kvmb Chapter 121 Cui Yixuan
Chapter 121 Cui Yixuan
In a parallel universe set in the Tang Dynasty, An Ding Si and her brother Zi An sat in a small and cozy hot pot restaurant.
Outside, snow was falling in the evening, but inside the small shop it was warm and cozy.
The slices of mutton in the pot floated gently in the steam, carrying a fragrant aroma.
The two picked up their bowls, leisurely picking up vegetables and cooking meat, drinking the piping hot tomato soup, and enjoying this rare mealtime.
An Ding Si, with his legs crossed, swishing his belly and chewing on a strip of meat, casually remarked:
"There's another person with the character 'Yi' in his name. He's a new member of the Emperor's team. Oh my, you know, that official named Yi Xuan, surnamed Cui, is a fresh addition to the team. He was just hanging out with Second Father Li Zhi and the others, and he's already become Emperor Gaozong's new favorite."
As Zi'an picked up some food, she looked up and asked curiously, "Who is it? They're so good at getting ahead."
Si Zi laughed and swallowed the hot pot tripe in one gulp, wiped her mouth, and pouted:
"It's Cui Yixuan, the one from Gucheng County, Hebei. Have you heard of him? His family is no ordinary one. His father is Cui Gai, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. He deals with ordinary people all day long. How could he not have seen big scenes?"
Zi'an took a bite of mutton and his eyes lit up: "Cui Yixuan! I know him. That's right, a branch of the Cui family of Qinghe. He was quite capable when he was young. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, he joined Wei Gong Li Mi, that Li Mi. But... he didn't think much of him and left him out."
An Ding Si picked up his chopsticks, dipped some mutton in the hot pot, and with a piece of tripe in his mouth, said with bright eyes:
"Hey, but speaking of which, the Cui family of Qinghe is truly a 'powerful family' in Chinese history! They were glorious from the Wei and Jin dynasties all the way to the Sui and Tang dynasties. Their ancestors were really high up!"
While cooking mutton in the hot pot, Zi'an tapped the table with her chopsticks:
"Hmm, I've heard of the Cui family before. They're practically a 'family that lasts for ten thousand generations' in history! They never compare themselves to others because they're just naturally gifted. They started out with the surname Jiang, but after things went well, they simply changed it to Cui, probably just for the sake of 'smooth sailing'."
An Ding Si took a bite of meat and mumbled something indistinctly:
“That’s right. During the Western Han Dynasty, Cui Ye settled down in Dongwucheng County, Qinghe Commandery. You know that place, right? It’s the area around Gucheng County, Hebei Province—that’s the birthplace of the ‘Dongwucheng people of Qinghe’! From then on, they became the ‘ancestors’ of this area, and were known in the martial arts world as the ‘Qinghe Cui Clan’!”
Zi An slapped his thigh: "Haha, alright, alright, this 'known in the martial arts world' Cui family of Qinghe is truly living up to its reputation. Just take the Wei and Jin periods for example, their family was simply the epitome of a 'powerful family,' with official titles passed down from generation to generation, almost becoming family heirlooms!"
An Dingsi chuckled and pursed his lips: "You know, during the Wei and Jin dynasties, the Cui family of Qinghe was incredibly powerful. By the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, they were absolutely arrogant and domineering. Especially during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, Yuan Hong, the Cui family went from being known as 'Qinghe Dongwucheng' to becoming one of the four great families of Lu, Cui, Zheng, and Wang! See, that name sounds very 'powerful'!"
Zi An laughed loudly:
"Yes, yes, yes! 'Lu Cui Zheng Wang' directly took the top spot from the list of 'Historical Champions'!"
Who can compare to their family?
But speaking of the Tang Dynasty, the Cui family of Qinghe was truly "unlimited in glory." Not only did they continue to hold official positions, but they were also ranked among the "Seven Surnames and Ten Families"—what does that mean? It means that the family's influence was so great that the entire Tang Dynasty listened to them!
An Ding Si pointed to the meat in the pot:
"That's right! Look, back in the Tang Dynasty, the Cui family of Qinghe was ranked among the 'Seven Surnames and Ten Families,' and they produced a total of twelve prime ministers! Twelve! How much good fortune must they have had to be 'a family of prime ministers for twelve generations'!"
Along with the Cui clan of Boling and the Lu clan of Fanyang, they were collectively known as the "Cui-Lu" clan, and everyone had to bow their heads when they saw them.
Zi'an took a sip of the tomato soup, which was sprinkled with chopped green onions and cilantro:
"Now that you mention it, it's almost unbelievable. When officials see them, it's like they've met 'superstars.' They probably all smugly try to say hello and get an autograph. This family's reputation is absolutely phenomenal!"
An Ding Si put a piece of meat in her mouth, chewed it, and looked slightly jealous.
"Hey, the descendants of the Cui family in Qinghe are truly 'family businesses' wherever they go, they never have to worry about not having enough to eat."
To be honest, if I had a family background that resulted in me failing grades, I'd probably get special time-travel privileges throughout the universe and wouldn't have to live in the early Tang Dynasty all the time.
Zi'an couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Haha, you're still not satisfied with the trouble you've caused! The Cui family's legacy is nothing compared to Si Zi's time-traveling legacy. Your experience is like the tripe in our hot pot, always steaming hot, never running out, and always 'popular'!"
On the way back to the palace after a pleasant tea and meal, An Ding Si continued to ramble on:
"Hey, back in the Sui Dynasty, he was just a nobody, he submitted bids so many times but never got the job."
But as soon as the Tang Dynasty was established, he couldn't wait to "change careers" and became the Sima of Huai Prefecture for Li Shimin, and was later granted the title of Duke of Qingqiu County.
"Yeah, back then nobody thought he could fly that high, but no one expected him to be able to make such a big splash later on."
Zi'an echoed:
"Oh dear, he's definitely the kind of person who quietly sets things up. He became the Left Assistant Minister and even served as the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Han's Palace. Not content with that, he actually went to Wuzhou to become the Prefect. When Chen Shuozhen caused trouble, he actually stepped forward to suppress it, inadvertently revealing his heroic nature!"
An Ding Si patted her round little belly:
"However, don't forget that the best thing he did in the end was to support the deposed Empress Wang and establish my second mother, Wu Zetian. After that, he became the governor of Puzhou and received the posthumous title of 'Zhen'. Think about that young man who wanted to join Li Mi but was not given important positions. He was posthumously granted the title of 'Governor of Yizhou'. He wasn't just sitting around doing nothing."
Zi An squinted, picked up a mouthful of crystal-clear powder with his chopsticks, gently put it in his mouth, and made a "tsk tsk" sound, as if he was savoring the taste of life, or perhaps lamenting the tricks of fate.
"Sigh, this brother is really lucky. The 'halo' behind him makes him thrive. We who left early and time-traveled should think carefully about how to live a less troublesome life in this chaotic world, and even make history stabilize our time."
An Ding Si listened, sighed deeply, rubbed his slightly swollen belly, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips, as if he were somewhat silent, or perhaps deep in thought:
"Indeed, we also need to think about what is the gentlest yet most powerful thing? What can stir up ripples and shake people's hearts in the torrent of time and space? Perhaps, this is what we are really looking for."
Zi'an slowly raised his head, his eyes deep, gazing at the end of time. A sense of relief and pride shone through his brows, and his voice became deep and powerful:
“Sizi, we are nothing more than dust in the universe, water droplets in spacetime.”
You see, in my previous life, when I, Wang Bo, was struggling in the water, I felt despair and helplessness, but in the end I realized that I was the embodiment of that water.
Since that's the case, let's be bold and go for it!
As long as you follow the true voice of your heart, and since there is fire in your heart, how can you fear the storms ahead?!
A glint of enlightenment flashed in An Ding Si's eyes. She took a soft breath. She was always adept at dispelling all troubles, which was why she had always maintained the appearance of a little girl. She slowly said:
"Be bold and don't be afraid. Nobody cares. And even if someone does care, what are they anyway?!"
Zi An smiled slightly:
"We realize that the past cannot be changed, but we know that the future can be pursued."
That's right, the perspective of a rhinoceros or an ant will eventually disappear without a trace as time goes by.
What truly matters is how we find our own steadfastness and freedom in this vast world, and live authentically and freely!
Zi'an's tone was unhurried, yet full of profound meaning:
"That's right. If your heart is firm, no matter how much the world changes, no matter how long and difficult the journey, you will eventually reach your goal!"
We have survived many trials and tribulations, yet we still stand strong.
Do what you should do, without needing the approval of others. The disturbances and chaos of the outside world are ultimately just illusions.
True strength lies in how we remain steadfast amidst storms and how we maintain our direction as time flows by.
Back in his chambers, An Ding Si brought out a teacup, and the fragrant aroma of tea rose gently into the air.
"Yes, doing what we should do is the best choice."
No need to hide or pretend, just be yourself, focus without distraction, and you can find peace and contentment in this complex world.
Even though life is full of hardships and pitfalls, I still have my dear friends Zi'an, Mutou, Zhinu, and Liji to keep me company... I can row my—broken oar—and sail away!