Starting from a thatched cottage, the farmer embarked on the road to wealth through imperial examina

Chapter 409: It is better to open up than to block

Old Cai had noticed a long time ago that Liang Jingcheng seemed to be a little different from the other brothers when he was with Ye Changyan. Old Cai often found that the two of them would smile at each other inadvertently from time to time.

At first, Mr. Cai just thought that Liang Jingcheng was changing roles. He was adapting to the role of senior brother from being a junior brother for more than ten years. As the two got along for a long time, their relationship became very harmonious. Mr. Cai thought this was a good thing and did not think about it in other ways.

Until Lu Tingfeng quietly told himself that the two young masters seemed to have had physical contact for a long time. At that time, Mr. Cai was very surprised for a while, but he did not choose to point it out. Instead, he observed carefully for a period of time. Except that the two of them liked to go in and out together more, there was nothing unusual about them.

Liang Jingcheng was more accomplished in poetry and prose, while Ye Changyan's views on policy essays were always novel and to the point. The mutual academic exchanges between the two enabled both of them to make rapid progress in their studies.

Although Mr. Cai did not witness the tragedy of King Cheng with his own eyes, through what the emperor had told him and some rumors that Mr. Cai and his wife had heard sporadically later, Mr. Cai sighed and shook his head inwardly.

Perhaps if the matter had been handled differently, the tragedy of King Cheng would not have happened. King Cheng was a man of great talent, and Old Cai had also heard of Jiang Yinfeng, a man of considerable talent in Shengjing at the time. This matter also implicated Liang Liru, the daughter of the Shaoqing of the Guanglu Temple.

The most pitiful one is Liang Jingcheng. Not only is he a posthumous child without a father, but he also lost his mother after he was born. He should have been born into a wealthy and noble family, but he spent a year with his wet nurse when he first came into this world, and then grew up with his husband and wife for the next ten years. Although he was accompanied by his senior brothers, Mr. Cai remembered that when Liang Jingcheng was very young, he once asked his master's wife where his mother was. Mr. Cai and his wife tried hard to hold back their tears at that time.

Later, the emperor would come to see him every year, and he especially looked forward to his birthday, not because there would be delicious food or gifts on his birthday, but because he could see his father on his birthday. However, the emperor was very busy and was not good at getting along with children. When he got along with Liang Jingcheng, he was not as familiar and harmonious as he had imagined, but Mr. Cai could still see that the child was looking forward to and longing for parental love.

"Your Majesty, Jingcheng grew up with me and my wife. He has a kind and honest character and is very talented in studying. It can be said that he is no less talented than His Royal Highness Cheng Wang back then. Among my seven disciples, Jingcheng has the highest comprehension and can understand many things at a glance."

Hearing Mr. Cai's evaluation of Liang Jingcheng, the emperor nodded slightly, looking forward to Mr. Cai's next words.

"Although Ye Changyan is a child of a humble peasant family, he is a very intelligent child of his age, which is unique to me in my life. That's why I was willing to stay in the countryside of Wanshou County for a whole year, and even break the rule of accepting Jing Cheng as my last disciple. In the more than two years that I have been in contact with this child, he always brings unexpected surprises to people."

What Mr. Cai said was not much different from what Baohu reported to the emperor. Baohu also told the emperor in a particularly vivid way that Ye Changyan seemed to be always shrouded in a layer of faint mist, so that people could only see a vague side of him, and could never figure out what secrets he was hiding.

At least Bao Hu has not yet figured out the relationship between Ye Changyan and the legendary figure Gongshu Wuji. Judging from the attitude of the top leaders of Yujing Palace towards Ye Changyan, the relationship between Ye Changyan and Gongshu Wuji may be far more than what he described.

Seeing that the emperor seemed to be thinking about something, Mr. Cai paused for a moment before speaking tentatively.

"Your Majesty, what I am about to say may be a bit presumptuous..."

The emperor raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at Mr. Cai, and spoke in a more serious tone after looking at him for a moment.

"Jingcheng was raised by you, sir. You are both his teacher and his father. You have the right to speak on all matters related to this child. How can you be said to be overstepping your authority? You are welcome to speak freely.

Mr. Cai stood up, bowed, and then spoke solemnly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking frankly. Although I did not personally experience the tragedy of King Cheng, I do not want such a tragedy to happen to Jingcheng. Of course, I have an unshirkable responsibility for the fact that these two children have been following me for these days and I have not been able to discover and stop them in time. However, in my opinion, the two children have gradually been attracted to each other's shining points in their daily interactions. For example, Jingcheng is quite talented in poetry, and Changyan's views on policy essays are always so different and refreshing. In addition, this child always has some novel and interesting stories in his mind, and endless brilliant ideas that are dazzling."

The emperor nodded slightly and pressed his palm downward, motioning for Mr. Cai to sit down and continue speaking.

"The two children were constantly attracted to each other, and eventually fell in love. They were both at the age of full vigor and vitality, and their hearts were stirring. If they were a young man and woman, it would be a story of a talented man and a beautiful woman. However, in my opinion, this happened to two young men because of human nature. Instead of thinking about how to separate them, I think it is better to let nature take its course."

The emperor raised his eyebrows and stared at Cai Zhengqing, seeming to be quite interested in his words "It is better to open up than to block, let nature take its course".

Old Cai carefully observed the changes in the emperor's expression. When he explained his views on the relationship between Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng, the emperor's expression was uncertain, but one could clearly feel the emperor's inner struggle. But when he mentioned "it is better to let things flow than to block", the emperor's eyes obviously brightened, and then the emperor cast an interested look at him. Old Cai carefully chose his words and spoke.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, to put it simply, this is just a personal relationship between two young men. But if it rises to the level of the family and the court, if Your Majesty believes in my judgment, these two children will surely be pillars of the family and the court in the future. I am very confident of this. Compared to the uncertain consequences of forcibly separating them, I hope to actively guide them towards a more ambitious goal. Compared to the changes they may bring to the family and the court in the future, their little thoughts are not worth mentioning."