Chapter 36 of 100

Chapter 36

13 min read3,150 words

Sitting in the carriage, Zhu Gaozhi inquired his way to Taohu Village, one of the Xu Family's estates. Looking at the small village before him, with its green mountains and clear waters, and the smoke rising from the chimneys, he pondered over the words his father, Zhu Di, had spoken the day before.

"Since that boy wants to emulate Zhuge Liang, you should personally visit his thatched cottage."

He naturally understood that his father's comparison of Xu Hao to Zhuge Liang was just a jest. What mattered to him was whether he himself was the Liu Bei in his father's heart, which both thrilled and worried him, making him restless.

Since childhood, he had not been favored by his parents, not because of his weight, but because compared to his two younger brothers' mischievous and lively nature, he was too refined and sensible, and as the eldest son, he had to set an example for his younger brothers, making him seem prematurely mature and uninteresting.

It was only natural for parents to dote on their youngest children, and it was also natural for Zhu Gaozhi to feel hurt. As he grew older, his most favored younger brother, Zhu Gaoxu, became increasingly disrespectful to him, often speaking insolently and even deliberately provoking him behind his back. Everyone in the Yan王府 knew that his father favored his second son, and he often feared that one day he would be stripped of his status as the heir.

I must work twice as hard, do my best in everything, and earn my father's recognition, Zhu Gaozhi vowed to himself once again.

In front of the village was an ancient embankment, and below it flowed a stream. The land had been leveled and widened, and peach trees were planted along the embankment, which was the origin of Taohu Village. Now, after so many years, the peach and willow trees had grown so large that it took two people to barely encircle them.

Looking at the remaining fruits on the peach trees, Zhu Gaozhi could imagine the brilliant blossoms of late spring. The carriage slowly crossed a flat bridge over the stream.

"Xu Hao has chosen a fine place to live, with such beautiful mountains, water, and peach trees."

The attendant asked a villager, and upon mentioning Xu Hao's name, the villager immediately pointed to a small courtyard nearby, surrounded by peach trees.

Walking along the path to the courtyard, Zhu Gaozhi was helped down from the carriage. After a few steps, he was slightly out of breath and adjusted his clothing. He thought to himself that since he was playing the role of Liu Bei today, he should show respect and visit alone.

Thus, he waved for the attendants to wait outside. Limping to the wooden gate, he saw that it was slightly ajar and gently pushed it open.

With a creak, the gate opened, and Zhu Gaozhi peered into the courtyard. He saw a servant squatting on the ground, fiddling with a dark jar. He vaguely remembered that the servant was named Laibao, a close confidant of Xu Hao.

"Where is your young master?" Zhu Gaozhi asked with a smile.

"Oh!"

Laibao, upon seeing the visitor, quickly dropped what he was holding and hurried over to kneel and bow. "Your Highness, my young master is reading in the house."

"Good! Stay here, no need to announce me, I'll go in myself."

Zhu Gaozhi felt a great relief. He had been afraid that Xu Hao might be away or sleeping, which would have made his visit more difficult.

Laibao blinked, looking troubled. "I'm the only one serving the young master, and the house is messy. Don't dirty your clothes."

"Are you the only two here?" Zhu Gaozhi was surprised. He hadn't expected that a wealthy young man like Xu Hao could endure such hardship! No wonder his father had such high regard for him; indeed, extraordinary people have extraordinary qualities.

As they were talking, Xu Hao came out of the house, smiling and bowing. "Brother, it's an honor to have you visit. I apologize for not welcoming you from afar."

Zhu Gaozhi laughed. "No need for such formalities. I'm tired of the refined manners and teachings of the scholars at court. Let's speak more freely as brothers."

Xu Hao laughed heartily and pointed to the jar on the ground. "I just got a jar of old wine. We also have freshly made fermented chicken and scallion tofu. If you don't mind, let's have a drink."

"Then I'll accept your hospitality." Zhu Gaozhi, who was a bit hungry, agreed happily.

The two entered the house and sat opposite each other. Zhu Gaozhi casually looked around and was even more surprised. The simple and shabby furnishings of an ordinary family seemed very poor to him. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to live here.

Laibao soon warmed up two large pots of wine and arranged the dishes. Zhu Gaozhi, after tasting the authentic rural flavors, his eyes lit up, and the wine was strong and rich.

As they drank and chatted, an hour passed, and the two young men were still patient.

After a long time, the jar of old wine was almost empty, and Zhu Gaozhi couldn't help but hint several times, gradually revealing his intention to recruit Xu Hao. Xu Hao, however, evaded the topic, pretending not to understand.

Indeed, this boy needs the beauty strategy, hoping that Father's guess is correct, Zhu Gaozhi put down his chopsticks and decided to use his trump card. He smiled and said, "I heard that Ningsnow got a treasure, but it turned out to be just a piece of white paper. Interesting, isn't it?"

Xu Hao immediately smiled bitterly. "The Ningsnow you mentioned is Miss Mu, right? Let's be frank. Since I met her, I've been thinking of her day and night. Unfortunately, our families are not a match, and I fear I will never have the chance to be with her."

"At least you are a descendant of a meritorious official, which is a decent match. Of course, to win the heart of your beloved, you need to put in some effort. Do you have the sincerity?" Zhu Gaozhi felt reassured and raised his wine cup with a smile.

Xu Hao immediately became serious. "I do have the sincerity. Brother, you have taken the trouble to seek me out, and I will remember this kindness."

"Good!" Zhu Gaozhi's spirits lifted. He had been waiting for these words, and his father's task was finally accomplished.

Both of them were intelligent, so there was no need to be too explicit. Xu Hao indicated his intention to join, and Zhu Gaozhi gladly accepted.

"Let me tell you, whether you can seize this opportunity is up to you." Zhu Gaozhi then whispered in Xu Hao's ear for a long time.

After listening, Xu Hao was both amused and exasperated. He sighed, "I never thought I would have to experience the romantic adventures of Tang Bohu. At least I don't have to sell myself into slavery."

"Who is Tang Bohu?"

"Oh, just a common scholar from Jiangnan."

Zhu Gaozhi did not press further but reminded him, "The Mu family is not ordinary. The late Duke of Qian was the most beloved adopted son of the Emperor and Empress. Therefore, Ningsnow has been allowed to enter the palace freely since childhood. She is beautiful and talented, and the Empress treats her like her own daughter. Her status is higher than that of a princess born to a concubine. The Emperor once considered betrothing her to the Crown Prince, but nothing came of it."

Xu Hao inwardly sighed in relief. Fortunately, the Mu family was a family of meritorious military officials, and Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang had reservations. Otherwise, it would have been disastrous. He asked curiously, "Then who did the Emperor favor?"

"The daughter of the Lesser Chamberlain Ma, whose ancestors are said to be related to the Empress." Zhu Gaozhi spoke vaguely.

Indeed, a civil official, and likely a low-profile one. As for whether they were related to Empress Ma, perhaps a little. Xu Hao smiled and nodded.

Zhu Gaozhi said sympathetically, "Ningsnow has been praised by the Empress in front of the ministers' wives, making her very famous in the capital. She has many admirers, and matchmakers come to her door all year round. Sigh! You have many rivals, so you need to think carefully."

Xu Hao was stunned. He never expected Miss Mu to be such a well-known celebrity. Who did she end up marrying in history? Oh no, this seems difficult.

Seeing Xu Hao finally moved, looking like a wilted eggplant, Zhu Gaozhi secretly laughed and said slowly, "But the Duke of Qian died last year, and Ningsnow has a three-year mourning period!"

What the hell! Xu Hao glared angrily at Zhu Gaozhi, who was panting, wishing he could punch him away.

Zhu Gaozhi laughed uncontrollably. "So, I've arranged for you to be close to her. Whether you can win her heart is up to you."

Xu Hao calmed down and said meaningfully, "Everything will follow its course; I won't force it."

"Very well said." Zhu Gaozhi patted his shoulder to encourage him and smiled. "Ningsnow's eldest brother, Mu Chun, is now stationed in Yunnan. Her second brother, Mu Sheng, works in the Rear Commandery, and he is quiet and studious, with real talent. Her youngest brother, Mu Ang, is as mischievous as Gaoxu, which has caused the Duchess of Qian much distress. In the future, it will be your turn to deal with it, ha ha!"

Xu Hao nodded and smiled. "Fortunately, the Mu family is not complicated, so I don't have to worry about other things."

"Alright, prepare yourself in the next few days, and I'll send someone to fetch you." Zhu Gaozhi, slightly drunk, slowly stood up to take his leave.

Xu Hao supported him to the carriage and waved goodbye with a smile.

Watching the carriage gradually disappear, Xu Hao took a deep breath of the cool air. He had a very strange feeling, as if from this moment on, he had taken a step into the vortex of history.

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