Chapter 473 Xiao Yan: Why not become my disciple?
Tang Ning was like a little girl who had lost her temper, mumbling unhappily.
"If I had known this earlier, I wouldn't have kept the position of headmaster. And that day after you came out of the palace, you actually frightened me and made me rack my brains to think of how to fool you. But in the end, you already knew that my brother was not in the capital."
"After all, you have some friendship with my grandfather and are an elder. How dare you scare a little girl like me like this?"
Cao Dejiang rolled his eyes upon hearing this: "If you hadn't fooled me first, would I have been able to scare you?"
Tang Ning pouted: "You didn't show any signs. I thought you were just like those cunning people in the court. What if you harmed my brother?"
"If I had revealed any clues, you would have eaten me up long ago!"
"No, my brother is kind and good-hearted."
Cao Dejiang instantly laughed in anger: "He has a kind heart? I still love all living beings!"
Tang Ning groaned: "I don't care anyway, you lied to me first!"
An old man and a young boy started arguing. Xiao Yan just watched with a smile and said nothing. However, Shi Changan turned over the chestnuts with tongs, fearing that the world would not be in chaos.
"The princess is right. This Cao guy is shameless and likes to put on a show."
"Mr. Shi is right." Tang Ning held out his hand with a stern face: "You are deliberately teasing me. Give me back the rare copy you took away earlier!"
"You wish!"
Cao Dejiang rolled his eyes: "You gave me something and you want it back?"
He simply reached out and slapped Tang Ning's fair and tender hand, and when he saw her pull her hand back in pain.
Cao Dejiang turned his head and took out his anger on Shi Changan beside him.
"Mr. Shi, I've been very kind to you. Since you came to the capital, I've taken care of your food, drink, and toilet, and I haven't asked you for a penny. If you continue to stir up trouble here, be careful. I'll use your previous bet to make you dance in public."
Shi Changan put down the tongs and asked excitedly: "What are you dancing for?"
It’s a good deal to be able to exchange it for a bet.
Cao Dejiang said expressionlessly: "Strip and dance!"
Shi Changan silently picked up the tongs and placed a chestnut in front of him: "Mr. Cao, you are joking. How can a scholar like me dance? It's too rude and immoral."
Cao Dejiang sneered.
Oh.
Pooh!
Does he still have any moral integrity?
…
The atmosphere in Yanlingju was much better than outsiders imagined. Canglang, who had originally thought that a fight would break out after his overseer entered, heard bursts of laughter coming from inside. Reassured, he quietly retreated to the side, gazing at the moon in a daze with his hands behind his back.
Inside, Xiao Yan took the initiative to hold the teapot with a handkerchief under his arm and poured tea for everyone.
The small charcoal brazier continuously emitted heat, and Tang Ning felt a little hot after a short while.
Xiao Yan took a small fan from the side and fanned her. He glanced at Cao Dejiang, who was wearing thin clothes and had a rosy face, and then looked at Shi Changan, who was standing by the charcoal basin with a still pale face.
"Why are you so afraid of the cold, sir?" Xiao Yan asked.
Shi Changan fiddled with the charcoal fire and said, "I was ambushed in Beiling earlier. I lost an arm and my body was also damaged."
Cao Dejiang looked at Shi Changan's empty sleeve, a trace of pity flashed in his eyes, but his face looked like a joke.
"Don't listen to his pitiful words. He was framed, but his plotter didn't have a good ending either. Not only did he blind one of his eyes, but even the Khan of Beiling nearly died at his hands."
"Beiling had the potential to be unified several years ago, but it was delayed until now by this Shi."
Although Shi Chang'an was seeking personal revenge, if it weren't for him, the border between Beiling and Wei would have been in flames long ago.
The relationship between Cao Dejiang and Shi Chang'an was not harmonious at first. Both of them were literati, but they were not from the same country. The relationship between Southern Qi and Wei was not harmonious either. There was always friction between Cao Dejiang's school and Shi Chang'an's school over the title of the greatest Confucian scholar in the world.
After Shi Chang'an's master's school was destroyed and he fled to Wei and was rescued by Cao Dejiang, he originally agreed to send Shi Chang'an to Beiling with no good intentions.
The Beiling tribe is good at fighting, and Xiahou Ling has great power in Beiling. Once the Beiling tribe is unified and the cavalry marches south, the Wei court may not be able to resist it given its current situation.
Emperor An was not a wise ruler. He obtained the throne illicitly, relied too much on the aristocratic families and was unable to break away from them due to past events. The power of the court was divided among the aristocratic families, and the court was full of serious problems. The generals in the army were not reused, and the military strength was always weak. Once the two countries went to war, the war would spread all over the country and the country would be on the verge of collapse.
Cao Dejiang knew Shi Chang'an's abilities, and also knew that he and Xiahou Ling were from the same school, so he knew this Beiling National Master best.
Seeing that Shi Chang'an was full of hatred, he helped him send people to Beiling and sent people to protect him along the way.
But even he did not expect that Shi Chang'an would cause such a big commotion later. Not only did he cause countless casualties in the Beiling army, delaying the trend of unification, but he also instigated civil strife in Beiling, causing the various royal families to fight each other, and he was just a little bit away from killing Xiahou Ling.
Unfortunately, Xiahou Ling was too shrewd and had the support of another country, so Shi Changan was eventually defeated.
When Shi Chang'an escaped from Beiling, he was only breathing his last breath. Cao Dejiang took great pains to rescue him, but his body was still ruined.
The white hair and broken arm made Cao Dejiang feel guilty every time he saw them. Shi Chang'an used to be a man of both civil and military talents, full of vigor and vitality. He had never been in such a miserable state like he is now.
Seeing Cao Dejiang's sudden silence, Shi Changan knocked on the iron mesh with the tongs and said impatiently:
"Don't look at me like that. It makes me look like I'm going to be buried soon. I just lost an arm, but my head is still there."
"A man of letters uses his intelligence, not his strength. Even if he only has his head left, he can still crush you."
Cao Dejiang's heart was filled with emotion and he spat at him without any dignity: "When I entered the government, you were still a three-year-old boy. You are not afraid of making a fuss when you say this."
"So you're older than me, and when you get old you have to admit defeat."
"Haven't you heard of Lao Er Qiang?"
"No, I just know he's cunning and sly."
"You're still trying to hide your true intentions and act coquettishly. Believe it or not, I'll kick you out and make you sleep on the street!"
The two people were arguing with each other beside the charcoal brazier, neither of them willing to give in. They glared at each other while bickering, which was very interesting.
Tang Ning and Xiao Yan sat on the side and watched. After Cao Dejiang finished his cup of tea, Xiao Yan considerately added more water for him, but in return he got a roll of the eyes from the old man.
Xiao Yan said innocently: "I didn't provoke you."
Cao Dejiang said angrily: "If it weren't for you, do you think I would be willing to take him in?"
This guy eats his food, lives in his house, and still makes him angry every day.
Xiao Yan tilted his head and smiled, "Since this is for me, I naturally can't let you suffer in vain. How about Tang Ning and I accept you as our teacher and repay you?"
Cao Dejiang was stunned.
Even Shi Changan, who was originally watching the fun, couldn't help but look sideways.
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