Shi Yu's mentality is actually quite easy to understand.
It's like dealing with a piece of chicken rib—tasteless to eat but a pity to throw away.
As for any father-son relationship, there really wasn't much of it between him.
Scholar Shi scoffed, "Outsiders know how to chant sutras. If you can't control him, it's because you don't know how, and you don't have the ability. I see that other people are doing a great job. Since Guangyao got married, he has become much more sensible. His former quick temper and spoiled nature are gone. The young couple is living a harmonious and happy life, it couldn't be better."
"You see, children become more sensible when they leave their parents. I think it's fine for him to stay in his hometown and live a peaceful life. Guangyao has already started his own family and career, so let the young couple live their own lives."
"You should focus your attention on the other children in your family."
Seeing that Scholar Shi had not gotten to the point, Mrs. Shi asked again:
“My father-in-law hasn’t said what kind of family the other party is yet. Guangyao is, after all, from an official family. We can’t let him be disgraced by marrying a woman.”
"What do you mean by 'son of an official'? Guangyao has no official rank, and he's neither good at literature nor martial arts. I think it would be perfect for him to marry a girl from an ordinary family."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yu was so angry that he couldn't speak.
He knew that his father had an old friend back in their hometown, someone he had occasionally visited in the past and had met a couple of times. The man's surname seemed to be Lin, and his family was a farming household.
His eldest son married a peasant girl, how could he ever hold his head high among his colleagues again?
His own father is practically throwing his dignity to the ground for everyone to trample on.
However, Mrs. Shi was genuinely relieved.
So, the Yue family were just ordinary people, which didn't really hinder her and her children.
But didn't the old man cherish this eldest grandson like his own precious treasure?
Why would they choose a wife with no background for their eldest grandson? What was their intention?
She didn't delve into it at the moment, thinking that she would later have someone find the coachman who drove for her father-in-law and ask him in detail about the situation of the grandfather and grandson after they returned to their hometown.
Unfortunately, the driver was tight-lipped and knew nothing about the matter.
In the near future, Mrs. Shi figured out the key to the matter herself.
*
At that time, Shi Yu was figuring out how to divorce his eldest son's wife and remarry without losing face.
Three days after returning home, Shi Xiucai suddenly fell ill and could no longer get out of bed.
The Shi couple were startled and quickly invited the best doctor in the city to come to their home to treat the old man.
If anything happens to an elderly person in the family, the whole family must return to their hometown to observe mourning.
Shi Yugang had only been in office for less than half a year, having climbed to the fifth rank thanks to his wife's family. He hadn't even settled into his new position yet, and he certainly didn't want to lose the official post he had worked so hard to obtain.
Mrs. Shi did not want to return to her hometown with her husband to observe mourning for his parents.
Since marrying into the Shi family, she has never been back to her hometown, but she knows it is a poor and remote county town. Having grown up in the capital, she could not bear to live in such a place for three years.
But the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death is beyond their control.
Scholar Shi, driven by a strong will, managed to find a way out for his eldest grandson. He watched him settle down, start a family, and escape his stepmother's control, which brought him great comfort.
Once I got home, all that energy dissipated, and my overworked body visibly began to deteriorate.
Despite his illness, Shi Xiucai appeared remarkably magnanimous, his face, though pale with sickness, radiating peace.
He knew all too well that he had already stepped into the gates of hell, and even the best doctor could not save him.
Sure enough, after examining the patient, the doctor shook his head and said, "It's too late. The patient is terminally ill. Prepare for the worst."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yu and his wife were shocked, as if the sky had fallen.
Unconvinced, they consulted two more doctors, who both gave the same diagnosis, forcing them to accept reality.
After Shi Xiucai passed away, a distraught Mrs. Shi sent someone back to her hometown to inform the young couple of the death and urge them to return quickly to attend her grandfather's funeral.
Only then did she realize what had happened.
The reason why my father-in-law was in such a hurry to get his eldest grandson married, to see him settle down and start a family, is probably because he already knew that his health wouldn't last much longer.
On his deathbed, he meticulously arranged his grandson's future.
Hmph, her father-in-law is really no ordinary person.
The servant who came to deliver the news braved the wind and snow to reach the old house in the county town, only to find it empty.
Hearing from the guards that the eldest young master and mistress were living in town, he rushed to town without stopping. After making inquiries, he finally found the Shi family's newly purchased house, but still couldn't find them.
"The eldest young master and his wife have gone on a long trip."
"Oh, where did they go? How long have they been gone? Did they say when they would be back? The master is still waiting for the eldest young master and his wife to go back for the old master's funeral."
"Well, the young master only said he was going on a long trip with the young mistress, and didn't say anything else. How was I supposed to know?"
Li Dashan, who was guarding the house, scratched his head and asked with his mouth wide open, "Grandpa, did Grandpa really go?"
He seemed quite energetic before, how come he's become so ill after only a few days at home?
"I've come here to inform the young master of his death, how could it be false?" the man retorted irritably, too anxious to explain further.
If he can't see the young master and young mistress, how will he explain himself when he goes back?
Seeing that the seven-foot-tall man was on the verge of tears, Li Dashan cautiously offered a suggestion: "Before leaving home, the eldest young mistress asked me to send a letter to her family. Why don't I accompany you to her family home and ask Old Master Lin if he knows the whereabouts of the eldest young master and young mistress?"
"Why didn't you say so sooner? You're really making things difficult!" The man slapped his thigh and was about to drag Lin Dashan to the eldest young mistress's family home to inquire about the news.
When Mr. Lin heard that his old friend had died, he was stunned.
He plopped down in the armchair, his lips trembling for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He knew his old friend was ill and probably didn't have much time left, but this was too soon. They had only been apart for a month, and now the person was gone.
No one could accept this!
His granddaughter and grandson-in-law were nowhere to be found, so it was clear they couldn't go back for the funeral.
Old Shi was an old friend of mine, so I should at least see him off on his final journey.
After considering this, Old Master Lin came to his senses and said to the visitor, "Your grandfather and I are not only old friends but also in-laws, so I will go back with you to see him off."
At first, the visitor was greatly disappointed to learn that the old man also did not know where the eldest son had gone. But after hearing what the old man said, he was no longer so anxious.
At least he didn't make a wasted trip.
This person is both the father-in-law and a good friend of his own father-in-law, so it can be said that he has brought back a great figure.
His parents probably won't blame him too much.
So, while calling to his eldest grandson to harness the mule to the mule cart with the carriage, Old Master Lin went back into the house and packed a bundle.
That very day, the grandfather and grandson followed the visitors south to attend the funeral.
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