After everyone in the Meng Mansion scribbled over dinner, they went to do their own things.

With her red and swollen eyes, Mrs. Meng called the depressed Meng Ran to the bedroom.

After Meng Ran sat down, Mrs. Meng spoke, "Ran'er, there were some things that your father and I didn't plan to tell you, but now, I have to tell you. You have not seen it with your own eyes today, but you must have heard that your father was taken to the yamen by his former colleagues, and you will not see your father for three months. As for the reason, I won't tell you. ”

Meng Hao pursed his mouth, tried to control his emotions, and finally reluctantly said: "Mother, no matter what happens, you have to tell me that I have grown up." ”

Mrs. Meng looked at her son Meng Ran gently, and after a while, she slowly spoke: "That's it, instead of guessing in your heart, it's better to tell you." Your father had something to do with the yamen, and he was dismissed from his post and imprisoned for another three months. ”

Meng Ran asked, "What did my father do?"

"Your father complained in front of his colleagues, said something disrespectful to the emperor, and said something questioning the lords of the court. Second, your father is fighting for power with others in the yamen, and this time he has the handle in the hands of others, so he will naturally be reported. That's why there is such a punishment. Mrs. Meng sighed, and finally told her son the truth.

"Then why is my father complaining?" Meng Ran was puzzled.

"Your father, it's just for the people of Jiangnan to say a few fair words. Mrs. Meng stroked her son's head and said softly.

"I used to listen to Mr. speak, and now the emperor is quite diligent, but there are some cronyism, so the officials below are uneven, which leads to the increasingly difficult livelihood of the people, and the people's lives are difficult......"

Before Meng Ran could say more, he was stopped by Mrs. Meng, "Ran'er, don't talk nonsense, don't learn from your father, and end up in prison." ”

Meng Ran pursed his lips, waiting to be said. was interrupted by Mrs. Meng, "I know what you have to say, and I also know that your father is right." But there are things that can be done and things that cannot be done; ”

"Can't you say what they're doing wrong......?"

"Shut up. Mrs. Meng was finally angry with her son, and scolded loudly: "I have eaten more salt than you have eaten, and I have walked more bridges than you have walked." What do you know? Is it worth it to be imprisoned for three months just for this sentence? If you sympathize with the people of the world, then do you sympathize with your family? You think you are righteous, you think you are great, but have you ever thought about your relatives at home? I am just a coward who wants to be happy and selfish. ”

Mrs. Meng seems to have vented all her dissatisfaction with her husband in recent days. Meng Ran was so frightened by his mother's anger that he didn't dare to speak, he just lowered his head.

After venting, Mrs. Meng looked very tired, and just waved her hand, "You go and rest." If you say such a bastard thing in the future, be careful with your palms and buttocks, and don't blame your mother for being cruel when the time comes. ”

Meng Ran looked scared, and nodded busily yes.

Meng Ran, who returned to his bedroom, was still afraid.

Xiaolian looked at Meng Ran, whose face was pale, and greeted, "Young Master, what's wrong with you?"

Meng Ran shook his head and said softly, "No, I was just scolded by my mother." ”

"Huh?" Xiaolian looked incredulous, "Young Master, for no reason, why would Madame scold you?"

"For no reason, don't you know what happened in the afternoon?" Meng Ran asked Xiaolian.

"Master, what's going on in the afternoon? I don't know. Xiaolian hurriedly denied it.

"Hmph, how could you not know, I know you do. Meng Ran was a little angry.

Xiaolian vigorously denied it, "I really don't know, you fell asleep in the afternoon, I was with you in the room, and I didn't go anywhere, how could I know what happened!"

"Well, you've got it. But are you hiding something from me?" Meng Ran looked directly into Xiaolian's eyes.

Xiaolian twisted her face to avoid Meng Ran's direct gaze, but was straightened out by Meng Ran, who had a tiger face. Xiaolian saw that Meng Ran was already angry, so she had to nod slightly, "There is something I am hiding from you." However, it has nothing to do with today's events. ”

Meng Ran had an expression that I knew, "What's the matter?"

"It's the young master you asked me, do you think the atmosphere at home is not very good. Actually, there is, the lord and the lady are making trouble. Xiaolian replied weakly.

"Impossible, I haven't seen my father and mother have a conflict, how can they be awkward?" Meng Ran looked incredulous.

"Really, I don't lie to you, it's because ......" Xiaolian was very entangled, wondering whether she should tell Meng Ran or not. After all, that matter involves the master and the master's mother, once it is known by others, they will say that she is a subordinate who does not abide by her duties and creates rumors, and she will be punished by the Meng Mansion at the lightest, and if it is serious, she may be beaten to death, and at that time, even the government will not say anything.

Meng Ran looked at Xiaolian in a daze, stretched out his hand and shook it in front of her eyes, this move frightened Xiaolian into a panic, "Young master, you still don't ask, this matter has nothing to do with you, it doesn't matter if you know it or not." ”

Meng Ran suddenly smiled, "I'll want to know more about you." If you don't say it, I'll ask my mother. ”

Xiaolian shuddered with fright, and begged Meng Ran, "Young Master, I said yes, but you have to promise me a condition, otherwise I won't tell you." ”

Meng Ran rolled his eyes and pondered for a moment, "You say, what conditions?"

"I can tell you, but you can't tell anyone, not Madame. ”

"Okay, I promise you. Let's get started. ”

"You really promise me not to tell anyone else. Xiaolian confirmed again and again.

Meng Ran was a little impatient, "You said it!"

Xiaolian looked at Meng Ran timidly, "Then I said it." I heard from them that the other afternoon, after getting drunk in the study, the old man actually came back from outside the next day. ”

"Outside, which outside?" Meng Ran had a big head.

"It's just... It's just outside!"

"Hmm... Sister Xiaolian, do you mean that my father drank too much and went out, and he didn't return overnight?" Meng Ran asked with a curious expression.

"It seems so. Xiaolian nodded.

"But my dad rarely goes out at night, let alone at night. Meng Ran looked at Xiaolian suspiciously, "Is there anything else?"

Xiaolian's face was a little red, and she finally spoke: "Listen to them, the master went to Tianxiang Courtyard that night. ”

"Tianxiang Courtyard, what place, tavern?" Meng Ran looked innocent.

Xiaolian's face turned even redder, "Yes... It's a green house. ”

"Qinglou, is it the place that Mr. said is against other people's poetry, and the wind and snow?" Meng Ran was as simple as an idiot about these things.

"Sort of. ”

"What is counted, right? Yes is yes, no is no!"

Seeing that she couldn't hide anymore, Xiaolian gritted her teeth and said, "It's where you men have fun." ”

"Men having fun?"

Meng Ran recited this sentence in his mouth a few times, and suddenly his face was as red as charcoal, and he stood up suddenly, making Xiaolian tremble.

"How is it possible? How could my father go to that kind of place? How could he do that kind of thing?" Meng Ran's voice was sharp and thin, shaking the dust on the beams of the house.

Xiaolian desperately covered Meng Ran's mouth, "Young Master, didn't you promise me not to tell others." Why are you shouting so loudly? If the lady or the butler found out, they would have beaten me to death. ”

"Woooooo

Meng Ran, who blushed, motioned for Xiaolian to let go.

Xiaolian let go of the hand holding Meng Ran with a sneering face, and as soon as she let go of her hand, Meng Ran pinched Xiaolian's face and asked sharply: "Are you trying to cover me to death, I'm almost out of breath." ”

As he spoke, he pinched Xiaolian's face hard, and the round face was a little deformed under the destruction of his fingers.

After Meng Ran's breath evened out, Meng Ran let go of his hand, but Xiaolian's face was left with a red mark.

Looking at the red mark he left on his white face, Meng Ran was a little ashamed, and then sad, "Sister Xiaolian, I'm sorry, I didn't dare to pinch you so hard, it's me who is not good." ”

Xiaolian looked very understanding, "It's okay, it's me who is not good, I shouldn't cover your mouth strongly, young master, it's me who is not good." ”

Maybe among teenagers, only this is the best, anger comes quickly, and the face is turned fast enough, but the speed of reconciliation is also very fast.

After a while, the two were talking and laughing again, as close as one person.

Meng Ran thought about the unfinished topic just now, and continued to ask, "Then does my mother know?"

Xiaolian said with admiration: "Madame naturally knows, but Madame is not like other people's ladies, who make a lot of noise." I heard others say that there was a prefect who liked a woman in a green house and often pestered that woman, but the wife of the prefect thought that it was the woman in the green house who seduced her husband, so she took a group of domestic servants to beat her over, and beat the woman to the point that her head was bleeding, and finally she was almost killed in the street, and then she disappeared after recovering from her injuries......

Meng Ran stretched out his hand and knocked Xiaolian's forehead, "Sister Xiaolian, you digressed." But this woman is quite pitiful. ”

"Hmm," Xiaolian covered her forehead, "and then there will be no more." ”

"Huh, what's the matter with the new maid?" Meng Ran was going to ask to the end.

"I heard it's the master... Ahem... A maid. "Xiaolian is stumbling.

"Huh, won't it?" Meng Ran looked incredulous, "You bought the maid?"

Xiaolian scratched her head and said that it was difficult for her to understand: "I heard that the woman left Lin'an County." ”

"Huh, how is it possible?" Meng Ran said that there were too many magical things he had heard tonight.

They said that the woman had left at noon that day, leaving no words or any tokens. Although Xiaolian heard others say this, she still couldn't believe it in her heart.

Meng Ran was a little shocked, a little curious, and more incomprehensible. A lot of emotions were exerted on his heart, causing him to forget for a moment the fact that his father had been taken away.