Chapter 1179: Dying of Old Age [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Tears welled up in Li Lianghua's cloudy eyes without her noticing.
The magistrate panicked when he saw her tears and hurriedly said, "Lady Li, this is a joyous occasion, why are you crying?"
Li Lianghua's grandchildren also stepped forward to comfort and persuade her.
The three sons and daughters-in-law knelt on the ground, not daring to get up.
They looked at each other, and could see the look of horror in each other's eyes.
My mind was buzzing, and my heart was pounding like thunder.
They were originally illiterate, but ever since the old lady gained the king's favor, their whole family rose to prominence, and even the county magistrate treated them with great respect. They had spent their entire lives being servile and subservient, but suddenly they became masters, living in a nice house with their mother, and the neighbors all came to curry favor with them, which subtly changed their mentality.
To live up to their current social status, the brothers used their savings to hire literate scholars and, every now and then, had children from the academy teach them. Through this stumbling and fumbling process, they managed to memorize about a hundred or so characters. With their newfound knowledge, their understanding naturally broadened considerably. The skills and knowledge held by the county magistrate were something they could never achieve in generations.
When the magistrate left, he left the booklet behind.
Also left behind were the rewards given by the government.
Inside were rice, flour, cooking oil, cloth, and needles and thread.
Li Lianghua's eldest son respectfully saw the county magistrate off at the gate, wanting to invite him to stay for a meal, but was refused: "Lord Li has many things to attend to at his residence, and I also have mundane matters to attend to, so I will not disturb you any longer."
The magistrate was being polite, but it was also the truth.
The honor bestowed upon Li Lianghua was too great; local wealthy families and gentry, upon hearing the news, would undoubtedly flock to her door with lavish gifts to offer their congratulations. If the officials were still around, it would be too restrictive. The magistrate had just stepped out when something occurred to him.
Patting Li Lianghua's eldest son on the shoulder, he offered a rather blunt advice: "Some people's gifts are fine to accept, but some people's gifts are not to be accepted. Although Li Shuoren is your mother, you are surnamed Wang, not Li."
Stop using Li Shuren's name to mess around!
While the higher-ups cherish Li Shuoren, they show little regard for her descendants. If any of her descendants were to abuse her achievements and commit any outrageous acts, for the sake of Li Shuoren's reputation, they would be made to face reality!
The magistrate's words sent a chill down Li Lianghua's eldest son's spine: "The magistrate's words are wise; I will certainly remember them."
After giving the warning, the magistrate left with his men.
A poor child suddenly becomes rich, and a child who gains wealth easily becomes poor again.
How many officials' wives in Kangguo could receive an imperial decree?
Li Lianghua, an elderly widow whose husband died young, managed to obtain the title of Fourth-Class Master without relying on her family, husband, or children. The significance of this achievement is self-evident. Moreover, Fourth-Class Masters also received a fixed monthly stipend.
Because of her monthly salary and her title of "Imperial Consort," her three sons, who had separated from the family eight hundred years ago, were all vying to be filial to her. Unable to reach an agreement, they all moved in with their families near Li Lianghua. The old lady felt warm and happy and didn't care about the little dispute.
Thanks to their elderly mother, the three brothers have received no shortage of benefits over the years. Whether it's someone trying to curry favor or someone trying to get close, they always return gifts double or triple the amount during holidays, giving the three brothers a legitimate reason to give favors. The government, seeing that the three are only taking small advantages and are doing their best to care for their mother, and considering the old lady's advanced age and the fact that each day of happiness is precious, chooses to turn a blind eye. As long as it's not excessive, they consider it as keeping the old lady happy.
After seeing off the county magistrate and his entourage, Li Lianghua's eldest son turned and went back into the house.
Just as the magistrate had said, before he even had a chance to settle in, prominent local families lined up to visit him. Either the head of the household came in person, or his sons and nephews arrived with lavish gifts. Unlike the modest gifts from the government officials, they brought real gold and silver! The most generous gifts were over a hundred taels of silver! Even if the three brothers divided it among themselves, it would be enough for each family to live comfortably for seven or eight years!
That's not all—
A respected local gentleman also came.
The man arrived and immediately said he had taken a liking to a promising young man and wanted to take him as his personal disciple. The three brothers, still deeply respecting scholars, hurriedly tried to push their son forward. Unexpectedly, the old gentleman simply smiled gently and said he wanted to take in his youngest grandchild, a granddaughter!
The three families have a total of 21 grandchildren, and they are supporting 11 of them.
There was only one person with potential, and not even a very good one.
However, when it comes to choosing the tallest among the short, having any options at all is already a good thing.
This was an excuse the old gentleman had racked his brains to come up with before making his visit. If no one seemed to have any potential, he would have to think of another. Under the guise of taking on a disciple, the old gentleman met Li Lianghua. Upon hearing that the old gentleman wanted to take on a disciple, the old lady immediately perked up, her wrinkles deepening with her smile. Witnessing the simple apprenticeship ceremony, she kept saying things like, "The Wang family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke; I can finally give an account to my husband after I die."
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the old gentleman requested to see the biographies of famous officials and scholars. The old lady, being easygoing, readily agreed and had her eldest daughter-in-law bring out the treasures kept in the ancestral home. The other guests, with their keen ears, subtly lifted their buttocks and leaned forward slightly.
The old gentleman suppressed his excitement and carefully read each article.
Carefully record every detail, and make rubbings to collect in Danfu.
The biographies of famous officials and scholars that have been listed on the stock exchange are also available in different versions.
The one in Li Lianghua's hand is the collector's edition!
The paintings were all in color, on the finest paper, said to be able to withstand a thousand years without decay, and the scroll backing was made of the finest silk. The inscriptions weren't printed, but handwritten stroke by stroke in gold ink, each piece bearing the personal seal of a few prominent figures. The old gentleman's fingertips lightly traced each seal, still carrying the strong aura of its owner. In that instant, the insights left behind by their owners swirled in his mind.
He exhaled a breath of stale air and sighed deeply.
"The higher you look up, the more solid it becomes; the deeper you delve, the more unbreakable it becomes. It is in front of you, and suddenly it is behind you... Now I know what it feels like."
Tears streamed down her face without her realizing it: "I'm sorry to have made you all laugh."
He was satisfied and returned the collector's edition to Li Lianghua.
The guests were still in shock.
At this moment, the father of the old gentleman's newly accepted student—Li Lianghua's third son—suddenly jumped out and announced some big news.
"Please bear witness, everyone."
The old man stroked his beard and said, "Go ahead."
Unexpectedly, the third son said something surprising.
Of all the grandchildren, only his daughter was chosen by the old gentleman to be his student, which shows that this child is the one who most resembles her grandmother. His own mother had a hard life, widowed for decades and raising her three sons alone, devoting her entire life to the Wang family. And now, her maternal family has long since disappeared, meaning that her branch of the Li family is extinct!
Since that's the case, why not let Ni'er change her surname to Li?
The old gentleman pondered deeply.
Li Lianghua's eldest and second sons turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
Whether it's a surname or not is unimportant.
The important thing is that the grandchild who "most resembles Li Lianghua" was born to his third son. After their mother passes away, shouldn't more of the family's belongings be given to him? Shouldn't the imperial title earned by their mother and the treasures used to enshrine the ancestral home also be given to their third son's daughter? How can that be allowed?
They were about to flip the table in protest.
Even the most respected elder present agreed! But Li Lianghua didn't understand these intricacies; she only saw her son's filial piety, her daughter-in-law's thoughtfulness, and her grandchildren's success—she believed the family would produce a sage in the future. Any further strife between the two brothers would only upset the old lady.
For a moment, the two felt even more disgusted than if they had eaten feces.
Li Lianghua's three sons, fearing that things might change if they waited too long, immediately finalized the agreement.
The old gentleman first took on an apprentice, and then witnessed the apprentice changing his surname. Since the surname was already changed, he might as well change the given name to something nicer. Names like "peach" or "plum" didn't sound right.
This was Li Lianghua's happiest day.
Guests arrived and departed in droves; VIPs, both familiar and unfamiliar, were all greeted until the stars and moon shone brightly, at which point the guests gradually dispersed. It's no exaggeration to say that the bricks in front of Li Lianghua's house were worn smooth and shiny from being walked on so many times. Perhaps it was the joy of the occasion that lifted her spirits, but the old lady was exceptionally energetic today.
I couldn't sleep even after returning to the main house.
He kept thinking about those biographies of famous ministers and scholars.
She asked her granddaughter to read it to her.
"This is the Wang family's heirloom, how can we let the youngest son touch it? What if he gets it dirty? The higher-ups will blame us!"
Li Lianghua: "To me, my youngest child is my treasure."
The three sons had different expressions.
Li Lianghua always thought they were all still young, and she was jealous of her youngest son, saying, "When you were little, you were all your mother's treasures too."
Finally, the treasure that even the guests couldn't obtain appeared in the hands of the youngest child. Although her hands were washed seven or eight times with clean water, the adults were still worried that the treasure would get dirty.
"Grandmother, I don't recognize her."
Li Lianghua said kindly, "Then pick the ones you know to read."
Read what you know, read half of what you don't know, and skip over what you don't know even half of. The little one sat beside his grandmother's bed, reading aloud clearly by the dim candlelight in the room. Two of his three sons held lamps to his sides, and one fanned him.
Accompanied by the childish voice and the slightly hot wind, Li Lianghua gradually became sleepy and soon began to snore softly.
Those holding lanterns dared not put them down, and those fanning themselves never stopped.
The mother and her three children seemed to have returned to a sweltering summer decades ago, with the three children nestled beside their mother, enjoying the cool air outside while her gentle hands chased away the annoying mosquitoes. The childhood stories of that time seem to overlap with Lang Lang's reading aloud today.
For a very long time—
The youngest child has a dry mouth and heavy eyelids.
"Father, I want to tell Grandmother that I want to sleep."
Li Lianghua's third son naturally agreed, but when he looked down, he suddenly realized something was wrong and loosened his grip on the palm-leaf fan.
The mother lay peacefully and contentedly asleep on the bed.
But at some point, he stopped breathing.
He passed away peacefully in his dream, without illness or pain.
Upon receiving the news, Shen Tang personally wrote a eulogy for her.
"Few people in this world die peacefully in their sleep, so Li Shuoren's passing can be considered a happy one." While she was alive, she saw her great-grandchildren. Although her children and grandchildren had their own thoughts, they were all respectful and harmonious in front of their elderly mother, and the three families had hardly ever quarreled over the years. Even teeth sometimes clash, let alone independent individuals. As long as conditions permit, Shen Tang is willing to treat her descendants well.
The common people in Kang State were more accepting of this collection of biographies of famous ministers and scholars, but their economic conditions were limited. The wealthier classes, especially the aristocratic families, didn't really appreciate it. The three civil and three military officials were truly deserving of their titles, and the physician and the calligrapher were also accepted. So what was this mere commoner old woman? Why was she included? Just because she was illiterate yet devised a flood control strategy?
Flood control?
They've studied it too.
They don't accept it, they don't agree with it, they're not convinced.
This reputation only lasted a few days before changing.
To be granted an imperial decree while still alive, to have a biography written by the emperor, and to receive a funeral couplet personally written by the emperor after death… To be blunt, the number of ministers who will receive such treatment in the future can be counted on one hand and one foot. Isn't this what a minister strives for his entire life?
If this is how they treat ordinary people, how much more so would they treat meritorious officials?
There's absolutely no need to worry about the cunning rabbit being killed and the hunting dog being cooked.
Many scions of prominent families even regretted their past prejudices against Shen Tang. They lamented not joining her during the founding war, and not actively contributing during the years when Kangguo had established itself. Now, any further effort would only be icing on the cake, far less helpful than offering assistance in times of need. And what about her flaws?
That is to say, the powerful families have been weakened time and again.
But their cut was based on sound reasoning and evidence.
Those who weren't caught doing anything wrong and obediently cooperated?
Families like the Lin family, reduced to a few elderly mascots and carried solely by their patriarch Lin Feng; the Kang family, who sided with Kang Shi and Qi Shan early on; and the Xu family, who provided Shen Tang with much assistance and were adept at taking risks… The other families' members, if they simply worked diligently and served their official duties conscientiously, actually fared quite well. How could Shen Tang be so bloodthirsty and cruel?
As for her conflict with the aristocratic families?
From her perspective, it seems understandable.
As a result, biographies of famous officials and scholars sold out immediately.
Pirated versions have also appeared on the market.
"Destroy them all!"
Shen Tang would not allow anyone to take a share of her money.
These inferior counterfeit products severely diminish the beauty of diamonds!
Every few days, they have to ask how many diamonds have been produced, and make sure there's enough stock! Gong Xiqiu and several other high-ranking martial artists are practically rubbing their hands together in frustration, the king is still pressuring them! Gong Xiqiu is stubborn, he said he'd go on strike for half a day and he did, squatting in Shen Tang's tent complaining incessantly: "Pressing, pressing, pressing! Three times a day! I've never been this anxious or stressed in all my years of fighting! I haven't seen you sell a single diamond, are you worried about having so many stuck in your hands? Just because my brother said I can be bossed around doesn't mean you can really order me around like that!"
Even close friends shouldn't be treated so badly.
Shen Tang said, "There's no cost to having something stuck with it."
Gong Xichou: "..."
"The reason it hasn't sold yet is because the hidden ads are too subtle. People these days are so reserved, they don't understand how advertising works at all, so it's not my fault." If it were people from that era, everyone would have a pair of discerning eyes, and Shen Tang could only patiently guide them and arrange for more online trolls to participate. "It's not like we've gained nothing after all these days."
At least rumors about diamonds have already started circulating in the public sphere.
If Shen Tang gives it just a little push, this matter can be accomplished.
The first priority is to bribe some marketing accounts and influential figures...
No, I mean "famous figures" from various places!
I have to say, Quqing Academy is truly amazing.
Xiahou Yu and Gu De have extensive networks of friends and their own media matrix. Their friend lists are overflowing with connections and resources!
With such hard work from the newcomers, shouldn't the veterans reflect on their own actions? They're all seasoned professionals, so why is their network so limited?
|ω`)
Today I stood guard for a full two and a half hours, just standing by the traffic lights, like a pillar, lost in thought. Before, when I was in school, time seemed to fly by during breaks; before I knew it, another class was over. Now, time seems to drag on. Two and a half hours of guard duty feels less satisfying than two and a half hours of sweating it out at the gym…
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com