Chapter 49

Wang Xiu's consciousness immersed itself in that interface like a vast starry sky, the 【Family Talent Tree】.

This interface was far more complex than he had imagined.

The entire talent tree, with the Wang Family as the trunk, extends upward into countless branches. Most branches are gray, in an inactive state. Only the few nodes representing Wang Hui and his three sons emit a faint glow.

At the top of the interface, two numbers were flashing.

【Family Prestige: 850】

【Family Wealth: 1,250,000】

Wang Xiu understood that this should be the resource he used to "add points". Prestige is accumulated through family members gaining official positions, fame, social status, etc. Wealth is the unified monetary unit obtained by converting all the family's properties.

He focused his consciousness on the light point of his eldest son, Wang You.

Instantly, a stream of information flooded his mind.

【Name: Wang You】

【Status: Eldest legitimate grandson of the third generation of the Wang Family】

【Current Status: Child】

【Activatable Talent Directions: Political, Military, Literary…】

Below were listed dozens of major talent categories, each containing countless specific talents.

For example, under the Political category there are "Dragon-Serving Minister", "Capable Minister of Governance", "Master of Strategy", "Regional Governor", etc., different development paths.

Wang Xiu felt dazzled by the options, but his thinking was very clear.

For his eldest son Wang You, his role is the family's protector, a steady figure in the political arena. He does not need to be like his grandfather Wang Jin, who made a stunning debut with dazzling brilliance; he needs "stability".

Wang Xiu carefully browsed the Political talents.

He first saw a top-tier talent named "Aptitude for Premiership", which costs 1,000 prestige points and 500,000 wealth. Its description reads: 【Extremely likely to become a premier, wielding power over the court】.

Wang Xiu merely glanced at it and then decisively skipped it.

"A premier? Too dangerous!"

The words he had made Wang Jin utter on his deathbed—"When water overflows, it spills; when the moon is full, it wanes. Never stand at the highest point"—still rang in his ears. The Wang Family's first household rule is "Do not involve oneself in the reserve position, do not contend for the great treasure." Although being a premier is not the same as contending for the great treasure, being second only to the emperor and above ten thousand people places one too close to the vortex of power, making it likewise a high-risk profession.

His goal is a millennium-old clan, not a fleeting premier noble house.

He patiently searched downward, and finally an unremarkable intermediate talent caught his attention.

【Talent: Moderation and Harmony】

【Type: Political/Passive】

【Cost: 100 prestige, 100,000 wealth】

【Effect: Those who possess this talent have a steady temperament, act thoroughly, and are not easily swayed by emotions. In officialdom, they rarely make enemies, easily gain the trust of superiors and peers, enjoy smooth official careers, and experience few major ups and downs.】

"This is it!"

"This is practically a talent tailor-made for Wang You!"

"Seek no merit, only avoid fault. Steadily serve as an official, accumulate seniority, build connections, and become an evergreen tree on the court that no one can topple. This is the ideal state for the Wang Family heir."

"\"Activate 【Moderation and Harmony】! \" Wang Xiu made the choice without hesitation."

"Instantly, the 【Family Prestige】 decreased by 100 points, and the 【Family Wealth】 decreased by 100,000. The light point representing Wang You flared brightly, its radiance becoming much more stable and substantial than before."

"After adding this, Wang Xiu did not stop. He then selected two more auxiliary talents for Wang You from the many available."

【Talent: Strong Body and Health】

【Type: General/Passive】

【Cost: 50 prestige】

【Effect: Enhances physique, reduces the likelihood of illness.】

"The body is the capital of revolution; to endure long in officialdom, one must have a good physique. This is a necessary point."

【Talent: Unforgettable Memory】

【Type: Learning/Passive】

【Cost: 100 prestige】

【Effect: Greatly enhances memory.】

"As a civil official, studying is basic. With this talent, Wang You will find the path of the imperial examinations much smoother."

"\"Activate! \""

After planning the future for his eldest son, Wang Xiu's consciousness shifted to the light point of his second son, Wang Ce.

For Wang Ce, his role is that of a capable general in the army.

He directly opened the Military talent tree.

Unlike the subtlety of the Political talents, the Military talents are filled with simple, direct martial prowess.

【Talent: Subdue the Wolf, Dwell in the Xu】, 【The More, the Better】, 【Versatile in Civil and Military Affairs】…

Wang Xiu's goal was very clear; he first locked onto an elementary talent.

【Talent: Superior Martial Skill】

【Type: Military/Passive】

【Cost: 50 prestige, 50,000 wealth】

【Effect: Those who possess this talent include the implication of the Strong Body talent, can later be upgraded and expanded, with many subsequent paths.】

Although the Wang Family enjoys the residual glory of its ancestors, once he joins the army he will not attain a high rank; most likely he will be in frontline combat, and even in military logistics there is a mortal danger, so this talent is indispensable, as it can give him some life-preserving confidence.

As for the future, we'll wait until he actually joins the army, observe his subsequent development, and then continue.

Finally, there is the third son, Wang Qian.

His role is that of a cultural grandmaster, the family's pure stream and the bearer of its reputation.

Wang Xiu carefully selected two core talents for him in the Literary and Academic systems.

Talent: Literary thoughts gushing like a spring.

Type: Literary System/Passive.

Cost: 150 Prestige.

Effect: Greatly enhances literary creation ability, with a high probability of becoming a literary master of an era.

Talent: Investigating Things to Extend Knowledge.

Type: Academic System/Passive.

Cost: 150 Prestige.

Effect: Possesses strong curiosity and extremely high comprehension ability in fields such as natural science and engineering technology.

Wang Xiu chose 'Investigating Things to Extend Knowledge' for him, harboring ulterior motives. He knew that technology is the primary productive force. He hoped that Wang Qian would not only become a great literary figure, but also plant a forward-looking seed in the field of 'science' for this era and for the Wang family.

This is an idle move laid for a more distant future.

Wang Xiu looked at the three radiant points of light on the talent tree, extending along different trajectories, let out a long breath, and a relieved smile like that of an old father appeared on his face.

The seed has been planted.

Of course, talent is not everything. Starting from the next day, Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) began his hundred-year plan of 'teaching according to aptitude'.

He hired completely different teachers for his three sons.

For the eldest son Wang You, he hired a highly respected and morally upright Confucian master of the current court, who taught him the way of a ruler, the propriety of a minister, taught him to be moderate and harmonious, and to act comprehensively.

For the second son Wang Ce, he hired the Wang family's estate guards, who taught him martial arts, and in ordinary times also studied culture together with the third son.

For the third son Wang Qian, he hired a charismatic scholar like Li Bai, who taught him poetry, songs, and prose. At the same time, Wang Hui personally took him to the kiln workshop and fields of the Yi River Manor, letting him personally come into contact with those artisans and farm tools, encouraging him to think about 'why'.

The three children, on the path carefully designed by their father, began their utterly different lives.

Time passed, a few more years went by in this peaceful and fulfilling plan.

The era name of the Tang Dynasty had quietly changed to Heavenly Treasure.

The once wise and mighty Emperor Li Longji, in the long peace and pleasure, gradually lost his ambition. Above the court, a treacherous chancellor with honeyed words and a hidden dagger was quietly rising.

His name was Li Linfu.

The shadow of the prosperous age has already begun to surface.

That day, Wang Hui was in the study, reviewing his three sons' homework, when the steward Fu Bo rushed in with a panicked expression.

"Head of the family, something's wrong! People from the palace have come!"

"What's the matter to panic?" Wang Hui put down his book, frowned, and said.

"It... it's people sent by Consort Yang Guifei beside the emperor!" Fu Bo's voice trembled, "They say... they say Li Bai... he... something happened to him!"

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu)'s heart sank sharply.

What was bound to come, finally came.

He knew that Li Bai's unruly and untamable nature was ultimately unsuitable for that gilded cage, and in the end he still caused a catastrophic disaster.