The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 341: eye for eye
Chapter 341 Blood Debt Repaid with Blood
Li Zhijie knew about the three-year agreement between Bai Qingyan and Yun Poxing.
“Then I hope that three years later… the Emperor of Jin will allow the princess to lead the troops and fight against our Xiliang again, even if he loses many soldiers and generals, just to avenge your Bai family. I won’t delay the princess’s journey, and I’ll take my leave.” Li Zhijie nodded lightly to Bai Qingyan, then turned around with a gloomy expression.
Chuntao let down the carriage curtain, wondering in her heart why King Yan of Xiliang loved to stir up trouble so much, and then she heard Li Tianfu’s voice coming from the carriage beside her.
“Bai Qingyan… If I don’t die and return to Xiliang this time, I will make you pay for your blood debt with blood one day.”
Bai Jinzhi was riding on horseback, right between the two carriages with the Xiliang guards, and could hear everything clearly.
She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Li Tianfu’s carriage. When her elder sister said nonchalantly that they were leaving, she kicked her horse and left first.
·
Outside the forest cottage of Mr. Guan Yongchong in An Yushan, Bai Qingyan was waiting quietly.
After the little boy went in to report to Master Guan Yongchong, he hurried out to ask Bai Qingyan: “My old master invites the princess in.”
“Thank you!” Bai Qingyan nodded to the little boy, took Bai Jinzhi in alone, walked through the bamboo forest path, and headed towards the small building built on the water.
Mr. Guan Yongchong and Mr. Cui Shiyan sat side by side, and a little boy in white knelt beside them, fanning the fire with a palm-leaf fan while making tea.
Although it was not the first time that Bai Jinzhi met the two great scholars, he was still a little restrained in his movements due to the awe in his heart.
Seeing Bai Qingyan kneeling and bowing, Bai Jinzhi also hurriedly followed suit and bowed three times.
Old Mr. Guan Yongchong looked at Bai Qingyan and nodded with a smile: “Good boy! Get up quickly!”
Bai Qingyan stood up and bowed to the ground again: “Yan, bring your fourth sister to visit your mentor.”
“Sit down…” Old Mr. Guan Yongchong looked at his only female disciple, his heart filled with joy.
Bai Qingyan said yes, and he and Bai Jinzhi knelt down opposite Mr. Guan Yongchong and Mr. Cui Shiyan.
“Tomorrow is my teacher’s birthday. I am in mourning and cannot attend the banquet tomorrow. I came to visit my teacher in advance today. I hope my teacher will be as healthy and strong as Wei Wu (Note 1) until he is 100 years old.”
Old Mr. Guan Yongchong nodded with a kind look in his eyes and a smile, looking at the woman in white kneeling opposite him with a firm and calm gaze. He seemed to vaguely see the character of his old friend in her, and his heart was moved, and his eyes were wet.
“That day, your grandfather brought you to my little house in the bamboo forest and asked me to teach you literature. I knew… your grandfather had high hopes for you.” Old Master Guan Yongchong spoke slowly and ardently, “Your grandfather passed away to protect the people of Dajin. You should inherit the great ambition of the Bai family. With your ability… you should support the wise ruler, strengthen the country, expand the territory, unify… and save the people of the world.”
Bai Qingyan pursed his lips and bowed in the direction of his teacher: “I have a question that I don’t understand, please teach me, teacher.”
“Brother Cui and I are here today, so you can tell us what you have to say.” Old Mr. Guan Yongchong said.
“That day, the student dreamed of his grandfather. The grandfather asked the student why people live in this world. The student was puzzled for a long time, so he asked the teacher to solve the puzzle.”
For the first time, Mr. Guan Yongchong saw a misty look in the eyes of his most proud disciple.
Why do we live?
Mr. Guan Yongchong looked at Cui Yanshi, only to see Cui Yanshi’s sharp eyes staring deeply at Bai Qingyan, who seemed a little confused.
“Human existence begins with desires, the desire for warmth and satiety… for the continuation of the physical body, the desire for lust… for the reproduction of offspring. And then comes the desire for power, influence, wealth, or beauty! These are what ordinary people seek in their lifetime.” Mr. Cui Shiyan’s words are sonorous.
“And the descendants of aristocratic families, when they live, should transcend worldly desires and live… to pass on character and virtue, to the family spirit that they are determined to never forget, to dignity, to faith, to ambition, to promises, and to relatives that they cannot let down, no matter what happens. These are more precious than life to aristocratic families. Aristocratic families that have been able to stand for a hundred years without falling are all of one mind from generation to generation, and are willing to die for these things… generously.”
Mr. Cui Shiyan came from a noble family and could understand the continuation and inheritance of the noble families better than Mr. Guan Yongchong.
Bai Qingyan tightened his hands on his knees slightly and lowered his eyes to hide his wet and red eyes.
For the promise…
Therefore, even in a dream, her grandfather asked her to protect the Jin Dynasty because of his promise.
The emperor is unjust, but my grandfather honors his promise and cannot be disloyal.
For the relatives whom I cannot let down in life or death…
That’s why my grandfather never had the heart to abandon the Shuoyang Bai clan.
She closed her eyes and suppressed the sour and spicy feeling in her heart.
But she is not a grandfather.
She had never made any promises to the royal family, and her only relatives were the Bai family in Dadu.
Mr. Cui was pointing at her when he said this.
Mr. Cui must have known about the Shuoyang Bai clan’s trouble in Dadu.
Mr. Cui is a great scholar. To him… there is no discrimination in education. He believes that she should not abandon her relatives of the Shuoyang clan, but should teach and guide them to walk on the right path.
But she doesn’t have so much time and energy to spend on such heartless people. She lives in the secular world and her mind is far from being as broad as Mr. Cui’s.
Bai Qingyan bowed to the two great scholars solemnly: “What you said, sir, has opened my eyes.”
“Alright, alright! Get up!”
Master Cui Shiyan was always serious. Guan Yongchong felt sorry for his disciple and didn’t want to talk about this heavy topic anymore. He asked instead, “Have you set a date to return to Shuoyang?”
The boy served tea, and Bai Qingyan nodded in thanks, then replied respectfully, “On the first day of next month, if I can return to Dadu in the future, I will definitely come to visit my teacher.”
“Yes!” Mr. Cui Shiyan said with a serious expression.
Bai Qingyan nodded to Mr. Cui.
After coming out of Master Guan’s bamboo hut, Bai Jinzhi glanced at the little boy who had sent them outside and then returned. Her mood became much heavier. As she walked down the stairs with Bai Qingyan, she asked, “Eldest sister, Master Cui specifically mentioned relatives. Is it because he knows about the Shuoyang clan?”
She nodded: “Let’s go…”
“Mr. Cui doesn’t even know what those people in the clan have done. It’s easy for him to talk without any pain…” Bai Jinzhi muttered in a low voice, “How can he compare with Mr. Guan!”
She turned around and looked at Bai Jinzhi, who was pouting, and whispered, “Mr. Cui is a great scholar, and his mind is different from those of us ordinary people. Mr. Cui has his own character and beliefs. He repays grievances with virtue, is a good teacher, and teaches everyone. This is the bearing of a great scholar.”
Bai Jinzhi knew he had said something wrong, and pulled the corners of his lips awkwardly, clasped his fists and said to Bai Qingyan: “Xiao Si has said something wrong.”
She raised her hand and touched Bai Jinzhi’s head. “Anyone who is called a great scholar must have profound knowledge. However, those who can be called great scholars of the time, in addition to being highly respected and knowledgeable, must also have the character of being a great educator. Mr. Cui can become a literary giant admired by students today, and there must be a reason for his current reputation.”
Note 1: Duke Wu of Wei was in good health and lived a very long life.