The childhood of an ordinary child must be very happy - the prodigy father and son looked at each other and thought.

When they were so old, they had already read the four books and knew the rhymes, their minds were full of scriptures and historical articles, and they could barely make up a few lines of poetry when the adults were coaxing and making trouble.

When Shen Yu was seven years old, he chanted a song at the prodigy banquet held in the province: "The green leaves are full of tears, the red fern is falling into the old clothes, the purple tree is polluted and the seedlings are short, and the snail bends its body into the cave." ①”

It was praised by the lord of the clan and won the first place in one fell swoop.

In fact, he sat in the study every day, and never paid attention to the lotus leaves in Shujuan, the lotus flowers in the pavilion, the berries on the trees, and the snails on the stones.

"I won't study today, there is a new small gourd in the east courtyard, let's go pick the gourd." Shen Yu put down his book, got up and walked out.

“…… Don't read again? Huai Ming was stunned and followed helplessly.

As soon as Huai'an heard that he was going to pick gourds, he jumped up with great interest, and followed behind his father and brother excitedly.

"Go get the basket." Shen Yu instructed Huaiming.

"Go get the basket." Huai Ming also supported his younger brother.

Huai'an was like a little dog, and ran to the stove room to find the bamboo basket.

At this time, Li Huan came to pass the word, saying that Zhao Zhixian was here and was waiting in the gatehouse.

Huai'an seemed to have been poured a scoop of cold water on his head, standing in place in a daze, with only one thought in his mind: It's over, my father is coming to the door!

Shen Yu's gaze swept over Huai'an, and he instructed Li Huan: "Please go to the flower hall to serve tea." ”

Li Huan retreated, and Shen Yu instructed his eldest son: "You go to the East Courtyard first and play with your mother and sister." ”

Huai Ming's jaw should be, Huai An left the bamboo basket and smeared oil on the soles of his feet: "Big brother, I'll go too!" ”

"You come with me to meet guests." Shen Yu said.

Huai'an was nailed to the spot, with a look of lovelessness.

Shen Yu seemed to smile: "Don't be cowardly, take out the courage to argue with me that day." ”

How can Huai'an still have any courage, he is only six years old, he is still a flower in the greenhouse, it is possible to cross the nest, go outside, and not let people be crushed into slag?

So, Huai'an adhered to the principle of "reaching out and not hitting the smiling person", and followed his father to the flower hall in a gloomy manner.

Zhao Chun sat in the guest seat with a solemn face, in fact, he had a dark complexion and a square face, and he didn't look angry and arrogant every day.

Shen Yu entered the flower hall, smiled, and first bowed his hand to him: "The old parents came to the cold house, and they were shining. ”

The officials and gentry lived in the countryside and often called the magistrates "old parents" as a sign of respect.

Huai'an also showed a standard smile and two rows of mutilated small teeth: "Uncle Zhao is good." ”

Zhao Chun also got up and saluted: "I have heard for a long time that Master Shen lives in the countryside, and the lower officials have been busy with trivial matters in the county and have not been able to visit, which is really disrespectful. ”

Shen Yu smiled lightly: "During the mourning period, you should live in a simple place and dare not disturb the place. ”

In fact, at Master Shen's funeral, Zhao Zhixian wore official clothes to pay tribute, and the two met each other. Today, Zhao Chun is not wearing an official uniform, he is dressed in a washed and somewhat faded coarse cloth, and he wears a square scarf on his head, and his simplicity is comparable to that of a talented person from a poor family, in comparison, the coarse linen clothes on Shen Yu's body are not so disobedient.

The two exchanged a few words, Shen Yu invited him to take a seat, Huai'an quietly slipped behind his father and stayed, lowered his head and rubbed the edge of his summer shirt repeatedly, I can't see me, I can't see me......

"Ling Gongzi is very capable." Zhao Chun suddenly said this.

Huai'an stiffened, looked up, and Zhao Chunzheng looked at him with a smile: "Yes, little Shen Gongzi?" ”

Huai'an smiled with a weak face: "Uncle Zhao, you are too polite, just call me Huai'an!" ”

Zhao Chun smiled, took out a silver ticket from his sleeve, and explained the ins and outs of the matter to Shen Yu: "The dog took a silver ticket or two and told me that Huai'an gave him a share of the profits, and I saw that his expression was wrong, so I ordered Hufang to check the taxes of your mansion bookstore this month." ”

After speaking, he asked Huai'an: "Huai'an, what do you guess Uncle Zhao has found?" ”

Huai'an laughed dryly: "Could it be...... Tax evasion? ”

Shen Yu coughed lightly, and Zhao Chun also sneered: "Tax evasion? They are all fleeing less, how can anyone flee more and more? ”

Huai An'an thought, you have found out, and you still ask me what to do?

Sure enough, Zhao Chun took out another stack of silver tickets from his sleeve and said to Shen Yu: "When the lower official went back and asked, the dog told the truth, one or two, there are thirty of them." ”

What can Shen Yu say, it is nothing more than pretending to be surprised, and knowingly asked his son: "Really?" ”

Huai'an nodded, honestly.

Shen Yuyin said: "I only heard that the two children are busy carving books, since they want to sell, they will naturally make a profit, how to divide it is up to them to decide, and I have never asked too much about the matter between children." ”

A trace of surprise flashed on Zhao Chun's face, what is this called? He only heard that the father is the son, how can the child have the final say? What's more, children should not have their own private property before they are separated, and a six- or seven-year-old doll dares to dispose of such a large amount at will.

Immediately figured out a lot, the Shen family is now a big family in the county, and Shen Yu's Yue's family is one of the richest businessmen in Anjiang County, and the mere thirty taels of silver are naturally not taken into account.

It's just that Zhao Chun has always been strict with himself, and he pushed the silver ticket towards Shen Yu: "Xiaguan has always taught dogs, stop this firewood and horses, stop this money, and in addition, every penny is stolen evidence." ”

Zhao Chun's words were too sharp, and Shen Yu's eyebrows were slightly raised, slightly displeased.

Zhao Chun was not invisible, and said busily: "Of course, this money is definitely not the result of corruption and bribery. It's just that the Zhao family has been cultivating and studying for generations, and there are already family rules that prohibit their children from doing business, so Zhao Pan can't accept any business profits. ”

Shen Yu was silent, he knew Zhao Chun's axis, but he didn't expect such an axis.

To put it mildly, even if Zhao Chun takes the whole family to drink the northwest wind, what does it have to do with him Shen Yu, he can sit here and listen to Zhao Chun's words, it is all for the sake of his son's face.

Even if he is a living bodhisattva, he does not have the habit of stuffing money into people's hands when he is full.

Huai'an couldn't listen to it, and asked Zhao Chun instead: "Little nephew, please ask Uncle Zhao, what is business?" ”

Zhao Chun patiently replied: "When it is cheap, it is cheap, when it is expensive, it is selling, and buying and selling is business." ”

"So, business is about investing money, right?" Huai'an asked again.

"Of course." Zhao Chun said.

"Zhao Pan didn't invest a penny, how can it be called business?" Huai'an said: "He contributed to this book and received corresponding rewards, which is the same as weaving cloth, raising silkworms, and cutting wood." ”

Zhao Chun was stunned.

According to the normal social etiquette nowadays, Shen Yuying scolded his son in a deep voice and gave each other a step, but he didn't want to do it today.

So the atmosphere of the conversation was a little wrong, the two sat opposite each other, like a confrontation, and the needles could be heard in the huge flower hall.

In the end, it was Zhao Chun who opened his mouth first: "Zhao Pan and you are friends, friends help each other, you can't care about interests, if he is not your friend, at a young age, he should study at home, and he will not appear in the children's library at all." ”

Huai'an: ......

He seems to have met an opponent who secretly changed his concept, and sure enough, his father is not as foolish as his son.

Just as he was about to retort, Shen Yu interrupted him: "That is the case, I have to not embarrass my old parents." ”

Huai'an almost flashed his small waist, and it was the final word.

Zhao Chun was not uninteresting, and seeing that Shen Yu had the intention of sending off guests, he took the initiative to get up and leave. Shen Yu was filial and filial piety was inconvenient to send him off, so he ordered Huai'an to send Zhao Zhixian for him.

Huai'an stopped when he sent him to the gate, his eyes flashing wide, and he didn't know what to say.

Zhao Chun only said: "Come to the county government when you are free, and Uncle will stew meat for you to eat." ”

Hearing this, Huai An's heart was uncomfortable, and he begged: "Uncle Zhao, don't embarrass Zhao Pan." ”

Zhao Chun said with a smile: "You are young, it is the time to learn the truth, no matter how unreasonable the uncle is, he will not be punished without teaching." ”

Huai'an was slightly relieved, and he had no intention of discussing right and wrong with him again, his identity was not equal, and everything he said was in vain.

The weather is cloudy and rainy, Zhao Zhixian actually did not sit in a sedan chair, he did not raise a sedan chair driver, did not raise carriages and horses, and those who could walk with their legs did not hire a carriage.

It wasn't until his back disappeared at the mouth of the alley that Huai An returned to the flower hall dejectedly.

Daddy was drinking tea calmly, Huai'an broke his arm, sat down in his arms, stretched out his hand to scoop up the pile of silver tickets, and sorted them out one by one.

Shen Yu saw his devastated appearance, and said softly: "Son, we live in the world to deal with all kinds of people. Everyone's ideas are different, and the way of doing things is also different, you can suppress it, you can use it, but don't try to sway. ”

The corners of Huai'an's mouth twitched, dear father, is it really appropriate for you to talk to a baby who is less than seven years old?

Chapter 23

Huai'an nodded as if he didn't understand, looked at the silver ticket in his hand and asked, "Dad, what should I do with all this money?" ”

Shen Yu said: "You can do it yourself." ”

Huai'an pondered for a long time, and suddenly his eyes lit up: "There is!" Invest it in the children's bookstore, count Zhao Pan as a shareholder, and wait for him to marry his daughter-in-law and divide the family in the future, and then give it to him with interest, hmm...... If Niu Niu marries in the future, she can also use it to add a dowry. ”

Shen Yu was quite surprised, glanced at his son up and down, and finally asked the same question as the child's mother: "Why can't you use your brains for reading?" ”

Huai'an's eyes wandered around, and sure enough, people have to behave stupidly in order to live comfortably.

Fortunately, he is very unenlightened about reading, and he doesn't need to deliberately disguise it. In fact, there are advantages of not being enlightened, once he is forced to go on the road of the imperial examination, all that awaits him is the hard study of lighting the lamp and boiling oil, and the examination for nine days and six nights...... I haven't taken off a layer of skin alive.

He shivered in the heat.

Shen Yu saw that he became stunned again for a moment, and sighed helplessly. Pick him up and put him on the ground, and take the little hand to the inner house.

"Dad, you're so nice." Huai'an said.

"You're so sudden." Shen Yu felt numb for a while.

Huai'an smiled, broke free from his father's hand, and ran towards the weeping flower gate, startling the crows waiting for the rain in the treetops.

The trellis is already adorned with large and small fruits. It is a figure-of-eight Jigong gourd, which is small at the top and fat at the bottom, which can be both ornamental and edible. At this time, the gourd is still tender, green and gratifying, leaving a few Zhou Zheng mellow to continue to hang on the vine, select the shape of the poor, pick into the basket to prepare for cooking.

Sister Peng sat in her mother's arms, looking up and pointing at the gourd and drooling. Shen Yu chose a chubby and round one, washed the epidermis and gave her to hold and play. The little doll revealed her foodie nature and took a bite of it.

Xu Tinglan hurriedly stopped, and a circle of uneven small marks appeared on the tender green gourd.

Only then did Huai'an realize that a few small teeth like white rice grains emerged from her sister's two rows of pink tooth beds.

Peng'er is starting to teeth! No wonder you bite everything you see.

Sister Peng's teeth were itching, she didn't let her bite, she was about to cry when she opened her mouth, Hao's mother hurriedly took out the sun-dried apple strips from the small dustpan and grinded her teeth.

After picking a basket full of baskets, Huai'an divided two other small baskets, first sent one basket to the grandmother's courtyard, tasted it for the grandmother, and then went to the second room of the west courtyard.

"Gourd baby, gourd baby, seven flowers on one vine...... Lalalala......" Huai'an hummed a "weird" tune, jumping all the way.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, the mother-in-law in charge greeted him: "Brother An is here, the second master is in the hall." The second grandmother's body was not happy, and her voice was a little softer. ”

"Second Aunt is uncomfortable again?" Huai'an asked in a low voice.

I heard from the people in the family that the second aunt has been in poor health after giving birth to her little cousin, and there was another wind chill in the spring this year, repeated coughs, low-grade fever and headaches, chest tightness and weakness, and Langzhong's prescriptions have been changed one after another, but they are not very effective, so in the past few months, Huaiyuan simply moved back to the inner house and stayed in the west courtyard to serve the sick, and Huaiying also came over every day, but he was still young and couldn't help much.

"Yes, Lang Zhong just left." Mother-in-law said.