"Little Yu, do you know that offending Vice Prefect Tong will bring you endless trouble?" Chen Weibin said sternly, his stern face showing concern.
A centipede dies but its spirit lingers! Just like the Zeng family back then, Zeng Yuquan was sentenced to be executed in the autumn, and Madam Zeng was also under guard, yet they could still use money to spread vicious rumors.
Whether the Tong manor would be implicated by Sun Fu or not, they would still have some influence. If the Tong manor was not implicated, the first to seek revenge would be Zhan Feiyu and Chen Weibin.
If they were implicated, and the Tong manor's influence was not enough to retaliate against Chen Weibin, then Zhan Feiyu, the soft persimmon, would inevitably suffer. Who told her to be powerless and easy to manipulate.
"Thank you for your reminder, sir. A gentleman does what he ought to do and refrains from what he ought not to. I believe that a true gentleman is one who does what is considered impossible." With resounding words, Zhan Feiyu's face was solemn and serious.
The former only reflects a person's standards and bottom line; one does what one can and refrains from what one cannot.
But the latter is a true gentleman, who acts even when it is known to be impossible. This is sacrificing oneself for righteousness, the heroism of "If I do not go to hell, who will?"
Chen Weibin was deeply moved. He had been suppressed for years but had never bowed his head. Was this not also knowing the impossible and doing it anyway?
At this moment, Chen Weibin looked at Zhan Feiyu with the fervor of a scholar dying for his confidant. The friendship between gentlemen is probably like this, not about age, but because they share common ideals and pursuits.
Zhan Feiyu's clear, small voice sounded again, "Sir, I can only be the former for now."
Chen Weibin, who was moved by himself...
With a momentary guilty look on her plump, steamed-bun-like face, Zhan Feiyu straightened her small body and said proudly, "Sir, you don't need to worry about me. I'm not afraid of offending the Tong manor. I have someone to back me up!"
County Magistrate Chen, who listened silently without expressing any opinion, would have revealed his stiff expression if one looked closely.
So the young girl had a backstage and a backer, which was why she was not afraid of offending the Tong manor. All his worries about "rather die than yield" and "sacrificing oneself for righteousness" were his own overthinking...
After leaving the county office, Zhan Feiyu always felt that County Magistrate Chen's expression was a bit off, as if he wanted to kill her. Perhaps she was overthinking.
Thinking this, Zhan Feiyu returned to the county school with renewed vigor to continue her studies. One must be strong oneself to forge iron! She couldn't always rely on her elder brother to cover for her; she had to study hard and achieve fame as soon as possible!
Zhan Feiyu's good mood for the day finally disappeared after school when she returned to Jinlin Village.
"Great-grandfather, say that again? I didn't hear clearly." Zhan Feiyu dug into her ear, almost thinking she had misheard. A matchmaker had come to propose marriage that morning, and her mother had broken the Zhang family's heirloom jade pendant, worth five thousand taels!
"Little Yu, it's all my fault, Mother. Don't worry about it. If Scholar Zhang demands compensation, let Mother go to prison!" After a day of reflection, Li Shi had already made up her mind and no longer felt the panic and unease of the morning.
"Mother, don't worry." Zhan Feiyu held Li Shi's hand, her calm gaze commanding submission and trust. "Leave this to me to resolve. Mother, I want to eat steamed eggs tonight."
Li Shi hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded and went to the kitchen to busy herself, wondering how many more meals she could cook for Little Yu.
The village chief anxiously asked, "Little Yu, what method do you have?"
"Five thousand taels? Selling the Zhang family wouldn't even fetch that price." Zhan Feiyu snorted twice. Compared to paying money, the Zhang family's proposal was even more disgusting to her.
It was already good for an ordinary person to earn ten taels of silver a year. For families in the village that had not divided their property, saving fifty taels a year for a family of seven or eight people was the most they could do. It would take a hundred years to save five thousand taels.
The shops in Shangsi County, if business was average, would only earn two to three hundred taels a year. Of course, places like Taifu Restaurant and Leshan Residence were exceptions, but five thousand taels would probably take two to three years.
The old clan elder sighed, his face full of worry, "Even though we know it's a trap, it has become a foregone conclusion."
Li Shi had broken the wooden box in front of everyone and shattered the jade pendant.
Regardless of whether it was an heirloom or not, as long as the jade pendant was sent to Zhenbao Xuan for appraisal, even if it wasn't worth five thousand taels, it would still be a sky-high price for a farming family.
"Little Yu, have you considered the Tong manor's proposal?" The village chief's voice was a little low, and he felt inexplicably guilty. Although he felt that the Tong manor's marriage was indeed good.
Zhan Feiyu shook her head. Seeing the disappointment on the faces of the village chief and the old clan elder, she couldn't help but laugh, "I have a grudge against Scholar Zhang, and with the Tong manor, it's probably like they've killed my entire family and dug up my ancestors' graves."
Uh...
The village chief and the old clan elder were stunned. They looked at the guilty-looking Zhan Feiyu in shock. This young girl had never even been to the prefectural city. How could she have formed such an irreconcilable enmity with a Tongzhi of the fifth rank?
Zhan Feiyu smiled shamelessly at the two elders, applying the trope of a leveling-up pleasure novel. The protagonist is at home, and trouble comes from nowhere! If she doesn't make enemies or kill enemies, how can she level up?
"So the jade pendant was only eight or nine parts from the Tong manor. Matchmaker Wang came to propose marriage, first to show goodwill, and second to be a witness." Zhan Feiyu finally understood why Young Master Tong had left the county office so decisively that afternoon. It turned out he had dug a trap for her long ago.
"Little Yu, are you saying that the Tong manor is forcing you to accept the proposal?" The old clan elder thought about how he and the village chief had discussed whether to go to the prefectural city to inquire. If the third young master Tong was a good person, they would let Little Yu accept the marriage.
Now that they knew the truth, the old clan elder wished he could dig up the Tong family's ancestral graves with a hoe. This was not a proposal, but a forced marriage!
"Great-grandfather, don't worry. I'll find someone to borrow money from tomorrow to pay the Zhang family." Zhan Feiyu said with a smile. Her elder brother clearly wasn't short of money. Although five thousand taels was a bit much, he could probably afford it.
However, how would she repay this favor? Perhaps she could give the gunpowder formula to her elder brother.
Zhan Feiyu thought about it, and her dark eyes burned with anger. Or maybe she should go to Academician Gu to get the money. After all, the Tong manor was brought in by Uncle Gu Er. If they hadn't used her as bait, how would the Tong manor have targeted her?
At this moment, besides the Tong manor, Zhan Feiyu guessed that Wan Yunhao and the Qin family were also targeting her.
The village chief and the old clan elder exchanged glances. This was five thousand taels! Little Yu casually said she would borrow it.
For a moment, the two of them felt a mix of emotions. Without their knowledge, Little Yu had long been able to handle things independently. Five thousand taels, and she just said she would borrow it.
...
The next day, the county school.
Zhan Feiyu looked at the silver ingots and broken silver on the table, blinking dazedly. There were even three one-hundred-tael banknotes, totaling over five hundred taels of silver.
"Only when things are prepared can one be without worry. Preparedness averts disaster..." Wen Min and others were reading books aloud, each focused and serious, as if they had no idea where the silver on Zhan Feiyu's table came from.
Zhan Feiyu smiled and carefully put the silver into her book box. The three banknotes were probably from the instructor and the others, and the silver ingots were from her senior classmates. She remembered their kindness.
Wen Min and the others secretly glanced over. Seeing Zhan Feiyu put away the silver, the young faces immediately showed smiles. Their abilities were limited, and all of them combined could only gather more than two hundred taels of silver. They were just doing their small part.
As for Instructor Zhao and Master Dou, seeing that Zhan Feiyu was not affected by the five thousand taels of silver, they also felt relieved. With the achievement of movable type printing, a reward of five thousand taels of silver from the imperial court was not much.
Zhan Feiyu had planned to use the one-hour lunch break to go to Leshan Residence, but unexpectedly met Master Xie halfway.
Taifu Restaurant, lobby.
"What happened yesterday morning has spread by noon today?" Zhan Feiyu laughed, her cheerful little demeanor as if she were not the one who owed five thousand taels of silver.
Master Xie looked at the young girl sitting opposite him. Regardless of anything else, with this kind of temperament, Zhan Feiyu was no ordinary person!
"Five thousand taels is indeed not a small sum. I have saved some money over the years. If Little Mengtong needs it, I can provide a thousand taels." Master Xie had initially planned to lend five hundred taels to build good relations.
But seeing Zhan Feiyu's calm and composed demeanor, he gritted his teeth and increased it to a thousand taels. If you don't sacrifice a child, you can't catch a wolf! If Zhan Feiyu were to achieve fame in the future, this good deed today would be useful.
Zhan Feiyu was stunned and asked with a smile, "Aren't you afraid that this thousand taels will be wasted, sir? After all, I was born in the countryside and have nothing."
"How can a golden dragon in a pond remain a mere fish? It will soar to the heavens when it encounters wind and clouds. I trust my judgment." Master Xie stroked his beard and laughed heartily.
Five thousand taels was a sky-high price for ordinary people, but for officials and nobles, it was just a little money. Zhan Feiyu had the support of the adults from the garrison. Five thousand taels would definitely not be a problem for her. It is more sincere to help someone in need than to give flowers in full bloom.
Just for Master Xie's generosity, Zhan Feiyu could only accept the kindness, "If I need it, I will not be polite to you, Master Xie."
As for spreading rumors before, she could only let it go. After all, the villagers still relied on Taifu Restaurant to earn money.
On the second floor, at this time, there were no customers dining at Taifu Restaurant. Qin Ye immediately saw Zhan Feiyu and Master Xie sitting opposite each other downstairs. His face immediately showed contempt, "A young girl talking and laughing with an old man. Such shamelessness! What's the point of studying the classics!"
Scholars, peasants, artisans, and merchants! Even though Master Xie was wearing brocade and silk, in Qin Ye's eyes, he was still an unbearable old man. His disdain and contempt were unconcealed.
Thinking of the gossip he heard in the restaurant last night, a flash of triumph appeared in Qin Ye's eyes. He walked downstairs with a "咚咚" sound.
"Zhan Feiyu, I heard you owe five thousand taels and are going to sell yourself to pay off your debts." Qin Ye was only a twelve-year-old boy, but his face was full of malice.
Qin Ye scrutinized Zhan Feiyu with a discerning gaze and said condescendingly, "Given that you can read and write, if you sell yourself into servitude and become a maid to serve me with ink and brush, I will lend you the money."
Master Xie looked at the arrogant Qin Ye with suspicion. He was indeed a young master from the prefectural city. He spoke of five thousand taels right away. However, he wasn't trying to humiliate Zhan Feiyu, but rather he had taken a liking to her, right? Otherwise, how many maids could five thousand taels buy?
Zhan Feiyu imitated Qin Ye's earlier manner and looked at him like a piece of merchandise. She said coldly, "Don't act like you're rich. Show me the five thousand taels."
"Isn't it just fifty..." Qin Ye's movement of reaching for his purse stopped. Under Zhan Feiyu's contemptuous gaze, his face instantly turned red.
Five thousand taels was not fifty taels! No matter how rich the Qin family was, Qin Ye couldn't possibly produce five thousand taels. Moreover, he was in Shangsi County at the moment, and he only had one to two hundred taels on him at most.
Zhan Feiyu grinned, tilting her chin slightly, and waved him away dismissively, "If you don't have money, don't pretend to be rich. Go play somewhere else and don't delay our important business."
"Ah Ye, don't be rude." Wan Yunhao placed a hand on Qin Ye's shoulder, stopping him from getting angry, and said with a gentle smile, "Young Scholar Zhan, we meet again."
"Please ask Scholar Wan to discipline his own disciples. I am not their parents or elders, so I cannot tolerate his rude and disrespectful behavior," Zhan Feiyu said coldly. Her chubby face lost its smile, making her appear cold and distant.
Master Xie only knew that these two were from the prefectural city, but he didn't expect that this gentle and jade-like young man was actually a scholar who had passed the imperial examination!
Looking at Zhan Feiyu's cold and hostile attitude, Master Xie wished he could shrink his bulging body. To be so disrespectful even to a scholar who had passed the imperial examination, was Zhan Feiyu a newborn calf that feared no tiger, or did she have confidence?
Wan Yunhao's expression slightly darkened. Since he passed the imperial examination, everyone in Nanxuan Prefecture praised him as a talented young man. For so many years, he had never been treated so rudely. He, Wan Yunhao, was no longer the impoverished scholar of the past.
Wan Yunhao's hand on Qin Ye's shoulder tightened slightly. As if he hadn't noticed Zhan Feiyu's hostility, he continued, "The Qin family values talent. Little Scholar Zhan doesn't need to ruin your marriage for material possessions. Young Master Tong San is not a good match."
"Brother-in-law, since she doesn't appreciate it, let her marry that idiot Tong Yao," Qin Ye said gleefully. He had never seen such an ungrateful person!
Zhan Feiyu suddenly laughed, tilting her head up. This look made it seem like she was about to cause trouble.
"Is this Scholar Wan's experience speaking?" Zhan Feiyu laughed maliciously, as if she hadn't seen Wan Yunhao's suddenly gloomy eyes. "Scholar Wan, feel free to rest assured. Although I have no money, I have my pride. Neither material possessions nor future ambitions can make me bow and scrape to the powerful."
Wan Yunhao's fierce eyes suddenly erupted with a terrifying killing intent. How dare she?
Zhan Feiyu looked at the ferocious-looking Wan Yunhao without fear, and said coldly word by word, "The instructor is my teacher. Scholar Wan had better pray that I never rise in life, otherwise, some grudges are not unavenged, the time has not yet come!"
"Good, very good, truly ambitious. I'll wait!" Wan Yunhao said with an angry laugh. If he had wanted to marry Zhan Feiyu to Qin Ye before, although he was the son-in-law of the Qin family, they would prosper or suffer together!
But now, Wan Yunhao only wanted to destroy Zhan Feiyu and nip the danger in the bud! Those who dared to block his path to glory could only die!
Watching Wan Yunhao leave with Qin Ye, Master Xie wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said tremblingly, "That is a scholar from the prefectural city. Judging by his clothing and demeanor, he comes from a prominent family."
Zhan Feiyu looked at the pale-faced Master Xie, glanced around, and lowered her voice so that only the two of them could hear, "If you dare to pull the emperor off his horse, you must be willing to be skinned alive! Master Xie, rest assured, I am a disaster that lasts for thousands of years, and I won't die."
After a long while, the shopkeeper looked at Master Xie, who was sitting alone, in confusion and couldn't help but remind him, "Sir, are you alright?"
Startled, Master Xie came back to his senses. He looked at the empty seat in front of him and thought of Zhan Feiyu's words before she left. He felt terrible. She actually dared to say such rebellious words.
Thinking that he was still planning to lend a thousand taels of silver to Zhan Feiyu, he might be mistakenly thought by the imperial court to be supporting a rebel...
Leshan Residence, backyard.
Chong Guang looked at Zhan Feiyu with amusement, smiling maliciously, "When you were in Jinlin Village, you already offended the Zeng family of Shangsi County to death; when you were studying at the county school, you dragged the Tong Tongzhi of the prefectural city into trouble. Fatty girl, if you go to the capital, won't you harm all the imperial relatives?"
Zhan Feiyu spread her hands and shrugged helplessly, "Only mediocre people are not envied. I can't help it."
Chong Guang pinched Zhan Feiyu's soft, plump face and laughed heartily, "This face is indeed still so thick."
"Uncle Chong Guang!" Zhan Feiyu glared angrily and quickly retreated, rubbing her sore cheek.
Uh... Seeing the two obvious red finger marks on Zhan Feiyu's fair, bun-like face, Chong Guang suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He turned his head and met his Seventh Master's stern phoenix eyes.
"It's so hot today, I'll cut some watermelon and bring it over," Chong Guang said to himself, and his figure shot out, accurately embodying what it means to flee in a panic.
"Big brother." Zhan Feiyu smiled, rubbing her face. "Children's skin is tender, Uncle Chong Guang didn't use much force."
"Sit." Yin Wuyan motioned for Zhan Feiyu to sit down before saying, "You don't need to worry about other things. You just need to become my disciple."
With Academician Gu as her teacher, who in the entire Nanxuan Prefecture would dare to bully Zhan Feiyu again? In the final analysis, it was because she had no power and no influence, so everyone dared to pounce on her and bite her for their own benefit.
Zhan Feiyu, who had only intended to borrow money, lowered her head and did not speak. Becoming a disciple of Gu Qingzhou indeed had incalculable benefits, but the price was to sever ties with Yin Wuyan. Zhan Feiyu, unusually childishly, became stubborn.
Looking at Zhan Feiyu, who protested with silence, Yin Wuyan's always indifferent phoenix eyes softened. He gently rubbed Zhan Feiyu's little head with his long, slender hand. "You know how dangerous my position as the Commander of the Imperial Dragon Guard is. Perhaps I will need your help in the future."
As a solitary minister, Yin Wuyan could only rely on the emperor's trust. But if he lost this trust one day, Yin Wuyan would face an abyss.
"You're just trying to fool a child with those words," Zhan Feiyu muttered softly, still lowering her head. "There are so many top scholars in the Hanlin Academy. If you expect me to help, Big Brother, you might as well prepare a retreat for yourself earlier, which would be more stable."
The title of "prodigy" sounds good, but it's of little use!
Zhan Feiyu was not a real eight-year-old child. Let alone that her own knowledge was not enough to become a top scholar, even if she were a female top scholar, what of it? She would only be a sixth-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy!
Yin Wuyan looked at the young girl in front of him helplessly. It seemed that being too smart was also not good; he couldn't fool her.
"That's why you must become a disciple. As Gu Qingzhou's only disciple, you might be able to command all scholars in the world. Not to mention protecting one person, even protecting ten would be no problem." Gu Qingzhou's voice came from the inner room.
Yin Wuyan instantly withdrew his hand and returned to his usual indifferent and distant demeanor.
Zhan Feiyu looked up at Gu Qingzhou, who was walking over, and pouted, "As the saying goes, a scholar's rebellion takes three years to fail! It's better to rely on myself than on others...".
The words stopped abruptly! Zhan Feiyu didn't continue, but she had made up her mind!
Although the gunpowder formula was not precise enough, as long as she found artisans who made firecrackers and experimented multiple times, she should be able to produce gunpowder. If that day came, her elder brother could also protect himself!
If Chong Guang were here, he would think Zhan Feiyu was boasting.
But Yin Wuyan and Gu Qingzhou were different. They looked at Zhan Feiyu, who suddenly became confident, and their hearts skipped a beat. Could this girl be up to something astonishing again?
"Uncle Gu Er," Zhan Feiyu greeted with a smile, as if nothing had happened.
Squinting, Gu Qingzhou sized up the innocent and pure-looking Zhan Feiyu, "Do you have some secret recipe that you want to give to Wuyan privately?"
"Uncle Gu Er is joking. Since it's a secret recipe, it must be extremely precious. It's not like cabbage that you can have one here and one there." Zhan Feiyu giggled, thinking Gu Qingzhou was joking.
Gu Qingzhou sat down by himself and looked at the natural Zhan Feiyu. After a long while, he smiled and said, "Wuyan saved my life. We are both solitary ministers, and we have always shared resources. Since you trust Wuyan, you can naturally trust me."
"Thank you, Uncle Gu Er, for taking care of Big Brother." Zhan Feiyu bowed solemnly to Gu Qingzhou, her attitude sincere and genuine. "I am still young now. If I can help Uncle Gu Er in the future, I will be at your disposal."
Gu Qingzhou was almost choked with anger. This little girl was as smooth and cunning as those old foxes in the court!
Yin Wuyan's expression was cold, but if one looked closely, one could see that the loneliness and coldness in his eyes had faded a little, and his gaze towards Zhan Feiyu was filled with warmth.
"Little Yu," Yin Wuyan said, looking at Zhan Feiyu, "Academician Gu can be trusted."
Hmph! Gu Qingzhou held his teacup and drank tea. This brat was not old, but he had a lot of hidden depths!
However, thinking that if she became his disciple, this trust and protection would be his, Gu Qingzhou suddenly felt as if the tea in his mouth was nectar, and a sip made him feel comfortable all over.
Zhan Feiyu hesitated, her face contorted in distress, and looked at Yin Wuyan with a troubled expression, "This formula is of great importance! The kind that can overturn the heavens."
Cough cough... Gu Qingzhou spat out a mouthful of tea, staring at Zhan Feiyu in disbelief.
Yin Wuyan was also stunned. It was enough to know the destructive power of Zhan Feiyu's words.
As the "culprit," Zhan Feiyu stood in place, fiddling with her fingers and smiling dryly. That's why she didn't dare to say it. This matter was of great importance and could change the world!