The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

The person who came to report was the guide.

He Sui's carriage followed behind.

Chen Yong, Lin Zhong, and Chen Xi stood for a while before a carriage slowly approached.

Compared to Chen Yong's carriage, this carriage was rather shabby, with only a few attendants around it.

A man sat in the car; he was handsome, with an elegant and refined demeanor, and dressed in magnificent attire.

Chen Yong and his son glanced at the man, and involuntarily bowed even lower, revealing their subservient posture.

Things cannot be judged by appearances alone.

The thatched cottage where Zhuge Liang lived was called Zhuge Cottage.

If Chen Yong had a thatched cottage, then it would be called a thatched cottage.

The carriage is not important, nor are the attendants.

The important thing is that this person was named He Sui, a disciple of the great Confucian scholar Qiao Zhou, and a famous scholar in Sichuan.

Although the father and son traveled in luxurious carriages and moved about in grand style, they were, in fact, businessmen who reeked of money.

Lin Zhong, standing to the side, remained calm and composed.

The carriage stopped.

Lin Zhong, his sleeves fluttering, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Well done. It has been six months since we parted in Chengdu. I am overjoyed to see you again today. You are even more radiant than before."

He Sui's long, slender, fair right hand emerged from his sleeve. He climbed down onto the stool, then returned the greeting, saying, "Brother, you flatter me." He then politely added, "It is you who is truly virtuous. Your elegance and grace surpass even those of the past."

After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Zhong turned around and introduced the Chen father and son.

He Sui's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this, and he smiled as he chatted with Chen Yong and his son, displaying a rather friendly demeanor.

Chen Yong was overjoyed, thinking, "He Sui is a renowned scholar from Sichuan, a dragon and phoenix from heaven. Yet he is so close to us, father and son. There is hope that my son can become his student."

After the group chatted for a while at the gate, Lin Zhong welcomed He Sui into the manor. He then ordered wine and dishes to be served.

Summon musicians to come in and play elegant music.

The food and wine were provided by Lin Zhong's family, but the musicians were sponsored by Chen Yong. Lin Zhong's family had fallen on hard times and could not afford to support good musicians.

The group leisurely drank their wine while listening to the musicians playing the zither and the sheng.

When the music ended, the musician stood up, bowed, and withdrew.

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

He Sui was elegant and refined, and his speech and behavior were pleasing to the eye.

However, He Sui only spoke to Lin Zhong and ignored the Chen father and son.

If that were all, Chen Yong wouldn't be afraid. He's a businessman, not afraid of being rejected, and confident he could win them over.

The problem was that Chen Yong couldn't get a word in edgewise.

reading.

Being able to recognize characters can only be called literacy, not reading ability.

Being literate and able to read and write might qualify one as a minor official, but it wouldn't make one a scholar.

The so-called literati were actually a very small circle. They had their own jargon.

They flattered each other to enhance their reputations. For example, "You have the demeanor of a national hero," or "You possess the talent of three dukes in times of peace and a hero in times of chaos," or "You have the talent of a king's advisor, comparable to Liang and Ping," and so on. Their reputations spread wider and wider, and eventually, when they entered officialdom, their starting point was frighteningly high.

In jargon, it means quoting classical texts.

If I tell you a story and you can connect the dots, you're one of us; otherwise, get lost.

A scholar who can quote classical texts can travel the whole world. Wherever he encounters a scholar's home, he can seek lodging or ask for help.

Businessmen are not an option.

Chen Xi was literate and could understand some of what Lin Zhong and He Sui were saying.

Chen Yong listened to Lin Zhong and He Sui speak as if he were hearing a foreign language. He could understand every single word they said, but he couldn't understand a single sentence they uttered.

Chen Yong understood.

He realized he was a fool; his words at the door were merely polite formalities. He Sui looked down on him completely. His desire for his son to become He Sui's disciple was doomed from the start.

Chen Yong was furious, but he held back. He simply couldn't afford to offend the great Confucian scholar Qiao Zhou and his sect.

The Chen father and son seemed to have a furnace under their buttocks, and their buttocks were almost cooked.

Lin Zhong sensed He Sui's attitude and wanted to help Chen Yong and his son out of the predicament, but he was afraid of offending He Sui, so he could only give Chen Yong an apologetic look.

After the drinking session ended, He Sui said he was tired, so Lin Zhong had a maid lead He Sui to his room to rest.

He stood up to see Chen Yong and his son off.

The three of them arrived at the door.

Lin Zhong opened his mouth, but found himself unable to utter a word of apology. Any words would sound like an insult.

"I understand." Chen Yong gave a bitter smile, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lin Zhongyi, and tugged at his son's sleeve. The father and son boarded the carriage together, carrying home a load of humiliation.

Lin Zhong shook his head and took a deep breath. Then he returned to the manor and entered He Sui's room.

He Sui knelt and drank tea, looking energetic and not at all tired; he simply didn't want to pay attention to the Chen father and son.

Lin Zhong sighed and knelt down in front of He Sui.

"Then why not give your brother some face?" Lin Zhong asked.

"If it weren't for your sake, I would have stormed off at the door," He Sui said. A mere merchant, does he even deserve to sit and drink with us, the elite?

He actually gave him face... Lin Zhong was speechless.

He Sui then asked, "Brother, have you taken a fancy to his wealth?"

"Yes." Lin Zhong's face flushed slightly, but he admitted it.

He Sui shook his head and said, "We scholars should aspire to great heights and cherish our reputation. To associate with merchants is tantamount to degrading ourselves."

"You're not short of money, how could you know my difficulties?" Lin Zhong thought to himself, but outwardly agreed, "Alright, I understand."

He Sui nodded and said, "Brother, I understand your difficulties. Let's wait a little longer."

"What do you mean?" Lin Zhong asked, a thought flashing through his mind.

He Sui said, "The one who will replace Han is Gao of Dangtu. Gao of Dangtu is Wei." He paused, then sneered, "Now the Han emperor is incompetent, and Huang Hao is a villain. Heaven has already abandoned the Han dynasty, and the Wei dynasty should take its place. Because the Han emperor is incompetent, the people of Bashu are suffering. We scholars are persecuted in every way, while merchants like Chen Yong amass great wealth. When the Wei dynasty unifies the world, it will surely restore order. At that time, I will recommend you to Qiao Shi, wouldn't that be the right path?"

Lin Zhong's eyes lit up, as if enlightened, and he suddenly felt that the future was bright and his heart was filled with joy.

The reason everyone is suffering so much is because the Han emperor is incompetent. The Liu Han dynasty should have perished long ago, and the Imperial Wei dynasty should have been established. Once the Imperial Wei unifies the country, his life will be much better, especially with Qiao Zhou's support...

Thinking of this, Lin Zhong bowed solemnly and said, "So, you're right. Thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have gone astray."

"Hehe, you flatter me, brother." He Sui waved his hand and said with a smile.

With Chen Yong, an outsider, not present, their conversation became incredibly harmonious and smooth.

Both men longed for the Wei dynasty and despised the Liu Han dynasty.

Both of them knew what Qiao Zhou meant.

Qiao Zhou was a great Confucian scholar from Yizhou. If the Wei dynasty unified the country, it would pacify Shu, and Qiao Zhou would be able to ride the wind and transform into a dragon and phoenix.

Not to mention, Qiao Zhou's prophecy in Shu that "the one who will replace the Han is Dangtu Gao" was of great merit to the Wei dynasty. In short, as long as one closely follows the great Confucian scholar Qiao Zhou, wealth and honor are just around the corner.