PFC Chapter 94 The Spirit of the Scholar
Chapter 94 The Spirit of the Scholar
Everyone enjoyed the meal together. Jia Hu was undoubtedly the darling of the group. He didn't have to pick up the food himself; his maternal grandfather, maternal uncle, and even his younger cousin would come to feed him.
In stark contrast to Jia Hu, Jia She had no status in his wife's family, yet he was still happy, thinking how lucky he was to have a son. Before, he hadn't even received this kind of treatment.
Jia Hu also met his little cousin, who was so cute and couldn't talk yet. Jia Hu watched his little cousin blow bubbles and play by himself. He touched his little cousin's face and gave him the little rabbit jade pendant he was wearing.
After the meal, Zhang and her sister-in-law Sun went off to have a private chat.
Jia Hu came today with another mission. He wanted to see if his maternal grandfather's family could escape the Crown Prince's clutches. Although it seemed unlikely, he hoped his grandfather might have a backup plan, since his family's fate had been too tragic!
Jia Hu pondered how to begin.
[What should I say?! Should I just say the Crown Prince will be deposed, and that you should run, or you'll get dealt with by him first?]
The Zhang family was still shocked when they heard the news again, let alone Jia She.
Jia She was shocked. If the crown prince were to be deposed, what would happen to his in-laws?
Zhang Heming sighed inwardly. Ever since he learned that the Crown Prince would be deposed, he and his son had spent a long time discussing the reasons why the Crown Prince would be deposed.
However, the Crown Prince is upright and magnanimous, resourceful and not weak, knows how to use people well, and is highly valued by the Emperor. He can be said to be perfect in every way.
They couldn't fathom why the crown prince would be deposed.
It seems we can only wait and see what Hu'er reveals.
Jia Hu hesitated for a moment before speaking:
"Grandfather, you are the Crown Prince's teacher. What kind of person is the Crown Prince?"
Zhang Heming quickly smiled and said, "Hu'er, are you very curious about the Crown Prince?"
Jia Hu was somewhat nervous.
"Hmm, can't I talk about these things with my maternal grandfather?"
Zhang Heming laughed and said:
"What's wrong with saying this? The Crown Prince is a magnanimous and upright person..."
Next, Jia Hu fully realized how powerful a scholar's praise of a person could be.
It felt like I was listening to a piece of literature; the way they praised me was amazing.
Jia Hu wanted to applaud his maternal grandfather, but hearing his grandfather's praise of the crown prince, he realized that it was unlikely he could persuade his grandfather to change ships.
Jia Hu sighed.
[The Crown Prince is so perfect, yet he'll still be deposed eventually. Being too perfect, demanding too much of himself, coupled with his brothers' troublemaking and his father's refusal to relinquish power, gradually leads to self-doubt. The pressure is immense, driving the child to the brink of madness! The Emperor has become somewhat abnormal, driving the Crown Prince insane, and now he regrets it, but it's too late.]
Everyone was surprised to find out that this was the case. Zhang Heming also felt frustrated. The emperor did not like his sons sharing power, and the crown prince never overstepped the boundaries and had always done a good job.
As the emperor grew older, and he still didn't relinquish power, the other princes began to have other ideas. The emperor was also a suspicious man, so it was really difficult to handle.
Zhang Zhiyuan laughed:
"Hu'er, you are too young to understand these things. The Crown Prince is good at recognizing and using people, and he also respects your maternal grandfather very much."
Jia Zhu nodded with a smile on her face, but inwardly she was cursing wildly.
It was a good thing, but in the end the crown prince was deposed. My maternal grandfather's family did everything they could to help him, but in the end they were implicated. My maternal grandfather was imprisoned, fell ill, and did not survive.
My eldest uncle was also falsely accused and slandered by the princes. His whole family was sentenced to exile. My younger cousin, aunt, and younger cousin were not mentioned, but their fate was certainly not good either.
Even my second uncle's family, who lived far from the capital, all perished tragically. It's said they were attacked by bandits on their way to the capital, and none survived.
Jia Hu felt terrible. He truly loved his maternal grandparents' family, but just thinking about this made his heart ache.
Those inside the room were heartbroken upon hearing this. Zhang Heming knew that with the Crown Prince's fall, his family would not have a good end, but he never expected it to be so tragic. His chest ached and his throat itched, so he quickly turned around, covered his mouth with a handkerchief, and coughed up blood.
Jia She was shocked by the fate of his in-laws, and wondered what his own family had been doing at the time, and whether they had helped his in-laws.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiyuan looked at his son and was speechless. Had his family, who were loyal to the emperor and loved their country, and were upright and honest, ended up like this?
Zhang Shiyan, who had been studying with the Crown Prince's son, already knew a great deal. Looking at his grandfather and father, he was completely numb, feeling as if it were all an illusion.
Zhang Heming hid the handkerchief in his pocket, looked at the bewildered children, and still managed a forced smile.
"Hu'er, what are your thoughts on the Crown Prince?"
Jia Hu was preoccupied with how to persuade them and didn't notice anything amiss with everyone.
Hearing his maternal grandfather ask this, he quickly replied:
"Hu'er, you haven't met the Crown Prince and don't know him, so you can't speak carelessly. But I've heard my grandfather and great-uncle say at home that we shouldn't get involved in the princes' affairs, so I'm curious if my maternal grandfather will always be with the Crown Prince?"
Zhang Heming said more seriously:
"A person should be loyal to one's principles. Once you have chosen to be loyal, you cannot break your promise. If you change your mind depending on the wind, wouldn't that be the behavior of a petty person?"
Jia Hu was somewhat anxious; scholars truly valued integrity more than life itself.
"But what if one day the person you serve gets into trouble, and you are severely implicated, and your family is also affected? Would you still be willing to accept that?"
Zhang Zhiyuan already knew his father's thoughts, and sure enough, Zhang Heming smiled and said:
"A gentleman will die for his friend!"
Jia Hu became anxious.
"But what about your family members? They are innocent!"
Zhang Heming laughed freely.
"Everyone has their own ideals and ambitions, and I will make arrangements for my family's future in advance."
This was exactly what Zhang Zhiyuan thought: if his father backed down because he had a premonition, then he wouldn't be his father.
Jia Hu was at his wit's end. He was almost ready to speak up, but his maternal grandfather also had his own principles.
Zhang Heming came over, patted Jia Hu's head, and smiled:
"Hu'er, you've grown up and become more sensible, but you must know that not everything can be perfect. If you want something, you have to be able to take risks. Things in this world are not that simple."
Jia Hu knew this, of course, but he couldn't just watch his maternal grandfather's family sink with the Crown Prince.
Jia Hu thought it over and over,
Since his maternal grandfather's family can't get off the ship, then the ship can't be allowed to sink; the crown prince must ascend the throne!
Zhang Heming was even more pleased with Jia Hu's domineering speech; he really liked his grandson.
The others were also shaken and made up their minds. They were ready to go all in and see who would emerge victorious in the end!
Jia Hu thought for a moment and said, "Grandfather, I'm so curious. I wish I could meet the Crown Prince."
[Let's meet him first and see if this prince is up to the task. Even if we want to save him, we need to consider whether this ship is a giant ocean liner or a small raft!]