Chapter 410: Sympathy
Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Sympathy
Gu Kaiyuan really wanted to get up and leave. Even at a time like this, the man couldn’t resist putting others down.
"But you’re quite formidable yourself. Your father didn’t let you study, nor did he allow you to practice martial arts, yet you were smart enough to know how to keep a low profile and bide your time.
"With your martial arts skills and business acumen, if he had been willing to let you pursue your studies back then, the Gu Family probably wouldn’t have ended up in this state..."
"Mr. Chen, you’ve gone off-topic. We are discussing your family’s children. I actually think your children are quite decent. You’ve trained them to be very obedient," Gu Kaiyuan mocked maliciously. "Except, you seem to have forgotten that they are human beings. They have their own thoughts and hobbies, but you never ask about them. You just blindly act on what you think is best. If you’ve arranged everything for them, do they even need to use their brains?"
Growing up in that kind of family environment... thinking about it made the Gu Family seem not so bad after all. At least they hadn’t suppressed him into becoming a complete fool.
Gu Kaiyuan quickly shook his head in alarm. He really shouldn’t make such comparisons. Otherwise, no matter how wicked a situation was, there would always be something even worse out there to compare it to.
"I am the head of the family; of course I have to arrange everything for them. If I didn’t rack my brains and exhaust myself preparing their paths, wouldn’t they be ruined?" Chen Dafu felt that it had not been easy for him, pulling this entire large family up single-handedly, only for every single one of them to let his efforts down.
Gu Kaiyuan didn’t even want to try persuading him anymore. Chen Dafu was definitely holding his descendants to his own strict standards. Having a patriarch like that was truly terrifying.
Anyway, the other party wouldn’t listen no matter what he said. It had become a habit over all these years, so why should he bother playing the villain?
"So, you mean you still want them to follow me and learn a few things?
"Although I haven’t officially registered as a merchant yet, no one knows what the situation will be like in the future.
"By following me, all they’ll learn are ways to make a living. I definitely won’t teach them how to read and write."
Chen Dafu looked at Gu Kaiyuan with disdain. "Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dare expect any of that from you, nor would I dare let you teach them."
Gu Kaiyuan wanted to flip the table and walk away. No wonder none of the man’s descendants had amounted to anything. With an attitude like his, even if they were capable, they’d have to play dumb just to escape his even more intense oppression.
What Gu Kaiyuan didn’t know was that he had actually stumbled upon a hidden truth. Any of the Chen Family descendants with even a bit of brains had no desire to stick their necks out.
According to Chen Dafu’s old-fashioned way of thinking, the children and grandchildren of the Chen Family were supposed to share both joys and hardships, keeping their wealth and poverty strictly equal.
Under such an upbringing, who would want to stand out? It was better to just keep their heads down and survive quietly. That way, they wouldn’t face the harsh whip of Chen Dafu’s "education," nor would they have to slave away for the Chen Family for the rest of their lives.
After all, no matter how well they did, it would just be a contribution to everyone else. They might as well just remain exactly the same as everyone else...
"I’ll have them come over later to follow you around. Feel free to order them about. If possible, it would be best to teach them a specific skill so they can have a livelihood in the future."
"Why did you seek me out?" Gu Kaiyuan was somewhat puzzled. "You are now an Imperial Envoy. Once you finish this assignment, you will definitely be promoted. There are plenty of people in the capital who want to curry favor with you. They would certainly be much more dedicated."
Chen Dafu shook his head. "You’re still a bit too young. If such people really existed, I wouldn’t dare let my descendants follow them.
"When the time comes, they would only fawn over and flatter the boys, aiming to get more benefits from me or trying to use me as their protective umbrella. I don’t want any of that.
"You’re quite decent, kid. Since I became an official, you’re the first one who’s dared to clash with me face-to-face."
Gu Kaiyuan thought, "Is there something wrong with this guy’s head? Did he come to my door just to seek abuse?"
"You are a man of principle. Moreover, you aren’t going to pursue an official career, and you have the backing of the Bai Family. Whatever you do will go much smoother than it would for others, and you’ll rarely need to ask for favors." Perhaps feeling that his words sounded a bit harsh, he added, "However, if you can help me train a few of my children, I can still lend you a hand in the future, as long as it doesn’t violate my principles."
Gu Kaiyuan rolled his eyes. "Then let me thank you in advance."
"Then it’s settled. I’ll have them come over directly to find you later," Chen Dafu slapped his thigh, making the decision right then and there.
"Wait, when did I agree to this? I only said I wasn’t suitable and told you to find someone else."
"Although you’re a bit young, don’t belittle yourself," Chen Dafu said. "Anyway, when my children come to follow you, you won’t need to pay them any wages. Just give them a bite to eat and let them learn a little something. That will be enough."
"I won’t be able to teach them well..."
"You don’t need to teach them to be like you. Just letting them follow you to broaden their horizons is fine, too."
"Wouldn’t it be better if they just followed you directly? Look at yourself—you’re an Imperial Envoy. It’s such a majestic title. Maybe they’ll be won over by your charisma and strive hard in the imperial examinations to bring glory to the Chen Family’s ancestors."
"Sigh, if they had that kind of talent, I’d be fine keeping them by my side every day," Chen Dafu shook his head. "I’m just afraid that if I keep them with me, they’ll use my influence to act like tyrants. If their temperaments get twisted, it will be even harder to set them straight."
Gu Kaiyuan laughed out of sheer exasperation. "Your descendants are truly blessed to have you.
"You’re so afraid of your own shadow. You really are a great head of the household."
Chen Dafu pursed his lips. In truth, he had long realized that there was a problem with his educational methods, but unfortunately, it was already too late.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come begging to Gu Kaiyuan. If there were even a sliver of hope, he would have kept them by his side to teach them personally.
"Just tell me if it’s a yes or no." Chen Dafu genuinely thought highly of Gu Kaiyuan and his wife. The two of them were smart people. Even though his own status had changed, they still treated him exactly the same as before. He could rest easy having his children follow someone like that.
"It’s not entirely out of the question," Gu Kaiyuan said, weighing the matter in his mind. Getting involved with Chen Dafu wasn’t a bad thing. The man was a pure and loyal official with a good disposition. Having him owe a favor might come in handy somewhere down the line.
"But you can’t send too many people over. Just send one or two to try it out first." Gu Kaiyuan had no desire to feed an entire large family. Given the personality of an old codger like Chen Dafu, it was entirely possible he’d dump his whole extended family on him.
"That works," Chen Dafu agreed. Although he wasn’t completely satisfied, he was the one asking for a favor right now, so he didn’t argue.
"Then you’d better make it clear to your children beforehand. They aren’t coming to my place to act like pampered young masters. They will do whatever I tell them to do. They shouldn’t even think about coming here to order people around."
"Of course they won’t," Chen Dafu immediately said in a stern voice. "Since I’m letting them follow you, everything will naturally be up to you. If they dare to disobey, you can beat or punish them as you see fit.
"Don’t worry, those boys are tough and resilient. As long as you don’t break their bones, you can toss them around however you like."
Gu Kaiyuan thought, "Is the man in front of me a wicked stepfather? What kind of grudge does he hold against his own descendants?"
"Then it’s settled. Choose two people and send them over. I’ll make some time to guide them, but I can’t guarantee the outcome."