Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 191 You brat, do you intend to make enemies of our families?
"So young, yet with such bearing, he must be that young man from Wen County."

The men in purple robes looked Wen He up and down and nodded repeatedly.

At this moment, Lu Chengqing, who was standing next to Wen He, stepped forward first and bowed to the elders in turn: "Greetings, Grandfather, Lord Cui, Lord Li, Lord Wang, Lord Zheng..."

Hearing Lu Chengqing call out "gong" in a series of words, Wen He was a little confused.

He didn't know who was who; the only thing he knew was that these people were either from Guanzhong or from the Five Clans and Seven Families.

Seeing their kind and benevolent gazes upon her, Wen He couldn't help but shiver.

'Li Er called me here to deal with these people, is that it?'

Wen He shook her head and immediately put the idea out of her mind.

He felt the possibility was slim.

Even if he had that confidence, Li Shimin wouldn't have done it.

Sending someone with such small arms and legs to deal with these people is like sending him to snatch teeth from a tiger's mouth.

The old men nodded to Lu Chengqing, then all turned their gazes toward him, their expressions meaningful.

Wen He suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, and could only force a dry laugh and imitate Lu Chengqing's manner as she greeted everyone.

"He is a young talent."

The old man surnamed Lu nodded.

The elderly man surnamed Cui standing next to him smiled and asked, "Do you have a teacher? Have you read any classics?"

"Yes, I have studied it. I have touched on the Book of Documents, the Book of Poetry, the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects, Mencius, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, the Spring and Autumn Annals, and music."

Wen He had never read them. He could recite the Analects, but he only knew the titles of the other books.

But as soon as he finished speaking, the old men looked as if they had swallowed flies.

Ordinary people would find it difficult to even know about these books, but Wen He could recite them all in one breath.

Wen He smiled and looked at them.

If you're so capable, then test me.

They weren't afraid that Wen He was lying; they were afraid that what the boy was saying was true.

"Hehe, you are indeed very knowledgeable." The old man surnamed Lu chuckled dryly twice and continued to ask.

"I've heard that you come from a farming family?"

"Exactly."

There was nothing for Wen He to hide about this.

As for his identity, everyone present knew it perfectly well, so they didn't react in any other way.

"Is there a marriage?"

The elderly man surnamed Lu continued to ask.

"Grandfather?" Lu Chengqing looked at the old man surnamed Lu in surprise.

The old man shook his head at him and continued looking at Wen He.

"There is."

Wen He smiled calmly.

However, he was greatly surprised.

This Ms. Lu wants me to be her son-in-law?
Although Wen He was not surprised, these aristocratic families and Guanzhong used their own women to win people over.

But I never expected them to take the initiative to recruit me.

It seems that yesterday's incident made them realize Li Shimin's bottom line.

Since we cannot force them, we should try to appease them.

It's just a pity they were too late.

However, even if Li Shimin had not said in advance that Li Lizhi would marry Wen He, he would not have been able to join the aristocratic clan.

Do you really think being the son-in-law of these people is a good thing?

When you're useful, they'll treat you like an honored guest; when you're useless, you're not even as good as one of their dogs.

The aristocratic families never cared about family ties; they cared about interests.

As long as it brings prosperity to the family, there is nothing that cannot be sacrificed except oneself.

Such perverse ideas have become deeply ingrained in their minds.

"Hmm, it's alright," the old man surnamed Lu said dismissively.

In his view, Wen He's so-called betrothed was nothing more than that peasant girl. How could such a woman compare to the five noble families and seven prominent clans of them?

Just as he was about to speak, the elderly man surnamed Cui beside him spoke first.

“My illegitimate son has an illegitimate daughter who is exactly nine years old this year. She is pretty and lovely. If you are interested, young man, you can come to my Cui family in the future.”

This is a relational theory.

The illegitimate daughter of a son born out of wedlock.

Well, he can't even become the legitimate daughter of a concubine's son.

It's still unknown whether this illegitimate daughter was born to a concubine or a maid.

"Ahem, Brother Cui, Young Master Wen has a past with Cheng'an, and is my junior. There's no need for you to worry about this, Brother Cui."

The old man surnamed Lu snorted in dissatisfaction, and then spoke to Wen He.

“I have a granddaughter who is also born out of wedlock, but she was raised by her stepmother from a young age. She is gentle and refined. Moreover, I hereby grant you permission to take a concubine.”

Oh my god.

Wen He didn't know how they could say such humiliating things, as if it were a gift.

He knew that the gentry were arrogant, but he never expected them to be so proud.
What about so-called self-cultivation?
What about so-called self-cultivation?
That's it?

Are you guys out of your minds?

Wen He's sudden remark stunned everyone present.

The two elders, surnamed Cui and Lu, could hardly believe it, thinking they had misheard.

"presumptuous!"

Someone, whose name was unknown, shouted at Wen He.

An old man standing nearby burst into laughter: "You two old fogies, do you think this young Wen is one of those poor, down-on-his-luck scholars?"

He snorted disdainfully at the two old men, then turned to Wen He and said kindly, "Young man, don't pay attention to these aristocratic people. You are from Chang'an, and you belong to our Guanzhong lineage."

Wen He remembered that the old man was from the Dugu family.

"You had a conflict with Mou'er before, but that's nothing. The Yin family's affair was their own fault. However, I like your personality. I happen to have a good-for-nothing son who has a daughter. I'm willing to marry her to you as a concubine. What do you say?" The Mou'er he mentioned should be Dugu Chen. Wen He remembered that his courtesy name was Mou.

"what?"

Everyone looked at the old man from the Dugu clan in disbelief.

"Old Dugu, have you gone mad? You're actually willing to let your granddaughter become a concubine with a peasant girl?" The gentry couldn't understand it.

The old man from the Dugu clan, however, seemed unmoved, as if he hadn't heard their questions, and his gaze remained fixed intently on Wen He.

"It seems you know who I'm going to marry, but it seems the laws of the Tang Dynasty don't allow for secondary wives; it seems there are only wives and concubines."

Wen He politely declined.

But the old man from the Dugu clan laughed loudly: "The law was not made for people like us. If you are willing, I will personally ask His Majesty for an imperial decree on this matter."

"No need, I will only marry one wife."

Wen He looked up at him intently.

If you're so capable, then make your granddaughter my concubine!
The old man's smile vanished instantly, replaced by anger.

Do you know who my Dugu clan has produced?

"I know, but that's all in the past. Now the world belongs to the Li family, and the current empress is surnamed Changsun!"

After saying the last sentence, Wen He spoke slowly and deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the group of "old men".

"Whether you are from the aristocratic families or the Guanzhong region, I don't need to explain why you've come here today; you all know why."

"Give me back the illegitimate son's daughter, and you can use her to recruit those fools."

"The world today is neither the Northern Zhou nor the former Sui. There are no Eight Pillars of State, nor a world ruled by the Wang and Ma families. There is only one person who can recruit me, Wen He, and that is His Majesty the present!"

Wen He's voice was particularly loud.

He knew that Li Shimin must be standing somewhere watching.

It would be a real shame not to put on a show now.

The expressions of both the aristocratic families and the Guanzhong region present were not very pleasant.

Not exactly, except for two people.

It was then that Wen He noticed two familiar faces in the crowd.

It was Gao Shilian and Changsun Wuji.

I almost forgot, these two were also leading figures of the Guanzhong region in Chang'an.

"presumptuous!"

The elder from the Zheng family stepped forward and reprimanded him.

Although the elderly man surnamed Wang beside him did not speak, his gaze toward Wen He was exceptionally unfriendly.

Since things had already turned ugly, Wen He wasn't intimidated and glared at them, retorting, "Go ahead and fuck me!"

Gao Yue, standing behind Li Shimin behind the Lizheng Hall, was dumbfounded.

This young man Wen really has a foul mouth; he can actually say such rude things.

Even Li Shimin, who had witnessed the art of profanity in the future, was speechless with astonishment.

Those aristocratic families and Guanzhong clans who faced Wen He's attack turned ashen-faced.

"How dare you insult me, you brat!"

Several hot-tempered individuals immediately shouted and were about to come out.

Wen He quickly took a step back, then shouted, "Protect the Emperor! Someone is committing violence in the palace and intends to rebel! Come quickly and protect the Emperor!"

The imperial guards stationed outside, unaware of what had happened, rushed over upon hearing the warning.

Upon seeing this, the faces of the noble families changed, and they hurriedly retreated in fear.

The people from Guanzhong were in a slightly better position than them, but their expressions also changed.

At this moment, Changsun Wuji stepped forward: "Stop! All of you, step back!"

He was, after all, the Left General of the Imperial Guard. His rebuke stopped the Imperial Guards, but did not force them to retreat.

"Vice Minister Changsun has been rude. This matter concerns His Majesty's safety. I implore His Majesty to intervene!"

Someone warned them, and they came out to protect him. They didn't just retreat when Changsun Wuji told them to.

Changsun Wuji sighed helplessly and said to Gao Shilian, "Uncle, I will go and ask His Majesty to intervene."

"Alright."

Gao Shilian chuckled helplessly, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards Wen He.

'That brat, he has quite the sharp tongue.'

Wen He noticed his gaze, paused for a moment, and then gave him a smile.

If he had married Li Lizhi, Gao Shilian would have become his great-uncle.

"You brat, do you intend to make enemies of our families?!"

The old man surnamed Cui was furious and pointed at Wen He, shouting angrily.

Wen He didn't reply to him, but just looked at him with the kind of gaze one would give an idiot.

An enemy?

I hope you won't be begging me with those smirks later.

You'd better uphold the integrity of your aristocratic clan when the time comes!

"cough!"

at this time.

A soft cough came from the Lizheng Hall.

Changsun Wuji, who had just reached the door, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

At the entrance, Li Shimin slowly walked out, smiling as he looked at everyone present.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

Everyone turned around and bowed.

"no."

Li Shimin responded and gestured for everyone to stand up.

After everyone was in position, he walked down the steps of the Lizheng Hall.

"I just heard that someone wants to marry my son-in-law. I wonder which of you gentlemen have such discerning eyes?"

(End of this chapter)