Lunch was delayed by half an hour because Yang Xu had a basin of stale water dumped all over his head by the Zhao family. From He Sheng's account, Zhan Feiyu and Qiu Zongxi also learned what had happened.
Old General Yang had Yang Xu accompany Zhan Feiyu to Xiangwu County, partly for his safety and partly to temper him. Therefore, during the visit to the Zhao family, He Sheng only fulfilled his duty as a bodyguard.
"The Zhao family is simply unreasonable!" Yang Xu said, his face stiff. After taking a bath, the scratches on his face looked even more ferocious when soaked in water. Fortunately, his skin was dark; if these two wounds had been on Zhan Feiyu's face, they would have been even more shocking.
Zhao Dongmei was the youngest daughter of the Zhao family. She had three older brothers, and whether it was her parents or her brothers, they all doted on this younger sister. Zhao Dongmei was raised a bit too pampered and was considered a pretty girl with delicate features in Xiangwu County, otherwise, Luo Hu wouldn't have taken a liking to her.
"Back then, Luo Hu deliberately set a trap while dining at a restaurant. Zhao Er accidentally broke an antique vase, which was said to have been bought for five hundred taels of silver," Yang Xu didn't rashly go to their door but chose to sit in a teahouse and then paid a tael of silver to ask the teahouse owner for information.
Although aristocratic families had strict rules, emphasizing "no talking while eating, no speaking while sleeping," Qiu Zongxi didn't care about these formalities, and Zhan Feiyu naturally followed suit. She paused her chopsticks and asked, "So Luo Hu forced the Zhao family to pay compensation, and if they couldn't, he would take Zhao Dongmei as payment?"
If it were an ordinary dissolute young master, he might have forcibly taken a civilian girl. But Luo Hu, in essence, was just a rogue and a scoundrel. Relying on the backing of his uncle, Constable Luo, he could only show off in front of ordinary people. Therefore, he didn't dare to commit acts of forceful seizure.
Yang Xu nodded. Although it was an extremely clumsy trap, it had still succeeded.
"The Zhao family, with over twenty members, was squeezed into a small courtyard. They were not well-off to begin with and couldn't afford to pay the compensation, so they had to let Zhao Dongmei sell herself into servitude."
Once the deed of sale was signed, she would be a slave. Whatever Luo Hu wanted to do then, Zhao Dongmei could only comply, and the Zhao family couldn't stand up for her.
Luo Hu had not yet been castrated back then, and Zhao Dongmei became his bedding servant. Later, during his debauched times, Luo Hu's cronies, when drunk, could also bully Zhao Dongmei.
It was better to live a wretched life than to die. Finally, when Luo Hu's genitals were crippled, Zhao Dongmei, even if she were just a rough servant girl, would have been better off than being bullied by these beasts.
But who would have thought that Luo Hu would become even more perverted? Before, he was merely rough in matters of men and women, but later he became inhuman. Not only did he use aphrodisiacs, but he also used instruments that tormented people. Zhao Dongmei's health was already poor, and she died within three months.
When a life was lost, Constable Luo had someone bury Zhao Dongmei somewhere, sent ten taels of silver to the Zhao family, and the matter was settled.
Zhan Feiyu looked at Yang Xu with mixed emotions, "Zhao Dongmei died disgracefully. It's not unfair that you, an eight-year-old child, went directly to their door to talk about it, and you were splashed with stale water."
Although the lives of servants under the slave status were in the hands of their masters, the masters couldn't kill their servants without reason. If the Zhao family had sued back then, Luo Hu might have been acquitted, but they would have certainly demanded more than ten taels of silver.
However, commoners did not fight against officials. If Luo Hu could scheme against the Zhao family once with an antique vase, he could do it a second time. Even if the yamen ruled for a hundred taels of silver, the Zhao family wouldn't be able to enjoy it, and they would also offend Constable Luo. It would be more trouble than it was worth, so they could only let the matter rest.
"As long as they are willing to sue, they can definitely bring down Luo Hu, and there's no need to worry about retaliation from Constable Luo," Yang Xu said indignantly. What he couldn't understand was that he had already revealed his identity and stated that he would stand up for the Zhao family. Their suing would have just been a formality.
But Yang Xu had spoken until his mouth was dry. In the end, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhao family rushed over and scratched Yang Xu's face twice with such speed that Yang Xu didn't even have time to react.
Zhao's mother even scooped up a ladle of offal used for feeding pigs and threw it at him. The three Zhao brothers joined forces to drive Yang Xu out. They probably saw that he was just a child and He Sheng was nearby, so the three Zhao brothers didn't beat him.
If Zhao Dongmei's death had happened to Yang Xu's family, he would have desperately sought revenge against Luo Hu and Constable Luo. It was impossible before, but now that a perfect opportunity had presented itself, the Zhao family not only didn't seize it but became enraged.
"Yang Xu, you made three mistakes this time, do you know?" Qiu Zongxi said sternly, his sharp eyes looking at Yang Xu, who was still indignant, like knives.
"I..." Yang Xu put down his chopsticks and stood up. He could feel Grandpa Qiu's disappointment, but Yang Xu truly didn't know where he had gone wrong.
In such a serious and tense atmosphere, Zhan Feiyu was completely unfazed. She picked up a piece of food and looked at the reprimanded Yang Xu with sympathy. He should have eaten his fill before discussing serious matters.
Knowing that Yang Xu wouldn't be able to explain, Qiu Zongxi looked at Zhan Feiyu, who was eating heartily, and said, "You tell me!"
Well, she couldn't just watch the show anymore. Zhan Feiyu also put down her chopsticks and said seriously, "Firstly, the Yang family has not yet been reinstated. They are still bearing the crime of colluding with the enemy and treason. Even if the Zhao family are illiterate commoners, they would not dare to get involved with the Yang family lightly."
The Zhao family was not brave, even a bit cowardly. Otherwise, they wouldn't have accepted ten taels of silver and let Zhao Dongmei die miserably. Now, asking them to sue Luo Hu, they didn't have the courage.
"Secondly, Constable Luo is a local bully in Xiangwu County. If Yang Xu rashly went to their door, someone would definitely inform Constable Luo. Even if the Zhao family agreed to sue Luo Hu, Constable Luo would already be on guard, and the matter wouldn't succeed," Zhan Feiyu would not underestimate anyone. Shrimps have their ways, and crabs have their paths. Constable Luo had been in the yamen for over ten years, and it was too easy for him to deal with the Zhao family.
Qiu Zongxi glanced at Yang Xu, who was frowning in thought, and motioned for Zhan Feiyu to continue.
"Thirdly, the younger generation of the Zhao family are almost all of marriageable age. Their aunt Zhao Dongmei died disgracefully. Regardless of whether the lawsuit is successful or not, the Zhao family's reputation will be damaged, which will drag down the younger generation of the Zhao family. A person who died three years ago is definitely not as important as grandchildren who are still alive."
Especially for the three daughters-in-law of the Zhao family, Zhao Dongmei was just their sister-in-law. But if the old matter was brought up again, it would tarnish the reputation of their sons and daughters, and the three sisters-in-law would definitely not agree.
Even the Zhao old man and Zhao old woman, who doted on Zhao Dongmei the most, her youngest daughter was already dead, and the wound had scabbed over. Yang Xu suddenly showing up and reopening the wound, even sprinkling salt on it, made it normal for Zhao's mother to splash him with stale water. This was also because the Zhao family was timid and fearful. If it were a family with a violent temper, they might even chase Yang Xu with a cleaver.
Suddenly looking up, Yang Xu stared blankly at Zhan Feiyu, shock and disappointment in his eyes, "Did Zhao Dongmei die in vain?"
She was the youngest daughter of the Zhao old couple, the younger sister of the three Zhao brothers. And the reason she was tortured to death was because the Zhao family had produced five hundred taels of silver. After she died, not a single person in the Zhao family thought of avenging her.
"The living are more important than the dead," Zhan Feiyu cruelly pierced the last bit of hope in Yang Xu's heart.
No matter how favored Zhao Dongmei was, she was already dead. No one in the Zhao family was willing to break their current peaceful and tranquil lives for the deceased Zhao Dongmei.
Based on her observations from her previous life, Zhan Feiyu believed that only in matters of love would the dead be stronger than the living. Death meant unrequited love, a cinnabar mole in the heart, a white moonlight that could never be forgotten. In all other cases, the living were definitely more important than the dead.
Although Yang Xu was young, he had always adhered to the principle of avenging every wrong and repaying every grievance. At most, a gentleman's revenge takes ten years. After hearing Zhan Feiyu's words, Yang Xu suddenly understood that some people could forget deep-seated hatred.
After waiting for a while and seeing that Yang Xu seemed to have accepted the facts, Qiu Zongxi looked at Zhan Feiyu again and said, "If you were Yang Xu, what would you do?"
Yang Xu wanted to help the bun seller. Of course, he had to bring down Luo Hu and Constable Luo. The Zhao, Qu, and Niu families were the best breakthroughs, but it required method and strategy.
Compared to Yang Xu's current tension and seriousness, Zhan Feiyu's answer was simple and crude, "Just place five hundred taels of silver ingots on the Zhao family's table, and the Zhao family will agree."
Being able to easily produce five hundred taels of silver indicated that they could produce another thousand taels, or even ten thousand taels. In the eyes of the Zhao family, Zhan Feiyu's identity was that of an unattainable noble.
No matter how overbearing Constable Luo was, he was essentially just a small constable in the yamen, a low-ranking official.
When facing a true noble, Constable Luo was no match. Zhan Feiyu revealed her capital, and the Zhao family, seeking fortune and avoiding disaster, would know how to choose.
Opening his mouth, Yang Xu hadn't expected that the matter could be handled by simply throwing money at it, "Do I need to avoid people and go at night?"
"You're getting ahead of yourself," Qiu Zongxi glared at him impatiently, wishing he could pry open Yang Xu's stubborn head. "Since you are a noble who can crush Luo Hu with a flick of your finger, do you still need to worry about Constable Luo being on guard?"
It was like the prefect wanting to deal with a small constable. Did he still need to proceed cautiously to prevent the news from leaking? It was just an ant, easily crushed by a hand.
Zhan Feiyu laughed, "Not only should we not conceal it, but we should do it openly. This is equivalent to forcing the Zhao family into a corner, cutting off their retreat, so they can only fight with their backs against the wall and sue Luo Hu, bringing down Constable Luo."
Yang Xu's trip today had made the Zhao family both surprised and fearful, with a bit of guilt for the wrongly deceased Zhao Dongmei. This emotion was ultimately directed at Yang Xu.
But according to Zhan Feiyu's method, revealing the noble identity and then blocking the Zhao family's retreat would force them to fight to the death.
After a long silence, Yang Xu looked at Zhan Feiyu and said softly, "So the title of the General's Mansion is not as effective as five hundred taels of silver?"
If it were the Yang family, which had already been reinstated, they would be the General's Mansion holding military power, and the outcome would naturally be different.
But the current Yang family was still bearing the crime. And for ordinary people, they didn't understand the situation or the foresight. Throwing money was the most direct and effective method.
If Yang Xu had gone to a declining official family or a scholarly family instead of the Zhao family, he would have succeeded. Zhan Feiyu's act of throwing money would have definitely resulted in her being kicked out.
During the belated lunch, Zhan Feiyu ate with great relish. Qiu Zongxi occasionally exchanged a few words of classical Chinese with her. As for the dejected Yang Xu, he finally turned his grief into appetite and finished all the remaining dishes.
Half an hour later, after digesting his meal, Zhan Feiyu went for a nap. Qiu Zongxi then took Yang Xu into the study. "Knowing when to stop leads to determination; determination leads to tranquility; tranquility leads to peace; peace leads to contemplation; contemplation leads to attainment."
Yang Xu listened, completely bewildered. He tried to recall, and it seemed to be a sentence from "The Great Learning."
He himself was being foolish, treating this blockhead like a clever little girl. Qiu Zongxi, with a stern face, showed no guilt. "As the art of war says: Plan before you act; knowing when to stop leads to attainment."
"Grandpa Qiu, I know I was wrong." As soon as Yang Xu heard the word "art of war," he immediately perked up. He shouldn't have rashly gone to their door without understanding the Zhao family. Not fighting unprepared battles is the way to be invincible.
Qiu Zongxi's stern expression finally softened. "Xu'er, impulsiveness and anger are great taboos in warfare. The hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Longyou Dao will be under your command in the future. Once you misjudge a military situation, you will be burying millions of soldiers' lives."
In the past, no matter how much Old General Yang and Yang Shoucheng taught him, it was not as effective as personal experience. Qiu Zongxi suddenly understood why Scholar Gu had arranged for Zhan Feiyu to travel. It was precisely as the saying goes: "What is learned on paper is ultimately shallow; to truly understand it, one must practice it."
With the Zhao family as an example, Yang Xu no longer rushed to Aozicun to find the Qu family. Instead, he sent people to scout the Qu family's situation in the village first.
He also sent people to monitor Constable Luo's every move. To ensure the safety of the bun seller, he sent people to the prison.
...
Unlike Scholar Gu's pleasant and enlightening teaching, Qiu Zongxi was definitely a strict teacher. When he yelled, even the gatekeepers of the Qiu mansion could hear him.
Two days passed in a flash. Zhan Feiyu, who was being taught, felt both pain and pleasure.
Qiu Zongxi had traveled almost all over the mountains and rivers of the Great Qing Dynasty. His knowledge was profound, and his insights were unique, making Zhan Feiyu listen with rapt attention. Of course, her calligraphy practice and poetry were also criticized as worthless. Every time she was scolded severely, it was because Zhan Feiyu was thick-skinned and didn't care. Any other young girl would have probably burst into tears.
During a break, Zhan Feiyu looked at the letter in her hand with surprise. This was a family letter from the Qiu family. Was it really okay to let an outsider like her read it?
"You're not old, but you have a lot of thoughts. Just read it if I tell you to!" Qiu Zongxi still had that disgusted tone as he picked up his teacup and drank water.
After a few days of teaching Zhan Feiyu, he also realized that the little girl was thoughtful and meticulous in everything, unlike a nine-year-old. Even officials who had just entered the court might not be as cautious as her.
The Qiu family had a significant background, otherwise, the prefect of Weizhou would not have shown such respect to Qiu Zongxi and sent festival gifts to his mansion every year. The letter in Zhan Feiyu's hand was from Qianzhong Circuit, thousands of miles away.
"Although the third branch is a collateral branch, it has produced four scholars, three *juren* and one *xiucai* in one generation." Qiu Zongxi had a high seniority in the Qiu family, but his unrestrained and violent nature was not suitable for being an official, nor was it suitable for teaching the younger generation of the clan. Therefore, Qiu Zongxi had not returned to the Qiu family for many years.