As soon as the Lantern Festival crossed the Lai River, two magnificent dragon and turtle boats came, followed by many small boats, and the stars surrounded the two big boats. I saw a flag hanging high on the main mast of a large ship at the front, on which was written the word "Xu" in a lishu.

It was only the New Year, and it was very rare to see such a magnificent fleet, so suddenly two dragon turtle boats appeared, and people on both sides of the Lai River ran to the shore to watch.

"Which boat is this, so magnificent, looking at the direction is heading towards the Laizhou wharf, could it be our Laizhou?" a merchant drinking tea at a tea house near the river on the shore couldn't help but ask.

I saw a gentleman in his thirties who looked like a scholar sitting next to him and replied: "At first glance, you are a foreigner, have you seen that flag, it is the flag hanging on the big ship at the front, do you know what is written on it?"

"Xu?"

"Yes, it's this Xu word, there are only a few Xu families who can be so magnificent, and it has something to do with our Laizhou, needless to say, it must be ......"

"Wenling Xu Jiabei, who doesn't know this, Huang Xiucai likes to fiddle with himself and have more knowledge than others, do you want to ask us if there is anything else we don't know about Laizhou?"

The man's friend also smiled and said: "This Laizhou is related to the Wenling Xu family, it must be our Laizhou Shen family, and the eldest lady of the Shen family married the second son of the Wenling Xu family." ”

The thick-eyebrow man continued: "No, the eldest lady of the Shen family was talented and beautiful back then, and I don't know how many sons of the family wanted to marry her, so I guessed that the eldest lady of the Shen family would marry into a certain family in Beijing, who knew that in the end, the eldest lady of the Shen family married into the Xu family in Wenling." He shook his head with a look of pity as he spoke.

Huang Xiucai, who had just been ridiculed, said disdainfully: "Looking at you like this, it seems that Miss Shen shouldn't marry into the Xu family, as if she should marry you?"

The thick-eyed man simply shook his head and said: "How can I have that blessing, but I can't figure out the eldest lady of the Shen family, and I don't choose the son of the family who is much better than the Xu family in the capital, but I actually chose the second son of the Xu family who came out of nowhere." ”

Huang Xiucai looked at the man with thick eyebrows arrogantly, looked disdainful, and said: "You are ignorant and don't know, this Xu family is very famous."

The ancestral residence of the Xu family is Wenling, it is said that the ancestor is a rich businessman, the family is called a rich, after having money, he bought a large local field, and he turned from a business to a landlord, and let the descendants of the descendants study the imperial examination, the Xu family also entered Confucianism from business, and gradually developed into a local family.

More importantly, the Xu family is different from other families, other families have always needed to accumulate many years to have decent financial resources, and the Xu family has the wealth accumulated by their ancestors for business, and with the support of these wealth, the Xu family quickly developed, and now although it is not a first-class family, it is also a second-rate family that can be counted.

Look at the Xu family's boat, there is a dragon head in the bow, the hull is similar to a turtle shell, and there is a dragon tail in the back, this is a famous dragon turtle ship, a single one can buy the most prosperous street in Laizhou, and the Xu family actually has two boats, tsk......"

When the people around the tea house heard him say this, they all turned their heads to look at the boat, and it was really extraordinary, and after a while, there was a discussion again.

"Mother, what are you looking at, so attentive?" Shen turned around and saw his eldest daughter Xu Ya'an and second daughter Xu Yaping coming in from outside the cabin.

Shen said with a smile: "I haven't seen anything, I haven't been back to Laizhou for a long time, and I can't help but think of the past when I see the familiar scenery on both sides of the shore." ”

Xu Ya'an and her sister sat beside Shen and comforted: "Didn't Dad say that we are about to arrive in Laizhou, and my mother will be able to see my grandmother and them soon." ”

Shen nodded and asked Xu Ya'an: "You have finished your homework today, if you are tired on the boat these days, you can put your homework away, anyway, there is still some time before your marriage, so you don't need to be in such a hurry." ”

Xu was told about his marriage by his mother, Xu Ya'an said a little shyly: "Don't worry, mother, in fact, I haven't done much in a day, with the guidance of my grandmothers, I won't be tired of myself." ”

His eldest daughter, the Shen family was still relieved, and he didn't ask much when he heard the words, so he talked to the two daughters about the Shen family: "By the way, this time your second uncle's family has come back, you must be able to see your second uncle's little cousin Jun Qian, let you prepare a meeting gift, what have you prepared, do you need me to give you details?"

Xu Ya'an and Xu Yaping said no.

Xu Yaping said: "Cousin Rui is also back, it's better to be at my uncle's house, there are so many cousins and cousins to play with, I don't know if Cousin Rui still remembers me." ”

Shen smiled and said, "Don't we have your sister Yaqin in our family, since you like your younger brothers and sisters, why don't you often play with her?"

The Xu family in Wenling now has two rooms, which were originally two rooms separated from the sibling brothers Xu Zhang and Xu Yu, and Xu Zhang has two sons-in-law in the long house, and the Shen family is married to Xu Zhang's second son, Xu Changsheng.

Xu Yu and his wife Huo only gave birth to an only son, Xu Changping, who only came out of his age and went, leaving only his wife Wang and a son Xu Zhuqing and a daughter Xu Yaqin.

Xu Yaping pursed her lips and said, "Sister Yaqin only knows that she is sticking to her brother, and she either sits there quietly and learns embroidery or has a little temper, which is not fun at all." ”

"What did my sister say, the second uncle just went away, Brother Zhuqing and Sister Yaqin were orphaned as young people, and it is inevitable that they will be quieter, you are naturally a sister who loves and takes care of your younger brothers and sisters, how can you dislike your sister. ”

Xu Ya'an taught her sister a lesson, and couldn't help but sigh again: "When we boarded the ship that day, Sister Yaqin cried so much that I don't know if it's better now." ”

Xu Yaping has always been taught a lot by her mother and eldest sister, and she doesn't care much, so she asked Shen: "Mother, I don't understand, why didn't my aunt and grandmother let Sister Yaqin come with us?"

Shen thought for a while and replied: "Actually, my mother is not very clear, but listening to your aunt, the old lady doesn't want Yaqin to rely too much on her brother, and in order to let Qingge'er study in Cangwu Academy with peace of mind, after two years, Yaqin will be sent to study in Cangwu Women's Academy." ”

Xu Yaping seemed to understand a little: "Isn't it good for Sister Yaqin to rely on her brother, why does your aunt and grandmother want to stop it?"

Shen Shi smiled and said: "The old lady must have considered something, her old man has experienced more things in her life, and she is naturally better than us, to put it mildly, her old man eats more salt than we eat, if you don't understand it, remember it, if you can figure it out in the future, it will also be a good thing for you." ”

Xu Ya'an nodded: "It is said that aunts and grandmothers can raise children, I heard that the third uncle is not a particularly smart person, and he is also taught well by his aunt and grandmother." The three cousins of my father's generation were admitted to the Jinshi by the third uncle, but unfortunately the third uncle went at a young age. Now it is said that Zhuqing's younger brother is intelligent, and he can make articles at the age of ten, and he wants to be inseparable from his aunt's teachings. ”

"By the way, mother, I know that Cangwu Academy is run by the eldest uncle and second uncle, when will there be a Cangwu Women's Academy?"

Xu Yaping thought of something, and said happily to Shen: "Mother, this Cangwu Women's Academy is the same as my brother's school, can a group of people attend classes together, can I go in?"

Shen looked at his little daughter helplessly, next year she will be over fourteen years old, she is already the age that can be said to be pro, but she still doesn't grow up like a child, and said: "You, no!"

"Ah, why, mother, I'm not going to make trouble. Xu Yaping also thought about entering the academy and having a bunch of friends to play with.

Shen said: "It's none of my business, the age of accepting female students in Cangwu Women's Academy is between eight and twelve years old, you, you are overage." ”

Xu Yaping asked very depressedly: "Who prescribed it, why don't you want it after the age of twelve?"

"Your eldest uncle, if you can persuade your eldest uncle to change this rule, I have no problem accepting you. "Shen said very shamelessly, the old lady can't do anything, you can do it yourself.

Xu Yaping was instantly depressed when she heard this, and when she saw her sister's appearance, Xu Yaan couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile.

If you want to talk about the three uncles, the best person to talk to on weekdays is definitely the eldest uncle Shen Jizhong, but the most stubborn is also the eldest uncle. As long as it doesn't stipulate family law or anything, basically the uncle will respond to his needs, but once he talks about the rules, he can't die if he wants to change it.

After laughing for a while, Xu Ya'an asked, "So the Cangwu Women's Hospital is run by the eldest uncle?"

"That's not it, in fact, the Cangwu Women's Academy and the Cangwu Academy are not too similar, and they are run by the Shen family. As you all know, your grandfather had just passed away, and your eldest and second uncles were at home, so they founded Cangwu Academy in the name of commemorating your grandfather.

This was originally to share some of the books collected by your grandfather and the Shen family, but because there were many famous masters gathered, some people famously sent their children, saying that they were willing to serve their children by these masters and be scholars for the masters, but the number of these scholars became larger and larger, and your eldest uncle and second uncle simply set up an academy.

In the past few years, several cousins of your grandfather's family have gradually grown up, originally said to find a husband to teach, and then thought that there are still a few girls in the Shen family, and it is not convenient to invite Mr. one by one, not to mention that the famous teacher Cangwu Academy has it, why bother to seek the near and far, simply expand a courtyard next to the Cangwu Academy to accept girls aged eight to twelve. ”

Xu Yaping asked curiously: "What do the female students of Cangwu Women's Academy learn, is it the same as Cangwu Academy?"

Shen Shi smiled: "How is that possible, these female students can't participate in the imperial examination." Actually, what they learn should be similar to what your mother invited someone to teach you, but it may be more comprehensive, there should be a red needle and thread for piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and the mother is not particularly clear, when the time comes, you can ask your cousin Jun Xuan, she goes to school in the women's hospital. ”

The mother and daughter were talking, and the kumquat beside the Shen family came in and reported: "Madam, just now the master came to the news that the ship will dock in another hour." ”

Shen nodded to indicate that he understood, and then asked, "The two brothers Zhu Qing and Zhu Xing are still following the master?"

Kumquat replied: "Yes, the master said that you don't have to worry about the two young masters, just follow him." ”

"Well, okay, you go and tell your subordinates to prepare your luggage, let them be careful, and don't break it for me. ”。