Chapter 8 Confrontation
Cui Jin didn't know Cui Zha, he just felt that the way this person looked at him was strange and weird.
How to put it, it's a bit like the way his father looked at him when he was still alive, that kind of angry feeling at his father who had passed away many years ago. Thinking of his father who had passed away many years ago, Cui Jin felt his face tighten for the first time in a long time.
Magistrate Liang shook his head slightly after seeing Cui Jin's performance. This was the reason why he had not promoted Cui Jin in the past few years. He had no talent or sense to show for it.
As a member of the Cui clan, how could he not even recognize the Cui family jade pendant?
"Master Cui, this is Mr. Cui Zha Cui, the fifth master of the Cui Mansion in Hengyang."
Hengyang is the Cui family's base camp. The Cui family's ancestral home is there, and the Cui family's world-famous White Deer Grotto Academy is also located in Hengyang.
When Cui Jin heard how County Magistrate Liang addressed Cui Zha, he knew that this man was probably Cui's teacher at the White Deer Grotto Academy.
Thinking of his legitimate son who could only study in Linshui Academy, Cui Jin was delighted. Perhaps he could take this opportunity to let Cui Wenxu show himself in front of the master's family. If Mr. Wu saw Wenxu's talent, then his Linshui Cui family would rise.
"Oh, so it's you, my cousin from our family. I'm sorry that I didn't recognize you." Cui Jin began to flatter him without thinking.
Cui Zha looked at Cui Jin with more and more disgust, and he couldn't understand what was going on in his eyes.
Seeing Cui Zha's sullen face, County Magistrate Liang took the initiative to ask Cui Jin to sit down first.
Cui Zha had been ordered by his elders to visit his clan members in the Qinghe area. The Cui family was vast and well-established, with members spread across the country. Now, someone from the Cui family had the opportunity to become prime minister. If this were accomplished, the Cui family would rise once again, and its glory would last for centuries.
Therefore, the master ordered his clansmen to restrain their sect's style and there must not be any mistakes.
Throughout his journey, Cui Zha was quite satisfied with the performance of the Qinghe Cui family, except that he did not find many good students in the clan. He believed that people may not be smart, but they must not be too smart.
Just when I was thinking of going home, I received news from Mrs. Liang.
Cui Zha thought that Madam Liang's father and brother were also very useful in the clan, so he gave them this face and made this trip. Now that he saw that the Cui family actually had a fool like Cui Jin, he felt that he had made the right decision to come here.
"I heard that your family is planning to send your daughter to the capital to be someone's concubine. Is that true?"
Cui Jin still had a flattering smile on his face. He was completely confused by Cui Zha's words and quickly denied it:
"No, where did you hear that? It's absolutely impossible."
Cui Zha was too lazy to listen to the fool, "Is Cui Qingyi your daughter?"
The flesh on Cui Jin's face trembled: "Yes, she is my daughter."
"That's right. My Cui family has a long-standing ancestral precept that women in the family are not allowed to become concubines. You are so bold as to actually disobey it in public. Do you want to be expelled from the Cui family?"
Cui Jin stammered a few times. He was a man of little knowledge. He had avoided trouble whenever he could in the county government office over the years. The other party's status and position were higher than his, and they would be frightened if their voices were just a little louder.
"Mr. Wu, calm down. This must be a misunderstanding. I'll go home and find out the truth."
Cui Jin wanted to leave first and go back to ask Yuan what was going on.
Cui Zha on the left sneered: "Forget it, since the victims are here, let's confront them face to face."
Magistrate Liang clapped his hands, and the servant who had been guarding outside the door left immediately. Beads of sweat appeared on Cui Jin's forehead. He had gone to confront Yuan a few days ago, but was driven out by Yuan with a few words and a beating. He turned around and went to his aunt's room, and put the matter of Cui Qingyi behind his mind. Now, thinking that the matter might really be related to his eldest daughter, he felt very uncomfortable.
Several footsteps were soon heard outside the door.
The servant lifted the bamboo curtain, and Madam Liang walked in first, followed by a thin and pretty figure.
Cui Qingyi received news from Liang Yuan and came to Liang Mansion early in the morning. Although Liang Yuan said that she was not the kind of person who would repay a favor, as a mother, Mrs. Liang still wanted to give Cui Qingyi some advice.
After meeting and saying everything that needed to be said, Mrs. Liang also agreed with Liang Yuan's opinion. She felt that Cui Qingyi was a clear-headed person, and her words and actions were somewhat pleasing to her eye.
Since it is a way to repay a favor, she will be a good person and help.
When County Magistrate Liang saw that his wife had actually brought the person here in person, he immediately had an idea.
"Husband, Fifth Brother, this girl is Cui Qingyi."
After Mrs. Liang's reminder, Cui Qingyi stepped forward and saluted the county magistrate and Cui Zha politely, and then bowed to Cui Jinfu who was looking at her with dissatisfaction.
Cui Zha saw Cui Qingyi's actions and was already somewhat inclined to support her. This girl looked more like a member of the Cui clan than her father.
Cui Jin looked at his daughter whom he hadn't seen for several years. His face showed no trace of familiarity, but disgust. He started by scolding her: "You bastard, who told you to come out and embarrass yourself?"
"My Lord, County Magistrate, I am truly sorry for Mr. Wu. I will take this unfilial daughter home and discipline her properly."
Unfortunately, no one present paid any attention to him.
Cui Zha softened his tone and looked at Cui Qingyi, who was standing alone in the center. "You said your parents wanted to send you to the capital to be someone's concubine. Do you have any evidence?"
Cui Qingyi didn't know whether she could get the desired result by making such a fuss today, but people can't always encounter such an opportunity with the right time, place and people. She had waited for fourteen years and only encountered this one, so no matter what the result was, she had to do it.
"I have a handwritten letter from my mother as proof that Qingyi has been familiar with the Cui family's ancestral teachings since she was a child. It's a pity that as a girl, she didn't have the opportunity to attend the academy and listen to the teachers' teachings.
But Qingyi never dared to forget her responsibilities as a descendant of the Cui family, and asked her uncle to make the decision for her.
Madam Liang saw with her own eyes that Cui Zha had a smile on her face. She felt that what this girl had asked for today had already been accomplished 50%.
The servant took the envelope from Cui Qingyi and handed it to Cui Zha.
Cui Zha read ten lines at a glance. As his gaze moved, his breathing became gradually heavier. At last, he slammed the letter paper heavily and snorted coldly.
"Cui Jin, you two are so bold!"
Cui Jin didn't care about anything else. He stood up and picked up the letter that Cui Zha had thrown on the ground. When he saw it, his eyes went dark.
I cursed in my heart: "Stupid woman, stupid woman!"
In the letter, Yuan boasted about the good marriage she had found for Cui Qingyi, stating how difficult it was for her as a mother. She then reminded Cui Qingyi that once she entered the mansion of a nobleman in the capital, she must not forget to think more about her uncle and younger brother from her mother's side. Her words sounded nice, but the fact that she was selling her daughter for fame and fortune was obvious.
The Cui family is a group of pure scholars. Over the years, the family members have been very cautious in their management of the court. Now, they are only one step away from becoming the prime minister, but they are almost ruined by these two insignificant idiots.
The Cui family's ancestral precepts are there. In recent years, there have been no women with the surname Cui even in the emperor's backyard. If Cui Qingyi were really allowed to enter the mansion of a low-ranking official, it would become a sharp knife for political enemies to stab the Cui family in the future.
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