Shen Rui's words made Shen Li's brows tighten, and Shen Quan's expression outside the window changed greatly. It wasn't that he was despicable and deliberately eavesdropped, it was just that he really admired the number one brother, and when he saw the number one brother coming, he wanted to get close to him. I had the audacity to ask for a few words, but I didn’t expect to hear these important words.
If it hadn't been for these few days of "keeping vigil on behalf of his sister", Shen Quan would have thought that Shen Rui was too preoccupied, but after staying in front of the funeral for a few days, he also noticed something was wrong with the fourth room. Zhang Laoan's mother was beside him. Shen Jin was respectful in front of him, but he was arrogant in front of Shen Rui. The other slaves and servants also treated brother Shen Jin differently.
Shen Quan stood outside the office and could see clearly. At the same time, he was frightened and made more assumptions about Shen Jin. Now when he heard these words again, Shen Rui's words were clear and straightforward, and it was very strange to hear them. Chills.
Thinking about Shen Rui's reticence these days, Shen Quan couldn't help but raise his head and touch his forehead. The scars on it were faint and no longer noticeable. It seemed that the domineering little fat man had really changed his gender. He was sighing in his heart when he heard Shen Li Dao: "You just have to stay at peace and take good care of your body. When something big happens to your aunt, Brother Six will make his own arrangements and will never let you suffer any further."
Shen Rui said: "I'd like to ask Sixth Brother to help me. I'm not afraid of hardship. I just want to find a quiet place to study quietly for a few years." After saying this, he paused and said with a wry smile: "I'm not afraid of Sixth Brother's jokes when I say it. My brother didn't do it before." It’s so troublesome that I can’t even carry three hundred thousand. Compared with my brothers of the same race, my younger brother has fallen far behind.”
"Huh?" Shen Li asked in surprise: "How could this be so? Don't the children of the clan enter the clan school at the age of six? You have been in elementary school for several years, and you haven't memorized these books yet?"
Shen Rui's voice gradually became lowered and he said: "Lao An took pity on me and was afraid that I would suffer hardship in my studies, so he only asked me to go to school for two or three days in ten days. If I failed to memorize my homework one day, I would be unable to go to school for one reason or another for the next half month. . When I went back, I couldn’t keep up with what my husband taught me... Even at home, I couldn’t bear to pick up my pen too much. I just said I was young and was afraid of getting tired of my arms. If I stayed in the study for half an hour longer, I would be coaxed. Go play..."
The flower hall fell silent, and Shen Quan outside the door felt his feet were weak. He seemed to have heard something outrageous. What on earth was the fourth-bedroom Lao An thinking about? The Shen family is a well-known scholar, and all the children of the Shen family are studying. What's the point of calling it reading? If you're a concubine and don't like studying, you might as well learn to take care of the common affairs; if you're a direct descendant, why are you not allowed to study?
If Zhang Lao'an was really a fool, why didn't he stop Sun Jin from studying? Shen Quan was full of doubts and left lightly, feeling that his brain was not enough.
In the flower hall, Shen Rui and Shen Li stood side by side in front of the window. The originally closed window had been pushed open.
When Shen Quan's figure disappeared, Shen Lifang touched Shen Rui's head and said: "Aunt Hong has the best relationship with my aunt. If there is really any grudge between Lao An and my aunt, there will probably be one there." Shadow."
Shen Rui raised his head and said with a worried look on his face: "Then I'll ask if the aunt will tell me?"
Shen Li patted Shen Rui on the shoulder and said: "Leave it to Sixth Brother. Sixth Brother will ask. You have no choice but to be born as an aunt and fulfill your filial piety... No matter who it is, and no matter what the hidden meaning is, Sixth Brother will never allow others to do it again." I'll teach you."
After hearing this, Shen Rui felt really relieved. It wasn't that he was repaying his kindness, but that the Sun family had no family members. At this time, only the Shen family members could speak for him. Otherwise, he, a man, would have to ask for help. Spending the whole day thinking about how to play house-fighting with Zhang Lao'an?
When Shen Quan returned to the mourning hall, his expression softened.
The more educated a family is, the more they pay attention to the rules of the direct descendants, and the same is true for the Shen family. However, the situation of the fourth family is different. Shen Rui is not a talented person. Shen Jin is the eldest son of the concubine and a scholar. Everyone thinks that he will be the pillar of the fourth family in the future. More lenient. But if Shen Rui is really stubborn and can't stand it, how can he not be shocked if he actually has such a hidden secret?
Shen Jin had noticed that Shen Quan's expression was abnormal and asked in a low voice: "What's wrong with third brother?"
Shen Quan laughed twice and said, "I have something to do with my mother at home. Why hasn't my mother come out of the backyard yet?"
Shen Jin glanced at Shen Quan, waved his hand and called a boy over, giving some instructions.
The boy responded respectfully and hurried to the backyard to deliver the message.
Although Shen Quan had known for a long time that the respect given to Shen Jin by the servants in the fourth room would not have bothered him at all. After all, Shen Jin was a concubine and a young master, but seeing this scene now felt dazzling.
Shen Rui stayed at the mourning for six days, and Shen Quan stayed with him for six days. When the servants faced Shen Rui, they were not respectful when facing Shen Jin. Shen Jin behaved in a gentle and gentle manner, and did not point fingers at the servants like a young master; Shen Rui concentrated on keeping watch. , and there was no inappropriate behavior to lose stability. The different treatment of the two young masters by the slaves in the fourth room was as if Shen Jin was treated as a legitimate young master in the fourth room, while Shen Rui was treated as an unpopular concubine.
It had only been half a month since Mr. Sun passed away, and the atmosphere in these four houses had already changed.
*
In Zhang Lao'an's room, Mrs. Guo's expression remained unchanged, but she was actually a little unable to sit still.
Because Sun ordered the "Wu Qi" to be followed by the funeral, in addition to "Jie San" and "First Qi", the only remaining days of worship were "Three Qi", and "Wu Qi" is the most important. Although "Two Qi" It is also a big sacrifice, but it is nothing compared to other days. Unexpectedly, the number of female relatives of the clan who came on this day was no less than that of the "first seven". Many concubines from the side branches who had never visited before, or married aunts, all had smiles on their faces. In sorrow, he came over in plain clothes and surrounded Zhang Laoan to flatter him.
The ladies and grandmothers from several houses were here. They were either on good terms with Mrs. Sun or were ordered to come to the fourth house to see the follow-up development of the "abuse of the legitimate son". No one expected that there would be new excitement today.
This one said: "The people of Lao'an are the most kind, no one in the clan can be disrespectful."
The one said: "Yes, yes, those words outside have no impact. Who doesn't know that Lao An loves his grandson the most?"
Zhang Lao'an had been having trouble with his son for several days, and he was feeling depressed. He felt better after being flattered by the female relatives, but as he listened, he just felt something was wrong.
Jiufang Lao An said: "When you see 'Sanqi', shouldn't you open up?"
The second wife of Tang, the concubine of the third house, said: "Gee, even if it is just to block the outside world, this 'Sanqi' has to be done in a big way, otherwise it would not be like responding to the situation, unjustly accusing my aunt and not loving my wife."
Lao An from Jiufang added: "Yuan's daughter-in-law loved Hui Niang the most during her lifetime. Hui Niang even gave her half a dowry when she came out of the palace. This is the same even for a daughter-in-law who is about to get married. Sanqi is managed by the married woman, and Yuan's daughter-in-law is in charge of it. I haven’t kissed my daughter, Hui Niang is her niece, so she should come to fulfill her filial piety to her aunt."
Before Zhang Laoan could speak, Mrs. Tang Er had already taken over the topic: "The ninth and fourth bedrooms have already left the fifth service. Huiniang is just a niece of the clan. If it was her turn to take care of sister-in-law Yuan's affairs, wouldn't it be a joke? There is no one in the inner chamber of the Shen clan? To say that we are the recipients of Sister-in-law Yuan’s grace, we Ping Niang are not bad either. Ping Niang is Sister-in-law Yuan’s niece, and she should be wearing sackcloth and wearing mourning."
The two of them said one word to each other, their voices getting higher and higher, and their faces turned pale. Zhang Laoan's face was already extremely dark. When he turned his head and looked at Guo, his eyes had already begun to shoot. Looking from the side The lively female family members also followed Zhang Laoan's gaze and looked at Guo.
Guo's expression was indifferent, showing nothing on his face.
Zhang Lao'an snorted coldly and said: "I can't bear the kindness of my relatives. The Guo family and the Sun family are the best friends, so I will help the Sun family make an idea..."
Mrs. Guo had already heard that Jiufang Lao An and Mrs. Tang came here in the name of "married girls."
According to the rules of "Sanqi", a married daughter and her son-in-law are the officiants. If there is no mourner and no married daughter, there are also nieces and nephews-in-law. Those who have neither, that is, family members are the officiants. I have never heard of nieces. , the clan’s niece came forward.
Jiufang Lao An and Mrs. Tang licked their faces and said this, but they were just chasing the Sun family's dowry. But if they really took care of the married daughter and acted as a son-in-law, even if they couldn't separate the Sun family's dowry, they would still get a thank you. With his talent, he can also establish friendship with brothers Shen Jin and Shen Rui, and there is a champion behind him.
This was none of Guo's business, but their greed was caused by Shen Quan's "waking up for her sister". Guo did not reply to Zhang Laoan's words, but looked around the crowd, and finally her eyes fell on the two young men. On the woman: "What do the two nieces say?"
These two people were Shen Huiniang and Shen Pingniang.
Both of them were the eldest daughter who had lost their mother. They were displeased by their stepmother and had no dowry. They were not married until they were eighteen and nineteen. Mrs. Sun felt pity for these two people's character and had many things to make up for, which allowed them to get married honorably.
Shen Huiniang tried the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and choked with sobs: "My aunt had a great kindness to my niece during her lifetime. My niece is willing to act filial piety to my sister and fulfill her filial piety for my aunt. I also ask my aunt to fulfill her wish."
Guo has a peaceful temperament, but she can't help but get annoyed. Although her tribe can be greedy, it's because of her poor thinking, but Shen Huiniang's actions are too cowardly to involve the half-year-old sister Fu in such a big way. some.
She suppressed her annoyance and looked at Shen Pingniang again.
Shen Pingniang looked calm and said: "My aunt is my niece, and my niece is willing to act filial piety to her brothers from the six clans. However, my niece is clumsy and can only burn incense and pray for my aunt in private. She dare not show her timidity in front of all the relatives."
When she said this, everyone realized that she was not wearing plain clothes, but natural linen clothes, which was the color of the "Great Gong" clothes. Looking at Shen Huiniang, she was just wearing plain clothes.
Mrs. Guo's expression softened a little, and she turned to Zhang Lao'an and said, "The nieces have their own ideas, and it is Lao An's family matter. My nephew and daughter-in-law really don't want to talk too much."
Zhang Lao'an wanted to say something more, but his maid came in to deliver a message. Mrs. Guo had long wanted to leave. When she heard that something was going on at home, she got up to accuse her and left with her maid and adopted mother.
Shen Quan was already waiting outside the second door. When he saw Mrs. Guo, he came up to help her arm.
Mrs. Guo saw that he looked a little confused, but there was no burnt look in his eyebrows. She was slightly relieved and said angrily: "What happened at home that you kept asking people to call me out?"
Shen Quan glanced at the servants around him with a sneer, and said, "I'll tell you when I get home."
Mrs. Guo's expression was slightly condensed, but she didn't say much. The mother and son returned to their house together. As soon as they entered the gate, Mrs. Guo whispered: "But what's wrong in the mourning hall? Is Brother Rui okay?"
Shen Quan glanced around and said, "It's not a matter in the mourning hall. I'll ask you about it later."
In addition to Shen Ju's servants, his own servants also can't listen?
Guo was puzzled and didn't ask any more questions. She didn't ask any more questions until she returned to the main room and sent all the maids and foster mothers away, then she said, "Tell me, what's going on?"