Shen Rui hurriedly wiped it twice with his sleeve. This time he did not dare to use the cuff. The middle of the sleeve he used immediately became wet. But his eyes were irritated and he could not hold back the tears. Instantly, his face was filled with tears again. Shen Rui smiled bitterly in his heart. He really didn't know where Guo found the old ginger. It had no taste, but this ginger juice was too eye-catching. It was really a weapon for mourning.
When all the tribesmen saw him, they felt that he was a good and lovable child, so they hid and cried. Seeing how uncomfortable the child was, he couldn't stop crying.
What happened in the "first seven years" is no longer a secret among the family members. Seeing that Shen Juren had just treated Shen Jin as warmly as spring, but when his legitimate son came, his nose was not a nose, and his face was not a face, it was too partial. He could do it The elders of the clan are all direct descendants of each house. How can you see this? Even the good impression he had towards Shen Jin earlier was almost ruined by Shen Juren's actions.
The patriarch frowned and said: "Speak to your children properly. You feel sad after losing your first wife, but you are also considerate and considerate of Rui Ge'er. Rui Ge'er lost his mother when he was young, which is more difficult than you. He is a weakling who lost his mother, and the only thing he can rely on is As a father, there is no way you can resist beating and scolding you. Even if you want to be a strict father, you only care about your love for the Sun family, and you must be gentler towards Brother Rui, otherwise we elders will not obey you!"
Shen Juren was already in his forties, and after receiving such a scolding in front of all the descendants of the clan, he couldn't keep it in his face. He was so ashamed that he turned red. He wanted to defend himself, but he had to beat and scold his legitimate son first. , no matter how much he said, there was no point. He could only agree, but the eyes he looked at Shen Rui became colder and colder.
In the eyes of several old masters, the masters secretly shook their heads and looked at Shen Rui with more and more affection.
Shen Li stood in the hall and was almost furious. No matter what Shen Juren's purpose was, it was too sinister to label his son as "unfilial". However, Shen Rui was timid and stupid and did not dare to speak to his elders. The one who responded in front of me was convinced that he was "lazy and unfilial". If Zhang Lao'an treated his grandson harshly and was angry because of his old grudge with the Sun family, then Shen Juren's move would be like a tiger's poison and a child's heart.
Shen Li knew that now was not the time to argue with Shen Juren, so he pulled Shen Rui to his side with a sullen face, wiped his tears, and said loudly: "Brother Six knows that you are feeling uncomfortable, but don't cry too hard. Your body, hair, skin, and support are from your parents. If you love yourself, you can be truly filial to your aunt... Although your aunt has passed away and no one in the Sun family can make decisions for you, you are not helpless. The elders in the clan are the most important. He is kind and just, and will never tolerate bullying of flesh and blood, and will definitely make the decision for you..."
As Shen Li spoke, he looked at the elders sitting in the hall.
Even the old and stooped clan elders straightened their waists under such gazes. They had made friends with Shen Juren earlier and wanted to make the big thing a trivial matter. When the trivial matter turned out to be a trivial matter, they covered up the inappropriateness of the four bedrooms. Those in the quilt now have to consider whether they dare to offend the No. 1 Scholar.
Several successful old foxes couldn't help exchanging knowing glances. Because Shen Li lost his father when he was young, he had been wronged by his tribe, and his relationship with his tribe had always been cold. Now, the matter of the fourth room might be the reason to bring Shen Li closer to him. Opportunities for relationships within the clan.
As for Shen Juren, he has no fame and no knowledge of the world. Apart from marrying a good wife, he has not contributed much to the clan. His reputation is certainly not as good as that of Shen Li, the number one scholar.
Shen Rui's eyes were already red. He was standing next to Shen Li, but he was thinking about the words "blood and flesh bullying" mentioned by Shen Li just now. Coupled with what Shen Li mentioned last night about his elders' misappropriation of property, he couldn't help but feel Weird. According to the genealogy records of later generations, it was clearly the Sun family who donated the dowry. However, according to Shen Li's words, it was Shen Juren and Zhang Lao'an who embezzled the Sun family's dowry. Is there some hidden secret in this?
Although Shen Rui is not a money-grubbing person, he is not as generous as he appears. If the dowry was really donated by the Sun family, he would admit it; if it was really embezzled by Shen Juren and Zhang Laoan, he would not I am willing to swallow my anger and must take this opportunity to exert myself. Even if I cannot get rid of the shackles of seniority and inferiority, I must tear apart the hypocrisy of Shen Juren and Zhang Laoan, so that these two people will lose face and use their status as elders to influence him. life.
Thinking of this, Shen Rui was a little puzzled. Although he had never dealt with the Sun family, he was highly praised by the Shen family, which shows that he was a successful person. Before his death, he lingered on the bed for half a year. Either he passed away suddenly, or Didn't they make any arrangements? It is obvious that Zhang Lao'an deliberately raised a crooked grandson. If the Sun family was a foolish and filial person, she would not have repeatedly gained the upper hand in the disputes between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law twenty years ago, and firmly held the dowry and four children. In the real estate business, Zhang Laoan didn't get involved until he was seriously ill and bedridden.
Shen Juren was already trembling with anger. Could it be that he was unkind and unjust? Shen Rui just lost his mother, and since he was here as an father and not an orphan, he had reached the point where he needed the clan to make the decision. This Shen Li was acting too much. Arrogant, relying on his status as the number one scholar to stir up the family affairs of the fourth house into a mess, what is this?
Shen Juren's face drooped, and he had already thought that after the funeral was over, he would have to talk to Shen Lihaosheng to teach him about propriety.
If it were only at home, and Shen Juren was the head of the family, everyone would still look at his face; now that the elders of the clan are here, it is inappropriate for him to lower his face like this. I originally intended to say a few good words for him, but seeing him like this She also shut up and didn't want to bother anymore.
In anger, Shen Juren did not even realize that, unknowingly, all the clan members had acquiesced in calling him an "unkind father". If Shen Juren had known about it, he would have stamped his feet and cried out for injustice, but at that time the situation was already irreversible.
The atmosphere in the mourning hall was very depressing and heavy, but after all, it was a funeral, and the solemn atmosphere was just right for the occasion, and no one was joking. At this time, the housekeeper came to report, and the prefect's wife and the tongpan's wife came to see the funeral in person.
Shen Juren was startled and looked at the clan leader and the clan elder. When Zhang Laoan came to visit, Zhang Laoan was ill, and there were no other female relatives in the four houses who could come out to entertain the guests. The most suitable person to come out to entertain the guests was the clan clan's eldest lady, He Shi. .
Although the eldest son of the clan is not an official, his eldest son is a Jinshi and is a fifth-rank doctor in Beijing. He has already applied for the title for his mother, so the eldest wife of the clan is now a fifth-rank Tai Yiren.
However, the patriarch glanced at Shen Li and said, "Let Mr. He take Liu Niang to entertain the guests."
The clan elders sitting here all nodded in agreement when they heard this. Shen Li was traveling to the ninth house, and the Liu Niang here naturally refers to Shen Li's wife Xie.
Although Shen Juren was reluctant, he did not stop the housekeeper to pass on the message.
After a cup of tea, the housekeeper turned around again and said that the two ladies were already waiting for guests in the flower hall, and the prefect's wife asked to see Shen Rui.
Shen Juren scolded Shen Rui: "Haosheng went to meet guests. If you are rude, watch your legs!"
Shen Rui's tears had long since stopped, but his eyes were red, showing a bit of pity. In full view of everyone, he behaved like a well-behaved son and listened honestly to Shen Juren's scolding with his hands lowered before following the housekeeper to the flower hall. .
The name of the prefect’s wife, Zhuang, has long been known to Shen Rui. I heard that when the Sun family was "taking over the third year", the prefect's wife came to pay homage in person. During the "first seven" and "three seven" periods, although she did not come in person, she sent her nephew to take charge of the affairs. And after the "first seven", in addition to arranging for people to come to pay homage to him, she also made a special trip to have her confidant and adoptive mother visit Shen Rui, and bring several boxes of health-replenishing medicinal materials such as bird's nest and ginseng.
I wonder if Zhang Laoan deliberately isolated Sun and Shen Rui from mother and son in the past. Shen Rui rarely went out with Sun to visit guests, so Shen never had the opportunity to meet the real master. But he knew in his heart that if the prefect's wife did not have a close relationship with Sun, it would just be Face-to-face favors wouldn't make it this far.
Entering the house, I saw a middle-aged woman in plain clothes, sitting at the guest seat. She was in her forties, with a somewhat wealthy figure and kind eyes. The woman at the bottom was slightly younger and had lively eyes. She was sitting in the guest seat. The ones on the table are the clan's eldest wife, He Shi, and Shen Li's wife, Xie Shi.
Shen Rui couldn't look at it carefully, so he glanced away and looked away. He first met the clan eldest lady and Xie, and then was introduced by the clan eldest lady to meet the two female guests.
The elder one was Mrs. Gongren Zhuang, the wife of the prefect. She did not let Shen Rui bow down. Instead, she helped Shen Rui stand up. She said with red eyes: "Good boy, your mother and I are good friends. You call me Aunt Zhuang or aunt are both fine, don't just get married."
I still don’t know how Shen Li will have a showdown with Shen Juren after today’s funeral drama. If in the end the clan elders come forward to make peace and cover up all the right and wrong, then Shen Rui will have no place to cry. Seeing the "foreign aid" coming, no matter whether he can stand it or not If you use it, you should borrow whatever potential you can.
Shen Rui's thoughts were whirling all over, but he didn't show anything on his face. When he heard that his wife was urging her again, he lowered his head shyly and whispered: "Aunt Zhuang."
The magistrate's wife held Shen Rui's hand, her face full of pity: "Hey, good boy. It's Aunt Zhuang's fault. She should have come to see you a long time ago. I don't know what your mother thinks, such a good child has been hidden at home."
Not only was the prefect’s wife confused, but Shen Rui was also puzzled when he thought of this. However, no matter what the secret was, he could only blame it on Zhang Laoan and whispered: "If you don’t do my mother’s business, it’s my grandmother’s fault." I, don’t like it when I go out.”
The prefect's wife's face was still kind, but her eyes were slightly cold. She turned to look at the eldest wife of the clan and said calmly: "The old man dotes on his grandson. He has kept him at home since he was ten years old and raised him as his daughter. This is really the first time I have heard of him. My sister is really lucky to have such a mother-in-law."
Although this was a household chore for the fourth house, there were no two Shen families in one sentence. The eldest lady of the clan could only say: "The fourth house is a small branch and has only been passed down for several generations, so the elderly love it more." "
The prefect's wife raised her eyebrows, and instead of doing Tai Chi with the clan eldest lady, she looked at Mr. Xie: "What did Mr. Xie An say?"
Mrs. Xie tried the corner of her mouth with her handkerchief and said, "I don't know what other people are like, but my husband-in-law said that he has long regarded Uncle Rui as a brother. Even though my aunt is gone, she is still protected by our brother-in-law. I This is also worrying, my husband-in-law is not good-tempered, and he often makes trouble with my two monkeys. My aunt has only a little flesh and blood, what if she is too harsh? But my elder brother's brother has no discipline either. The reason for blocking. Fortunately, Uncle Rui is filial and courteous. He is always lovable and there is nothing inappropriate. Otherwise, if my husband-in-law really wants to make a move, I, as a sister-in-law, will not be able to block him, nor will I not block him..." said When he got here, he said to Shen Rui: "However, if that happens, Second Uncle Rui will not complain about your sixth brother. He will only be harsh in the hope that you will become a talented person, so that others will not worry too much..."