Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 213: The Emperor's Gift
After all, Zhang Wu was from a marquis's mansion, and gazing directly at the emperor's face was the limit of what he could do. Now that his courage was gone, he naturally lowered his head again, trying his best to avoid looking at Zhang Shou to see if he had any hints - although he felt that his answer should be pretty good, his years of experience prevented him from building up too much confidence.
But he still tried to speak calmly: "My father and uncle all started out as soldiers. If my father hadn't fought bravely and risked his life, he wouldn't have his current title and future. So the wealth and glory in our family is what my father deserves, and we, his children and grandchildren, are lucky to enjoy it. Even if we get it unevenly, there's no reason to complain."
"Because if my father was still an ordinary soldier, then perhaps there would be no son like me. Even if I could be born, I would most likely be a poor boy who had to work barefoot on the land, do labor, or even beg for food at such an old age. How much my father gave me and how good he was to me were his intentions, not his duty."
Even though his stepmother was very powerful, she only suppressed him and never abused or harmed him or other illegitimate sons. Compared with the messy affairs of other wealthy families, he was just ignored and neglected. His father was able to rise to his current position from a small soldier. Even if he did not have such bravery and courage, would he not be able to have enough food and clothing and a comfortable life in the future?
As Zhang Wu spoke, he sorted out his thoughts that had been gradually sorted out over the past few days. What was originally just a polite speech for outsiders gradually revealed his true feelings. He suddenly turned around, bowed deeply to Zhang Shou, and then said word by word: "Thanks to the teacher's teachings over the past few days, I finally understand."
Zhang Shou had always felt that Zhang Wu's words were just right, so he immediately smiled and said, "Don't blame me for everything. You have such thoughts because you have grown up, and your classmates and friends have also grown up. As a result, everyone has influenced each other, and you have naturally emerged from the cocoon and become a butterfly."
Since the person had expressed his initial resentment, and also talked about his experience after growing up, and also praised him as a teacher, it was really comprehensive, so why didn't he praise the student as well? Who made the remarks really good! Although he didn't completely agree.
The emperor was used to seeing the open and covert struggles between the first and second princes, so when he heard Zhang Wu's answer, he was even more emotional. Although he had met so many people before, and several of them were far better than Zhang Wu, he felt that the question he asked just now, which was a spontaneous response, had really brought him a lot of benefits.
" Okay, that's great. I'm surprised to hear such an answer!"
He pushed the armrest and stood up, actually walking back and forth in front of the throne for two steps: "In this world, most illegitimate sons hope to be the heir and inherit the family business, so that they can be proud. But most people have never thought about how their fathers, grandfathers... and even ancestors got this family business? It was all earned through hard work and struggle!"
"You complain that your elders are unfair and didn't give you what you deserve. In the final analysis, you have lost from the very beginning. Because from the very beginning, you put yourself in the position of a loser. Only losers will complain about injustice. When Marquis Nanyang and Marquis Huaiqing rose from humble pawns to marquisates, they were always the role models that countless people admired. But how many people knew the hardships they went through to survive?"
After the emperor finished expressing his feelings, he suddenly sighed and then sat back on the throne.
A concubine's son who is ranked lower can rationally give up the family business that he has no chance of inheriting anyway, but how many of those legitimate sons who are ranked higher and have a good family background can give up the temptation of that great family business, and how many of them can refrain from resenting their father or even their mother behind their backs?
The eldest son blames his parents for giving birth to too many sons and thus diluting the family property; the second son blames his parents for not giving birth to him two years earlier; the third and fourth sons may also be dissatisfied in their hearts, wondering why those incompetent brothers get to bully them... Any family has to branch out to continue its bloodline, but the result of branching out is often a fight for the family property.
Even if the system of this dynasty is to divide the family property equally among all sons, the ancestral home and sacrificial land are not divided, because this is the basis of clan inheritance.
Just like he could divide the property in the inner treasury equally among the princes, but it was absolutely impossible for him to divide the imperial throne.
The emperor finally lost interest after realizing that no matter how much he appreciated Zhang Wu, he couldn't solve the problem that he found increasingly thorny. He nodded and said, "Zhang Wu, you should work hard. I have high hopes for you."
Zhang Wu was immediately terrified and excited. He knelt down hurriedly and said, "Your Majesty, I am so ashamed to receive your praise. What I said just now is what I really think. But I am not good at either literature or martial arts, and I have not really thought about what I should do in the future. I can only say that I will try my best to learn the principles of the world, how to behave in society, and how to plan for the future from my teacher."
Zhang Shou couldn't help but put his hand on his forehead, then he looked up at the emperor, bowed and said with a wry smile: "Your Majesty, please forgive Zhang Wu for being a little incoherent because this is his first time in front of the emperor. He is speaking from the heart , but..."
"Okay, don't say buts. I can hear that he thinks you are a good teacher, that's all." The emperor nodded with a smile and said with interest, "You just said that he has many good friends, and he also recognizes you as a good teacher. Isn't that good? Having good teachers and good friends can broaden one's mind. This is a mutually beneficial thing."
The emperor then asked Zhang Wu a few more questions, and finally ordered without turning his head: "Liu Feng, go to the East Warm Pavilion and fetch the plum blossom brush washer on my desk. Give it to Zhang Wu as a reward. This is my recognition of his virtue as a son!"
Zhang Wu was shocked, especially when he looked up and saw Zhang Shou also showing a hint of surprise. He immediately realized that not everyone was rewarded, and he felt ecstatic and uneasy. Then, since the emperor gave it to him, he dared not refuse, and he could only kowtow to express his gratitude. When he took the brush washer, which was still a little wet even after being wiped, in his hand, he felt even more excited.
This is something that the emperor often uses... He is so lucky!
Seeing Zhang Wu thank the emperor again and stand up, his steps were clearly a little unsteady when he turned around to leave, Zhang Shou couldn't help but remind him: "Zhang Wu, keep your head up and chest out. The more you look at your feet, the easier it is to trip! Do you want to drop the gift from the emperor and let people laugh at you?"
Zhang Wu came back to his senses with a start. He stopped and took a deep breath to regulate his breathing. Then he slightly turned sideways and bowed his head to thank Zhang Shou for his reminder. Then he strode out the door.
Seeing the door curtain fall and the person disappear outside the door, Zhang Shou stood up and said to the emperor: "If the emperor's gift is seen by outsiders, they will misunderstand that Zhang Wu has won the emperor's heart. What if some gossip spreads..."
Before Zhang Shou could finish his words, the emperor smiled and said, "I must have a special mind, otherwise why would I give him the brush washer I used? He is a good child. No matter what happened in the past, at least his heart is right now. Deyang has always been cautious. Giving her a husband who is enthusiastic about his career or who is wanton and flamboyant will harm her. I think Zhang Wu is good."
Zhang Shou was stunned. He remembered that Zhu Ying said that Princess Deyang had a good first impression of Zhang Wu, and Zhang Wu himself said that being married to a princess was a blessing, but he didn't dare to hope for it. So after thinking it over, he asked Zhu Ying to make some things clear to the emperor. So now, did the emperor choose his son-in-law with a preconceived opinion, or was it really a coincidence?
Seeing Zhang Shou's dazed look, the emperor couldn't help but laugh. Why do you think I asked Zhang Wu these questions? Isn't it because I heard Yingying's hint? Since he is a good person, then it will be decided naturally. Thinking of this, he shouted: "Okay, next one!"
After Zhang Wu, it was Zhang Lu. Because the Imperial Household Department had been instructed to stagger the two of them, he did not meet Zhang Wu, and he did not know that Zhang Wu, whom he had always regarded as a brother in distress, had actually received a rare reward from the emperor. At this moment, he saluted the emperor first, then carefully glanced at Zhang Shou on the side, and quickly turned sideways and bowed.
Seeing this, the emperor couldn't help but laugh and said, "You guys in Banshan Hall all respect your teachers, but you're not surprised to see Zhang Qing. Why, did he tell you about this a long time ago?"
This question was the same as the one he asked Zhang Wu before, extremely sharp and tricky. Zhang Lu was always slippery, but when he was trying to rack his brains to prevaricate, he saw the emperor looking directly at him, and he immediately panicked.
He said subconsciously: "Yes, the young master told us a long time ago..."
As soon as he said this, he realized that something was wrong. He didn't know how he, who was usually very good at improvising, could suddenly make such a mistake. He didn't even bother to scold himself for being stupid, and hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, it was because I and the others were unsure about meeting the emperor, so we begged the young master to give us some advice, but at that time, Eunuch Chu came to deliver a message, and we happened to be there, so he kept pestering us and asking..."
Before Zhang Lu could finish his words, the emperor interrupted him and asked Zhang Shou, "They asked, did you tell them directly, Mr. Zhang?"
"Because Eunuch Chu didn't say that the matter had to be kept secret." Zhang Shou said frankly, "Besides, they didn't pester me to ask, but I took the initiative to tell them. Then I chased them away. They are always said to be useless playboys behind their backs. I thought that staying by the emperor's side would give them some confidence, so I just told them early."
Zhang Wu suddenly became even more panicked: "No, no, it was because the young master couldn't stand our constant questioning that he accidentally let the secret slip!"
"Quibbling!" The emperor pounded the armrest in annoyance. Seeing Zhang Shou calmly stand up and bow, and Zhang Lu gritted his teeth and knelt down as if to apologize, he suddenly laughed and said, "This matter doesn't need to be kept secret, otherwise Chu Kuan wouldn't have waited for a lot of you to gather together to meet Zhang Qing."
As he spoke, he looked at Zhang Lu, whose face was ashen, with a smile on his face and said, "Zhang Lu, you are quite courageous. To protect your teacher, you even dare to speak in a flowery way in front of me? With your teacher's personality, if he doesn't want to talk, you can't pry his mouth open even if you beat him up!"
Seeing Zhang Lu's face turn from gray to pale, the emperor said lightly: "Heaven, earth, emperor, parents, and teachers, do you think you are putting the teacher before the emperor?"
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." Zhang Lu's thighs trembled, and he finally knelt down dejectedly with his forehead touching the ground, but he dared not utter another word.
Even though he felt that the emperor did not seem to be such a strict person in the past, the emperor was a creature that was always changeable. Therefore, Zhang Shou did not dare to bet on what the emperor meant. He could only walk up to Zhang Lu and block him behind him.
"If Your Majesty feels that Zhang Lu is at fault, it is first of all my fault. Failure to teach is the teacher's fault. Please consider that he is young and ignorant, and that he is wholeheartedly protecting me, and forgive him this time."
Zhang Lu just felt that he was really stupid today, and instinctively raised his head and shouted: "Young Master, I said the wrong thing!"
The emperor stared at Zhang Shou, whose face remained calm. Seeing Zhang Lu actually reaching out to grab the corner of Zhang Shou's robe, the emperor coughed majestically and said, "Okay, I'm just testing you two. Today is not a court meeting, and it doesn't involve any major events. How can there be so many mistakes? But, Zhang Lu, you need to remember this lesson. One lie needs many lies to make up for it."
Zhang Lu was sweating profusely. Hearing the emperor's words, he dared not say a word. He kowtowed hurriedly and said, "I will remember this lesson. I will never forget your teachings in the future."
"Well, it's a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. It's not wrong to take the blame for the sake of a respected person, but the mistake is that you were intimidated by my power and lost your composure from the beginning." The emperor seemed very satisfied with the effect of this scare. He then asked Zhang Lu a lot of questions leisurely, and finally nodded and said, "Liu Feng, go and get the Xuancheng Zihao on my table and give it to him."
There is actually a reward? What the hell is this? Zhang Lu, with sweat all over his forehead, finally realized what it meant that thunder and rain were all grace from the emperor. He didn't even bother to raise his head to wipe the sweat off his face, and hurriedly thanked him. However, when he accepted the gift that Liu Feng hurriedly delivered, he stood up to thank him again, but he staggered because of his absent-mindedness. It was not until Zhang Shou reached out to help him that he came back to his senses.
Feeling that hand firmly gripping his forearm, Zhang Lu finally let go of his confusion, but he felt extremely ashamed. If he had known earlier, he should have been frank and honest as Zhang Shou had instructed before. Why would he be so scared just now?
After Zhang Lu left, Zhang Shou counted and found that there were six people left, including Zhang Chen, who was the last one, Zhu Er, who was the second last one, and four others. All six of them were students of Banshan Hall, and they had all stayed in Cuiyun Room. He said directly, "Your Majesty, the next ones are all my students. I'd better avoid suspicion and stop talking!"
"Why do you take it so seriously, Mr. Zhang? I am just trying to find a new way. I want to take a good look at these young men who were once considered to be useless." The emperor looked at Zhang Shou with a smile, and his tone was very sincere . "You can rest assured. I will not scare you next!"
You also know that this is scary? Zhang Shou secretly complained, but under the emperor's gaze, he did not fight back, but sat back down. The emperor gave the brush washer to Zhang Wu, and the meaning was clear, but he gave the purple hairpin to Zhang Lu, what the hell did this mean?
