Three old men came into the yard. As soon as they reached the living room, Old Man Fang shouted, "Old Lin, where did you rob? There are so many things? Hey, don't clean them up yet! Let me see, okay, it's all meat, this is wild boar meat, just right for stewing and drinking with us."
Seeing Lin Lishan greeting them, he looked at her with a smile and said, "Are you happy this time? You are a blessed child, and this great blessing is yet to come."
Lin Lishan nodded with a smile on her face. "Uncle Fang, if you are free today, please come over. Come and sit down. Xiaofei is back, right? My son-in-law asked me to bring him some local specialties."
"What's the matter? Your son-in-law knows Xiaofei? Where are they from?" Mr. Jiang asked curiously.
Old Master Fang smiled mysteriously, "You two don't know why Old Man Lin wants us to come over, right? You'll know soon. Xiaofei has become brothers with Zhou Xiaozheng's son-in-law, how about that?" After saying that, he raised his eyebrows proudly.
Old Master Cheng watched them converse and smiled. He was Old Lin's old partner, now the second-in-command of the XX Military Region. He knew the Lin family's affairs better than anyone else. He'd probably come back from Northeast China with promising results, and he wanted to brag about it. It was understandable. Ever since the eldest son and his son-in-law got into trouble, the Lin family had been left without a successor. Now, not only had the children returned, but even their granddaughter had sent them a large and small package of local specialties to forgive them. They must have been overjoyed.
Old Master Cheng, Cheng Lixun, was born into a prestigious family in Jiangnan. Many talented people have come from the family, and they are now also very influential in the political arena, but they believe in the doctrine of the mean.
He is always low-key and steady in everything he does. His two sons are outstanding talents. Now they are both lieutenant colonels at a young age. His grandsons are all capable and have bright futures. His only daughter is married to the son of a good friend and lives a happy life.
The origins of Mrs. Liu Qinglian, the Cheng family's elderly wife, are shrouded in mystery. Rumor has it she was adopted by a wealthy family and had no close ties to her parents. In her early years, she worked on confidential matters, raising concerns about her. When she reached marriageable age, she married Cheng Lixun, and their relationship remained profound. After liberation, she retired early to care for the younger generation. Gentle and gentle, she never engaged in arguments. Within the compound, she was known as a living bodhisattva.
Old Cheng sat on a chair, holding a teacup, and would often look at the faces of those present, whether he had something to do or not. He smiled knowingly when he saw Old Lin talking about his trip to the Northeast to see his granddaughter.
Watching my old friend gesturing like a child with a flushed face, I was secretly happy for him. As an elder, the greatest hope is that his descendants will become successful. Having such a smart granddaughter is a great blessing in life.
Listening to Old Man Fang joking on the side, he found it even more funny. No wonder Old Lin was in such a good mood today when he went to the military district. The Lin family already had Zhou Xiaozheng, and now there is a third generation of talents. It is really a happy family.
But, alas, he still thought positively. No matter what, the two children were broad-minded. It was true that they were related to the Lin family by blood, so they could be considered a support for the Lin family. Just like Zhou Xiaozheng, he had never been close to the Lin family, but he always carried the identity of the Lin family.
Less than an hour later, the nanny brought the food and wine, and all the female family members left the living room and went to Lin Lishan's bedroom to see the furs she brought back, and to listen to her words about the young couple.
Old Master Lin happily poured the wine. After a moment's thought, he ran back into the inner room and pulled out a bottle of tiger bone wine he had collected. He opened the lid of the iron box, fanned the bottle with his hand, and looked at them proudly. "It smells good, right? This is the tiger bone wine my grandson-in-law asked me for. It's just this small bottle. I guess it's very rare, otherwise he wouldn't appreciate it."
Mr. Jiang was not happy with this and slammed his hand on the table. "Okay, you waited until now to bring it out. Are you planning to drink it secretly? Everyone who sees it gets a share. Let me try it now."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Lin's face was filled with regret. He sighed and waved his hand, "Forget it, forget it. I'm just trying it. This wine has a strong medicinal smell. Be careful."
Everyone burst into laughter immediately, poured a small cup of wine, and tasted it. Several old men praised it highly. They were too old to drink it anymore because it contained not only tiger bones but also several kinds of medicinal flavors.
"This wine is at least eighty years old, if not a hundred years old, and it's soaked with at least three kinds of precious medicinal herbs. Keep it well, Old Lin. Once you drink it, you won't be able to drink it again in the future. It's probably someone's family heirloom." Old Cheng picked up the iron box, smelled it, carefully closed the lid and handed it to him.
"Haha, I knew it was rare, otherwise Xiaowu wouldn't have asked her mother to bring me such a small amount. He found the wolf king's fur and brought it to me. He's a very observant child. Seeing me touching my knees so often, he knew I had rheumatism. He shamelessly went to the old hunter and snatched it away."
Old Jiang looked at them enviously. "You're enjoying the blessing of grandchildren ahead of time. I wonder what kind of men Xueli and her sister will find in the future. Old Lin, we are in-laws, so let me be frank. When do you plan to bring my granddaughter home? Her sister even has a child. Isn't it time for them to find a partner too? You have to keep an eye on them and don't let them marry so far away."
"It all depends on what the second elder couple thinks. We're all old now, and we really can't make a decision. How about I ask the sisters to come back, and you find someone to look after them? Look, I know you're shaking your head. You also know that these children don't listen to us elders anymore."
That's why I say our Jiaojiao is truly exceptional. Standing there, she exudes a scholarly air, quiet and generous. She's intelligent, and likes to keep her father's personality low-key, hiding everything from others. At three, she knew the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, embroidered, and practiced medicine. She speaks to me with respect and is always polite and courteous to her elders. She's what everyone calls a "lady of noble birth."
No one taught her, she just learned on her own. She spoke softly to her mother and acted with great generosity. "Old Jiang, it's not that I dislike my granddaughter, it's just that there's no comparison. I want the children to come back and spend more time with Jiaojiao. Even if they learn a little of Jiaojiao's skills, it will be enough for them to benefit for the rest of their lives. But Jiaojiao and her husband won't come back. They say that they can only walk steadily on their own. Like Zhou Xiaozheng, they are full of arrogance in their bones." After saying this, Grandpa Lin shook his head.
Old Fang sneered and pointed at him, "You're just not satisfied. Just having an outstanding granddaughter is enough. You expect all your granddaughters to be like her, is that possible? I'm not being harsh, but it's just the way it is. Zhou Xiaozheng is low-key, right? Zhou Xiaozheng has a good brain? When Zhou Xiaozheng shows up, everyone who sees him thinks he's a farm boy. He's the exact mold of a young master from an aristocratic family. It's not surprising that his son, his daughter, would be outstanding. Isn't it said that like dragons, like phoenixes, like phoenixes, and like mice, their sons will dig holes? Besides, look at your granddaughter. Look at Old Jiang's daughter, your daughter-in-law. How can she be low-key? She's been crazy since she was little, running around the whole compound like a tomboy. And you expect her to have a quiet and gentle daughter?"
After he finished speaking, Mr. Jiang and the old man laughed out loud after hearing and thinking about it. It was really impossible.
Old Master Lin said unconvincedly, "Who told you that Zhou Xiaozheng was born into a farming family? He is a legitimate Beijing native, from the Zhou family."
"Oh, you're arguing with me. I'm just giving you an example. For example, you know? You said Zhou Xiaozheng was from the Zhou family, but I still thought he wasn't their biological child. But I heard from Xiaofei that the Zhou family abused Zhou Xiaozheng's daughter. If she was their biological child, why would the second branch of the family be so willing to kill her only child?"
Old Master Lin laughed heartily. "You're accusing me of being argumentative, aren't you? Don't tell me, it's really possible they're not biological children. Zhou Xiaozheng doesn't look at all like that old couple. People even believe he's my wife's son. If you look closely, he really does look like my wife. Haha, our Jiaojiao looks like her grandmother, but if you look closely, she looks like her father. Doesn't her father look like her grandmother too?"
The speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously. Old Cheng's eyebrows jumped when he heard this, and he pretended to be nonchalant and asked, "Wasn't the entire Zhou family in Beijing wiped out by the Japanese during the Eight-Nation Alliance? Are there any members left?"
Old Master Lin casually said, "At that time, Zhou Xiaozheng's father was rescued by the Boxers and joined the army. After several twists and turns, he joined our team. Later, he retired and returned to his hometown in Northeast China with his two sons, a daughter, and his wife."
"No wonder Zhou Xiaozheng joined the army later. He inherited his father's business. The relationship between father and son should be very good. Is it because the old man is partial to the eldest son or what? There must be an explanation." Old Cheng said nonchalantly, holding the wine glass tightly in his hand, glancing at Old Man Lin out of the corner of his eye for fear of missing a word.
"That fool is a fool. He doesn't love his youngest son and abuses his granddaughter. He must be regretting it now. His eldest son is not even a hair's breadth away from Zhou Xiaozheng. Don't you think this old man is stupid? Logically, he should be overjoyed to have another son after fifteen years. This eldest son is handsome and smart, but he forced Zhou Xiaozheng to escape and join the army.
My daughter Jiaojiao likes to think about things in her heart, but he said she is dull. I have never seen such a fool. If he were here, the Zhou family in Beijing would probably be almost ruined. Fortunately, he returned to his hometown to avoid embarrassment and bring shame to his ancestors.
Elder Cheng was silent for a moment, then said to them, "This surviving member of the Zhou family is probably the son of a concubine, or perhaps a less prominent son of one of the other branches. You don't know much about the Beijing Zhou family, but in Jiangnan, everyone who's a respectable family and loves literature knows about the Beijing Zhou family. The Beijing Zhou family everyone knows refers to the legitimate sons and grandsons of the eldest branch of the Zhou family. Before the fall of the Qing Dynasty, all members of the eldest branch of the Zhou family retired from officialdom because they couldn't stand the authorities. The Zhou family are upright and never flatter their superiors.
During the Republic of China, the eldest son of the Zhou family had two exceptionally talented sons. The eldest son was so outstanding that he was offered a chance to enter the government, but he declined, earning widespread admiration from the literati of the time. The younger son was said to have a photographic memory, composing eloquently at the age of three or five. Later, after studying abroad, he also failed to enter the government. The fiancée of the Zhou family's youngest son was the only child of the Gu family, the largest family in Jiangnan. Old Lin, your wife knows this.
Let me first say that his fiancée is a talented woman, a real talented woman, a real lady from a noble family, and also a young lady from a family with an astonishingly rich family background.
What's the point of all that talk about a talented man and beautiful woman these days? They were truly a perfect match. I still remember that year, we agreed that the two families would marry each other, but then something bad happened before the wedding even took place. First the man died, and then I don't know what happened to the woman. I heard someone took advantage of her and ran away, while others said she committed suicide for love.
Your wife and the one from the Gu family are cousins within the fifth clan. Your father-in-law's Gu family claims to be the Jiangnan Gu family, but in fact, his is not a main branch, but a concubine.
The Zhou family's youngest son's fiancée was the legitimate wife of the Gu family. They had no male offspring, no adopted children, and their relatives were either dead or missing. There was even a major upheaval in the Gu family. What was going on? Everyone was fighting over the legitimate wife's inheritance.
But in the end, except for the real estate, all the gold and valuables disappeared. Everyone was talking about whether the eldest lady was still alive and was afraid that she would come back. Later, all the real estate was sealed up and waited for her to appear and inherit. When the liquidation came a few years ago, no one showed up, so it was confiscated.
The Zhou family in the capital city is a true family of scholars, but apart from ancient books, calligraphy and paintings, they really don't have much wealth. No wonder Zhou Xiaozheng's father went to his ancestral home. Even if he wanted to return to the capital, the old house was not his.
After hearing this, Mr. Fang sighed, "What a beautiful woman with a tragic fate. She's probably no longer alive. Those were such chaotic years. Not to mention a woman."
Old Master Lin listened intently. After a moment, he said quietly, "So it's right to be low-key. Too much attention can easily lead to disaster. What a pity. This photographic memory is a true talent. Fortunately, our Jiaojiao is smart and knows how to keep it secret. When Shanshan returns to the Northeast, I'll have her remind Jiaojiao that these are lessons learned the hard way."
Cheng Lao's heart tightened, and he immediately asked him, "Does Jiaojiao also have a photographic memory?"
Old Master Lin hurriedly shook his head, then thought about it and shook his head again, then smiled and said, "I really don't know. I only know that this child knew the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic at the age of three, and could recite her grandmother Huang's family prescriptions at the age of five. Before she was ten, she had exhausted all of her grandmother's unique skills. Even if I had some doubts, I didn't ask. It would be useless to ask, because the child wouldn't tell me even if she knew."
"That child is really outstanding. Please let her come over and let us see her."
"Haha, the child has to grow up at least three months before he can go out. There's no time to rush. I tell you, don't set your sights on my granddaughter. She just wants to live a peaceful life." After Grandpa Lin finished speaking, he looked at him warily.
Old Cheng laughed heartily and said to Old Jiang and Old Fang, "Look at him. Don't even think about his granddaughter. She's already married, so why would I force her to marry my grandson? Why would I force her to join the army? Her mother is in charge of the art troupe, what could she possibly think? The lights have gone out, I'm leaving, what about you?"
Seeing that they left as soon as they said they would, Mr. Lin quickly called Lin Lishan over and said, "Pack three copies and send them over first."
After saying that, he glared at them and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? You have to finish this wine."
Old Fang picked up the wine glass and drank it in one gulp with a smile. Seeing that the three of them were about to go back, Old Master Lin did not keep them any longer. He personally saw them out, watched them enter his yard, and waited for Lin Lishan at the door.
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