"Sanlang, you've arrived." Huang Li had been resentful because Madam Huang and her second sister-in-law, Yin Yuanhui, both favored Zhan Feiyu.
Seeing Young Master Ming San coldly questioning Zhan Feiyu, Huang Li immediately straightened her back with satisfaction, arrogantly declaring, "Aunt, Second Sister-in-law, Sanlang is here, and my affairs are not for you to decide!"
Madam Huang smiled and said no more. A married daughter is like spilled water; Huang Li was, after all, a wife of the Ming family.
Yin Yuanhui would not indulge Huang Li. She scoffed and retorted unceremoniously, "So what if Sanlang is here? You snatched things first, then hit people, and even crazily made the shop assistant kneel on broken porcelain. If you're not afraid of ruining the Ming family's reputation, then by all means, cause trouble. Take it to court and let the world judge!"
"Second Sister-in-law, don't forget you are also a wife of the Ming family!" Huang Li retorted with a sharp voice, glaring fiercely at Yin Yuanhui. "Or are you and Second Brother long unhappy with Sanlang and me, wanting to drive us out of the Ming family, which is why you keep helping this little slut bully me!"
Seeing Huang Li's resentful demeanor and her careless words, Madam Huang and Second Madam both looked displeased. If Huang Li's words spread, outsiders would think the Ming brothers were fighting and would turn against each other.
But before Second Madam could apologize for her daughter, Yin Yuanhui laughed crisply and slapped the table, declaring, "If I could be in charge, I would separate you and Third Brother. I'd like to see if you two would starve to death!"
Although Yin Yuanhui verbally disdained Ming Er as a pedantic scholar, as a man, Ming Er diligently taught at the academy and tutored his three sons at home, fulfilling his responsibilities as a man.
Yin Yuanhui, from a military family, most disliked the perpetually competitive and strong-willed Huang Li. She ate and drank from the Ming family, and not only was she ungrateful, but she also constantly caused unrest in the household over trivial matters. Fortunately, Yin Yuanhui was somewhat skilled in martial arts and could control Huang Li; any other sister-in-law would have been bullied to death by her.
Secondly, she disliked Young Master Ming San. A man, and a married man at that, claimed to be an unrestrained and elegant scholar, but in Yin Yuanhui's opinion, he was simply idle and wasted the Ming family's money on pointless pursuits.
Whether drinking or composing poetry, why not spend your own money? Besides, since you are married, as a man, you should at least control your wife. It was one thing for Huang Li to be absent from home, but she also angered her parents every few days.
If Ming Er hadn't held her back, Yin Yuanhui would have severely beaten the third couple long ago. They were always causing trouble, and ultimately, it was because their lives were too comfortable. If they had to endure a few days of not having enough to eat at the border, they would surely become obedient.
Zhan Feiyu smiled as she watched Yin Yuanhui unleash her fury. Second Madam Ming was formidable! It seemed she had often used strength to overcome all obstacles in the Ming family.
As for Huang Li, whose features were contorted with anger, Zhan Feiyu ignored her. Instead, she gloated at the flushed Young Master Ming San, thinking, "Serves you right!"
"Second Sister-in-law." Despite his unrestrained nature, Young Master Ming San showed great respect to Yin Yuanhui. As for Huang Li beside him, Ming San merely glanced at her coldly, his gaze finally settling on the smiling Zhan Feiyu with a fierce intensity.
"Young Master Ming San, hearing about you is not the same as meeting you." Zhan Feiyu stood with her small body straight, her appraising gaze falling on the Ming San, who had a Wei-Jin era demeanor. She leisurely asked, "As the saying goes, 'cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.' I wonder which of these you have achieved?"
"You've only studied for a few days, yet you've become so arrogant." Young Master Ming San sneered coldly, clearly taking his anger out on Zhan Feiyu. His words became sharp and sarcastic. "All scholars in the world are like you, seeking fame and reputation. Even if you pass the imperial examinations, you will only be traitors and parasites of the state in the future! Scholar Gu is no different!"
There was a hint of old resentment in these words! But it made sense. Years ago, Young Master Ming San had traveled to the capital with confidence, believing he could apprentice himself to Scholar Gu. He had shown sincere intention, but in the end, he was rejected.
Young Master Ming San, who had been praised since childhood, suffered his first setback in life and was even openly and secretly mocked by many scholars. It was only natural for him to hold resentment.
Zhan Feiyu had no particular feelings towards Young Master Ming San. Although he was unrestrained and dissolute, he hadn't eaten or drunk from her family. Everyone had their own way of living.
However, his last words were clearly directed at Scholar Gu. Zhan Feiyu's eyes suddenly darkened, her sharp gaze piercing through him, leaving no room for his hidden unwillingness, resentment, and darkness to hide.
"The sea of suffering is boundless; turn back and find the shore. Seeking apprenticeship and learning is merely to sell oneself at a higher price later!" Young Master Ming San sneered condescendingly, as if guiding Zhan Feiyu. "If you truly had no desires, were selfless, and possessed noble integrity, how could you be second only to the emperor in court? Isn't that a contradiction!"
This was no longer resentment, but hatred for his teacher not accepting him as a disciple years ago?
Considering Young Master Ming San's reputation and status among the scholars in Nanxuan Prefecture, Zhan Feiyu's gaze became cold and mocking. "Young Master, are you strictly disciplining others while being lenient with yourself? As a man of seven feet, you can neither govern the country with your intellect nor pacify the nation with your martial skills! I don't know what face you have to criticize others!"
Before Young Master Ming San could speak, Zhan Feiyu's clear, small voice continued to pour out, "There are thousands of people in the world. Civil and military officials are but a tiny fraction. But since you are a person, and you do nothing but drink, compose poetry, and live a life of leisure, tell me, what commendable deeds have you done? What's the difference between you and those hoodlums on the street? You're just wearing the guise of a gentleman! Oh, and you've read a few more books, thinking you're superior!"
Enraged, Ming San lost the demeanor of a true gentlemanly and elegant figure from before, glaring at the garrulous Zhan Feiyu. "You're twisting logic and talking nonsense!"
"Did I say something wrong?" Zhan Feiyu raised her eyebrows, her smile sarcastic. "It's just that you accumulated virtue in your past life and were born into a good family in this one. If you were born into a peasant family like me, you probably wouldn't even have enough to eat, let alone spend your days composing poetry and living a life of leisure."
"Young Master, if you had even a shred of scholarly integrity, you wouldn't take a single cent from the Ming family. If you can support yourself then, I would respect you three parts! You are of no use to the country, the family, or the people. Your existence is just a waste of grain!"
The young girl was not old, but her resounding voice was filled with authority. Madam Huang, Second Madam, and Yin Yuanhui watched the retreating Young Master Ming San. If it weren't for his status, they would have applauded.
Huang Li had been married to Ming San for nearly ten years. Even though they had no feelings for each other and spent little time together, Huang Li still knew him somewhat.
Seeing Ming San's eyes redden with anger from Zhan Feiyu's words, Huang Li screamed back, "Zhan Feiyu, who do you think you are? Are our Ming family's affairs any of your business?"
Huang Li was genuinely afraid that Ming San would act impulsively and be disinherited. Even though she was planning to marry Prefect Zhang, she was unwilling to give up the Ming family's fortune.
With that thought, Huang Li wished she could tear Zhan Feiyu apart. "You meddling little slut! Get out, get out of Nanxuan Prefecture! Otherwise, I'll make you regret it!"
Stepping back to avoid the spittle flying from Huang Li's angry curses, Zhan Feiyu saw through her petty thoughts. She couldn't help but mock the ashen-faced Ming San, adding fuel to the fire. "Young Master, if you don't rely on the family's patronage, even if you don't starve, don't expect to marry and have children."
Changing the subject, Zhan Feiyu suddenly smiled, her eyes curving like a well-behaved and adorable little girl. "Setting aside other things, Young Master, you do have self-awareness. Not having children is the right choice. Look at those little beggars on the street; aren't they all born to parents? It's just a pity that they only know how to give birth but not how to raise them."
"You... you're simply..." Young Master Ming San had never suffered such great humiliation in his life.
The Ming family was a scholarly family. From Elder Ming to his two elder brothers, even if they were disappointed in Ming San, they would at most scold him with refined language, and physical punishment was rare.
The proud and unrestrained Ming San had only been humiliated like this by two people in his life: Zhan Feiyu and his teacher, Scholar Gu.
Her mouth dry from talking, Zhan Feiyu turned to pick up her teacup and took a few sips to moisten her throat, her sharp edge receding. "Young Master, although I don't know the details of your apprenticeship with Scholar Gu back then, I know why my teacher didn't accept you as a disciple."
Even though he was so angry he felt like spitting blood, his upbringing and etiquette prevented Young Master Ming San from resorting to violence. Hearing Zhan Feiyu's words, he was stunned, his expression complex and unreadable.
After a while, looking at Zhan Feiyu, who was leisurely drinking tea with her teacup, and recalling his confident self from back then, Ming San suppressed his emotions and asked, "Why?"
"Setting aside your talent for reading, with your innocent and naive demeanor, if you entered the imperial court, it would be one thing if you died alone. But if you implicated your teacher, that would be truly unjust!" Zhan Feiyu's words were blunt but not alarmist.
In the imperial court, disciples of the same school formed factions. Young Master Ming San came from a scholarly family and had a talent for reading, but he had been too well protected. Once targeted by villains, he would be caught in their schemes, ultimately harming himself and others.
Seeing Ming San's silent, stiff face, Zhan Feiyu did not indulge him further. She smiled and added another blow, "Years ago, Elder Ming and the eldest and second sons must have advised you, but afterward, they let you be. It wasn't because they couldn't do anything about you, but rather they preferred you to be an unrestrained Young Master Ming, rather than bringing disaster to the family."
In an instant, as if struck by ten thousand bolts of lightning, Ming San's face turned pale. His former spirited demeanor and carefree elegance vanished, leaving only a trembling, almost unstable figure. "You're talking nonsense!"
"Since Young Master knows I am apprenticed to Scholar Gu, you still dare to vent your resentment over failing to become his disciple onto me." Zhan Feiyu's dark eyes stared directly at the pale Ming San. "Haven't you considered that if I resented the Ming family because of this, coupled with the disrespectful words of Mrs. Ming San, do you think the Ming family can withstand my teacher's retaliation?"
Qingya Academy had been passed down for a hundred years, and the Ming family could be said to have countless students. However, in the end, the Ming family only enjoyed a good reputation among scholars; they had little foundation in the imperial court. The eldest son Ming was still only a sixth-rank official in the Hanlin Academy.
Even if Scholar Gu did not act against the Ming family, suppressing the eldest son Ming, who was under his command, would be easy. At best, it would be dismissal from office; at worst, imprisonment.
If Scholar Gu were to be more ruthless, the entire Ming family would be implicated. Even if the emperor was a benevolent ruler, many families had been purged and had their clansmen executed in recent years by the Imperial Guard.
Uh...
Watching Ming San leave without a word, looking utterly dejected, Zhan Feiyu touched her nose with a hint of guilt. Had she perhaps struck him too hard?
But thinking of Ming San's resentment towards Scholar Gu just now, Zhan Feiyu had to worry that he might say things he shouldn't after a few drinks.
Nanxuan Prefecture belonged to the territory of the First Prince, Chen family. Although Gu Qingzhou was a Grand Scholar of the Hanlin Academy, the First Prince had a feud with him due to the matter of Liu Jian.
With the prefecture examination imminent, if any issues of examination fraud were to arise, with Young Master Ming San as the catalyst, it would be troublesome. Zhan Feiyu had to take precautions.
"Second Madam Ming, I apologize for my rudeness just now. I will personally go to Qingya Academy tomorrow to apologize to Elder Ming." Zhan Feiyu said apologetically to Yin Yuanhui. She might have to study at Qingya Academy in the future, so she couldn't afford to make enemies now.
Yin Yuanhui, who had dared to pick up Zhan Feiyu and ruffle her hair, now looked at the polite Zhan Feiyu with restraint, as if seeing her father-in-law's shadow. "Miss Zhan, there's no need to be so formal. I will inform my father when I return, and he will welcome you tomorrow."
Huang Li still wanted to cause trouble, but Yin Yuanhui simply and roughly knocked her out, then carried her onto the carriage and left.
"I apologize for the offense today. Please forgive me, Miss Zhan." Madam Huang, who personally saw Zhan Feiyu out, also became more solemn. Although she had heard of Zhan Feiyu's reputation before, she had still treated her as a nine-year-old child.
But after seeing Zhan Feiyu strike Young Master Ming San to the ground and finally retreat in defeat, Madam Huang somewhat understood why Scholar Gu accepted her as a disciple. Compared to her talent for reading, her quick wit and eloquence were even more rare. At least she was much better than that impulsive Ming San. If she were a man, she would surely have a place in the imperial court.
...
In the carriage, Chong Guang looked at Zhan Feiyu with exaggerated expressions. "Fat girl, I never knew you had such a sharp tongue. When that Young Master Ming San left, he even stumbled. Compared to his spirited entrance, he looked like a stray dog when he left."
"Uncle Chong Guang, mind your words." Zhan Feiyu rolled her eyes speechlessly. Young Master Ming San was not a great villain or a wicked person. Zhan Feiyu was just thinking too much and too far ahead.
On one hand, it was to prevent Young Master Ming San from saying things he shouldn't in the future. On the other hand, it was because of Madam Qin.
Wan Yunhao had an excellent reputation among the scholars in Nanxuan Prefecture. If Zhan Feiyu were to move against Madam Qin, with Madam Qin's cunning and composure, she would surely bring up the deceased Wan Yunhao. The status of a widowed mother and orphan would give Madam Qin an inherent advantage, and people would surely sympathize with the weaker party.
In Nanxuan Prefecture, only the Ming family of Qingya Academy had a reputation that surpassed Wan Yunhao. Therefore, Zhan Feiyu had to lay the groundwork in advance. After all, Madam Qin and Huang Li were cousins, and they were related to the Ming family by marriage. If nothing unexpected happened, the Ming family would certainly defend Madam Qin.