Chapter 147 Old Friends Reunion Old Friends Reunion
"Although benevolence loves all, it should be aware of the distinctions between high and low, and between close and distant. A sincere heart responds to all things and tolerates no falsehood. True nature is inherent in everything..."
While reading, Su Lanzhang couldn't help but look up at his brother's expression. He saw Su Fengzhang sitting on a recliner with a leisurely look on his face. But Su Lanzhang knew that as long as he made a mistake, his brother would find out immediately.
"Read a book, why are you looking at me?" Su Fengzhang raised his eyelids and glanced at him.
Su Lanzhang's face suddenly turned bitter, and he said pitifully, "Brother, I've been studying all morning. Can I take a break?"
Su Fengzhang seemed cold and ruthless this time. He snorted coldly, "No."
"Second brother~" Su Lanzhang was very good at acting coquettishly, and her voice was drawn out.
Su Fengzhang stood up, raised his hand and gave him a chestnut, cursing, "Don't try that on me, I won't eat your brother."
Su Lanzhang's face was wrinkled and she looked so sad that others thought she had suffered a lot of injustice.
Su Fengzhang sneered, "I was too busy to pay attention to you these days. If I hadn't asked your teacher yesterday, I wouldn't have known you were so bold. Not only are you not paying attention in class, but you even dared to sneak out to play."
After Su Lanzhang came to Beijing, Su Fengzhang found a private school for him to continue his studies. Although it was not a well-known academy, the one who taught them was an old Jinshi who was born in the same year as him.
He was usually very busy with official duties, leaving home early and returning late, so it was inevitable that he neglected his younger brother. He only asked about him every few days, and seeing that his knowledge had not fallen behind, he did not take it to heart.
Until this time when he was injured, the Hanlin Academy generously gave him half a month's leave to recuperate. Su Fengzhang took Su Lanzhang to visit that gentleman, only to find out that this kid had actually learned the trick of pretending to obey but actually disobeying.
"You don't want to study, right? Stretch out your hand." Su Fengzhang shouted coldly.
Su Lanzhang's face became even more bitter. He had to stretch out his hand because of his tyranny. Su Fengzhang was usually very kind to his sister-in-law and seldom spoke harshly to her, but this time he slapped his palm without any mercy.
After being hit on the palm several times, Su Lanzhang begged for mercy in pain: "Second brother, please forgive me, I won't dare to do it again, mother, aunt, please come and save me, second brother, I really won't dare to do it again!"
Hearing the noise outside, Su Zhaoshi also became a little worried and couldn't help but shouting, "Erlang, don't hurt Sanlang."
On the other hand, Aunt Bai was quite disappointed with him and scolded him, "He should be severely beaten. The capital is such a good place. That teacher is even a Jinshi. He is so good, but he doesn't study hard and just wants to play all day. His heart has become wild. He won't change his mind unless he is severely beaten."
When Su Lanzhang heard her mother's cry, she knew that there was no way to ask for help, so she had to endure the beating obediently.
Su Fengzhang didn't really want to do anything to him. He stopped after hitting him a dozen times and asked, "Does it hurt?"
Su Lanzhang looked at the palm of her hand, which even had some bloodstains on it, and cried out with a sad face, "It hurts."
Su Fengzhang sneered, "It's good that you feel the pain. Lan Zhang, remember this pain. If I find you again, it won't be as simple as a slap on the palm of your hand."
"I understand." Su Lanzhang sniffed and said.
Su Fengzhang sighed, stroked his hair again and said, "Lan Zhang, it's fine if you like to play with my second brother, but you can't let it interfere with your studies. Remember?"
Su Lanzhang also knew that he was extremely wrong this time, and said hesitantly: "Second brother, I will remember it."
Su Fengzhang then said, "Okay, take a rest for a while, let Auntie treat your wound, and continue studying in the afternoon."
Su Lanzhang walked into the house with a bitter face. Aunt Bai felt distressed when she saw his swollen palms, but no matter how distressed she was, she always wanted her son to be successful. Seeing that Su Fengzhang was strict with his younger brother, she was only happy and supported him more than Su Zhaoshi.
Su Fengzhang sighed as he looked at his brother's listless back, then turned to look at Su Huihui beside him: "What's wrong? Are you scared?"
Su Huihui shook her head and said, "I know that my second brother is worried that my third brother will be led astray. He beats him for his own good."
Su Fengzhang couldn't help but laugh and said, "Hey, if Lan Zhang was as obedient as Huihui, Second Brother would have less worries."
"Have you read all the books I taught you last time? If you don't understand something, just ask me."
Su Huihui hesitated to speak, and finally said with some disappointment: "Second brother, I am a girl, and there is no way I can take the imperial examination in the future. What's the point of reading so many books?"
This doesn't sound like something Su Huihui would say. From childhood to adulthood, she has always loved reading more than her twin brother.
Su Fengzhang knew without asking that it must be Aunt Bai's words. He didn't refute them, but simply said, "Yes, Huihui certainly won't be able to become the top scholar in the future, but studying is for wisdom and enlightenment. As a human being, you can't just live your life in a muddle, don't you think?"
Su Huihui looked up at Su Fengzhang and said, "Second brother, they all say that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent."
Su Fengzhang said, "The person who said this probably fears that a woman who is too outstanding will make the men in the family look incompetent."
Su Huihui couldn't help but smile after hearing this: "Just like Third Brother, every time he can't beat me, he just acts like a fool."
Su Fengzhang felt a little sorry for her. Even though he treated his two younger siblings equally, the current social situation was like this. Su Huihui was a girl, which meant that he was destined to be unable to take the imperial examination and enter the court. After he got married and had children in the future, he might not even have the freedom to go out.
He tried his best to be nice to the women in his family and encouraged them to go out, but he could not guarantee that Su Huihui's future husband would have the same idea, nor could he change the opinions of those around him.
Su Huihui seemed to see through Su Fengzhang's worries. She reached out and hugged his arm, smiled and said, "Second brother, I'm very happy that I can read every day."
It would be great if all the men in the world were like the second brother. Su Huihui is still young, but she knows that compared to the second brother, most men in the world are like the third brother, and perhaps some are like her deceased father and eldest brother.
With her eyes rolling around, Su Huihui whispered again, "Second brother, mother and aunt have been discussing your marriage these days. I heard it all. Maybe in a while, I will have another sister-in-law."
Su Fengzhang was not surprised to hear this. In a few months he would be twenty years old and could be crowned an old man. In fact, if his father had not died early, he should have been crowned an old man a few days ago.
In ancient times, it was actually too late for him to get married and have children at his age. It was not surprising that Su Zhao was in a hurry to arrange a marriage for him. After all, it would take at least a year to arrange a marriage after three matchmakers and six engagements.
It’s just that Su Fengzhang doesn’t have a crush on anyone. He occasionally fantasizes about spending his life with someone, but he really can’t imagine what kind of person that person will be. Will a woman living under the Da Zhou system understand him?
As the two were talking, there was a knock on the door of the small house. Su Arong went to open the door and shouted in surprise, "Master Gu?"
"Beichen? Why are you here?" Su Fengzhang was also surprised to see the person coming, and hurriedly welcomed him in.
Gu Beichen looked exhausted, but when he saw Su Fengzhang, he laughed out loud and said, "How is it? Are you surprised?"
"It's more than a surprise. Why didn't you tell me that you were coming to the capital so that I could pick you up?" Su Fengzhang also smiled.
It had been over a year since the two had seen each other, but as soon as they met they spoke casually and immediately became closer.
Seeing that he was as friendly as ever to him, Gu Beichen felt relieved and said with a smile, "I was originally going north on business, but I heard about you on the way back, so I came to see you."
Su Huihui had already prepared some tea and snacks. Gu Beichen smiled when he saw her and said, "Huihui has grown up."
"Here, this is a little gadget I brought back from the north. Play with it."
It was said to be a small item, but it was actually a piece of colored jade of extremely fine quality. Su Huihui took a look at Su Fengzhang before accepting it. She then turned around and went out to prepare the meal.
Su Fengzhang asked about the Gu family's business again. Gu Beichen just said that everything was fine. He looked at him and asked, "Everything is fine at the Gu family. But how did you get injured? Don't you work in the Hanlin Academy?"
Su Fengzhang then talked about what happened a few days ago. There was nothing to hide because it was an assassination in the street. The news was now spreading all over the capital and could not be stopped.
Gu Beichen frowned upon hearing this and whispered, "No wonder they searched the city so thoroughly when we entered. I thought it was the same everywhere in the capital, but it turns out it was because of this incident."
Su Fengzhang nodded and said, "It is precisely because of this incident that the curfew in the capital was extremely strict after the Lantern Festival, and more than one or two people were arrested."
Gu Beichen also took a breath and frowned, "Is this matter related to the Xu family?"
Su Fengzhang frowned slightly and asked, "Is the Gu family's business related to the Xu family?"
Gu Beichen shook his head and said, "The Xu family is well-connected, and the Gu family has some reputation in Hushan County. Leaving Hushan County is nothing. Even if the Gu family is willing to cling to them, the Xu family won't be willing to do so."
Su Fengzhang then reminded: "This is the best."
"The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince are at loggerheads, their rivalry becoming increasingly intense. This time, someone was killed. I'm afraid this won't end well."
"The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince may not be in any danger, but the same cannot be said for their subordinates."
Gu Beichen's face was solemn as he asked, "What about you?"
Su Fengzhang sighed and said, "I won't be involved for now, but I'm not sure about that in the future."
The court is full of uncertainties, and even Su Fengzhang is not sure when he will be implicated.
Upon hearing this, Gu Beichen couldn't help but worry about him, but in the end he smiled and said, "It's useless to worry about the future now. I haven't congratulated you on being the top scorer in the imperial examination and entering the Hanlin Academy yet."
"I accept your congratulations. How many days will you stay in the capital this time? I happen to be on vacation, so if you are free, we can get together longer." Su Fengzhang asked with a smile.
"At most ten days, then we have to rush to Qingzhou." Gu Beichen said with a smile, "I'm not familiar with the capital, so naturally I have to rely on you."
Su Fengzhang also laughed and said, "Go ahead."
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The author has something to say: Regarding Jinjiang’s magical operation, Brother Sheng only wants to say one thing
Everyone, collect it quickly, otherwise you will lose me~
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