When Pei Yan was absent-mindedly sitting in the conference hall, Pei Tong had already walked to his own wing.
He hadn't stepped into the gate of the yard when he heard a burst of giggles.
Pei Tong lived in this courtyard with his younger brother Pei Fei, second uncle Pei Xuan, and younger cousin Pei Hong.
His second uncle and third uncle are two completely different types of people. If his third uncle is a summer day, then his second uncle is a winter day. When the grandfather left, the second uncle not only didn't argue with the third uncle, but also maintained the friendship between brothers in every way. Even their eldest house has received a lot of care from the second uncle, otherwise he and his younger brother must have had a much harder time than now up.
From the sound, he knew that it was probably eight-year-old Pei Hong playing with the boys in the yard.
Pei Tong felt restless for a while.
When his father died, Pei Fei was just twelve years old, and he was also an ignorant child, but he already knew that they had no father, and he knew how to comfort his mother who was crying all night, and knew how to study hard and help him with things. .
The innocence of the past is no longer there.
Thinking of this, his eyes were slightly wet.
But thinking of the third uncle's attitude towards their orphans and widows, he sneered secretly in his heart, put on a smiling face, and then opened the door and walked in.
"Eldest young master!" Several young men who were playing with Pei Hong immediately stepped forward to salute him when they saw him, and Pei Hong also happily called "elder brother" to him.
Pei Tong smiled gently and touched the top of Pei Hong's head, and said, "Why are you still playing in the yard at this time? Where's your wet nurse? Are you sweating? Be careful if you catch a cold. This place is on the mountain. If you catch a cold, find a It's not easy for a doctor." The last sentence was directed at the servants who were playing with Pei Hong.
Several servants lowered their heads in awe, agreeing in unison.
The scene of laughter and laughter just now suddenly became solemn and dull.
Pei Hong's face was flushed red, and the corners of his mouth were twitching as he was about to say something when the second master Pei Xuan walked out of the hall with a half-turned book and said, "A Tong is back! Don't be angry, I agree Ah Hong was playing for a while. I watched in the hall, nothing happened."
Pei Tong smiled embarrassedly, and said, "I was reckless!"
"It's okay! It's okay!" Pei Xuan chuckled, patted Pei Tong on the shoulder, and said, "You are the eldest brother, that's exactly what you should do. Your father used to control me that way."
As soon as his words fell, both of them looked slightly gloomy.
After a while, Pei Xuan sighed softly: "Don't think too much about it. Your third uncle is arrogant and doesn't bother to explain to others, but he certainly has no bad intentions. He is the head of the family. He can't just focus on our house. We must consider the overall situation. You are his nephew, you should understand him and support him."
"I know!" Pei Tong whispered, obviously depressed, "So even if my uncle wrote to me and asked me, I didn't say anything." After speaking, he seemed to remember something, and suddenly cheered up, Smiled brightly at Pei Xuan, and said in a loud voice, "Heaven will send a great mission to the people, and you must first work hard on your heart and muscles. Don't worry, second uncle, I will not be knocked down by this little tribulation in front of me. I I will definitely study hard, be named on the gold list like my father, and be appointed as an official and prime minister."
"Hmm!" Pei Xuan smiled encouragingly at him, but if you look closely, you will find that his smile is a little stiff. It's a pity that Pei Tong is also divided at the moment, and his thoughts are heavy. How can he observe Pei Xuan carefully? He only heard Pei Xuan say to him, "Where did you go? Why did you come back so late?"
Pei Tong smiled and said: "Master Gu is here, please let me go over and have a talk for a while, so I'm coming back late."
Pei Xuan was very happy to hear this, and said: "Master Gu is very good in both knowledge and conduct. Since you have the opportunity, you should ask him more." Speaking of this, he pondered for a moment, and said, "I am here There is also a fine Duan inkstone. When I get someone to bring it to you, you can give it to Mr. Gu. He is your eldest brother, and you will have to deal with him in the future. It is no wonder that there are many polite people. Let us take the initiative. My sister will be more at ease when she gets married."
His second uncle is really an honest man!
Pei Tong couldn't help but chuckled softly: "Second Uncle, no wonder people say that you value Second Aunt. It seems that I will learn more from you in the future."
Pei Xuan smiled and patted Pei Tong on the back hard, and said with a smile: "You brat, how dare you make fun of your uncle, write ten thousand big characters for me later!"
Pei Tong smiled and begged for mercy: "Don't dare again!"
The uncle and nephew talked and laughed for a while, Pei Xuan hugged his sweaty son and went back to the house, and Pei Tong also went back to the west wing where he and his younger brother were located behind the main house.
But before he had time to push the door open, it creaked open, revealing Pei Fei's childish but handsome face.
"Brother, you're back!" He said happily, "I've been listening to the movement outside, if you don't come back, I'll go find you."
Pei Tong affectionately hugged his younger brother, who had just reached his shoulder, and said, "Aren't I back now? Have you finished your homework? Why didn't you go out to play with Ah Hong?"
Pei Fei greeted her elder brother into the room, and motioned to the close servant to fetch water to change Pei Tong's clothes, while muttering in a low voice: "I don't like playing with Ah Hong, he doesn't understand anything, I have to let him!"
Pei Tong's hand holding the handkerchief froze, and then he smiled nonchalantly: "Then you should stay in the wing and do your homework. A man is a man, and studies are the most important thing."
Pei Fei nodded in agreement.
Pei Tong freshened up, changed clothes, and told his younger brother to stay in the house: "I'll go and say hello to my mother."
Mrs. Pei was treated differently by the abbot of Zhaoming Temple because Pei You and the abbot of Zhaoming Temple were acquaintances. She neither lived with her son in the west monastery, nor lived with Mr. Pei in the east monastery, but He lived in a quiet room not far from here, vacated by the abbot of Zhaoming Temple.
That's why Yu Tang didn't see Mrs. Pei after coming for several days.
Pei Feiwen said happily: "I want to go too."
Pei Tong didn't stop him, and took his younger brother to his mother's residence.
Mrs. Pei was copying Buddhist scriptures under the lamp, and when she saw her two sons coming together, she put down her pen with a smile, accepted their gift, and asked them: "It's so late, why are you two here? What's the matter?" something?"
Pei Tong smiled and shook his head, but from the corner of his eyes, he accidentally glanced at his mother's temples, and found a silver light flashing by.
He suddenly forgot to answer his mother's words.
If he's not mistaken, mother... white hair has appeared on her head at some point.
He has a sore nose.
Mother is less than forty years old!
If the father is still alive, and the mother is held in the palm of his hand like pearls and treasures, how can she grow white hair
He murmured: "Aniang, I went to see Gu Chaoyang today."
Mrs. Pei glanced at her eldest son, implying that he should not say such things in front of Pei Fei.
Pei Tong stopped the topic obediently, and chatted with her mother and younger brother for a while, and when the eldest lady found an excuse to send Pei Fei to get them some snacks, her face sank and she said: " Gu Chaoyang came to Lin'an? What does he want from you?"
"He said that the third uncle told him that his father had left a last word before he died..." Pei Tong told the eldest wife the scene of their meeting.
The eldest lady immediately jumped up, patted the table and said: "Pei Yan is shit! When your father passed away, although I was not at the bedside, I knew exactly what happened to your father before he died. He said I didn't have time to say a word... I didn't have time to say a word..." She said, remembering the scene of that day, she couldn't help crying sadly, "Your father, how unwilling! You are not with him, your younger brother is not here In front of him, I am not in front of him... "
Pei Tong asked a question that he had always been suspicious of: "When my father passed away, I happened to be in the academy, and Ah Fei was sent by my grandfather to deliver things to my third uncle. Why weren't you by my father's side? Although my father died in a sudden illness, but He should feel unwell before he dies. He is unwell, shouldn't he go to his mother? Why did he go to his grandfather instead?"
Even at this time, there was still something he didn't dare to ask.
His grandfather is the suzerain of the family, and he will not leave Lin'an in leisure time. His father was just promoted to be the minister of the Ministry of Industry, and he is about to join the cabinet. do not know. Moreover, after his father died, his grandfather did not send his father's coffin to the south. He could understand that it was because it was unlucky for Chang Pei to bury the younger generation. The coffin went south, and the second uncle returned to his hometown for the funeral, but the grandfather returned to Lin'an quietly as before.
In the past, he just felt that his grandfather had a white-haired person giving off a black-and-white person, and he couldn't stand it, and couldn't bear to see his father's coffin, but now it seems that there are strange things everywhere.
In particular, his third uncle actually said that it was his father's last wish to let him study at home for ten years before taking the imperial examination.
That being the case, why didn't he say it in front of the clan when her mother wanted to send him back to his grandfather's house to study
Pei Tong felt as if a big rock was being pressed against his chest, and he looked at his mother with burning eyes.
The eldest lady was stunned, and it took a while to come back to her senses. There was a little panic in her eyes, and she stammered and said: "Yes, yes! Your father is not feeling well, why don't you look for me, you want to find your grandfather. Your father has been promoted. You may become (become) the highest-ranking member of the Pei family. Your father and I are very happy. But when your grandfather came, he was not happy at all. He must think that your father is disobedient and ruined his ancestors. Rules. If your father stops being the eldest son, the Pei family will either have to re-elect the clan house, or choose one of your second uncle or third uncle to inherit the family business. But your second uncle can't do it, he is obedient I have an idea; your third uncle was having a good fight with Jiang Hua at the time, and a small junior seventh rank can actually pass the third rank. It is said that your third uncle has a great future and will surpass your father in the future, and his official career is limitless. Your grandfather said nothing If you don’t give up, let your third uncle ask for leave and help the coffin go south... Besides, your father doesn’t have a son? Do you have a son? If your grandfather wants to favor your third uncle, he should be allowed to stay in the capital... "