Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 704: Taking a Master

Ouyang Hu took a bite of the salty pork pancake; the charred fragrance of the pancake’s crust melded with the savory aroma of the salty meat, making him squint blissfully: "Since breakfast is your treat, I’ll follow your suggestion and take a look."

Zheng Qing was delighted, walking toward Brother Cheng: "Brother Cheng."

Brother Cheng, hearing Zheng Qing’s voice, wiped his tears and replied: "Brother Qing, what brings you here?"

Upon seeing Ouyang Hu, he greeted him from afar: "Hello, Grandpa Ouyang."

Gu Jin’an also greeted Ouyang Hu: "Master Ouyang."

Encountering Ouyang Hu here was truly an unexpected pleasure.

Ouyang Hu shook the salty pork pancake in his hand and laughed: "You brothers are doing well too."

Getting closer, he praised: "The Yanfu Ham from your family is truly delicious, worthy of the title of the world’s number one delicacy, but it’s too expensive, I can hardly bear to eat it often."

Gu Jin’an said: "If Master Ouyang likes it, someday I will send a few more over to you with Brother Cheng."

A few? This young man is really generous in his giving; there must be something he’s asking in return.

Ouyang Hu declined: "Ham is a delicacy, and as I’ve said before, one or two pieces are enough, having too much would spoil the appreciation."

He then asked: "This is Xia Gu’s manor, isn’t it? What brings you to his place? This old scoundrel fled Great Chu after causing trouble, and only dared to come back after Emperor Jingwu passed away. He truly is a cowardly rat."

Ouyang Hu didn’t hide his discontentment with Xia Gu; first, because Xia Gu and Old Master Zhan San were good friends, and Zhan San became known by berating his elder brother. Second, he disliked Madmen, regarding them as a group of troublemakers.

Brother Cheng said while looking at Ouyang Hu: "Although Xia Gu’s character is not good, he taught me for three years."

Ouyang Hu said: "That you haven’t been led astray by his teachings shows that you’re a child of firm character and integrity."

He only found out yesterday that Xia Gu had arrived in Tianfu County and had a manor outside the county town. His visit today was no coincidence; he purposely came to find Xia Gu and planned to berate him to vent on behalf of his own elder brother.

Back then, it was Xia Gu’s idea that led to Old Master Zhan San berating his elder brother, but Xia Gu was in the neighboring eastern country at that time, and he was out of reach for scolding.

Gu Jin’an timely said: "Brother Cheng stopped studying with Xia Gu since the beginning of Dongyue, and Mr. and Mrs. Xia have left and will not return."

Ouyang Hu was shocked: "Mr. and Mrs. Xia have truly left? Why?"

Gu Jin’an said: "It’s because of the matter between the Zhan Family and our Gu Family."

Gu Jin’an wanted Ouyang Hu to take in Brother Cheng as a student, and after some thought, he simply revealed everything: The marriage proposal Mr. and Mrs. Xia arranged for his elder sister, the indecent acts committed by Zhan Er, and the scheming by Mr. and Mrs. Xia to marry off Luo Wu—all were laid bare.

Ouyang Hu was a man of wide experience, yet even he was startled by the actions of Mr. and Mrs. Xia and Zhan Er: "That’s truly absurd, Xia Gu is still the same as before, thinking he’s the best under heaven, even daring to contemplate Emperor Jingwu’s tasks."

Mr. and Mrs. Xia were not Eldest Miss Gu’s parents; how could they arrange a marriage for Eldest Miss Gu without discussing, and even consider Zhan Er?

Zhan Er was simply a carbon copy of Old Master Zhan San; at fifteen, Zhan San took him to a brothel to gain worldly experience, and since then, the women in his life were countless. Not only did he maintain several concubines in Jiangnan, but also kept numerous maids in the Capital Mansion. It was rumored that he even fathered a child, but it couldn’t be borne, as Madam Zhan aborted the fetus with a dose of her medicine. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Such young men are truly not good people; only if Zhan Er, that prodigal son, turns over a new leaf will any woman married to him not suffer for a lifetime.

Indeed, Zhan Er is also a pitiable child, led astray by his own uncle, insisting on following the ways of the Madman.

"Is this the reason you are not going to Master Xia’s to study?" Ouyang Hu asked Brother Cheng.

Brother Cheng nodded: "Although Master Xia has the grace of teaching me, one must understand good and evil, near and far, must not join the wicked, must not alienate relatives. The elder sister is my own sister, and Brother Luo Wu is a benefactor to our entire family, who gave us food to eat, and helped fight for our lives on the road fleeing famine. Master Xia cannot harm him."

Ouyang Hu listened and nodded inwardly; this child was indeed good, one who clearly understood right from wrong, good from evil, and the closeness of relationships.

"Since Xia Gu has done so many harmful things, why did you still come to send him off, to kowtow to him?" Ouyang Hu asked again.

Brother Cheng lowered his head and said, "To thank him for three years of teaching grace."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Hu looked at Brother Cheng’s swollen eyes and exclaimed, "You are a good child who is grateful for kindness received."

He added, "Don’t be too hard on yourself. It is Xia Gu who is wrong, and your three kowtows have already repaid his kindness."

Ouyang Hu was neither a Madman nor a pedantic scholar; unlike his own elder brother, Ouyang Hong, he believed in repaying kindness and taking revenge, so he did not think Brother Cheng was an ingrate. Instead, he felt that he not only knew how to be grateful but also knew how to avoid vile characters.

Seeing Ouyang Hu taking such a liking to Brother Cheng, Gu Jin’an could hardly suppress the excitement in his heart. He deeply bowed to Ouyang Hu and entreated, "Master Ouyang, I boldly ask you to take my brother as your disciple."

Ouyang Hu raised his graying eyebrows: "I’ve long known you, lad, were up to no good, but I only wish to travel the world, savoring delicacies, and have never thought about taking disciples."

Moreover...

"Just for your brother to seek a master - don’t you want to take me as your master? I have some reputation as a scholar in Great Chu," Ouyang Hu remarked upon hearing that Gu Jin’an had not become a disciple but was instead studying with a rural Scholar.

Gu Jin’an shook his head: "I do not wish to. I already have the best choice for a master in mind."

Ouyang Hu: "Oh? Who is it? Someone more formidable than I?"

Gu Jin’an smiled: "It is Scholar Shang. Uncle Shang might not be more formidable than Master Ouyang, but he is the master I have chosen. Although Uncle Shang wishes me to seek a renowned master to protect me from the vicissitudes of a civil service career, whether the path is smooth depends on one’s own abilities. Even though a famous master can help with connections, it is hard to find a master like a father. I only wish to take Uncle Shang as my master."

Ouyang Hu gave Gu Jin’an a new level of respect; both of the Gu Family sons were good, indicating the excellent family values of the Gu Family, on par with noble houses.

Moved by Gu Jin’an’s words, Ouyang Hu decided to give Brother Cheng a chance: "Young fellow, do you want to be a Madman?"

Hearing this, Brother Cheng’s little body shivered, and he hurriedly shook his head: "I do not wish, I do not wish."

Hearing the word ’Madman’ made him think of the Zhan Family uncle and nephew and filled him with fear.

Ouyang Hu laughed upon hearing this: "Why not? All of Great Chu’s scholars venerate the Madman as their master and take pride in becoming a Madman. Don’t you want to be a Madman, standing at the summit of the scholars, looking down upon all of Great Chu’s learned class?"

Brother Cheng said: "Madmen are too impulsive, acting rashly, often complicating what are essentially simple matters, and are too selfish. Brother Cheng prefers practical scholars, those like Uncle Shang... Well, Xu Tongsheng counts too."

He continued: "Ordinary scholars, although not born of noble families, make their mark by teaching in their hometowns, enabling more people to become literate, allowing more poor commoners to succeed in examinations and become officials. Poor scholars may be weaker, but if all poor scholars unite, they could match the noble families..."

"Brother Cheng, stop talking!" Gu Jin’an hurriedly chastised him: "Such talk is not for you to say. Do not say it again in the future."