Hai Bu disagreed: "Fanfan is very skilled in martial arts, she won't be bullied."
Ming Yunshu sighed, "We elders can't watch her every second. How do you discipline the women in your village when they misbehave?"
Haibu said, "Why should women be obedient? We discuss everything before we do anything. I heard that here, women who are disobedient are beaten. Where we are, if a man beats a woman, we force them to divorce. Only useless men would be violent towards women."
Ming Yunshu couldn't refute this point, so he continued talking about Zhu Fanfan's privileged life at home.
Yan Xiaoxiao was asking Zhu Fanfan how her life was going lately, and said that she had made her another dress and asked her to try it on. Zhu Fanfan refused, because she had been wearing a military uniform since joining the army and didn't have time to wear new clothes. The two chatted about everyday things in a very warm way.
However, Zhu Jiabao and Zhuge Qianxing were on the verge of a fight. Zhu Jiabao accused Zhuge Qianxing of keeping Haibu's information from him, while Zhuge Qianxing complained that Zhu Jiabao was trying to steal him away. Zhu Jiabao said that Zhu Jiabao was being unreasonable, and that Fanfan had chosen him herself. The two of them were like fighting cocks, neither willing to give in to the other.
The food was all laid out. Zhu Fanfan sat next to her grandfather and godmother, and a group of people filled the table. Zhu Jiabao was the first to speak up: "Didn't the High Priest say that he would rather die than come to government departments for fear of being restricted? He also said that we are all good-for-nothings who prey on the villagers and are not worthy to talk to you. Why are you so kind as to come today?"
Haibu stood up and bowed: "I apologize to you. I was young and impetuous back then, and I was confined to my own little world. I was ignorant and shallow. Now that I know that the country is doing practical things for the people, I was ungrateful."
Seeing that he admitted his mistake so quickly, Zhu Jiabao felt unhappy instead: "That high priest really has a silver tongue. He cursed all the elders in my Zhu family and even cursed that all my children would be good-for-nothings."
Zhu Fanfan got angry: "Haibu, you insulted my elders and cursed me?"
Insulting someone's ancestors is considered an insult, and besides, she's the only son in the Zhu family—isn't that cursing her? She absolutely refuses to accept mediocrity; mediocrity means being a beast of burden.
Haibu quickly explained, "That was when I was angry and spoke without thinking. Your grandfather also cursed me to have sores in my mouth and be mute for life, and he also called me an orphan and a wild child."
When you're furious, you just hurl all sorts of hurtful and offensive insults. They said a lot of things they shouldn't have. If he had known he would meet her, he wouldn't have said a word in rebuttal; he would have just packed his bags and come straight over.
Zhu Jiabao was unhappy about being interrupted: "You even said I'm ugly, and that all my descendants will be ugly and deformed."
Haibu pushed back his chair, took a step back, and knelt down directly: "I was blind to your greatness, and I am ugly. I beg your forgiveness."
Zhu Jiabao: ...
The others remained silent, but Zhuge Qianxing smoothed things over: "We live in a new society now, kneeling is no longer acceptable, Zhu Jiabao—"
Don't make a big deal out of it. Haibu and Fanfan might not end up together. What if they don't? What if he takes revenge on Fanfan later? Leave yourself a way out.
Zhu Jiabao also felt it was pointless: "Get up and eat. I'm warning you, my Fanfan won't get married until she's 25. My family is a family that takes in sons-in-law—my Fanfan has a boyfriend, and her boyfriend is Mo Wenqi."
Yes, Fanfan has a shield. After saying that, Zhu Jiabao was smug. Serves him right, making Haibu love but not get.
Zhuge Qianxing: ...Fanfan kept it so secret? Not even his own grandfather knew.
Zhu Fanfan: ...Grandpa really knows how to make excuses.
Ming Yunshu was dissatisfied: "Uncle Zhu, isn't that just a rumor? Fanfan is only fifteen years old, what kind of relationship is he talking about?"
Zhu Jiabao was smug: "Mo Wenqi loves his country, is highly skilled in martial arts, respects the elderly and loves the young, and is intelligent. He is a very good match. No matter who he marries, he will be very happy."
He wasn't lying about the fact that his granddaughter would be happy no matter who she married.
Zhuge Qianxing gave a fake smile. Hearing this, he knew Zhuge Qianxing was wrong. Zhuge Qianxing knew everything. How could Zhu Jiabao, who knew Fanfan best, not know? Zhu Jiabao was praising his child to Zhuge Qianxing without any shame.
Ming Yunshu wanted to say something, but Zhu Jiabao interrupted him: "Fanfan knows what her life is like."
All eyes turned to Zhu Fanfan, who felt a bit embarrassed: "I think that in life, you don't necessarily have to hang yourself on one crooked tree. You can find a few more trees. There are so many trees in the forest, why can't you embrace them all?"
Everyone: ...
Ming Yunshu hesitated for a moment: "Dating several people at the same time, whether male or female, is a crime of hooliganism, which can be serious enough to warrant execution. It's better to be on the safe side."
Everyone again: ...
Zhu Fanfan said, "During the Tang Dynasty, there was a woman named Wu Zetian who collected three thousand."
Ming Yunshu quickly advised, "My dear daughter, we're cracking down on feudalism right now! You'll get into trouble if you say the wrong thing."
Zhuge Qianxing couldn't hold back any longer: "Zhu Jiabao, can't you do something about this? How can you spoil a child like this?"
She even keeps three thousand male concubines. Can she say that now? Isn't that just handing over a handle against her?
Zhu Jiabao thought for a moment: "If there isn't a suitable son-in-law for the family, it wouldn't be bad to find one myself." He could support two or three.
Zhuge Qianxing exploded: "Fanfan is a girl! A girl! How do you all raise her? Can't you all be normal?"
There should be a limit to spoiling children, right? Which parent would dare to educate their child like this? And look at all these people who don't seem to care. Do they really expect Fanfan to rebel and become an empress?
Yan Xiaoxiao didn't quite understand: "Didn't Fanfan talk about trees? How did Wu Zetian collecting three thousand trees become feudal society? Now all trees belong to the state, isn't that undermining socialism?"
Everyone again: ...
Ming Laosan shoveled rice into his mouth. He didn't dare explain to his mother that Miao Miao wanted to play with more men, afraid that his mother would think he was lying. In her heart, Miao Miao had always been innocent and kind.
Zhu Jiabao said, "Let's eat, it'll get cold soon."
Hai Bu looked at Zhuge Qianxing. He didn't understand either. He understood when Fanfan said to date more men. Smart people choose the best, that's nothing. But who was Wu Zetian? She sounded very powerful.
After the meal, the atmosphere improved considerably and became more harmonious. Seeing that everyone had finished eating, Ming Yunshu said, "You young people, help me clean up. The women of the Zhu family don't have the habit of doing housework. Fanfan, you and your godmother can watch the phone and chat for a while. Your godfather will get the job done quickly."
After saying that, he glanced at Xi Yan and his son. Without saying a word, the two of them got up and started cleaning. Hai Bu wanted to show off, so he also started cleaning. When they got to the kitchen, Ming Yunshu said gently, "Xi Yan, Ming Laosan, you two are so clumsy. Are you here to cause trouble? Look how well Hai Bu is doing. Watch him work carefully. You can't do anything right every day. How are you going to take care of Fanfan?"
Xi Yan and Ming Laosan: ...They did a very good job, but Dad (Uncle Yun) clearly had bad intentions, so they could only listen.
Haibu felt a little embarrassed when he heard the praise; it was Fanfan's godfather praising him!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com