Chapter 76: Young Master, I Have Finished Eating

After Wang Yang finished speaking, no one spoke for a long time.

You must know that the person who established the theory was Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan. The theory she established must have been polished and brewed. Although it was said on the spot, how long she had prepared for it, whether she had consulted with others, or whether it was her own unique insight, no one knew.

And Wang Yang first refuted Liu Cheng, and then, based on Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan's argument, spoke eloquently and completed it in one go. How could such academic knowledge and talent not be surprising?

After a long while, Yan Youcheng sighed: "Sure enough, it's the Langya Wang clan. The noble family is prosperous, and the family reputation of five hundred years is not false!"

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan's corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a smile of heartfelt admiration. Her beautiful head hung down slightly, like a flower fairy bowing her head: "It's Young Master Wang who won; Lady Xie Xinghan admits defeat."

Liu Cheng's face was gloomy, and he didn't speak.

Yu Yi had liked pure conversation when he was young, but now he was indifferent. Therefore, although he saw Wang Yang shining brightly and secretly praised this person's academic knowledge and talent, he didn't take it too seriously. Seeing Liu Cheng not speaking, he said:

"Young Master Wang's narrative is exquisite and beautiful, his spirit sharp and his words talented; Young Master Liu's talent is also outstanding. I wonder if Young Master Liu has finished his argument?"

Liu Cheng took a breath, stood up, and bowed to Wang Yang: "Wang brother's talent, I admire."

Wang Yang immediately stood up and returned the salute: "It's just taking advantage of the situation; Liu brother's talent is what makes people admire!"

The 'taking advantage' Wang Yang said could also be considered the truth to some extent. After all, he was born more than 1,500 years later than Liu Cheng, and the research in between had been deepening, with masters emerging in large numbers! The vision and insight cultivated by such influence were naturally not something Liu Cheng could compare with.

Yu Yi stood up and said solemnly: "On the 18th of the 4th month of the 8th year of Yongming, the winner of the pure conversation is Langya Wang Yang!"

After the pure conversation, Yu Yi held a banquet and let his eldest son, Yu Qianlou, accompany them. This was also to pave the way for Yu Qianlou's official career in the future.

Although Yu Qianlou was older than Wang Yang and the others and served as the Jingzhou Registrar, he could only sit at the end of the banquet table.

Because the Wang, Lady Xie, and Liu families were all top-tier noble families of the Southern Dynasty. The status of the Yan family was lower than the three families, but still higher than the Yu family.

Although the New Wild Yu family was dominant in Jingzhou, compared to these noble surnames, they were far inferior. Even if it were the more noble Yingchuan Yu family, they would be hard to compete with, unless it was the Yingchuan Yu family of the Eastern Jin period; only then would they be comparable.

Yu Yi could host this pure conversation mainly because of the geographical advantage of Jingzhou and his own reputation, plus a little personal friendship with the emperor, which made these noble young masters treat him with great respect. But he didn't speak much at the banquet, just like during the pure conversation, appearing somewhat indifferent. The person responsible for hospitality and social interaction was mainly Yu Qianlou.

"Try this." In the midst of the drinking and feasting, Wang Yang served a small plate of roast goose to Chen Qingshan, which was called 'Goose Roast' at the time.

He had urged Chen Qingshan several times to go down and eat, but Chen Qingshan said she had to fulfill her bodyguard duty and refused to do so.

And at that time, the distinction between noble and commoner was very strict, so Wang Yang couldn't ask Yu Yi to add a seat for Chen Qingshan, otherwise, it would be a lack of respect for the noble families at the table.

So Wang Yang had to pass her food every now and then.

At first, Chen Qingshan was very reserved, but she couldn't stand Wang Yang's diligent persuasion. Furthermore, looking at these dishes, she was indeed hungry, so she stood and ate a few plates.

"Wang brother, you are really good to your bodyguard!" Yan Youcheng laughed at Wang Yang.

Chen Qingshan retracted her hand and didn't take the goose roast.

Wang Yang ignored that, stood up, put the plate and chopsticks into Chen Qingshan's hand, and whispered: "If you want to eat, just eat; don't worry about others."

Then he sat back in his seat and said calmly: "My own bodyguard, protecting my safety, of course I have to be a little better to her."

Good to the point of getting into bed, right!

Just wearing a sword is called a bodyguard? Who are you fooling?

But looking at it, she does have a bit of momentum, especially these legs, long, straight, and powerful...

This kid chose a good bodyguard. Ordinary bodyguard, bodyguard under the bed, beautiful bodyguard—she can also protect him in bed, hahaha!

One day I'll also find a female bodyguard...

Yan Youcheng had a few cups of wine, and his smile became brighter. However, joking also requires a sense of proportion. He wasn't familiar with Wang Yang and couldn't figure out the other party's personality, so he didn't dare to talk too much about lewd things, just thinking about it in his heart, and said: "Wang brother is really compassionate!"

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan, who was sitting on Wang Yang's left, just lowered her head and ate fish, eating very, very seriously.

"Where is the girl from?" Liu Cheng suddenly asked Chen Qingshan.

This question seemed unintentional, but perhaps it had intentions.

Actually, it wouldn't matter if she told the truth, but if Liu Cheng used this to get to Wang Yang and take the opportunity to probe, that wouldn't be good.

Mainly because Wang Yang hadn't had time to discuss this issue with Chen Qingshan, and he didn't know how Chen Qingshan would answer.

He wanted to interrupt before Chen Qingshan spoke, but that would seem a bit strange.

Facts proved that Wang Yang's worries were unnecessary.

Because Chen Qingshan didn't prepare to answer at all. She ate the goose meat in small bites, as if she hadn't heard Liu Cheng's question.

"This girl?"

"Girl!"

Liu Cheng called twice, and only then did Chen Qingshan stop eating meat and look at Liu Cheng, her eyes puzzled.

Liu Cheng was a bit embarrassed and had to ask the question he just asked again.

Chen Qingshan blinked her clear, deep eyes, lowered her head, and continued eating.

Interesting. Yan Youcheng narrowed his eyes to watch the show.

Liu Cheng took a breath, his anger rising.

Wang Yang hurriedly said: "Liu brother, don't hold it against her! She has some difficulty with pronunciation, her articulation is unclear, so she is ashamed to speak..."

Liu Cheng said: "So that's how it is..."

"Young Master, I have finished eating."

Chen Qingshan put the empty plate on Wang Yang's table, her voice clear and her articulation distinct.

Liu Cheng: ？？？

Wang Yang: ？？？！

She really is a natural airhead!!!

"How did she say this sentence so well? It's strange..." Wang Yang's expression was awkward.

Liu Cheng sneered and drank wine.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit off, Yu Qianlou changed the subject, "Young Master Yan, your brother went as an envoy to the northern barbarians last year; he has returned now, right?"

"He's back. This trip was relatively fast; he arrived in Jiankang two months ago." Yan Youcheng paused, looked around the room, and said mysteriously: "Do you know? When my brother and the others arrived, they happened to catch the Northern Barbarians' New Year's court assembly and ran into the Goryeo envoys."

Liu Cheng glanced sideways: "What's so strange about that? The Koreans have always been two-faced and trying to please both sides."

Yan Youcheng was also very dissatisfied with Korea:

"When the late emperor was on the throne, the Koreans came to pay tribute, and the late emperor gave the King of Korea the title of General of the Cavalry! Our General is running to the Northern Barbarians to pay tribute; what kind of thing is this!"

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan said: "Korea comes to pay tribute, but they only contribute some local specialties and gifts, but the tribute they pay to the Northern Dynasty is real gold and silver."

Liu Cheng's tone was slightly mocking: "Yes, two hundred catties of gold and four hundred catties of silver a year."

Lady Xie Fei, Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan's father, is now the Secretariat Supervisor, and the old Duke of Liu, Liu Cheng's father, was the Secretariat Supervisor who just stepped down last year. The highest officials of the Secretariat and the Imperial Secretariat are always called Prime Ministers. So Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan and Liu Cheng are both children of prime ministerial families.

Therefore, when talking about this topic, both of them had some inside information, such as the specific amount of tribute Korea paid to the Northern Barbarians. Although Yu Qianlou was a local middle-level official, and Yan Youcheng's brother had just served as a deputy envoy to Northern Wei, they didn't know about it.

Yan Youcheng was furious when he heard this and slapped the table: "I knew it! No wonder the Northern Barbarians are so good to the Koreans! This time at the morning court meeting, they actually let my brother and the others sit with the Korean envoys!"

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Note: The specific data of *Book of Wei: Biography of Goguryeo*: "Later, tribute envoys followed one after another, sending two hundred catties of gold and four hundred catties of silver every year." In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Korea changed its country name to Goryeo. At that time, China referred to its country with both new and old names mixed. In the official documents of the Southern Dynasty, there were many references to "Goryeo". The academic community is accustomed to calling it "Gao's Goryeo". That is the Goryeo that several noble young masters are talking about in this chapter. Its territory is roughly the northeastern part of China plus the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is not the Wang's Goryeo established several hundred years later. ===== CHAPTER 77 =====

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Goguryeo changed its country name to Goryeo. At that time, when China referred to the country, both the new and old names were used interchangeably. In the official documents of the Southern Dynasties, "Goryeo" was used more often. Academia is accustomed to calling it "Gao's Goryeo." This is the Goryeo that the several young noblemen are discussing in this chapter. Its territory was roughly parts of the Northeast plus the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is not the Wang's Goryeo established several hundred years later.