Matsue, official ship wharf.

There is a grain ship moored near the wharf, and Songjiang Prefecture is responsible for the task of transporting 50,000 stone of white grain to the inner government every year, and since July this year, it has been transporting grain in several batches to the north, and the batch of 30 grain ships that will set off today is the last batch of this year's fleet to transport white grain to the north.

On the pier stood a middle-aged man in his mid-forties and forties, wearing a new plain Confucian shirt, looking into the distance, with excitement and nervousness on his face.

There was a fourteen or five-year-old boy standing next to him, puzzled: "Dad, are you too solemn?" In the end, you are an elder, and Second Brother Rui treats people very kindly, why ...... this?"

"Stinky boy will be more disciplined later" The middle-aged man glanced at him and said, "You really think that the name is clan brother, and it is a brother?" That's the son of Shangshu Mansion, I didn't see that the old men of the various houses were flattering......"

The young man pursed his lips and said, "Not to mention Second Brother Rui, there is also Third Brother Jue, and he is not an outsider...... Dad is still not good for Dabin? ”

This young man is not an outsider, it is Shen Huan, a disciple of the Zongfang Shu branch and Shen Jue's cousin and former clan scholar, and the middle-aged man next to him is Shen Yu, the nephew of the patriarch's grandfather.

The Shen family is a big household in Songjiang, and the number of acres of fields at the head of each house adds up to 10,000 hectares, and there are four white grain chiefs under their names.

To say that in the early years of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the squires who made a fortune because of the post of grain chief were not one or two, but now the world is not as good as in the early years, there are many waterway checkpoints, and it is popular in the yamen to take that set, and the white grain goes north to spend too much

Even if the imperial court subsidizes more than one or two pieces of silver with a stone of white grain, but the north waterway goes all the way to the Yamen of the capital, there are many checkpoints, and it is a little unlucky, and the cost of favors is greater than the subsidy of the imperial court

Such a chicken position, the ordinary squire's family has it, and they will have to toss it and go bankrupt, but there are a few of the Songjiang gentry families hanging under their names, but they are just selling favors to local parents, hello, I'm good, everyone's good.

Shen Yu also has a reputation for showing talent, but after many years of enrollment, he didn't even get the qualification for the township examination once, so he was desperate to be motivated. When the clan arranged errands, he took over the errand of the chief of the white grain, even if it was harder, but with the backing of the Shen family, there was no need to worry about losing money and rice, and there was a slight subsidy in the clan at the end of the year.

Although it is said that there are more than 50 grain chiefs in Songjiang, and the number of people who go to Beijing every year is not to go to Beijing, the number of people in Beijing is discharged before, once in three or two years, this year's grain chief in Beijing, Shen Yu is not included, but because Shen Rui, Shen Jue and others returned to Beijing, Shen Yu and other grain chiefs who went to Beijing this time made a swap, in order to take care of Shen Rui, Shen Jue and others more conveniently.

As the saying goes, there are three risks in sailing. This northward journey is due to the canal, even if there is no risk of banditry, it is hard to sail on the river for two months. Shen Yu didn't need the eldest master of the sect to speak, he took the initiative to respond to the matter, and he was willing to do it, and brought his son out.

was retorted by his son, he was not annoyed, and said slowly: "Even if it is a close relative, it takes a lot of contacts to go on a blind date." There are hundreds of people in the Songjiang clan, and Brother Jue's family is all there, so what is my cousin who only met during the New Year's holidays? The year before last, the second room and the second master went south, and selected the nephew from the clan to take office, but he didn't choose others, but chose Brother Ling in the third room and Brother Lin in the ninth room? It's not a friendship that has been with the ship all the way south...... Silly boy, think carefully and ......"

Although Shen Huan knew that what his Lao Tzu said was reasonable, he was still a little awkward: "Even if the second room is now noble, my father will not go to Beijing, like this...... Befriend...... What mile? ”

"Short-sighted, there are ready-made thighs that don't lean, and when I want to hug something, I can't hug you, I can't do it, I can see a few of your brothers, thank God for being able to make a show, but what about your nephews? The Shen family's poetry and books are heirlooms, and karma is fundamental. As long as someone comes out, there will be a day to enter Beijing...... On the seventh and eighth rooms, if it weren't for the second room, he would have been able to get a teaching position in Jiangnan? It's not a bad thing to be nice to the second room. If you really want to talk about it, Brother Jue has already come out, so he is not a member of the clan, although they are all blood relatives, but the descendants are not good to get close to Brother Jue, and it is not as cheap as our cousins...... If this line is bridged, even the side of the branch will also read our good ......" Shen Yu said with a little pride.

Shen Huan lowered his head and sighed secretly in his heart.

When I was in the clan study, although the grandson of the grandson was a little stronger, the side branch house was not despised, and everyone was about the same as the clan brothers. Nowadays, it is different, there is a difference in status between those who are official and ordinary, those who are famous and those who have left books, and with the passage of time, this difference will become bigger and bigger.

Shen Rui, Shen Jue, and Shen Quan all got up early and had breakfast in the fifth room.

Although Shen Rui had already said "reunite in the capital" after the practice banquet last night, brothers like Shen Qin, Shen Bao, and Shen Jia, who had made good friends with each other, still got up early in the morning to see each other off. Shen Jin, as Shen Rui's native brother, naturally did not fall behind.

On the side of the sect, Shen did not show up because he was injured and bedridden, and Shen Ji did not appear, so the master of the sect came over in person, and brought Brother Xiaodong and Brother Xiaotong with him.

Brother Xiaotong is the eldest son of Shen, when Shen Jue left Songjiang, he was just a Mengtong in the clan studies, and now he is a teenager.

Seeing that the eldest master of the sect was talking to the eldest master of Hong, and others were talking around Shen Rui, Brother Xiaotong walked up to Shen Jue and said in a low voice: "Fifth uncle......"

Shen Jue frowned and said, "Why did you still toss you?" It's so good, but it's tiring for you to get up early in the morning. ”

Brother Xiaotong took out a slap brocade box from his sleeve and said worriedly: "It was my father who sent my nephew, and this is my father who ordered my nephew to bring to the fifth uncle......"

"Didn't Cheng Yi give it all yesterday? How can there be another copy? Shen Jue raised his eyebrows and said, "I have received my mind, forget the things, you can take them back...... These five uncles are amazing, even if they are not used to it, they must always learn to change their words. ”

When Brother Xiaotong joined the clan school, he was all brought by Shen Jue, the little uncle, but in the end, he was a child, and he didn't meet a few times the year before last, and he couldn't help but be a little strange when he met this year. Shen Jue was sad about the funeral of his grandfather, and he was not in the mood to coax his little nephew, so he didn't communicate in two miles.

Now seeing the parting, the young brother Tong only felt uncomfortable, his nose was sour, and he whispered: "But the fifth uncle is the fifth uncle, can't you call it in private?" ”

Seeing him so childish, Shen Jue smiled instead.

He touched Brother Xiaotong's head and said, "Wrong, I'm no longer the fifth uncle, I need to change my name to 'Third Uncle Jue',...... The ranking has changed, and the name is still this, or am I still me? Who will I be......" The next sentence is self-talking, low and inaudible.

Brother Xiaotong seemed to understand whether he understood or not, pinched the brocade box in his hand, and felt that he should change his mouth, but he was not used to it, and he couldn't open his mouth.

Shen Jue smiled, no longer paid attention to Brother Xiaotong, walked up to the eldest master of the sect, and complained a little: "Really, I said that I didn't call you to come......"

didn't even have a serious title, and it was such a tone, which was rude in the eyes of outsiders.

The eldest master of the sect didn't think he was angry, touched his beard and said "Ha Lu Ha" twice, and said: "I always get up early, even if I can't come, I still get up at home...... Go to the docks with you and walk around without much trouble......"

"Now that the Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, this morning and evening is not a joke, do you think you are still a young man?" Seeing that the master of the sect was just a jacket, Shen Jue frowned, took off the cloak on his body, and put it on the master of the sect.

"No, no, you are careful of catching a cold...... "The eldest master of the sect is busy pushing it away, where is Shen Jue willing to let it?" It's still tied to the master of the sect.

"You kid...... It's really disobedient......" The eldest master of the sect patted Shen Jue's arm and sighed in a low voice.

Shen Jue held the arm of the eldest master of the sect, and there was still a smile on his face, but it was more ugly than crying.

Master Hongda and Shen Qi's father and son were beside them, both a little dumbfounded.

It is said that the eldest master of the sect loves his young son, but now that he has seen it, the father and son get along too casually, not like father to son, son to father. However, it is not an eyesore, but it makes people's hearts sour.

Shen Jin, Shen Qin, and Shen Bao, the juniors, didn't think there was anything wrong with Shen Jue's etiquette, and they were a little envious when they saw the father and son getting along like this.

Even if it is a close bloodline, it is no longer a family. Shen Jue was able to return to Songjiang this time because of the funeral, if there is no accident in the future, most of the time it will be the same, it is impossible to say that life is death, thinking of this, everyone secretly sighed in their hearts.

The five rooms rest for half a year, and they will return to the capital next year, Brother Xiaodong is also here because of the common New Year festival with Shen Rui and Shen Jue in the capital, Shen Jin, Shen Qin, and Shen Bao are determined to take the imperial examination, thinking that they will see each other sooner or later, so the most uncomfortable is the only master of the sect and Brother Xiaotong.

Brother Xiaotong's age was there, but he felt a little reluctant, but the eldest master of the sect was staring at his young son fiercely, reluctant to look away. Although he had just talked to Master Hongda's father and son, his eyes never left Shen Jue. Seeing that Shen Jue did not accept the brocade box in Brother Xiaotong's hand, he was not surprised, but he became more and more sad in his heart.

The group went out of the five rooms, rode in a car, rode a horse, and arrived at the official grain wharf.

Shen Yu took Shen Huan and already greeted him, and there was a young man in his thirties next to him, but he was dressed as a clerk.

Seeing the eldest master of the sect, the official stepped forward and saluted: "I have seen Shen Shibo......"

The eldest master of the sect said with a little surprise: "This is not the Lu family's Saburo?" It's just that Bailiang is going north, why are you going to Beijing? ”

The young man said helplessly: "The Zen master went directly north to the capital from the ancestral court last year, and has not returned yet, and the little nephew was ordered by his grandfather to go to the capital to pick up the Zen master back......

"In this way, Zen Master Hongshan is now in the capital?" When the eldest master of the sect heard this, he was surprised and looked at Shen Rui: "Brother Rui, do you know?" ”

Shen Rui shook his head and said, "It's the first time I've heard of it...... At that time, the family teacher and I were taken care of by the Zen master in the Xilin Zen Monastery, and if I knew that the Zen master was placing an order in the capital, the little nephew would have gone to visit him since the morning......"

This young man looked at Shen Rui, he was a little uncertain, but in three years, Shen Rui has changed a lot, he has no appearance of a child, and his facial features are also open.

After listening to the conversation between the eldest master of the sect and Shen Rui, he was overjoyed: "It's really Brother Rui so tall, I really don't dare to recognize ...... for a while."

Shen Quan stepped forward and hugged his fists and said, "It's the little brother, I've seen the third brother Lu ......."

Xilin Zen Monastery is the private property of the Lu family, and Shen Quan lived in sojourn for three years, but it was not arranged by the elders of the four rooms, but arranged by Shen Li.

The Lu family is also a Songjiang surname, second only to the Shen family and the He family, and is also related to the Shen family

Shen Li's deceased mother is the daughter of the Lu family, and the Lu Saburo in front of her can be regarded as Shen Li's cousin.

At that time, Shen Rui was filial piety in Xilin Zen Master, and Shen Li was also in his mother's filial piety, and often came to the door to talk about Zen with Zen Master Hongshan. Mu Qi's name as the champion, many of the Lu family's children went to the Zen Academy to listen to the lectures, including Lu Sanlang, the son of this branch.

Because of a cousin relationship, Lu Sanlang met Shen Li several times in the Zen Academy, and he was also quite close to Shen Rui.

Like the Shen and He families, as local gentry families, they teach their children and grandchildren to focus on reading and career, and the children of the Yan branch do not look down on the position of the county government.

The Lu family and the Zhang family are because of the last order of their ancestor Deheng Gong, and their descendants are farmers and industrialists, and they rely on their talent and understanding. Not to mention that the descendants of the descendants are officials, even if they are directly engaged in business with calculations, there are many people.

In the government affairs of a county, money and food are the first, and the household is the heaviest.

Huating County is a large county, with several household officials, headed by the officials.

Even if Lu Sanlang has the support of his family background, he can be a household secretary at this age with real skills. It's a worldly friend like the eldest master of Zongfang, and he has privately praised Lu Sanlang's ability, but he is not enlightened in learning, and he barely passed the college exam, and he is mixed with the fame of the students, and the annual examination is inferior, so he can only give up his career, which is a pity......

Shen Yu's uncle followed and took care of it, and it was Shen Rui's old acquaintance who was responsible for transporting grain to the north, and the heart of the eldest master of the sect was also considered to be let go.

The grain ships here were all loaded and counted last night, and the luggage of Shen Rui, Shen Jue and others was also sent to the ship last night, just waiting for the departure at dawn this morning.

Seeing that the time was about the same, Lu Sanlang said goodbye to the master of the sect, Shen Qi, Shen Jin and others, and brought Shen Rui, Shen Rui and others on board.

By the time the grain ship left the dock, it was already dark.

Looking at the river, the eldest master of the sect let out a long breath.

"Grandfather, Third Uncle Jue's cloak has fallen......" Brother Xiao Dong looked at the eldest master of the sect and said.

He was in the capital a few years ago, and he changed his mind early.

The eldest master of the sect looked down at his body, and said to himself: "This kid is rubbing his head, and he is taller than me......"

Shen Qi took the brothers of the clan forward and said, "Uncle Hai, get in the car, the wind by the river is hard......"

The eldest master of the sect nodded, greeted Brother Xiaotong, turned around and got into the carriage.

The others were older and rode with them.

"Since you are back, should Brother Xiaodong take the boy's test next year?" Shen Qi asked casually.

Brother Xiaodong nodded: "Yes, I was going to come back at the end of this year......"

"Beijing Academy, famous teachers gather, Brother Xiaodong has studied for all these years, what did the teacher say over there? Can you be sure of the hospital exam? Shen Qi asked.

When Brother Xiaodong heard this, he was not necessarily proud, but there was more sadness between his eyebrows: "The teacher said that if you take the test in the capital, the heat is almost the same, but here in Nanzhili, it is not easy to say, how much depends on luck......

Shen Qi said with deep feelings: "Who made us here a big province of articles, the people are educated early, the hospital test in other places is easy, and the township test is miserable." Nanzhili is here, and the hospital test is here to die. After the hospital exam, there are many people who can't touch the countryside test in your life, but you are young, and you don't need to worry too much, you have taken the third uncle's hospital exam three times."

Shen Jin didn't feel that there was such a difficulty, but Shen Qin and Shen Bao listened to it, but they were concerned.

The group returned to Shenjiafang, and when they arrived at the mouth of the alley, the young men from each room stepped forward to say goodbye to the master of the sect and went to their respective homes. The eldest master of the sect and his entourage, the carriage continued, and returned to the sect.

The inner house of the sect, the west side of the courtyard.

Shen lay on the bed, looked at the door from time to time, and when he saw Brother Xiaotong coming in, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly raised his body: "I'm back...... Something to give ......."

Brother Xiaotong looked uneasy and took out the brocade box from his sleeve......