Gu Dashan and Third Grandpa were shocked upon hearing this, and hurriedly asked Gu Jin’an, "Good Brother An, what did you say? What happened to you in the prefecture city?"
They were unaware of the situation where Cao Juren accused Gu Jin’an, Master Ouyang intervened, wrote articles, sought help from the Yan Family, and sent Master You and others to Linhe Prefecture to testify for Gu Jin’an.
After listening, Gu Jin’an didn’t hide it anymore and explained how Cao Juren accused him of attempting to murder Elder Gu.
Having heard this, Gu Dashan was so angry that his hands shook. "How could they do this? This could kill you!"
With eyes red, Gu Dashan hurriedly knelt before Master Ouyang, saying, "Junior thanks Master Ouyang for saving Brother An... Although I have no great talents, should you ever need a hand, I’d give my life to repay you!"
To be accused of attempting to murder Elder Gu, what a grave cri this was! Whether guilty or not, just being accused would bring scandal.
Fortunately, Master Ouyang ca to help. Otherwise, Gu Dashan dared not imagine the consequences Brother An would have faced.
Brother Cheng also hurriedly knelt, solemnly saluting Master Ouyang, saying, "Thank you, sir, for helping my elder brother. As your student, I’ll serve you for life to repay this great kindness."
Gu Dewang, while eating pastries, casually chid in, "Why say all this? Sir helped Brother Jin’an in passing; he doesn’t even care. Yet you kneel and thank him so solemnly."
Master Ouyang didn’t scold Gu Dewang this ti, instead nodding, "Brother Wang is right, it was just a small favor, get up now."
Gu Jin’an, knowing Master Ouyang to be a broad-minded person, responded with agreent, helping Gu Dashan to his feet.
Yet Gu Dashan remained worried, asking Master Ouyang, "Sir, won’t this matter ever end? Will it resurface every ti Brother An takes an exam? What will happen to Brother An then?"
Filial piety is so pressing that it can crush lives. Gu Dashan felt exhausted... They had done all they could; why did Brother An still face such targeting over this?
Master Ouyang said, "Rest assured, this matter is over. Even if brought up again, it will only be in private; no one would dare to speak openly of it."
He also added, "It was never your family’s fault; your family has already been benevolent enough. It’s just that fathers abound, and future fathers will abound more, all feeling the weight of filial piety, knowing its leverage benefits and unwilling to relinquish it."
Having traveled extensively across Great Chu, Master Ouyang had seen many crushed or ruined families by filial piety. Therefore, he believed in benevolent fathering leading to filial children, so after his sons married, he seldom ddled in their affairs, maintaining closeness only with the younger generation.
Gu Dashan was moved to tears, "Thank you, elder."
With Master Ouyang’s words, he felt relieved.
"Alright, it’s getting late, you should head back." Master Ouyang stood up from the bamboo mat, putting on his wooden clogs, "Let see you off."
Though he offered to see them off, no one dared let Master Ouyang go too far, just out to the study courtyard gate.
Gu Jin’an, while saying goodbye, said, "Master Ouyang, we encountered quite a few things during this exam journey. Today was too rushed; may I visit tomorrow to ask for guidance?"
Tomorrow would be the eighth of July. While on the mule cart, Gu Dashan had ntioned that the day for their banquet was the ninth, so they would be free tomorrow.
"Today was indeed rushed. Sure, if you’re free, co by tomorrow." Master Ouyang, without doubting, agreed readily.
Gu Jin’an smiled, not just a small smile, but a wide grin, "Then I shall disturb you tomorrow, Master."
Scholar Shang could hardly look straight at his own student, but never mind, young people, especially with their first crush on a girl, are always sowhat impulsive.
"Sir, we’re leaving now." Brother Cheng waved to Master Ouyang.
Master Ouyang nodded to him but then turned to Gu Dewang, who was trying to sneak away, "Your assignnts doubled, and if not submitted tomorrow, penalties will double further!"
"Doubled and doubled again?" Gu Dewang looked at his palms, shouting, "That’s fourfold! You’re too harsh, old man."
With two slaps, Mrs. Chen smacked his head, scolding, "You brat, you’ve got so nerve now, even daring to curse the teacher. No at for you tonight, only boiled soybeans."
"Oh no, mom, don’t hit, I was wrong." Gu Dewang hurriedly ran, dodging Mrs. Chen’s hits.
Furiously, Mrs. Chen pointed at his back and said, "You dare go against the teacher? It’s bad enough now, punished with more howork. This ans more paper wasted, and despite having so much Silver, you’ll waste it all."
Master Ouyang, hearing this, was inexpressibly exasperated. Truly a mother and son pair, both with peculiar minds; at a ti like this, she should have scolded Gu Dewang for courting trouble. Yet she fretted over wasting paper money?
Gu Dewang dashed out of the Ouyang house gates, almost bumping into Luo Wu.
County Magistrate Zheng, frightened by the fervor among the won of the ten miles and eight villages over Gu Jin’an, worried about any scheming attempts towards Gu Jin’an by won with daughters. Hence, before leaving, he instructed Luo Wu to escort Gu Jin’an ho with a group of governnt officials, staying until the banquet was over.
Luo Wu couldn’t have asked for more; he was getting busier, hadn’t seen Sister Xiu for over half a month, and felt anxious. This way, he could use the official duty to visit ho for a few days, making him quite happy.
"Be careful." Luo Wu, using his waist knife, stopped Gu Dewang from diving onto the ground and asked, "Have Brother An and the others co out? The sun is about to set."
Gu Dewang steadied himself, smiled, and said, "They’re just coming out."
Upon saying this, the villagers surrounding Master Ouyang’s house beca excited, shouting to Gu Dewang, "Brother Wang, co over and carry my Fu Shou, so when Scholar Gu cos out, Fu Shou can touch his head. I’ll give you thirty copper coins!"
"Bring my Jinwang too. If he can’t touch the head, hugging a leg will do!"
"And my Shijiu, Brother Wang, get over here quickly. Granny Yuan will give you fifty copper coins as a reward, more than what the Xu Family’s daughter-in-law offers."
Luo Wu frowned upon hearing this, looking at Gu Dewang, "Are you into this kind of business?"
"I’m not; they just think I might do such deals, but I haven’t promised them anything!" Gu Dewang quickly denied it.
Honestly, as a child, he feared Brother Luo Wu. This guy didn’t speak much but was skilled in martial arts. Gu Dewang always feared getting into a fight with him over a disagreent.
Luo Wu believed him. Though Brother Wang liked making money, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to cause trouble for Brother An.
He let Gu Dewang go, turning his gaze to the villagers surrounding Ouyang’s house, shouting, "By order of Lord County Magistrate, whoever dares offend Scholar Gu will be fined five taels of silver!"
The villagers, fearful of financial losses, fell silent upon hearing the fine of five taels.
But Fourth Granny Yuan wasn’t willing to give up the chance for her grandson to gain so fortune, arguing, "Isn’t five taels too much? Wouldn’t five hundred cents do?"
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