Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1253: On Assignment

"But now I find myself requiring my elder brother to clean up my messes once more... He is already over eighty years old and ought to be enjoying a peaceful retirement, yet here I am, still burdening him with my troubles." Master Ouyang's voice wavered with deep emotion as he spoke. While establishing the new bank to support farmers, his greatest remorse was directed towards his elder brother.

Master Ouyang remarked, casting a glance at Gu Jin'an, "Do you know, I should have been the sixth child, not the second. During the past conflicts between the two dynasties, years of warfare followed. Despite our family's wealth and numerous servants, several siblings younger than my elder brother perished prematurely."

He became the second child because, before her passing, his mother instructed his elder brother to alter his birth order. She lived in fear that if he followed the sequence of the deceased siblings, he too might meet an early end.

"My mother gave birth to me at the age of forty-two. Before my arrival, my father died while escorting her to the capital to seek refuge with my elder brother. A few months after my birth, my mother also succumbed, her body worn out from exhaustion."

His mother had married his father at fourteen, given birth to his elder brother at sixteen. By the time Master Ouyang was born, his elder brother was already twenty-six, having found success in Great Chu, married, and even had a son.

"My father and my elder brother were not on good terms. It stemmed from my brother leaving the family to support Emperor Jingwu. Father was enraged, and Brother was displeased that Father failed to recognize a wise leader. For years, the father and son remained estranged... It was about six years later, after Brother achieved some success in Great Chu, that he began communicating with the family, mostly through letters. These were typically answered by Mother. Father, however, refused to forgive him."

In truth, he couldn't abandon the clansmen in the old capital, fearing that excessive contact with his brother might bring disaster upon the Ouyang family.

"It was my birth that altered everything. My parents, having lost several children, did not want their youngest to die in the old capital. They discreetly arranged to seek refuge with my brother... But fate had other plans. The former Emperor Ai discovered the scheme and dispatched soldiers to pursue them. Despite my father's valiant defense with his household soldiers, he perished en route."

In the former dynasty, maintaining private soldiers was permissible. However, after the establishment of Great Chu, Emperor Jingwu, wary of private armies, enacted a stringent decree forbidding noble families and high-ranking officials from retaining private soldiers or constructing fortresses.

"It was my brother who led a rescue party for my mother and the unborn me."

Yet, tragically, my brother never witnessed my father's final moments, nor could he even recover his body... Emperor Ai's soldiers seized my father's corpse, displayed it at the old capital's gate for a month, then cremated it, scattering the ashes into the moat, leaving no remains!

Emperor Ai employed this brutal method to intimidate those in the former dynasty who harbored thoughts of defecting to Emperor Jingwu.

Upon hearing the news, Brother was utterly devastated, collapsing multiple times. Yet, he never implored Emperor Jingwu to dispatch troops to retrieve Father's body. Brother understood perfectly well that Emperor Jingwu would not risk an attack on the old capital for a single minister.

At that time, Emperor Jingwu was surrounded by many capable ministers, and his brother was merely considered a rising star.

Brother had no alternative; he dedicated himself to excelling, particularly after their mother passed. Brother took him, merely a hundred days old, under his personal care, tending to him with his own hands.

The family elders recounted that when he was young and prone to crying, his brother would hold and comfort him until the first light of dawn.

Until his own marriage, all his daily needs were personally met by his brother, who looked after him with meticulous attention. His nephew even cried on several occasions, lamenting that he was 'stealing' his father.

Speaking of Father, when he was young and naive, he even addressed Brother as "Father." Brother would gently correct him, stating, "I am your elder brother, not your father, though we share the same parents."

Back then, being too young, he wouldn't listen and desperately craved a father figure, clinging to Brother playfully, "Father, Father! Father is tricking me; everyone else has a father. Why can't I? You are my father."

He recounted this with a smile, but tears streamed down Brother's face, tears of profound sorrow. Eventually, Brother relented, allowing him to use the term 'Father' for a short period before reiterating the correction after the New Year.

Master Ouyang proceeded to share a substantial amount about his life and his elder brother with Gu Jin’an. He concluded by saying, "My elder brother has been looking after me my entire life. I truly shouldn't burden him any further... Given his age, it should be me taking care of him now."

Gu Jin’an was taken aback, never having anticipated Master Ouyang would divulge such personal matters. After a moment of surprise, he responded, "Master, as a fellow brother, I can assure you that Elder Ouyang's care for you isn't about expecting repayment or for you to view it as a debt of gratitude."

He further elaborated, "An elder brother's peace of mind comes from seeing his younger siblings thrive. When a brother looks after his younger siblings, it is purely for his own tranquility, never for any reward."

"I am aware of this," Master Ouyang replied, even though he understood the sentiment, a sense of guilt still lingered within him.

Following a brief silence, Master Ouyang turned his gaze back to Gu Jin’an and revealed, "Do you realize that when I first consented to teach Brother Cheng, my decision was based on three distinct reasons? Interestingly, not a single one of them was directly because of Brother Cheng himself. You, however, were one of those underlying factors."

Brother Cheng was undeniably intelligent, but the land of Great Chu was abundant with prodigies; simply being a teacher to a bright child wouldn't have been enough motivation for him.

Brother Wang, on the other hand, presented a more captivating enigma. If he were to take on a disciple, it would likely be someone as uniquely gifted and unconventional as Brother Wang.

"You are exceptionally astute. For Brother Cheng's future, you orchestrated his meeting with me and diligently pursued every avenue to ensure I became his teacher. In that moment, I was strongly reminded of my own elder brother. He too sought out the late Mr. Feng and Mr. Guan Hai, devoting considerable effort to secure their tutelage for me over several years."

Mr. Feng was the esteemed father of the current Old Master Feng and the progenitor of the Great Chu Criminal Law. Furthermore, he was the grandfather of the former Minister of Justice. Mr. Guan Hai’s standing, however, was even more prominent, having served as a virtual advisor to Emperor Jingwu himself.

His elder brother’s efforts in finding him such esteemed mentors as Mr. Guan Hai effectively placed him within the inner circle of Emperor Jingwu’s trusted confidants. This allowed him to bask in the esteem of the royal family throughout his life, even without holding any official position.

Gu Jin’an had never personally met Ouyang Hong, only having read some of his renowned writings. He had always regarded Ouyang Hong as an exceptional Great Scholar, a tutor to two imperial generations, and a true cornerstone of Great Chu. However, after hearing Master Ouyang’s narrative, he came to understand that Elder Ouyang Hong was not merely an ethereal immortal but a tangible, caring individual who had tirelessly worked for the well-being of his youngest brother.

"Master, perhaps you could seize this opportunity while you are handling tax matters to visit the Capital and pay a visit to Elder Ouyang," Gu Jin’an suggested, sensing Master Ouyang’s profound longing and unspoken distress regarding Ouyang Hong.

Master Ouyang remained in quiet contemplation for a period before finally responding with a shake of his head, "I cannot return."

"You cannot return?" Gu Jin’an questioned, his brow furrowing. After a moment of reflection, he stated, "Given Elder Ouyang's esteemed status, the Emperor would not dare to trouble you. You should be able to return safely to visit Elder Ouyang."

Master Ouyang once again shook his head: "I have only disclosed one reason for agreeing to teach Brother Cheng. There are still two more reasons that you are not privy to."

In reality, he had received explicit instructions from his elder brother to remain in the south for such an extended duration.