In 495 BC, in the fifteenth year of Lu Dinggong, Confucius was fifty-seven years old.

Under Fang Jishi's strong request and persuasion, Confucius left Weiguo and went to the Song Kingdom, where he accompanied Yan back to pick up his wife. Zilu, Min Ziqian and others accompanied him.

Min Ziqian's home is in the Song Kingdom, and he just took this opportunity to go home to visit.

The group traveled hundreds of miles southeast to reach the state of Cao, where they stayed for a short time and arrived at the state of Song in the summer.

Min Ziqian didn't accompany Yan back over there and went home directly.

Fang Jishi followed, but he was not with Confucius, Yan Hui, Zilu and others. He's a loner, and he's used to being alone. It is better to protect in secret. Furthermore! It is not good to follow Confucius, it is easy to cause Ji Huanzi's speculation and bring unnecessary trouble to himself.

Yan Hui was more eager than anyone else, looking forward to going to his wife's side. After a few days of traveling day and night, I arrived at the ancestral home of my father-in-law.

As conjectured: the old man's family built a new house on the site of the burned old house. Of course! It was not a mansion, it was a thatched house at that time.

It may be because of the happy event that the old man's illness has been cured. Because he was afraid of accidents, he sold the title deed to another person and got a sum of money. More money than it used to sell, so! The situation at home suddenly improved.

Because of the misfortune that happened to the family, the house was burned down, and he almost lost his life. So! The villagers were very sympathetic and received donations from everyone when building the house. Build a new house and it didn't cost much.

When Yan Hui rushed over, the father-in-law was at home alone with the baby, and the mother-in-law and wife went out to work. The family has no land, so they can only work for others. Or! Work for the landlord's family. Otherwise! You can't survive without a source of income.

In addition to the father-in-law, there is also a white and chubby child, about one year old, who can't speak, but has begun to learn to walk. The old man followed the child and helped him and taught him to walk. The child seemed very excited, babbling and calling as he walked.

After Yan Hui saw the old man and the child, he stood there and couldn't believe it. He guessed that the little boy should be his son. Boy! It's a boy! The more he looked at it, the more he looked at it, and his tears fell.

"Daddy!" Suddenly! Yan Hui ran up, came to the old man, bent his knees, and knelt in front of him.

"Back?" Only then did the old man notice that this group of people was none other than the baby son-in-law.

"Daddy! I'm Yan Hui! I am back! I am back! Father! Woowoo woo ......"

"Back!" When the father-in-law saw that his son-in-law was back, he was also so excited that he burst into tears.

"Daddy!"

"This is your son! Your son! The old man stopped crying and pushed the child in front of Yan Hui.

Xiao'er may have been in the excitement, but after seeing Yan Hui, he just shook his eyes and laughed.

"Son? My son? Yan Hui looked a little incredulous.

"Your son! It's your son! ”

"Woooooo Yan Hui was so excited that he hugged his son tightly into his arms, reluctant to let go.

At first, the child was not afraid, but also smiled. After a while, he struggled, and then he cried.

The old man took the child and held him in his arms and coaxed him. coaxed Xiao'er to beckon Confucius, Zilu and others into the house to talk.

Fang Jishi did not follow, not at the scene.

Back in the house, Yan Hui was like the master, busy greeting each other, and the old man took Xiao'er to talk to Confucius and others.

Because of his age, Zilu also sat on the seat, as if he was on the same level as Confucius. The others, after sitting with them for a while, went freely.

Yan Hui boiled a pot of boiling water and came over to inquire about his wife and mother-in-law.

"They all went to work and came back late."

"Then I'll call them back and buy some groceries by the way." Yan Hui said.

"Good!"

Yan Hui walked a few steps and walked back, stretching out his hands to hug his son. The son was afraid of life at first, but he still wanted it. Holding his son, Yan Hui went to find his mother-in-law and wife.

"Hey, hey! This baby! He wants him! Seeing this, the old man said happily.

"Nature!" Zilu said on the side. Although the children could not speak, they could feel in their hearts that this person had no ill will towards them. Maybe? This is a blood relationship, right? ”

"Hmm!" Confucius also nodded on the side.

Yan Hui lived in his father-in-law's house for a while last time, so! I'm still familiar with the situation here. After a while, he found his wife and mother-in-law.

While on the way, the son asked for a while and stopped leaving him and began to cry. Fortunately, he will coax his son in a while.

"Don't cry! Don't cry! Daddy will take you to find your mother! Oh? ”

The son seemed to understand, and after crying a few times, he stopped crying.

When I came to the place where my wife was working, someone had sharp eyes and saw a stranger holding a child, and they were all instinctively panicked. But! reacted immediately, and they all gathered around to see the excitement.

"Mother!" That's it! The child suddenly screamed and threw herself at her mother.

"Ahh When Yan Hui's wife saw this, she was first surprised. Then! "Wow" and cried. "I'm going to call my mother! I'm going to call my mother! Woowoo woo ......"

I came back from taking a leave of absence from the place where I worked, and by the way, I bought meat and some dishes at the market.

The mother-in-law was busy going to the kitchen to cook and entertain guests and sons-in-law. The old man continued to talk with Confucius, Zilu and others. A few clever classmates hurried to the kitchen to help with the cooking.

Yan Hui carried his son into his wife's room, and the family closed the door and whispered. In the room, the laughter of the family can be heard from time to time.

"Hehehe!" Hearing the daughter and son-in-law's family laughing together, the old man also smiled happily.

ate at Yan Hui's father-in-law's house, which can be regarded as the elders who returned home on behalf of Yan Hui. Confucius did not stay, and according to the meaning of Fang Jishi, the group went to the capital of the Song Kingdom.

Yan Hui did not follow and stayed here to reunite with his family. As for Yan Hui leaving without his wife and children, Confucius did not express an opinion. This is Yan Hui's business, and it is up to him to decide.

The current Confucius was ordered to come to the world to give lectures, and there was a letter of appointment issued by Lu Gong. When I came to the Song Kingdom, I naturally wanted to visit Song Gong.

The last time I came, because there was no letter of appointment from Duke Lu, I couldn't see Duke Song without anyone introducing me. Furthermore! Of course, Confucius is in a period of difficulty, and he may be bored if he goes. And now he not only has the appointment letter of Duke Lu, but also the fact that he is an official in the country.

With his status as an official in Weiguo, he can also ask to see Song Gong. And also! The story of Confucius seeing Nanzi had already spread to the Song Kingdom. With Nanzi's relationship, Song Gong will not be gone.

And more! Confucius's ancestral home was in the Song Kingdom, and he was once a descendant of the royal family. If he hadn't fallen into trouble, in the name of the sage of the former Lu State, he would have been able to ask to see Song Gong.

(End of chapter)