"I didn't go to them, but they came to me!" Yang Cui calmly washed and dressed herself, then had someone open the door to greet them!
As soon as Yang Cui appeared, the Shen family looked her up and down.
Upon first meeting her, they were shocked by Yang Cui's temperament and appearance, and finally realized the difference between Qiu Mingxuan and Yang Cui.
However, they looked down on Yang Cui's background, their eyes filled with contempt.
Of course, Yang Cui ignored them completely. She said to Cui Jiu, "Steward Cui, who is so rude? Do you think just any cat or dog can kick down the gates of my General's Mansion?"
The Shen family choked.
A single sentence about cats and dogs caused the Shen family's attitude to change.
"What a country bumpkin! She really has no manners!"
"Grandma, is your idea of good manners kicking down someone's door early in the morning? I certainly don't have that."
"You!" Old Madam Shen was furious.
Seeing that her mother-in-law was speechless after being rebuked by Yang Cui, Madam Shen stepped forward and said, "Yang Shi, my mother is an elder, is this how you treat your elders?"
"Haha." Yang Cui scoffed, "Elders? My surname is Yang and my husband's surname is Cen. What are your surnames? At most, you are the family members of my husband's colleagues. What are you pretending to be elders in front of me? Besides, did your elders come to your house to kick down the door early in the morning?"
Madam Shen choked.
Madam Shen's attitude was extremely firm: "So what if you kicked the door? I'm being lenient by not tearing your house down. Look at my grandson, he was beaten by your two boys. You must give the Shen family an explanation today!"
Yang Cui glanced at Shen Nan and said slowly, "Isn't it his own fault?"
The Shen family was taken aback by Yang Cui's words.
Yang Cui then added, "If I were you, I wouldn't have the face to come here. I would have been reflecting on myself at home and teaching my children and grandchildren what to say and what not to say."
An Xiaohu told Yang Cui everything Shen Nan said yesterday, word for word. How old is Shen Nan? He must have heard those words from his elders!
If someone speaks ill of another person in front of their son or brother, who else would they beat up if not him?
"Yang, you've gone too far! You wicked woman, you've condoned and instigated your cousin and General Cen's nephew to bully and beat my grandson, and you even dare to argue your way out of it! What are you trying to do?" Old Madam Shen roared in fury. "Do you want me to go and ask the Emperor to intervene?"
“Great! I was just about to ask His Majesty whether the Southern Study is a place for learning knowledge or a place for officials’ sons to gossip and slander the families of court officials,” Yang Cui said. “Aren’t we going to meet the Emperor? Let’s go together!”
After Yang Cui finished speaking, she got up and walked to the front.
Yang Cui was assertive, which intimidated the Shen family.
They also understood that if this matter escalated, the Shen family would be the ones who would lose face.
Just then, a servant came to report: "Madam, Young Master Su and Young Master Guo have arrived."
Tell them I'm not available right now and to come another day.
"What's got you so busy? Even making money has to wait." Su Murong and Guo Zhenyu arrived, and upon hearing Yang Cui's words, Su Murong replied, "Oh, Madam Shen and Madam Shen are here so early."
"These two and I were just about to enter the palace to meet the Emperor and discuss the educational issues of the Southern Study."
Both Su Murong and Guo Zhenyu are shrewd and calculating.
Judging from their appearances and demeanor, plus the words "Southern Study," one could guess what was going on.
Su Murong naturally supported Yang Cui. He said, "The children's education is more important, but since you don't have an imperial title or a waist token, you probably can't enter the palace. How about this, when we get to the palace gate, I'll personally deliver a message to the Emperor."
Old Madam Shen and Madam Shen looked at each other in bewilderment. They only wanted to take the opportunity to teach Yang Cui a lesson and give her a warning. They did not really intend to go to the palace to ask the Emperor to make a decision!
Madam Shen said awkwardly, "Um...Young Master Su, we..."
"Let's hurry into the palace," Yang Cui interrupted Madam Shen.
"Then let's go."
Madam Shen panicked: "There's no need to take the children's squabbles to the Emperor. He's already busy enough with state affairs."
"If you're not going, I'm going."
Yang Cui led Su Yutang and Ma Ming out the door, with Su Murong and Guo Zhenyu following closely behind.
Who cares about the Shen family anymore?
...
At this moment, in the Golden Palace.
Cen Xiao, who rarely attends court, said, "Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty grant permission for Wei Chen's nephew Yuan Qiu and cousin An Xiaohu to study at another academy."
"What does Minister Cen mean by this? Does he not think highly of the Southern Study?"
"Yes," Cen Xiao admitted directly.
"How dare you!"
"Which teacher in the Southern Study is not a learned scholar? Which one is not a top scholar? Mr. Yan even achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations, passing all three levels of the examinations with top honors. General Cen actually looks down on the teachers in the Southern Study, which means he looks down on Mr. Yan. What a boastful tone!"
"Does General Cen look down on the teachers of the Southern Study, or on all scholars in the world?"
Cen Xiao only uttered two words, and a group of civil officials jumped out to criticize and impeach him.
"Stop arguing, Cen Aiqing! Tell me, what's wrong with the Southern Study? If you don't give me a clear explanation today, I will punish you severely!"
"Your Majesty, if the teachers of the Southern Study were truly good to their students, they would not allow them to gossip about the families of officials in the Southern Study! The Southern Study should be a place for reading and nurturing people, not a place for ignorant women and children to spread rumors!"
Since the Southern Study is incapable of educating its students, it should refrain from misleading them. Your Majesty, I humbly request permission to take my nephew and cousin back to find them better teachers.
As soon as Cen Xiao finished speaking, Shen Yuliang's heart skipped a beat, remembering the fight between his son and An Xiaohu and Yuan Qiu.
Shen Yuliang knew that Cen Xiao was doing this to stand up for Yang Cui!
The Third Prince glanced at Cen Xiao and then said, "Father, I think General Cen is absolutely right. The purpose of studying is to understand principles. The Southern Study, the Imperial Academy, and any other academy should focus on the moral education of students."
"Your Majesty, the Third Prince is absolutely right. If scholars are of poor character, how can the region be governed in the future?"
"Your Majesty, this old minister does not believe that character is unimportant, but General Cen has gone too far. Which of the teachers in the Southern Study is not a person of both virtue and talent?"
"Sir, you possess both virtue and talent, but that does not mean that I, your student, am equally virtuous and talented. I believe that my student's tendency to gossip like an ignorant woman is a matter of family tradition and has nothing to do with you, sir. However, since I have been gossiping and spreading rumors about the families of officials in the Southern Study, you have a responsibility to criticize, educate, and stop me."
The issue of family values is a very serious one.
Shen Yuliang was covered in cold sweat. He could only pray that Cen Xiao would not talk about Shen Nan's bad words about Yang Cui yesterday, otherwise it would be seen as a problem with the Shen family's family style, and what would happen to the Shen family's reputation?
The Shen family's Yongning Marquisate is already on the decline. What will happen if it suffers further reputational damage?
But what you fear most is what comes to pass.
Cen Xiao glanced at Shen Yuliang with a half-smile and said, "Is it really a matter of family tradition? Then Lord Shen should not only focus on getting promoted and making money all day long, but should pay more attention to the virtue of his family's descendants, especially his son."
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