Phi-Fic Chapter 508 The Third Elder of the Xue Family!
Chapter 508 The Third Elder of the Xue Family!
The group was taken away, and the farce came to an end. However, the story of the Xue family was far from over.
At least, in most people's eyes, although the old master of the Xue family was taken away, the Xue family still has two capable masters!
With one serving as a tutor in Yu County and the other holding a high-ranking official position in Yan Prefecture, how could the Xue family possibly fall so easily with such powerful backers?
In fact, the Xue family should have had three masters, so why are only two remembered? It's because the other one was just an insignificant private tutor, so naturally he wouldn't be remembered.
The Censorate was bustling with noise, while Duanmu Chuze took Mu Xinnuan by carriage to wander around.
"The weather is nice today, and there's a bit of a breeze, so it's not too stuffy. Look, the roses over there are blooming beautifully."
Mu Xin Nuan followed his gaze and looked over, then smiled and said, "A Ze, this was clearly planted by someone with a purpose. I seem to hear the sound of reading aloud. It looks like there must be a private school ahead."
"Yes, that must be it. Let's go take a look."
Looking at the few thatched huts, a dozen children were reading aloud inside, while in the next room, seven or eight slightly older boys were writing something seriously.
Seeing this scene, Mu Xin Nuan felt comfortable and at ease.
The essence of reading the classics lies in cultivating a certain mindset and a natural disposition. If one's mind is solely focused on achieving fame and fortune, and one merely memorizes books without understanding their meaning, then it truly becomes meaningless.
But the gentleman in the thatched cottage before me explained things in a way that was so interesting that it made me yearn to read more.
"Aze, this gentleman's teaching is indeed excellent. Could he be the young master of the Xue family?"
Duanmu Chuze smiled. "He is the third master of the Xue family, Xue Er's uncle. However, he and the other members of the Xue family are not born of the same mother. Back then, the old master of the Xue family first married his birth mother, and later, after passing the imperial examination, he married the daughter of his mentor, neglecting his original wife and even thinking of killing her. However, in the countryside, his marriage was documented by a marriage certificate, and his first wife also took good care of his parents when they were seriously ill. If he really divorced this wife, he would become an ungrateful person."
"You mean he essentially has two wives?"
Duanmu Chuze nodded, "That's right! He wanted wealth and honor but couldn't bear the infamy. This old man Xue was quite clever. After passing the imperial examination, he lived in the county town. Several years later, after his first wife had two sons, he returned to the countryside. He then accused his first wife of being childless, forcing her to acknowledge him as his new wife. After that, she was brought back to the city and finally became pregnant. However, she passed away not long after giving birth to this son."
Mu Xin Nuan's eyes flashed, "I'm afraid this lady's death was also shrouded in mystery."
"You guessed right. That's exactly why this Third Master has lived a life worse than even a servant in the mansion since childhood. Otherwise, why do you think the other two masters have become successful while he's stuck here teaching and educating people?"
"I'm afraid he wouldn't stoop to associating with those heartless bastards, would he?" Mu Xin Nuan said, her eyes turning slightly cold. "Tell me, what exactly are you planning to do by bringing me here? Don't tell me you didn't know him at all before."
Duanmu Chuze covered his mouth with his hand somewhat awkwardly and cleared his throat. "Well, hehe, it's nothing. We've known each other for a long time. He's also talented, but he just doesn't want to leave this place. Not far away is his mother's grave. He feels that his mother died when he was born, and he couldn't fulfill his filial duty while she was alive, so he has been guarding her grave here, cleaning and adding soil every day, which is also a way of fulfilling his filial duty to his mother."
"Then tell me, what role does this Third Master of the Xue family play in this play?"
Seeing Mu Xin Nuan looking at him calmly, Duanmu Chuze felt a chill run down his spine.
He had always known that his wife was very intelligent, but now he suddenly wondered if she was a little too intelligent.
“Anuan, okay, I admit I did hide it from you at first. In fact, the main reason I wanted to come to Huayang County this time was because of him. And you probably don’t know that he has left the Xue family and changed his surname to his mother’s.”
"Uh?"
This was a huge amount of information, and Mu Xin Nuan felt she couldn't accept it for a moment. "How could that be? With the stubborn and arrogant nature of the Xue family patriarch, how could he possibly allow it?"
"Of course he wouldn't allow it, but for the sake of his children's future, he had no choice but to do it. Because this Third Master has gathered all the evidence that Old Master Xue married first and then took a concubine, and it also proves that the current Old Madam Xue's children are all born out of wedlock. Because, although the legitimate Madam Xue recognized her status back then, the marriage certificate and other documents were never handed over. So, if someone investigates further, they can find out that the successful members of the Xue family are all born out of wedlock."
"He went to great lengths to leave the Xue family."
Duanmu Chuze put his arm around her shoulder. "It would be a great loss to our Great Yong if someone as talented as him were to be buried in the countryside. However, he also knows very well that as long as those members of the Xue family are around, he will never have a chance to rise to prominence. So, it would be better for him to teach and live a quiet life."
"If that's the case, then he's just waiting for the Xue family to fall from grace?"
Duanmu Chuze smiled faintly, "This is an agreement between us. I will help him avenge himself, and he will risk his life for me."
Mu Xin Nuan thought for a moment, then twitched her lips and said, "This is not fair! Destroying a small Xue family would be a piece of cake for you, but you want to use it to blackmail them for life. Aren't you being a bit too despicable?"
"Anuan, I'm your husband, okay? Why are you siding with this outsider?"
Mu Xin Nuan rolled her eyes at him and walked straight ahead.
"Anuan, where are you going?"
"Of course, I'm going to pay my respects to this lady. Otherwise, do you think I'm going to discuss the Four Books and Five Classics with the one inside?"
Duanmu Chuze's lips curled up, and he said with great pleasure, "Anuan understands me best."
In fact, he brought her here today to win over the third son of the Xue family, and Mu Xin Nuan's actions clearly showed even more sincerity. The so-called "winning hearts and minds" approach was truly masterful.