HCB Chapter 33 The Old-Fashioned Him, His Free-Spirited Children
Chapter 33 The Old-Fashioned Him, His Free-Spirited Children
As for keeping proper etiquette, that's just because he can't do it at home, so of course he has to put on a good show in public.
[Oh, I never imagined that the Minister of Rites would often tell his subordinates at work: "Women should be respectful and obedient to their husbands, regarding them as their heaven."]
Shen Zhiyi understood and clicked her tongue softly.
People tend to emphasize what they have the least.
The Minister of Rites blushed deeply and shrank back under the teasing gazes of the crowd.
After suppressing his laughter, the old emperor cleared his throat and prepared to continue what he had just been interrupted about.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
The old emperor: ……
Why don't I usually see any of you guys so eager to speak?!
He raised his eyelids, and after seeing who it was, his curiosity was piqued.
"Minister Xu, then you tell us."
Wow, a real top scholar!
The top scholar, who was about to speak, swallowed his words back.
He's not dead, of course he's alive!
I thought all the top scholars were quite young, but I didn't expect this Xu Xiuzhuan to be forty-eight years old. According to the average lifespan of people in ancient times, that's considered very old.
Top Scholar: ...Thank you.
The top scholar (状元郎) was usually assigned to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler, while the second and third scholars (榜眼 and 探花) were editors.
and so……
Shen Zhiyi realized this belatedly.
So how did she end up becoming a personal attendant? That doesn't make sense!
The old emperor was speechless for a moment; this child was only now realizing what was happening.
At the time, I don't know what happened. Originally, the new Imperial Diarist should have been selected from among the several people recommended by Prime Minister Wang, but no matter what, it didn't fall to Shen Zhiyi.
But that day, for some reason, the old emperor suddenly had this person in his mind, along with a strong impulse.
After everyone recovered, Shen Zhiyi, who had barely passed the imperial examination, directly became a sixth-rank official, just like the top scholar.
This enraged the old emperor, who prepared to kill Shen Zhiyi directly.
This guy must have used some kind of sorcery!
If it weren't for that sudden inner voice, Shen Zhiyi, who had just transmigrated, might have died without ever seeing a ray of sunlight.
The old emperor now firmly believes that Shen Zhiyi used magic!
[Hey, system, did you do this?]
[Sizzle... sizzle...]
Well, he's still smoking.
Shen Zhiyi paused for a moment, but then couldn't help but keep rambling on.
[No way, you're a system-born but uneducated bastard! You took my Marxist theory, fine, but why aren't you doing well now? Who's researching you? I'm not only going to complain about you, I'm going to complain about your researchers too!]
[Buzz, self-check process in progress. Found... a virus has been implanted, there are bugs, and many more. Host, the resurrection function cannot be used until all bugs are cleared. Please be careful, goodbye!]
Shen Zhiyi's eyes widened, and she screamed wildly.
But the system remained unmoved and went into hibernation.
【Aaaaaaah! What do you mean? You mean if I die here, I'm really dead?】
Shen Zhiyi panicked.
The old emperor panicked.
They started thinking about having Shen Zhiyi work twelve-hour shifts a day.
Security within the palace is very well guaranteed.
He only feels at ease when he cares about people.
This is a cheap and effective intelligence agency.
"Achoo!"
Shen Zhiyi, who couldn't help but sneeze, was stunned.
[Oh no, is the old emperor going to order my execution?]
The old emperor smiled, clearly in high spirits.
“Xu Xiuzhuan, you’re so young, speak your mind quickly.”
These words brought everyone back to their senses.
[Pah, almost fifty, still so young.]
Top Scholar: What the hell did I do to you?!
Look at that third-place scholar behind him, wow, he's really handsome.
Shen Zhiyi couldn't help but take a few more glances.
[Only in his early twenties, a promising young talent.]
Upon hearing this, the old emperor gave the third-ranked scholar a fierce look.
The third-ranked scholar trembled and immediately knelt down.
Hey, that's strange, even the third-ranked scholar is kneeling down.
The old emperor cleared his throat.
The third-ranking scholar immediately spoke up: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
"Hmm, that's really strange. This year's top two scholars both have something to say. Tell us about it."
The third-ranked scholar: No, he had nothing to say.
He forced himself to say, "Your Majesty, I believe General Longhu is right."
General Longhu suddenly turned his head. If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, he would have loved to immediately become sworn brothers with the third-ranked scholar.
The top scholar, Xu Xiuzhuan, immediately retorted.
"Your Majesty, I believe this is inappropriate. The Minister of Revenue has already explained the dangers involved..."
That being said, the top scholar seems to be childless by choice and doesn't want children, leaving his wife practically a widow.
Upon hearing this, it was only belatedly realized by the colleagues who were familiar with the top scholar that it seemed Xu Xiuzhuan really didn't have any children.
The Minister of Revenue was indeed concerned for the old emperor's well-being, but he was essentially inflexible; all his children's marriages were arranged by him.
Minister of Revenue: So what? They are a perfect match, a perfect couple.
The eldest son married a woman who was secretly jealous.
Minister of Revenue: ⊙▽⊙ (Is there?)
[Several concubines have already been killed.]
Minister of Revenue: |???| (Is this really true?)
The eldest daughter married a playboy who couldn't control his fertility.
Minister of Revenue: o_O (Man, normal.)
[He has now contracted venereal disease.]
Minister of Revenue: ╰_╯╬ (Kill that son-in-law!)
[And then there's that illegitimate son who's obsessed with sucking the sores off the Minister of Revenue, neglecting his wife and concubines. So the women in his harem are self-sufficient, absorbing their needs internally.]
Minister of Revenue: Let's not bring this up again! Wait? What, internal disposal? (=°Д°=)
The entire court was at a loss, unsure which statement was more explosive!
Shen Zhiyi then listed n more items and finally made a summary.
[Ah, after working so hard for most of his life, he hasn't even managed to arrange a decent marriage. What a failure, Minister of Revenue!]
After a while.
[Hahahaha, the old-fashioned him, and his free-spirited children.]
The Minister of Revenue felt as if his knees, which he had straightened his whole life, had been shot by an arrow.
He thought he had balanced his career and family, but he never expected that his home and his children would be so restless.
Upon seeing this, the top scholar Xu Xiuzhuan broke out in a cold sweat.
He hurriedly opened his mouth, trying to save himself.
"Your Majesty, I believe that General Longhu is right. Firstly, human life is at stake, and secondly, unstable marriages can easily lead to instability in the country. Therefore, I believe that this outdated custom of arranged marriages must be changed!"
Shen Zhiyi glanced at the top scholar a few more times.
[I never expected the top scholar to have such awareness. Ah, I see, I see!]
[Xu Xiuzhuan wasn't in an arranged marriage at all, hahaha. Before the wedding, he secretly went to meet his parents and the girl the matchmaker had found. If she didn't want to be childless for life, she could stop. No wonder he didn't get married until he was thirty.]
[I knew it! I wasn't in an arranged marriage myself, so why would I support one?]
All the officials stared at Xu Xiuzhuan in unison, wishing they could stab him to death with their eyes.
Two members of the camp that stood up for arranged marriages and silent betrothals collapsed at once.
General Longhu looked refreshed and energetic; he wasn't the only one behind him!