Chapter 0008: Is Getting Rich Just Gambling?

Kou Ji smiled faintly and said: "Father, your words are too heavy; I do not speak ill of my father. If you have made a mistake, as your son, I must also bear the burden. After all, we are father and son."

He not only did not feel ashamed in his heart, but rather felt a bit excited

It was precisely by following them that the father truly witnessed the splendor of Bianjing City

Kou Ji nearly spat out a mouthful of reverse blood upon hearing these words

The child has grown up and will naturally not cause you any trouble

Kou Li heard Kou Ji's call, suddenly turned his head, looked at Kou Ji, and wore a look of astonishment

The bestowed item is indeed a rarity in the homes of others

If we had truly stayed together to study, could Kou Li have come this far

It is estimated that Kou Zhun would occasionally sell a couple of items himself or bestow them upon others

However, I did not expect that Kou Li would be the first to mention the matter of him being deceived

The father followed them, composing poetry together, reading and writing together, and making significant progress in knowledge

Kou Ji nearly fell to the ground upon hearing these words

Kou Li did not adopt a paternal demeanor in front of Kou Ji, nor did Kou Ji exhibit any awareness of being a son

While serving beside Kou Zhun, Kou Li must have witnessed Kou Zhun bestowing imperial gifts to others, which is likely why he did not place much importance on the imperial gifts himself

Those who serve in the military, after enlisting, return home only once or twice a year. In the event of a major war, they may not return home for three to five years, and upon their return, it is not uncommon for them to not recognize their own children

During festivals and holidays, the emperor would bestow some gifts upon the close ministers around him

... ...

Once scholars reach a certain level of knowledge, they will venture out to study abroad, taking the heavens and the myriad things of the world as their teachers, thereby gaining experience and growth. They may be away from home for several years at a time.

After a pause, he added: "However, you can rest assured that in the future, I will no longer leave you to study abroad. Now, I have been adopted under your grandfather's name, and being by your grandfather's side, I will learn a great deal of knowledge, and there is no need to visit other renowned scholars."

Kou Li was determined to educate him on the importance of manners, but when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back down

After chatting for a long time, Kou Li's face had become stiff from smiling. Kou Ji was ready to end the awkward conversation between father and son and directly get to the point

Kou Li winked at Kou Ji and said with a smile: "The most crucial point is that this Wu Xian Di often takes my father along to make a fortune. My father has been in Bianjing for less than ten days, and with Wu Xian Di's help, he has already earned one hundred guan."

Kou Ji stretched his legs and sat cross-legged on the mat, facing Kou Li

However, when Kou Ji lowered his head and his gaze fell upon the jade belt at his waist, he felt a sense of relief in his heart

Kou Ji furrowed his brows, as he had a premonition that the problem most likely lay with that Wu Xiandi mentioned by Kou Li.

He need not ask, for he can easily guess what Kou Li meant by composing poetry together and experiencing the splendor of Bianjing City.

At that moment, he did not conceal anything and began to recount to Kou Ji the series of unfortunate events he had experienced

At this point, Kou Li's expression noticeably darkened, but the gloom on his face was fleeting.

When the father and son met, there was no scene of tearful eyes.

Are you really Ji Er ?

Upon hearing this, Kou Ji subtly rolled his eyes.

Especially in the city of Xiwazi, there are various acrobatics

It is nothing more than frequenting brothels and taverns, merely indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun together

If someone takes you to make money for no apparent reason, it is either because they have ulterior motives or they intend to harm you

Kou Li raised an eyebrow, looking at Kou Ji with a face full of surprise, saying: "I did not expect that during my absence from home all these years, you have learned quite a few principles. It brings great comfort to your father. After settling down a while ago, I was still worried that you were wasting your time in the countryside of Huazhou, neglecting your studies. Now seeing how sensible you are, I can finally rest easy.

Kou Li clumsily recounted the interesting stories he had encountered or heard during his years of studying abroad, hoping to bridge the relationship between him and Kou Ji as father and son

Is it still considered a minor mistake to privately accept gifts bestowed by the emperor?

The father and son sat together and chatted about various topics for a while

Father, could you please tell me what mistake you made that led to Grandfather punishing you by making you kneel in the ancestral hall

Kou Ji shook his head slightly and said, "You need not explain; the child understands"

Kou Li smiled proudly and said: "Among our group of classmates, the most knowledgeable and the one who has made the greatest progress is none other than your father and me, followed closely by Wu Xian-di. Wu Xian-di is a good person; he is well-educated, open-hearted, and often generous with his resources..."

He rubbed his hands together, intentionally avoiding Kou Ji's gaze, adjusted his attire, and then forced a smile as he said: "It is my fault, I made a mistake and was punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, which has caused you to witness this farce."

However, Kou Ji found it difficult to get close to him

Your father tells you that there are countless treasures in this Bianjing city

Kou Ji did not treat him warmly, and he also felt a sense of irresponsibility towards his son, which left him with some guilt; thus, in the end, he could not bring himself to admonish him.

How unreliable must one be to not recognize their own son

There seems to be a barrier between them that has made them quite estranged

How much heart does this require

Kou Ji decisively interrupted Kou Li's rambling and went straight to the point

However, for an old minister like Kou Zhun, who has served in two dynasties and has always held a central position, this is not surprising

Kou Li seemed to have noticed the gloom in Kou Ji's heart and awkwardly smiled, saying: "As your father, I have been away for many years studying abroad, and we have always spent little time together. In recent years, I have been busy following your grandfather around, running here and there. You are at the age of growing, changing every day, so as your father..."

Seasonal child

Only this time, the imperial gift sold by Kou Li is clearly different from other imperial gifts

Kou Ji's lack of understanding is unacceptable; such matters, in later generations, would be considered inconceivable

The creditor pressed hard, and out of necessity for his father, he reluctantly complied with your grandfather's bestowed rhinoceros hide belt to repay the debt

Otherwise, Kou Zhun would not have punished him so severely, nor would he have given him this from Sun Shiwei

Kou Jidun did not want to say a word at that moment, he simply nodded with a dark expression on his face

Ji Er, after your grandfather took your father to the capital, he arranged for your father to study at the Imperial Academy. The offspring of the noble families in the Academy looked down upon your father, believing that he was not the biological child of your grandfather

Child, the father has not committed any grave error; your grandfather has somewhat overreacted. He punished the father by making him kneel here, which is a reflection of his anger. I believe that after a few days, when his anger subsides, he will allow the father to leave.

However, in ancient times, it was quite common

However, Kou Ji did not interrupt Kou Li's words, but instead gestured for him to continue speaking

Indeed, the smile on Kou Li's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a hint of bitterness as he said: "Unfortunately, my father had bad luck a few days ago and lost 300 guan, along with an additional 50 guan from Wu Xian-di.

He happily said: "However, as a father, I have been studying abroad for many years, and I understand the ways of the world far better than they do. I have only been in the academy for a few days, yet I have already made a group of knowledgeable classmates.

Kou Li was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. After a long pause, he spoke, noticing that his son had remained silent and showed no interest until now, when suddenly his son became interested in the mistakes he had made.

You may stay at my residence for the time being, and after a few days, once my father has gone out, I will take you to explore the bustling city of Bianjing.

Kou Zhun served as an official for several decades and held the position of Prime Minister four times. The imperial gifts he received were likely too numerous to count.

Kou Ji has never believed in the idea of pie falling from the sky

Therefore, as a father, there are not many friends...

Kou Li began to chatter on about the prosperity of Xiwazi City to Kou Ji