Chapter 41: Handle It as You See Fit
Page 1 of 3
Chapter 41: Cast Out of the Chen Family
At these words, everyone present fell silent, their faces filled with astonishment.
Grandmother and the others might not have known exactly what office the Assistant Director held, but they had all heard of the Imperial Academy!
It was the most exalted institution in their eyes.
How could an official serving there possibly hold a low-ranking position?
This was something no county magistrate’s son could compare with.
At that moment, Grandmother and the others were all wondering the same thing: What could such an important official possibly want here?
“Grandmother, the Assistant Director has come this time to select students for admission to the Imperial Academy. Perhaps he has taken a liking to my abilities.”
Chen Hao spoke excitedly.
Upon hearing this, Grandmother and the others also became visibly thrilled.
They had thought that Chen Hao’s acquaintance with Young Master Zhao was already impressive enough. They had never imagined that a high-ranking official from the Imperial Academy would personally come to visit him.
Grandmother and the others repeatedly exclaimed that he was bringing glory to their ancestors.
The surrounding guests now looked at Chen Hao with deep respect. They all believed that his future prospects were limitless.
“Hao, hurry and go receive the Assis—Assistant Director.”
Grandmother spoke excitedly.
Chen Hao immediately led everyone out to welcome the Assistant Director.
The surrounding guests followed along with eager expressions. They had never seen such an important official before.
At that moment, however, Zhao Hongwei wore a puzzled expression.
He knew what Assistant Director Liu was like. No matter how much Liu admired Chen Hao, he would never personally come to pay him a visit.
Moreover, Zhao Hongwei knew that Liu did not particularly admire Chen Hao in the first place.
Though puzzled, Zhao Hongwei still followed the crowd to welcome Assistant Director Liu.
Chen Fan, too, looked perplexed. What could that old man possibly want here?
“Student Chen Hao pays his respects to the Assistant Director.”
“Student Zhao Hongwei pays his respects to the Assistant Director.”
Chen Hao and Zhao Hongwei respectfully bowed to Assistant Director Liu.
Liu merely nodded.
“P—poor citizen pays his respects to the Assistant Director.”
Grandmother and the others also bowed to him.
Assistant Director Liu quickly helped Grandmother to her feet.
“Elder, today is your seventieth birthday. I have come to share a cup of celebratory wine with you. I hope you will not take offense.”
The Assistant Director spoke with a smile.
Page 1 of 3
Page 2 of 3
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was astonished once again.
No one had expected Assistant Director Liu to have come personally to offer his birthday congratulations. It seemed he truly valued Chen Hao.
The surrounding guests now looked at Chen Hao with even greater respect.
Grandmother was so excited that the corners of her mouth nearly reached her ears.
“N—no offense at all! It is our Chen family’s great honor to have such an important official visit us!”
Her voice trembled with excitement.
Chen Hao’s uncles were also so thrilled that they did not know what to say. They could only stand to one side, smiling and repeatedly nodding and bowing.
“Assistant Director, please come in.”
Chen Hao excitedly gestured for him to enter.
However, Assistant Director Liu did not go inside. Instead, he looked around as though searching for someone.
Everyone watched him curiously.
“Where is Chen Fan? Why has he not come out to receive me?”
“I came here today precisely because of him.”
Assistant Director Liu spoke.
At these words, the entire courtyard fell silent.
The smiles on Chen Hao’s and Grandmother’s faces instantly froze.
What did he mean?
The Assistant Director had not come for Chen Hao, but for Chen Fan? What was going on?
Everyone present was filled with confusion.
“Ass—Assistant Director, did Chen Fan offend you?”
Grandmother asked cautiously.
She could not understand why such an important official would come all the way here for Chen Fan.
The only explanation was that Chen Fan had offended him, and he had come to settle the score.
Thinking of what Chen Hao had said earlier, it seemed entirely plausible that Chen Fan had offended both the county magistrate and the Assistant Director.
The more Grandmother thought about it, the more certain she became that this was the truth.
After hearing her words, the surrounding people nodded in agreement.
In their minds, that was the only possible explanation.
Visible tension spread across Grandmother’s face. If Chen Fan had offended the county magistrate, perhaps the Chen family might still have a glimmer of hope.
But if he had offended a powerful official from the Imperial Academy, the Chen family would likely be ruined.
“I…”
“Assistant Director, I have already cast Chen Fan out of the Chen family. He has no connection with us anymore.”
Page 2 of 3
Page 3 of 3
“No matter how he offended you, I hope you will settle your grievances with the guilty party and not implicate our Chen family.”
Assistant Director Liu had just been about to speak when Grandmother nervously cut him off.
“Ass—Assistant Director, that ill-fated Chen Fan has nothing to do with our Chen family anymore. Please spare us!”
“Ass—Assistant Director, everything was done by Chen Fan alone. He is no longer a member of our Chen family, and he has nothing to do with us. Please be magnanimous and do not punish our family.”
Chen Hao’s uncles also spoke up.
“Assistant Director, did something go wrong with those books Chen Fan sold?”
“You may deal with him however you wish. There is no need to spare me any consideration. He is no longer a member of the Chen family and has nothing to do with me.”
Chen Hao stepped forward and spoke with righteous indignation.
Earlier, when Zhao Hongwei and Assistant Director Liu had arrived, everyone had said they were there out of consideration for Chen Hao. He had consequently begun to feel rather pleased with himself.
Now, after hearing Grandmother ask whether Chen Fan had offended Assistant Director Liu, Chen Hao’s mind began racing.
If Chen Fan had truly offended the Assistant Director, the most likely reason had to be those books.
If that was really the case, there would have been no need for Assistant Director Liu to come personally. All he would have had to do was say the word, and the county magistrate would have helped arrest Chen Fan. The magistrate had been waiting for an opportunity like this all along.
Yet Assistant Director Liu had not done so. Instead, he had come in person. There could only be one explanation: he had come out of consideration for Chen Hao’s reputation.
The more Chen Hao thought about it, the more excited he became, and so he took the initiative to step forward.
Upon hearing Chen Hao’s words, everyone present suddenly felt as though enlightenment had struck them.
No one had imagined that Chen Hao’s influence had grown so great—that even an official as important as the Assistant Director had to take his reputation into consideration.
“That’s right, Assistant Director. Chen Fan has nothing to do with our Chen family anymore. Deal with him as you see fit. I will simply consider myself to have never had such a grandson.”
“Assistant Director, someone like Chen Fan can only bring harm to others if he remains alive. Just kill him directly! You would be ridding the people of a menace.”
“He has nothing to do with our Chen family anymore. You may kill him outright.”
Grandmother and the others spoke with firm expressions.
Assistant Director Liu, however, frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“I have taken a liking to Chen Fan’s talent and wanted to recommend him for admission to the Imperial Academy, but he rejected me.”
“Besides offering birthday congratulations, the more important reason I came here was to ask you to persuade Chen Fan to accompany me to the Imperial Academy.”
“With his abilities, he will certainly be able to place first in the imperial examination. It is not impossible that he may one day be ennobled and become a minister of state.”
Assistant Director Liu spoke.
His words exploded in everyone’s ears like a thunderclap.