Chapter 17：

The night is short, the Ge family will leave for hometown the next day, about Zhengdan will be on the way, Cheng mother's old heart is rarely able to bear it, and she says to keep it, but Ge Taigong said, 'I can't do this The evil girl left behind ruined the auspicious atmosphere of the Cheng family's Zhengdan ancestor worship.

Everyone in the Cheng family couldn't keep it, so they could only go out and see them off. Shao Shang looked left and right and couldn't see Ge Shi, and he didn't know if he stayed in the car obediently and didn't come out to spoil the atmosphere, or if he was bundled into a zongzi and thrown in.

The scene of the breakup was very touching. Here, Cheng Cha pulled her uncle and aunt to say goodbye with tears and took care of each other; over there, Taigong Ge patted Cheng Cheng's shoulder with one hand and spoke earnestly - this is a young businessman This is the second time I have experienced such a peaceful divorce scene.

Yu Cailing's parents didn't make any noise when they divorced. She also set up three tables in the first restaurant in town, and explained the details of the breakup in front of two relatives, except for the black face The uncle of the deputy mayor and the uncle of the scholar with a sluggish expression were all very comfortable, chatting and laughing. The waiter in the restaurant thought it was a happy event, and almost said 'I wish a hundred years of marriage' when checking out. The townspeople said it like a joke, and little Yu Cailing was also part of the joke.

… Shao Shang shook his head, letting go of the haunted past. I just heard Ge Taigong saying to Cheng Cheng: "Zirong, don't be discouraged, you have loved reading since you were a child, and the master is giving lectures in the field school. Linlin, you don't stop all day long. The heavens do not bear the painstaking efforts, and you will definitely be able to learn something in the future."

Looking at Taigong Ge's kind face, Cheng Cheng began to sore his nose again.

After being tortured by gouging out bones, you can still write books on the top and fight in battle on the bottom. As for the number of sages in ancient times, it is only a matter of age.

Cheng Cheng said embarrassedly: "They are ancient sages..."

"Yeah, you don't have to use a cane, you're young, and your brothers are strong, aren't you stronger than them? We dare not compare the achievements of the sages, but compare their energy ."

Cheng Cheng finally laughed. Taigong Ge stroked his back lightly and sighed: "I know what you mean. When you have achieved some success in your studies, you will return to our village and open a bookstore to teach the students the scriptures. I don't care about the rich and the poor. , even if you are still herding cattle and mowing grass, as long as you are willing to read and teach, we will live in vain."

These words went to Cheng Cheng's heart, he laughed with tears in his eyes, and said loudly: "Cheng Taigong's words, Zirong will live up to his expectations!" The voice was decisive, loud and firm.

Cheng Shi was both relieved and sour to hear that the second brother, who had always been submissive, finally had the courage and determination.

Cheng Zhi, who was beside him, hurriedly bit his ear: "Eldest brother, you have persuaded the second brother for so many days, but the words of Mr. Ge have not worked. Look at the face of the second brother..."

"Let's go!" Cheng Shi said angrily, "If I ask you to persuade him, you will only talk nonsense. After reading so many books, it is useless!"

Cheng Zhi said with a smile: "If the eldest brother can't do it, I can't do it."

Shaoshang stood behind and looked at this situation with pondering - a very typical case of psychological analysis of growth.

The artist Cheng Taigong only cares about her beauty and neglects upbringing, and Cheng's mother does not have the great wisdom to replace the father's role, so the three brothers flew in different directions according to their own nature.

Cheng Shi was born with a leadership temperament, precocious and strong, shrewd and capable, took up family responsibilities early, and even led a group of little brothers to set up some situations, even if there was no chaos in the world, he ran the horse gang and walked the water. , Open a workshop... It is estimated that the future development will not be bad. However, in the event of a change of dynasty, it directly achieved a class leap. Cheng Zhi's eldest brother is about ten years apart, and it is natural that the eldest brother is like a father, but they are more like a buddy-style father-son relationship, which is more than respectful and intimate.

Cheng Cheng is the worst, although he respects his eldest brother, but he is a heroic and extroverted character, and the other is reserved and introverted. He was only two years younger, and he couldn't be like a father emotionally. Instead, he had a relationship of faint competition since he was a child. Ge Taigong is the tall and dignified father figure in his mind, but it is a pity that Ge Shitai pulls back, otherwise it is not impossible for him to completely fall to the Ge family and develop in another direction.

Thinking of this, the carriage of the Ge family and his party has gradually traveled far, and the three brothers of Yong Song Shao Gong were ordered by their father to ride to the front pass, so that the Ge family could pass the customs more easily.

Cheng Shi breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly led his family into his car, and scolded the entourage to go home. Mother Cheng asked Hu Concubine to turn on the fire in the car. She held Cheng Zhi firmly in her hand and dragged Cheng Zhi into the carriage. Ignoring the thin and frail Cheng Cheng's already frozen body trembling.

Cheng Shi couldn't see, and said in a thick voice: "Mum, you start the fire again, be careful that the carriage burns, then I won't come to put out the fire!" Then he threw the whip to Cheng Shun, Abandoning the horse and not riding, he pulled Cheng Cheng into another car and took out a small animal skin wine bag from his waist, and asked Cheng Cheng to take two sips of warmth.

Four female dependents naturally have one car.

Cheng Cha leaned against the wall of the car, still sobbing and choking, "My grandfather is so old, and I don't know if it is safe to travel for days." Shao Shang was the most impatient of such a gruff character. After a quarter of an hour, he finally said: "Cousin, don't worry, your grandfather is very good. Everything has been arranged properly, and this trip will definitely go smoothly."

Mrs. Xiao glanced over: "Again criticizing the elders? No rules."

"...well, I'll be happy then."

Shao Shang was helpless: "Cousin, your eldest father is driving the wind and snow like this, and he will bring the second aunt back to Zhengdan, so don't be too distressed. In the future, if the second uncle and the second aunt There is a day when the water is reclaimed, and it is definitely the merit of today!"

"Really?" Tears were still shining on Cheng Cha's face. Although Ge Shi was unkind, she still hoped that her parents would not end the marriage.

Mrs. Xiao sat up straight, stared at her daughter and said, "You are not allowed to talk nonsense." After thinking about it, she said, "Especially not to talk to your father!" Daughter Wisdom is too sharp.

Shao Shang fanned the wind with his sleeves, drove away the charcoal fire, and said coolly: "Hey, yesterday, my mother said that the child should know everything about his parents, and he should not hide it. Why is it now? I'm not allowed to tell Grandpa?"

Mrs. Xiao glared angrily and kept silent.

—Except for the ignorant Cheng Cha, the three people in the car knew very well. If Cheng Shi heard what Shicai said, and knew that Cheng Cheng and Ge Shi still had the possibility of getting back together, they would be scared. Tomorrow, I will look for a new wife.

But Mrs. Xiao felt that this matter should not be so hasty. Cheng Cheng has been useless for half his life, and has always lived for his brother, mother and family, and has never thought about his future independently; now it is time for him to think for himself. Whether it is a split or a marriage in the future, or if he encounters a woman he loves and marries another, it should be proposed by Cheng Cheng himself, not Cheng Shi. Cheng Cheng should have grown up.

Shao Shang knows what Mrs. Xiao thinks, but she doesn’t think so in her heart: There are different attitudes in the world, and some people have their own opinions since childhood—for example, she decided to be a concubine before graduating from primary school, and it was useless for grandma to cry for a long time , before the aunt came, she decided to quit the Jianghu Congliang study, and it was useless for her direct boss and elder sister to be soft and hard;

Uncle Cheng is also a soft-hearted person. I imagine that in the future, when Taigong Ge is on his deathbed, he will be brought to the bedside, sobbing and exhorting him. Looking at Ge's pitiful appearance, he may agree to reconcile, then this cowhide candy Can't get rid of it for a lifetime. According to Cheng Shi's approach, directly find a gentle and virtuous woman for Cheng Cheng. Knowing that cold and hot will hurt people, wouldn't you be clean?

Sang Shi looked at the mother and daughter's own thoughts, smiled and refused to comment, took out her bag and flipped through it, and stuffed the last milk caramel candy into Shaoshang's mouth, which was considered a sealing fee .

Entrusted by others and loyal to the people, Mrs. Xiao brought Cheng Cha with her when she was handling housework the next day. Because she was preparing to worship the ancestors and worship the gods on Zhengdan Day, Mrs. Xiao set the altar to pay tribute to the gods. , buy sacrificial tribute fruit, ask Zhuangtou the harvest and plan for the coming year, until the devolution of money and materials to Buqu and the family of the orphans and widows, and even how to talk to the female relatives of the Buqu, they all teach Cheng Cha hand-in-hand.

As for Shaoshang, continue to read, write, endorse, and stay at home - even if she wants to know what the world is like.

There are two happy things.

First, the younger merchants have grown taller. According to her height, Ah Li was at least two or three inches taller. She had a slender waist and soft limbs. She had a somewhat graceful look when she walked. She no longer looked like a clumsy and childish child like before. Ah Li smiled and took apart the corners of Shaoshang's robes and hakama, and let out the excess fabric. He felt that he was not feeding chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, milk and vegetables in vain these days. At the same time, he allowed Shaoshang to walk around the courtyard more, even if he ran and jumped. Not discouraged.

Secondly, Ah Mei, who has completed pre-job training, is here. With this lively and bright little girl chatting by his side, Shao Shangfang felt that life was not so lifeless.

There are more than a dozen new maids who came with Amei. Mrs. Qing Li pointed them out to Shao Shang, ranging in age from eleven to fourteen years old, tall, short, fat and thin. All can be configured from being good at knitting and embroidery to incense and insect repellent to strong mountains and rivers. At this point, Miss Cheng Si's team is complete.

This is the exact opposite of the era when the young merchants came. At that time, materials were unprecedentedly abundant, but manpower became more and more expensive. Ordinary middle-class homes are only suitable for a nanny and an hourly worker at most, but here... see In front of nearly twenty employees who 'serving' her, Shaoshang didn't know what to think for a while, and she ushered in her first Zhengdan in this era in confusion.

Dianchao congratulations, like Cheng Shi, who only has a thousand stones, can only stand on the steps of the palace, and Cheng Zhi, who only has a few hundred stones, can only stand in the atrium to congratulate them—Mother Cheng felt so distressed that she almost wanted to ask her young son to resign .

Cheng Shi deliberately joked to comfort the female relatives: "Thanks to our brother's low official rank, we will send it off after the congratulations. Brother Wan is still waiting to give the emperor food and wine." He turned his head again. He said to Mrs. Sang, "I saw your brother. I heard that His Majesty has adopted Mr. Huangfu's advice and will call people to lecture on the classics after the annual Zhengdan Court congratulations meeting. I see brother Zihuai leading a group of Confucian scholars. Well, I don't know if he has time to come to the house before returning to Bailu Mountain."

"Huangfuyi? He, isn't he still..." Cheng Zhi reacted, and before he could speak, Sang hurriedly squeezed him, smiled and said to Cheng Shi, "If you want to Come here. I wanted to ask my brother to stay at home, but your Majesty refused to let him go, so he went all the way to the scripture table." Glancing at her husband, Cheng Zhi had no choice but to shut up.

At this time, Mrs. Xiao greeted everyone to go in and start the Zhengdan ceremony.

Ancient Zhengdan is more of a ceremonial activity, praying to the gods for blessings, paying homage to ancestors and continuing to ask for blessings, and then watching the Nuo dance, listening to the loud gongs and drums outside to drive away evil, and then The slaughter of animals to engage in superstition is, of course, an inevitable family feast. Everyone in the Cheng family, regardless of gender, was seated according to the age and the young, and presented Jiaobai wine to Cheng's mother in turn, and then held a concert to congratulate the old woman on longevity and health.

The three brothers of the Cheng family thought that they would be separated again soon and went their separate ways. Mrs. Xiao worked hard for many days, and was persuaded by Sang to drink more. Ying's cheeks were blushing and charming, and she was happy. She pointed here and said, 'This is arranged by Chacha', and then pointed there and said, "That is arranged by Chacha." ', everyone at the cited family banquet praised Cheng Cha for being virtuous and intelligent.

.

Mrs. Xiao's face was as usual, and she said with a smile: "You can't even read a few hyphens, can you read the genealogy or read the flower book? Besides, you should understand the reason before doing things, and at least read a few volumes of sages. The book is over. Everything can’t be done overnight, it has to be done gradually.”

Cheng Yong is very filial, although she still vaguely feels inappropriate, but it is not easy to ask more, but she feels more pity for the young girl's rough childhood, and she cannot receive the proper upbringing like the female sons of ordinary officials and eunuchs.

After thinking about it for a long time, he packed up the unicorn four red sandalwood lacquer pattern bookcase that he had used for many years - this was given to him when he was eleven years old by the master of reading Xiaocheng, and ordered his entourage to clean it up I bundled it up and sent it to the young merchant tomorrow. It was a New Year's gift for the younger sister, encouraging her to read and read well. Use the old book case to deal with it yourself, and then find someone to build a new one.

Others move easily.

However, Shao Shang never imagined that the first large-scale verbal fight between himself and Mrs. Xiao was actually because of this book case.