Mo Sang – CH 329

Chapter 329. Human Nature

Gu Xi looked at the middle-aged man surnamed Yao, bound tightly and thrown beside two clerks, then turned to the Yao and Zhang families, asking, “You beat him like that, really for that child?”

“Of course…”

“Think carefully before you speak before me. I am not as good-natured as your Magistrate Wu.

I will ask again, really for that child?” Gu Xi interrupted the elderly man surnamed Yao rudely.

The elderly man looked at the Yao family, paused, then bowed and said, “Your Highness is discerning; it was not entirely for Jian’er.

The feud between the Yao and Zhang families dates back thirty years.

Thirty years ago, my eldest son, Yao Liyan, was exceptionally talented, possessing a photographic memory. He passed the preliminary examination at sixteen, entered the county school, and consistently ranked first. Just after turning eighteen, he was surrounded and beaten to death by several classmates surnamed Zhang.

That time, I reported it to the authorities, and the Zhang family used a simpleton from their clan as a scapegoat. The government just closed the case like that!”

The old man surnamed Yao spoke with extreme indignation at the last sentence.

“From that time on, whenever the Yao family had a child who could read and write, the Zhang family would try every means to kill him!

Jian’er died because he was too clever! Jian’er was one of the top students in the school; the teacher said many times that Jian’er would at least become a Juren¹!

That’s why they killed Jian’er!”

The old man surnamed Yao angrily pointed at the Zhang family group.

“Tell me what you all have to say,” Gu Xi said coldly, turning to the Zhang family group.

The Zhang family members looked at each other, craning their necks, and quickly whispered a few words. A middle-aged man dressed as a scholar stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “This student is Zhang Xiuyun…”

“Let’s get down to business,” Gu Xi interrupted Zhang Xiuyun’s self-introduction.

“Yes,” Zhang Xiucai² swallowed hard. “The case of Yao Liyan, thirty years ago, caused a sensation in Gaoyou County.

Yao Liyan was arrogant, conceited, and mean-spirited—that’s common knowledge. Those who were in the county school at the time, or knew Yao Liyan, are now only in their forties or fifties, or even sixties. Your Highness can find out by sending someone to inquire.

There were more than ten people who beat Yao Liyan up. Besides the two surnamed Zhang, there was the grandson of Cao Juren, the second son of the prefect, the eldest grandson of the county school instructor, the second son of Huang Xiucai, the grandson of Wang Xiucai, and several others.

The Yao family did not dare to provoke the other families, so they only targeted the Zhang family!” Zhang Xiucai emphasized the last sentence, giving the old man surnamed Yao a sharp look.

“From then on, the Yao family has been targeting our Zhang family. Whenever something goes wrong, it is always blamed on us, the Zhang family.

They probably,” Zhang Xiucai sneered, “think that we Zhangs are easy to bully, and they want to take our place so they can seize control of Gaoyou!

In the past thirty years, the Yao family has caused countless troubles, and the Zhang family has suffered countless undeserved calamities. In these thirty years, twenty-seven lives have been lost. My Zhang family has reached its limit and has no choice but to fight back.

Please, Your Highness, investigate.”

“Each has their own reasons.” Gu Xi looked at Li Sangrou.

“It’s common for them to gang up on outsiders, suppressing them and preventing them from getting a share of the spoils,” Li Sangrou said bluntly.

The faces of the Zhang family members turned slightly pale.

“It’s only human nature, only the nature of things, just like your Pang’er being possessive of his food,” Gu Xi chuckled, then turned to the Yao and Zhang families, whose expressions varied. She moved from one group to another. “You, each of you, tell me. Just now, outside Linze Town, you were wielding sticks and knives, threatening to kill. Who from each of your families went? Explain clearly in detail who they were, their names, and their ages.

The Zhang family goes first this time. Let’s begin.”

“Bring paper and pen; you two take notes,” Gu Xi said, pointing to the two clerks.

Several servants moved swiftly, bringing paper and pen, and placing two tall tables in front of the two clerks.

The Zhang family members looked at each other. Zhang Xiucai, who had rushed forward earlier, took two steps back and nudged the old man who had been beaten.

The old man surnamed Zhang stepped forward. “My family sent two guards…”

“Guards are family? Fine, I guess I was not clear enough.” Gu Xi lifted his robe, shook it, and put it back. “Then I will say it again; make it clear, and you all make it clear too.

First, make it clear how many sons and grandsons you have, where they are now, how many went to kill just now, and which ones they were.

Alright, begin.”

The old man surnamed Zhang swallowed hard, forcing a smile. “I have four sons. My eldest son, Zhang Xiushan, is thirty-seven years old and currently manages the household affairs. My eldest son has three sons…

Just now, none of them went.”

Gu Xi sneered, pointing at the old man surnamed Zhang. “You have four sons and nine grandsons, and none of them went. Hmm, not bad. Next, continue!”

Li Sangrou simply took out some melon seeds and slowly cracked them open, watching whoever spoke and listening with a smile to each introduction.

The Zhang group and the Yao group finished speaking one after another, and the two clerks filled more than ten pages with notes, but none of them had gone out of town to fight with sticks and knives.

When the last person from the Yao group finished speaking, Gu Xi turned to Li Sangrou and smiled, “Listen to this.”

Li Sangrou only smiled and did not answer. Gu Xi reached for his cup, smiling as he sipped his tea.

Sitting beside him, Magistrate Wu pursed his lips tightly, glancing sideways at the two groups of people with slumped shoulders and hunched necks.

“When I was seven or eight years old, our Great Qi was recuperating, and its national strength was still insufficient. Once, Jiangning and Jiangdu were in conflict, and we suffered a loss. Southern Liang wanted to negotiate peace, and the late Emperor agreed.

Back then, the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate submitted two large baskets of memorials a day, urging a bloody war, preferring death to peace.

The late Emperor then ordered people to question each of those who submitted memorials urging a bloody war: first, how much property they possessed; how much they were willing to donate to aid the army; and how many males over seven years old in their families whom they were willing to send to the army to fight.”

Gu Xi sipped his tea, watching Li Sangrou chat idly.

Li Sangrou laughed, gesturing with her chin to the Zhang and Yao groups. “If they still want to fight, let them go first.

We will watch from here. Letting them go first is easy, but without someone watching, how can they possibly go on their own?”

“How many times have they fought? How many have died? Starting from thirty years ago.” Gu Xi turned to look at Magistrate Wu.

“Since I took office, these two surnames, large and small, have fought seven battles in total. Seven people from the Zhang surname and five from the Yao surname died in these fights. I had to investigate before I took office,” Magistrate Wu hurriedly bowed and replied.

“That’s enough.” Gu Xi turned to the Yao and Zhang families. “You people, for your own benefit, drive your clansmen to their deaths. You can be so cruel to your own people. If you were allowed into officialdom and became local officials, would you suddenly become saints, loving the people like your own children?”

The Zhang and Yao families turned pale.

“I intend to petition on your behalf to first cultivate yourselves and manage your families. As for governing the country and bringing peace to the world, that will have to wait until you have cultivated yourselves and managed your families.

Let’s start counting from the time Magistrate Wu takes office. One death results in a one-year suspension from examinations. The Zhang family will be responsible for the deaths of the Yao family for five years, and the Yao family for the deaths of the Zhang family for seven years.

I am doing this all for your own good,” Gu Xi said with a smile.

The Yao and Zhang families stared at Gu Xi in disbelief.

Gu Xi turned to Magistrate Wu. “The examinations for the Yao and Zhang families have been suspended. Gaoyou County will have to reduce its student quotas. How much to reduce is a matter for the Ministry of Rites; I dare not overstep my bounds.

However, you should tell those bastards in Gaoyou County that I will do my best to reduce the number of students in your county.”

Magistrate Wu, his face pale, dared not disobey.

Watching the Yao and Zhang families leave one by one as if they had lost their parents, Magistrate Wu stood up, looked at Li Sangrou, then at Gu Xi, and cautiously said, “Your Highness, are you really going to reduce the quotas? Then…”

“Forty or fifty years ago, the Great Qi was weak, the north and south were in turmoil, many fled famine and migrated, and the old and new vied for profit. Such armed conflicts were not limited to Gaoyou.”

Gu Xi looked at Magistrate Wu, his tone relatively calm.

“Before today, the Great Qi unified the north and south. This war resulted in countless deaths and injuries. The Grand Canal was ravaged by the Southern Liang. You witnessed the carnage firsthand, did you not?

The Grand Canal region is extremely prosperous. These abandoned lands will inevitably attract people to relocate. In twenty or thirty years, the conflict between the old and the new will reignite.

I was ordered to inspect the Grand Canal to see if there are any ways to at least prevent this conflict from escalating into a major disaster.

Reducing the number of students might be a good solution. This will have to wait for the court’s decision.”

Gu Xi paused, looking at Magistrate Wu with a slight frown. “You, as a magistrate, have put in the effort but lack the decisiveness. Write a memorial requesting punishment for yourself. I will explain things for you.”

Magistrate Wu seemed relieved and bowed deeply in agreement.

Watching Magistrate Wu and the other three leave, Li Sangrou put down her melon seeds and sighed.

“Locals bully outsiders, veterans bully new recruits—we can only hope nothing serious happens,” Gu Xi said, looking at Li Sangrou with a hint of consolation.

“I know, that’s human nature. I used to think that if even beggars did not bully the weak, the world would truly be at peace,” Li Sangrou sighed again.

“It’s not necessarily a good thing. The strong bully the weak, forcing the weak to strive for strength, or—” Gu Xi paused, “the excessively weak will be forced to adapt and become strong—that’s the way of Heaven.”

Li Sangrou was silent for a moment, then hummed in agreement.

Heaven’s way was as merciful as it was cruel.

“Your private school?” Gu Xi asked, changing the subject, noticing Li Sangrou’s somewhat dazed expression.

“Daa Chang went to check,” Li Sangrou replied, turning to look for the water clock; it was already late afternoon. Ru-Yi and the others had already cleaned and tidied the inn’s kitchen and started preparing dinner.

When Da Chang returned, Li Sangrou and Gu Xi were eating.

After finishing his meal, Da Chang came out of the kitchen and saw Li Sangrou and Gu Xi sitting in the courtyard drinking tea. He craned his neck forward, leaning half his body out so that Li Sangrou could see him.

Li Sangrou waved to Da Chang, who was almost completely exposed.

Da Chang walked up to Li Sangrou and Gu Xi, looked at Li Sangrou, who was craning her neck to look at him, spun around, found a chair, and pulled it over to sit down.

“What’s going on?” Li Sangrou poured a cup of tea and handed it to Da Chang.

“It’s ours.” Da Chang took the tea.

Li Sangrou frowned.

“The post station manager only knows there are three schools in Gaoyou County, all funded by Shunfeng Post. That’s all he knows. He says the schools are all managed personally by Manager Zou.

I’ve already sent word to Zou Wang to come over. Zou Wang is in Sixian, not far away,” Da Chang said in a few words.

“Did you not say you wanted to start a school?” Gu Xi asked Li Sangrou.

“I said I wanted to start a girls’ school, not a regular school.” Li Sangrou did not look well. She already knew what was going on and was just waiting for Zou Wang to arrive to confirm.

“A girls’ school and a regular school are not that different. They just accept both boys and girls. After all, boys are the majority when it comes to education,” Gu Xi thought for a moment and smiled.

“Tomorrow morning, you, Hei Ma, and Xiao Lu go and check on these three schools. How many male students and how many female students are there?” Li Sangrou instructed Da Chang.

“Alright,” Da Chang agreed, then, seeing Li Sangrou wave at him, stood up, put the bamboo chair back, and went to rest.

“The matter of the Pang family, you know about the one who insists on marrying a learned woman?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi nodded, his eyebrows slightly raised.

“Children are born and raised by their mothers. If the mother is literate, the child is almost always literate. As for the father…” Li Sangrou chuckled, looking at Gu Xi. “He cannot take care of that, can he?

Letting a girl learn to read and write means letting her descendants learn to read and write. Teaching one person is teaching the whole family.

When a girl is educated, it is like she has a third eye. She sees more, gains knowledge, understands principles, and develops skills. She will teach these things to her children, to her sons and daughters. When faced with unexpected events or disasters, she will not be ignorant and will be able to stand up and protect her children.”

Men study to cultivate themselves for the sake of managing their families, to manage their families for the sake of governing the country, and to govern the country for the sake of bringing peace to the world—all for the sake of self-realization.”

Gu Xi listened intently, said “Aunt,” and then paused, laughing. “Aunt’s learning is exceptional. Once, my Elder Brother complained to me about how bad the teacher’s lessons were, and Lady Yu, the mother of Empress Zhou, said to her, ‘You are so learned; why not personally teach your two sons?’

The late Empress Zhang said, ‘Men study to govern the country and bring peace to the world, but women study only to teach children. Can they not also study to govern the country and bring peace to the world?'”

Li Sangrou raised her eyebrows, paused for a moment, and then chuckled. “The late Empress Zhang was a dragon among women.

Ninety-nine percent of women in the world are ordinary people. They learn to read and write, but only to understand some principles so they can manage a household well and teach their children—that’s all.”

“When Prime Minister Pan passed the imperial examination, he was only in his early twenties, newly married, and appointed as a minor county magistrate.” Gu Xi continued with a smile, unhurriedly, “Prime Minister Pan said he was not particularly intelligent; his success in his studies was entirely due to hard work.

Before passing the imperial examination, Prime Minister Pan spent two years constantly studying, never taking a break. Perhaps due to excessive mental strain, he fell ill after being caught in a light rain on his way to his new post. He was very ill, reportedly bedridden for almost half a year, and only recovered after a year of recuperation.

During Prime Minister Pan’s serious illness, Old Lady Jiang not only cared for him but also acted as his representative in official duties, including presiding over cases. It is said that Old Lady Jiang would wear Prime Minister Pan’s official robes, padded with cotton to support her shoulders, to sit in court. She even presided over a county examination, stood on the city wall, led the entire city in resisting the Southern Liang Army, and even led men out of the city to drive away bandits—at a time of great chaos.

Prime Minister Pan’s first term as county magistrate was three years, and Old Lady Jiang served half of that.

Because of this, the Pan family only chose wives who were well-educated and had strong personalities, preferably more educated than their sons.

The Pan family kept this a deep secret; not even Pan Dingbang, nor his three brothers, knew about it.

When Pan Dingjiang was appointed to Ezhou, my Elder Brother originally did not want Lady Qian to accompany him, fearing that in case of emergency, the children would not be left without parents. But Pan told my brother about his own experience taking up his post years ago, saying that Lady Qian was no less capable than Old Lady Jiang.”

Li Sangrou glanced at Gu Xi, then slowly asked, “What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing, just some idle chatter.” Gu Xi spread his hands. “I mean, if women could also be like Pan’s wives, they’d have an extra life, right?”

“In the future, when the world is at peace, women who can read and write will simply understand some principles and teach their children,” Li Sangrou said, lowering her eyes.

“Yes, there are mostly fools in the world.” Gu Xi stretched out his legs and sighed.