Tang Dynasty Little Godfather

Chapter 60 I'll Start Making Things Difficult for My Father
The Tang Dynasty is hailed as the most open feudal dynasty, but because it was a transitional period from a system of social hierarchy to one of official and commoner systems, some aspects of the current system are still quite strict.

Take courtesans, for example.

Nowadays, courtesans are divided into palace courtesans, official courtesans, and commoner courtesans.

Almost all those with a little fame belonged to the Jiaofang (a type of entertainment institution), meaning they were monopolized by the upper class.

However, after Wu Zetian's uproar, this system of social hierarchy was already falling apart, and many courtesans belonging to the Jiaofang (Imperial Music Bureau) had their own businesses and were relatively free.

The brothels of today are actually different from those depicted in TV dramas. Generally, a male prostitute only has one female prostitute, rather than a group of female prostitutes singing and drinking with him.

Scholars, drawn by its reputation, came to discuss poetry and songs, and to enjoy the song and dance performances.

Actresses like Hongxiu Feilu and Ziye Nishang belonged to the Jiaofang (a type of entertainment institution), and their status was very low. However, the problem was that many princes and officials were on good terms with them, and they had a group of loyal supporters in the court, which led to those princes and nobles treating them with respect.

Therefore, Huangfu Sengnian previously thought that inviting them was nothing short of wishful thinking.

They definitely wouldn't give a damn about those spoiled brats. If money could buy them anything, they would have done it long ago; they wouldn't have never even met them.

Although the rules are already falling apart, they haven't been abolished after all, especially since Hongxiu specifically emphasized this point. So, according to the procedure, it must be reported to the Jiaofang.

This required Li Qiao, because the Jiaofang (Imperial Music Bureau) belonged to the Ministry of Rites.

The two then immediately used Lao Tao's name to summon Li Jieman.

“Brother Que, what you’ve done is really unfair. When Hongxiu was here, she wouldn’t let me in. Now that you’re letting me in, it’s because you want my father to make an exception for me. This is outrageous.”

When Fatty heard that Wang Xi had asked him to ask his father for favors, he was so angry that his face turned red. It wasn't that he was being unfair to his father, but rather that he hadn't considered the benefits.

"The reason I didn't let you come earlier was because you were useless, so you have no one to blame but yourself."

Wang Xi said, "Besides, Hongxiu has already agreed to come here as a teacher, so are you worried about not seeing her? Wait a minute, we agreed she'd belong to me, what are you trying to do?"

Li Jie said with righteous indignation, "I want to protect my teacher from being deceived by you, you scoundrel."

"Go away."

"Let's get down to business first," Huangfu Sengnian said.

Wang Xi glanced at Huangfu Sengnian, then said seriously, "I'm not asking your father to make things easy for you. Is it really that simple that your father can't handle it? It's just a matter of taking a roundabout approach. I'm doing this for your father's sake. Have you forgotten the motto of our Nameless Academy: to nurture fathers to become successful and hope they become prime ministers?"

Upon hearing the word "father," Li Jieman immediately suppressed his lustful thoughts and asked, "What do you mean?"

Wang Xi didn't say anything, but looked at Huangfu Sengnian.

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Didn't you just say that your father was overshadowed by the Grand Master of Ceremonies in the Ministry of Rites?"

Li Jie nodded repeatedly.

Wang Xi continued, "And the reason is that the Martial Chancellor is in charge of the singing competition."

"Ah."

Li Jie nodded.

Huangfu Sengnian said, "If we incorporate our vivid teaching methods into your father's educational reforms, we can rival the singing competition of the Martial Arts Master."

Li Jieman's little eyes darted around. "Can our vivid teaching method compete with singing? I don't believe it."

Poetry and songs have always been part of our tradition and core culture. How could your lively teaching method possibly win that out?

Wang Xi laughed and said, "Don't worry about that, I guarantee I'll win."

Li Jie thought for a moment and said, "I believe you, but I'm afraid my father won't."

“That’s right. With your father’s brain, he definitely can’t understand the mystery,” Wang Xi said. “Therefore, we can’t say that to your father.”

Li Jieman asked, "Then how should we say it?"

Wang Xi immediately revealed his plan.

Upon hearing this, Li Jieman asked suspiciously, "Aren't you setting a trap for my father?"

Wang Xi said, "Didn't we do enough before? If we hadn't set a trap for your father, would he have gone to the Ministry of Rites? We worked so hard to help your father rise to power, wasn't it all for this day? We are happy, your father gains power, and we are even happier. Your father continues to rise in rank, and so on. That's how our work has meaning!"

Li Jie nodded and said, "That's true, then I'll go and give it a try."

at dusk.

Li Jie returned home with a heavy heart.

Upon seeing Li Qiao, before even uttering a word, he was already covered in sweat.

Seeing his son drenched in sweat, Li Qiao couldn't help but ask, "Xiaoman, did you run back?"

"what?"

Li Jieman was startled, then nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, I was too excited, so I ran back."

Li Qiao asked, "What are you so excited about?"

Li Jieman blinked his small eyes, thinking to himself, "Brother Que is right. We've worked so hard to raise Father for our own happiness. If we don't use it now, when will we?" He swallowed and then mustered his courage to say, "It's because I have some good news to tell Father that I'm so excited."

Li Qiao asked excitedly, "What good news?"

Li Jie said confidently, "Today, the teacher has created a brand-new teaching method called the 'Lively Teaching Method,' which is suitable for teaching more students." Li Qiao asked, "The 'Lively Teaching Method'?"

Li Jie nodded and said, "Yes, it's about finding some courtesans to be teachers."

"???"

Half a day later, Li Qiao finally came to his senses, as if he had just hallucinated. "You said you wanted to find a courtesan to be your teacher?"

"Yes."

Li Jie nodded.

After confirming this, Li Qiao's eyes widened, and he suddenly stood up. "What nonsense are you spouting? Finding a courtesan as a teacher? Haven't you been beaten in a long time?"

Li Jieman's heart trembled. Since things had come to this, he could only bite the bullet and say, "How could I dare to lie to Father about such a thing? If Father doesn't believe me, you can go to the Nameless Academy to ask the teacher."

Li Qiao frowned. It would be too easy to verify whether this was a lie or not. His son was not that stupid. He said, "Father has only ever heard of going to courtesans to listen to music and drink, but has never heard of going to courtesans to be teachers."

Li Jieman said, "Father, you are mistaken. It is my uncle and his family who like to have singing girls accompany them for drinking. For a refined person like Father, when he has singing girls, he usually just composes poems and writes essays."

Li Qiao was quite pleased with the flattery, and his expression softened slightly as he asked, "Even so, no academy has ever hired courtesans as teachers. What's going on?"

Li Jieman said, "It's actually very simple. The so-called vivid teaching method is to narrate the content in the book. For example..."

He stood tall and straight, saying, "I am Mencius."

Li Qiao glared at him. "Who are you? Believe me or not, I'll beat you up."

"Father, please don't be offended. I was just pretending."

Li Jieman quickly explained, "It means turning the content of the book into short stories and then performing them. This is called vivid teaching, which allows us to immerse ourselves in the story and thus gain a deeper understanding of what the sage wanted to express."

"So that's what happened."

Li Qiao nodded and said, "That's quite novel."

Li Jieman said, "That's right, everyone is very interested."

Li Qiao asked, "Then why seek out courtesans?"

Li Jie said, "We don't know how to act. Only courtesans are good at this kind of thing, so only courtesans can help. Besides, there are women in the story too."

Li Qiao frowned. "Although this method is very unique, you must keep a low profile and be careful. It's best not to use the title of 'teacher,' otherwise, if word gets out, it may attract rumors and gossip."

Li Jieman responded with an "oh".

Li Qiao then asked, "Is this the good news you were talking about?"

Li Jie was taken aback and hurriedly said, "No, no, it's like this, when I heard about this method, I immediately thought of Father."

Li Qiao immediately glared at his father and said angrily, "Why do you want your father to do this?"

Li Jie said, “I heard that the Ministry of Rites is going to hold a singing competition recently. I thought that Father could use this method to revitalize the rites and music of our Great Tang. So I took it upon myself to promise you, Father, that the matter of the courtesans is entirely up to me. Father can find some official courtesans to help with the studies at the academy, and we can also use this educational method to revitalize the rites and music.”

Li Qiao was furious. "After all that talk, it turns out you just wanted me to find you a courtesan."

Li Jie hurriedly replied, "Father, you misunderstand. I only have your best interests at heart. The courtesan is secondary. It's just a matter of finding a courtesan. I can invite one myself!"

But I was internally panicking!

Li Qiao snorted, "Then go invite them yourself. There are rules for official prostitutes. You can't just do whatever you want. How could you even think of that?"

He shared the same initial thought as Li Jieman: this so-called vivid teaching method sounded like a military opera, low-class, and could not be compared with singing.

Li Jie said, "Father, you misunderstand. The teacher intends to invite courtesans to teach, not just for everyone's amusement. How can we find ordinary courtesans? These courtesans must be exceptionally talented. The teacher plans to invite Hongxiu to teach at the academy."

Li Qiao exclaimed in surprise, "What? You're planning to hire Hongxiu?"

"correct."

Li Jieman nodded repeatedly and said, "How can an ordinary courtesan teach this? Only a courtesan with exceptional talent like Hongxiu can barely serve as a teacher."

Li Qiao waved his hand and laughed, "Father can't persuade Hongxiu to come either, so there's nothing he can do to help."

Li Jieman said, "Of course the children will go and invite her, but Hongxiu belongs to the Jiaofang (a music and dance academy), so she needs the Jiaofang's approval to come to our academy."

Li Qiao laughed and readily agreed, "Alright, as long as Hongxiu is willing, I'll make an exception for you."

But in his heart he thought, "If you can get Hongxiu, I'll acknowledge you as my father."

Li Jieman asked nervously, "Father, you agreed so readily, you're not lying to me, are you?"

"Alright then."

Li Qiao said very seriously, "If Hongxiu agrees, then Father will allow the music academy to return its registration to her."

"Thank you, Father."

Li Jieman was overjoyed, but in his heart he thought, "Father's brain really doesn't work well. I only used the first trick and he fell for it."

well..

(End of this chapter)