Tang Chen: Starting from the Xuanwu Gate Incident

Chapter 58 I Too Will Become a Noble Family

Confidence is contagious. Shen Ce's loud laughter pierced through the roof and through the Cui family members in Chengde Hall.

Cui Hongdu was also infected by Shen Ce's confidence. Of course, it wasn't entirely due to him. Cui also had a clear understanding of this Jieli. He seemed unrestrained and bold, but in reality, he was cowardly as a mouse.

He then held up four fingers and laughed, "If the court grants us forty official positions, and the other powerful families in Shandong are appeased by my Cui family of Boling, we will deliver the secret letters from each family head to the chief envoy, how about that?"

After some internal deliberation, Wei Zheng reasoned that if each of the four families—Cui, Lu, Zheng, and Wang—were given fewer than eight official positions, the Cui family of Boling would be able to secure the majority of the positions, and their efforts would not have been in vain.

After thinking it over, he stood up, bowed, and said, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Lord Cui."

Perhaps because he had drunk too much, Shen Ce was also sent to Cui's guest room by Wei Zheng under the pretext of being drunk.

Since he was drunk, he should at least act like one. Shen Ce covered himself with the blanket and went to sleep.

When she opened her eyes, she didn't see Cui's beautiful maid, but rather Wen Wuyin, this elegant young master.

Shen Ce quickly lifted the blanket, checked that his clothes were intact, tucked the blanket back in, and scrambled into the bed. Then, with a wary look, he asked, "What are you doing in my room? What have you been doing?"

Wen Wuyin looked disgusted, fanned himself, and frowned, saying, "You haven't washed for seven days, and you don't even bother to scent your clothes. Someone like you, even a servant in my house, is not allowed to come within three zhang of me."

Shen Ce rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Who told you to come?"

"I just want to ask, why were you so aggressive yesterday!"

Seeing that he had no intention of asking about the secret conversation last night, Shen Ce remained silent.

"You didn't see it, but after the banquet at Qinghui Hall yesterday, all the so-called talents of the Cui family in the hall had long faces and were no longer as arrogant as before."

Shen Ce couldn't stand strange talk. What did he mean by "so fierce"? He gave him a few perfunctory words and sent him away.

I touched the top of my head. After days of running around, not to mention the lice in my hair, it was so greasy it could fry a dish. I really needed to take a shower.

Fortunately, yesterday's turmoil ended at Qinghui Hall, and Cui did not criticize the delegation for their reception.

As soon as the door opened, a beautiful maid stood outside and said softly, "What are your orders, young master?"

Having been deprived of sex for so long, he couldn't bear to hear this and quickly waved his hand, telling him to prepare a bath sponge and bath powder, and also to get some combs and hairpins.

Before he could take off his clothes, he quickly warned him that he could not come in without permission.

It's good to be from a prestigious family; the wooden tub, which was half a meter wide, was very spacious and bright, and there was even a low stool inside. Shen Ce sat down and picked up the flower petals floating on the water.

Shen Ce submerged himself in the water, carefully recalling the events of the past few months. He realized that he had been pushed along step by step, from Xuanwu Gate to the registrar, and then to the pacification of Shandong, without any pause or any right to make his own decisions. If he failed in any one of these tasks, he would lose his head.

Look at those aristocratic families, they not only managed to win over both sides, but the imperial family also had to appease and coax them. Although Huang Chao later settled accounts according to the family genealogy, that was a hundred years later. They had enjoyed their blessings and committed their sins, so they had to die when they deserved to.

Shen Ce suddenly stood up, lost in thought. Perhaps I could also establish a prestigious family... I just need to live a little longer.

He only summoned his maid when it was time to change his clothes. During this time, Shen Ce asked curiously, "Can you read?"

Cui Yunjiu lowered her head: "This servant doesn't need to know how to read. Only the servants who are responsible for serving the master and mistress need to be literate."

It seems that even in the oldest and most prestigious families, the spirit of learning doesn't extend to the servants. Although Shen Ce wasn't interested in her, he thought he could find a similar maid when he got back, so he asked, "How much is your monthly salary?"

"This maid is a household slave, she doesn't need money."

"A domesticated slave?" Shen Ce frowned immediately. The term was too unfamiliar to him, and he didn't react for a moment.

Seeing Shen Ce's confusion, Cui Yunjiu involuntarily lowered her body and continued, "From this servant forward, for six generations, we have all been servants of the Cui family. We have lived and died here, so we don't need to spend any money."

After he finished dressing, he asked Wen Wuyin the same question again. Wen Wuyin replied nonchalantly, "The Cui family has a much longer history; my family has only been around for three generations at most."

Wen Wuyin didn't think there was anything wrong with this; it was only natural. He even felt that they had given the servants a way to survive, otherwise, in a year of famine, the whole family would have met their demise long ago.

Shen Ce nodded, trying to understand. Perhaps what they said was true; the news had a significant impact on him at the time.

Now that I'm awake, I must go find Wei Zheng and see how things are going with the selection of a concubine for His Majesty.

A large family is a large family; everything is based on the interests of the family. Let alone the face of the family members in the hall yesterday, if their interests are affected, they are willing to give up their lives.

Hearing Wei Zheng's explanation, Shen Ce, who was standing under the pavilion, was immediately relieved and asked, "Have you discussed...?"

Wei Zheng glanced at him and said irritably, "How dare you see an unmarried woman?"

Shen Ce scratched his head awkwardly: "What was the result?"

Wei Zheng glanced at the fishpond beside the pavilion, leisurely tossing in the bait until the fish had all dispersed. Only then did he say to Shen Ce, "This morning, I sent Yan Liben to paint portraits. He can paint portraits of the concubines in the harem, so naturally he can paint portraits of the women of the Cui family as well. As for you..."

"Don't bother with that; I won't even let you see the portrait."

Thinking of this, Shen Ce nodded with a sense of pride and muttered to himself, "He has some of my skills in handling things."

Wei Zheng took out a round fan, ready to hit him on the head, but hesitated for a moment and couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Were you speaking on behalf of the court or on my behalf when you said those words at Qinghui Hall yesterday?"

Shen Ce straightened up and stood opposite Wei Zheng, saying frankly, "To be honest, Lord Wei, I have both."

Wei Zheng nodded with a smile and lowered his voice, "Young man, are you married?"

The question came as a surprise, startling Shen Ce. He was already twenty-one years old and had spent the past few years fighting on the battlefield. Now that he had become a civil official, it was time to find a beautiful young woman in her late twenties.

But seeing the smile on Wei Zheng's face, he still said warily, "This humble official will not marry a woman of the Gao family, otherwise what difference would there be between that and marrying a princess?"

"Hey, what a pipe dream. Don't think that a high-ranking family would even look at you. They would rather marry their eldest daughter to a low-ranking official from a powerful family than give you a second glance."

Shen Ce was unwilling to discuss the matter further. He needed to find a lady from a respectable family, preferably from a wealthy family but not bound by its constraints, so that he could have both face and substance.

He aspired to be a member of a prominent family; if he were a commoner from a humble background, he would certainly not be able to support a large clan.