More than a dozen healthy servants came out in response. They were in groups of four, carrying a large tray three feet square. It was like a pyramid with a tall module piled on it. It was not exactly composed of hundreds of large betel nuts. Is it like a pyramid-shaped fruit plate?
There was a burst of laughter in the hall, and many people began to talk: "Ah, this is betel nut, it is for digestion. I have eaten so many delicious things today, so I need it."
"Li Gong, do you really not know? This is Liu Changshi's revenge. Back then, he was humiliated by the Jiang brothers. The Jiang brothers said that he was penniless and couldn't even eat. How could he need to eat this special food? Where’s the betel nut for digestion?”
"Ah, there are still such past events. Could it be that this is the humiliation that Liu Changshi and his wife just mentioned?"
"Yes, the Jiang brothers knew that their father was going to recommend Liu Muzhi at this banquet. Out of jealousy, they deliberately used this betel nut to humiliate Liu Changshi. They also said that he usually did not finish his meal. After a meal, they shamelessly came over to eat at my wife’s house. Why didn’t they want to take some food back to their sister if they wanted to eat betel nut? If I had been humiliated like that back then, I would have wanted to die. .”
"Well, every family has its own scriptures that are difficult to recite. The Jiang brothers are notoriously incompetent. No wonder Jiang Gong would rather promote this son-in-law back then. Liu Changshi is really capable. No one recommends him. As a scholar, he has nothing to offer. Even though I joined the army, I managed to survive until today."
"That's all thanks to Liu Yu. If Liu Zhenjun hadn't succeeded in establishing the righteousness, I'm afraid he would have been just a mid-level military official. He also went home because the Beifu Army was disbanded. To really say that he had achieved his ascension, that is, this year There are so many things to do. But people are risking their lives with their heads up, and they are so ruthless."
"Yes, wealth can be found in danger. Today, Liu Changshi can rest here for many years and make his two brothers-in-law eat betel nuts. He is not only working hard to make progress, but also risking his life."
"No one in our aristocratic family is as ruthless as others. It seems that if you want to hang out with these ruthless people in the future, you will have to improve in this aspect."
Listening to these remarks, the Jiang brothers blushed and almost wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Liu Muzhi looked at them calmly and said: "Abo, Alang, today I treat you to betel nut, not to simply avenge the humiliation of the past. You are like me. I don't expect you to be middle-aged." There is no such thing as knowing one's shame and then being brave, but today I need to share my thoughts with the gentlemen present through these plates of betel nut, Liu Muzhi."
The surrounding discussions gradually subsided, and everyone returned to their seats, sitting upright and holding their breath. The whole place fell into silence. Liu Yu also walked to a corner of the hall, stood side by side with Jiang Qianwen, and looked at Liu Mu. Of.
Liu Muzhi looked around and said in a deep voice: "Everyone, in life, because of different origins, you will have your own different circles. In your daily life and interactions, you will always be with people with similar status, property, and power. Over time, It will form a high-ranking aristocratic family and all living beings under the sky. It is not without its truth that there are no humble scholars of the highest grade and no scholars of the lowest grade."
"The Yue song that Liu Zhenjun and I sang just now has existed since ancient times. There were no aristocratic families at that time, but during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there were still kings and generals. At that time, the common people had no chance to get ahead. Until the Qin and Han Dynasties When they met, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang called out the kings, marquises and generals, which truly shook the reincarnation of hereditary succession of power and wealth since ancient times."
"Because although most of the people at the bottom lack talent and knowledge, they are numerous after all, and high-ranking families do not want to make progress because power and wealth are too easy to come by. Generally speaking, the inheritance of titles can only be passed on to the legitimate sons. Grandsons, and concubines and non-eldest sons will slowly become ordinary people because they cannot inherit the title. But these people are not necessarily uneducated like the real low-level Guizhou leaders. On the contrary, because of their low status, They cannot inherit the family business, but are more aware of the crisis and are more willing to study hard and acquire skills. Take our Jin Dynasty as an example. Many people who have reached high positions now are middle-class and lower-middle class scholars. I Liu Muzhi shamelessly considered himself one of them, as was Mr. Tao Yuanming just now, as well as today's Danyang Yin Mengchang, Zhenjun General's Mansion soldier Xu Xianzhi, etc., all have such origins, but everyone knows their talents. .”
Everyone couldn't help but whisper: "Yes, this is really true."
"Even in big families, concubines and nephews are often the ones who work harder and are more motivated. We didn't think much about this before. But from what Liu Changshi said, this is really the case."
"As the ancients said, one is born in sorrow and dies in happiness."
Liu Muzhi's eyes were bright and he continued: "But high-ranking families also have their merits. The most important point is that high-ranking families often have a collection of books. We have been able to learn Chinese writing and read poetry since we were young. Books are all learned from these families. These require knowledge and accumulation. Except for the real libertines who have never learned anything since childhood, most children from aristocratic families can still calligraphy and painting, which is enough to govern the country. Even just now What you said, the military officials currently recruited in the general shogunate who can only collect rent and recruit soldiers can also be used as long as the children of the aristocratic families are willing to put down their stature, get rid of their flashy air, and do practical things in a down-to-earth manner. Competent.”
Having said this, he looked at the Jiang brothers and said with a smile: "Just like my two brothers-in-law, everyone here must also know their abilities. If according to the standards of scholars, they can talk clearly about mysteries and recite poems. Fu, those who play the role of romantic talents, they are not in your eyes at all. You have been laughing at them as idiots, saying that they relied on my connections to advance, and you look down on them in your heart. Isn't it because they don't have scholars? Those recognized literary talents?"
"But these two people from the lower-class families that you look down upon joined the army and used what they learned to count ordnance, distribute military rations, and write official documents. These practical things that they really have to do in the army are done meticulously. They also accomplished an outstanding job. It’s not that I, Liu Muzhi, forcefully boast about their merits, but that they have indeed done a good job in Liu Jingxuan’s army. These merits are also the rewards they deserve. At most, I recommend them to join the army, but In the end, they were rewarded through their own efforts. Since Liu Zhenjun founded the Rebellion, everyone knows that everything is about clear rewards and punishments, and there is no trace of worldliness. If my two brothers-in-law can do this, I will I believe that all the children of high-ranking families can do it as long as they are willing to work hard!"
