novelSusiti Chapter 167 Gift of Offerings!
Chapter 167 Gift of Offerings!
Chapter 169 Gift of Offerings!
Seeing that Liu Hong had made his decision, Liu Yuanqi remained silent, but uttered his own selfish thought: "Master, since Xuande is willing to become Lu Gong's disciple, I wonder if my good-for-nothing son of mine could also give it a try?"
Liu Yuanqi said somewhat embarrassedly, "For the sake of the entire family."
He was full of energy, but for the sake of his lineage, Liu Yuanqi was ultimately an honest man.
"Ha ha ha ha."
Liu Hong immediately smiled broadly, "Zong Ran is a good boy. It's settled, on the wedding day."
The two brothers became apprentices together.
Now you can rest assured, Yuanqi.
You and your son are both exemplary members of the Liu family in Youzhou. Given such benefits, it's natural to prioritize your own family first.
Liu Hong patted Liu Yuanqi on the shoulder and spoke again, "Besides, you and I are brothers, so there's no need for formalities. I don't trust many people in the entire Liu family, but no matter what, you, Liu Yuanqi, are definitely one of them."
Liu Hong spoke these words openly and honestly, which immediately filled Liu Yuanqi with gratitude.
"Thank you for your trust, Patriarch. I, Liu Yuanqi, will never let you down."
Liu Yuanqi clasped his hands and bowed respectfully, but his attitude seemed a little too solemn, making Liu Hong touch his nose, feeling somewhat guilty.
After all, he was just saying it casually, and he really didn't intend to be so sentimental.
Liu Hong waved his hand, and Liu Yuanqi also stepped down first.
However, once Liu Yuanqi spread the word, it quickly spread throughout the entire mansion.
Liu Bei and Liu Zongran were two cousins.
It had been a long time since they had a proper meeting and get to know each other. Now that they were finally seeing each other, they should have a good chat. However, as soon as they returned from outside, they saw all the servants in the mansion congratulating them.
"Young Master Xuande, Young Master Zongran, this is a joyous occasion! Congratulations to both of you young masters!"
"What's the source of this joy?"
Liu Bei asked, puzzled, while Liu Zongran frowned even more deeply.
Compared to Liu Bei.
He wasn't exactly known for his good temper. If any servant dared to mess with him, he would make sure they learned the Liu family's rules and methods.
Upon seeing this, the servants immediately relayed all the news that had spread throughout the mansion.
"To become Master Lu's disciple?"
Liu Zongran's pupils contracted, and he was stunned for a moment. Then, a look of great joy appeared on his face. He clenched his fists and couldn't stop smiling.
"Xuande, it turns out that even I have been able to become Lord Lu's disciple? How could this be?"
Liu Zongran found it hard to believe.
Liu Bei becoming Lu Zhi's disciple was only natural for him, as he was the young master of the Liu clan in Youzhou. Although Liu Zongran had thought of this before, he would never dare to hope for it.
The gap between the young master and him, a member of the clan, was as vast as an insurmountable chasm, and Liu Zongran was well aware of his own limitations.
"What's wrong?"
Liu Bei, however, didn't seem to care at all. He smiled slightly and said, "Brother Zongran, when you were studying under Master Lu, your attitude was much more serious than that of a dissolute like me. It's only natural that Master Lu prefers you now. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"Xuande, you are taking your blessings for granted."
Liu Zongran rolled his eyes at him, and Liu Bei smiled slightly.
How could he not know? He was just trying to appease his cousin.
"Alright, Xuande, I won't say any more. Right now, we need to go back and prepare a decent gift for your return. We should also find out what Lord Lu likes and dislikes, and make sure we can please him."
Liu Zongran spoke in succession, which also reminded Liu Bei.
"A gift of tuition? I really should prepare one myself."
Other scions of prominent families would have simply handed the matter over to their stewards, but Liu Bei and Liu Zongran had a very deep impression of Lu Zhi.
In addition, he has not yet picked up the bad habits of scions of noble families, so he is willing to do these things himself.
However, Liu Bei went directly to Liu Hong and asked, "Father, what do you think I should send?"
Inside this study.
Liu Bei came prepared and humbly sought advice from those of lower status.
Forced into a corner, and urged on by his wife Wu, Liu Hong had no choice but to temporarily put aside his official duties and look at the mother and son.
Just as Liu Hong was about to say something, Madam Wu spoke first: "This is a very important matter for Xuande right now, and we cannot afford to take it lightly, my husband."
"Okay, okay."
Liu Hong readily agreed.
He usually neglected Wu, so Liu Hong would generally give in to her.
"What do you wish to give as a gift? And have you inquired about Duke Lu's usual preferences?"
"Jade artifacts, as well as books and scriptures."
Liu Bei spoke immediately, which shows that he had his own sincerity and was not just asking about Liu Hong, his father, without any real intention of getting something for nothing.
"That's not bad."
Liu Hong nodded, "Then pick one or two good pieces from the jade artifacts, and see if there are any rare or unique books. You can ask your Third Sister about this."
She is most knowledgeable about this matter, and she had many interactions with Lord Lu back in the imperial city of Luoyang, making her the most suitable candidate.
Liu Hong slowly explained, and Liu Bei thought about it carefully and agreed.
My father is busy with politics and official duties. Giving gifts is probably not his forte. Although he is learned, he still lacks a little bit of refinement.
Upon closer reflection, he is indeed not a suitable candidate.
Liu Bei always used people based on their abilities. After speaking, he casually waved his hand, turned around, and left, leaving Liu Hong both amused and exasperated. He complained to Wu Shi beside him, "I think when we get old, we won't be able to count on this child anymore."
Wu rolled her eyes at him, her face still beautiful. Although she was getting on in years, her plump, womanly figure and charm had only become more pronounced.
Young people don't know the value of married women and mistakenly take young girls for treasures.
These descriptions are perhaps the best praise for Wu.
Every movement, every smile, was perfectly natural and captivating.
"As parents, we should plan far ahead for our children. My husband doesn't usually think about these things."
"Okay, okay."
Liu Hong had no choice but to agree and let Wu go.
Before long, some of Liu Bei's companions went with him to Cai Dan to seek his advice.
After all, Cai Dan was the most learned and talented person among the women of the household. Even Cui Dan, the famous tutor of the Liu family's Zhaoxian Pavilion and the right-hand man of Liu Hong, had said in public that he was inferior to the talented Cai Dan in terms of scholarship.
This shows that Cai Dan was highly learned and also had a family background in scholarship.
In the study, Cui Dan finally had a place beside Liu Hong.
When Liu Bei and his mother, Lady Wu, arrived, Cui Dan could only hide to the side, unable to even exchange a word.