Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5396: A virtuous wife and a filial son
The 24th day of the twelfth lunar month is the day of the Kitchen God Festival.

Early in the morning, Fang Jun dressed himself neatly, wearing a fox fur cloak and a brocade sable hat. He led dozens of his personal guards out of Chunming Gate, across Ba Bridge, and rode south along the east bank of the Ba River to Lantian, where he waited at the post station for Fang Yizhi and his family to return to the capital.

The postmaster changed the tea several times, and it wasn't until noon that a caravan of carriages finally appeared, winding its way from the Shangyu Road...

Fang Jun did not wait in the post station any longer. Instead, he put on his cloak, walked out and stood by the roadside. When the carriages and horses slowly came to a stop, he quickly stepped forward and bowed to Fang Yizhi, who emerged from the carriage, saying, "Your younger brother is here to welcome you, elder brother. Did you have a safe journey, elder brother?"

Although Fang Yizhi was the elder brother, he dared not be presumptuous in the slightest. He quickly jumped down from the carriage, returned the greeting with a smile, and said, "It's alright, it's just getting colder as we walk, the child is suffering a bit."

Fang Jun walked closer and looked Fang Yizhi up and down. Fang Yizhi had been teaching in Japan for the past two years and had been living a life of luxury. Far from showing any signs of being unaccustomed to the environment, he had actually become much plumper...

"My mother has said it many times: if you dare to treat your child like this, you'll be in for a scolding when you get home!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yizhi's face fell, and he said helplessly, "I'm also afraid that something might happen on the way, but the child has to go home eventually, so what can I do?"

Fang Jun laughed and said, "I don't care about that. Just go and talk to Mother about it. But here's a tip: if you mention your little sister, Mother will probably calm down."

Although he already had a full family of children, Fang Yizhi was the eldest son of the Fang family, and his first son was the eldest grandson of the Fang family, which made his significance completely different.

Fang Yizhi seemed to be deep in thought, racking his brains...

When Fang Jun saw that the carriage curtain was slightly ajar, he quickly stepped forward and saw Madam Du sitting inside the carriage through the gap in the curtain. He bowed and greeted her, "Sister-in-law, how have you been?"

Although Du accompanied Fang Yizhi to Japan, she was well aware of Fang Jun's power and status. She was naturally pleased that such a powerful and influential figure would personally come to greet her from dozens of miles away in the dead of winter without showing the slightest disrespect.

"I'm alright! I'm alright!"

He responded repeatedly, then pulled open the fur coat in his arms, revealing the face of an infant wrapped inside. The infant's bright eyes blinked, looking at Fang Jun with curiosity.

Du urged, "Have you forgotten what I taught you on the way here? Quickly call for help!"

The baby then opened its mouth and said, "Uncle!"

Madam Du scolded, "This child should call him Second Uncle! When we get home, there will be many uncles, and he won't be able to tell them apart!"

Fang Jun casually tossed over a jade pendant he had prepared beforehand and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, don't be impatient. When he gets home and realizes he can't distinguish his uncles either, he'll naturally start calling them! Enough said. It's freezing cold, so don't let the child get cold. Father and Mother are waiting at home. Let's continue our journey and rest when we get home!"

"Okay, okay! Quickly thank your second uncle!"

The baby looked at the jade pendant, wanting to play with it, but both hands were tightly wrapped in fur, so he had no choice but to give up. After hearing his mother's words, he finally uttered a single word: "Thank you!"

Fang Jun was even more amused. What was wrong with him, uttering one word at a time?
Fang Yizhi went back to the carriage, and Fang Jun took the reins from the guard, mounted his horse, and shouted, "Return to the manor!"

"Here!"

Dozens of guards mounted their horses and escorted the carriage northwards, returning to Chang'an.

……

When the eldest son and his family returned home, the Duke of Liang's mansion naturally opened its main gate wide and the entire family came out to welcome them, creating a lively atmosphere throughout the mansion.

Fang Yizhi accompanied Fang Xuanling and Fang Jun to participate in the Kitchen God Festival, which was quite a tiring affair. After dinner, bathing and changing clothes, he felt completely exhausted.

The father and his two sons sat in the flower hall drinking tea. Fang Yizhi looked at the lush and verdant flowers and trees in the hall and exclaimed in amazement: "When it comes to enjoyment, you have to be the best, Erlang! This flower hall alone is probably unparalleled in Chang'an. Even if you have money, you can't afford to build one."

Fang Jun stood by, smiling without saying a word, brewing and serving tea.

Fang Yizhi took a sip of black tea and exclaimed, "This tea is delicious. Take a few extra pounds with you when I leave after the New Year."

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Lu came in from outside. Her eyebrows shot up, and she said irritably, "Is there no room for you at home? Do you still want to go to that Japanese island to keep company with the Japanese?"

Fang Yizhi was straightforward but not stupid. Upon hearing this, he quickly offered a smile and dared not refute.

Madam Lu walked up to him and poked his forehead a few times with her finger, scolding him: "It's just the New Year, how can it be more important than the child? This journey of thousands of miles, by boat and car, what if the child gets hurt? All you care about is the title of the eldest son and grandson, when has the child not been the eldest son and grandson of the Fang family? Would your brother fight you for these things? You two are simply confused, scoundrels!"

When Madam Lu lost her temper, no one in the Fang family dared to directly retort; they could only listen obediently.

Because Fang Jun had reminded him earlier, Fang Yizhi already had a prepared answer in mind, so he smiled and said, "It's not that I want to occupy the title of the eldest son and grandson. Erlang doesn't want to compete for these things, and I'm not the type to compete for them either... It's just that after my younger sister gets married, she will go to sea to take up her fiefdom, and I don't know when she will return home. We can't let our blood relatives not recognize each other when we meet, can we?"

Ultimately, the status and title of the "eldest son and grandson" are different. After Fang Xuanling and Fang Yizhi, this child will be the head of the Fang family, and no matter how capable Fang Jun is, he will have to take a backseat. As an "outsider," the biggest connection between Fang Xiaomei and her children and the Fang family will be the future head of the family.

No matter what, a single meeting creates a bond.

Although at only two years old, the child may not remember it in the future...

Madam Lu's eyes immediately reddened. Her eldest son had left home and her daughter had married far away. As a mother, she felt as if her own flesh had been torn apart. She raised her hand and slapped Fang Yizhi.

Fang Xuanling clicked his tongue and looked at his eldest son with displeasure, saying, "It's one thing to be away from home all year round, but why say such things during the New Year to upset your mother? You're so inconsiderate!"

Fang Yizhi: "..."

He glared at Fang Jun angrily and said, "I listened to your 'advice,' and then I got beaten and scolded!"

Fang Jun sipped his tea slowly, smiling without saying a word.

Fang Xuanling gave a reprimand, then proactively changed the subject: "How are things going in Japan? Are our Confucian classics being recognized there?"

"It's more than just recognition!"

When this was mentioned, Fang Yizhi immediately perked up.

"The Japanese are foolish, barbaric, and uncivilized. Although they speak the Japanese language, they do not have the Japanese script. First, during the Shang Dynasty, people from the Central Plains fled to the Japanese islands to escape the war. Then, during the Three Kingdoms period, Han Chinese crossed the sea to Japan. After that, whenever there was war in the Central Plains, people would go to the Japanese islands to avoid disaster. That's how Chinese characters became widely used there. Not everyone knows Chinese characters. Only the nobles of the Japanese can write them. Chinese classics are regarded as treasures and are considered the ultimate standard by the Japanese! We who teach the classics have a very high status on the Japanese islands and are respected everywhere."

This is one of the reasons why he is willing to stay on the Japanese island.

While he was highly respected in Chang'an, this respect came more from his family background, from his father and brothers. What was Fang Yizhi in the eyes of the nobles and imperial relatives?
But it was different in Japan. People respected him because of his knowledge, which made him feel his own value from the inside out.

Fang Xuanling was speechless: "I am asking you whether the spread of Chinese culture in Japan is going smoothly, whether anyone is deliberately inciting the common people to resist, and whether the assimilation of the Japanese can be completed."

Fang Yizhi quickly said respectfully, "Father, rest assured. Based on my experience on the Japanese islands, I can confirm that the Japanese have great respect for Chinese culture. Of course, there are also some Japanese nobles who openly or secretly slander it, but the Prince of Wei pays close attention to it and will take strong measures to suppress any signs of it. Assimilating the Japanese is only a matter of time."

For Japan, "exterminating their language and writing system" is not difficult, after all, they have admired Chinese civilization since ancient times and even consider themselves a branch of Chinese civilization. The most difficult part of the assimilation process is to completely break the backbone and leg bones of the Japanese people. The goal is not to make them grovel at the feet of China for generations, but to make them identify with China from the inside out and willingly become its vassals.

Fang Xuanling glanced at his second son, who was drinking tea, and sighed inwardly.

The first person to propose this concept of "cultural colonization" was Fang Jun. He did not prioritize killing or land, but used trade to break down the barriers between various ethnic groups and foreign countries, and carried out a thorough cultural cleansing of them.

The ultimate goal was not to seize more land or capture more slaves, but to create a "pan-Chinese cultural sphere" around the Tang Dynasty, making more foreign countries and ethnic groups serve as a barrier for China, so as to continuously import wealth into the Tang Dynasty and keep all enemies out.

A destroyed nation can rise again, and a conquered people can be revived, but a tamed ox or horse will forever be willing to be driven.

Although the implementation of this plan will require an extremely long process and enormous investment, once successful, China will no longer have to worry about its destruction and can stand at the top of the world for thousands of years.

Both sons were his own, and for a long time, the eldest son received more of his devoted education and high expectations. But now, the difference between them is like heaven and earth.

Just as he said some time ago, he was extremely fortunate that Fang Jun had single-handedly earned him the title of Duke.

Otherwise, given the eldest son's dullness and simplicity, the second son's arrogance and recklessness, coupled with Princess Gaoyang's pride and domineering nature, the entire Fang family would inevitably face internal strife after his death. If political enemies were to seize the opportunity, the whole family would be in danger of being wiped out...

But now there are no more hidden dangers.

After his death, his eldest son steadily inherited his title of "Duke of Liang" and dutifully guarded the family business and ancestral hall, while his second son took charge of the family and made contributions, ensuring that the Fang family would be passed down in an orderly manner and that the bloodline would never be cut off.

Fang Xuanling was delighted and said to Madam Lu with a smile, "I'm actually a little hungry after drinking so much tea. Go tell the kitchen to prepare some side dishes, and call Sanlang and Silang over. We father and sons can have a few drinks together."

Outside, it was freezing cold with snowflakes falling, but inside Huating, the flowers and trees were lush and the atmosphere was warm and inviting.

With a virtuous wife and filial children, what more could a husband ask for?