Chapter 0005: The Overconfident Individual

A thunderclap on a clear day

Wang Shu smiled and nodded, "Though young, he possesses a certain cleverness, surpassing your father."

Kou Ji remained completely still

The azure sky is being obscured by dark clouds at a visibly rapid pace

Suddenly

What is its purpose

Wang Shu smiled as he stood up, and with the help of Kou Zhong, he put on his boots. He cupped his hands towards Kou Zhun and said, "Then I shall go and meet him."

His brows furrowed into a shape resembling the character "川".

In Wang Shu's eyes, Kou Ji is precisely that person who overestimates himself

At this point, Wang Shu fixed his gaze on Kou Ji and said in a deep voice: "Your father has already been punished by your grandfather to kneel in the ancestral hall, and he has no way to remedy this matter. I wonder if you have the courage to take on this matter and rectify it?"

From Kou Zhong's reaction, he inferred that Kou Li's position in the residence was not optimistic. Now, after a long wait, his conjecture has been confirmed.

The calf of the second child began to tremble

More importantly, Kou Ji has his own pride; he may choose not to enjoy the wealth of the Kou family, but he will absolutely not allow himself to be sent back to his old home in Huazhou in disgrace due to the loss of his status as a third-generation official.

Wang Shu slowly turned his back and said: "I will not hide it from you, your father has done a foolish thing, an incredibly foolish thing. This foolish act is enough to put your grandfather in a perilous situation"

The second treasure hurriedly bowed and said: "I, the humble second treasure, pay my respects to the esteemed uncle."

As the light rain and gentle breeze fell, the house servant beside them lowered the grass curtains around the pavilion

Wang Shu tugged at his collar, sat up straight, and asked, "Is that kid still standing in the front yard?"

Kou Ji extended his hand, welcoming the drops of rain falling from the eaves, and softly said: "Wait..."

Time has swiftly passed, and another half an hour has gone by

Kou Ji is not in a much better state; his calves are also trembling. However, he is forcing himself to keep the tremors from becoming more pronounced. Additionally, the long front and back hems of his clothing serve as a disguise, making it nearly impossible to notice unless one looks closely

Kou Zhun muttered in dissatisfaction: "If you want to see him, go ahead; I will not see him."

As the only son of Kou Li, he shares both the glory and the misfortune of Kou Li.

The rainwater fell upon the bluestone, soaking one patch after another

Wang Shu, who was well aware of Kou Zhun's temperament, could deduce Kou Zhun's thoughts with just a single glance

Heaven will not reason with Kou Ji, nor will it care about the helplessness in Kou Ji's tone

He did not know what great folly that cheap father had committed, but he was well aware that Kou Li's position in the Kou residence had already begun to waver

Kou Zhong, who had been waiting at the small gate of the central courtyard and the front courtyard, quickly appeared outside the pavilion upon hearing the summons

Good

Kou Zhun opened his mouth but did not speak

but was kicked by Kou Ji without leaving a trace

The two servants of Kou Ji finally saw a figure appear at the entrance of the main hall, and they felt a sense of relief in their hearts

Wang Shu laughed heartily and said: "You are quite unreserved; I insult your father as foolish, yet you do not defend him. It seems you have guessed that something has happened at home, and it is related to your father."

Kou Jichu arrived in Bianjing, unaware of the internal circumstances, and could only wait idly.

As the saying goes, a prime minister's belly can hold a boat

He turned his hand, and the accumulated water fell to the ground, splashing a spray of water.

Wang Shuzui was praising him verbally, but in his heart, he looked down on Kou Ji by three points

Wang Shu looked surprised and said, "I was just testing the waters, but I didn't expect you to actually take it on. You really are like a young calf that is not afraid of tigers"

Kou Ji was taken aback, his brows furrowing.

Kou Zhong held up an umbrella to shield him from the rain

Kou Ji also did not conceal anything, candidly stating: "I guessed a thing or two"

Wang Shudao nodded and smiled, saying: "Father-in-law, rest assured, I will certainly assess him. If he can pass my evaluation, he will undoubtedly not be a cunning person"

A person with responsibility will naturally be appreciated by others

Kou Ji clasped his hands together and bowed, saying: "I, Kou Ji, have come to pay my respects to my uncle by marriage."

Wang Shu smiled and said: "Compared to the treacherousness of the officialdom, getting a little wet in the rain is nothing. However, his stubborn temperament is quite similar to yours"

At that moment, Kou Jizheng said with a serious expression: "It is only natural for children to repay their parents' debts."

Kou Zhun continued to lie on his side on the straw mat, with only a few new pieces of charcoal added to the small stove in front of him

Following the tragic deaths of the twelve valiant servants who accompanied him out of Huazhou, Kou Ji has always kept this in his heart; he cannot allow those twelve individuals to have died in vain

Kou Ji looked up and smiled, saying, "I still want to give it a try"

Even if he has to return to Huazhou, he must do so in glory, rather than being sent back in disgrace.

Testing, examining, challenging, or something else

Wang Shuyi was taken aback, shook his head and smiled, saying: "It seems that you, young man, are from the countryside and do not understand the dangers of Bianjing City. I must remind you that what your father has done may not be easily resolved, even if I were to intervene personally."

At that moment, he called out: "Where is Kou Zhong?"

Kou Zhun flicked his sleeves and said with a look of disdain: "If getting caught in the rain could lead to enjoying wealth and nobility, I would rather be drenched to death by the rain"

Kou Ji and Er Bao, the master and servant, stood silently in the front yard at the entrance of the main hall, waiting quietly

Then, in the bewildered gaze of the second child

Kou Zhun is reminding Wang Shu not to be deceived by Kou Ji's act of playing the victim

A moment

At the end of the corridor in the front yard, heads occasionally peeked out, frequently scrutinizing the stubborn duo of Kou Ji and his servant.

Kou Zhong bent over and said with a bitter smile, "I have not moved at all."

Although he does not yet understand the intention behind Wang Shu asking him to help Kou Li clean up the mess, he must take on this task

Kou Ji bowed and said: "I cannot accept the praise from my uncle by marriage"

The second treasure quietly shifted its legs and feet, thereby alleviating the soreness and numbness in its feet

Raindrops formed a pool of water in the palm of his hand

The second treasure was shivering all over, and he trembled as he asked Kou Ji, "Young Master... are we still waiting?"

Wang Shu took the opportunity to say: "How about meeting up?"

Wang Shu no longer spoke, cupped his hands in salute, and left the pavilion

Wang Shu appeared at the entrance of the main hall, accompanied by Kou Zhong

Under the erosion of wind and rain, the clothes of the master and servant were instantly soaked

Therefore, regardless of what foolishness Cole has committed, he must take responsibility and resolve the matter

The fact that Kou Zhun was forced to show a younger generation a cold shoulder clearly indicates that the matter involving Kou Li is likely quite serious

Those who overestimate their own abilities tend to be off-putting to others

Wang Shu is a third-rank official, a figure of great importance in the court. Any matter that he considers to be a tremendous folly must undoubtedly be a significant issue

Wang Shu cast a discreet glance at Kou Zhun and said with a smile, "It is still somewhat persistent..."

Kou Jizhi stood up and said with neither humility nor arrogance: "Just now, the steward mentioned that my uncle is accompanying my grandfather in the hall for discussions. Given your age, you are clearly younger than my grandfather, and the fact that the steward is so deferential towards you naturally indicates that you are my uncle."

This rain is falling without reason

Kou Jizhan smiled and said, "One must at least give it a try; what if it gets resolved?"

Kou Ji stood in place, pondering for a long time, and ultimately decided to agree to this matter for the time being.

There is no need for Kou Zhun's words to be explicit, Wang Shu has already understood

He came to Bianjing to enjoy wealth, not to be humiliated in Bianjing

However, the two individuals, Kou Zhun and Wang Shuweng, who were sitting in the courtyard enjoying tea, were quite concerned

Snap

Wang Shuyi was taken aback and, with great interest, stared at Kou Ji, saying: "How can you be so sure that I am your uncle by marriage?"

As the saying goes, a dragon gives birth to a dragon, a phoenix gives birth to a phoenix, and the offspring of a mouse will dig holes

He had just entered the residence and was completely unaware of anything, when Wang Shu immediately intended to hand over the mess left by Kou Li for him to clean up

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye under the watchful eyes of the house servants and maids

After standing for a long time, Kou Ji and Er Bao's legs have become somewhat stiff

The light rain falls gently, accompanied by bursts of a soft breeze

In the blink of an eye, the entire Kou residence was nourished by the rain.

The second child immediately lay on the ground to pay respects

Kou Zhun waved his hand dismissively and said, "Do as you wish; in any case, I have already made up my mind. In a few days, I will send them back to Huazhou."

In the pavilion

Kou Zhun and Wang Shuweng, the father-in-law and son-in-law, were in the central courtyard enjoying tea and discussing political affairs

What instructions do you have, son-in-law

The two individuals stepped into the main hall

Kou Zhun did not stop him; he merely frowned and reminded, "Kou Li is very cunning. Back in the day, on a rainy night, he knelt and begged me to guide him in his studies. Considering he was a diligent learner, I took him in as my disciple, but I did not expect..."

As the light rain fell, Kou Zhun's gaze involuntarily swept across the front courtyard