After hearing the system's revelation, Yanshu chuckled and quietly began searching among the guests.
She remembered that this Old Master Zhuang had come with his family. Could it be that concubine pretending to be the legitimate wife?
Before long, she spotted that woman not far from the Empress Dowager.
The woman appeared to be in her forties, with exquisite makeup and attire. It was clear she knew how to dress well, and traces of her former beauty could still be seen in her features. Most importantly, she carried herself with quite a good bearing. If not told otherwise, no one would have guessed she was a concubine.
Thinking back to the audience earlier, the Empress Dowager had even asked her about her children, showing they were quite familiar.
It seems this concubine had already attended many imperial banquets over the years.
It's worth noting that according to the dynasty's etiquette, a minister's concubine had no right to attend such events at all.
So this Old Master Zhuang had truly deceived everyone by passing off his concubine as his wife.
Tsk, on a small scale this showed poor character, but on a larger scale it could even be considered the crime of deceiving the emperor.
After figuring this out, Yanshu asked the system, "What about his real wife? Doesn't she get angry being treated like this?"
The system sighed, "What good would anger do? This old man finds his real wife embarrassing and never allows her by his side. Though she's cried, hated, and resented it, what can a farm woman do to resist? In the end she can only stay home with the children and continue farming to get by."
Yanshu was stunned, "This old man even abandons his children at home?"
The system replied, "That's right. His eldest son stays home farming with the real wife. The concubine bore two sons and a daughter, who he's kept by his side all along. They take exams and become officials, enjoying the same treatment as legitimate children."
My goodness...
Yanshu was at a loss for words.
Indeed, the more one claims to have something, the more they lack it. This old man had not an ounce of conscience or morality. He abandoned the wife who supported him, and even disregarded his own legitimate son, only embracing his beautiful concubine to enjoy a privileged life in the city. Yet he still had the nerve to find brothels disgusting?
Tsk, what kind of person did the late emperor choose as an imperial tutor?
Hearing this, Yuwen Lan secretly raised an eyebrow.
He had actually long noticed that this Old Master Zhuang's character was not very good, so after ascending the throne, he had removed him from office under the pretext of comforting him in his old age.
He didn't expect this person to have such a despicable matter.
However, it seemed that his sudden stand today to criticize the vulgarity of novels was certainly not just to show his face.
Thinking of this, he paid special attention to Old Master Zhuang's direction.
Sure enough, he heard him pondering internally, "The Minister of Revenue has already been replaced, but the position of Minister of Rites is still vacant. The court must not have found someone capable yet. Who else but me could handle this position? Speaking up more today will also remind the Empress Dowager and Emperor - who else but me for Minister of Rites?"
Yuwen Lan: "..."
Heh, so he had his eye on the Minister of Rites position?
Quite ambitious.
Just then, the Empress Dowager's voice flowed into his ears.
"This Old Master Zhuang, would it kill him to keep his mouth shut? What an annoying old thing. Next time we definitely can't have the Court of Imperial Sacrifices send him an invitation."
Yuwen Lan: "..."
It was rare to see the Empress Dowager dislike someone so much. Old Master Zhuang's wish was destined to fail.
Yet at this moment, he heard the man say to Lu Kaihe, the Minister of Works, "Of course His Majesty loves his people like his own children, but as you just said, the world divides people into several classes of scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants. These brothel people are precisely the lowest class. Why would this person specifically write stories about such people? Could it be that he mixes with these people all day long?"
When these words came out, many people at the banquet paused.
Tsk tsk tsk, this old man really dared to speak!
Hadn't he heard that this Carefree Young Master was very likely instructed by the Emperor to create public opinion for the court?
Did this old man think he had lived too long?
Yanshu also inwardly clicked her tongue. This old man first set up a set of twisted logic, then drew conclusions based on unfounded speculation. He was quite good at putting labels on people!
But it didn't matter, since the Emperor would cover for her, so she didn't need to worry.
Sure enough, Hanlin Academy Scholar Zou Mozhong spoke up, "Master Zhuang's words are indeed biased. You haven't seen it with your own eyes, how can you easily assert that the Carefree Young Master mingles with brothel people? If this gets out, he could probably sue you in court and win."
Following that, Minister of Works Lu Kaihe also said, "Which brothel woman willingly enters a brothel? Aren't they all sold by their families? There are even those sold by their own husbands. In my opinion, those who sell them to brothels for money are even more despicable."
At these words, the female guests at the banquet, including the Empress Dowager, Grand Princess, Ankang county lord and others, all looked at the Minister of Works with new eyes.
This Minister Lu seemed to have a clear mind!
Yanshu felt even more proud. See, her readers all had such upright views and open minds! Indeed, birds of a feather flock together.
However, hearing Lu Kaihe speak like this, Old Master Zhuang became even more energetic, saying, "If they were unwilling, they could completely resist with death! If they weren't willingly degrading themselves, how could they easily become men's playthings? Throughout history, there have been so many chaste women who remained faithful to their deceased husbands, and even those who were buried alive with their husbands. With so many excellent women not mentioned, the Minister insists on speaking for those brothel women. It's truly baffling!"
At these words, before Lu Kaihe could say anything, the female guests immediately became unhappy.
Ankang county lord couldn't help but snort, "This old gentleman really knows how to talk. Even ants try to stay alive, are women's lives so worthless? 'They could completely resist with death'? If death were so easy, there probably wouldn't be any men fleeing from battle or abandoning their country in this world!"
At these words, the male guests all paused. They wanted to refute but truly had nothing to say for the moment.
Because the county lord's words were correct. The mistake was this Old Master Zhuang deliberately provoking conflict!
Meanwhile, Yanshu secretly glanced at the Empress Dowager and Madam Mu.
Sure enough, she saw that both their expressions were not good.
After all, according to this old man's logic, not being buried alive with a deceased husband and not remaining a widow for a deceased husband had become sins.
Tsk tsk, luckily she had taken down the novel "Plum Blossoms Open Twice, Flowers at Their Peak" in time, otherwise who knows how this old man would have criticized it.
However, this old man had no self-awareness and continued to spout twisted logic, saying, "Since ancient times, women have depended on men. Yet this novel writer continuously portrays men as inferior beings in two stories. Could it be that he deliberately harbors resentment towards men to gain women's favor? I believe this person has ulterior motives."
What nonsense?
Deliberately resenting men???
Yanshu, who originally hadn't intended to get angry, couldn't help but frown, wishing someone would drive this old man out.
Of course, others couldn't stand these words either. Scholar Zou spoke up again, "Master Zhuang's words are a bit too extreme. There are men and women of poor character in this world. This person is just writing a very normal story, how can you misinterpret it in such a way?"
However, Old Master Zhuang continued, "Your Majesty, please see, this is the harm of these vulgar novels. I just mentioned one inappropriate point earlier, and two important court officials came to refute me, actually speaking for a mere novel writer. It's evident that this person's vulgar ideas have already penetrated the court. Your Majesty must suppress this!"
At these words, everyone was caught between laughter and tears.
Good grief, it's just a novel, yet it's already threatening the country?
Seeing this situation, Yuwen Lan finally spoke, "Master Zhuang's dedication to protecting the country is very touching to me, but these words are indeed worrying over nothing. I've listened to this story and haven't noticed anything improper. Let's have everyone finish listening to the story."
He gestured to the storyteller, "Continue."
The storyteller complied and dared to continue.
However, Old Master Zhuang paused, seeming to still have something to say.
But seeing the monarch focused on listening to the storyteller and no longer paying attention to him, he reluctantly shut his mouth and continued eating.
However, not long after, Yanshu suddenly stood up and said to the Empress Dowager, "This subject suddenly feels dizzy from looking at the water surface for too long. I'd like to rest for a while."
Motion sickness wasn't uncommon, so the Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Then go rest in the back hall for a while."
Yanshu agreed and instructed her mother, Ms. Zhu, "Mother, don't worry. I'll go rest for a bit and then return."
With that, she left her seat and walked towards the rear hall.
Yuwen Lan glimpsed this scene and felt somewhat concerned, wondering if she had been upset by that old man Zhuang.
Little did he know, he heard her think to herself, [You old Zhuang codger, if I don't make you reveal your true form today, I'll change my surname!]
Yuwen Lan was bewildered. Make old Zhuang reveal his true form?
He paused, wondering if she was going to write a story on the spot.
As the storyteller finished the second tale, the lunch banquet was drawing to a close. Boats carrying musicians and dancers glided across the water's surface once more. Accompanied by the sounds of strings and woodwinds, the dancers moved gracefully, performing another beautiful water ballet.
When the dance ended, the puppet show boat sailed into view again. This time, the performance was "Golden Dragons Frolicking in Water."
Four lifelike golden wooden dragon puppets floated on the water's surface. Each dragon could spout different colored smoke from its mouth. Accompanied by intense drumming, the golden dragons tumbled and rolled among the waves, forming various patterns before diving underwater and resurfacing to spout water, much to everyone's amazement.
For a time, the audience was completely captivated by the spectacular display of the golden dragons playing in the water.
Only Lady Zhu, the Loyalty and Righteousness Marquise, was too preoccupied to enjoy the show. She kept worrying about her daughter Yanshu, frequently glancing towards the rear hall.
Yuwen Lan noticed this and whispered an instruction to Fu Hai beside him.
Fu Hai hurried to the rear hall to check.
He soon returned and told Ms. Zhu, "Madam, please don't worry. The Imperial Consort is fine, just resting inside. She should be out shortly."
Ms. Zhu thanked him profusely, finally feeling relieved enough to watch the puppet show on the water.
After what seemed like ages, with five or six puppet shows having finished, Yanshu finally emerged from the inner hall.
She paid her respects to the Empress Dowager before returning to her seat.
Ms. Zhu immediately looked at her daughter and, seeing her rosy complexion which didn't appear sickly at all, finally relaxed and asked, "What was troubling you earlier, my dear?"
Yanshu smiled and said, "I just felt a bit seasick. A short nap fixed it, don't worry."
As she spoke, she began eating some pastries, quickly consuming two chestnut cakes and three lotus seed buns.
Tsk, that old codger had caused her to miss finishing her lunch earlier!
What a waste.
Come to think of it, she had never rushed to finish a manuscript so quickly before.
Given the time constraints, she could only focus on the main plot, simplifying the story and omitting many embellishments. Now it was up to the storyteller - hopefully he could bring it to life with a captivating performance.
As she pondered this, the puppet show boat finished its performance.
With a new drumroll, two large painted boats sailed into view, each with an enormous swing set erected on its bow.
Oh, the water swing performance was about to begin!
Yanshu immediately turned her attention to the water.
This was today's main event, and she was glad she hadn't missed it.
Those two painted boats were truly massive. Besides the swing sets on the bow, there were even acrobats performing at the stern, juggling balls, spinning plates, balancing bowls and more, all to the rhythm of drums and gongs.
After the acrobatic show concluded, a soldier climbed onto one of the swing sets and began to swing.
At first, the arc was modest, but gradually it grew higher and higher.
When he reached the highest point, he suddenly released the ropes, performed several somersaults in mid-air, and then plunged into the water.
The audience watched with bated breath before bursting into applause.
Next, other soldiers took turns performing. Like the first one, they swung high before leaping into the water, each with different moves, all spectacular.
Soon, not just the audience in the hall but all the spectators along the Golden Bright Lake shore were cheering enthusiastically, creating an electric atmosphere.
Yanshu was mesmerized.
At first, she thought this would be like the modern-day fancy diving, but this was far more impressive!
She couldn't take her eyes off the performance, even forgetting to eat her snacks.
Over the course of nearly half an hour, close to two hundred soldiers performed on the water swings. Not a single one made a mistake; each performance was breathtaking, showcasing the exceptional skills of the dynasty's naval forces.
After the water swing show, the finals of the morning's boat racing and golden vase capturing competitions took place.
Being the finals, these matches featured the cream of the crop, making them even more thrilling than the morning events, setting the audience's blood pumping.
Once these two competitions concluded, it was time for the day's grand finale - the dragon boat race.
More than twenty dragon boats gathered on the lake. At the starting signal, they shot forward like arrows released from bows.
Spectators on the shore cheered for their favorites, their shouts mixing with the drumbeats from the boats to create a truly festive atmosphere.
By the time the dragon boat race finished, the setting sun was casting its rays across the water.
After the award ceremony, night had fallen.
As lanterns lit up in homes and shops around the lake, complementing the capital's vibrant nightlife, the evening banquet in the hall began.
Compared to the lunch banquet, the evening feast was even more sumptuous.
However, what captivated the audience most was the return of the storyteller.
This time, he wasn't on a boat but entered the hall directly.
After paying his respects to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, he addressed the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, you are truly fortunate today. To honor Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and Imperial Consort Yanshu, the Carefree Young Master has specially written a new story. It was just delivered to me, and today will be its premiere. You will be the first people in the world to hear this tale."
A new story by the Carefree Young Master?
Upon hearing this, the audience's eyes lit up with excitement, and they all pricked up their ears.
The Minister of Works, Lord Lu, was particularly thrilled! He even set down his chopsticks, fixing his gaze on the storyteller.
Amid the anticipation, the storyteller clapped his wooden clappers and began his tale.
"Today's story is called 'The Faithless Man Eventually Faces Heaven's Wrath.' It tells of a poor scholar who owned only a few acres of barren land..."
Hearing this, the audience couldn't help but glance at Old Master Zhuang.
Hadn't he just complained that all the stories were about brothels? Well, this certainly wasn't about a brothel...
They wondered if he would find something to criticize this time.
Of course, it wasn't that Old Master Zhuang didn't want to nitpick; he just hadn't found any faults with the story yet.
The storyteller continued:
"Seeing their parents aging, and knowing the scholar had no practical skills and had never worked in the fields, his parents worried: if they died, wouldn't their son starve to death too? So before they passed away, they arranged a marriage for the scholar to a strong, capable woman."
"Now, this new bride was truly industrious. Every day, she took care of her in-laws, attended to her husband, cooked, cleaned, wove cloth, and sewed clothes - she could do it all. After a few years of marriage, once her elderly in-laws had passed away, she even worked in the fields like a man, undeterred by wind or sun. She also raised chickens and pigs, tirelessly managing everything inside and outside the home. Even after having a child, she continued to do all these tasks while caring for the baby, never letting her husband lift a finger."
At this point, the Grand Princess couldn't help but remark to the Empress Dowager, "This scholar really married a good wife. Without her, wouldn't he have starved to death?"
The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement.
Yuwen Lan secretly glanced at Old Master Zhuang.
He saw that the old man's eyes were flickering, already showing signs of suspicion.
The storyteller turned to the Grand Princess and smiled, "Just as Your Highness said, thanks to his capable wife's management, the scholar lived comfortably without worrying about food or clothing. This allowed him to focus entirely on his studies and exams. Perhaps it was heaven's mercy, but the scholar passed the imperial examination in one attempt and was awarded an official position."
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Well, his wife's hardships have finally paid off."
Everyone nodded in agreement, sharing the same thought.
However, the storyteller then said, "But the first thing this man did after passing the exam was to take a beautiful concubine in the capital."
What?
Everyone was stunned.
The female guests, in particular, widened their eyes in disbelief.
The first thing this man did after achieving success was to take a concubine?
He truly was no good!
However, such men were not uncommon in the world, so while the women felt indignant, no one spoke up.
The storyteller continued, "Afterwards, the scholar took his beautiful concubine to his new post, leaving his hardworking wife behind in their hometown to continue raising their child and managing the household and fields. He did, however, send some silver each month for the mother and child's living expenses."
Upon hearing this, the Grand Princess couldn't help but exclaim, "How could this man be so heartless? His wife had toiled for so long, and just when things were looking up, he refused to take her along to enjoy the fruits of their labor? After marrying a concubine, shouldn't he still attend to his principal wife?"
The storyteller shook his head and said, "The scholar had always despised his wife's rough appearance, feeling she would embarrass him in public. Moreover, now that he had become an official, he felt his illiterate wife was inferior to his beautiful concubine, who was not only attractive but also well-versed in poetry and literature, able to accompany him in romantic pursuits. So he had no intention of living with his first wife in the future or letting her appear in public as his official spouse."
This statement truly infuriated the Grand Princess, who snorted, "What a heartless scholar! Even if his wife's looks were rough, wasn't it because she had been worn down by toiling in the fields for him? Otherwise, what woman would willingly endure wind and sun instead of enjoying comfort at home? Besides, given his initial circumstances, how could that beautiful concubine have married him?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The Empress Dowager then asked, "Did others know that this man brought his concubine instead of his wife to his new post?"
The storyteller replied, "Others actually didn't know. This was because the man never mentioned his lawful wife to outsiders, and he doted on his concubine so much that people assumed she was his wife. At first, such misunderstandings occurred occasionally, but the man never clarified. As time went on, he directly claimed to others that the concubine was his wife."
"The beautiful concubine brazenly enjoyed delicacies and fine clothes, while the principal wife continued tending the fields back in their hometown. The man even disliked his own legitimate son, leaving him behind with his mother, not bothering to visit for years. You can imagine, with the illiterate principal wife and the young master lacking a father's guidance, the boy grew up to be good for nothing, only able to farm with his mother. Meanwhile, the concubine's children received all of the man's attention. He even sent them to study and take imperial exams under the identity of his legitimate sons. Some even became officials, and for decades, no one discovered the truth."
Upon hearing this, everyone frowned and exclaimed:
"Isn't this tantamount to deceiving the emperor?"
"Indeed! This man's audacity is truly astounding!"
Amidst the chorus of discussions, only Yanshu remained calm, eating her meal while occasionally glancing at the two parties involved in the hall.
She saw Old Master Zhuang's face alternating between pale and flushed, his eyes shifting uneasily, looking extremely panicked.
And the concubine who bore the title of Madam Zhuang was also glancing around nervously.
Hmph, it's rare to see people who've been up to no good for so many years boldly asking for trouble.
Yanshu contentedly picked up a piece of crispy roast pork, dipped it in some plum sauce, and popped it into her mouth. Simply delicious.
The hall, however, was filled with indignation. Everyone eagerly asked the storyteller, "What happened next?"
"Did this man face any retribution for his unconscionable behavior?"
The storyteller calmly replied, "There was retribution, of course. Otherwise, how could this story be called 'The Heartless Man Finally Faces Heaven's Wrath'? Please be patient, and allow me to continue."
"This man thought he had fooled everyone, and after decades, he almost believed it himself. However, Heaven has eyes, and one day, as he was descending the stairs, he suddenly slipped and tumbled down, breaking both his arms and legs, leaving him bedridden."
"To make matters worse, he encountered an incompetent doctor who accidentally added an extra potent ingredient to his medicine. After drinking it, the man's condition worsened rapidly, and he suffered a stroke, leaving him permanently bedridden."
"As the saying goes, 'There are no filial children by the bedside of a long-term patient.' The man had fallen ill in his city home, so naturally, his concubine and illegitimate children cared for him at first. However, as time passed, they all grew weary. It was then that they remembered he still had a legal wife and legitimate son in his hometown. After some discussion, they decided to send him back to his hometown for his wife and son to care for him."
At this point, the people in the hall were furious.
The Grand Princess and other ladies couldn't help but spit out, "These concubines and illegitimate children sure know how to calculate! They keep the good times for themselves and toss him back to his original wife and son when he's incapacitated?"
"Exactly! In the end, it's all the old man's fault! Look at how he favored his concubine and neglected his wife, and see what kind of people he ended up raising!"
Some male guests shook their heads and sighed, "As the saying goes, 'Like father, like son.' With a father who has lost his conscience, it's no wonder the children he raised turned out this way."
The storyteller nodded repeatedly in agreement, "Indeed, it's all this man's own doing. After his family in the city made their decision, they sent servants to transport him back to his hometown. However, because he hadn't returned for many years, and his wife and son had renovated their house, the servants couldn't find their home."
"The weather was scorching hot, and the countryside was an endless expanse of mountains. The servants, carrying the old man, searched for a long time without finding the place. Frustrated, they eventually abandoned him by the roadside and returned home."
"After all, the man's wife, concubine, and children didn't interact with each other, so they could easily lie and say they had delivered him, and no one would investigate."
"However, how could this seriously ill old man endure such hardship? He was already on the brink of death after the journey, and left in the wilderness without care, exposed to the elements, he breathed his last within half a day."
"But this was in the wild mountains, teeming with wild animals. When people discovered his body two days later, wolves had already devoured most of it."
At this point, Yuwen Lan quickly glanced in Old Master Zhuang's direction.
He saw that the old man's face had turned ashen, inwardly roaring, "How dare they! How dare this storyteller curse me like this! I'll find him and tear him to pieces!"
However, the others were all applauding, exclaiming, "He got what he deserved! Despising his lawful wife, turning things upside down, and in the end being eaten by wolves – truly Heaven's retribution!"
"Exactly! Evil people deserve such a fate. Being eaten by these wild beasts – I wonder if even the beasts found him too foul to stomach!"
Minister Lu was so excited that he stood up, saying, "How satisfying! Truly satisfying! The Carefree Young Master's stories indeed clearly distinguish between good and evil, making for a thrilling listen!"
Seeing this reaction, Old Master Zhuang could only swallow his anger.
In his fury, he grabbed the wine jug on the table and began gulping it down.
However, the others were still interested in the aftermath and asked, "What about the man's concubine and illegitimate children? Were they allowed to continue enjoying what rightfully belonged to others?"
The storyteller continued, "Of course not. Although the man's body was badly mutilated, some identifying items remained. Those who discovered him were shocked and immediately reported to the local authorities."
"After some investigation by the officials, they found his legitimate son and legal wife. Being family, how could the son and wife accept such a fate for the head of their household? They sued the illegitimate children and concubine in the city. After further investigation by the authorities, the truth finally came to light."
"The magistrate was furious and immediately arrested the illegitimate children and concubine, sentencing them to punishment. As for the man's estate, it was naturally all given to his legal wife and legitimate son, somewhat restoring justice to them."
Hearing this, the crowd in the hall nodded in approval. "That's more like it."
"This shows that one should never covet what doesn't belong to them. Heaven is always watching!"
The Empress Dowager sighed, "This man wasted half of his legal wife's life, making her suffer for him for so many years. In the end, he only left her some property. Come to think of it, given this wife's character, if she had married someone else, her life might have been even better than it is now."
"Your Majesty speaks wisely!"
"Indeed, hardworking and virtuous people can find good lives anywhere!"
Although the story had ended, the crowd was still engrossed in discussion.
Yanshu kept a low profile, leisurely enjoying the delicious food while watching the involved parties squirm uncomfortably in their seats.
The Zhuang family concubine, unable to bear such shame, couldn't help but secretly glance across at Old Master Zhuang.
She wanted to express her grievances, but to her surprise, she saw Old Master Zhuang trembling all over, his face flushed red. Before long, he suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Everyone was startled. The concubine let out a sharp cry and hurriedly reported, "Your Majesty, please save my husband!"
Yuwen Lan pointed to the imperial physician who had accompanied them on the boat and said, "Go and check on Master Zhuang. Could it be that he's had too much to drink?"
Everyone thought the same, assuming the old man was just drunk.
However, upon closer inspection, they noticed his crooked mouth and eyes, which didn't look like the symptoms of intoxication.
When the imperial physician examined him, he frowned and said, "His blood and qi are in chaos, and his cerebral vessels are blocked, causing blood to overflow in the brain... This is not good, Master Zhuang has suffered a stroke!"
Hearing this, the crowd was shocked and exclaimed, "Master Zhuang is a man of high moral character. He must have been angered by the story of that unfaithful man!"
"That's right, that's right. He must have been too deeply immersed in the story and became upset."
The concubine was at a loss for words and could only lie on the old man's body, weeping bitterly.
Yanshu secretly clicked her tongue.
— This was the first time in history that someone had so perfectly matched the ending of a story.
It was truly moving.
However, this was due to his own guilty conscience; it wasn't the Carefree Young Master's fault.
Yuwen Lan silently nodded.
Indeed, this is what happens when one brings calamity upon oneself.
It absolutely wasn't his beloved consort's fault.
