Chapter Twenty-Six Plain Chariots and White Horses (5)
Outside the Yangzhai, the relatives and friends have already left. The masters’ entourage and servants have already obeyed the instructions of the fifth-room master and either stayed far away or went to the five-room Yangzhai next door to rest.
Outside the four-bedroom house, there were only three juniors, Shen Rui, Shen Jin, and Shen Quan, and the third young master Jiang, a foreigner. Shen Jin and Shen Quan saw that everyone with status in the clan was staying, so they naturally guessed what was being discussed. The big event was only a matter of time, and I didn't expect the Sun family's dowry to come up. After all, according to the world's circumstances, the Sun family only had one son, so of course the legacy was left to Shen Rui without any objection. There was no need to discuss it seriously.
Only Shen Rui knew that Shen Li had been patient for a long time, waiting for the attack today. However, he was also a little surprised. What happened to the imperial edict recorded in the genealogy? Could it be that there was some fraud in the genealogy record? Why was there no news until Sun's funeral? The Sun family is currently being buried according to the pattern of an eighth-grade Ruren. According to the genealogy records, it would be a fourth-grade imperial decree.
There is also the "Wise Woman Bridge", which is still missing. Wasn't this decree given to the deceased before he was buried? But after thinking about the distance between Songjiang Prefecture and the capital, it is more than 2,000 miles away. A civilian woman donated several thousand miles. If you do good deeds with thousands of dowries, you won't have to travel eight hundred miles to report to the court.
Even if the prefect Jiang Sheng wanted to build a memorial arch for the Sun family in order to educate and rule the people, it would not happen overnight.
There must be something about the fourth house that should not be told to others, otherwise Zhang Laoan would not have sold off Mama Wang and Liu Ya in a hurry, and Shen Li would not risk publicizing the "family scandal" by leaving the prefect's wife and Jiang behind. The third young master is the rock of other mountains. If there is no wife of the magistrate and third young master Jiang, what is wrong with the four bedrooms? The clan elders may have to cover up a big quilt for the sake of the name of the Shen family. Even if Shen Rui feels wronged, After all, this is an era where father is the guide for son.
Only when outsiders are around, can the patriarchs treat Shen Rui more fairly for the sake of face. Just as Shen Rui was thinking about it, the Third Young Master Jiang came over and whispered: "Brother Yu, can you listen to what Brother Yu has to say..."
Good brother! Foolish brother!
Such a title still made Shen Rui's teeth feel a little sore. However, looking at Jiang San's serious appearance, Shen Rui's teeth were sore and he was also a little solemn. He glanced at Shen Jin and Shen Quan not far away, and looked at Jiang San. The young master said: "Brother Shi, if you don't mind me, I will accompany you to the front."
Third Young Master Jiang nodded and said hello, Shen Rui greeted Shen Jin and Shen Quan, and took Third Young Master Jiang not far away. Going up is the Congfang Cemetery, on the left is the Sanfang Cemetery, and at the bottom is Outside the Wufang Cemetery, only the right side was a camphor forest. Shen Rui and Mr. Jiang walked to the edge of the forest without going inside.
Third Young Master Jiang seemed to be hesitant and hesitated to speak. Shen Rui looked in the direction of Yangzhai. He didn't know how Shen Li could defend himself. The clan elders summoned him if they had no choice but to say bluntly: "I wonder what Brother Shi can teach me?"
Mr. Jiang said: "It is said that 'there is no closeness'. It is not for outsiders to comment on my dear brother's family affairs. However, my mother and Aunt Sun have a close friendship. These days, I am often worried about my dear brother. Before I came here today, I specially asked me to tell Xian. A few secret words from my brother. They are just the kindness of an elder. If there is any offense, please forgive me.
When Shen Rui heard this, he was slightly startled, and then said: "I am not a ungrateful person. I am grateful for Aunt Zhuang's kindness, so please speak frankly."
Third Young Master Jiang seemed to be relieved and said: "Aunt Sun once left a letter with my mother, which mentioned the distribution of dowry and land after her death... Shen Zhuangyuan came to visit a few days ago and also mentioned what happened after Aunt Sun's death. .Brother Yu thought that the letter was from his aunt who was afraid that Brother Xian would suffer a loss, so he left the letter outside as a certificate, and also attached a dowry list..." At this point, he hesitated again, and then said: "Who would have thought that until now? "Go out early. Madam asked me to tell the wise brother a few words, so that the foolish brother will know that Aunt Sun has other arrangements for the distribution of the dowry."
Having said this, he stopped and looked at Shen Rui's expression.
According to the normal distribution, the Sun family only has one son, and all the dowry should undoubtedly belong to Shen Rui. To the surprise of the Third Young Master Jiang, the Sun family's distribution is not like this. Anyone else would have been surprised. But When Shen Rui learned about Sun's dowry donation, he was not surprised at all. Instead, he felt much more at ease, just like the other shoe he had been waiting for had dropped.
Now, it was Mr. Jiang's turn to be slightly startled: "Could it be that Aunt Sun had told my dear brother about this before she was alive?"
Shen Rui shook his head and said: "No, it's just that my mother was the most kind-hearted during her lifetime, and she often showed mercy to the poor and the weak. I think her legacy is also related to doing good deeds and helping others."
Seeing that Shen Rui's expression was clear and clear, and there was no trace of resentment or cherishment of money, Mr. Jiang couldn't help but admire in his heart, and said: "If this is the case, my dear brother does not have to be in trouble, he only needs to enjoy the blessings left by his aunt. Who would have thought that, The will left by my aunt is to divide the dowry Luotian into two parts, one part to be left to the virtuous brother...and the other part to be given to the esteemed brother."
Shen Rui was really shocked now. What happened? What about donation? Why did the two brothers share the dowry equally? Isn't there something about donation?
Although he was confused and confused, Shen Rui's face remained as calm as water. After being silent for a while, he said: "A loving mother's heart is nothing more than this."
This sentence made Mr. Jiang look askance: "Aunt Sun left behind tens of thousands of family fortunes. All of them should have been obtained by the virtuous brother alone. The virtuous brother will not complain?"
Shen Rui shook his head and said: "It is the private property of the family. No one else cares about how to deal with it, and the same goes for the Son of Man."
Third Young Master Jiang looked at Shen Rui several times and said with a wry smile: "Brother Fool has the heart of a villain to judge a gentleman's heart. Aunt Sun is generous and open-minded. Naturally, Brother Xian is not a petty person. Originally, my mother was worried about Brother Xian's young age. I can't figure it out, and I'm not angry about Aunt Sun's arrangement. Let me give you some advice in private. After all, my brother has a bright future. If he accepts this gift from Aunt Sun, the benefit will return to my brother in the future. Otherwise, if he behaves ungratefully, He doesn't need others, and the scholars will never tolerate him. I didn't expect that my virtuous brother is as big-hearted as Aunt Sun."
Shen Rui can say the words of a loving mother, so naturally he also thinks of what the Third Young Master Jiang mentioned. If Shen Jin doesn't take an official career, it would be better. If he does, for the sake of reputation, he should treat Shen Rui, his half-brother, kindly.
People in the world have complex minds, and they are more willing to speculate on people's hearts with malice. With Sun's move, I am afraid that not many people will think that the aunt is kind and treats the concubine as their own. Instead, most people will think about whether this move is to care for the orphan. The eldest brother is like the father. , Shen Juren is not familiar with the world, and Shen Jin has a promising future. Mrs. Sun cannot trust her husband, so it is reasonable to reluctantly entrust her only son to the eldest son of the concubine.
Even the prefect's wife and Mr. Jiang, who were watching, felt that Sun's arrangement probably meant this.
Seeing that Shen Rui was not resentful and repulsive, Third Young Master Jiang breathed a sigh of relief. Although this matter was a domestic matter of the Shen family, since Sun's suicide note was delivered to the prefect's wife, Third Young Master Jiang naturally hoped that the matter could be resolved satisfactorily and avoid any trouble. People criticize.
However, Shen Rui remembered something and said, "In the family letter, can you mention my brother's name?"
Since the Sun family can give half of the dowry to the concubine, she should not be stingy and give the concubine some dignity and praise his family background.
Third Young Master Jiang said: "I mentioned it, but I didn't mention it directly. Aunt Sun said in the letter that the aunt is also the mother and does not want to take away the son. If your father helps the second wife, there is no need to mention it; if you don't help the brother's biological mother, for the sake of For the sake of your future, you can remember your brother as your direct eldest brother." Having said this, I couldn't help but sigh. I just said that Mr. Sun was kind and could be so considerate to others.
Shen Rui didn't know why, but he directly thought of "three pillars".
If Mr. Sun had mentioned that Shen Jin should be named in his name when gifting Shen Jin's inheritance, although it was reasonable, it would be like repaying a favor. Who knows whether it would arouse the jealousy of Shen Jin's mother and son. Now that it was a gift, , and not caring about the name of mother and son, the only thing left for Shen Jin and her son is to be grateful. The following sentence "if so" has an endless meaning.
If Shen Juren helps the Zheng family, and Zheng gets the Sun family's dowry, she should be sincerely grateful and treat Shen Rui well, otherwise she will be suspected of being ungrateful; if Shen Juren does not help the Zheng family, Sun's move can be said to be another insult to Zheng's mother and son. Helping hand.
In the view of Third Young Master Jiang, Sun's arrangement was too kind; but in Shen Rui's view, he intuitively believed that there would be a follow-up to this matter. Third Young Master Jiang informed him of the matter in advance, but he was afraid that he would be young. Unable to understand Sun's painstaking arrangements, she was reluctant to part with the half dowry she left behind, and showed her displeasure in front of her clan members.
But he knew in his heart that this body was only nine years old. Even if Sun's dowry was not donated and all was left to him, he would not be able to take charge of it. When he grows up, it is hard to say how much he will have left.
Here, Third Young Master Jiang and Shen Rui were talking about the "suicide note" left by Sun. In Yangzhai, Shen Li also mentioned this matter.
"My lords, uncles and elders, it's not my turn to talk about my aunt's funeral. It's just the deceased who is the most important. Since my aunt has her own life here, I should respect her life." Shen Li said, taking a look from his arms. Take out an envelope.
The heads of each room were here to testify. When Shen Li mentioned this, they all felt that something was going on. Their eyes flickered and they all looked at Shen Li. Only the patriarch, whose face was still as dark as water, was stroking his beard. Shen Juren said with annoyance on his face and snorted: "How could Mr. Sun not tell the truth to his own family, but to an outsider if he really has a will? How can there be such truth?"
Shen Li looked directly at Shen Juren and said, "Uncle Yuan, do you think my nephew is lying? There is a handwriting written by my aunt here. Can Uncle Yuan check the authenticity?"
Shen Juren said with annoyance: "What is true cannot be faked, and what is false cannot be true. I cannot let anyone arrange my housework in the fourth house with empty words. Naturally, I have to watch."
Shen Li didn't hesitate and sent the envelope directly to Shen Juren.
Shen Juren frowned and took it, opened it and looked at it, but his eyes were straightened. When the heads of each room met, they couldn't help but whisper, and they were very curious about the contents recorded in the handbook. The patriarch coughed twice and woke up. Shen Juren asked, "But I saw it clearly. It was your wife's handwriting, wasn't it?"
Shen Juren had a complicated look on his face. He couldn't tell whether he was ashamed or ashamed. He was silent for a while, and finally said with a stern expression, "It was written by Mr. Sun himself during his lifetime."
The patriarch nodded and signaled Shen Juren to send the handwritten letter forward.
The patriarch took the handwritten letter with a calm expression, as if he was not surprised by the contents of Sun's handwritten letter. He glanced at it and handed it to the clan elders next to him.
"Huh?"
"How could this be?"
As the handwriting was passed on, various voices of surprise and doubt arose.
"Is Mrs. Sun dizzy?"
"Is it really written by Sun?"
Shen Juren's face turned green for a while, then white for a while, but there was a hint of ecstasy in the change. Everyone was whispering, their voices getting louder and louder, and their speculations becoming more and more outrageous. The patriarch frowned when he saw it, raised his crutch, and He knocked on the ground twice and said, "Sun is a virtuous person!"
The fifth master also echoed: "She is a good wife and a loving mother!"
After these two great masters said this, other clan members did not say much, but they still looked at Shen Juren with suspicion.
On the contrary, everyone had no objection to Shen Li who took out this handwritten letter.
Shen Juren was so angry that he raised his chin high, looked at the patriarch and said: "Even if the number one scholar is worried about the housework in the fourth house, it doesn't matter if he figures it out clearly today, in full view of the public, he can't do it for a while, and he won't save it later. If you say something like this again, I won’t admit it!" After saying that, he snorted coldly at Shen Li.
The patriarch nodded and said: "Then let's make it clear that it is Rui Ge'er and Jin Guan'er's business. Call them in."
There are four generations of the Shen family here, and next to King Xi is the lowest. But there are three people in the younger generation, Shen Qi is the head of the family, and Shen Li is the number one scholar, so Shen Lu has to go out and call for people reluctantly.
Shen Rui and Third Young Master Jiang happened to be walking back to the door of Yangzhai. When they heard the summons from their elders, they entered Yangzhai with Shen Jin.
Third Young Master Jiang knew the inside story and didn't find it strange. Only Shen Quan was a little confused. Didn't it talk about the distribution of Sun's dowry? Why did he invite Shen Jin in? Could it be that Shen Juren was "unconquered" and still wanted to do it? The concubine seeks dowry for his legitimate wife?