Seeing the frightened look on the face of the steward of the Li Clan's estate in Longxi, the seven old men put down the wine cups in their hands and stared at him in astonishment.
Li Zhao frowned and scolded,"You're panicking. What's wrong with you? If the sky collapses, the seven of us will hold it up. Moreover, the sky hasn't collapsed yet.”
"Patriarch, the sky is falling!”
" I just heard someone say that there are seven stone tablets outside Mingde Gate in Chang 'an City!" the middle-aged butler said in horror.”
A stone tablet?
The seven old men were even more confused.
"What kind of stone tablet scared you so much?" Li Qing asked curiously.”
The middle-aged butler's voice trembled as he said,"
"I heard that His Majesty wanted to record the achievements of the seven family heads, so he ordered people to erect seven stone tablets.'In the fifth month of the ninth year of Wude, the head of Longxi's Li family, Li Zhao, donated nine wen to the imperial court. I am very happy and will carve a stone to record your achievements for posterity…' The other six stone steles also had the same words written on them. The names of the family heads were all engraved on the stone steles!”
Bang!
The sound of wine glasses falling to the ground suddenly rang out.
The seven old men stood up and looked at the middle-aged butler in disbelief.
In May of the ninth year of Wude, Li Zhao, the patriarch of the Li family in Longxi, donated nine articles to the imperial court. I was very happy and carved stones for you to record your achievements and pass them on to future generations.
Was this a record of merit?
This was a demerit from Le Shi, right?
Not only is Li Zhao's name on it, but our names are also on it?
The seven stone tablets were all placed in the most conspicuous Mingde Sect?
"This is a scheme to kill!" Li Qing's expression was ugly.”
Lu Hu's face trembled as he said,"
"It's not just killing people, it's making us infamy for ten thousand years. That stone tablet was erected by the little emperor, the royal family erected it, who would dare touch it? I'm afraid that it won't be long before the merchants who come and go to Chang 'an to do business will bring the words on the seven stone tablets to all the provinces in the world. If the reputation of the five surnames and seven Wangs is damaged because of this, we will be the sinners of our families and die with grievances!”
"The little Emperor is really ruthless!"
"We've all been played!"
In the mansion, the angry voices of the old men rose and fell!
Li Zhao's expression was the most unsightly. He had thought that his move was flawless. Not only would he not lose any of the Five Families and Seven Wangs, but he would also damage the imperial court's reputation.
Who would have thought that in the end, the little Emperor would take the opportunity to stab them in the deepest hole!
He had really underestimated Li Tai!
What were the Five Surnames and Seven Wangs most proud of?
It was prestige!
Everyone in the world was proud of marrying a woman from the five surnames. This was the power of prestige!
But similarly, the Five Families and Seven Wangs were also most afraid of losing their prestige and losing the respect of the people in the world. However, they were not dead yet. The little Emperor's knife had stabbed right into their prestige!
In the short term, he might not be able to see anything.
But what about the first, second, and third generations?
That stone tablet could not be damaged even by wind and rain. It might even last for a thousand years. Could it be that in these thousand years, the five surnames and seven hopes would be despised by the future generations?
No, absolutely not!
Li Zhao panicked, but he still suppressed his panic and said in a deep voice,"Let's go to Mingde Sect and take a look at those seven stone tablets!”
————
Mingde Sect, the main gate of Chang 'an Fortress!
After passing through this door, they would be able to see Vermilion Bird Avenue if they kept walking forward.
At this moment, seven stone tablets were erected at the gate of Mingde Gate. The merchants, scholars, and the people of Chang 'an were all looking at them curiously.
It would have been fine if he didn't look, but when he did, he flew into a rage.
The scholars were shocked and incredulous, as well as the anger that kept surging into their hearts.
"The Five Surnames and Seven Wangs dare to bully the Great Tang?”
"It's only been two days since the little Emperor ascended the throne, and they're already trying to humiliate the Great Tang?”
"If the Outsiders see the contents of these stone steles and bring them back to another country, how will the people of other countries view the Imperial Court of the Great Tang? What do you think of the people of the Great Tang?"
"Heh, look at the contents."
A middle-aged scholar laughed in anger. He pointed at the words on the stone tablet and read them out loud,
"In the fifth month of the ninth year of Wude, Longxi's Li Clan's Patriarch, Li Zhao, donated nine wen to the Imperial Court. I am very happy and will record your achievements in stone for future generations! Look at the credit His Majesty gave them! When the imperial court was in trouble, they sought help from the five surnames and seven Wangs. What did the five surnames and seven Wangs do?？Nine wens, only nine wens! He was simply not a son or a subject. He was extremely hateful!”
The scholars all said indignantly,
" This bunch of people should be killed!!"
"To think that I've always believed that 'the people of the world are proud to marry the women of the five surnames.' I'm ashamed.”
At this moment, a middle-aged merchant who had experienced the auction in King Qin's Mansion suddenly said,""Actually, you don't know what's going on inside.”
With a swoosh, all the scholars looked over.
The merchant was a little nervous, but he thought that if he explained it to them now, he might be able to win the favor of the heads of the five families and seven Wangs. He quickly explained,
"The heads of the five surnames and the Seven Wangs didn't really donate nine coins to each of them. Instead, they donated twenty-one land deeds to the imperial court. When His Majesty obtained them, he even cheered loudly. Then, he held an auction in King Qin's Mansion. The highest bidder won. At that time, more than a hundred merchants came. The starting price of the land deeds was one coin. However, because no one bid, in the end, it was the seven heads who paid the money to buy them back!”
Hearing this, the scholars 'eyes widened.
One of the scholars stood out and asked loudly,""There are more than a hundred merchants, why is no one bidding? Did they not have a single coin? If I were there, I would definitely bid!”
A scholar chimed in." That's right. Isn't it nice to buy a house worth thousands of strings of coins for a penny?"”
"More than a hundred merchants, why aren't you shouting? Did he not want to call her, or could he not call her, or did he not dare to call her?”
"This…" The middle-aged merchant hesitated.
A young scholar saw his hesitation and stutter. How could he not understand? He was so angry that his face turned ashen as he pointed at him and cursed,
"Damn you, why are you still trying to quibble? Looking at you, I know that you must have been informed by the heads of the five surnames and seven hopes in advance. None of you dared to bid, right? That's why in the end, those seven heads each paid nine wen to buy back the land deed!”
"Poor His Majesty!"
Some scholars suddenly thought of something and looked at the seven stone tablets with a sorrowful expression.
"The little emperor has only ascended the throne for two days and has already been humiliated by the five surnames and seven Wangs. His Majesty is still na?ve enough to carve a stone for them to record their achievements so that the world will know that they have contributed to the country!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the scholars 'expressions became even angrier.
"Contribution points? Contribution my ass!"
"Pah, nine copper coins are considered contribution points? I'm ashamed to associate myself with such a rich family's children!”
" Hahahaha, the world still respects the Five Families and Seven Wangs. From today on, I will travel all over the world and tell everyone how the Five Families and Seven Wangs of Chang 'an humiliated the little emperor!”
"Let's go. I want to spread this matter to the world with you, brother. We'll let everyone know what the five families and seven Wangs are like!”
"Brother, wait for me. Let's go together!”
For a moment, groups of scholars left Chang 'an in anger and headed for the provinces.
More and more scholars gathered. After reading the contents on the stone tablet, they cursed angrily. Some even began to teach everyone to look at the name on the stone tablet and spit on the ground to express their anger.
In the distance, the seven old men watched this scene in a daze, unable to hide the fear on their faces.
These seven stone tablets were too powerful!
Almost at this instant, it shattered the pride of the five surnames and seven Wangs!
"Hurry, hurry to King Qin's Mansion!"
Li Zhao's old face was pale and he felt dizzy. His voice trembled as he said,
"We must find His Majesty quickly and find a turning point. We must get His Majesty to take back these seven stone tablets. No matter how great the price is, we must not hesitate. The prestige of the five families and seven Wangs cannot be destroyed in our hands! Otherwise, we'll really become sinners through the ages!”
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