On this day, the weather was fine.

Shen's mood can't be said to be cloudy or sunny. He got up early, ran to the east chamber, and said with a little trepidation: "Big brother, can I dress up like this?" ”

Shen Yan has always gotten up early, has already finished freshening up, and is revising the students' homework after the bookcase.

Hearing this, Shen Yan looked up at Shen, and saw that he was wearing a new Confucian costume and a Confucian scarf on his head.

"Are the boots too new?" Shen Yan said.

Nowadays, although the custom is extravagant, the scholar must taste simplicity and do not want to wear new clothes to entertain guests. is so solemn, but it seems that his identity is three points lower.

Shen lowered his head and looked at it a few times, but he was also dissatisfied, and said, "I think so too." But the previous pair of boots had faded after two rounds of water, and they were too old. ”

Shen Yan smiled and said, "You are going to see Shen Rui, and you are not going to see a little lady, why are you so stingy?" ”

Shen Yan said: "Am I not afraid that he will misunderstand? Always let him know that we are relying on ourselves, and we will live a good life, and we will not take the opportunity to cling to the past. ”

Shen Yan shook his head and said: "Second brother thinks too much, normal heart, normal heart is good"

Shen touched his nose and said: "I really didn't expect to have such a fate with that kid, I knew that today, I shouldn't have a suspicion in the clan science back then......"

Shen Yan smiled: "Second brother thinks Shen Rui is a grudge? ”

Shen snorted lightly and said: "Look at his style, it's as if he is an adult, and everyone else is a child, so it's strange to take it to heart." ”

No wonder he is not convinced, in terms of age, he is two years older than Shen Rui. But for some reason, he just gave birth to a kind of Shen Rui who could talk to his brother on an equal footing, but he was as restrained as if he had seen an adult.

The two brothers were talking, but the Bai family in the upper room felt that something was wrong.

According to the curriculum in the academy, there is no need to go over every day, but Shen should not be at home.

She took the little maid's hand into the east chamber, and did not speak to the eldest son, but only looked at the younger son with a concerned face, and asked, "It's all past the morning, why doesn't the second brother go to school?" But what's wrong with that? ”

Shen smiled and said: "Mother, I'm fine, I took a half-day vacation at the academy today, and I want to go out with my eldest brother to socialize." ”

Bai's face fell suddenly, turned around, and complained to Shen Yan: "The eldest brother has an idea, and he can't preach when he is out all day long, but your second brother is still young, and reading is the right thing, so why drag him to entertain others?" ”

Shen Yan only smiled bitterly, and did not argue, only looked at Shen with a smile instead of a smile.

Shen hurriedly pulled Bai's arm and said, "Mother, this is not the eldest brother's business, I have to follow the eldest brother out." I'm also older, I always want to see the world, and the province is regarded as a rural bun."

When Bai Shi heard this, he couldn't reprimand Shen Yan anymore, pulled Shen, and said with a worried face: "Is there someone in the academy who is bullying the second brother?" As I said earlier, people in the city respect clothes first and then people, and this side of the capital is even more powerful. I'm angry with your eldest brother and refuses to make a few new clothes with you to wear. ”

Shen frowned and said, "I'm not a little girl, do I have to clean up the flowers?" Mother, really, what do you do when you complain about big brother? The eldest brother works hard every day to make money to support his family, and his mother doesn't say a few words of concern, but is full of complaints. "When it comes to the worst, it's already angry.

Although the Bai family is obviously biased towards Shen among the two sons, Shen only feels embarrassed and confused, how can he enjoy this preference with peace of mind?

The eldest brother is like a father, in his heart, the brotherly relationship with his brother is no less than the mother-son relationship with the Bai family, and it can even be said to be heavier.

The ice tray a few days ago, after knowing that there was no one in the East Chamber the next day, Shen Lishi refused to use it anymore and sent someone to send the ice tray to the upper room. It wasn't until the Bai clan also sent someone to put an ice tray in the east chamber that Shen was willing to continue using it.

Once or twice, the Bai family "repeatedly taught and did not change", Shen Yan didn't say anything, but Shen felt full of sullenness.

There are only three people in the family, isn't it good to live a good life?

Bai Shi was so choked by Shen that he couldn't speak, and his face showed a little grievance: "What am I complaining about?" I'm just afraid that you will be wronged outside, and I want everyone to have a good life. As he spoke, tears began to fall.

Shen hurriedly said: "Okay, okay, mother, you didn't complain that your son was wrong?" Don't shed tears, if you don't cry in anger, my eldest brother will beat me, and then it's my son who will cry."

Bai didn't cry anymore, but his heart was sour, and said, "You only remember to listen to your eldest brother."

Shen Yan was beside him, listening to the mother and son talking, but he never spoke.

Bai Shi thought about the ice used these days, and the resentment in his heart dissipated, and he felt a little remorseful. Coupled with the cold and lonely appearance of her eldest son, she became more and more weak-hearted, only felt uncomfortable, and told Shen Dao: "It's okay to go out, but don't eat and drink to look at your eldest brother, and tell him not to be greedy for cups."

After telling him, Bai Shi didn't wait for Shen to answer, so he helped the little maid's arm out of the way.

Shen followed behind and sent it to the door of the east chamber before turning around.

The time was almost up, and Shen Yan was packing up the things on the desk.

Shen said in a low voice: "Didn't they all say, 'If you are a mother, you are strong?'" With such a temperament, the eldest brother has really worked hard over the years......"

When Shen Qing died, Shen Yan was only eleven or two years old, and Shen was even younger.

In other words, the son is so young, the mother must stand up so that she can protect her children. Bai's temperament is soft and cowardly, and once her husband dies, she can't take care of anything except crying.

Bai's mother's family, originally a squire's family, ancestors have also been beautiful, but in recent years, the children have not become successful, and they married their daughters to Shen Qing, who is not rich but famous, but it is just for speculation, and a lot of dowry has been given. When Shen Qing died of illness and the two nephews were still young, the Bai family changed their faces.

It was Shen Yan who stood up and begged several of Shen Qing's old friends, inside and out, to handle Shen Qing's funeral.

Since that beating, the Bai family has relied on his son with peace of mind.

Except for seeing that his mother's family was greedy and afraid that the family property would be occupied, he had to move to Songjiang Mansion to join the Shen clan, and the Bai family left his son in charge of other things.

In the early years, the two brothers were young, and the family's livelihood was also embarrassed, but the Bai family was still peaceful, except for crying, he didn't make any petty temperament; But now that the two brothers are old, have fame, and have accumulated some family resources, the Bai family has begun to be quiet.

Shen persuaded him privately a few times, but the Bai family should have done it well, but he still didn't change it after that.

Shen Yan saw through Bai's careful thoughts, but he was worried that his eldest daughter-in-law would enter the door and snub Shen, and wanted to grasp the family affairs in his hands. If she can feel at ease in this way, Shen Yan is willing not to care, but the premise is that she needs to pass the day.

However, in the past six months, the Bai family has only grown in age over the years, there is no long-term scheming, it is not a success, everything is a thought, and there is no thrifty mind, if you really want her to be a housekeeper, the good life of this family will not last long.

Shen Yan gave up this thought.

Seeing that Shen was sensible, Shen Yan was quite relieved and said: "It's not easy for my mother, my father left early, and my grandfather and uncle are ruthless, and they have lived with trepidation all these years...... Although she likes to nag, she really loves you. In the future, you are not allowed to show impatience, and go over to accompany her more, which is filial piety."

Shen snorted lightly and said, "Still use the eldest brother to mention something?" Aren't I just talking to my mother every now and then? It's the eldest brother, when the sister-in-law comes in, you have to hurry. If I give birth to a nephew and niece as soon as possible, my mother will have a child to watch, so I won't think about it all day long......"

Shen was embarrassed to wear new boots to meet guests, so he went back to the West Chamber to change his old boots.

Bai stood under the window of the main room, holding a piece of jade pendant with good fortune in his hand, looking a little hesitant, wanting to send it to his younger son, but he was afraid that his eldest son would not be happy to see it.

She glanced at the east wing, sighed, and tucked the jade pendant into her sleeve again......

Renshanfang, Shen House.

Shen Rui and Shen Jue came out on horseback, and they only brought Changshou and a little girl named Xiaoliu with them.

Xiaoliu is Shen Jue's little servant, he has been serving by Shen Jue's side since the year before, he is one year younger than Shen Jue, but he is clever and lively, which is very much in line with Shen Jue's mind.

Shen Ruiding's teahouse is on Chaoyangmen Street, not far from Shen's house, and it takes two quarters of an hour to ride a horse from Renshanfang.

After the two brothers dismounted, Changshou and Xiaoliu led a few horses to the stable with the guys, and the other guys led Shen Rui and Shen Jue upstairs to the private room.

Brother Shen Yan has arrived.

Seeing this, Shen Rui had no choice but to accuse: "In Xia Weidao, I should have come to entertain guests earlier, but there was a delay in something at home, but it made Zun Zhongkun wait for a long time, which is really ashamed." ”

Shen Yan said with a warm face: "It's because we came early, Hengyun don't be polite." ”

Shen Jue really didn't like Shen Yan's temperament, so he only arched his hand and said, "I've seen Mr. Shen." ”

If you call "Master Shen", you will have to perform the teacher-student ceremony, and if you call "Master Shen", you will not be humble, and Shen Jue will be vague in his title.

Shen Yan knew Shen Jue's identity, but he didn't mean to care, and still greeted him kindly.

On Shen's side, Shen Jue also came in, and for some reason he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. In his opinion, Shen Rui's joy and anger are invisible, he is a city government, but Shen Jue has a straightforward temperament, and his disgust is written on his face, although Shen Jue is lukewarm to their brothers, but he has no intention of pulling arrows and crossbows.

Although Shen Jue was a little unkind to Shen in his early years, now that he is older, he has long forgotten about the small frictions in the previous genealogy.

Seeing that Shen Rui and Shen Yan greeted each other politely, Shen Jue also talked to Shen.

"Although I traveled together last year, it is not convenient to talk if I am not in the same boat, but I forgot to ask you, is there any news about the second brother Qin and the fourth brother Bao?" Shen Jue said.

Shen nodded and said, "Last year, Brother Qin and Brother Bao both took the children's exam, but they successfully passed the county exam and the government exam, but they didn't pass the hospital exam. However, after staying in Nanjing for a while, I had a few drinks together, and looking at them, I was not too discouraged, saying that I would continue to take the exam this year. ”

Shen Jue's expression remained unchanged, but he had a plan in his heart.

It turned out that the second brother was not bad, although Shen Yan and Shen brothers moved to Nanjing, they still had contacts with the Songjiang people. Come to think of it, in the township test the year before last, Shen Yan became a newcomer and the unmarried son-in-law of the old man, but the Shen clan was wiped out.

No matter how undignified Shen Yan's background is, after all, the age is too old, and in the eyes of the people of Songjiang, this is a young man with a bright future.

Don't bully the young man to be poor, the second room is far away in Beijing, and the Shen family's houses can't borrow if they want to; On the contrary, it is Shen Yan, because of the relationship between school and government, it is better to make a good friend than a bad one.

Shen didn't realize that Shen Jue was talking nonsense, and still said: "I remember that the third brother Quan was also stuck in the hospital exam before, and I thought I could meet him last year, but I didn't expect him to go back in Beijing, but he can go back this year?" ”

Shen Jue nodded and said, "I didn't go back to Songjiang in February, and went directly to Nanjing." ”

Shen Zao got the news from Qiao's side, and knew that Shen Jue should also take the boy's test this year, and wanted to ask a few questions, but he was afraid that he would be taboo, so he glanced up at Shen Rui's side and said, "Next year is the year of autumn again, and my brother can be killed."

Shen Jue refused to bow his head because Shen Yan was already a lifter, and said with a little pride: "My second brother is first-class in the annual exam, and this year's scientific exam is not bad, so naturally he will end ......up."