Chapter 11 The number one scholar’s father is a charlatan who always wins in gambling!
These people said Li Siyuan was their friend? And you praised Li Siyuan as a good person?
This was unbelievable to those guests who still had previous prejudices against Si Yuan or were confused by Li Si Yuan's reputation as a playboy.
What kind of person is this Mr. Li San? He is a man with a reputation as a playboy and a spendthrift!
When he was still in the Jingyuan Marquis's Mansion and it had not yet split up, he was not able to make any progress in his studies. He would spend his days using the Marquis's money and the name of the Marquis to hang out with his bad friends. All of his bad friends were playboys from various families. After the Jingyuan Marquis's Mansion was divided, it was said that the third son of the Li family frequented the casinos and almost lost all the family property he got. Although no one knew how he won back the gambling money later, no matter whether he won or lost, a person who was addicted to gambling was definitely not a good person.
Prejudice in people's hearts is as huge as a mountain, so these guests could not understand what was going on with those who were polite and respectful to Si Yuan.
As for those who were polite and respectful to Si Yuan, they never mentioned why they were impressed by Si Yuan. They just vaguely said that Mr. Li San was a good person and worth making friends with, but they didn't tell the specific reason, which made people guess all kinds of reasons.
After all, it’s enough for them to know how powerful Young Master Li San is, and the fewer people who know about it, the better. Otherwise, with too many competitors, wouldn’t it be difficult for them to show up in front of Young Master Li San?
While undercurrents were surging among the guests in the front yard, Si Yuan brought Yu Yan and Xiao Changqing to the backyard to pay a visit to Li's mother, the birthday girl.
Now, not only Si Yuan's family of three have returned to Jingyuan Earl's Mansion, but other married sisters and brothers who have separated from the family have also returned.
Si Yuan finally met the original owner's half-brother, Li Jingyuan, the father of the original male protagonist, here.
Li Jingyuan was accompanied by a beautiful and gentle woman, who was his wife, Tan. Tan was holding the hand of a little boy who looked about four or five years old. He should be Li Jingyuan and Tan's eldest son, Li Changwen, the male protagonist in the original plot.
In the original plot, Li Changwen is only a few months younger than Li Changqing. He was born when his father passed the imperial examination and entered the officialdom. When he grew up and was able to take the imperial examination, his father Li Jingyuan was already a third-rank official with a high status in the court and was his solid backing.
Si Yuan saw the male protagonist’s family of three and dug out the original owner’s memories about Li Jingyuan from his mind.
Well, that's fine, not much memory.
Because before the family split up, the original owner could only see his eldest brother who was above him. As for his half-brothers, he didn't look up to any of them. Even his half-brother Li Jingyuan, who was said to be very good at studying, he didn't take any of them seriously.
Unlike the old Earl of Jingyuan who had a long-term vision, he knew that his family only had a title but was actually in decline, with no one in charge of real power in the court. He forced his children to study hard and make progress in an attempt to pass the imperial examinations, enter the officialdom and integrate into the civil service group.
The original owner was short-sighted and thought that their family was an earl's mansion with a inherited title, and that those who passed the imperial examinations mostly served as seventh-rank officials, and it was difficult for them to be promoted for many years. They might only be fifth-rank officials when they retired, and a fifth-rank official was not qualified to enter the Earl of Jingyuan's mansion. Why should these children of earldom compete with those children of poor families for the imperial examination? Wouldn't it be easier to compete for the title at home?
But the original owner had never thought that children from poor families who passed the imperial examination would have difficulty in being appointed and promoted. However, if children from the Earl's Mansion passed the imperial examination and had the Earl's Mansion's connections and resources to help them behind the scenes, how much easier would it be for them to rise to the top?
The original owner didn't like studying before. At most, he saw that the old Earl Jingyuan liked his children to study, so he pretended to please his father. He had no hope of passing the imperial examination.
The original owner was too lazy to even feel jealous of Li Jingyuan, his half-brother who was good at studying. He was only focused on his eldest brother who would inherit the title, and his mind was filled with the thought, "If there is no eldest brother, then I, the legitimate son, will inherit the title."
Fortunately, although the original owner was jealous of Li Chengyuan, he never dared to show it. This was thanks to the fact that old Earl Jingyuan had established Li Chengyuan's status as heir early on, letting the original owner know that if he showed any desire for the title, his father would definitely be the first to deal with him.
Si Yuan wanted to see the original owner's attitude towards Li Jingyuan in the past, so that he could decide how to treat Li Jingyuan in the future. Unexpectedly, he found many of the original owner's stupid memories of his youth.
To sum up the original owner's character, he has the intention of stealing but not the courage to do so, is jealous but has no ambition, can only complain about everything in a dark way, and never thinks about how to change his fate.
It's no wonder that Li Changqing has become a cannon fodder as he has such a father who holds him back. Even if he wants to make progress, he will still feel that his talent is not recognized.
All kinds of thoughts were turning over in Si Yuan's mind. With a cynical smile on his face, he first led his wife and children to wish the birthday girl, Li's mother, a happy birthday: "I wish mother good fortune as vast as the East Sea and a long life as great as the Southern Mountains!"
Then he turned his attention to Li Jingyuan's family, especially the original male protagonist Li Changwen, who was about the same age as Xiao Changqing.
Si Yuan smiled and said to Li Jingyuan, "These two children are about the same age, why not let them play by themselves? Little Changqing has grown up without a playmate of the same age, and they happen to be our brothers, so we can play together."
Li Jingyuan looked at Si Yuan in surprise, wondering why his legitimate brother, who had always looked down on illegitimate sons like them, became polite to him?
However, he had no objection to letting his son play with Li Siyuan's son. After all, they would not play together every day for a long time, so he was not afraid that his son would be led astray. It was not worth it to reject Li Siyuan for such a small matter and let his stepmother have a bad impression of him. After all, his next transfer would still require the support of his eldest brother.
So Li Jingyuan politely smiled and nodded to Si Yuan, saying, "Third brother is right." He lowered his head slightly and looked at his son Li Changwen standing beside him, "Changwen, go play with your brother Changqing, but don't run too far, you can only play in the yard."
It was also the first time for Li Changwen to have a playmate of the same age. He was looking curiously at Xiao Changqing beside Yu Yan. When he heard his father's words, he looked up at his mother again.
Tan smiled at him tenderly and gently pushed his back: "Go."
Then Li Changwen walked towards Xiao Changqing.
When little Changqing saw Li Changwen coming towards him, he immediately let go of Yu Yan's hand and walked towards Li Changwen: "Mom, Dad, I'm going out to play with this little brother!"
Si Yuan smiled at him lovingly and said, "Go ahead, but don't play so much that you forget the time."
"I know, Dad!" Little Changqing excitedly pulled Li Changwen out.
At this moment, everyone in the room looked at Si Yuan in shock, because Xiao Changqing actually addressed him and Yu Yan as 'Dad and Mom'.
In wealthy families, as long as the rules are strict, the children in the family will respectfully call their parents "father" and "mother".
Although the terms "father" and "mother" are affectionate, they are not proper in the eyes of these nobles. Only those unruly families would educate their children in this way.
That's why the others were so surprised by the name Xiao Changqing.
Mother Li also frowned slightly and advised Si Yuan: "Changqing is a smart child. You should teach him well. Just like the way he calls you..."
Si Yuan interrupted Mother Li and said calmly, "My wife and I both like Xiao Changqing to call us that. Calling us father and mother is more intimate. I don't want my son to call me father respectfully and distantly, just like a subordinate to a superior, without any father-son affection. So, mother, don't worry about these little things in our family. Today you are the birthday star, just wait for everyone to come and wish you a happy birthday."
Mother Li was stunned for a moment. As she got older, she became much softer-hearted. Hearing Si Yuan's distant "mother" addressing her, and comparing it with the affectionate "mother" that Xiao Changqing had addressed to Yu Yan just now, the feeling of closeness and distance was indeed clear.
Mother Li was stunned and speechless and could only sigh slightly.
Mother Li was filled with emotion, and the other married women with children in the room also fell into deep thought. Only Li Jingyuan was still thinking indifferently: Li Siyuan is still so willful and reckless. He always used the rules of legitimate and illegitimate children to talk about it, and looked down on them. Now he is so undisciplined in disciplining the children. It turns out that he has become undisciplined after becoming a white person after the separation of the family. I must learn from this...
Li Jingyuan thought about how his third brother, who was always proud of his legitimate birth, was still a commoner, while he was already an official. He couldn't help but feel that he, a bastard, was superior to his third brother, the legitimate son. He couldn't help but say to Si Yuan in a tone that seemed to be admonishing but was actually boasting: "Third brother, although you have already separated from the family, you are still a child of the Earl's Mansion after all. You still have to respect the rules. The child is still young and you can't mislead him..."
Si Yuan rolled his eyes impatiently: "What does how I educate my children have to do with you? Mind your own business!" He directly implemented the original owner's personality and did not give Li Jingyuan any face at all, as if he was still the bastard who was not taken seriously by Li Siyuan in the Earl's Mansion.
Li Jingyuan immediately stopped talking with an ugly expression, took a deep breath, and said with a heavy heart: "I overstepped my bounds, please don't take it as an offense, Third Brother."
Si Yuan snorted coldly and ignored him completely.
At this time, Xiao Changqing had already run to the small garden outside with Li Changwen. Xiao Changqing asked Li Changwen, "What do you want to play?"
Li Changwen looked at Xiao Changqing blankly, confused. What are you playing? Is it okay to play poetry recitation?
Li Changwen, who was taught by his parents to study hard and not to play too much, had no idea how to play.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Xiao Changqing sighed in a mature manner, "You are so pitiful. You can't even play. Let me teach you."
Then he pulled Li Changwen to play the little games that Si Yuan had taught him.
Si Yuan, who was sitting in the house, heard the system’s announcement: [The task progress bar is moving! 】
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