Chapter 7: Chapter 4 Teaching on the Streets
Seeing Gu Changsheng still bowing her head and weeping, displaying a petty deanor, Lady Li’s anger intensified even more.
“Why does it take so long to retrieve an official seal? How do you handle things, truly becoming more lax after just three days without supervision!” Lady Li furiously slamd the table and exclaid.
Right, right? Why so slow? Gu Changsheng thought so too, the chili powder on her sleeve was almost wiped off, she was about to be unable to cry anymore…
The maid who brought in the official seal, upon hearing Lady Li’s words, imdiately knelt down with repeated apologies.
“What are you standing there for, assign a steward from the outer court to take them to Shuntian Prefecture, make sure this matter is cleaned up thoroughly, no troubles must be left behind!” Lady Li ordered Old Lady Feng.
Old Lady Feng naturally bowed repeatedly in agreent.
Gu Changsheng secretly sighed with relief, took Little at Bun by the hand, and prepared to leave, considering it a perfect resolution, as there was nothing related to them here anymore.
“Hold on!” Just as Gu Changsheng was about to leave with others, Lady Li was displeased, feeling that the unappreciative ones should be properly chastened; how could she let them leave so effortlessly?
Upon receiving a cue from Lady Li, Old Lady Feng imdiately scolded out, “Disrespectful woman, our Madam holds the prestigious Second Rank imperial edict, yet you don’t kneel to withdraw!”
Gu Changsheng’s body imdiately straightened, and she raised her head, her gaze sharp as she directly looked at Lady Li, but then she quickly bent her knees, knelt with Xiao Cui and her son in one fluid motion, without any hesitation.
She thought, without a proper scare, how could Lady Li be willing to let it go so easily? Just as expected, she was here waiting for a confrontation, right?
“Listen, Gu, the Li Mansion is a house of wealth and prestige, not sothing any petty household could approach. Today I will overlook our old grudges considering Old Master Gu once saved my grandfather’s life, but should you dare to entangle with us again, don’t bla for being ruthless! Which elite family doesn’t have ans? Guard your lives carefully!”
Lady Li finished speaking and dismissed them with a wave of her hand, and quickly the accompanying maids and old ladies stepped forward, pulling Gu Changsheng and her group to push them outside.
Gu Changsheng did not struggle, but as she reached the doorway, she turned back with a piercingly cold look, “The high doors of the Li Mansion, Changsheng knows she is not worthy to aspire to them, there is no need for you to threaten with my life, Madam. Today I leave the mansion, and unless you beg on your knees in the future, Changsheng vows never to step half a foot into the Li Mansion again!”
After speaking, she did not care about Lady Li’s livid face and resolutely left with her son.
She had already rudely acquainted herself with the dical practices of this dynasty; heart disease, that is an incurable malady. Lady Li, you best pray for your own fortune…
As Gu Changsheng left the Li Mansion, she couldn’t help but look back one more ti, her eyes bright and spirited, “Xiao Cui, I still think these stone lions are very fine, very fine indeed…”
Xiao Cui, Little at Bun: “…”
The efficiency of the Prefect of Shuntian was extrely high; especially with the seal of Old Master Li, Gu Changsheng achieved her wish to remove her son’s na from the Li family registry, and also managed to obtain a new household register.
Having the backing of the Li family’s na, why not use it, to dissolve all ties once and for all.
Gu Changsheng held the freshly issued new household register, treasuring it in her embrace. From now on, this son was hers alone.
Ancient tis are great, with its simple folk customs. In just half a day, the news that the Young Madam of Li Mansion had been divorced had spread throughout the streets and alleys, and passersby all expressed deep sympathy for their party of three.
See, the elite houses are not so easy to enter, and isn’t this why she was expelled? Transforming from a crow to a phoenix is not so easy, after all. Let’s accept our fate and live quietly as commoners!
The old lady selling vegetables even generously gave an extra handful of leeks to Xiao Cui.
Gu Changsheng awkwardly accepted sympathy from all quarters, internally lanting the Capital City’s zeal for gossip, how swiftly the rumors spread!
Holding Little at Bun, she led Xiao Cui to a less crowded place and stopped.
Gu Changsheng set her son down on the ground; this Little at Bun seed not right, remaining silent since leaving the Li Mansion, his brow so furrowed it almost ford pleats, what was going on?
“Son, what’s the matter with you, stop frowning; your brows are almost as pinched as a bun’s pleats,” Gu Changsheng touched her son’s slightly swollen tuft of hair, puzzled.
“Mother, I want to beco a high-ranking official in the future!” Little at Bun raised his head, his face determined.
“Oh?” Gu Changsheng beca interested, and crouched down to look her son in the eye, “How did you co up with such a grand aspiration? Co on, son, tell your mother about it.”
Little at Bun twisted his tiny fingers, his voice soft and sticky, “If I beco a high official, mother won’t have to kneel to that person anymore.”
Right? Even her son could sense her reluctance to kneel. Honestly, Gu Changsheng had never really knelt before. The twenty-first century was truly grand with everyone being equal; who would lose their mind and kneel at every turn!
“Son, it comforts your mother to see you think of her. But as the saying goes, when power overwhelms, one must bow under low eaves; it’s crucial to recognize the state of affairs and bow when necessary, or else one might suffer greatly.”
“Moreover, you need not aspire to be an official just for your mother’s sake.”
Little at Bun nodded, seemingly understanding.
“Then, why did you tell them at Li Mansion to leave Young Master behind?” Xiao Cui, on one side, couldn’t help herself. Madam had advised them last night to trust her, and to follow her cues at Li Mansion, but she was still taken aback at the ti.
“If I didn’t say that, could I directly tell them that I need a signed pledge from my son and for them to throw us all out?” Gu Changsheng gave Xiao Cui a look that scread ‘you’re an idiot’.
“When people vie for sothing, it becos desirable, though my son indeed is very desirable.” Gu Changsheng smiled, kissing her son before continuing, “Son, you must rember, the art of war states: the supre art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting; next is to disrupt their alliances and only lastly to besiege their cities. Currently, we can’t afford direct confrontation, so we must aim for their hearts. The more I seem to want to keep you, the more they will want to let you go. Such is human nature. The affairs of the world and the hearts of people are ever-changing and unpredictable, rember that comprehending worldly affairs is knowledge, and mastering human relationships is true skill. You must learn to observe everything and be vigilant. Although understanding human hearts is difficult, there are always traces to follow.”
Xiao Cui was bewildered, but Little at Bun, Gu Ze, looked serious.
Gu Changsheng was amused; look at his serious little face, but did he understand?
“Mother, I sort of get it, but if I don’t beco a high official in the future, what should I do? Beco a Great General?” Little at Bun raised his head after a while, his round eyes full of puzzlent.
Still caught up in this dilemma… Gu Changsheng massaged her forehead…
“Son, it’s fine to aspire high, but you must also understand what your interests are.”
“If you aspire to be a high official, your mother will teach you about morality and help you understand the unpredictability and deceitful nature of the political arena; if you aspire to be a Great General, your mother will also teach you military strategies, to ensure your invincibility in battle; if you want to be a wealthy rchant, your mother will also teach you the cunning of the business world, what constitutes true gain…Of course, if you want to beco a Famous Doctor, your mother will spare no effort to teach you everything I know…”
She was a good mother, wasn’t she? She had lived for twenty-nine years in her previous life, was exceptionally gifted, and had a photographic mory. She had learned quite a lot, at least more so than the ancient people; she rightly deserved the title of being highly learned…
“Mother, can’t I do all these?” He wanted to be both a high official and a general; what should he do? Little at Bun furrowed his brows in dilemma.
Gu Changsheng beca angry and slapped the back of his head, “Do you also want to have your cake and eat it too! Rember, there’s an order in learning and a specialization in each profession. While it’s good to be well-rounded, it inevitably leads to distractions and hinders great accomplishnts. You’re still young; you have plenty of ti to think it over slowly, we’re in no rush.” When she was young, she also wanted to learn everything, but in the end, she chose dical skills, which she studied diligently, troubling several national treasure level traditional Chinese doctors before finally apprenticesing under Yhan’s and mastering the craft.
Little at Bun was reassured. Right, he was still young and could slowly make his choices. Mother had said, being too anxious cannot help in eating hot tofu.
“However, a man should base his life on cultivating his personal character, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. My son, you are still young; governing a country and bringing peace to the world are not within your capabilities yet, but helping you cultivate yourself is sothing your mother can still manage.” Gu Changsheng smiled, lifting her son in her arms, “When I’ve nourished you until you are plump and healthy, your mother will help you get this removed, and then no one will laugh at you, how about that?”
Touching the lump on his neck, Little at Bun smiled shyly and nodded fiercely.
His mother had said it could be cured, and it definitely would be. His mother wouldn’t lie to him!
Gu Changsheng watched happily as her son grew more cheerful day by day, catching him for another two kisses before catching Xiao Cui’s hand, “Let’s go. Let’s go ho!”
What Gu Changsheng didn’t know was that shortly after they left, a figure erged at the opposite second-floor window, staring blankly at their departing figures.
“The supre art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting, next is to disrupt their alliances, and last is to besiege their cities, huh…”
“Master, it has been found that these three are the abandoned wife from Li Mansion, Gu Changsheng, and her son and maid,” a ruggedly dressed man appeared behind him, speaking softly.
“Li Mansion? Li Mufeng?” The man sneered, “He has always been overly proud of his talents, always looking down on others. He mistook a pearl for a fish eye this ti; he will certainly regret it later.”
What does the master an? He couldn’t really believe that the abandoned wife could teach a high official or a general, could he?
“Do not doubt; with such a mother, this child is surely extraordinary… A person who can utter such profound military maxims is hardly ordinary. Your poison is his honey; it seems Li Mansion has been outwitted by her this ti.”
“Let’s go,” he glanced again indifferently before turning to leave.
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