Walking into the main room, Shen Xi looked at the tablets of the ancestors on the table in the center of the lobby, and walked a few steps to the old lady's room. Shen Xi poked his little head and saw that his grandmother was sitting under the open window, squinting at something and mending something, so he didn't dare to disturb loudly at the moment, but just knocked lightly on the wooden door and said timidly: "Grandmother." ”

When the old lady saw someone coming, she turned around with some difficulty, and when she saw that it was Shen Xi, she greeted happily: "Little grandson, why do you have time to come to grandmother?" Wouldn't it be that you were beaten by your mother again and took refuge in your grandmother's place? ”

When mentioned about the previous troubles, Shen Xi smiled a little shyly, shook his head and said, "No, I didn't dare to be disobedient since then, I came to ask my grandmother for peace." ”

The old lady was even happier when she heard this, put away the clothes and needlework in her hand, got up and walked to the door happily, squatted down and wanted to pick up Shen Xi, but she felt a little powerless, and patted Shen Xi's ass at the moment, and her wrinkled face was a little emotional: "Little thing, it's sunk a lot." ”

Shen Xi hurriedly stood on tiptoe and tried to hold the old lady's hand, but because he was too short, he could only raise it awkwardly.

The old lady grinned very happily, grabbed his little hand and put it down, then touched his little head and walked to the chair, and after sitting down, she said with emotion: "Grandmother, even the little grandson can't hold it, alas, ......"

Looking at his grandmother's old appearance, Shen Xi said against his will: "Grandmother, you don't look old at all, I see that your body is tough." ”

In fact, the old lady is only in her early fifties this year, but she is already gray-haired and wrinkled, and she does look much older than later generations.

"The little grandson can still say nice things, woo, grow up...... The grandchildren have grown up, can the grandmother not grow old? ”

Shen Xi didn't want to say much about age, so he smiled and said, "Grandmother, my grandson thinks that you are not old at all, and grandmother will definitely live a long life." ”

The old lady laughed, very happy, who doesn't want to listen to good words? What's more, it's the good things that the grandson said.

"Grandmother, grandson wants to hear your old story."

"Hehe, why does the little grandson want to hear about the past? Isn't it sexual? I remember you used to dislike listening to your grandmother's nagging. ”

Shen Xi lowered his head a little embarrassed, then raised his head to look at the old lady, and grinned to reveal a row of snow-white teeth: "Grandmother, I was ignorant before, if grandmother has spirit, let's talk to my grandson." ”

The old lady nodded with a smile, then lowered her head and sighed, her cloudy eyes were a little yearning, and she said leisurely: "Little doll, when my grandmother first married into the Shen family, the Shen family had a big business, and in this county, even the county master had to salute us when he saw our Shen family...... Although time has passed, the glory of the Shen family is still vivid. ”

"It's a pity, back then, your grandfather was idle all day long and didn't do business, eating, drinking, prostituting and gambling...... You are still young, you don't need to know this, in short, later your grandfather and four brothers had a conflict, and they split up. Alas, the Shen family's property, your second grandfather and your grandfather's three brothers, together only inherited less than one percent, to put it nicely, it is called a separation, and if it is not good, it is for your grandfather to be kicked out of the house. ”

"You juniors can't even dream that our Shen family's industry was so big back then, but unfortunately, it was all lost by your grandfather in the end."

When Shen Xi heard this, he tilted his head with some curiosity, bit his little finger and asked, "Grandmother, in the past, did our family eat meat every day without eating wild vegetables......

The old lady looked at Shen Xi's innocent and cute appearance, and smiled kindly: "Don't say that you eat meat, but everything that flies in the sky, swims in the sea, and can't come out of the ground, there are all kinds of delicacies from the mountains and seas......"

Shen Xi was a little greedy by the old lady, swallowed his saliva, and asked, "Grandmother, our family used to have so much money?" ”

The old lady laughed and touched Shen Xi's little head: "It's not just rich, three or four percent of the storefronts of the most lively street in the county belong to our Shen family, but these are nothing to the Shen family at that time, do you say our family is rich?" ”

"Grandmother, where did you get those houses?" Shen Xi was curious.

"Your grandfather used to be the official of the fifth grade of the imperial court, although he did not become the prefect of the fourth grade in the end, but if you think about it, it is a five-grade official, in charge of salt, grain, cleaning up the military register, and raising the people, how can the officials of our county not be jealous of our family? Therefore, if we want to buy a house and land, it is naturally convenient...... In fact, this is nothing, as long as you become an official, you can turn one tael of silver into one hundred taels, and so on, money and other things outside the body, naturally come naturally, you are still young, you don't understand these very well, and when you grow up, you will naturally understand. ”

"At that time, our Shen family was very generous, and we had seven private houses, harvesting grain in good years, not raising grain prices in disaster years, helping villagers, and putting up porridge shops. Successive county commanders often come to our house, saying that it is a family routine, but in fact, they also want our family to help more and pave the way for their careers. ”

"It's a pity that your grandfather is not angry, and he offended all these people, and now he has cut off contact, alas...... Now not to mention the county seat, in our vein, in addition to dozens of acres of land, it is also a big house, and your father is going to work in other homes...... Look, what have you become? ”

Shen Xi knew that this world was orderly, and it was natural for the eldest son to inherit the family business, so he didn't have any doubts, but felt that this thing was normal.

"The huge family business of the Shen family is really dilapidated in the hands of your grandfather, and now, although our Shen family still has some industries, compared to the past, it can be regarded as a declining day, and there are only a few people studying in the four rooms, and no one is lifted, which is what we are in today."

"The lobby uncle of your grandfather's family is kind, in order to revitalize the Shen family for more than ten years, it can be regarded as exhausting, but it is a pity that he is too honest, so that the Shen family has not made a big improvement so far, but this is not to blame your lobby uncle, he has the style of an elder, and the Shen family is more than twice as good in his hands as when he was in the hands of your grandfather......

Seeing the old lady's reminiscence of the past, Shen Xi was also a little embarrassed in his heart, and his eyes rolled at the moment, and he said with a smile: "Grandmother, when the grandson grows up, I will definitely help the eldest brother revive the family business." ”

The old lady didn't react for a while, and after being stunned for a while, she laughed heartily and said, "Good boy, good boy, if you have ambition, my grandmother will be relieved." ”

Shen Xi's words really made the old lady look at him a little impressed, and the most surprising thing for the old lady was that Shen Xi did not directly say that he wanted to revive the family business, but helped the eldest son in the family to revive the family business, which meant that the old lady was in the heart.

In the vein of the Shen family's Peach Blossom Village, since the grandfather didn't want to split the family, the grandmother naturally inherited her husband's ambition and wanted to pinch the Shen family together. The youngest son, the eldest grandson, the lifeblood of the old lady, but unfortunately the youngest son of the Li family, that is, Shen Xi's father Shen Mingjun, is old-fashioned and upright, and he is not liked by the old lady, so the eldest son and eldest grandson have become the lifeblood of the Li family.

Then she probably remembered her grandfather again, and said with a smile: "Little grandson, when you grow up, if your eldest brother is not angry and goes crooked, you don't have to be polite, just lock him up in the attic and let him reflect on it. Back then, if it weren't for your grandfathers who doted on your grandfather too much, he wouldn't have fallen to such an absurd state. ”

After chatting with the old lady for half an hour, Shen Xi saw that she yawned a few times and looked sleepy, so he got up to say goodbye.

Li watched Shen Xi's back disappear through the door curtain, then turned his head to look at the offering table in the hall, and muttered: "The young and the old are orderly, but they are all grandchildren, as long as it is for the good of the Shen family, what's wrong?" ”

"The Shen family has not produced any decent talents for three generations, and if it continues like this, I'm afraid that the long house won't be able to last for a few years. Old thing, if you were fighting for some anger back then, why should I be here? ”

On the table is the tablet of the ancestors, and it is also the shackles of the Li family for a lifetime.

……

After Shen Xi walked out of the old lady's main house, he went back to the southwest corner courtyard where he lived, and saw that Zhou was cleaning in the courtyard, so he stepped forward with a smile: "Old lady, it's not good......

When Zhou saw him coming back, he raised his head and glared at him fiercely, and said in a fierce tone: "Where are you making a fuss?" As soon as I came back, I yelled. ”

Shen Xi smiled, stepped forward and pulled Zhou's sleeve, and said, "Mother, my uncle is locked up in the attic, and I can't read my books." ”

When Zhou heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and then threw away the broom in his hand, his face did not change, but his voice became faster: "How do you know?" ”

Shen Xi pouted and said, "I saw it with my own eyes." ”

Zhou lowered his head and frowned for a long time, and finally sighed, picked up the broom again, and said, "Hanwa, who has no good life, has no books to read, are you still so happy?" Don't tell me you don't want to study, my mother has to beat you to death. ”

"Mother, I have another good news for you."

Zhou glanced at him, squatted down viciously, pinched Shen Xi's face, and threatened: "Little rabbit cub, how old is this?" Dare to fish the old lady's appetite and make it clear to the old lady! ”

Shen Xi babbled and shouted a few times in pain, Zhou stopped, and Shen Xi covered his face and said, "Mother, grandmother said that she would choose a doll from our four rooms and send it to a private school in the county town to study." ”

Zhou was greatly surprised when he heard this, and rejoiced for a long time before asking, "Baby, what you said is true?" ”

Shen Xi nodded and said, "Well, I went to see my grandmother just now." My grandmother told me a lot of things and praised me for my ambition. ”

Zhou nodded heavily, and said: "That's a private school in the county, baby, in my mother's life, I went to the county seat to buy a dowry before getting married, and then I went to the Wang family to see your father once, only twice in total...... You must be angry, you go to the county to study, and in the future, the old lady can often go to the county seat in the name of going to see you...... It's up to you...... ......"

Shen Mingjun's father's Wang family is in the county seat, Shen Xi heard this, and pierced mercilessly: "Mother, do you want to go to the city to see my father?" ”

Zhou glared again and said, "You are a fool, you are quite wide, are you itchy?" ”

Seeing Zhou's fierce appearance, Shen Xi took two steps back and said with a smile: "Where can I be?" Mother, don't worry, I will study well in the future, and after I become an official, let alone the county seat, our family will move to the provincial capital. ”

Seeing Shen Xi's smug appearance, Zhou sneered: "It's still a thing that doesn't even have a shadow of studying, do you really dare to think about it...... My mother has no other thoughts in this life, if you really have this potential, take your father and mother to the provincial capital to see what the provincial city is like, and I will burn incense and worship the Buddha. ”

Shen Xi said in a firm tone: "Mother, don't worry, I will definitely fight." ”

"Bunny...... I'll have to go to your grandmother and curry favor with one or two......"

Looking at the extremely jerky flattering smile on Zhou's face, Shen Xi shook his head, grabbed her, and said, "Mother, you better not go, the old lady can't see you like this." ”

Hearing this, Zhou Shi stopped, looked at Shen Xi with some suspicion, and asked, "You melon baby, when did you become so smart?" ”

Shen Xi was shocked when he heard this, but his face was blank: "I've always been so smart...... Mother, let me tell you a secret, I am the Wenqu star in the sky. ”

Before he finished speaking, Zhou grabbed Shen Xi's ears and said angrily: "Little rabbit cub wants to bluff the old lady? Wenqu Xing has been down to earth from ancient times to the present, it is the champion of the prince, you guy is not good at a young age, you dare to talk nonsense, see how the old lady cleans you up. ”

Shen Xi was so painful that he hurriedly padded his feet, tilted his head, held his little ears that were being pinched by Zhou's with both hands, and shouted, "Mother, don't twist it...... It hurts......"

"Do you dare to talk nonsense?"

"Mother, I'm really a Wenqu star...... Ah, it hurts. ”

"Stinky boy, if you are Wenqu Xing, I will be Wenqu Xing's mother! Bragging doesn't make drafts, if you have the ability, you can take the test and show the old lady, and you will know nonsense. ”

Shen Xi exhaled pain again and again in his mouth, and saw that Zhou had no intention of letting go, so he raised his hands and surrendered: "Mother, I was wrong, I don't dare to talk nonsense anymore, let go of it...... If your ears are crooked, you won't be able to be a champion, which one of the champions is not handsome and chic, don't make me ugly...... Beat me ugly, when your son takes the palace test, the emperor will see that my face is so ugly, where will you choose me as the champion......"

Hearing this, Zhou let go of his hand and scolded Shen Xi: "You fool, the emperor is also something you can criticize, you don't want to live anymore?" ”

Shen Xi was stunned for a moment, then shrank his head, and said flatteringly: "Mother, I said the wrong thing just now, and I won't dare to do it again." ”

"It's good to know, otherwise the old lady won't tear your mouth."

Looking at Zhou's serious expression, Shen Xi also felt that he was too presumptuous, and he didn't dare to stay longer at the moment, so he ran to the room in a hurry.

Zhou took a long breath, put the broom away, walked out of the courtyard gate, and walked towards the east wing where Aunt Shen Xi lived.