The residence of the unmarried male dependents of the Feng family was separate from the residence of the female dependents - this was a strict distinction in the Feng family in the past, but after the female dependents of the Feng family married one by one, there were some changes.

The residence of the female dependents is located in the deepest part of the entire Feng Mansion, and a little further on is the courtyard of the male dependents.

In the courtyard of the male dependents, in the middle is the residence of Feng Xu and Feng Xu's late eldest son Feng Zhenghui, and on the left and right are Feng Xu's second son Feng Zhengdao and his third son Feng Zhengxun, and the courtyard next with the male relatives is the next generation of male dependents.

The male dependents should have been able to separate their families and stand on their own feet when they became adults, but since Feng Zhenghui died in Beihe, Feng Xuchao, the only eldest son of Feng Zhenghui, who originally planned to move out of Feng's mansion, discussed with Feng Xu to stay, so as not to make his mother feel lonely after being idle.

Therefore, as the Feng family's heirs grew up, the Feng family re-planned the courtyard where they lived, so that Feng Xuchao's generation, that is, the male relatives of the same generation as Feng Zhirong, lived in the courtyard adjacent to the Feng family's generation.

As for the residence of the female dependents, the female dependents have a small garden, that is, a spacious room and a small garden, each small garden has its own walkway and exit, even Feng Zhirong, who has not yet left the cabinet. Although the men of the Feng family who have wives can also stay in their own study, they sometimes stay with their wives, and they will sleep in separate rooms unless their wives are pregnant. As for Feng Zhengdao, who is the only one who has a concubine, he occasionally stays in Chaomei's courtyard, but he doesn't stay overnight considering his wife's mood.

Although the Feng family has few daughters, it can be regarded as a prosperous person even if it is counted as the wives of the unseparated male dependents. It is also necessary for the female dependents to go to the courtyard of the male dependents, but for the sake of etiquette, there must always be a few servants to follow.

Feng Zhengdao and Chao Mei walked out of Feng Zhengdao's study, only to think that Chao Mei did not bring her maid by her side but there was something wrong, I wanted to open my mouth to read a few words, and thinking that Chao Mei was in such a mood today, so I also pressed it and didn't mention it.

At present, the only heirs of the Feng family are Feng Zhangshu and Feng Zhangli in Feng Zhengdao's room, although the distinction between the concubine and the concubine was very strict in the past, but after the two successive generations of emperors in the dynasty were not born by the mother-in-law, the distinction between the concubine and the concubine began to gradually blur from the royal family.

Therefore, although the Feng family's concubines are not very distinct, they still have the shadow of the old times, and the rooms of Feng Zhangshu and Feng Zhangli are at the end of the Dezheng Courtyard where their generation lives.

Chao Mei led Feng Zhengdao to Feng Zhangli's room, cautiously glanced inside, and then walked in by herself. "Little master, the second master has come to see you......"

Feng Zhangli suddenly raised his head when he heard the voice, and his face looked panicked. Chao Mei saw that something was wrong, so she walked quickly to Feng Zhangli's desk and took a look, the color on her face looked ugly: "Second master, that's it!" ”

Feng Zhengdao frowned, and said, "Lower your voice, what's the matter?" ”

Feng Zhangli hurriedly stood up and said, "Dad, aunt...... I ......"

Feng Zhengdao picked up the book that Feng Zhangli was reading and said, "This is not a book for scientific research. Although there was no gloom on his face, it was impossible to see what his expression was at the moment.

Feng Zhangli stammered: "Yes, it's a book on geography and food in my dynasty." ”

Feng Zhengdao flipped left and right, and found that the book was from the people, not the official book: "What do you think about this?" ”

Before Feng Zhangli could speak, Chao Mei hurriedly said: "Second master, I see that this child is going to take a scientific examination this autumn, but this child has been discovered by the concubine since a while ago and is not concentrating on schoolwork and looking at this kind of book...... The concubine asked, and he even said that he wanted to be a traveling merchant who traveled all over the world, and he didn't want to take the official career! ”

Feng Zhengdao frowned and asked, "Is this true?" ”

Feng Zhangli saw that the matter had come to this point and could no longer hide it, so he also confessed: "Dad, the child is indeed interested in business...... My aunt also has two shops under her name, and she visited them a few times when she was younger, so she thought it was interesting to do business. ”

Chao Mei held her forehead, feeling that she was about to be dizzy with anger, and said: "Second master, if it is for the future of the little master, you have to go through the scientific examination like the second master, hoping to become an official one day!" But now that the young master is obsessed with such unpopular books, what should he do if he delays his future? ”

Feng Zhengdao frowned, and asked Feng Zhangli again: "It is very difficult to be a traveling businessman, and the status of a merchant is not high in my dynasty, but he is with him at the end, if you insist on engaging in business, it will be difficult for even your children and grandchildren to turn back in the future, do you know?" ”

Feng Zhangli nodded, although he was still a little scared, but seeing that his father was not angry, he mustered up the courage and said: "But our daily food utensils and clothes are all traded by merchants with farmers, workers and others for us, even if their status is not high, they are also indispensable. ”

Chao Mei saw that Feng Zhengdao did not oppose it as much as herself, and was worried that Feng Zhengdao might agree with Feng Zhangli's idea, so she said in her heart: "Second master, you were willing to take in the concubine at that time, and the concubine's death was not enough to return, but the fourth young master and the little young master were both born of concubines, and if you don't try to get a career as a concubine, it will be even more difficult to turn over in the future......"

Feng Zhengdao heard Chao Mei say this, and he was also a little unhappy in his heart, but he said quietly: "The children of the Feng family have their own talents, and I have never treated Zhang Shu and Zhang Li badly, they have always studied with Youshao's sons, and you know it." ”

Although Feng Zhangli faintly felt that something was wrong, because he was still young, he couldn't guess anything, so he just said, "Auntie! Even if I am in business, I will definitely get ahead! ”

"How to get ahead!" Chao Mei's anger that was originally depressed in her chest rushed out: "Shinong Industry and Commerce and Commercial Houses are at the end, how do you want to get ahead?" Originally, Chao Mei, who had always seemed to be cowering in the Feng family, had only hope that her two biological children would be able to enter the court as officials in the future and raise her eyebrows, so the schoolwork of the two children was the only thing she couldn't compromise.

Chao Mei took a deep breath, then turned her head to Feng Zheng and said, "Second Master, Xu was distracted by the strange gifts that the eldest young master brought back for him at the beginning of this year, and even the books on the table of the little young master were brought back by the eldest young master!" …… Second master, the eldest young master is the eldest son, and he is not afraid that there will be no way out in the future, but in the future, the young master will really have to rely on himself when he gets married and starts a business! ”

Feng Zhengdao was not happy to hear this, didn't this just accuse him of being unfair to his children and favoring the eldest son? ──