"Why?"
"It's easy to lose your will when you're with him. He's a person who goes with the flow." Zeng Zhui said with regret.
Xu Jiang thought of Jiang Gu's life story and asked Lou Yunchun, "Zhaoyue is in the Dali Temple. Does he know what Jiang Gu's ancestors did wrong?"
"Treason." Lou Yunchun said slowly, "After the previous emperor ascended the throne, Prince Chun plotted a rebellion. His plot was exposed and he was killed. The previous emperor then liquidated his accomplices, among whom was the Jiang family. From the previous dynasty until the previous emperor ascended the throne, the Jiang family served as officials for thirteen generations, but unfortunately, it was Jiang Gu's grandfather who ended his career."
Joining the rebellion? Xu Jiang felt a chill in her heart.
"The Jiang family was a traitor and should have been confiscated and exterminated. However, the late emperor had just ascended the throne and, to demonstrate his benevolence and pardon, and also to remember the legacy of the Jiang family's ancestors, only executed Jiang Gu's grandfather. The rest were demoted to commoners, their property confiscated, and an order was issued forbiding any male member of the Jiang family from taking the imperial examinations or joining the army for the next five generations."
Banning both civil and military talents is tantamount to wiping out the family roots of an official family. If it were just a mediocre person, it would be fine, but Jiang Gubian is a man of great talent. Just imagine how unwilling and painful he would be.
Several people sighed endlessly.
"If I were to go along with him, I'd rather die." The Zeng family's ancestors were also a family of eight scholars, though now they've fallen apart, leaving only Zeng Zhui. But he still has a chance to take the imperial examinations and revive the family, while Jiang Gu has no hope and nowhere else to turn.
"No," Xu Jiang retorted, "There's more than one way to live, so why trap yourself to death? Does everyone in this world become an official? Can everyone hold this position for long? The sage didn't kill them all, but spared their lives. He already gave them a way out. If Jiang Gu can break through his fate, he might be able to live a different life."
Xu Jiang glanced at Lin Hongchu and continued, "Take Master Lin, for example. He passed the imperial examination and was chosen as the top scholar by the emperor. He was so glorious. Yet, when he was demoted to the mortal realm, he did not degenerate into depravity. Instead, he taught and educated people, passing on his knowledge to future generations. Isn't this also practicing the Way?"
Lin Hongchu nodded in agreement, "Yes."
Zeng Zhui had always admired Lin Qinnian, and after hearing his words, he felt that he was narrow-minded and immediately felt ashamed.
Lou Yunchun looked at Xu Jiang and suddenly asked, "Why are you asking about him all of a sudden? Do you know him?"
Xu Jiang shook his head. "I've never met you. It's just that someone asked me to help him publish a collection today. I thought it was a bit strange, so I asked about you. Now that I hear what you said, there is indeed something fishy about this matter."
"who?"
"Feng Miao."
Lin Hongchu was shocked and said, "It's him? How dare he come?"
"Feng Miao?" Zeng Zhui asked, "I know this guy too."
Lin Hongchu asked: "How come you know him?"
"He was among those presenting articles at Xieyue Tower that day. He was also hired by Zhou Shancai as a literary agent. I've read his articles. Although they're better than those ten idiots, they're just average." Zeng Zhui asked Lin Hongchu, "Did he offend you?"
"A few days ago, he brought a man named Zhou Huai to the market, pretending to befriend the boss, but actually coming to gather information." Thinking of Zhou Huai, Lin Hongchu felt uneasy. "That Zhou Huai was a pervert. The boss scalded him with boiling water and sent him away. I didn't expect Feng Miao to be so shameless as to even dare to come to the boss again."
"Lecher?" Lou Yunchun looked at Xu Jiang, a hint of coldness in his eyes.
Xu Jiang gave him a soothing look, "They've been chased away. It's okay."
Zhou Huai. Lou Yunchun secretly took note of this.
Zeng Zhui saw Lin Hongchu like this, and a hint of anger rose in his heart for no reason, "Did he treat you improperly?"
After all, she was a little girl. Lin Hongchu felt disgusted but couldn't say it out loud, so he just pursed his lips and sulked.
Zeng Zhui said angrily, "If I were to see him, I would beat him up!"
Lin Hongchu was amused by him, and thinking of Zhou Huai's humiliated look that day, she laughed even more. "Didn't you see how he ran away screaming in shame after being scalded by the boss with tea? It was really satisfying!"
Lou Yunchun was still gloomy and frosty, and then he said coldly: "This collection cannot be published."
Zeng Zhui also agreed, "Yes, you can't go out." He also warned seriously: "And don't see this person."
Xu Jiang saw that he seemed to have a grudge against Jiang Guxin and was curious, "Why?"
Zeng Zhui glanced at Xu Jiang and Lin Hongchu, then snorted, "Do you think he's been able to thrive in the brothels and prostitutes of Pingkangfang simply because he's good at writing poetry?"
"What else?"
"Because he's also good-looking." Zeng Zhui scratched his face, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the past. "It's not enough that he's talented and good-looking, but he's also full of twisted theories and heresies that really scare people."
Xu Jiang looked at him with interest, "Are you also confused?"
"No, my mind is so strong that it cannot be shaken by a few words." Zeng Zhui said stubbornly, but he was embarrassed in his heart.
His experience was somewhat similar to Jiang Gu's. Jiang Gu was a sharp-minded person who had experienced the world and was good at seizing people's weaknesses and then bewitching them. He saw through him after just two glasses of wine. If he hadn't recited the family motto all night, he would have almost been stuck in that brothel and couldn't get out.
Xu Jiang saw through it but didn't say anything. She turned to look at Lou Yunchun, discerning the worry in his eyes, and soothed him, "Don't worry, I won't agree to let Feng Miao help him publish his collection. I told him I'd think about it, but I just wanted to play along and see what he really wants to do."
Feng Miao is not only hypocritical, but also scheming. Xu Jiang even suspects that he deliberately brought Zhou Huai to the bookstore last time. After all, if he really wanted to make friends, he would not be stupid enough to bring such a person to his door.
"I'm just a small bookshop. Zhou Shancai can stop me from moving if he blocks the Ministry of Revenue documents. But now he's gone to all this trouble to find out. It's obvious that his real intention is not for me."
Hearing this, Lou Yunchun's eyes flickered slightly, suspicion arose in his heart, and then he reminded: "Try to avoid contact with him. If you can't avoid it, you must be extremely cautious."
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