Chapter 253 Reunion
Jinshu pouted and said resentfully, "If I keep doing this, I'll die before my grandparents. I'll never have an easy day."
Meng Qing choked, stared at Jinshu for a few seconds, and then said nothing more.
Jinshu looked up at her and found that she had turned her head to look out the window, looking as hard as iron. He immediately gave up the idea of begging her to let him leave and focused on figuring out how to escape back to Wu County.
The carriage cut through the hustle and bustle, speeding up through the increasingly thick night fog, and finally stopped outside a mansion as the curfew drum sounded. After only a few moments, the carriage drove through the vermilion lacquered gate.
"It's my mother who's back." Wang Zhou's voice came from the front yard. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to the head guard who was driving the carriage. "Head Guard Zhao, it's been years since we last met. You've grown even stronger. A feast has been prepared at home. You and your uncles and brothers should go with the steward to eat meat and drink wine. If there's anything you're lacking, just let the steward know. Over the years, you've accompanied my third uncle on his travels, protecting him with utmost care. Our whole family is deeply grateful."
"Young Master, you are too kind. It is our duty." Chief Zhao returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute, then led the guards who were leading the horses to the stable with the steward to store the horses.
Wangchuan, Ximei, and Wangshan arrived at the front yard one after another.
Once the pleasantries outside had subsided, Jinshu opened the carriage door and jumped down. The courtyard was brightly lit. He quickly glanced at the people of all ages standing on the other side of the carriage, each dressed in brocade robes and exuding an extraordinary air.
"Is this my eldest cousin?" Wang Zhou leaned over to help his mother, who was about to get out of the car, and greeted her while turning his head to the side.
"Yes." Jinshu nodded. "You're Wangzhou? I've heard my third uncle mention you often."
“Yes, I am Wang Zhou.” Wang Zhou walked to Meng Qing’s side and introduced, “These are Wang Chuan and Xi Mei. You have met them before. The youngest one is Wang Shan.”
"Big cousin," Wang Chuan called out.
Xi Mei and Wang Shan also called for help.
Jinshu said "Oh," and muttered to himself, "When did our generation start having generational names? Why didn't anyone inform me?"
“I also have a younger sister, her name is Qiaomei,” Jinshu emphasized.
"Let's go inside and talk," Meng Qing said. She went to the backyard first, and as she passed Xi Mei, she put her arm around Xi Mei's shoulder and asked, "Did you see your father? Do you still recognize him?"
"I do recognize her, but she doesn't look the same as I remember her," Ximei said.
"You've grown a beard, haven't you?" Meng Qing asked with a smile.
“My third uncle has a beard… um… he looks quite dignified,” Wang Chuan chimed in, stroking his chin as he said, “When I grow up, I’m going to grow a beard too.”
“It doesn’t look good,” Wang Shan commented. “My second uncle is the best-looking. Second brother, you shouldn’t grow a beard.”
Meng Qing laughed, "Wang Shan, this isn't the father you imagined, is it?"
"Hmm." Wangshan jumped up shyly. "I thought my dad was like my second uncle."
“Make him shave his beard later,” Meng Qing urged. “After he shaves his beard, you’ll see he does look a bit like your sister.”
"Will he agree?" Wang Shan was a little hesitant.
"If he doesn't agree, we'll pin him to the ground and shave his head," Wang Zhou encouraged him.
“I know how to shave. I’ve shaved my dad before. I’ll do it.” Wang Chuan, always eager for a good show, couldn’t wait to get started.
With two older brothers to rely on, Wang Shan said excitedly, "I'll tell you after dinner."
A few steps away, the two figures behind the Begonia Gate quickly left and stopped in the corridor. Du Li reminded them, "Your son doesn't like this beard, and it doesn't look good either. Shave it off tonight."
"He doesn't seem as quick-witted as Wang Zhou and Wang Chuan," Du Min said, somewhat dissatisfied. This didn't match the son he had imagined.
Without saying a word, Du Li kicked him.
This kick was seen by a group of people who walked in. Under everyone's gaze, Du Min calmly patted the dust off his legs and said, "Finally, I've caught a chance to clear my name. You biased people, did you all see that? Your good father and good second uncle in front of you are all an act."
Du Li: ...
Wangzhou, Wangchuan, and Ximei suddenly remembered what happened five years ago. Ximei, in particular, only remembered that her father would often say that he was biased towards her, and the distance between father and daughter suddenly narrowed.
“Dad, you really hold a grudge. You’re exactly the same as you were five years ago, not a bit different,” Ximei said.
"Look at you, you're being biased again! I wanted to seek justice, but you said I'm holding a grudge. You've wronged me!" Du Min cried out in protest.
"Why didn't anyone file a complaint at Dali Temple today?" Wang Zhou asked.
"I actually wrote a complaint, but when I was about to file a lawsuit, I remembered that your father had helped me take care of your younger brother and sister, so I swallowed my grievances." Du Min acted with a straight face.
"That was close, I almost became an ingrate." Wang Chuan said leisurely.
Du Min was no match for six hands, and he was defeated.
Meng Qing and Du Li laughed, and the children laughed happily along with them.
Du Min had been observing Wang Shan and saw that he was just like Xi Mei when she was young, his head bobbing up and down and his mouth wide open with joy whenever he saw something exciting. Du Min felt reassured. This child wasn't dull or honest; with his older brothers and sisters as role models, he would definitely be quick-witted and perceptive in the future.
"What are you talking about? It's so lively." Yin Caiwei went back inside to put on more clothes and only came out now.
“My father wronged my second uncle, calling him a hypocrite, and we are seeking justice for him,” Ximei said cheerfully.
“You have a conscience.” Yin Caiwei glanced at Du Min.
"Is this an insult calling me heartless?" Du Min retorted.
"That's roughly the idea," Yin Caiwei nodded with a smile.
"Fine, fine, you've all ganged up on me. I'm not staying at home anymore. I'll leave next month." Du Min looked at the burly figure in the crowd and said, "Jinshu, from now on, it'll just be the two of us, uncle and nephew, relying on each other."
“I’m not going with you. I’m going back to Wu County in a few days.” Jinshu waved her hands repeatedly. “I want to go home. I miss my parents and Qiaomei.”
“You can’t leave. I’m planning to add you to my personal guard and give you a nominal title with a monthly salary.” Du Min was looking to use him, so he wasn’t going to let him get away.
Jinshu wanted to firmly refuse, but seeing the magnificent mansion with its carved beams and painted rafters, and her cousins dressed in fine clothes and jade crowns, her words turned out to be: "Do personal guards have ranks? Are they officials?"
“You are an official, and your guards include generals and captains, all of whom are ninth-rank officials. As I rise higher in rank, your rank will also rise accordingly,” Du Min explained.
Jinshu fell silent and made no mention of returning to Wu County.
Du Min was satisfied with his attitude and asked, "Is the food ready? I'm hungry."
The maidservant standing by immediately replied, "Reporting to you, sir, the food is ready. I will go and serve it to you right away."
The whole family sat at the table, but Du Min's mind was not on the food. His eyes kept wandering over the children. Wang Zhou would be twenty years old in another six months, and he would no longer be able to study at the Imperial Academy next year.
"Wangzhou, are you going to take the imperial examination next year?" Du Min asked. "Studying at the Imperial Academy allows you to directly participate in the provincial examination, exempting you from the prefectural examination. Wangzhou, did you try to take the provincial examination in previous years?"
“My mother had me participate in the examination organized by the Imperial Academy last year, and I was lucky enough to pass. This spring, I took the provincial examination, and with Grandpa Yin’s help, I made it onto the list,” Wang Zhou replied, putting down his chopsticks.
"Have you been appointed to an official position?" Du Min asked in surprise. "Which ministry are you currently working in? Come to the Ministry of Works; I'm the Minister of Works."
“Your father-in-law wanted him to take up the post of proofreader, but he refused. He wanted to wait for the opportunity to participate in the imperial examination and become a disciple of the emperor, just like you,” Meng Qing replied.
“Being appointed as a proofreader won’t prevent you from taking the imperial examinations later. Although this position won’t allow you to do real work in the prefectures and counties like we do, it will allow you to serve before the emperor, which has many advantages.” Du Min also put down his chopsticks. “Why don’t you go? You’re not taking the opportunity to be appointed? What are you doing staying at home now?”
“Instead of staying at home, I followed Master Konghui as a lay Buddhist, learning feng shui from him and studying the structure and construction culture of Buddhist temples and pagodas,” Wangzhou explained. “Third Uncle, since you are the Minister of Works, let me go in as a handyman. I will assist the craftsmen in the Ministry of Works and secretly learn some skills.”
Du Min looked at Meng Qing, "Second sister-in-law, aren't you going to teach him a lesson?"
“He’s not as obedient as you are. He’s a bit stubborn. He thinks he got on the list because your father-in-law pulled some strings, and he’s unwilling to take the opportunity to be appointed to an official position from someone else,” Meng Qing explained on his behalf.
“I want to work in the Ministry of Works in the future, but with my talents, I am far from qualified. I don’t want the bridges, temples, and palaces that I supervised to build to collapse in the future. If I am dismissed, it will be my just deserts, but if it affects my family, it will be an even greater crime.” Wang Zhou explained, “Third Uncle, my mother can support me, and I hope you can understand me too.”
"You planned and built your mother's mansion, didn't you? It's quite well built, isn't it?" Du Min didn't quite agree. "Don't think of yourself as a craftsman. You'll be the supervisor in the future, not the builder."
“If the person in charge of the construction is not proficient in construction and gives orders haphazardly, it will not only delay the construction period and cause the craftsmen under his command to be punished or even lose their lives, but will also be deceived by the officials under his command.” Wang Zhou insisted on his decision without wavering. “Third Uncle, as the Minister of Works, you can’t go to the construction site to supervise everything, can you? If you only look at official documents, can you detect the tricks in them? You need a knowledgeable confidant. I am that confidant, but I am not very proficient and still need to learn more.”
Du Min was persuaded and compromised, saying, "If even your mother can't control you, then I won't either."
“Third Uncle, admit it, you were convinced by my brother,” Wang Chuan interjected smugly.
Du Min chuckled, "I've been convinced, so your brother should be smug. What are you so smug about?"
Wang Chuan looked at Du Li and asked, "Father, my third uncle has been promoted to Minister. Are you proud of that?"
"I'm so proud of myself. My Du family has hatched a golden phoenix." Du Li nodded with a smile.
The phrase "golden phoenix" reminded Du Min of his clansmen in Dujiawan, and he casually remarked, "You two, father and son, can sing in harmony."
After saying that, he got up and left his seat, saying, "I'm full, I'm going out for a walk."
"It's so cold outside, what are you doing outside? The children at home rarely see you, why don't you spend more time with them?" Yin Caiwei noticed that her son's gaze was fixed on Du Min, and as soon as Du Min left, he was about to stand up as well.
"I'm not afraid of the cold; winters in the north are even colder." Despite saying this, Du Min stopped in his tracks, turned around, and met Wang Shan's eyes.
“…Dad, my aunt says my sister looks like you. Shave your beard, let me see.” Wangshan clenched his fist and mustered his courage to say, “Let me see if I look like you.”
"If it doesn't look like me, would you still acknowledge me as your father?" Du Min asked deliberately.
"I admit it."
"Whether I shave or not doesn't matter to me, I don't want to shave."
Wang Shan frowned and muttered in disgust, "It's too dirty. Your beard was covered in oil when you ate."
"I'll be fine after washing."
The people at the table glared at him angrily.
Wangshan looked down at his older brothers and sisters, while Wangchuan looked at Wangzhou. Wangzhou nodded, and the two brothers stood up.
"Dad, let me wash your beard for you." Xi Mei tempted him, afraid that her father would run away. "My second brother often shaves my second uncle's beard, and I want to do the same for you."
"Me too," Wang Shan said excitedly, his eyebrows dancing with delight.
Du Min seemed oblivious and laughed, "Alright, I'll go and have a maid fetch water and bring it over."
Wangzhou and Wangchuan lunged forward, one grabbing Du Min's arm and the other his waist. Ximei and Wangshan, seeing this, laughed and went to help.
"What are you doing? What are you trying to do?" Du Min struggled to escape.
"We're going to shave your beard, it's too ugly!" Xi Mei shouted. "Li Niang, quickly go and get my second uncle's shaving tools."
Du Li noticed that Du Min was fishing, and he nodded to the maid, signaling her to go and get it.
Du Min pretended to be captured, reluctantly being pressed onto the felt blanket and served.
The four siblings, Wangzhou and Wangchuan, were unaware of what was happening. After bustling around for a while, they looked at Du Min's smooth chin and were extremely satisfied.
Meng Qing, Du Li, and Yin Caiwei didn't interfere with their bickering. The three of them sat in the inner hall drinking tea and talking to Jinshu about his and Du Min's patrol outside.
It was only at this moment that Yin Caiwei and Du Li realized that Du Min had taken over the responsibilities from Prime Minister Zheng, and the two could no longer smile.
"Second sister-in-law, will Du Min have to go through a life-or-death ordeal before he comes back?" Yin Caiwei asked. "What will happen if he only takes the title but doesn't take any real action? Will he be demoted? Perhaps he should take the initiative to be demoted."
"Demotion is a minor matter; losing the Emperor's favor is a major one." Du Min entered. "If I lose the Emperor's favor, it will be difficult for me to return to the court."
“But if you don’t act perfunctorily, Prime Minister Zheng’s fate will be your fate. No, you’re not as good as him. He was denounced by his family, so he won’t be killed. You’re different. You have no family background, and Wangzhou hasn’t grown up yet. My father also has concerns. You died silently in another place, and we can’t find any evidence to help you seek justice.” Yin Caiwei was anxious.
Du Min looked at Jin Shu and said, "I will tell Jin Shu everything. If he manages to escape this calamity, I will have him come back to report."
Jinshu swallowed hard. "What if I can't escape this calamity?"
Du Min didn't answer; he started talking about something else.
Jinshu was terribly panicked. He finally understood why his third uncle had refused to let him go—he truly intended to make him die with him. In his confusion, he vaguely heard a sentence, "Unless it's mourning, I have no chance to escape..."
Jinshu couldn't hear anything after that; his mind was buzzing, the words "filial piety" echoing in his head.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow night.
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