Min Jia decided to stand by and watch.
The little maid came over in a panic and said, "The old lady and the fourth wife are here."
There's no way to dodge now!
Min Jia gritted her teeth and greeted Mrs. Guo and Zhou Shaojin at the second gate.
"What on earth is going on?" Old Madam Guo glanced at Min Jia with a sharp look and asked, "Where's Dalang? Where's Jiashan?"
Who would have thought that Mrs. Yuan, who treated her son like the apple of her eye, would actually hit Cheng Xu when he disobeyed her!
Min Jia couldn't help but complain in her heart, but she didn't dare to show any strange color in front of Mrs. Guo. She bowed her head and said respectfully: "My father-in-law has sent someone to report the news, but he hasn't come back yet. My husband and mother-in-law are in the study... We can't say anything..."
Mrs. Guo nodded, feeling a little disappointed.
Because the mother-in-law lost her temper and had an argument with her husband, in order not to offend anyone and because the matter was of great importance, she could not let the two continue arguing, so she stood outside to avoid the limelight for fear of getting into trouble... Although this was the wisest approach, when Mrs. Guo thought of Zhou Shaojin's recklessness every time he encountered Cheng Chi, she suddenly became annoyed with such wisdom.
Min Jia thought of the conversation between mother and son just now, and hurriedly shouted "Grandma is here" through the curtain and lifted the curtain.
Zhou Shaojin hesitated for a moment and did not go in.
Yuan was so angry that she didn't know what to say. She threw the ruler on the ground and sat on the armchair next to her with red eyes.
Cheng Xu knelt in front of Yuan, his hair was a little messy, his expression was cold, and he was wearing a blue Hangzhou silk gown, with no visible external injuries.
Old Madam Guo hurriedly went to help Cheng Xu up with a heartbroken look on her face. She turned her head and said to Yuan, "He is also a man who has married and has achieved fame. Even if you want to teach him a lesson, you can't beat him like a child who knows nothing about the world! Hurry up, you are an educated person. How could you have made your mother angry? What can't you say in a nice way? Cultivate yourself, manage your family, govern the country and bring peace to the world. A real man should be able to handle matters in the inner house, let alone matters of the court. You are not a child anymore. You should know clearly what to say and what not to say, what to say at this time and what to say at that time..."
Min Jia, who was standing outside the house, looked at Zhou Shaojin with some surprise, and couldn't help but look at Zhou Shaojin again.
She was wearing a plain lake blue jacket, with only a border of Baoxiang flower patterns on the collar, cuffs and hem. Her face was rosy and her eyes were bright, even brighter than the spring sunshine.
What expression would she have if she knew that Cheng Xu gave up the examination for her
Min Jia guessed.
Zhou Shaojin stepped back a few steps and explained to her in a low voice: "My face is more important, so I won't go in."
Logically, Zhou Shaojin was her aunt. If Zhou Shaojin didn't go in, someone had to accompany her. Min Jia didn't want to go in either. She didn't want to hear about the bad things between Cheng Xu and the Yuan mother and son. Hearing this, she lowered her voice and said, "Aunt, what you said makes sense. Can I accompany you to the tea room for a cup of tea?"
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
No matter whether Cheng Xu was determined not to take the examination or spoke out of anger, Cheng Jing, Cheng Chi, or even Cheng Shao would come to persuade him about such a big matter, and she had no intention of getting involved.
The two went to the teahouse. Min Jia ordered the maid to bring out the tea set and personally made Kung Fu tea for Zhou Shaojin: "… The tea we produce in Fujian is all large-leaf tea, and the leaf tea also grows on trees, unlike the tea in Jiangnan, which grows on short trees. Therefore, the tea we produce is brewed for a long time. A lot of tea is brewed for seven or eight times, and the taste of each brew is different. Aunt, it's rare for you to come to Xinglin Hutong, why not try the tea I brew."
"Thank you!" Zhou Shaojin greeted her with a smile.
Soon, the courtyard was filled with the sound of chaotic footsteps and the servants' loud voices: "The master is back!"
"The second old master is coming!"
"The fourth master is coming!"
Min Jia smiled bitterly and said to Zhou Shaojin apologetically: "Because of my husband's matter, everyone has been delayed!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said nothing.
The most that she and Min Jia could talk about was food, clothing, and daily necessities, so it was better not to mention such topics.
The situation continued until lighted. Cheng Jing, Cheng Chi, Cheng Shao and Old Madam Guo took turns to speak out and said everything. Cheng Xu had only two words to say: "external".
Several of them could not hide their disappointment.
Finally, Cheng Chi said, "There are still a few days left before the exam for the Imperial College Scholars. Help him register first."
If you really don't want to take the exam, just find a reason when the time comes.
But if you don't register now, it will be too late to regret later.
Fortunately, the uncle, nephew and brothers of the Cheng family were all successful candidates in the imperial examinations. They were either classmates or classmates of the same year in the court. Classmates of classmates could always find connections in a roundabout way and register their names without Cheng Xu's presence.
Who would have thought that Cheng Xu, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly had veins popping out on his forehead, and said with red eyes: "I don't want to stay in the capital, I don't want to stay in this family, why don't you understand? I don't want you to sign me up, I don't want you to find connections for me to get in through the back door?!"
The room suddenly fell silent.
Cheng Chi looked stern and said coldly, "Are you trying to tell us that you don't want to rely on the power of your family and have decided to forge your own path with your bare hands?"
What’s the difference between that and leaving the sect
"No, no." Cheng Xu's eyes flashed with tears, and he said, "How can I not repay my parents' kindness in raising me? How can I forget the kindness of my family in cultivating me? But I really don't want to stay in the capital, and I don't want to make my mother sad. My mother always wants me to pass the imperial examination, to be appointed as a prime minister, and to leave my name in history... If I can't do it, she will be sad and desperate, crying and asking me to do this and that, as if I live just to pass the imperial examination, to be appointed as a prime minister, and to leave my name in history... As long as it is not related to these things, she will stop it and let me give it up... I don't want to go on like this." As he said, he looked at Cheng Chi with pleading eyes, "Uncle Chi, you said that if I pass the imperial examination, I can do a lot of things! I don't ask for anything else, I just want to be sent out! Leave here, so that my mother won't show grief every time she sees me. Instead of staying in the capital like this, I might as well stay far away. When she is old, I will return to the capital to fulfill my filial piety or take her to my post..."
"What did you say?" Yuan covered her chest with her hands, opened her eyes wide, and looked at her son in disbelief, "You mean, I forced you to grow up? Is this what a son says to his mother? How could you say such a thing? I asked you to make progress, but you actually thought I was coercing you?" Her voice got louder and louder as she spoke, and her emotions became more and more agitated, "Let me go with you to your uncle to seek justice? I taught you carefully, but you actually think I'm harming you... Are you still human..." She stepped forward and raised her hand to slap Cheng Xu.
Cheng Chi quickly stopped her and said, "Sister-in-law, is he old enough to obey you when you hit him?"
Yuan was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears and cried, "What sin have I committed? Who am I working so hard for?"
Cheng Shao, Cheng Jing and Mrs. Guo had already understood what Cheng Xu meant.
Cheng Jing's face turned pale.
Cheng Shao asked Cheng Xu: "Do you know what you are doing?"
Cheng Xu looked calm and said, "I know. If I don't participate in the selection of Shujishi, I can't enter the Hanlin Academy, and I have no chance of entering the cabinet. Even so, I want to be sent out.
"My mother has always told me that I should study, that studying will bring me good food, that studying makes me a good child, and that studying means I am filial. I just want to know, do I really like studying?"
Cheng Jing glanced at Yuan.
Yuan became hysterical as if she was burned by Cheng Jing's gaze: "Why are you looking at me? Did I ask him to read the wrong book?"
"Alright!" Cheng Jing interrupted Yuan's words with a shout. He suppressed his anger and glanced at Cheng Xu, then said to Cheng Chi, "You should help him apply for the selection of the Shujishi tomorrow. Let him think about it carefully for a few days. If he really decides not to take the exam, then it's up to him. Just pretend that I never gave birth to this son. You don't have to say anything about waiting until I'm old to be filial to you. Just live your own life. Even if the Cheng family loses you, we still have Cheng Rang, Yun Ge'er, and A Bao... The Cheng family will never fall apart without you!"
After all, Cheng Xu still had to be forced to take the examination for the title of Shujishi.
Mrs. Guo sighed, feeling dizzy and as if she could not stand.
Cheng Chi hurried forward to support Madam Guo and whispered, "Where is Shao Jin's people? I'll send someone to call her."
"Don't go." Madam Guo said tiredly, "She is trying to save some dignity for Jiashan! Why should you let her down?"
Cheng Chi naturally knew the answer, but at that moment Mrs. Guo was not feeling well and Zhou Shaojin was not around. He was afraid that his mother might have some thoughts, so he rushed to ask.
"Second Uncle." Madam Guo didn't look at Cheng Chi, but said to Cheng Shao, "Let's go back! Jiashan is not a child anymore, he can make his own decisions!"
Cheng Shao sighed helplessly and bowed to Old Madam Guo, meaning that he would follow her instructions in everything.
Mrs. Guo walked out without saying a word.
Cheng Xu called out "Grandma".
Mrs. Guo said calmly: "Once you have made up your mind, tell grandma." Then she walked out without looking back.
The maid who had been guarding the door went to report to Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin and Min Jia trotted out of the tea room.
Seeing Cheng Chi supporting Madam Guo, Cheng Shao followed them out of the hall.
Zhou Shaojin hurried forward to help Mrs. Guo.
Min Jia saw him off.
Yuan's crying voice came from the room: "How can you say that? Is all this my fault? You should speak according to your conscience..."
Min Jia pretended not to hear and secretly quickened her pace.
After finally seeing Cheng Shao and the others off, she was about to turn back, feeling relieved, when a doorman ran over and said, "Grandma, Grandma, someone has sent you a note."
Ever since Cheng Xu passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, more and more people have come to send her invitations.
She let the maid take it without thinking much of it. Only when she returned to her room at night did she remember the note. She was afraid that something had happened, so she rushed to open it.
The final signature was "Cheng Xiangqing" Cheng Lu.
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Hey guys, today's update!
O(∩_∩)O~ (To be continued)