Yan Zhili smiled and said, "I'm not tired. Let's go to the study later, and I'll test you on what you've been learning lately."
Yan Shujin and Yan Qiyu both nodded in agreement.
Liu Qin, with a gentle expression, said, "Let's eat first, and you can have a proper chat in the study later."
Yan Shujin said, "Mother, we ate roasted rabbit at the teacher's place."
Liu Qin had the maid bring up the food. Even though he was rich now, Liu Qin didn't have a big feast prepared. He kept the evening light: "After you finish your porridge, have some vegetables."
Yan Shujin and Yan Qiyu agreed, and after washing their hands, they obediently sat down next to their parents.
After everyone finished eating, Yan Zhili took the two children to the study. Liu Qin brought in fruit and warm water, then went to the next room to do her own thing. In addition to studying with Aunt Fang, she had also started reading recently.
Liu Qin was literate, but later she was busy with household chores. After her husband left home, she started selling embroidery every day to earn some money. She was always thinking about how to save some money to make clothes for her children and buy meat to nourish their bodies.
When she arrived in the capital, she realized that this was not going to work. She needed to start learning again, studying how to manage a household, give gifts, and socialize. She needed to read to improve herself so that she wouldn't be at a loss for words if something happened outside.
Actually, when Liu Qin first started reading, she also found it difficult and couldn't concentrate. After forcing herself to read a certain number of pages every day, she now feels like something is missing if she doesn't read for a day.
In the study, Yan Zhili asked, "What have you learned from Mr. Du?"
Yan Shujin remained silent, looking at Yan Qiyu. Yan Qiyu obediently repeated the question and the two people's answers. He had a very good memory and remembered Mr. Du and Yan Shujin's words clearly.
Yan Zhili nodded and asked, "Is there a problem?"
Yan Shujin subconsciously sat up straight and asked with a serious expression, "Father, Mr. Du said that there are many exceptionally talented people in aristocratic families, but if the scions of aristocratic families are so intelligent, why did the previous dynasty still fall?"
Yan Zhili was taken aback. He hadn't expected Yan Shujin to ask such a question. He looked at his young and studious son, then at his intelligent daughter, and said, "The scions of noble families are indeed outstanding, and the governance of the world cannot do without them. But... you must know that these scions of noble families put the interests of their families first, and they are willing to sacrifice everything for their families."
Yan Shujin pursed her lips: "Just like those noble ladies who are willing to marry... marry someone like Uncle Lü as a second wife? Are they willing to sacrifice everything for their families, even if many ordinary people die, they don't care?"
“Yes.” Yan Zhili’s view on aristocratic families was also complicated: “They do not prioritize the interests of the world, but rather the interests of their own families. They… even if they themselves have to put their families behind them, do those aristocratic women feel wronged? They do feel wronged, but they value their families too much and value the world and themselves too little.”
Yan Zhili sighed: "There's nothing wrong with that. Just like I value my family more, but when the court is full of such powerful families, the world is bound to fall into chaos."
Yan Shujin felt that the veil that had been covering her up had finally been torn away, but she had a new question: "Father, if the daughters of noble families are willing to marry those people for the benefit of their families, what about the sons of noble families? After you succeeded, did the wives they married change?"
Yan Zhili's expression was somewhat complicated. If... if Yan Shujin were a boy, he would have no regrets: "Even in aristocratic families, there are talented and untalented people. Those who inherit the family business or are promising marry women from aristocratic families, and some who are not old enough are already engaged. Those who are untalented are not in a hurry to get engaged."
Yan Qiyu felt something was off, and after thinking for a while, he said, "This doesn't seem right."
Yan Zhili looked at his son. This was certainly not right. Even his son had realized it, but those other people hadn't, or perhaps they had, but...
Yan Shujin looked at Yan Zhili and said, "Father, in that case, will all those people who came out with Uncle eventually become officials?"
Yan Zhili nodded. There was a difference between official positions, whether they were high-ranking or nominal, but they would all hold official positions because they couldn't let these people down. Back then, he and his brother had even thought of secretly supporting these people to compete with the powerful families.
Yan Shujin tapped the table with her finger: "But they divorced their wives and married women from noble families. These women then had children who received the best education and lived in luxury from a young age. The children of those men were definitely not as good as them. So... when these children born to women from noble families grow up, they should inherit the family business? Then... doesn't that mean that in twenty years, the people speaking in the court will still be from noble families?"
"But those scions of noble families marry daughters from other noble families, so are they still noble families?" Yan Shujin's words were a bit jumbled, because she herself was somewhat confused: "Isn't that too cunning?"
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