It was a rare family reunion, and it was the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, so everyone should have been happy, but the Guo family had repeated disputes over Guo Hongxuan's future.
At noon that day, the autumn sun was warm, the windows were half open, and a trusted old servant was guarding the door. The other servants did not dare to approach the main room.
Inside the room, Wang, wearing a crimson headband, sat on a low couch. Guo Honglei and his wife sat next to the elders, and across from them was Guo Hongzhe.
And Guo Laosi was kneeling on the ground, begging for approval from his elders.
"Abandon literature and pursue business?"
"Confused!"
"You are such an ungrateful and rebellious son, so willful and foolish!"
Wang, now a white-haired woman, was filled with deep disappointment. She bitterly rebuked him, "Any family of any standing would have no future unless they engaged in commerce. Otherwise, what elder wouldn't urge their children to study and make progress? What elder would encourage their children to engage in commerce? Moreover, our Guo family has a renowned ancestor, the Marquis of Jingyang, whose title has been passed down through generations, truly a 'noble' position. And you, the son of a marquis, are actually planning to abandon literature and pursue commerce? You are truly foolish!"
Guo Hongxuan knelt, looking up at his mother, his cheeks flushed from the slap marks. With a rare firmness, he explained earnestly, "Mother, please calm down. I'm a low achiever. I'm not cut out for academics. I'm destined to never pass the imperial examinations and bring honor to our family. I'm sorry to disappoint you, and I'm willing to accept any punishment. To be honest, I've had the idea of going into business since I was a farmer in Changping. However, I've been a fugitive and restricted by the government. Ever since I was pardoned, I've been secretly considering it, always worried about your anger and my family's disapproval. I hesitated and waited until now to make it clear." He solemnly stated:
"Alas, I know my own limitations. I knew I wouldn't achieve anything by studying, but I hesitated, wasting my time and regretting it all. So, after careful consideration, I decided to go into business, and I've already decided to try my hand at textiles first—"
"Nonsense!"
Wang slammed the table, interrupting her youngest son. Gnashing her teeth in anger, she sternly warned, "I absolutely do not approve of you going into business! You must continue to study hard. Even if you don't pass the imperial examination, it doesn't matter. Our family will find a way to help you find a future. A stable and leisurely career as a minor official is a hundred times better than toiling in business." She glanced at the younger generation, "What do you say? Yes?"
The elderly elder was furious, who would dare to provoke her further?
Jiang Yushu nodded, but said nothing. After all, her mother-in-law had a point: the different social classes of scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans had different statuses. Even the richest men wouldn't dare offend even a minor official. She was also a mother, and empathizing with her children, she also wanted a peaceful and leisurely life.
Guo Honglei nodded, and Guo Hongzhe advised, "Mother is right. Fourth brother, our family is doing this for your own good. The idea of abandoning literature and pursuing business is totally inappropriate."
"Rebellious son, do you hear that? That's not right!"
Wang was furious and pointed at the door. "You evil creature, get back to your study right now and study hard. Don't make any excuses to slack off. Otherwise, don't blame me for using the family rules to teach you a lesson!"
Guo Hongxuan remained motionless, pleading with a bitter face, "Mother, please don't force your son to study. I wasn't born to be an official. If you continue to force me, don't blame me for getting impatient and tearing down the study."
Wang was so angry that she almost fell over. "What did you say? You bastard, say it again?"
"Mom, I've really thought it through. I'm particularly interested in business. If I can't achieve what I want in this life, it would be a waste of my life."
"Rebellious son, rebellious son—" Wang gritted her teeth, almost speechless with anger. "Don't you feel ashamed and don't care about the family reputation? You refuse to follow the bright path and insist on doing business. How will relatives and friends view the Guo family?"
"I am an unfilial son, and I have brought disappointment and shame to my mother. Even if I am beaten to death by you, I deserve it. Well, if I am not beaten to death, I still beg mother to allow my son to try again."
"Don't even think about it! Unless your mother dies, you must stay at home."
Jiang Yushu patiently advised, "Old Madam, calm down and take care of yourself. Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival, and it's a rare opportunity for the whole family to be together. We should discuss this properly."
"Alas!" Wang was furious, but she ultimately loved her youngest son, so she compromised and said, "Forget it. You don't want to study for the time being? You can take a break for two years and focus on finding a marriage. We can then make plans in the long run. You're the only one of your generation who hasn't married yet. You're not anxious, but I am."
Guo Honglei glanced at his brother, looking thoughtful. He said slowly, "That's one solution. Maybe in two years, Fourth Brother will change his mind."
I don't think so. Jiang Yushu looked calm. Due to her mother-in-law's advanced age, she couldn't speak directly to her mother-in-law.
"Is it because I've been studying too hard lately? Listen to mother's advice and take a break." Guo Hongzhe had studied diligently since childhood, even finding time to work hard during his exile on the farm, and successfully passed the imperial examination. In recent years, facing his stepmother's eagerness for success and his younger brother's repeated failures, he has repeatedly felt an indescribable sense of embarrassment. He speaks with great care, fearing that his words would mislead his stepmother into thinking that the illegitimate son is showing off his achievements.
"I'm not—"
Guo Hongxuan paused, sighed with a wry smile, and answered frankly, "Indeed, I'm extremely tired, both physically and mentally. I'm completely fed up with books, and I have no interest in officialdom. You should know my personality. I'm naturally lazy and hate the constraints of rules. I'm not suited to being an official at all."
Jiang Yushu offered frank advice, "Without rules, there's no order. Among the 360 professions, which one doesn't have rules? Rules are actually a good thing; they allow everyone to act accordingly. Hongxuan, you're tired of studying and don't want to be an official. Are you carefully choosing business? Or are you trying to escape and become a businessman? With all due respect, if it's the latter, you'll probably tire of business sooner or later. With such indecision and lack of determination, you'll likely constantly regret 'wasting your time.'"
"Thank you for your advice, sister-in-law. I have carefully considered giving up literature and pursuing business. This is definitely not a whim!"
Jiang Yushu smiled slightly and kindly reminded: "A person's life is neither short nor long. It concerns the future. As the saying goes, 'Men are afraid of choosing the wrong career'. You must be careful——"
Wang interrupted her second daughter-in-law, angrily saying, "No need to argue with this jerk. Anyway, my family doesn't agree!" She pointed her index finger at her youngest son fiercely, "You'd better give up the idea of abandoning literature and pursuing business. Without your mother's permission, you are not allowed to go out before the New Year. Stay home and reflect on yourself and prepare for your marriage."
"Mom..." Guo Hongxuan scratched his head in distress and sighed helplessly.
Preparing for a marriage?
Jiang Yushu was stunned and asked in surprise, "Preparations? Do you already have an idea about Fourth Brother's marriage? I wonder which girl he has chosen?"
"Don't know? Well, you're the magistrate, a very busy man. How can you have time to take care of household affairs?"
Wang was furious with her youngest son, and she took her anger out on her daughter-in-law, saying with a sullen face, "My three brothers are all married, my eldest nephew is already in his teens, and Yingru is pregnant, yet Hongxuan is still all alone. How pitiful! Qiaozhen is gone, so the second sister-in-law is the eldest sister-in-law. And as the 'eldest sister-in-law', you don't care about Hongxuan's marriage at all and don't even ask!"
The mother-in-law took her anger out on her daughter-in-law. The three Guo brothers were stunned and looked at each other.
Guo Honglei frowned immediately. "What? Although Yushu is busy with official duties, she has always tried her best to care for her family. If she really 'turned a blind eye', the fourth child would have impulsively joined the army long ago."
"Hmph, you only know how to protect your wife!" Wang's face looked ugly and she was very annoyed. She secretly scolded her second son countless times for "getting married and forgetting your mother".
"My son is just telling the truth."
That's strange, why are you blaming me?
My brother-in-law, who is only two years younger than me, is playful, keeps a courtesan, and has an illegitimate child. This has prevented him from marrying a good girl of equal status. Can I blame him? Being publicly criticized by her mother-in-law, Jiang Yushu was furious and aggrieved, and she almost blurted out a retort.
But then she thought: she was really busy and couldn't spare time. She could only go home a few times a year. The children lived with their grandmother, and were usually cared for by her grandmother, uncle and aunt. She neglected housework and had no time to spend with the children, and she felt guilty.
She then calmed down in an instant and said solemnly, "Old Madam is right. Fourth brother's marriage cannot be delayed any longer. While I am at home, I will definitely provide all my assistance to help Fourth brother get married as soon as possible!"
The couple were deeply in love, so Guo Honglei couldn't forcefully contradict his mother. He stared at his brother and scolded him unhappily, "Who do you blame for your marriage problems? It's all your own fault. You openly consorted with prostitutes and even had an illegitimate child. Who from a suitable family would dare to marry their daughter to you? You've made your mother so unhappy on the eve of Mid-Autumn Festival. How can you be so rude?" He stared at his wife and complained, "In my opinion, you shouldn't have stopped him. You should have let him join the army and let him suffer!"
"What?"
It was the first time that her husband complained to her. Jiang Yushu was stunned, but then she understood and echoed him, "Alas, I can't help but stop him."
"Yes, we must stop him!" Wang came back to her senses and pointed at her second son with her index finger, saying nervously, "Xuan'er has been spoiled since he was a child. How can he withstand the hardships of the military camp? Honglei, don't encourage your brother. Yushu, if it happens again, you have to stop him again. If he refuses to listen, tie him up. Do you understand?"
Jiang Yushu sighed, "I understand. I knew you wouldn't agree, so I stopped him."
"Okay, okay, you should stop it!"
"In fact, my sister-in-law has always been concerned about my studies and that of my fourth brother." Guo Hongzhe plucked up the courage to speak a fair word for his second sister-in-law.
Wang glanced at the illegitimate son and said nothing.
Guo Hongzhe was weak and shy, and when he was glanced at, he subconsciously lowered his head. After all, he was not a biological child, and he was always afraid of his stepmother in his bones, and could never be close to her.
"I'm wrong, and the fault is mine alone." Guo Hongxuan wiped his face, not wanting to cause his sister-in-law to be scolded. He blamed himself and said, "Third brother is right. My sister-in-law often urged me to study hard, and I hired five or six teachers in succession. I am ashamed. I have failed the expectations of the whole family. I am extremely ashamed."
Guo Honglei kept a straight face and continued to complain: "You shouldn't have stopped me that day. You should have just broken Lao Si's legs and seen how he could mess up his business!"
Jiang Yushu's face tightened. "Hey, calm down. After all, we are family. We can discuss everything."
"Don't they say 'a good son is made under the stick'?" Guo Honglei said solemnly, "Since Mother firmly disapproves of Fourth Brother giving up literature for business, please use the family rules and give him a good lesson. If one beating doesn't work, give him two, until he repents."
"Second brother, you--" The younger brother was dumbfounded.
"This, this..." As the couple expected, Wang remained silent, revealing a look of heartache.
The couple looked at each other. Jiang Yushu understood what her husband meant and shook her head, saying, "Hongxuan is already in his twenties. He can understand reason and negotiate. Why bother with family rules?"
Wang breathed a sigh of relief and agreed, "Well, you can teach him a lesson, but don't go too far. Honglei, you should be more tolerant of your brother." She frowned and scolded, "You rebellious son, you evil creature! Your second brother has been suspended from his job and is worried and distressed. Not only do you fail to help him, you keep causing him trouble. You deserve a beating!"
Guo Honglei slowly took a sip of tea only after he saw his mother stop taking her anger out on his wife.
"Yes, yes." Guo Hongxuan knelt until his legs were numb, struggling to hold on, determined to give up literature and go into business. "I know I'm wrong, please punish me, mother."
"You know you're wrong? Then why don't you correct it immediately!"
For several days in a row, they argued every day. Jiang Yushu felt dizzy and couldn't help but say, "Well, everyone has their own ambitions, why not achieve it——"
"no!"
Wang raised her head and interrupted, "I absolutely disagree!" She has always been disgusted with women holding official positions and opposing women showing up in public, and the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is still not close. The mother-in-law thought and looked at her daughter-in-law suspiciously, "You don't dissuade me, but seem to agree. Are you encouraging Hongxuan to go into business?"
Oh my God, this is so unfair!
"I—" Jiang Yushu had just opened her mouth when the door to the hall was suddenly knocked. The maid respectfully called out:
"Madam?"
"What's the matter?"
The maid replied loudly: "Second Madam's brother, Master Jiang, has arrived!"
Wang drooped her eyelids and said calmly, "It's here, it's here. It's not an imperial decree, why make such a fuss?"
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