huaizhi felt pleased. He stroked his long beard and thought, as he always did, that there was no disciple he couldn't take!

Thinking about the young boy's reluctance, Liu Huaizhi chuckled. He didn't believe he could escape now.

....

"The topic for the Eight-part Essay this time is relatively simple—'First Filial Piety and Fraternity,'" Liu Huaizhi said, knowing that the simpler the topic, the harder it was to write an outstanding essay.

"First Filial Piety and Fraternity" comes from the "Three-Character Classic," which states that one should first be filial to parents and fraternal to siblings, followed by learning and knowledge gained through experience.

"Zeli, your introduction is well done, but using Emperor Sheng'an's governance based on filial piety to support your argument is somewhat risky. Don't be so impulsive next time," Liu Huaizhi explained, knowing some royal secrets. Honestly, these weren't really secrets; it was just that wise people chose not to speak about them.

Emperor Sheng'an, the current emperor, ascended the throne by stepping over the bones of the previous emperor.

Emperor Sheng'an truly practiced filial piety towards his mother, not his father.

Emperor Wenjing ascended the throne with the help of Empress Dowager Tan Zhen, his wife.

The founding of the Great Jing Dynasty was not long ago, with Emperor Wenwu being its founder.

During Emperor Wenwu's campaign to purge rebels from the previous dynasty, he fell into a trap and was saved by General Dingguo, the father of Empress Dowager Tan Zhen, at the cost of his own life!

General Dingguo, despite a lifetime of military service, had only Tan Zhen as his son. After his sacrifice, Emperor Wenwu felt guilty and granted Tan Zhen the title of Countess of Changrong, promising that she would be the next empress.

Emperor Wenjing's maternal clan was not prestigious. His mother was a palace maid, and he himself was neither skilled in literature nor martial arts. However, he was handsome and charming, winning the heart of Tan Zhen.

Originally, Emperor Wenwu favored his second son as the successor, but due to the influence of Tan Zhen and General Dingguo, he ultimately chose Emperor Wenjing.

If the story ended there, it would have been a beautiful tale.

Unfortunately, after Emperor Wenwu's death, Emperor Wenjing ascended the throne.

All the vows of eternal love turned to dust. Within three months, dozens of concubines entered the palace, and Emperor Wenjing's true love emerged—it was none other than his god-sister, the daughter of Marquis Wuan, who became the illustrious Empress Dehui upon entering the palace.

Had it not been for the late emperor's decree, Tan Zhen might have lost her position as empress.

Despite his resentment and bitterness, Tan Zhen understood that the most important thing was to ensure the safety of himself and his son.

Before Emperor Wenwu's death, Emperor Sheng'an, Long Zhaocheng, was Emperor Wenjing's only son and the most honored imperial grandson. But after his grandfather's passing, everything changed!

He witnessed the coldness of human hearts, saw his father's indifference, and understood his father's sacrifices for him. He also realized that without his father giving up the tiger token of his grandfather, his position as crown prince would have been lost.

As Emperor Wenjing pushed step by step, Long Zhaocheng retreated, building his own power base over forty years.

After forty years, Long Zhaocheng, tired of the struggle for power, planned to become a regional king and leave with his father and family.

However, Emperor Wenjing made a fatal mistake: to secure the position of the son of Empress Dehui, he sent Crown Prince Long Zhaocheng to the north to fight the nomadic tribes!

Everyone knew that the nomadic tribes in Guanbei were strong and had been a thorn in the side of the empire since Emperor Wenwu's reign. Many generals had fallen in the northern campaigns, and the crown prince was not known for his martial prowess. This decision was clearly meant to send him to his death.

At the height of the rivalry between the crown prince and Prince Xian, the other princes understood the emperor's intentions and dared not interfere.

Just as Emperor Wenjing thought he had won, his fifth son, Prince Xiaoyao, stepped forward, offering to follow the crown prince north!

Emperor Wenjing had only five living adult sons during his forty-year reign. Prince Xiaoyao, the youngest, had just come of age and married.

Though young, Prince Xiaoyao was a renowned general in the Great Jing Dynasty, skilled in martial arts and commanding an elite cavalry!

Emperor Wenjing, intent on sending the crown prince to his death, naturally refused such powerful support.

However, he underestimated Prince Xiaoyao's courage. Three days after Crown Prince Long Zhaocheng left for the north, Prince Xiaoyao secretly led troops to support him.

The northern campaign was victorious but extremely bloody! Prince Xiaoyao sacrificed himself bravely to destroy the main force of the nomadic tribes.

Crown Prince Long Zhaocheng returned to the capital with his brother's coffin, still in shock. News came that Prince Xiaoyao's residence had been attacked, and his wife had given birth prematurely, with the newborn's fate uncertain.

His mind went blank. With his fifth brother's sacrifice, this little boy was his only heir.

At this moment, Long Zhaocheng understood that not fighting meant death.

The Prince Xiaoyao's mansion was like an iron bucket; who would dare to barge in and rob it? Only the cold-hearted son favored by Emperor Wenjing!

It was because of these troubles that Long Zhaocheng took the initiative to set up a scheme and instigated a palace coup...

When Liu Huaizhi spoke, Xu Zeli's heart trembled. He recalled some idle gossip he had heard in his previous life about the posthumous child of Prince Xiaoyao returning to the capital and being doted on by Emperor Sheng'an.

After the posthumous child of Prince Xiaoyao was recognized, Emperor Sheng'an personally bestowed him the name Xihua and insisted, despite the rules, that he, as a boy, inherit his father's title and the fief of Gui'an!

In response to these idle remarks, Emperor Sheng'an retorted fiercely, "If it weren't for Prince Xiaoyao sacrificing his life, how could I be where I am today? If you idle tongues have too much time on your hands, I will exterminate your families down to the third generation!"