Mrs. Liu held the oil-paper umbrella in her hand with one hand and held Young Master Liu's arm with the other.
"Child, get up quickly. The ground is cold. We need to get up first before talking."
"Hey, thank you, mother."
Mrs. Liu stretched out her hand to pat the snow on Young Master Liu's knees and looked around the surroundings solemnly.
"Mom, what are you looking at?"
Mrs. Liu saw the maids coming and going on the path next to her, and stretched out her hand to gently tug on Mr. Liu's sleeve.
"Child, let's go over there and take a walk."
Liu Mingzhi followed Mrs. Liu's gaze and looked at the maids not far away, and nodded with understanding.
"Hey, my child listens to you. Mother, please ask me first."
Deep in the garden, Mrs. Liu gradually slowed down her pace. She nodded and breathed hot air into her palms, and carefully observed the surrounding environment.
When she confirmed that there were no maids coming and going around, she stopped.
"Zhi'er."
"Mother?"
"Zhi'er, when we were in the main hall just now, your father-in-law, mother-in-law, Yun'er and the other sisters were all present.
There are some things that I am not comfortable saying in front of them."
Seeing Mrs. Liu's frequent breathing into her palms, Liu Mingzhi quickly took off his cloak and put it directly on her body.
"Mother, I understand, I understand."
Mrs. Liu looked at the cloak she was wearing and saw that her son was only wearing an ordinary Confucian scholar's robe, so she hurriedly took off the cloak she was wearing.
"Silly boy, you gave the cloak to your mother, what are you going to do with yourself?
Since I’m not cold, you’d better put on your cloak quickly.”
Young Master Liu stopped Mrs. Liu and patted his chest happily.
"Mom, don't forget, your son and I are now at the innate level.
As long as I activate my physical energy to keep warm from the cold, the wind and snow in front of me won't even freeze a single hair on my head."
Seeing that Liu Mingzhi had already said this, Mrs. Liu chuckled and shook her head, and had no choice but to put the cloak back on her body.
"Okay, okay, now that you've said that, what else can I say?"
"Okay, okay, mother, let's continue talking about what we just said."
"Brothers Zhi'er, Chengfeng, Chengzhi, and Chengqian are already so old, and it's time to develop their own power.
Especially the brothers Chengfeng and Chengzhi are now married and starting a business.
After the two brothers had their own families, they naturally needed to have their own private power.
After all, you, the father, cannot follow their brothers and protect them all your life.
My child, do you understand what I mean by being a mother?"
Liu Mingzhi nodded silently, put his hands in his sleeves, turned around and looked in the direction of the main hall.
"Mom, I understand what you mean, I understand.
Even if you, mother, don’t tell me this today, my child has already had this plan, intending for each of the brothers and sisters to develop a group of their own private powers."
Madam Liu's eyes suddenly lit up when she heard Young Master Liu's words.
"real?"
"Mother, when did my child ever lie to you?
To be honest with you, I have had this idea for a long time.
Just...just..."
"Just what?"
"It's just that I haven't made up my mind yet because of certain considerations."
Liu Mingzhi followed Young Master Liu's gaze and looked at the main hall, nodding thoughtfully.
"Son, could you please tell me the reason why you haven't made up your mind yet?
If it's convenient, just tell your mother directly.
After my mother knows the reason why you are in trouble, she can help you carefully refer to it and give you one or two suggestions when your thinking is unclear.
If it's not convenient to say it, then forget it and just pretend that your mother has never asked this question."
Young Master Liu withdrew his gaze, chuckled and reached out to hug Mrs. Liu's arm.
"Mother, what are you talking about?
You are my child's mother, if you want to ask anything, how dare I hide anything from you, my child!"
Mrs. Liu looked at Mr. Liu with an apologetic smile on her face with a kind expression, and silently moved the oil-paper umbrella in her hand higher than his head.
"You brat, you know how to make me happy as your mother by saying nice words."
"No, no, what I said is true."
"Okay, then you can tell me the reason why you are hesitant."
Liu Mingzhi turned around and looked around, and after confirming that no one was around, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"The position of the prince is the successor of the king."
Mrs. Liu raised her eyebrows and said subconsciously: "As expected, that old man of yours really made it right."
Liu Mingzhi's face was slightly startled: "Ah? Mother, what did you say? The old man said everything exactly?"
Mrs. Liu glanced sideways in the direction of the main hall and gently patted the back of her hand.
"Son, since we have talked about this, I won't hide it from you anymore."
"Hmm? Mom, tell me."
"Son, when my mother and your father had nothing to do, we talked more than once about why you haven't let Chengfeng, Chengzhi, Chengqian, Zhenghao, Zhengzhan and their brothers develop their own private power.
reason.
Just last night before we both went to bed, we talked about this issue.
Your father told your mother that the reason why you haven't done this for so long must be that you haven't thought clearly about who to appoint as the crown prince.
Wei Niang retorted to your father at first, saying that the reason why you didn't do this might be because you felt that Chengfeng and the others were too young.
It still needs to be tempered and exercised.
Now that I hear what you say, my mother knows it, but your father, an old man, sees it more clearly."
Young Master Liu frowned slightly and pondered for a while, then looked at Madam Liu curiously.
"Mom, apart from these, did the old man say anything else?"
Liu Mingzhi glanced sideways at Young Master Liu, gently stretched his palm out of the oil-paper umbrella, and caught a few falling crystal snowflakes.
"Son, you want to ask your father if he has told Wei Niang, who among the brothers Chengfeng and Chengzhi is more suitable to inherit the throne, right?"
Liu Mingzhi raised his fingers and clasped his brows: "My mother is indeed very discerning, and she guessed the child's thoughts right away."
"You brat, stop flattering me.
Wei Niang can tell you with absolute certainty that your father has never mentioned a single word to Wei Niang about the topic of the Crown Prince.
Not only did your father never mention this to my mother, but he also told me about it more than once."
"What?"
Mrs. Liu patted Young Master Liu on the back and walked forward silently in the wind and snow.
Upon seeing this, Liu Mingzhi immediately raised his feet and chased after him.
"Your father told my mother about the topic of the crown prince and heir apparent.
As long as you, Zhi'er, don't take the initiative to bring up the topic of the Crown Prince and Crown Prince in front of my mother, I will not take the initiative to mention a word about it."
"this!"
"Son, you are in your early forties now.
You already understand many things.
It can even be said that on some things, my mother and your father together may not be able to see things more clearly than you.
When we had nothing to do at home and stayed together chatting about all kinds of interesting things, your father would often tell my mother.
Since ancient times, talented people have emerged from generation to generation, and the new generation is better than the old one.
Not only are we old, but our ideas can no longer keep up with the pace of you young people.
Now that you are old, you have to accept your age and accept it.
We cannot always look at your thoughts with our own thoughts.
Let alone use your own concepts and vision to forcibly restrict your concepts and vision.
If you do that, not only will we not be able to help you, but we will actually hold you back."
Liu Mingzhi turned his head and looked in the direction of the main hall, and sighed softly with a sad expression.
"Oh, mother, the child is unfilial and makes you and the old man worry."
"Silly boy, you are only worried about the flesh that fell from your mother's body. If your mother doesn't worry about you, who else can you worry about?
My child, please don’t see your father quarreling with you or scolding you whenever he has something to do.
In fact, your father is very clear about many things!"
Liu Mingzhi nodded silently and happily held Mrs. Liu's arms in his arms.
"Mother, these children know what you are talking about, they all know it."
"It's good that you understand everything. If you understand everything, my mother will feel relieved."
"Mom, my child has a problem and I would like to hear your advice."
"what is the problem?"
"Mom, there is no one else here right now, so we two will have a heart-to-heart talk.
Tell me your thoughts. Who do you think is more suitable to inherit the throne among brothers Chengfeng and Chengzhi?
Of course, it’s not just Chengfeng, Chengzhi, and Chenggan who are three grown-up brothers.
Zhenghao, Zhengran, Zhengwen, Yunrui, Chengrui and their brothers are also among them."
Madam Liu suddenly stopped and looked at Young Master Liu hesitantly.
"This this!"
"Mother, today our words came out of your mouth and into my ears.
I promise you, no third person will know what the two of us talked about.
Mom, you can feel free to tell your child what you think.
No matter which of your grandsons you think is more suitable to inherit the throne, I won't tell Yun'er, Sister Ya and the others what you think."
Mrs. Liu hesitated for a moment, looked at Young Master Liu and let out a long sigh.
"Oh, you brats, Chengfeng, Chengzhi and their brothers.
In my mother's mind, the palms and backs of these hands are full of flesh!
With this question of yours, you obviously want to embarrass your mother and me!"
"Mother, I definitely don't mean this.
You just need to evaluate from a fair perspective which of the brothers is more suitable to be the crown prince."
As Young Master Liu spoke, he silently took out the tobacco bag from his waist and filled it with tobacco skillfully.
"You bastard, when did you become like that old guy of yours?
The addiction to smoking dry cigarettes is actually getting bigger and bigger.
Dry tobacco is not a good thing, it is very harmful to the body, so you should smoke less."
Liu Dadian lit the tobacco with a fire stick and nodded hurriedly.
"Mother, just smoke one pot, and my child will smoke one pot."
"You!"
When Liu Mingzhi saw his mother's angry look, he quickly laughed apologetically.
"Hehehe, the child can control it, he can control it."
"Zhi'er."
"Hey, mother?"
"Children, Zhenghao, Zhengran, Zhengwen, Yunrui, their brothers are not adults yet, so I won't talk about my mother.
For my mother’s sake, let’s talk about the three brothers Chengfeng, Chengzhi, and Chenggan.”
"Mother, tell me, my dear, I am all ears."
"Based on the capabilities of the three brothers Zhi'er, Chengfeng, Chengzhi, and Chenggan, I can hardly find any faults as a mother.
The kid Chengfeng, like his mother Qinglian, has a stable personality, but he has a feeling of lack of confidence.
Chengzhi, like the girl Yun'er, has a reserved personality. Although he looks calm on the outside, he is very assertive.
However, this child's character is too reserved, and he lacks a bit of enterprising spirit.
The child Cheng Qian is the same as the girl Yan'er. His character is quite indifferent to the world and lets nature take its course."
After hearing Mrs. Liu's evaluation of his three sons, Young Master Liu nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, yes, mother, you are absolutely right.
Although there are some differences between your views and my views, they are very much the same."
Mrs. Liu put the oil-paper umbrella in Young Master Liu's hand, walked silently to the flower bed, stretched out her hand and broke off a branch of wintersweet that was blooming in the wind and snow.
"Judging from the abilities of the three brothers, I really don't know who should be more suitable to be the crown prince and heir apparent.
However, if we follow the rules.
The most suitable candidate to inherit the throne is none other than this kid Chengzhi."
Liu Mingzhi put away the oil-paper umbrella in his hand, squatted on the snow and grabbed a handful of snow, holding it firmly in his palm.
"Mother, my child's thoughts are the same as yours.
But, at the same time, it's like what you said before.
Chengzhi's character is too reserved, and he lacks a bit of enterprising spirit."
"However, the fact is that you still have great expectations for this child Chengzhi."
Young Master Liu frowned and instinctively looked towards Madam Liu.
"Mom, how did you know?"
"Silly boy, your mother and I are certainly not as strong as you, but for my mother, I have finally reached the half-step innate realm.
The afternoon before yesterday when we were still in the East Palace, when you and Yun'er were whispering, you were only a dozen steps away from your mother.
With such a small distance, the words between you and Yun'er girl, I can't imagine hearing them.
Yanwu, Liu Yanwu.
What my mother said is right."
Young Master Liu smiled bitterly and nodded: "Yes, that's exactly what Ha'er and Yun'er said."
"So, in your heart, you also think that this child Chengzhi is more suitable to inherit Dalong's land of 100,000 miles?"
"Chengzhi?"
"Yes, what else?"
Liu Mingzhi threw away the half-melted snow in his hands, sighed and put his hands behind his back.