[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful":3,"chapter-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-10":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Even a Gentleman Must Be Careful",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2268630,4429,"Chapter 10","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>Ten: When marrying, marry a woman of the Five Surnames\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint fish-belly white appeared on the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the bamboo grove, a bell tower concealed, and a young novice, yawning, climbed up to strike the bell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Living in this ancient temple atop the mountain, with the morning bell and evening drum always at his ears, daily life felt as monotonous as chanting sutras, and his sense of time’s passage seemed to slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was again about the same hour as that day, but familiarity bred ease—this time, Ouyang Rong leapt nimbly out of the well, scrambled over the fence, and walked away with his hands behind his back, as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After discovering the secret blessing worth ten thousand merit points, he lingered below for a long while—not to chat with Master Buzhi, but to meticulously inspect the underground palace again, from start to finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to try whether he could manually locate or trigger this hidden blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because what if it wasn’t the “homecoming” he expected, but some other strange fortune? It wasn’t impossible—he had to rule it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what Ouyang Rong found left him unsure whether to rejoice or be disappointed—he discovered nothing, and returned empty-handed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong returned to Sanhui Courtyard, but deliberately took a longer route—mainly to avoid his aunt’s courtyard—and indeed, since Zhen Shi had moved in, the atmosphere of guilt had become overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this detour brought him face-to-face with Master Shandao, who was on his way to morning chanting and breakfast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old monk frowned: “Why are you tiptoeing so early in the morning, my lord?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s… a morning exercise custom from my hometown.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am the one with narrow horizons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they passed each other, Ouyang Rong suddenly remembered something and turned back curiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I haven’t asked—what sect does Donglin Temple follow? Chan or Vinaya?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Neither,” Master Shandao shook his head. “Chan is to the west, Vinaya to the north. Our small temple lies to the south and practices the orthodox Pure Land tradition—you may also call us the Pure Land Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pure Land Sect…?” Ouyang Rong raised his eyes. “Do you truly believe such a Pure Land exists?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao nodded immediately. “Of course it does. My late master’s master is proof.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it exists, where is this Pure Land?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao pointed to Ouyang Rong’s chest. “The Pure Land is right here—in your own heart. Why ask an outsider like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong nodded. “I was clinging to appearances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao glanced at him. “There’s a saying I’m not sure whether to speak—but I noticed yesterday that your face has been gloomy, your heart burdened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong met the old monk’s gaze and asked humbly: “How do I break through this obstacle and attain liberation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao said nothing, lowered his eyes to straighten his robe, adjusted his attire, and before leaving, merely raised a hand to point vaguely toward Sanhui Courtyard, then turned and walked away slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong stood still for a moment, then turned back toward Sanhui Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped inside, he suddenly halted, tilting his head to study the plaque hanging above the doorway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It bore the characters: “Sanhui.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are the Three Wisdoms? Hearing, Contemplation, Practice—these three. Hearing must be attentive, Contemplation must be thorough, Practice must be true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong’s voice rose from low to clear, as if his insight deepened—from quiet murmur to a loud, resonant declaration: “Ouyang Lianghan, ask yourself again: how do you break through this obstacle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He answered himself: “Lie down and hear it, sit and contemplate it, rise and… act!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Confucian scholar laughed aloud, swept his sleeve, and strode boldly into the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I leave the temple today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the dining table, the newly appointed County Magistrate of Longcheng set down his chopsticks with solemn precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No,” Zhen Shi murmured over her porridge, not lifting her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auntie, I’m informing you, not consulting you; I’ve already sent word to Captain Yan and the others, and I’ve asked the abbot—he says my health has recovered seven or eight tenths, and I may descend the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Act first, inform later?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It should have been done long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the floodwaters have already receded seven or eight tenths—why go down now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely because they’ve receded seven or eight tenths is when relief efforts become most critical. I am Magistrate of Longcheng—I cannot remain sheltered on the mountain after recovering, leaving the burden to my subordinates.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leaving it to your subordinates? The floodwaters weren’t your fault, young master. You’ve only just assumed office, and this was a once-in-several-years surge from Yunmeng Marsh—your coma occurred during the disaster; this is an act of heaven, no one will hold you responsible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there’s no blame, does that mean I can sleep soundly, utterly at ease?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi put down her bowl, took a handkerchief from the half-servant’s hand, wiped her lips, and began speaking slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, then go down. Don’t bother with me—leave me here in this deep mountain temple to fend for myself. Or better yet, become a monk. I raised you for twenty years, yet even a Buddhist lamp and ancient Buddha are more reliable than you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, her proud, resolute tone carried a faint quaver—and the woman turned her head to “secretly” wipe away tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong’s expression didn’t change. His aunt had already branded him ungrateful and unfilial, yet after waiting, he heard no dull thud of the wooden fish—apparently even the Buddha couldn’t bear to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued: “If you don’t wish to stay here, shall I arrange for someone to send you back to Nanlong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” Zhen Shi cut in sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glared. “Now that you’re an official, your wings have hardened—you no longer want to take your aunt along to enjoy the good life, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong replied solemnly: “The Great Zhou Code mandates that local magistrates serve a thousand li from home and must not bring relatives or villagers to seek personal gain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, I haven’t read the Great Zhou Code, but I know the expectations for a magistrate—you won’t fool me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi smiled faintly. “That ‘relative’ refers to male kin who appear in public. As for bringing a mother, it’s not just permitted—it’s encouraged. The provincial inspector might even praise you for filial piety and award you extra points in your evaluation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong coughed into his fist. “Alright, alright. But according to Liu Lang, the county office was flooded—I’ll descend first, settle things, then bring you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi paid no attention, smiling brightly to interrupt his attempt to change the subject: “Besides, doesn’t the Great Zhou Code also require magistrates to bring their wives and daughters to their posts? If none are available, they must bring a concubine. And during their tenure, overseers may not marry the daughters of those under their jurisdiction—or face punishment… Isn’t this rule something the county magistrate should know better than a village maiden?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong’s face stiffened. He was baffled—why was Zhen Shi so clueless about some things, yet so sharp about others? His nemesis, indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, our dutiful Magistrate Ouyang—shouldn’t you be considering marriage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” His aunt’s map of Yan State was indeed long—she’d only just drawn the dagger. Ouyang Rong thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, since he had decided to descend the mountain and serve earnestly, he would no longer evade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I cannot marry a woman of the Five Surnames.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong met Zhen Shi’s gaze squarely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not? You’re a virtuous man, renowned across the land since your early twenties.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Simple—family status.” Ouyang Rong raised his palm slightly above his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Family status? Our Nanlong Ouyang clan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong nodded, speaking plainly: “Our Nanlong Ouyang clan has no status at all—in the eyes of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans. Our branch last produced a notable figure during the Han dynasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Zhen Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the imperial examination path I’ve taken—before the Five Surnames and Seven Clans—is… well, Auntie, you know I was granted the post of Lin Tai Zhengzi by the Empress at the Apricot Garden Banquet—that’s the former Secretary’s Office Proofreader. To hold this post, one must be of pure lineage—the purest of the pure stream. Almost every current chancellor began here. It’s prestigious, the coveted nine-rank starting point for scholars north and south.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But do you know that each year, across all of Great Zhou, only thirty to forty candidates are selected from the commoners of north and south? And among them, only the top scorer and a few others pass the stringent Ministry of Personnel selection to earn this post.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then spoke lightly: “Yet for sons of the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, this very post is theirs by birth—recommended by their elders, no examination required.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi opened her mouth, then closed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong whispered gently: “Auntie, to the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, we are the poorest of the poor. Even the Li clan of Great Qin, who ruled for nearly a hundred years, are seen by them as a degenerate line tainted by barbarian blood. They pride themselves on their lineage and scorn intermarriage with other clans—so… let’s not entertain such thoughts for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Great Zhou, the highest aristocracy was said to be the Five Surnames: Cui, Li, Lu, Wang, Xie—collectively the Five Surnames and Seven Clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Boiling Cui, Qinghe Cui, Longxi Li, Fanyang Lu, and Taiyuan Wang were regional clans—the highest northern aristocratic houses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Langya Wang and Chenjun Xie were émigré clans—the highest southern aristocratic houses. Yet these two southern clans ranked at the bottom of the Seven Clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in the turbulent wars of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Northern regime of Sui Qin ultimately triumphed, conquered Chen, and restored another great unification. The center of Great Zhou now lies in Guanzhong’s Luoyang and Chang’an, and the north remains the traditional heartland—so in this dynasty, the northern Seven Clans surpass the southern Wang and Xie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Boiling Cui stands supreme, universally acclaimed as the foremost aristocratic house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And according to Ouyang Rong’s knowledge, these Five Surnames and Seven Clans are not merely distinguished by ancestral glory and generations of official posts—they are deeply entwined with the three great schools of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, some inheriting Confucian scholarship, others Daoist or metaphysical traditions; some even claim hidden lineages of transcendent Qi-refiners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who survived the chaos of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and endured into Great Zhou are none other than ancient clans with terrifying depth—some family trees trace back to the pre-Qin era, contemporaneous with the legendary Qi-refiners of ancient texts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong added: “During Gaozong’s reign, to curb the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, an edict banned intermarriage among their most direct branches. But now, it’s clear the ban failed—it only elevated their prestige, turning them into the honored ‘forbidden-marriage houses.’ Think about it: even you and my mother in the countryside have heard of the nobility of ‘Five Surname women’—the public’s adoration is unimaginable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Ouyang Rong’s past life terms, these “forbidden-marriage houses” were the pinnacle of Great Zhou’s matchmaking hierarchy—every woman, child, and elder was competing to bid up their prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi frowned. “Is it really that hard? Isn’t my young master the finest man in the world? Even that isn’t enough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong’s lips twitched. He rose to help the half-servant clear the dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even a distant branch? No chance?” Zhen Shi still refused to give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even distant branches? Others aren’t fools—they moved first. I heard the marriage ban was proposed by Gaozong’s chancellor, who came from a humble background and was rejected in his marriage attempt. Don’t go unless your family holds at least a fourth-rank post.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi frowned. “How can it be so complicated…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong took the hot towel from the half-servant, rubbed his face, then smiled as if struck by an idea: “Northern aristocrats value marriage alliances; Jiangzuo aristocrats value talent; Guanzhong aristocrats value official caps; Dai Bei aristocrats value noble kinship. Which of these do I possess? Hmm—there’s no category for ‘valuing handsome men.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Shi glared at him, then fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong pretended to share her despair, but inwardly sighed with relief—finally, his aunt had given up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiangzuo aristocrats value talent… how convenient—my young master is a dragon among men…” Zhen Shi muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong smiled but said nothing. Sometimes, the shattering of illusions comes too fast—it’s better to let his aunt come to terms slowly… He washed his hands and prepared to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unexpectedly, the woman behind him suddenly asked: “Young master, isn’t your academy master surnamed Xie?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong froze. “Yes… why?” He sighed helplessly. “Don’t get fanciful. I’m leaving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found it odd, but didn’t dwell on it—he left Sanhui Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, Zhen Shi propped her chin on her hand, watching the retreating figure, her phoenix eyes curling into a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, I have to seize the opportunity for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>",2156,"2026-06-19T21:28:25.445Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","dad912b75a091642d217b50882401532e0955b8c3de85694bfad3478b7b635a0","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-11","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-9",864,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feven-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-cover.jpg"]