Chapter 84: The Rarely Seen Waste
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**Chapter 84: The Rarely Seen Waste**
“Has Da Lang not returned?”
A relative of similar age to Cui Xiang frowned and asked.
An elderly man with white hair sneered, “Da Lang has been busy with matters from the Xuanzhe Prefecture. Since returning to the capital, he has rarely been seen in the manor. It’s only a small birthday banquet today; it’s normal for him not to be able to come.”
Cui Lang felt a chill run down his spine.
When it came to sarcasm, the Cui family had always been exceptionally talented.
Sitting beside his father, Cui Ju, Cui Xiang's expression darkened even further upon hearing these words—he not only couldn’t control his eldest son but was also about to lose face at his own birthday banquet because of this rebellious son!
Thinking of this, Cui Xiang furrowed his brow and looked at his second son.
Meanwhile, on the ladies' side, Lu Shi shot a glare at her son.
Cui Lang felt like crying inwardly—he didn’t care much whether his elder brother returned, but his mother had asked him to gauge his brother's intentions, and his brother had clearly promised to return today at Dayun Temple.
So, he conveyed that message to his parents… no, he meant to communicate!
But now that he had already said it, his elder brother was nowhere to be seen—if his brother didn’t show up today, he could easily imagine he would be the first to suffer the consequences!
He was probably going to get beaten with a stick while being held down on a bench!
Thinking of this, Cui Lang felt a dull ache in his backside.
The head of the family, Cui Ju, maintained a stern expression, showing no signs of emotion. He simply glanced at the time and said calmly, “Let’s all take our seats.”
His voice quieted the room, and everyone bowed in response, taking their seats.
At that moment, a servant entered the hall and bowed, “Report to the head of the family: Da Lang has returned.”
Cui Ju nodded, “Let him in.”
Cui Lang’s eyes brightened, and he quickly turned to greet him at the door, “Elder brother has returned!”
Great! He had saved his backside!
The relatives on both sides of the hall turned to look at the figure entering.
The young man wore a blue robe, a jade crown, and was not clad in armor nor wore a sword. In this setting, it seemed he intentionally concealed his imposing aura. With his naturally handsome appearance, he now exuded a hint of the demeanor typical of a scholar from a noble family.
The more they observed, the more discontent they felt in their hearts.
Who would have thought that beneath this seemingly perfect exterior lay a mind so rebellious?
Since childhood, Da Lang had shown extraordinary talent, and his capabilities had been evident early on. He was supposed to be the focus of admiration among the relatives, but then, as if possessed, he suddenly acted in defiance, ignoring all advice and stubbornly refusing to turn back.
Who among the family didn’t secretly say that if Da Lang had followed the family’s arrangements and entered officialdom through literature, his talent would not be inferior to that of the renowned Tenth Young Master Wei, who had achieved three top honors? With the Cui family as his backing, given time, there would be no one like him in the court!
But instead…
Everyone sighed inwardly.
What a waste of such talent; couldn’t he give others in need a chance?
Every time the relatives saw Cui Jing, their frustration and disappointment would surge to the point where they didn’t even want to eat or drink; they were full of anger instead.
Cui Lang looked at the long brocade box in Cui Yuanxiang’s hands and curiously asked, “This must be the birthday gift elder brother prepared for father, right?”
Cui Jing had just finished bowing and nodded at this moment, “Indeed.”
“Quick, give it to me!” Perhaps because he had narrowly escaped a beating, Cui Lang was unusually eager at this moment. He received the brocade box from Cui Yuanxiang with sparkling eyes and said, “Let me see what brother prepared as a gift for father—”
As he spoke, with the help of a servant, he opened the brocade box and took out the contents.
Inside, a scroll tied with a satin ribbon was revealed. Cui Lang untied it, unfurling it to find a landscape painting filled with lush greens. As he focused, his eyes lit up, “It’s actually a painting by Zhan Ziqian!”
“A painting by Zhan Ziqian is hard to come by; it’s father’s favorite. No wonder elder brother prepared it early as a gift. It seems he put in so much thought!” Cui Lang sighed, “Now, it makes my and Ah Tang’s gift seem too perfunctory and unworthy. Ah Tang, don’t you think so?”
Cui Tang: “…”
She didn’t care about her own, which was indeed lackluster, but why drag her into this?
Yet, due to the atmosphere, she also nodded.
Cui Ju’s face showed a faint smile as he nodded in approval, “Ling An indeed put in effort.”
Cui Xiang’s expression gradually eased.
Cui Lang had brought the painting to his side, “Father, take a look!”
Cui Xiang disapprovingly glanced at his overly lively second son, but his hands honestly took the painting.
At first glance, there was a slight look of joy—
“This is the famous Zhan Ziqian’s Spring Outing painting…” Cui Lang exclaimed, “It truly lives up to its renown as the pioneer of golden-green landscape painting.”
The scroll depicted lush green mountains, shimmering waters, and a scholar riding a horse along a winding mountain path. In the center of the painting, there was a scene of a lady boating during a spring outing—
Cui Xiang’s gaze was fixed on the lady in the boat.
His fingers tightened around the edges of the scroll.
After a moment, he raised his eyes and fixed them on Cui Jing, speaking slowly, “This painting is indeed hard to find; it shows you have put in considerable thought.”
Cui Lang felt somewhat puzzled—why did he feel that his father’s words didn’t sound like a compliment?
Could it be that his father was just being sarcastic as usual and couldn’t hold it back?
After all, he really couldn’t think of any flaws in this precious and thoughtful gift from his elder brother.
Cui Ju said, “Ling An, take a seat.”
“Yes.” Cui Jing stepped forward and sat down in an empty seat.
Soon, a maid entered, carrying a red lacquer tray filled with delicacies and fine wine.
As the elegant music began, everyone raised their glasses.
After a few rounds of drinks, perhaps because Cui Jing’s painting had invoked a bit of the awareness of being a filial son, the relatives were somewhat reluctantly comforted, and discussions about Cui Jing began at the banquet—
“Now is a time of many issues; the clan needs someone to manage various affairs… Da Lang should learn to manage the clan.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“Furthermore, Da Lang’s marriage cannot be delayed any longer—”
Hearing these words, Cui Jing remained noncommittal.
He did not respond or refute; today was his father's birthday banquet, and although he had his own opinions, there was no need to express them at all times—that was something he did in his youth.
Now, when he couldn't avoid it, he would just quietly listen.
But no one could change his steadfastness.
Watching his silent grandson, who was increasingly like a silent mountain, with deep and tranquil waters flowing silently, Cui Ju couldn't help but sigh at the changes in him over the years, where composure and stubbornness grew together.
After the banquet, Cui Ju called Cui Jing to the study.
Cui Ju instructed someone to set up a chessboard, and the grandfather and grandson quietly played chess without speaking.
After one game, Cui Jing said, “Grandson lost.”
“It seems I've grown old,” Cui Ju smiled, looking at the chessboard's layout. “I actually have to rely on you, a junior, to intentionally concede to amuse this old man.”
Cui Jing replied, “Grandson cannot hide anything from grandfather, which shows grandfather is not old.”
Cui Ju shook his head, a tone of helplessness in his voice. “If only your actions could be as accommodating and compromising as this game of chess…”
He didn’t finish his sentence.
Cui Jing lowered his gaze, “It is grandson who has disappointed grandfather.”
Cui Ju shook his head again.
The old man looked at the outstanding young man under the lamp, and in a gentle voice said, “It’s reasonable to feel resentment and inevitable to feel disappointment, but despite that, grandfather has never felt disappointed in you.”
Cui Jing was momentarily taken aback.
Cui Ju continued, “Regarding the return of military authority, since you have your own considerations, grandfather will no longer press you.”
“Grandfather—” Cui Jing was somewhat surprised but also somewhat apprehensive. “Does grandfather have a different plan now?”
“The situation is already set, so what is there to discuss?” Cui Ju looked toward the round bright moon outside, his tone steady as a tree that remains unmoved in a storm. “As for the disaster of the Pei family, was it because they didn’t know how to adapt or make alternative plans? The so-called deep-rooted tree seems solid but has places that cannot be easily exchanged. The struggle between the aristocracy and the holy Emperor is unavoidable, with one side winning and the other perishing.”
He said, “The Cui family has experienced hundreds of years of storms and seen the rise and fall of many emperors… In these hundreds of years, the Cui family has stood firm and passed down through generations, never having lost.”
He possessed the pride of a clan leader, yet his eyes, already showing signs of aging, remained clear: “Because we have never lost, accustomed to winning, many people inevitably think there is no possibility of losing—your father is one of them.”
“But after hundreds of years of brilliance, it sounds long-lasting and seems firm. Yet when viewed over thousands of years, it is merely a grain of sand in the vast ocean, just a speck of dust…”
Cui Ju finally said, “All things in the world have their times of glory and decay.”
His tone was clear and steady, lacking any sigh, yet every word seemed to carry a sigh.
Cui Jing, who had been quietly listening, then said, “Though glory and decay have their own determinations, even if wildfires sweep through the fields, burning everything, if we can preserve the roots, we may have a chance to return in the coming spring.”
Cui Ju looked at his grandson and slowly nodded.
“Then let’s play another round, and let grandfather see if you have made any progress now…”
The candlelight flickered, and the shadows in the room wove and shifted as the grandfather and grandson sat facing each other across the chessboard, with black and white pieces scattered.
…
After Cui Jing came out of Cui Ju's study, he had just walked a few steps when a steward approached him. “Young master, the lord wishes to speak with you.”
…
At the same moment, several female relatives of the clan who had followed Lu Shi into the room after the banquet were also discussing Cui Jing’s marriage.
“My maternal family’s niece has reached marriageable age, and my elder sister-in-law has seen her…”
Seeing Lu Shi cover her mouth and yawn nonchalantly, one of the women said, “Da Lang has only just returned to the capital after two years. To say something unpleasant, if there are battles again, who knows how long he will be away from home? This marriage really cannot be delayed any longer; my elder sister-in-law should take it to heart and hurry up.”
“Third sister-in-law, you speak as if I am unwilling to pay attention to Da Lang!”
Lu Shi, who had just been yawning, suddenly reddened her eyes and bitterly smiled. “Indeed, being a stepmother isn’t easy, as my mother did not deceive me… But who told me I’m unfortunate? At that time, I was the only one among the clan’s sisters who wasn’t married. Although I don’t think I’m as capable as my younger sisters in managing clan affairs, I’ve done my best over the years. Why, in the end, do I still get the reputation of being uncaring?”
As she spoke, tears fell down her cheeks.
She was Cui Xiang’s wife; although she was a second wife, she was still a proper matriarch of the clan. Seeing her like this, the wife of the Cui family’s third branch became somewhat flustered. “It’s all my fault for being concerned and saying foolish words, which led my elder sister-in-law to misunderstand!”
“Indeed, elder sister-in-law has been working hard for the clan over the years; we all see it…”
Cui Tang, sitting in the inner chamber, heard the comforting voices outside and couldn’t help but sigh—now, who would care about the marriage of her eldest brother?
Seeing Lu Shi finally stop crying, two women who had been speaking until they were parched quickly took their leave.
Now, only the wife of the Cui family’s second branch remained.
Her approach was somewhat different from the previous two: “Da Lang has always been obstinate; if he is overly managed, it only makes him resentful. Just let him be.”
Though she called Lu Shi “elder sister-in-law,” she had entered the household several years earlier than Lu Shi and was older than her.
At this moment, she spoke with veiled suggestions, “Da Lang doesn’t understand; he isn’t favored by the clan head… But since the clan head is getting older and has been considering passing on the position of clan head to the next generation, it will soon be time to select a new clan leader. Since Da Lang is not ambitious, elder sister-in-law, you should be concerned for the clan. If you have to make other plans, that is also necessary.”
Lu Shi was taken aback. “But… if the position of clan leader doesn’t pass to Da Lang, who else can it go to?”
Hearing her words as if there were no other options, the second wife was also startled, almost exclaiming, “Don’t you have a son?”
She could only clarify further: “According to clan rules, if Da Lang doesn’t succeed, it would naturally fall to the second son…”
Lu Shi was astonished. “How could this be? Da Lang is just a bit stubborn; his talents and abilities are still recognized by the clan!”
The second wife lowered her voice, “But the clan head does not favor Da Lang… Just the fact that he is unfilial is enough to crush him.”
Lu Shi covered her mouth. “Sister-in-law’s meaning is for me to sow discord between them?”
The second wife trembled slightly. “I absolutely do not mean that!”
Lu Shi suddenly seemed to think of something and gasped in disbelief, “Crush him… dead… Sister-in-law can’t possibly be hinting for me to harm Da Lang, right?”
The second wife could no longer remain seated, springing up abruptly. “Elder sister-in-law, what are you talking about? If this spreads, how can I live?”
Why not just think about it by yourself? Why bring it up in conversation?
Heavens, how did the Lu family raise such an unconventional fool!
Realizing that this path not only wouldn’t work but was also dangerous, the second wife could no longer stay, hurriedly finding an excuse to leave in a panic.
Cui Tang then came out from the inner chamber.
“Mother, have you sent them all away?”
Lu Shi sipped a bit of tea to moisten her throat and waved her hand for her daughter to come over and massage her shoulders.
“Your second aunt wants to use me as a knife… If we lose your elder brother in the first house and only have your second brother, such a once-in-a-lifetime waste, wouldn’t all the benefits go to the second branch? She’s counting on sitting back and benefiting, and her calculations are rather clever.”
Cui Tang felt her lips twitch in response, relieved that her second brother wasn’t present; otherwise, he would surely cry out loud.
“Your elder brother may seem unsociable, but he’s not a bad person at heart. No matter how much your father makes a fuss, as long as the three of us stay quietly, no matter what happens in the future, I believe your elder brother will protect us.” Mentioning this, Lu Shi felt quite gratified and sighed, “Having a son like your elder brother, your father has truly not lived in vain.”
Over the years, she had been reflecting that her husband’s usefulness was mostly exhausted when he gave birth to his eldest son.
Cui Tang was silent for a moment. “Mother, has anyone else come to bother you?”
“Those women from the clan, they are all like eagles and wolves, circling around with concealed intentions. Only the second sister-in-law seems quite worried and expects me to help drive out the first house… How could I do that?”
She also sighed, “I’ve learned how to endure; what’s wrong with it? I just want to live a peaceful life in the Cui family and have a son; why must they all be at odds with each other?”
Cui Tang was suddenly enlightened. “In that case, mother, what do you think we should do?”
Lu Shi was just about to answer when a voice suddenly came from outside: “Madam, young master Cui Jing is here to see you.”
Cui Tang couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, why is eldest son here?”
“Let him in,” Lu Shi said and raised her eyebrows, her heart filled with expectations as she straightened her posture.
The eldest Son must have something good to say.
.......
At this moment, Cui Xiang was watching his eldest son, who had just entered and greeted him.
With no one else in the study, the calmness he had shown at the birthday banquet was gone, leaving only a cold expression on his face.
As Cui Jing bowed to pay his respects, he noticed the scroll that had been thrown on the floor—it was none other than the spring outing painting he had brought as a gift for the birthday celebration.
Cui Jing quietly stared at it for a moment without asking why.
He had grown accustomed to silence in front of his father, or rather, he could only remain silent.
Seeing him silent, Cui Xiang let out a cold laugh and said in a deep voice, "It seems you know full well... you did this on purpose!"
Cui Xiang pointed at the painting lying on the ground, expressing his anger—
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Yow she's not that bad, I misunderstood her, now I have a full picture of what really the reasons why Cui Jing has a unpleasant childhood
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