Chapter 3 Group portrait: old man, maid and second generation ancestor ("")

The days were boring, to put it mildly, of course, leisurely. During the continuous rain, I played backgammon with the little girl, occasionally practiced calligraphy, and read ancient Chinese books. Although it is not as entertaining as modern novels.

, but he has always been a person who can endure this kind of monotony. Now that he has come to ancient times, reading a book without punctuation for a long time and figuring out the meaning word for word is not a big deal for him.

pain.

Of course, other messy things will naturally happen in a few months.

A new brother-in-law comes into the family, and he is a wife. In this era, he has always had little status. The situation of the Su family is actually more complicated. The real person in charge of the Su family now is Su Tan'er's grandfather who is still alive. Most people call him the old lady.

, the old lady had three biological sons, who were divided into the eldest house, the second house and the third house. The one in charge externally was the eldest house, Su Tan'er's father, Su Boyong, and Su Boyong only had one daughter, Su Tan'er. However, Su Tan'er was in business.

He is quite capable and directly overwhelms the other two men in the house, becoming the main reason for this complicated relationship. The other two men in the house have always hoped that Su Tan'er will get married in the future, which has become a throw away, and they will have a chance in the future.

The Su family's successors have had their hopes dashed by the arrival of a new bride. When they see him on weekdays, even if they restrain themselves from making sarcastic comments, they will always get a roll of their eyes.

In addition to the three families in the main family, Grandpa Su also has brothers and sisters. There is no problem for the Su family to spread out. Living in the Su family like this is considered justifiable. If you want to leave, now you don’t know anyone.

, that is completely unnecessary to think about. Even in modern times, if you want to live a better life, you must have considerable connections. This was especially true in ancient times. Even if he had established such a huge business empire, he would not think that he would get it in ancient times.

With just a few taels of silver, I can "take the world as I want". In any case, the Su family is still the best safe haven at the moment.

It rained for several days, so I stayed at home for a few days. Occasionally, I saw three masters and servants in the small building opposite holding oil-paper umbrellas and hurried out. I could also see their figures coming back in the rain. In the corridor courtyard

The drizzle in the attic and the garden pavilion washed the white stone and green tiles extremely clear. They came from there, wearing lake green, white or light red dresses. The ladies of this year are the ones who truly have the temperament of ladies.

Modern packaged women are different. No matter how they perform, those women have the smell of fireworks or copper. Only when you look at it, you will feel that everything is just like in an ink painting. They rushed back from outside, avoided the dripping eaves, and walked on the stairs.

While patting the wet clothes, he went upstairs... It was already dusk, and there were also firelights lighting up from the stretching courtyard, deep red, dark red halos, some fixed, some

Swimming around, the dark night has the atmosphere of an ancient deep mansion.

Of course, this is an ancient deep mansion.

Backgammon is easy to learn, and it is not difficult to master it. Xiaochan quickly learned it and became a master. In the next few days, when Ning Yi played with her, it was always a situation of losing more and winning less, and this kind of entertainment was so popular.

The extremely fast "infection" spread to the small building opposite. Three days later in the evening, Ning Yi lit an oil lamp and read a book. Xiao Chan came to see him several times to make sure that he did not give orders before leaving. Ning Yi and Shang Shujuan walked around in the corridor

When I was walking, I saw the scene of a girl holding a Go chess board in the corridor below and walking towards the small building opposite. Then she and Xing'er Juan'er entered the room on the first floor opposite. When the lights turned on, I could see the three of them playing games inside.

When playing chess, there would occasionally be silhouettes gesticulating and jumping for joy, and that girl Xiaochan was probably chattering to teach the two sisters how to do it. It couldn't help but be funny.

The heavy rain lasted for several days before it stopped. Although I told Xiaochan that I couldn't go to the Qinhuai River to watch Go again, it was just a joke. Sure enough, the old man named Qin who went to play Go noticed this time.

Say hello to him.

Soon after, the old man finished playing a game with his friend. He smiled and waved to Ning Yi who was watching the game. First, he introduced him and the friend who was playing against him, and then naturally Ning Yi and the man greeted each other. The basics

After the etiquette was met, I asked him to briefly talk about his opinions on the game. Although he didn't take it too seriously, after each game, if there is a good move, it is necessary for the chess players to review or show off, and the nature of it is also important.

It was equivalent to saying something like "If I didn't do this, I wouldn't lose..." after finishing the game. Since the old man invited him to participate, he naturally recognized his Go level, and then he also made an invitation.

"Master Ning, are you interested in playing another round of chess?"

Ning Yi smiled and nodded in agreement. While collecting the chess pieces, the old man smiled and spoke.

"It's raining at home these days. I recalled the game of chess with some friends that day. Mr. Ning has many wonderful skills, which is thought-provoking. I have been itching for this for many days. Today, the rain stopped and I went out. As expected, Mr. Ning came, haha...

…”

Although that day he somewhat thought that Ning Yi's chess playing method was not "gentlemanly" enough, he did not take it too seriously after all. On the contrary, as a chess player, he suddenly saw such a novel chess playing technique. The longer time passed, the more he felt.

Recalling and deducing in my heart, I became more and more "unhinged". Just chatting and playing a game, but the old man lost again. Ning Yi did a little deduction with him, and then played another game. See

I didn't go home until it was getting late.

He continued to come over the next day, and not long after, his future "job" issue was finally decided.

On the first day of July, the whole family had a meal together. Grandpa Su asked Ning Yi about recuperation. Then he mentioned that a teacher in the academy was about to go away and asked Ning Yi if he would like to teach in the academy. The old man was kind, but because he was there

The status of the family was basically determined as soon as the words were spoken. Ning Yi had been mentally prepared before, so he naturally nodded and agreed. Then the old lady called Su Zhongkan, the second in charge of the family academy, and asked him to be his former teacher.

I will make arrangements for you after you leave.

There is still some time before the teacher leaves. The main way to kill time is to play Go. The rest is to read books, practice calligraphy, and play backgammon with Xiaochan. After more than a month, I have spent time with the Su family.

Our relationship has not developed much, but we have become familiar with some people on the street by the Qinhuai River.

The street scenery here is pretty good, with green trees, but the location is a little remote, and there are no big shops. Except for the tea shop next to it, there are a few vendors selling breakfast or buying vegetables in the morning. The surrounding houses

There are sparse houses built along the river with one end sticking out of the water, like stilted buildings by the river. Occasionally, I see people going down to the river to wash clothes and collect water.

The old man surnamed Qin should have a good family background. He is a very knowledgeable and knowledgeable person. He is well-informed. It is said that ancient scholars were pedantic, but this is not the case for this old man. He will never talk too much, nor will he always talk about saints.

, speaking and seeing things very flexibly, but if you chew carefully, the core is still the Tao of Confucius and Mencius. This is the person who truly understands Confucius and Mencius.

If the teachings of Confucius and Mencius take off the outer layer of change for the sake of rule, the core part is actually the life principles summarized and summarized by the ancients. On the philosophical level, many things are universally applicable. Ning Yi and this old man can say that

You don’t have to worry too much about chatting occasionally. This old man may have been an official before. Now that he is old, he goes out to set up a chess stall every day when he is bored. His family lives nearby, and there is a man in his fifties.

The wife also had a beautiful concubine who was probably in her thirties. She would occasionally come out to deliver lunch, so Ning Yi also met her twice.

The old man also has some regular chess friends, most of whom are knowledgeable old men, some from well-off families, and some who seem to have a clean life. At first, Ning Yi mostly sat on the sidelines and watched, but then he gradually became able to participate and said during the review.

A few sentences above. Naturally, there will be people who maintain their identity and criticize what he said as a junior. For example, an old man named Dong criticized his unscrupulous little tricks. His attitude was arrogant, and Ning Yi also

I'm too lazy to pay attention to him. It's the most boring thing to argue with an old man like this over something in principle.

Sitting by the tea stall every day, it was natural to eat something and drink some tea, and she became familiar with the tea stall owner's family. Xiaochan was bored, and occasionally she would sit and chatter with the tea stall owner's daughter.

At first, the daughter of the tea stall owner was said to be a little shy about asking about Ning Yi's background. When she found out that Ning Yi was the Su family's son-in-law, she showed a disappointed look. Because it seemed that Ning Yi came from a good family.

He is a noble young master, and the fact that he can take a maid everywhere with him every day is proof of that. And the fact that he can talk to Mr. Qin and talk about everything, and occasionally say something that others can't understand, proves that he is very knowledgeable. If he can marry

To him...it's a pity that he is a bride-in-law.

Chatting while playing chess was naturally carried out in a harmonious and friendly atmosphere at first. After two weeks, we became familiar with each other. The old man may find some of Ning Yi's casual words thought-provoking, but of course there are times when he feels deviant. This

It was a difference in customs. Ning Yi was informal, and the two of them had a discussion while playing chess. A month later, they seriously talked about his identity again.

Ning Yi didn't hide much about his identity. He had mentioned it before, and the old man just nodded "Oh". At that time, he was just a new chess friend. At this time, everyone could chat with each other, and they could barely be regarded as old friends.

Later, the meaning of mentioning it will naturally be different.

"You are quite unlearned. It's such a pity that you are getting married..."

Ning Yi didn't dabble too much in the classics and history, and he didn't memorize the lessons well, so he didn't count as a major. Mr. Qin was a great scholar in this regard. After the two parties had been in contact for so long, he naturally saw this, so he gave him a

The evaluation of "not learned but skilled" is actually a high praise, but Ning Yi also smiled.

"There's nothing wrong with getting married. You see, I come out every day to drink tea and play chess. I have money from Xiao Chan, and the food and accommodation are pretty good. After a while, I can become a teacher and teach a bunch of students without any burden. I

This guy loves to eat and is lazy, so he’s pretty good.”

That's what they say, but these days, the status of a surrogate son-in-law is lower than that of an ordinary wife. When the wife comes in, her body can be placed in the ancestral hall after her death, but the surrogate son-in-law is not even qualified to enter the ancestral hall, and is no different from a concubine. It's really

Being looked down upon by others no matter what he does, he has basically cut off all pursuit of fame and fortune, and can only work hard as an accessory of the Su family. Ning Yi has read a lot in his previous life, but how can ordinary young people have such a state of mind?

, Mr. Qin probably saw that he had some talent and could not help but feel sorry for him.

"...What's more, the Su family is a family of merchants. Businessmen pursue profit, and although they also have a good reputation, even if you are talented and knowledgeable, I am afraid that fame and fortune will not fall on you after all."

The old man said this because he had seen deeply. Regardless of the outside world's attitude towards a son-in-law, even if Ning Yi was really talented and learned, the Su family would not want him to take the exam and win the honor. When they asked him to come as a son-in-law,

I just saw that he was a bookworm, but Grandpa Su was a person who valued righteousness and remembered the agreement with his elder Ning Yi. Ning Yi was somewhat literary, but not really knowledgeable. Su Taner could suppress him even if he got married.

It’s worth remembering, even from Ning Yi’s point of view, the nerd in the past was actually lucky. He had no intention of slandering the Su family and just laughed it off. However, when he heard the old man discussing the rights and wrongs of the Su family, he sat aside and unintentionally

Xiaochan blushed when she heard this and couldn't help but come closer.

"Old... Grandpa, after my uncle came to Su's house, the young lady has never treated him badly. The young lady is a very good person and will not treat him badly in the future!"

The little girl looked nervous and serious. She had grown up next to Su Tan'er and loved her sisters. At this time, she might not be able to hear the deep meaning behind the old man's words, but she could probably tell that the old man was talking about the Su family. Generally speaking, she was talking about the Su family.

When the master of the family talks to outsiders, the little maid usually has no room to interrupt. However, the son-in-law has a special status. Some of them are very respectable, and some of them are looked down upon by the maids. However, Xiao Chan follows Su Tan'er and is well-educated. Naturally,

It couldn't be the latter. I was just nervous about the reputation of the young lady and even the Su family. I didn't know how much courage it took to say these words that were meant to refute. I clenched my fists in front of my body nervously.

In the past, Xiao Chan always stayed beside her quietly, well-behaved and sensible. Mr. Qin was already used to the existence of this little maid. At this time, he was slightly stunned. Ning Yi glanced at Xiao Chan, but he already smiled.

Come out, raise your hand and drop one piece.

"Haha, you old man, you just take carrots and don't worry, now you have offended Xiaochan. If your words get out in the Su family, I will be the one who suffers."

The old man also laughed: "Haha, I made a mistake. I'd like to teach Miss Xiao Chan that I didn't mean to accuse the Su family when I said this. But talking about other people's family affairs is indeed a mistake. I'm sorry, sorry...

…”

He apologized openly to Xiao Chan. Xiao Chan was not necessarily angry, but serious. Her nervous and serious expression did not fade away until she left Ning Yi. It even seemed to be a little stronger. She lowered her head and followed Ning Yi all the way.

Behind Ning Yi, the already petite body seemed to become smaller because of the silence. Ning Yi curled his lips helplessly and turned around to comfort: "What's wrong? You're still angry."

Before she finished speaking, Xiaochan's shoulders shrank, her mouth flattened, and tears rolled out of her eyes like broken pearls.

The matter seemed to be quite serious... Ning Yi was stunned for a moment, then softened his voice: "What's going on?"

"Xiao Chan..." the little girl choked and raised her head to look at him, "Although Xiao Chan is a little maid who doesn't understand anything, she won't gossip about such things. Uncle, if you say so,

If it spreads, it means Xiaochan, Xiaochan... is not responsible..."

Xiaochan shrugged her shoulders and choked even more. Ning Yi looked at her for a long time. He originally thought that the little girl was depressed because of what the old man said all the way. Who knew that she felt aggrieved because of her own joke, and then she couldn't help laughing.

Make a sound.
To be continued...