Chapter 413: Do You Want to Hear a Story?

"You've spent a lot, but your life is even worse than mine—you're still a bachelor to this day."

"What's wrong with being a bachelor? One man eats full, the whole family has no worries. Unlike you, you worry about yourself, then your son, and someday your grandson—just thinking about it makes life unbearable."

"Old Guo, don't be sour because you can't have the grapes. Old Yang has his wife, kids, and a warm bed—his life is definitely better than yours…"

Old Guo was unconvinced, and he started arguing with them over this, his voice growing louder until even Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but stand up.

Zhu Qiyu also stood up, but the two brothers had never before seen people quarrel over such a trivial matter, and the other side's vocabulary was astonishingly rich.

They kept turning their heads to look at one, then the other, faces alight with excitement and delight.

Cao Jixiang, standing aside, couldn't help pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his face, worried the Emperor and the Prince would pick up bad habits.

He walked over to Pan Yun and asked through gritted teeth, "You brought the Young Masters here… to listen to this?"

Pan Yun was also listening with great interest; she glanced at him and said, "Don't you find it interesting?"

"Where's the interest?"

Pan Yun turned to Zhu Qizhen and asked, "Young Master Zhu, do you find it interesting?"

Zhu Qizhen nodded, smiling warmly: "Interesting, very interesting."

He volunteered, "Do you have any other stories? Ones you've actually lived through."

An old man chuckled, "We don't have any stories—we're just poor folk, working from the moment we open our eyes until we close them before sleep, nothing to tell. If you want stories, the most stories belong to Tian Daniu."

"That's right, that's right, Tian Daniu's got plenty of stories. I see the young brother's clothes are fine—you're well-off too. When he tells his story, if it's good, give him a few copper coins like the young Daoist did."

Zhu Qizhen laughed and asked, "Who is Tian Daniu? Why does he have the most stories?"

"He's impressive—he's different from us. He was the son of a landowner, born with wealth."

"He even went to school, could read and write!"

"He even held an official post!"

"Tian Daniu says that wasn't an official post—it was a clerkship."

"Bah, they all sat in the government office—we all had to call them 'my lord.' What's the difference?"

Zhu Qizhen's interest sparked immediately: "If he's so impressive, how did he end up here?"

"He fell on hard times, that's all. Now he's worse off than we are. What, young brother, are you looking down on our poor place now?"

Zhu Qizhen hurried to say, "No, no."

"Look down if you want—we're not looked up to by many in this world. But only here can we protect Tian Daniu—even the Embroidered Uniform Guard can't touch him."

Yun Yan's eyebrows twitched as he looked over.

Zhu Qizhen also let out a curious "Oh?"

That single "Oh?" instantly unleashed their flood of stories; they immediately began telling Zhu Qizhen, one after another, of how they outwitted the imperial court's hawks—the Embroidered Uniform Guard—to protect Tian Daniu's family.

Xue Shao couldn't help glancing at Pan Yun.

Pan Yun had no intention of stopping them; she let them speak freely.

Zhu Qizhen mused, "So this area isn't under imperial court control?"

Pan Yun glanced at him and said, "That's a question for the Shuntian Prefecture. Young Master, assuming things is a poison in this world."

Zhu Qizhen lowered his eyes—meaning, this place could be controlled by Shuntian Prefecture, but not by the Embroidered Uniform Guard?

Pan Yun addressed the dozen or so chattering people: "Stop arguing. Don't be fooled by this young master's fine clothes—he has places just as poor and chaotic as ours, no better off than us." The crowd gasped in disbelief: "Really?"

"Of course it's true. Don't believe me? Ask him," Pan Yun turned to Zhu Qizhen. "Young Master Zhu, doesn't your family have places like this?"

Zhu Qizhen paused a moment, then nodded: "Yes. Many."

"What do you mean 'many'? Does your family's estate include places like ours, or do you move constantly—from one place like this to another?"

Zhu Qizhen didn't know how to answer and grew flustered.

Pan Yun said nothing more, just watched as he was pressed.

Zhu Qiyu whispered quietly, "My family was poor once. Our ancestor once begged."

Hearing this, everyone's gaze toward the two brothers softened considerably.

One old man even patted their arms and comforted them: "That's all behind you now. Look at your clothes—you're doing well now. Your ancestors were good—they endured hardship and left you a legacy."

"That's right, that's right. Unlike us—we left our children nothing but broken houses."

!. Read

Just as they were about to expand on this topic, someone shouted: "Tian Daniu's here!"

Zhu Qizhen turned with everyone else and saw a middle-aged man hobbling toward them on a cane, hopping on one leg.

Those under the tree greeted him warmly; he beamed, waved enthusiastically, swung his cane fast, and hopped over in a few quick steps.

His gaze swept across them and paused slightly when he saw Zhu Qizhen and the other four, then moved on, heading straight for Pan Yun: "Young Daoist, you've come again. What story do you want to hear this time?"

Pan Yun smiled: "I still want to hear about Wang Zhen."

Tian Daniu's heart stalled; he paused a moment before smiling: "What's there to say about that fellow? I've told it till I'm sick of it, and everyone's sick of hearing it. How about I tell you about the various Master Qian cases I heard while working in the government office?"

The crowd immediately cheered: "Yes! Tell that one!"

But Pan Yun shook her head firmly: "I still want to hear about Wang Zhen. Uncle Tian, start from when he castrated himself to enter the palace. Honestly, he was decisive—a scholar, with a wife and children, passed the Licentiate exam, family not poor—and still had the heart to castrate himself to enter the palace. Don't you think that's inspiring?"

The crowd: …

Even Zhu Qizhen couldn't help glancing at her: "Inspiring?"

He frowned: "Miss Pan, even if you're mocking him, you don't have to use that word."

"No," Pan Yun said seriously. "I'm not mocking. I mean it sincerely."

"He entered the palace for his career, for his ambition. To go that far for his own goals—isn't that inspiring?"

The crowd fell silent. After a long pause, one man said: "He wasn't starving—castrating himself… it's a betrayal of his ancestors."

Pan Yun: "He already had children—what betrayal of ancestors? He betrayed his wife and children, yes. As for ancestors… well, his reputation is a bit tarnished. Fine, he did betray his ancestors a little."

Tian Daniu sighed, sat down on a large rock, and propped his cane with both hands: "Alright. Since the Young Daoist wants to hear it, I'll tell Wang Zhen's story again."

Anyway, he had said it more than once.

His gaze swept over the five people Pan Yun had brought, his eyes deep and unreadable—fortune or misfortune, it could not be avoided either way.

The people had already tracked them all the way here, and after being told so many times, skipping this once wouldn't let them dodge it either—so better to say it again, cleanly and without fuss.

(End of chapter)