Guo Kang didn't know anything about what was happening for the time being.

When he returned to the door, he found that the guards were all gathered at the door to peek in.

"What's wrong?" Guo Kang asked.

"Madame and Madame are back." Chen Xiao, who was the closest, told him succinctly.

When Guo Kang heard this, he didn't have time to care about the others, so he hurriedly ran into the door. Far away, he saw the door of the living room open, and his father-in-law was sitting inside, talking to a middle-aged woman opposite.

"Mother!" Guo Kang greeted.

"Kang'er is back." The woman smiled and said, "I'm busier than your father." ”

"Hey, isn't this a temporary change?" Guo Kang said: "Did Dad tell you? I recently came up with a plan, and I'm discussing it with you. ”

"yes, that's what I told you." The father-in-law also immediately approved: "Kang'er is promising." He drew up our current strategic plan for dealing with Egypt. Didn't you two just meet with the Tomb Sect? It's ready to use now. ”

"Don't just praise him, I'm talking about you." But the stepmother didn't appreciate it, and urged: "Have you read all the books I asked you to read?" ”

"Haven't I been busy helping Kang'er move around lately?" The father-in-law tried to use Guo Kang as a shield again: "Anyway, you also said that reading those books is also to help everyone, so it's all the same, right?" ”

The stepmother was speechless for a while.

"Okay, the kid is amazing, so you have a point." She shook her head helplessly: "Come, Kang'er, sit down." You come and tell my mother about the progress you have made in the past few days. ”

Guo Kang nodded and pulled a stool casually. When he turned around, he caught a glimpse of the girl standing next to him.

She was tall and tall, with long black hair tied in a ponytail and hanging down the back of her head. He also wears simple clothes and pants that are easy to travel, but he still shows off his shapely figure. Her face is also clearly inherited from her mother, and she has become more and more beautiful as she grows older. It's just that she has been keeping a straight face, her expression is very cold, and she obviously doesn't look very close.

"Oh, sister, it's hard work." Guo Kang nodded at her, then quickly turned around and sat down.

In all fairness, she has helped Guo Kang a lot in the past, and if she begs her seriously, she can be moved. The problem is that she cares too much about the belonging of the family, and she can't listen to her parents' praise of Guo Kang - Li Xuanying, who is often taught a lesson because she is not as good as Guo Kang, and even Cao Jian, who often has low self-esteem when facing Guo Kang, are not as bitter and hateful as she is.

She has a very straight temperament, and often can't help her temper, plus Guo Kang is too familiar with her, it is easy to see her psychological state at this time from her facial expressions. As soon as I saw her now, I knew that she was in a bad mood.

Now, Guo Kang's situation is more embarrassing.

If he doesn't greet Guo Ponu, his parents will probably say that he is rude and ask him to greet his relatives, so he must take the initiative to make a show; But on the other hand, if it really greets, he doesn't know what to say. In the current situation of Guo Ponu, it would be very good not to quarrel in the end.

Therefore, after saying hello loudly and making sure that his father-in-law and stepmother heard it, Guo Kang immediately sat down as quickly as possible and began to report to work!

"Recently, I met with the envoy of the Egyptian caliphate and his entourage with the envoy of the Egyptian caliph and held fruitful consultations on military and economic issues of common concern. The two sides exchanged views in a pleasant atmosphere and reached the following consensus......

Guo Kang gushed about the results of his work.

He began with an introduction to the previous banquet and the several common opinions that followed, and then gave an overview of what was new to the Hafez forces in Syria and the important information brought by the "old sea urchins" of Andalusia. Finally, he analysed the situation and described the various agreements that had been negotiated so far.

Guo Kang said very skillfully about these matters, after all, the entire plan was personally participated in and promoted, and it can be said that he was the most proud result during this time.

Moreover, because he has been talking about business all the time, Guo Ponu really can't interject at all. Guo Kang has fully achieved his goal.

After talking for more than half an hour, Guo Kang finished a brief introduction.

The stepmother seemed very satisfied with his idea.

"No wonder your dad keeps praising you, it's a really good idea." She did not hesitate to praise her, but reminded again: "The Cao family's side has always had a lot of problems. Just do your own business, and don't get involved too much in other things. ”

"I wasn't familiar with them before, but I was a little familiar with the brothers and sisters Daoxing and Daoyan. But you also know that they are not the children of the main family, or the kind of mother who is very embarrassed. It basically has nothing to do with the core interests of the family. Guo Kang said: "I actually just bought some books for them." ”

"Hey, it's also a hard-working child." The stepmother sighed, and looked at Guo Ponu again: "Ponu, look at people." There are so many setbacks in life, but I still do everything possible to study hard. ”

"You, like your father, should learn more from your brother." She shook her head and said, "People are studying, and they haven't delayed doing business." ”

"Don't compare yourself to me." The father-in-law waved his hand again and again: "Kang'er is much stronger than me." ”

"People like me are not suitable for politics. Being able to travel around the world with a few friends and live an idle life is the most satisfying life. Kang Ercai, like her grandfather and third uncle, is the material for governing the country. ”

"Forget it, you just want to be lazy." The stepmother said mercilessly.

"Why, I'm serious." The father-in-law hurriedly replied: "When he has some practical results and can convince others, I will retire early and let him come." Our family's family business, sooner or later, we have to let him follow. You can't get used to it sooner, right? ”

It's over. Guo Kang thought subconsciously.

Sure enough, Guo Ponu was immediately unhappy.

"Do you really want him to become the future head of the Guo family?" Guo Ponu asked.

"None other than him." The father-in-law replied honestly: "Your cousins also dance with guns and sticks every day." What we need is someone who has the same strategy as your uncle and grandfather. Kang'er is the best choice now. ”

"That can be done in many ways. Can't you make him a consultant? Do we not have vassals and vassals? Guo Ponu obviously did not accept this answer: "Do you have to let him have the surname Guo and be the head of the family?" ”

"Broken slaves! Say no more! The stepmother shouted.

Guo Ponu was silent for the time being, sat aside and didn't speak.

The stepmother was obviously still angry, and the stepfather looked at Guo Kang with some concern.

But Guo Kang himself didn't have much emotion.

This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened, and he has been mentally prepared for it. In his opinion, the kind of thing that happened to Cao Jian would happen in other families - he suspected that he had always sympathized with the illegitimate children of the Cao family, but at the same time sympathized with Cao Jian, and even always wanted to help him, which may also be part of the reason.

Of course, Cao Jian must have known about this himself. After all, with Guo Ponu's mouth, it is impossible for her to keep it from outsiders all the time.

Therefore, Theodora said that he is currently in a better position than Cao Jian, and should not provoke others. Although he agreed, he also felt that it was only fifty steps and a hundred steps—and he might even be the one who took a hundred steps.

Cao Jian's brothers were illegitimate children; Although Guo Kang's sister is a concubine, she is not a man. I don't know, which of them is in a more precarious position......

When you think about it, it's actually very troublesome.

Not to mention anything else, the Guo couple still have the possibility of having offspring. If he has multiple younger brothers after that, and he also shows higher military talent, and his stepfather lives long enough, then Guo Kang's position is indeed difficult to say.

Although everyone thinks that there is no shortage of people who lead troops to fight now, military talent is always the most valuable and convincing. And Guo Kang has the least confidence in himself here......

In terms of technology, he can move according to his memory; For the understanding of the current situation and strategy, we can refer to his historical experience more than others; Even religious and cultural issues can be learned quickly. But on the battlefield, he doesn't know whether the theories he knows are right or not, and whether they can be used.

However, the good thing about the Purple Horde is that whether or not he can become the head of the family in the end, at least there is no security problem.

Elsewhere, the patriarch may get rid of the older adopted son, who was previously scheduled to be the heir, in order to take over the succession. But here, neither members of the family nor other pillar clans would allow anyone to do this.

The most important factor here is not personal morality and kinship concerns.

Because for each family, the adopted son is an important talent, and it is often the guarantee for the continuation of the family's power. Someone who does this kind of thing undermines the mutual trust within the entire Purple Horde. If there is such a mess, don't think about letting people work for all ethnic groups with peace of mind in the future.

The situation of the country has always been in crisis, and the Guo family, as the most important pillar, has experienced exactly the same situation. Therefore, the internal structure of a family like the Guo family is actually similar to that of the Purple Horde as a whole. Between the branches, it was more of an alliance to maintain the Guo family and maintain the interests of Rome.

A large part of the patriarch's authority also comes from the recognition of his own merits by family members and beneficiaries of foreign surnames. If there is only a bloodline advantage, then not only outsiders, but also within the family may have to question it.

Therefore, Guo Ponu's questioning, the direction of the attack is actually crooked. Even if Guo Kang is not his biological son, compared to others, the restrictions on his ability to play are greater, and he is more reliable than her strange direction of attention.

Therefore, Guo Kang thought about it and felt that it was better to say it directly.

"I don't deserve it, it doesn't matter." He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Uncle Zu is not the eldest son, right?" He still presided over the affairs of the family for a long time. So this matter, anyone can change it. As long as it is more beneficial to the family and the country, there is no need to be too particular. ”

"Our understanding of ideals and goals may be different." He looked at Guo Ponu and said, "Have you heard the story of King Zhou Mu dreaming of a god? ”

"What's that?" Guo Ponu blurted out, obviously he hadn't heard of it.

"It's a story recorded by Liezi." Guo Kang said: "It is said that a god who could transform came to the court of King Zhou Mu. King Mu of Zhou was very pleased, received him with great courtesy, gave up his own dormitory for him to live in, provided him with food and drink for the gods, and chose a beautiful female band for his entertainment. ”

But the man of God thought that King Mu's palace was too low and poor to live in; King Mu's food was fishy and smelly, and he could not be eaten; King Mu's concubines are stinky and ugly, and they can't be approached. ”

King Mu wanted to do his best to satisfy him, so he built another palace for him, and the design of the building and the color of the painting could not be more ingenious. All the money of the five mansions was exhausted, and the building was built. The tower is as high as a thousand feet, higher than Zhongnan Mountain, and is called the platform of Zhongtian. ”

King Mu also selected the beautiful and slender women of Zheng Guo and Wei Guo, sprinkled them with perfume, groomed their eyebrows, and wore jewelry earrings. He was wearing the muslin of Dong'e, and the hem of his skirt dragged the silk of the Qi Kingdom. Paint on grease powder, draw eyebrows, wear jade rings, and bring a variety of herbs to fill the terrace. The musicians play beautiful music such as "Chengyun", "Liuying", "Jiushao", and "Morning Dew" in an attempt to make the gods happy. Send the most beautiful clothes every month, and send the most beautiful meals every day for him to enjoy. But the man of God was not pleased, so he had to move in. I didn't stay long, and I couldn't stand it. ”

"What kind of fairy story is this?" The stepmother next to her was a little surprised: "Can't you look down on this?" ”

"It's not unexpected. The best meal in the Western Zhou may not be as good as the ordinary stir-fry we eat now. Guo Kang said: "The man of God has a wide range of knowledge, so he naturally can't look down on it - the man of God is just a title, and with this gap, he may not be a real god, just a person who lives in a better place." ”

"Oh......"

After that, the god man decided to open the eyes of King Zhou Mu and invited him to his own house. Only then did King Mu discover that the palace of the gods was decorated with gold, silver, pearls and jade, and was so tall that it was above the clouds and thunderstorms. I don't know what it is relying on underneath, it looks like it's stuck in the clouds. ”

"In the palace, what the ears hear, what the eyes see, what the nose smells, and what the tongue tastes, are things that are not found in the world. King Mu really thought that he had arrived at the place where the Emperor of Heaven lived. When he looked down at the ground, he saw that the platform of his palace was as rough as a pile of clods and thatch. ”

The man of God invited King Mu to play with him. Where they play, they can't see the sun and moon when they look up, and they can't see the rivers and oceans when they look down. The light and shadow came, making King Mu dazzled and unable to see clearly; The sound of music came, which confused King Mu's ears and made him unable to understand. I felt that I was trembling and could not calm down. ”

"The entertainment here stimulated King Mu so much that he was unconscious and lost his spirit, and he could only ask the man of God to take him back. The man of God then pushed it, and King Mu seemed to fall into the void. When he woke up, he found that he was still sitting in the same place, and the people who were waiting for him were still around. The wine in front of me was freshly poured and the dishes were freshly cooked. It turned out that it was just a dream conjured up by the gods. After that, King Mu was in a trance for three months before returning to normal. ”

"It's a strange myth. What can make people like this? The stepmother muttered with a strange expression.

"Do you know that I used to make the kind of lamp in the monastery?" Guo Kang did not answer, but asked another question.

"You showed us last time." The stepmother thought for a moment and said, "That thing...... It's really eye-catching. ”

"Let's assume that there is an extremely large, mountain-like structure. Natural light is no longer enough to illuminate the inside, but it is all lit with that kind of thing. If you live in it all day, won't you see the sun and the moon? Guo Kang continued to describe.

"It seems like it's true. So it makes sense. The stepmother nodded.

"If we cover that kind of lamp with stained glass, and then use thousands of these colored lanterns, rotate back and forth, open and close, does it have a dazzling effect?" Guo Kang asked again.

The stepmother hesitated for a moment this time before she said she understood.

"Do you remember the paper horn I pasted earlier?" Guo Kang continued: "What if it was more delicate and the materials more advanced, and could play the whole music as well? Playing with various oriental and European instruments, and then using it to amplify the sound, can people be like King Zhou Mu, their ears are confused in the music, and they can't understand it? ”

At this time, Guo Ponu, who had been keeping a straight face, was also surprised and speechless.

Guo Kang turned his head and pointed to the glass on the window of the living room, which he had built in the monastery workshop he had set up.

"I've used some new technology to make flat glass bigger and produce more. But now because of the constraints, this thing still doesn't work. ”

"If we can have higher technology and form a complete industrial area, I estimate that the output can be increased dozens of times. When the time comes, you can even make a glass-enclosed room. He imagined: "If you also add some color to the glass, isn't this kind of room very similar to a treasure made of jade and glass, but it is really not too expensive?" ”

The stepmother and sister were speechless for a while, but the stepfather turned his head and said happily, "Look, I will say that he knows a lot." ”

"No......" The stepmother understood something and asked Guo Kang: "You have also had this kind of dream?" And the man of God explained it to you? ”

"Yes, I've seen them all." Guo Kang nodded confidently: "I suspect that this kind of dream has been experienced by many people in history, and it is recorded in Taoist classics more than this time. It's just that I'm probably better at it, so I kind of understand some of the principles - of course, it may be that in our time, I can finally reproduce some of it. ”

"You know that, too?" She turned to her father-in-law again.

"Isn't that understandable?" The stepfather didn't seem to care at all: "He knew so many things that the husband hadn't taught since he was a child, what does that mean?" It shows that there are other gentlemen who are teaching him in other ways. It's hard to think that the master of God secretly taught him? ”

The stepmother was speechless for a while, and she didn't know whether to say that he was too sharp or too upright......

"Then why didn't you tell me before?" She questioned her stepfather.

"I think you're so smart that I can see it. And Kang'er herself will reveal some of it to you. The father-in-law argued.

"What about you?" She asked Guo Kang again.

"I think Dad knows, you must have listened to him......" Guo Kang was also a little surprised-this time, he mainly wanted to tell Guo Ponu. He thought that his stepmother must have understood something before.

“……”

(End of chapter)