When I entered the capital in May, it was as if the sky was about to be on fire.

This kind of dry heat is different from the humid heat in the south of the Yangtze River. Shen couldn't sleep well for several nights, and his eyes were blue.

When Bai saw this, he was very distressed, and on this day, while Shen Yan was at home, he called and ordered: "I heard that there is an ice seller, and our family will also buy some ice to use." The second brother can't eat and sleep well these days, it's amazing to go on like this."

Shen Yan said: "The second brother wants to go to the academy during the day, but he only comes home at night...... Most of the people who buy ice have ice cellars at home, buy them and prepare them, and then take them out. There is no ice cellar at home, and it won't take long to melt after buying it...... If the mother feels that the yard is hot, ask someone to splash the water several times in the morning and evening. ”

Bai's face was a little reluctant: "It's melting, ice is cooler than splashing water......

Shen Yan's mouth was bitter, the price of the capital is already more expensive than the south, and this ice cube is used by the rich and noble in the summer, although the price is not outrageously expensive, but it can't stand the daily use. Now that you haven't gone into ambush, you can use ice, so how much silver will you need this summer?

Seeing that his son was embarrassed, the Bai family was a little embarrassed, but in the end he felt sorry for his young son, so he refused to change his mind, got up and went to the back room to get a silk bag, opened it, pushed it in front of Shen Yan and said: "If the eldest brother really doesn't have enough money to spend, he will exchange this for silver to make ......."

Inside is a pair of gold bracelets of Huang Cancan, a blessing bracelet with wide leek leaves, which looks like it has a small weight of half a catty

Seeing this, Shen Yan frowned slightly. This is Bai's dowry jewelry, which was taken out by Bai when the family was having a hard time a few years ago.

Bai Shi glanced at his eldest son, and when he saw that he was still silent, he was a little depressed in his heart, and his face drooped.

The eldest son is now teaching in the academy, and he also has several useful disciples under his name. Three festivals and two longevity are common sense, and the capital is no exception.

In the past few days, several parents of students have brought their children and nephews to the door to send gifts, in addition to the four treasures of the study and food, I heard that there are several silver seals. Now he just told his eldest son to buy some ice to use, and the eldest son pushed back. To say that this eldest son is good at everything is to hold on to the money too tightly.

Shen Yan looked at it in his eyes, sighed in his heart, his expression turned pale, and he put away the silk bag: "Since it is my mother's order, how can the son obey the order of this bracelet to exchange for dozens of taels of silver, and the ice of one summer is enough......

Seeing this, Bai Shi was stunned, his expression was a little reluctant, and his eyes were glued to the silk bag.

Shen Yan didn't see it, got up and said, "Son, this is going to Zhang Luo." ”

Bai's face was red and white for a while, and he stopped talking, watching his son pick the curtain and go out.

Bai Shi was deflated all of a sudden, and muttered: "Today, I have to pay for my own silver for ice, and tomorrow I have to pay for more food?" What the hell is this boss all about? ”

Shen Yan returned to the east wing, and his face was difficult to look at.

It is not easy to live in the capital, and he worked hard to make the family balance and not chew the old book. But the Bai family, because of his preference for his young son, added vegetables today and clothes tomorrow, and he thought that the family was not enough to make it, so he wanted to increase the population. The family was originally an ordinary family, with a meager family background, and now they live in the capital, but the Bai family was treated slowly when they were in the Qiao family, for fear that their sons would also be wronged outside, and they were determined to dress up their two sons as rich and noble sons.

Spending money like this, where can Shen Yan stand it? I had to refute it twice out of three.

Seeing this, the Bai family shouted every time that he wanted to pay for his own money. Shen Yan is a family member and a filial son, how can he accept it? If you can stop it, stop it, and if you can't stop it, let it be spent by the Bai family.

Now that the Bai family is thinking about buying ice again, and even taking out the dowry jewelry, Shen Yan does not plan to continue to connive.

Shen Yan thought about it, then called the housekeeper, handed him the gold bracelet and said: "Take it to the silver building to re-evaluate the value, and see the ice seller send some ......" Speaking of this, he gave him a fifty taels of Zhuang ticket: "By the way, take some silver, exchange it for two dollars, and come back only to say that the gold bracelet was exchanged......"

The butler put away the gold bracelets, went out to hang up the empty jacket, and went out on an errand.

Bai Shi stood in front of the window, standing restlessly.

After a while, the little maid who served her came over and whispered, "Madam, the eldest brother sent the housekeeper out."

Bai Shi was stunned, his brows furrowed, his eyes were red unconsciously, and his face was a little more aggrieved

Shen is a student, Shen Yan is a master, Shen Yan spends more time at home, and Shen has to go out early and return late.

When the sun went down and Shen came back sweating, the first thing he did was to ask someone to get the bath tub.

I sweated a lot in the summer, and my Confucian clothes were wet and wet, Shen Aijie couldn't stand this. After he finished grooming, he changed into homely clothes and went to greet the Bai family.

When he entered the north house, Shen noticed something different.

Now it's hot outside, but it's cool inside. Looking at the doors and windows again, they were all closed, and there was a small pestle in the corner of the room, on which was placed a copper plate with a radius of one foot, and several squares of ice were stacked in the copper plate. On one side of the copper plate, there is a small bucket of water. The melted ice water trickled from the opening on one side of the copper plate to the small bucket below.

Seeing this, Shen couldn't help but rejoice: "Wow, I bought ice at home."

As he spoke, he hurried over and put his palms directly on the ice. The coolness came up and made him shiver.

In order to buy ice, Bai was sulking for a long time, but when he saw that his young son was happy, he was full of unhappiness and disappeared.

She smiled and groaned: "Just a few pieces of ice, look at the second brother's joy?" There are many more, but you were not there before, and it is a pity that you were white, and now they are covered with quilts...... When you go back in a while, I'll ask someone to send it to you...

"Xie Lu, Xie Niang" Shen Huan responded happily.

Thinking that there had been no movement in the East Chamber, Shen said, "What about the eldest brother?" Not at home? ”

Bai Shi said wryly: "Zhou Xianggong invited him to eat and drink, and went out to socialize." ”

Shen "Ha Luha" said: "Zhou Xianggong is a sincere person, not only does he want his son to worship under the eldest brother, but he also wants to study with the eldest brother." It's still the eldest brother who said he couldn't stand it, so he made a New Year's ...... with him."

Zhou Xianggong is a neighbor of this street, an old household in Beijing, and a scholarly family, his grandfather once let go of a foreign official, but in his generation, only one brother came out, and he himself took the exam for half his life, and he was just a showman. Now the eldest sons are not reading materials, only the younger son, who is also a student of Nancheng Academy, passed the county exam in February and was pinned on by Zhou Xianggong.

Bai Shi said disapprovingly: "But an old Xiucai, I ate wine today, and I need to come back another day...... If you really value your eldest brother and have a heavier etiquette, isn't it more decent than anything else? ”

Shen shook his head and said, "How can that work?" How can the friendship between scholars be measured by money? Such a relationship is the long-term way. ”

Bai thought that his eldest son was willing to spend money to go out to socialize, but he was willing to buy ice for the family, and his chest was suffocated.

She was full of slander in her heart, but she didn't talk in front of Shen, she really didn't want their brother to have a disagreement

Shen accompanied Bai Shi to dinner, and then went back to the West Chamber to study.

There was an ice basin in the house, and the temperature slowly cooled down.

Shen sat behind the desk, holding the "Notes on the Four Books" in his hand, but he couldn't read a word. He was full of anxiety and a little panicked.

What if Shangshufu sent a message to tell their brother to return to his hometown?

When he used to study, he often felt tired and wanted to take a break. But now, the thought that he might not be able to continue his studies makes him extremely sad.

Brother's approach is also a helpless move, but why hasn't Shangshufu replied yet?

Shen remembered clearly, he copied the address here neatly and handed it to Shen Rui, and asked Shen Rui to send someone over if he had a reply.

It was dark outside, and the maidservant came in and lit the lamp.

Although their family's life improved when they were in Nanjing, Shen Yan knew that there would be many places to use silver in the future, and the days were calculated, and the family only bought four people, two in the inner house, a servant woman on the stove, and a small maid; There are two in the front yard, a housekeeper and a servant. Except for the little maid who was alone, the other three were a family, and they lived in the wing room in the front yard at night, and only the little maid was left in the backyard, serving mostly by the Bai family's side.

Shen was still sitting at the desk, rubbing the pen, ink, paper and inkstone in front of him, full of reluctance.

It's not that he can't think about it, but as early as three years ago, Xu's reply made him see the Shangshu Mansion's dislike of their lineage.

Shen's head slowly drooped, to say that he had no grudge in his heart, it was a lie, but he didn't know who he was to blame? They are also children of the Shen family, and their lineage has not been recognized by the clansmen so far, and they are like rootless duckweed. In the spring of the year before last, the scene of a family of three fleeing from Songjiang is still vivid, and now it is going through it again?

I don't know how long later, I heard someone say, "What are you thinking?" ”

It's Shen Yan who is back.

Shen hurriedly stood up: "Big brother"

Shen Yan's face was flushed, a little drunk, but his eyes were shining.

Seeing that his brother was in a good mood, Shen Ye was also in a better mood, and said, "But is there any happy event?" ”

Shen Yan nodded, the corners of his mouth turned up: "Zhou Xianggong introduced me to a new student today, he is the nephew of his brother's family, after the Dragon Boat Festival, he was sent to the academy to study, and he also ordered me to a certain one."

Shen Weishu: "Zhou Xianggong's brother, is the one who is an official?" ”

Shen Yan nodded and said, "That's the one, now he is in charge of the ministry." ”

Shen smiled: "It seems that the fame of Nancheng Academy is really getting bigger and bigger, and among the new students enrolled this year, there are many children of official eunuchs......

Shen Yourong Yan: "Among the fifty people on the April government examination list, six people from Nancheng Academy were on the list, overpowering Chunshan Academy in the north of the city. ”

Although Shen was full of worries, he could see that his brother was as usual, and he was unconsciously relieved.

Shen Yan glanced at his bookcase and said, "Your current writing is okay, and the strategy is a little less hot." There is less than a year and a half left before next year's township examination, and most of them are working strategy. If you feel that you are short of pen, it is the best policy to read more articles from others and make up for your weaknesses. ”

Shen was puzzled: "Didn't the eldest brother ask me to calm down and study for a few more years, and then wait for the next course?" Why did you change your mind? ”

Shen Yan said: "I was afraid that you would study too hard, and I was also worried that you would show off in the forest." When I arrived in the capital, I realized that I had seen too little, and I needed to become famous as soon as possible. Getting promoted as soon as possible is only good for the second brother. ”

Shen Shi said confidently: "It's useless to think about it...... Nanzhili is full of talented people, how many years of Confucian scholars, and there are Guozi prisoners, it is not easy to be able to lift people......"

Shen Yan raised his eyebrows and said, "Second brother can't let go of the scroll these days? Isn't it to prepare for next year's township exam? ”

Shen Yan smiled: "I'm just afraid that my homework will be left behind by my classmates......"

Shen Yan didn't open it, looked at the closed window, then looked at the ice tray in the corner, looked away, and chuckled: "And remember too much, continue to read, I'll go back to the house......"

Out of the west wing, Shen Yan glanced at the upper room.

The windows of the upper room were also closed, and the lights were reflected in the windows.

Only the east chamber was jet black.

Shen Yan picked up the bamboo curtain and went in, although the windows in the east chamber were open, he could still feel the stuffiness in the room

In the pitch black, Shen Yan's face was a little more astringent.

He felt for the fire, lit the lamp himself, and pulled open the drawer under the desk, revealing a silk bag.

Since it is the mother's dowry jewelry, where can he, who is a son, really exchange it for silver? He just didn't want his mother to continue to squander the money, and wanted to curb her petty nature, so he deliberately took away her beloved bracelet, wanting her to know that her livelihood was difficult and that she felt sorry for the money.

Unexpectedly, she really knew thrift, and she was not willing to be frugal from herself, nor was she willing to treat her younger son badly, but she was willing to save money from him.

He heard the housekeeper in the front yard say that there were only two ice trays prepared in the backyard, and Shen Yan thought he had heard it wrong.

Now that the doors and windows of the main house and the west chamber are closed, the doors and windows of the east chamber are open, and there is not a shadow of ice in sight, and Shen Yan can't deceive himself if he wants to......