The Emperor is Above

Chapter 57: Royal Family Children
Eight hundred years ago, the emperor divided the princes into five ranks: duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron.

The ruler of Xing was only a marquis, so he was also called Xing Hou. Wei was a big country in Central China south of the Yellow River, and its ruler was a duke, so he was called Wei Gong.

"Oh my God, no wonder you are called Gongsun Wu, it turns out you are a descendant of Duke Wei of Wei!" Da Niu couldn't help but widen his eyes and looked at Gongsun Wu with envy.

Young men like Xizi, Huaimu and Mengzi all looked admiring. As children of ordinary Chinese people for generations, they naturally admired the nobles.

Qing Yi certainly wouldn't have such a mentality, but he was more curious about how a descendant of the Wei royal family could come to Xing State and appear so destitute.

"Ugh--"

Gongsun Wu's handsome face was full of bitterness, and he sighed and said, "My family is indeed not from Xing State, but from the royal family of Wei State, but I would rather not have such an identity.

Fifteen years ago, my grandfather Duke Wei died suddenly without leaving any will. The five legitimate sons fought for the throne, and the country was in constant war.

At the beginning they were still cautious and only fought for cities across the country. My father, as a son born out of wedlock, was relatively safe in the capital.

However, as the war became more and more intense, the five princes broke up completely and fought for the capital with all their might. Not only did the people in the capital suffer heavy casualties, but even the children of the royal family also suffered tragic deaths. "

Qing Yi couldn't help but ask, "When a prince dies and doesn't designate a successor, it's said that the emperor can decide on the candidate. Why is it that the five legitimate princes are fighting for the throne, but the emperor doesn't care?"

"Son of Heaven?" Gongsun Wu's expression was a mixture of disdain and a wry smile.
"The emperor of the Great Shen Dynasty did not come to the throne legitimately; it was his grandfather who stole the throne from his nephew eighty years ago.

Although the emperor's authority had been declining over the past few hundred years, the local princes were still respectful. But ever since the coup d'état in Diqiu, the emperor's authority had really been humiliated.

Since that year, the princes in various places began to govern themselves, and Wei, as a major country in Central China, naturally ignored the emperor's decision.

My parents watched as their clansmen continued to be killed and injured in the capital of Wei State, and the five princes accused each other of being responsible. Eventually, they had no choice but to flee Wei State, and by chance, they came to Yanjin City in Xing State. "

"Yanjin City is not bad!" Even Huaimu couldn't help but say this time, "I heard from the old man that it is the most prosperous city in Xing State, and across the river is Guanzi State."

Guanzi State was only a small viscount state, but it was very rich because of its location near a big river, convenient transportation, abundant mineral and crystal resources, and exquisite craftsmanship. Therefore, Yanjin City, the southernmost city of Xing State, also became the richest city in Xing State.

Gongsun Wu fell into reminiscence: "When I first fled to Yanjin City, I was about three or four years old and just began to remember things. Unfortunately, my father died of illness within two years, and only my mother raised me alone.

At that time, my home was close to the market, and my mother could earn a lot of money by embroidering every day. One day, she found that my playmates and I were imitating merchants and even beggars in the market every day, so my mother decided to bring me to Xingtai City to learn and practice. "

Qing Yi immediately felt great respect for Gongsun Wu's mother. She moved to the capital for the sake of her child's study. She was clearly a great mother worthy of respect like Meng Mu's mother.

He praised: "After moving to the capital, Brother Gongsun, you were promoted to the eighth-grade warrior realm at the age of sixteen. It can be said that you did not let her hard work go to waste."

"So what if I'm at the eighth level of warrior realm? I can only be a security guard or a caravan guard. Even my mother is sick, but I have no money to treat her!" Gongsun Wu became even more depressed.

Qing Yi, however, could not understand this: "Brother Gongsun, without any help from your family, or the assistance of crystal stones or elixirs, you were able to advance to the eighth rank at the age of sixteen, which shows that you are extremely talented.

As long as you join any of the City Guards, the Palace Guards, or the Third Division, you will definitely achieve great success. You will have no problem becoming a lieutenant within ten years at least."

"It's not anyone else's fault. The State of Xing has nearly been destroyed twice in the past eight hundred years. Since two hundred years ago, the requirements for the soldiers of the capital's guards, city guards, and the left, center, and right divisions have been very strict.

The imperial guards were only recruited from the descendants of the royal family and the children of the close confidants of the Marquis of Xing, and the soldiers of the third division had to be very reliable sons of the nobility.

Even for the lowest requirements of the city guards, all soldiers must be from good families in the capital and have been citizens of Xing for generations. People like me who are exiled from another country have no chance to join. " "It's so strict?" Qing Yi finally understood why Gongsun Wu, who was so skilled, could only serve as a guard for the Chunyu family's caravan.

"In fact, with my skills, there are two options for me to choose from!" Gongsun Wu said expressionlessly, "The first is to become a retainer of a nobleman; the second is to go to the northern border town and serve as a frontier soldier.

But my mother didn't want me to be a servant of a nobleman, and wanted me to go to the northern border to join the army, but I was worried about my mother's poor health and didn't want to leave her. "

Qing Yi suddenly realized that Gongsun Wu had seen through his intention to recruit him, and was using these words to tactfully reject the possible recruitment.

The silly boy Daniu didn't hear it, he scratched his ear and suggested: "How about letting my master hire you as a teacher in Huaiqiuli.

This way, I don’t have to be a retainer of a nobleman’s house, nor do I have to travel thousands of miles to the northern border town. It’s only 180 miles away from the capital, so I can go home to visit my mother at any time.”

"You fool!" Qing Yi slapped Da Niu on the head in anger and scolded, "Brother Gongsun's mother didn't even want him to be a retainer of the minister, so how could she condescend to come to our Huaiqiuli?"

After that, he apologized to Gongsun Wu, "Brother Gongsun, don't mind it. This guy Daniu is just a bunch of idiots. He doesn't even use his brain when he goes out."

Gongsun Wu looked at the aggrieved Daniu and couldn't help but smile: "Shang Shuyi, there is no need to be like this. You and I have gotten along well along the way.

If it weren't for my mother's illness and needing to take medicine for a long time in the capital, I would really like to go to your place to be a teacher."

As they chatted, they unknowingly turned a corner. Gongsun Wu pointed to a ten-foot-wide alley and smiled in anticipation of going home: "The small courtyard at the end of this alley is my home."

Just as I reached the entrance of the alley, I heard the sound of a shrew cursing in the street. It seemed that someone was trying to persuade someone but was cursed back by the shrew.

"You slutty little bitch, you seduce my husband all day long, aren't you just dreaming of marrying into my family? I'm giving you face today, but you're still pretending to be serious..."

Gongsun Wu's face suddenly changed and he hurried into the alley. Qing Yi also guessed something in his mind and followed closely behind him.

At the gate of the small courtyard at the end of the alley, a fat woman in gorgeous clothes and with ornaments all over her head was pointing at Gongsun Wu's courtyard and cursing loudly.

Several neighbors who wanted to dissuade her were scolded back by the woman. When they saw Gongsun Wu, they immediately ran over and said, "Xiao Wu, this bitch has been insulting your mother every day recently. Jiang Ji was so angry that she fell ill yesterday."

"Is mother sick from anger?" Gongsun Wu stared at the fat woman with anger in his eyes, but he was hesitant and ran to his own yard, suppressing his anger.

The shrew also saw Gongsun Wu coming back, but she blocked his way with an arrogant look, cursing unscrupulously:
"I am not afraid of you coming back, little bastard. If you don't marry your mother to my husband as a concubine, you can forget about staying in the capital."

Qing Yi had just been very respectful to Gongsun Wu's mother, but upon hearing these words, he immediately became furious: "What a shameless bitch! I've never heard of anyone forcibly marrying someone else's mother as a concubine."

Since Gongsun Wu had concerns in his heart, he simply kicked the shrew without hesitation, kicking her two feet away, and her slamming heavily against the gate of Gongsun Wu's house.

"puff--"

The shrew spat out a mouthful of blood and managed to get up with the help of her fat body, but the gate could not withstand the huge impact.

"Bang--" The thick courtyard gate made of old wood fell heavily into the yard.

(End of this chapter)