Chapter 1583 Extra: Master and Apprentice on the Opposing Lane (Part 2)
"What can I do?" Upon hearing that his troublesome younger brother Kang Shi had contracted the disease, Kang Nian came to take care of him despite the risks. Unfortunately, he overheard the other party's complaint to Fang Yan, and his pent-up anger exploded. "If you were any more ambitious, things wouldn't have come to this!"
Kang Shi wore an expression as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed.
Once covered with a blanket, the cricket pupae huddled together.
Kang Nian laughed when he saw it: "Kang-Ji-Shou!"
Fang Yan was all too familiar with Kang Nian's expression. In the past, when the older brother couldn't subdue his younger brother with words, he would reveal this "terrifying and sinister" smile, and his next move would be to use force to suppress his brother. Fang Yan didn't want to stay and be a witness to his brothers' fight, so he smiled politely as he tore off Kang Nian's claws, slung his medicine box over his shoulder, and left under the pretext of preparing medicine.
Okay, let's give the space to these two brothers.
As soon as Fang Yan left, Kang Shi wrapped the quilt even tighter.
The room was completely quiet.
If it weren't for Wenxin's exceptional hearing, which allowed him to hear Kang Nian's breathing, Kang Shi would have thought his elder brother had gotten bored and left. After a while, the outer edge of the bed sank slightly. Kang Nian sat beside his bed and sighed, "One or two of them are such a worry."
Kang Shi said in a muffled voice, "Is it possible that you're worrying unnecessarily?"
In Kang Shi's view, it was just making trouble out of nothing.
"Big brother, are you just wasting your time pressuring people to get married and have children? Why don't you spend some time playing with your grandchildren, or even have a fight with the elders in the family? Stop focusing on me!" Kang Shi was green with envy at Kang Nian's situation. Why was he, at his age, still hunched over a desk, while his older brother, not much older than him, was so idle? How unfair! The world is so unfair!
"You—how should I put it?" Kang Nian patted Kang Shi on the shoulder, speaking in the calmest voice with the most domineering and unreasonable words, "If you don't come out on your own, I'll strip you naked."
Kang Shi: "..."
He could only suppress his urge to pull back the covers and sit up straight.
Kang Nian said, "You are like this, and so is Jun Qiao."
Kang Shi rolled his eyes in front of his elder brother.
"How come I didn't know the Kang family could produce such a romantic?" Kang Nian's words were tinged with sarcasm, but more so with disappointment in others. "I already know about Junqiao and that Zheng Yu. No wonder she refused when I urged her to find someone to marry into the family."
Kang Shi couldn't help but feel a throbbing headache, and helplessly repeated the words he had said many times: "Junqiao is Yuanliang's child, and he's not even in a hurry..."
"Back then, we adopted Junqiao so that she could carry on the family line for both the Qi and Tan families..." Kang Nian poked his younger brother's forehead with his finger, lowering his voice with worry, "Junqiao has received many favors over the years, but she has never sought someone to marry into the family, so the agreement between the two families to carry on the family line has never been fulfilled. Who knows what other people are thinking as time goes on?"
This is also the main reason why Kang Nian repeatedly and indirectly urged him to get married.
Even though he prided himself on being shameless, he knew that Junqiao's adoption to Qishan's family was for a "mission," and it was because of this "mission" that Junqiao was able to establish herself as Qishan's daughter and achieve her current success. Putting everything else aside, Junqiao entered the Medical Temple to specialize in women's and children's illnesses, and the patients she needed in the early stages of her cultivation were all brought in by Qi Yuanliang with money and eggs.
Jun Qiao entered Dong Dao's school because of Qi Shan's influence.
The resources used, both overtly and covertly, are countless.
In return, the agreement to have both a son and a daughter-in-law is naturally imperative.
How can you expect to enjoy the rewards of a task for twenty or thirty years without even completing the task? Kang Nian knew that his mentality might seem mercenary and annoying to Kang Shi, but as the head of the family, he was used to this kind of reciprocal exchange of benefits. This equality was what made him feel at ease. He saw taking without giving as a potential problem.
Kang Shi: "Can't you think of the bright side?"
Qi Shan adopted Jun Qiao because he wanted her to inherit both surnames.
He was still after the emotional comfort offered by Junqiao, and the bond between father and daughter built over many years. Wasn't the whole "two families inheriting the family name" thing just Kang Nian's wishful thinking back then: "Not everyone is driven by profit—"
Kang Nian completed the rest for him with a cold expression.
"You think I'm only after profit?"
Kang Shi found it boring: "I don't want to argue with you."
The two brothers easily start arguing when this topic comes up.
Their moral values and beliefs are different.
As a bachelor, Kang Shi only had to worry about what work the Ministry of Justice would do each day. His monthly salary was enough for him to eat, drink, sleep, and support his household of servants and maids. He didn't have to worry about anything else, so he could do whatever he wanted. Kang Nian, on the other hand, not only had a wife and children, but his grandchildren and even great-grandchildren were about to be born. Apart from the clan head's lineage, other members of the Kang clan also needed his support. The Kang clan wasn't a large clan, and its resources were limited. Therefore, how to allocate these limited resources to ensure the clan's stability, produce more talented individuals, and provide a decent life for all clan members was what he had to worry about. The two brothers naturally had completely different ideas.
They can't see eye to eye, they can't even urinate in the same pot.
Not long after, he heard Kang Nian sigh softly again.
"It's too late now. The agreement to have both heirs is probably invalid. You shouldn't have kept my cousin's return a secret. Now you've become the one in an awkward position." Kang Nian initially only knew that Tan Qu had become a living dead, and that his corpse could no longer produce offspring. He only recently learned that Tan Qu actually had a reincarnated body and would be resurrected soon.
If the main figures of the Qi and Tan families are both alive, then what's the point of having a secondary lineage?
Kang Shi's head was about to explode.
"What's so awkward about it? Is it that Yuanliang doesn't want this daughter anymore, or that Lezheng thinks this daughter is a disgrace to him? With Yuanliang's harmful personality, what girl could stand him? As for Lezheng, he died young and is still just a teenager. His future marriage is still uncertain. Whether or not he will be allowed to continue the family line is something the three of them will discuss themselves. Why are you, someone who couldn't even exterminate three generations of his family, worrying about it?"
Kang Shi's words were quite harsh.
Naturally, he also got beaten up by his brother.
Kang Shi, his head wrapped in the blanket, was so angry he felt like his brain was about to explode and his blood pressure was soaring. He thought to himself that some old sayings still held some truth: the older a person gets, the more stubborn they become. Don't let his older brother's youthful appearance fool you; he's practically seventy. Isn't this the kind of old man who can't understand human speech and just likes to talk to himself?
Kang Shi was both indignant and trying to calm himself down.
Kang Nian laughed: "Fine, I won't talk about Jun Qiao, I'll talk about you."
Kang Shi kept his head covered by the blanket, turned his back to his older brother, and said, "You're talking about me again? You're talking about me again? What's wrong with me being single?"
Good heavens, my father died young.
If Father were still alive, perhaps he could still keep an eye on my elder brother.
On second thought, that didn't quite make sense. My older brother's temperament now is practically a carbon copy of my father's back then. If my father were alive this age, it'd probably be the two of them, father and son, both annoyed with him.
Just thinking about it makes him feel suffocated.
Kang Nian took off his shoes and stepped onto his bed, then sat down in front of Kang Shi, his expression becoming increasingly resentful: "You're a bachelor?"
Kang Shi drooped his eyes: "Otherwise what?"
This nonchalant attitude infuriated Kang Nian. He reached out and grabbed Kang Shi's ear, pulling it close to his ear and forcing Kang Shi to listen to him: "Don't think I don't know you! I know what kind of shit you're going to poop and what kind of fart you're going to fart just by sticking your butt out!"
"Brother, don't be so rude."
"If you're not vulgar, then speak up."
Kang Shi saved his ear: "No need."
Those three words nearly made Kang Nian faint with anger.
"Fine, fine, Kang Jishou, you've got guts! If I can't make her call you 'Grand Uncle,' I'll take your surname!"
When Fang Yan returned from preparing the medicine, he heard Kang Nian cursing as he left. Apart from two overturned lamp stands blocking the way, everything else in the room was intact. It seemed the two brothers hadn't fought, and there was no bloodshed. Fang Yan waved his hand, as if to dispel the smell of gunpowder.
"What great-uncle?"
“I drove him crazy. He’s planning to pick a grandchild and raise him according to the girl’s preferences, so that the girl will call me great-uncle.”
"Little girl? Whose is she?"
This is the first time I've ever seen someone raise their son as a child son-in-law.
Kang Shi sighed again. He felt that his cold and high fever were getting worse, and he was listless after taking the medicine: "Consider me half a student."
Fang Yan couldn't help but prick up his ears.
Yes, just like you think.
Fang Yan considered for a moment: "It is indeed a good marriage, but will it be difficult to explain to the Lord? After all, the Kang family already has you. If Kang Nian specially trains his grandson and sends him there, plus the disciple of Doctor Dong was originally from the Kang family..."
These are his heartfelt words.
In terms of operation, it is quite difficult.
Kang Shi: "...Alas, how could I not know?"
"Why is your older brother so concerned about her marriage? Is your older brother that ambitious?" As he asked, Fang Yan noticed something was amiss, his suspicious gaze sweeping over Kang Shi for a while. "You?"
“I have concerns that have angered my elder brother.”
What concerns?
"Identity, age, and respective status."
Fang Yan said, "That's not a big problem. Although there is the reality of a master-disciple relationship, there is no formal master-disciple relationship. The master is Chu Ling. As for age, being in one's teens or twenties is not acceptable, as that would be considered taking advantage of someone's lack of experience. But being in one's fifties or sixties would be much more appropriate."
As for their respective positions...
This is indeed a big problem.
When Kang Nian wanted to send his grandson to someone else, Fang Yan's first reaction was that the emperor wouldn't allow it, and it would be a blow to the already complex court, let alone the two main figures involved. Fang Yan could more or less understand Kang Shi's concerns about this move.
only--
"That person probably doesn't know, right?"
Or did they know but not accept it?
"They probably don't know."
I just don't know how my older brother figured it out.
Fang Yan didn't know much about romantic relationships, so he couldn't offer any practical advice. He was only curious about when this feeling had started.
"When was the female ruler young?"
Kang Shi: "How could that be?"
Isn't this taking advantage of someone's youth and ignorance?
It's shameless for an adult man to like a minor.
Kang Shi prided himself on having little moral integrity, but he was still a decent person. It wasn't when they first met, nor when he was teaching her, nor even when they worked together afterward... If you really want to know, it was probably after the completion of the scholar's path ceremony.
The woman he spent the most time with wasn't his mother or his lord, but this deputy. She knew almost everything about his temperament and habits. The two were on the same wavelength when working together, their views on the same things, and even their ways of thinking were becoming increasingly similar. Kang Shi was so used to her presence that it was as natural as breathing, but it was precisely this that made him uncertain about his true emotions.
Is it attraction between a man and a woman?
Or is it an excessive level of tacit understanding between colleagues?
But how could a colleague risk his life and future for another person?
This is a question I've been thinking about for many years.
The successful completion of the ceremony fulfilled his scholarly aspirations, but it left him confused about his love life. Kang Shi initially wanted to find an experienced person to advise him, but upon looking around, he discovered that everyone close to him was single. Yuan Liang had skipped marriage and had a happy daughter; Wu Hui was content with his retirement, devoted to his students and serving his lord with fervent passion; and Tu Nan, being of the opposite sex, was not someone he could confide in…
Fang Yan: "I have a question."
Kang Shi said, "Ask away."
Fang Yan stumbled upon the secret by chance, which provided him with valuable insights.
Fang Yan: "I have also heard that the Queen's great-uncle has been urging her to find a suitable husband to marry into the family. Don't you know that?"
Kang Shi: "How could I not know?"
Fang Yan: "Have you felt any jealousy?"
"Why be jealous and bother people about things that haven't been discussed openly? At the time, I thought she was young and would only know what she truly wanted after seeing everything. It would be a good thing if she were to form a bond with someone. Besides, it was going to fail anyway, so there was no need to be jealous."
"...Why are you so certain it won't succeed?"
"Our ceremonies were shared."
"I know that."
"How could they not influence each other?"
This is one of the reasons why Kangshi has always been puzzled.
He wasn't sure if their tacit understanding stemmed from shared values, accumulated time spent together, or from the allure of a perfect ritual.
Fang Yan, who had heard of the name "Plague God," was speechless.
Fang Yan suddenly had a flash of inspiration, recalling what he and Qi Miao had overheard while on duty at the medical office: "So, you have feelings for the Empress. If that's the case, why not grant her leave?"
Kang Shi blinked: "The Emperor didn't approve it for me either. How many people in the Ministry of Justice, from top to bottom, have it? I fell ill too. Besides, romantic love is one thing, but official business is official business. How can we let personal feelings interfere with official duties? If we give preferential treatment because of affection, what kind of situation would that be?"
It's not like they lack the ability.
Whom is being humiliated by this malicious preferential treatment?
Fang Yan: "..."
That makes some sense.
"Now that you've seen through my true intentions, what are your plans?"
"Sigh, just get on with what you're doing."
Fang Yan: "..."
“I just said that, and my brother got furious, slammed the door and left. I know he was angry that I wasn’t decisive, but I was just thinking that she has a long life ahead of her and a bright future. It would be unwise to disturb her because of a relationship that started because of me. When she retires from her official career, when she has reached the end of her career and can put aside all public affairs, perhaps she can calm down and follow her heart.”
Marriage is about companionship and support.
They served in the same court, holding positions as Minister and Deputy Minister of Justice.
How can this not be considered a form of companionship and support?
Perhaps, a marriage based on shared interests, moral compass, and shared values is more stable than a bond forged by a marriage certificate.
He dares to say—
The time that all the civil and military officials spent with their spouses was absolutely, positively less than the time they spent with their colleagues, and they talked about more with them...
Kang Shi took a very open-minded view on this matter.
We've known each other for nearly forty years, and there will be one, two, or even three more forty-year periods in the future. Even if we're not close romantic partners, we'll still be the most compatible colleagues, best friends, and even comrades-in-arms in the officialdom.
There are countless emotions in the world, why be confined to just one?
|ω`)
Don't blame the mushrooms, and don't blame the old people (just kidding, scratch that).
(End of this chapter)
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