Yaofu held a family banquet to entertain the guests of Zhenshui Village. In the opinion of Shen Ruoxiao, who was out of the mountain for the first time, such a sumptuous banquet was by no means simple. Yao Biao's two sons, three grandchildren, as well as the eldest wife, two young grandmothers and two granddaughters, also came to sit with him. So there were fourteen of them. In the night of the mountain, during the New Year's holidays, everyone in the cottage, regardless of age, has to sit together and have a happy meal. However, in Yao Mansion, it seemed to be the same on the surface, but Shen Ruoyu clearly noticed the difference. He had never felt that when he sat at the table drinking and talking, there were a few servant girls guarding the side, busy running forward and back, not touching the tea and rice, just serving the master. And all the people sitting around the table, it was only the men who talked and laughed and toasted calmly, and the women all sat upright, almost never speaking, and they were also shallow about the food.

He didn't say a word, and although he was hungry, he made the scene uncomfortable, as if he had to hold his breath and deliberate everywhere, and his appetite was not good.

He looked up. When he was opposite Yao Biao just now, he didn't dare to take a look; Now, he's going to have to watch carefully.

He had heard his uncle say that before Master Yao entered politics, he had been living in seclusion in Lushan, learning medical skills and studying herbs; The teacher he worshipped was his maternal great-grandfather Du Shili, and Master Yao was therefore the elder brother of his maternal grandfather Du Nanshan. My grandfather also has a second senior brother named Tan Wuying, the three brothers have a very good relationship, and they live in Lushan Yangxin Hospital with their master, they don't ask about the world, they just want to study medicine, treat diseases and save people, and have no quarrel with the world. Later, he became famous all over the world, and the people of the world called him the four masters and apprentices the four gentlemen of the poison sect. Soon after her mother got married, her maternal great-grandfather Du Shibi passed away, and Yao Biao and Tan Wuying also left Lushan and went outside to explore the world; It is said that Tan Wuying went to Kunlun Mountain, and Lord Yao went to the capital to meet Zhu Di, the king of Yan, and met late between conversations, so the king of Yan found a position for him as the imperial doctor of the palace, so that he later went to Beiping, and Yao Biao's status of honor today. Grandfather Du Nanshan continued to stay in seclusion in the Yangxin Hospital alone, refusing to leave Lushan for half a step.

The reason why the four gentlemen of the poison sect parted ways, but the uncle never told himself, just vaguely, and I don't know if he didn't know, or if there was something else hidden. He also asked his uncle why Yao Biao, who was his grandfather's fellow brother, was commensurate with the patriarch's brother, and asked him to call Uncle Yao; The patriarch was secretive, and only said that since he followed the uncle, he should not think about the four gentlemen of the poisonous sect back then.

Shen Ruoyu originally thought that a person who was known as a gentleman in the world should be like his father, heroic and upright; Between gestures and conversations, there is not only the style of a literati, but also the cleanliness of a person who practices martial arts. Observing this, he was a little disappointed. Yao Biao has a slender figure, and he can see that he must have been in the wind when he was young, but at this moment, he seems to have recovered from a serious illness, his eyes are gloomy, and his face is tired. He was quiet and less active, and his words and deeds seemed less powerful than his father's, and he was more gloomy. After all, he is an elderly person, and he can't stand being so picky as Shen Ruoxiao.

He heard Yao Biao ask his uncle about the Mu family's siblings.

Yang Zhiding replied that the two children adapted to life in the mountains very quickly, diligent and simple, and everyone liked him. He also said that the two children had a new name when they entered the cottage; The girl is called the swing, and the boy is called mortal, and they are all given by a few children.

Yao Biao laughed and praised the good name again and again. Shen Ruoyu became even more embarrassed; It seems that the most terrible thing in this world is that at the table of this old uncle's friend, a large group of strange men, women and children are focused on themselves.

He kept his head down, nervously rubbing the chopsticks between his fingers, and didn't eat a bite.

Yao Biao noticed his restraint and said with a smile: "Xiao'er, I've been seeing you keep your head down and don't say a word, but you don't seem to have eaten anything for half a day." ”

Shen Ruoyu realized that he had to speak, and lied in embarrassment: "...... Yes, I- I wasn't hungry ......."

Yang Zhiding interjected and smiled: "Brother, you don't see a smile; This kid has never seen the world, and the first time he comes out, he will inevitably make jokes everywhere. He's a completely different kind of person in the mountains, not at all restrained, and there are so many ghost ideas. He is smart and diligent, and his skills are very good, and there are now a total of four children in our cottage who are learning martial arts, and I am afraid that they can't beat him together. Fan Sheng is now his apprentice, and he is greatly worshipped. ”

"Uncle!" Shen Ruoyu's face swelled like a ripe eggplant, and he pleaded in a low voice.

Yao Biao smiled: "This is nature, after all, it is Shen Rufeng's bloodline; It's just that the jade of Jingshan is hidden deeply. I originally thought that Shen Rufeng would personally take the little boy of the Mu family as an apprentice; After all, that's what Tie Han means; He even gave Tie Han the autumn breeze, and he would not refuse any of Tie Han's requests. ”

When the three uncles and nephews of Zhenshui Village heard this, their faces suddenly darkened at the same time. He Shen quietly put the chopsticks back on the table. Yang Zhiding also stopped the chopsticks in his hand. Seeing this, Yao Biao suddenly had a premonition.

"Brother, what's going on?"

Yang Zhiding sighed, his voice was low, and said:

"Brother Yao, my second brother passed away at the end of last year."

Yao Biao was slightly stunned. "What?"

Yang Zhiding nodded: "Originally, the second brother accepted mortals as apprentices; But all of a sudden, there was such a change, and there was no choice but to teach mortals. ”

Yao Biao was a little incredulous: "What the hell is going on?" His father, the world's number one master, is in the prime of life, why is it all of a sudden? ”

Yang Zhiding shook his head and sighed: "There are unforeseen circumstances in the sky, and people have good fortune and misfortune." ”

Yao Biao fell silent. The table fell silent. Shen Ruoyu suddenly panicked again; He found himself once again the point of everyone's attention. From Yao Biao to his father, he no longer dared to use the chopsticks in his hand; At this moment, the chopsticks are still held in his hand, and the entire arm to the five fingers are completely stiff and sore. But he didn't dare to move, he just felt that it was not okay to let go, and he really didn't know what he should do at the moment.

Seeing this, Yao Jizhu, the eldest grandson of Yao Biao, got up and left his seat, walked to Shen Ruoxiao's seat, patted him on the shoulder, bowed his head and said to him:

"Brother Ruo, don't be too upset. how much to eat; If these are not to your liking, I will immediately ask the gang to make you two light ones? ”

Shen Ruoyu was startled, and looked up at the young master of the Yao family, who was about the same age, who was standing beside him. This is a handsome young man, slightly fat, with a mature wit in his demeanor, looking at himself seriously, his eyes full of concern and sympathy.

He didn't know Yao Jizhu and had never dealt with him; At this time and now, the eldest young master of the Yao family is as concerned about himself as a brother who has known each other for many years; Shen Ruoxiao, who had just come out of the deep mountains, had never taken this kind of move, and subconsciously looked at the top of Yang Zhi; Uncle just smiled at him and nodded. He felt all the eyes under the beams of the house focused on him, and the torch lit his whole head, and he was completely overwhelmed, and could only be under the concentrated gaze, the pressure was increasing; Until in the end, he was completely defeated, and he didn't even dare to take another breath. The thought of running away suddenly rushed into his heart. He was desperate, and he couldn't think about whether he should go or stay, so he hurriedly rolled off his seat in front of everyone, grabbed the way from Yao Jizhu's side, and almost broke out.

He ran back to the room where he was staying, and after breathing for a while, he gradually calmed down and found that he was still holding chopsticks in his hand.

Yao Jizhu was taken aback at first when he saw Shen Ruoyu running away, but he quickly came back to his senses and said to Yao Biao:

"Grandfather, I'm afraid we've hurt Ruoxiao's heart. I'll go see him, and by the way, I'll ask the guy to make some light supper and bring it to him. Go ahead and eat, don't worry. ”

Yao Biao nodded, and Yao Jizhu exited the door.

Yang Zhiding sighed, stood up, raised his wine glass, and said to Yao Biao:

"Brother, Xiao'er is too simple, ignorant, and not polite, and my uncle is also incapable of teaching, so I am here to make amends for your whole family. I also hope that my brother and sister-in-law will not take it to heart. This glass of wine should be punished. ”

He drank it all. Yao Biao hurriedly stood up, raised his glass and drank it himself, and then said:

"Don't say you're punished. Brother Yang, why are you so troubled? It was not mine; The pain of losing a father is extraordinary; Obviously, Xiao'er was sad in his heart, I still stimulated him so much, how could he stand it? It is I who should make amends. I see that this thing has almost been eaten, so let's leave it at that; You and Shen'er go back, comfort and comfort Xiao'er, and apologize for me. He didn't eat a few bites of food, and Zhu'er would carefully arrange a supper for him; If there is anything wrong, feel free to tell us, don't have any scruples. ”

The servants withdrew from the feast. Yao Biao asked the children and grandchildren to go back to their respective rooms, told his wife that he wanted to accompany the guests to relax, and sent Yang Zhiding and He Shen to the courtyard.

Yang Zhiding instructed Shen'er to go back to the room to rest first and take care of Xiao'er; He deeply understood in his heart, and without saying much, he bypassed from the other side.

The two people left, Yao Biao and Yang Zhiding, took a walk in the quiet courtyard at night. There was no one around; In the winter of the wax moon, the sound of insects, birds and leaves is not heard; After nightfall, the carriages, horses and pedestrians outside the courtyard wall are even more scarce; There was silence in the courtyard.

Yang Zhiding spoke first: "Zhu'er is really sensible and capable; Your brother's family business will be taken care of by him in the future, so you can rest assured. ”

Yao Biao smiled and said, "Zhu'er is the son of a merchant who grew up in the city; If you do it well, you will only be able to run a family in the future, and you won't be able to make a big deal. If you train hard, your future is unknown. ”

Yang Zhiding sighed.

"It's easier said than done; Brother Yao, to be honest, this first time I took him out of the mountain, I suffered all the way; I'm really afraid that something will happen to me. Don't look at this kid's extraordinary skills and well-read, as long as I don't look at him, I can get lost in a few steps, no different from a three-year-old doll. He had never dealt with outsiders, and he didn't understand anything about the world. If it's a three-year-old doll, it's good to experience; But he was already sixteen years old, and it was too difficult to start everything from scratch. ”

Yao Biao said lightly: "It's a little more difficult; But after all, it's time to get started. If his father were still around, you wouldn't have had a chance to take him out. ――Speaking of which, what happened to Shen Rufeng? ”

Yang Zhiding let out a long sigh, shook his head and said with a wry smile:

"Brother Yao, it's a long story, but it's also short. The reason for the short is precisely because it is not clear what is going on. The second brother died of poisoning a year ago; The strange thing is that the poison is the ** incense. ”

"What?!" Yao Biao subconsciously stopped and looked at Yang Zhiding in surprise.

Yang Zhiding said heavily: "I have a headache when I think about it, and my head hurts to death." We closed the mountains, and if something like this happened, if it wasn't suicide, it must have been done by our people. It's horrible. Everyone knows that ** Xiang is the treasure of the third brother, and it has always been hidden in the hands of the third brother, but I can't easily conclude because of this. The situation at that time was very complicated, and it can be said that the suspicion was not on the third brother at all, but completely on me. Our brothers have been together for so many years, especially the second brother and the third brother, who have experienced so many ups and downs together; The children of the clan are all good. Until now, I have not been able to find any factual evidence, and I have no reason to suspect anyone. ”

Yao Biao was silent for a while.

Yang Zhiding sighed again, shook his head, and walked back in the direction of the guest house. Yao Biao couldn't help but follow.

"In short," the owner of Zhenshui Village said in a low voice, "I am not a competent patriarch, I can't do justice for my second brother, and I can't soothe my heartache for Xiao'er; Later, the third sister also left; The only person around Xiao'er who can love him like his mother is gone. In the final analysis, the most bitter thing is still few; The most innocent is also a few children. ”

"Su Ge is gone too?" Yao Biao couldn't keep up, "What do you mean?" ”

"Su Ge left Yeyao Mountain alone, and said goodbye, no one knew where she went."

“…… Why? What is the connection between these two things? ”

"I don't know, and I don't dare to assume that there must be a connection."

Yao Biao pondered for a long time, and finally sighed softly and said:

"That's fine; It has happened, and the most important thing is to protect the living from being harmed by it again. What's more, to a certain extent, his father's absence is also a good thing for Xiao'er's growth. ”

Yang Zhiding was silent for a long time, and said in a low voice:

"I understand what my brother means; But there are some things that my second brother planted so deeply that even if he is gone, it is difficult to pull them out; This child is sensitive, vulnerable, and amorous; insisted on pulling out those deep-rooted things, but I was afraid that it would hurt him even more. ”

"I don't think so;" Yao Biao mused, "He is not like his father, but he is not exactly like his mother. If his father was the first person to sweep the world, his mother actually had a more resilient and powerful heart. The boy had only been freed from his father's restraint for a year, and it could be said that he had never really experienced his own life, that he had only just begun to be autonomous, and that he was still far from fully unleashing his talents and character; It is likely that no one will be able to see how much potential he has in the future. ”

Yang Zhiding said: "It's just that his father's restraint has cultivated his passivity and loneliness; Maybe everything is easy to change and solve, but the only one is solitude, but it complicates other problems; He has any worries and troubles, but he has always held it in his heart and refused to tell anyone. ”

"What about the brothers and sisters of the clan? It's not strange not to tell the elders. Several brothers in the clan are far behind him in age, and I am afraid that he also feels that there is a distance; I've also heard you say that it seems that he and the third child have the smallest age gap and the largest estrangement. However, a young man of his age will always have a good and trustworthy partner, right? Shen'er is only two years older than him, how do they get along? What about Qing'er? There is also the swing he just went, which seems to be the closest to his age. Withdrawn boys are generally more likely to get close to girls. ”

Yang Zhiding hesitated: "Xiao'er and the little girl are very close, but they ...... Alas! ”

Yao Biao smiled knowingly.

"Qing'er is shy and timid, and she is withdrawn—they should naturally be the best; If you can't say anything to anyone, you can share it with each other. The two have no guesses, and they are still quite compatible. ”

Yang Zhiding smiled bitterly: "Old brother, don't talk so far. ”

Yao Biao laughed: "Brother Yang, everything goes naturally. ”