When Xia Houshu came out of Muchun Courtyard, she saw a thin figure at the door, leaning on the door and looking around. She stopped and took a closer look, wasn't it Xia Houling, the legitimate son of the third wife of the Xiahou family?
Xia Houling is the only son of Xiahou Ze, the third wife of the Xiahou family. He is ten years old, the sixth among his brothers, and the youngest child of his generation.
Although Xia Houze was born into a family of military generals, he was frail since childhood and passed away before he was twenty-five years old. He left behind his widow, Mrs. Guo, and his only son, Xia Houling, to depend on each other.
Mrs. Guo had a cold temperament. She was taciturn and rarely went out. When Xia Houze was alive, she took care of her frail husband while raising her young son. Although it was hard work, she was still peaceful. After Xia Houze passed away, she
He put all his energy on his son, so he was very strict with Xia Houling. On weekdays, except for going to private school, Xia Houling was basically locked up by Mrs. Guo to study and practice calligraphy in Xiafei courtyard. Even Xia Houyi and Xia Houling
Yu et al. followed his elder brother and his elder sister, and he was not allowed to interact with or play around with her from time to time.
The widowed mother and young son lived in the same place and did not want to interact with others. Over time, Xia Houling developed a shy and timid temperament. In addition, Xia Houling's body shape, appearance, and character were all the same as those of his father, and he was frail.
And Sven, even though he is ten years old, does not show any signs of boyishness.
Xia Houling also saw Xia Houshu. He knew he couldn't hide, so he simply came forward with a book in his arms and respectfully called "Third Sister".
As he got closer, Xia Houshu noticed that his eyes were a little erratic, and there was no one else following him, which was very inconsistent with Mrs. Guo's usual defensive style.
When something goes wrong, there must be a monster. Xia Houshu looked around, then stared at Xia Houling and asked, "What are you doing sneaking around here? Where are the people who usually follow you?"
"I, I'm not sneaky." Xia Houling quickly denied it, then smiled and explained quickly, "Third sister, please don't get me wrong. I was originally going to school today, but halfway through Master Wei's lecture, his family
I hurriedly came to report that Mrs. Wei had fallen and injured her arm. The master was worried, so he asked for leave in advance and went back. I had nothing to do, thinking that my mother was chanting sutras for my father in the small ancestral hall, so it was not easy to go.
Excuse me. I also thought that the gentlemen at Muchunyuan were just educated people, so I avoided the mothers and came over to ask for advice."
Master Wei, who taught Xia Houling, was over fifty years old. He was erudite, kind-hearted, and not arrogant. He had been a student at Minglu Academy in the past, and he was famous all over the world. Master Wei always taught his disciples to respect their teachers, and he himself
He also set an example. Because his old mother was old and Minglu Academy was far away from Beijing, it was not easy to go back and forth. In order to take care of his old mother, Master Wei resolutely resigned and returned to Beijing. Later, Mrs. Guo heard his name from somewhere.
, he asked Xia Houyuan to come forward and invite him to teach Xia Houling in the mansion. As a result, Xia Houling's academic performance improved by leaps and bounds in the past two years.
Xia Houshu was a smart man. He immediately realized that Xia Houling was lying, but he didn't intend to expose it.
It seems that Mrs. Guo was indeed chanting sutras and praying in the small Buddhist hall at this time, but she must not have known that Master Wei had gone back early, and she was probably still pretending that Xia Houling was obediently attending classes at the private school.
Looking at his cautious cousin, Xiahou Shu felt distressed and amused at the same time. He couldn't help but say: "Ling'er, you are the son of the Xiahou family. Even if you don't go to the military camp or go to the battlefield, you will still be a strong man. In your own eyes,
At home, you can go freely wherever you want to go, and say what you want to say freely, without being timid or hesitant."
Xia Houling listened attentively, then nodded politely, obediently like a puppet on strings.
Xia Houshu felt that what he said was in vain and couldn't help but sigh. He thought that if his third uncle were still alive, he would probably be sad to see Xia Houling looking so timid and cowardly.
One of Xiahouze's biggest regrets before his death was that he was suffering from illness and could not go to the battlefield like his two brothers to fight and kill the enemy and serve his family and country.
The dead are gone, but the living are like this. The past is gone, and the future can be traced. But Xia Houshu does not want to rely on himself as a sister. He is older and keeps preaching to Xia Houling like an old woman. After all, he has many people around him.
Those who teach him how to behave are afraid that his ears will become deaf.
"What do you want to ask gentlemen?" Xia Houshu took the book in Xia Houling's hand and looked at it. It was just a "Thousand-Character Essay", which can be regarded as an enlightenment book. With Xia Houling's intelligence, he had already memorized it by heart.
There is no need to ask others for advice. It is estimated that he wanted to take advantage of his mother and wife to be away, get rid of the servants around him, and find an excuse to go wild for a while.
It is the nature of children to be playful, especially children like Xia Houling who are like caged birds. They have grown up in captivity. Whenever they seize the opportunity, they will try their best to go out and see the outside world.
Xia Houshu was a person who had come before and knew the purpose of Xia Houling's move. He did not expose it, but said: "The gentlemen of Muchunyuan are arguing about government affairs at the moment. I don't think you are interested either. It just so happens that I am free today.
How about I take you to a fun place."
When Xia Houling heard that Xia Houshu said that he would take him to a fun place, his eyes instantly shone with excitement and he was a little overwhelmed with excitement. However, this happiness was fleeting. He seemed to have thought of something again, and immediately looked around cautiously.
He looked at it, fearing that the walls had ears and would ruin his beautiful vision.
Xia Houshu looked at the series of changes in expressions on his face, and did not give him time to think of a reason to refuse. He turned to Yunxi and said: "Yunxi, please ask someone to go to the third aunt's place and tell Master Wei to take leave."
, Ling'er is with me and I will send him back later, please don't worry."
"But..." Yunxi looked at Xia Houshu in embarrassment, and then at Xia Houling. How could she not know how powerful Mrs. Guo was after being exposed to her in the mansion for so many years.
After Xia Houze passed away, Mrs. Guo regarded Xia Houling as bone of bones and flesh of flesh, and was not allowed to leave her control for a moment. Her fierceness in protecting the calf was probably inferior to that of Zhong Yuqing, who was in charge of the central feeder.
If Xia Houshu just takes Xia Houling away like this, Mrs. Guo will definitely be unhappy if she finds out. And Xiahoushu himself is not a worry-free person. If he takes Xia Houling with him, who is like a little white rabbit, if something goes wrong,
I'm just afraid that I won't be able to live in peace in the future.
Xia Houshu noticed Yun Xi's worry, waved his hand and said with a smile: "Ling'er is my younger brother, could I harm him? If the third aunt blames me, I will explain it myself later. Just go and report it, so as not to worry the third aunt."
I don’t see anyone getting angry in a hurry.”
Yun Xi knew that he could never defeat Xia Houshu, so instead of trying his best to persuade her to give up and stop causing trouble, he might as well do things in a more harmonious manner as she said.
As a maid, don't you have to think about your master at all times?
Thinking about it this way, Yun Xi's heart became much more open, and he no longer had unrealistic illusions. He immediately asked someone to go to Xiafei Court to report back, then asked someone to hitch a carriage, and left the Yue Kingdom Palace with Xia Houshu and his sister.
, go along East Street to Jiuyun Lane in the east of the city.
There is a juggling troupe called Qingxi Troupe in Jiuyun Lane, which has more than thirty performers. The performers are both male and female. They all have unique skills, including singers, storytellers, and juggling performers.
His... skills are exquisite and amazing. He performs on the street every day, which is very lively and interesting.
The leader of the celebration class is a righteous person, good at dancing, and has a wide network of friends. Any respectable family in the capital will always invite them to sing a performance whenever there is a wedding, a child, a birthday or other happy events. On weekdays, there is no work.
Artists will also perform in the alleys. Not only can they exchange for silver rewards, but they can also improve their skills, expand publicity and fame, and have the best of all three. In Beijing, everyone from princes and nobles to ordinary people will come here to watch in their free time.
Carriages coming and going often block the alley.
Although Xia Houling grew up in the capital, due to her mother's strict control, she only left the house a handful of times. Moreover, every time she went out, she was surrounded by a large group of maids and servants, so she had no chance to observe the surrounding environment.
He is a road fool. Even if he were left within a mile of the Duke of Yue's mansion, he might not be able to find his way home.
It was rare that he avoided his mother's attention, got rid of the servants around him, and went out for a leisurely stroll. Xia Houling used the curtain of the carriage to look out all the way. He felt novel about everything and kept asking what it was.
What is it and what is its use.
Yunxi treated him as a child and answered him happily.
Suddenly, Xia Houling pointed to a salesman who was walking through the streets holding a stick filled with candied haws, and asked: "Sister Yunxi, is that a tree he is holding in his hand? The fruits on it are so beautiful!"
"That's a candied haws on a stick." Yunxi took a glance and said, but she felt it was strange in her heart that some people actually thought that the candied haws on a stick looked like a tree. But upon closer inspection, she felt that Xia Houling's description was very appropriate. It was not like a tree with many fruits.
tree?
"What is candied haws on a stick?" Xia Houling did not notice Yun Xi's momentary absence, and continued to ask with a frown on his face. He had only seen candied haws in books, but had never heard of candied haws.
According to the book, gourds are vines. The skin of fresh gourds is tender green and the flesh is white. The gourds come in different shapes and sizes, including rod-shaped, scoop-shaped, pot-shaped, etc. They can be harvested and eaten as vegetables when they are immature, and dried in the sun.
The inside can be hollowed out and used as a container to hold wine and other things, which is very different from this red fruit. It seems that he still hasn't read enough books!
Yun Xi was startled at first, thinking that the Sixth Young Master has never even eaten candied haws, right? The candied haws on East Street are basically a penny a bunch, and even her maid, who is not rich, has to pay for it every month.
I bought a few bunches to try, not to mention Xia Houshu who paid three or two dollars a month.
Yunxi stared at Xia Houling with a face full of shock and curiosity. On his childish face, she suddenly saw another face, that of the late Xia Houlze. Their father and son were so similar in appearance and temperament.
. Then the two faces gradually overlapped and turned into Mrs. Guo's cold and serious face, which frightened her.
Yun Xi quickly patted her head to wake herself up. When she looked at Xia Houling, there was a little more pity in her eyes. She was obviously a maid, but she felt sorry for her superior master. She felt that she was really sick.
Not easy.
Xia Houling didn't know that Yunxi had silently staged an inner drama. He looked at Yunxi in confusion and comforted: "Sister Yunxi, even if you don't know what candied haws is, you shouldn't hit yourself like this.