Chapter 285: A Gentleman for Ten Thousand Years

Wang Yang had been staying quite well these past few days.

Whether it was food or lodging, it was "high-spec" within the Wenyang tribe, and he could move freely within a certain range—of course, with barbarian guards accompanying him.

It wasn't just to monitor Wang Yang; to a large extent, it was also for Wang Yang's safety. Not only to prevent assassins but also to prevent harassment.

Wang Yang was different from Seeing Liu Cheng. After Seeing Liu Cheng was captured, he followed the barbarians over mountains and ridges, suffering all kinds of hardships and misery along the way. By the time he reached the barbarian tribe, he was disheveled, emaciated, and in rags, looking as down-and-out as a dog, with no elegance to speak of. Coupled with the ridicule and bullying from the barbarians, he lost all dignity and was not taken seriously at all. If he hadn't later reflected on his pain, cheered up, and racked his brains to "manage his appearance" and "reshape his demeanor," how could he have won the favor of the barbarian women?

But Wang Yang was different. As an envoy of the Han family and a guest of honor among the barbarians, he lived in a magnificent tent and ate fat beef. Everywhere he went, he was treated with courtesy and was highly regarded by the barbarians. Furthermore, his clothing and demeanor were completely different from those of the barbarian tribe:

His brocade robe was cut in the color of clouds, and the jade belt at his waist was exquisite.

His gaze was like it was soaked in a clear spring; when stern, cold stars shone through, and when he smiled, it was like a startled swan.

In the morning, his fist wind brushed away the sleeping birds; at night, he watched the fireflies with great interest.

Amidst the barbarian sounds, he remained composed; occasionally picking up a pine nut, he also stirred the hearts of the maidens.

The barbarian tribes have always had open customs, where women can choose their own husbands. But after choosing back and forth, they are all just the rough, savage men they see every day in their own mountains; where would they have ever seen such an elegant and handsome young master?

If he were just a delicate, refined scholar, that would be one thing, but he also happened to have a tall posture and an extraordinary bearing. Especially the soul-stirring heroic spirit when he knitted his brows, the depth like a dark pool reflecting the moon when he was calm, and the free and easy leisure when he encountered changes during his walks—it was as if he were not in a barbarian village, but in his own courtyard, and everything he did was something he was accustomed to. Even when he was different from the crowd or encountered sudden changes, he did not have the slightest bit of anxiety, looking at the surrounding barbarian soldiers as if they were nothing, as if no amount of weapons could hurt him in the slightest...

This composure and elegance, coupled with the "exotic flavor," instantly captured the hearts of the maidens! From the second night on, the barbarian women coming to sneak into his tent never stopped!

The place where Wang Yang lived was not far from the Nine-Headed Tent. Most of those who could find their way there had extraordinary status, and some even the barbarian guards didn't dare to stop. It was all thanks to Chen Qingshan, who, with a single spear, blocked this group of enthusiastic barbarian girls.

The barbarian women had always been daring and decisive, and some of the brave ones directly fought with Chen Qingshan, only to be beaten to a pulp by Xiao Shan.

After this battle, Chen Qingshan became famous, and a barbarian folk song began to be sung in the village:

"Ask the bright moonlight, to light the road to my lover.

I can't see my lover, there's a female general guarding the tent.

A red spear sweeps in all directions, where the spear wind passes, skirts fly.

The long spear shakes a little, becoming a mountain ridge that the white deer cannot leap over.

Even the Pan King sighs when he sees it, sending a skylark to peek secretly.

The skylark is so scared its wings stiffen, leaving only the maiden with teary eyes.

The maidens send fragrant fruit wine, begging the female general to let them pass.

The female general tastes it: the wine is okay, but the person is still blocked.

Those who are unconvinced, come together, hey—

The spear tip tears through new clothes!"

Wang Yang asked a barbarian translator for the general meaning of the lyrics, then adjusted the words a bit, added rhymes, and sang it according to the tune of the barbarian music, finding it quite interesting.

After this song spread, the girls didn't dare to come and fight anymore, but the men started coming!

It turned out that the men heard this song and, out of curiosity or unconvinced, led by several barbarian generals, brought a wave of barbarian warriors to compete with Chen Qingshan. In the end, it was Le Luo Luo who issued a strict order, which finally calmed the disturbance. Wang Yang's tent also became quiet, and he could nest inside to read.

The barbarian tribe had no writing, and the books were only Han books, most of which were old and passed down from generation to generation. The quantity was very small, and some were incomplete. Wang Yang picked a scroll of *Miscellaneous Characters* written by Guo Xianqing of the Eastern Han Dynasty and *Essential Discussions of Zhou Shengzi* written by Zhou Shengli of the Wei Dynasty, and used four beautifully crafted small gold beads to half-coax and half-lure them in exchange for these two scrolls.

The gold beads were bought by Wang Yang specifically before leaving Jingzhou, two thousand coins each! With his connections, trading at this price was naturally fair. If it were a normal transaction, based on the craftsmanship and quality of these beads and the current market, it would be at least two thousand five hundred or more. Although there were large coins with high face values, they were not circulated in the barbarian tribe, so he exchanged them for gold beads for emergencies, totaling thirty beads. Although he used four at once, he didn't feel anything, because money should be spent on the blade's edge, and in Wang Yang's concept, spending on books had always been the edge of the blade.

Wang Yang had been crazy about buying books since he was in college. He had memberships at several "key" bookstores. Sometimes buying a whole set of "big items" was cheaper than buying them online. Later, the expenses were really too high, so he changed to buying some and suggesting the library buy others, and then going to the library to "brush" them after the books arrived, which was exhilarating.

"'Li er nushi' (Give you a lady)," Chen Qingshan held the book and read it word by word, puzzled: "What does it mean?"

She was reading a scroll from the *Classic of Poetry*, but this book wasn't bought from the barbarian tribe; it was borrowed and had to be returned later.

Wang Yang answered while reading *Essential Discussions of Zhou Shengzi*:

"This is a blessing from ancient times. 'A gentleman for ten thousand years, may the bright mandate have servants. What are the servants? Giving you a lady.' The general meaning is to wish the gentleman a life of ten thousand years, and may heaven bestow a good woman. 'Li' means to give, and 'nushi' means a lady."

Chen Qingshan stopped speaking, and after a while, suddenly said:

"The commentary says that 'nushi' is 'a woman who has the conduct of a gentleman (shi).'"

So it's not necessarily a lady. Chen Qingshan didn't say the second half of the sentence.

Wang Yang said casually: "It's not that complicated; it's just a lady."

Chen Qingshan paused and said in a low voice: "The commentary says so."

Wang Yang laughed:

"This is Zheng Xuan forcing an explanation to solve the word 'nushi.' Actually, 'nushi' is just reversing 'shinu' (lady) for the sake of rhyme. 'What are the servants? Giving you a lady. Giving you a lady, followed by grandsons.' The word 'Sun Zi' (grandsons) below is also reversing 'zishun' (descendants) for the sake of rhyme."

"In the Qin and Han dynasties, rhymed language was often used in writing. If the rhyme didn't match, the text was reversed to achieve rhyme. For example, the current version of *Laozi* says: 'From ancient times to the present, its name has not gone, to observe the multitude of beginnings.' But in the silk manuscripts... that is, the ancient version of *Laozi* from the Han dynasty, it is written as 'from the present to the ancient.' On the surface, 'from ancient times to the present' is a set phrase, but the original text is more likely 'from the present to the ancient,' because it needs to use the character 'gu' (ancient) to rhyme with the characters 'qu' (gone) and 'fu' (beginnings) later."

"The *Zhuangzi* says: 'No east, no west, starting at Yuanming, returning to Datong.' This is also a reckless change by vulgar scholars; the original text should be 'no west, no east,' reversing east and west to west and east, to rhyme with the character 'tong.' Jia Yi's *Rhapsody on the Owl* says: 'The followers of fear, some run west and east; the great man does not bend, his will is uniform.' This is also changing 'east and west' to 'west and east' to seek rhyme."

"Therefore, the *Eastern Mountain* chapter of the *Classic of Poetry* says: 'Make those clothes, do not let the gentleman carry the tablets.' 'Clothes' (yishang) is reversed to 'shangyi' (clothes), because the ancient rhyme of the character 'yi' rhymes with the character 'mei,' which is the same as reversing 'shinu' to 'nushi'."

A gentleman for ten thousand years, may the bright mandate have servants. What are the servants? Giving you a lady.

"May the gentleman live for ten thousand years, and may heaven bestow a good woman," but is it only a lady who is a good woman...

Chen Qingshan thought gloomily.

It was precisely because of this that she summoned the courage to find an ancient commentary, trying to oppose Wang Yang's interpretation of "nushi" as "lady," arguing that any woman who has "the conduct of a gentleman" should be a "lady" worthy of a gentleman. As a result, she had just struggled a bit before being "reasonably and evidence-based" patted into the sand by Wang Yang...

A bit depressed.

"By the way," Wang Yang put down the book and looked at Chen Qingshan: "Xiao Shan, do me a favor. I'm planning to partner with Seeing Liu Cheng to build a warehouse, specifically to do business with the barbarian tribe..."

Wang Yang gave Chen Qingshan a rough outline of the business plan, then said: "I can only scrape together 2.7 million, and I'm still short 300,000—"

"Okay."

Chen Qingshan didn't hesitate at all and agreed directly.

Wang Yang was startled for a moment and added:

"This 300,000 is equivalent to your investment; it's the same as you running the warehouse with us. Seeing Liu Cheng puts in 3 million, I put in 2.7 million, you put in 300,000, and you will also share in the annual profits of the warehouse—"

"I don't want the profits."

"You must want them, otherwise I have no money to pay you back—"

"No need to pay back."

"... You must share in the profits every year, so I don't have to pay you back—"

"You don't have to pay me back even if I don't share in the profits." Chen Qingshan looked into Wang Yang's eyes.

Wang Yang was a bit at a loss and waved his hand, bluffing:

"... In short, listen to me. Just invest this 300,000 into the warehouse and share the money every year."

"Okay." Chen Qingshan's phoenix eyes did not move.

Wang Yang lowered his head to read, and there was silence in the tent.

Wang Yang actually didn't lack that 300,000. He was thinking that if he died one day, this business could serve as a guarantee for Chen Qingshan.

With Chen Qingshan's personality, she definitely wouldn't take the money if he gave it to her directly. Although with Xie Xinghan there, as long as Xiao Shan didn't seek revenge, she could be safe. But Xiao Shan couldn't rely on Xiao Han to support her life. Of course, with Xiao Shan's family background and spending habits, it wouldn't be that bad, but Xiao Shan had no income, and life was so long; she couldn't rely on that family background to eat for a lifetime.

So he used the excuse of not having enough money to let her participate in the business. Chen Qingshan could only be considered moderately wealthy now. Last time, when she thought Wang Yang was going to buy a manor, Xiao Shan reported her family background, totaling 400,000 plus a house, which also included the 300,000 from Jiao Zheng.

After investing in the warehouse, there would be dividends every year, so Xiao Shan would have a stable income. If he really hung up one day, the other two shareholders (besides Seeing Liu Cheng, Wang Yang planned to add another technical shareholder and give him dry shares, but he hadn't told Seeing Liu Cheng yet) could take care of Xiao Shan for his sake. That shareholder should be able to. As for Seeing Liu Cheng, let alone his morality, but if he thought that he, Wang Yang, could be bullied after he died, then he would be underestimating him too much. He would leave behind a good backup plan before...

Pfft, pfft, pfft! What backup plan! A gentleman for ten thousand years, I won't hang up!

Damn, why does this sound like setting a flag...

Say it again: I won't hang up, or rather, I will definitely not hang up!

Wang Yang set the opposite flag in his heart, so the flag was in a quantum state of being realized and not being realized. This is Schrödinger's flag! Hmm, reliable...

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Note: Regarding Chen Qingshan's family background, see Chapter 187 "Day Rain at the Window for a Long Time (Part 1)." ===== CHAPTER 286 =====