History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 105 Paving the Way for Fame

Hu Wuwu protested, feeling wronged: "It's my fault. I didn't think that much about it."

Her feigned grievance was fake; her flushed face was from anger. What did Wei Yao, this lowly commoner, think she was! Relying on her status as a formal disciple and the backing of her fellow disciples from the Cui clan, she dared to belittle a daughter of a noble family!

Wei Yao didn't respond to Miss Hu's words. Given her humble origins, the best way to embarrass her was to remain silent; continuing to criticize or lecture would be seen as abusing her power.

That's when good friends step in.

Guo Yun: "That day when you had Guan Nu bring over grasshoppers to sow discord among us fellow disciples, you were thinking quite a lot."

Hu Wuwu's body stiffened instantly. He wiped away his tears while frantically trying to think of a solution.

Liu Zhenzhu, with her fiery temper, didn't give Hu Wuwu time to think. She jumped off the oxcart, nearly falling over. "What? It was you that day! I even invited you to ride with me, really..."

"Waaah—you're bullying me!" Hu Wuwu, having found a pretext, jumped off the cart and cried out in a low voice, "I only rode in the oxcart for a while! You're making it sound like I got the cart dirty. I'm not riding anymore, okay!"

She turned and ran away.

Liu Zhenzhu pointed at the other person's back, her face full of disbelief: "Am I blaming her for taking the car? How can there be such a unreasonable person?"

Guo Yun used Wei Yao's words to advise Liu Tongmen: "Don't get angry with this kind of person. It's not worth it. It makes us seem aggressive. Don't worry, with her personality, she's definitely disliked by everyone in the poetry club."

On the other side, Wei Yao once again thanked Yuan Jingrong for standing up for her. Yuan Jingrong's every smile and frown exuded aristocratic arrogance: "It's nothing. I didn't help you on purpose, I just hate those who pretend to be ignorant when they know the truth, especially those who always pick on the weak!"

The "soft persimmon" pouted, which Cui Wanwan saw and burst out laughing.

Hu Wuwu suspected that Xing Hang had betrayed her, but at this time she couldn't openly turn against Xing Hang, who was also a servant, and needed new companions on her travels. Unfortunately, it was only the second day of her journey, and she had no choice but to run to Feng Xing, a young man from Luoyang, and pretend to bump into him.

"Young lady, what's wrong? Tell me who bullied you."

"Heh, what a fool." Hu Wuwu raised his tearful eyes.

As evening fell, the high temperatures finally eased slightly, and the unshaded fields displayed their vast grandeur in the sunset, like the palm of a giant holding up the last rays of the day.

Confucius called for the troops to halt, and they set up tents to rest there for the night.

Yuan Fan looked into the distance and pointed to the area with many earthen houses, saying, "There must be quite a few farmers living there."

Confucius readily agreed, explaining that education meant spreading culture such as rites, poetry, and music among the people, so that even those in remote areas could receive education and have their customs corrected.

The servants dug the stove and filled it with firewood; when the smoke rose, villagers would come.

"To my fellow disciples," Guo Yun said, approaching Cui Zhi. "It just so happens that Shang is also here. I have something to tell you all..."

Later, Cui Shang went to find Xi Jiao: "Fellow disciple Xi, there's something I need to discuss..."

Cui Zhi approached Kong Mi and Cui Yuan: "There's something I need to do... Yes, let's go now."

Yuan Fan looked at the group of teenagers rushing over and said with a smile, "They must have something important to discuss with you."

Cui Zhi and Kong Mi led the way, and all twenty-one disciples of Xunyi Academy bowed to their teacher and Yuan Fan.

Cui Zhi expressed his purpose: "Master, we have a request." Kong Wenzhong replied: "Speak."

“We want to compile the notes on the ‘Zheng Feng’ chapter written by the Master, as well as the content of our lectures on poetry to the villagers, and hand them all over to Yuan Guanzhang to take to Luoyang. Then Yuan Guanzhang will entrust them to different Confucian scholars to spread them widely in the countryside of Luoyang.”

Yuan Fan exclaimed, "Brilliant! This is a good thing!"

Kong Wenzhong's notes were already in vernacular Chinese, but they were still not as good as when his disciples explained poetry to the villagers, using more everyday language and local dialects so that the people could understand.

Therefore, Cui Zhicai said that he would compile the Master's notes and the content of his disciples' lectures on poetry.

Kong Wenzhong encouraged them, saying, "Since you have this idea, then do it well."

This idea was the important matter that Wei Yao mentioned to Guo Yun when she was picking wildflowers.

As a reborn person, Wei Yao knew that Luoyang was in dire need of schools and Confucian teachers, and this situation would continue for several years. However, the prominent families of various prefectures would soon seize the opportunity to tutor the brightest among their descendants in the classics. As long as they mastered one classic, they would quickly rise to fame in Luoyang and even enter the palace to teach.

Yuan Guanchang came from Luoyang to Pingcheng to commend the teachings on etiquette and morality, and even traveled with Cui Xueguan. This shows that he greatly revered his teacher in the transmission of the Book of Poetry. Therefore, Wei Yao must seize this opportunity. As long as Xunyi Academy gradually gains fame in Luoyang, she, as one of the twenty-one disciples and one of her teacher's direct disciples, will naturally attract attention.

Hu Wuwu, who was obsessed with stealing the notes, was still racking his brains, completely unaware that his carefully devised scheme to build his reputation had been presented to the forces of the Prince of Rencheng by Wei Yao in a perfectly legitimate manner.

Three villagers came over to inquire and learned that the teacher was leading his students on a tour to give lectures. They were also teachers and students from the prestigious Cui family academy in Qinghe. The three villagers were so excited that they trembled and immediately ran to report to their respective neighborhood leaders.

As darkness fell, people could be seen in the distance, young and old, pulling carts and pushing goods, herding chickens, ducks and geese, and rushing towards the school's procession.

No wonder the earthen houses are so densely packed; there are actually 125 families living here. According to the "three-chief system," there is a neighborhood chief for every five families, a village chief for every 25 families, and a party chief for every 125 families.

The party chief and the village head all arrived. They were all elderly men. After learning which one was the Master and which one was the official from Luoyang, they immediately bowed deeply to Kong and Yuan.

"No, you mustn't!" Kong Wenzhong and Yuan Fan quickly told Cui Zhi and the others to help the old man up.

With tears in his eyes, the Party Chief asked the villagers to bring out all the gifts, and then pushed the children of each family to the front. He asked cautiously and expectantly, "Could you stay with us for a couple more days? We don't need much, just two days. We can teach the children some knowledge, let them touch paper and pen, and teach them how to write their own names."

With a hoarse, nasal voice, Kong Wenzhong promised, "We'll stay here for three days. Don't worry, Party Leader, we'll definitely teach the children with our hearts!"

Hu Wuwu sidled up behind the disciples of the Instruction Ceremony. In a daze, she felt that she was also one of the formal disciples. She responded with them, "Master, rest assured, your disciple will definitely do her best."

Pingcheng.

As Wei Yin approached Chi Yang Lane, the young man walking ahead suddenly leaned against the street wall, then collapsed to the ground, panting heavily and looking extremely weak.

Wei Yin hurried over and saw that the other man's lips were dry and his eyes were bluish. He immediately asked, "Young master, are you going to the pharmacy?"

This man was none other than Niulangjun. His bluish eyes and dry lips were deliberate. "I live outside the city and caught a cold. I've already bought medicine, but I'm suddenly very thirsty. I'll sit here and rest for a bit." He lifted the cloth covering his basket, revealing several packets of herbs inside.

"My house is just in the alley ahead. Come with me for a drink of water."

"Then thank you very much, sir."

(End of this chapter)