Clam Pearl

On this day, Duke of Wei's Geng Cheng had his sixtieth birthday, and the Duke's mansion held a birthday banquet, inviting people with a suitable threshold in Beijing to come and have a lively drink.

In the past few years in Beijing, if you say that you have gained great wealth for nothing, you have to say the Duke of Wei.This Geng Cheng was originally a sixth-rank general judge in Shanyang County.His father died early, his family was poor, and he had studied for many years without much success.That year, he married the daughter of a local rich man and got a substantial dowry. At the age of 24, under the operation of his father-in-law, he bought off the officials and made a filial piety. Only on the sixth grade.

But he didn't want to, within a few years of being a judge, Geng Cheng's family skyrocketed and became the descendants of Tianyouxing.The late Emperor took pity on his family, so he chose a good mansion to reward him, but the fiefdom of four thousand households picked the best place for his family.

Wei Guogong is not very courageous, but he is also a little clever. If not, how dare he bypass the family marriage and take the daughter of the local rich man's family as his wife.At that time, he thought it was good, but he didn't expect such good fortune to happen after he was a few decades old.Therefore, after he straightened his spine, as soon as he entered Beijing, he repeatedly brought back more than ten concubines. In other words, he is obedient and obedient to him.You can marry whoever you want, as long as you can afford it.

Shangjing is a big place, so food, clothing and flowers are naturally much more expensive than other places. Although the Duke of Wei has food for four thousand households, it is a pity that his family has a big business, even though he is the censor of Zuodu in the Inspectorate.It's a pity that the imperial envoy is a prestigious position, and the least money is paid.In his opinion, it is better to go down and be a big official in the frontier.It's a pity, with the position of the Duke, you can do anything, but you can't be the official of the frontier.

There are many contradictions in the secular world, poor Geng Cheng was born in a poor family, and his family was weak, and he was a little bit unable to support his family, so after much deliberation, Geng Cheng started a business of entertaining guests in Shangjing.He married concubines from time to time, and every time he married a concubine, he would have a lot of fun. When his concubine got married, he would naturally have babies one after another. Therefore, the excitement of the full moon, hundred days, and the first year of the year naturally also came from time to time. to do.

This Duke of the State of Wei invited many guests, so he was naturally disgusted by others, so he got a lot of money, but his popularity was not high. He came and went, and others hated dealing with him.For a duke who has no power in his hands, he should just be respectful on weekdays.Just in time for his family's post to arrive, it was too polite to send a representative in a hurry.At the end of the quarrel, I felt ashamed today, and I didn't know what to do to recruit Duke Wei into the palace. After all, after he came out, the imperial envoy had nothing to do, and only left him a title to hang out.

The Duke of Wei lost his holy favor, and his house was cold for two years, but he didn't want to think that at the beginning of this year, the Duke of Song decided that Yingnian was the six-star protector of the emperor. Minister's position.Although it is still a fourth grade.Honglu Temple was also deserted, but at least he could show his face in front of Jinshang. Geng Cheng was frightened, so he acted cautiously and acted like walking on thin ice.For Song Guogong Dingying, it was even more obedient.

This year happened to be Geng Cheng's [-]th birthday. He didn't dare to do it, so he chatted with Ding Ying in private, and Ding Ying laughed. There is also a reward.

Sure enough, early in the morning, the Duke of Wei received the Long Live reward.There are not many things, and the furniture is for daily use.There is a pair of Ruyi, two sets of gold, silver and jade utensils for longevity, a twelve-faced screen for longevity, and two jade belts with blessing characters.There are eight pieces of each kind of silk, silk, silk, gauze, silk, velvet, Jinshou characters and pictures, as well as a handwritten Shou character written by Jinshang himself, and a table of Suzhai seats.

Duke Wei of the State of Wei got the reward, and he burst into tears immediately. He ordered people to make a high offering in the courtyard for others to watch, but he didn't know that it was another joke.There are veteran ministers with this kind of award above the second rank, and it can't be regarded as a generous award, it's just common.Gu Yan, the Duke of Pingguo, received more than three times this reward every year on his birthday.In the six major countries, it is the first one.

Early in the morning, the main door of Duke Wei's house opened, and Geng Chensheng, the eldest son of Duke Wei, stood at the door to welcome guests for his father.Duke Wei's official wife, Ye Shi, was dressed in a long skirt with ruyi cloud patterns and a crown of nine-beam agate beads with golden peony flowers on her head. She was sitting in the back hall to receive female guests.

Because the six stars of the Emperor Protector are connected with each other, sixty years of life is a big event, so early this morning, Mrs. Lu also came early in her best attire.

"Old sister, I haven't seen you for a long time. You are dressed so brightly. I thought it was someone's little daughter-in-law when I was in a daze!" When Ye saw Lu entering the door, he helped the little girl up quickly, and should meet at the second door. As for Fuli, he opened his mouth and greeted him in a rustic way.The aunt and wife Qiao Shi who was following her curled her lips, laughing uncontrollably in her heart.

Mrs. Lu didn't care about this, she helped Mrs. Ye with both hands, and returned the gift politely: "The old girl's family is overjoyed, I can't sit still this early in the morning, and I rushed to your house to eat longevity wine and get lucky .”

Ye's heart was moved, he knew that Lu was not a powerful person, so he became more friendly and enthusiastic, took her arm, and walked in with Lu like ordinary people in the countryside.In the past many years, Lu Shi has never been treated like this with anyone, she couldn't help but think of the people in her hometown in Pingzhou, before that, the sisters-in-law were also like this.

In this way, she smiled and patted Ye Shi's hand on her arm and whispered: "Old girl, I didn't mean you, I haven't seen you for a long time, you! You still look like this naughty monkey, today Then you are only allowed to hold me, if someone else comes, if you hold me again, I will be jealous!"

As soon as Mrs. Ye heard it, she knew that she was wrong again, so her heart was bitter and grateful, and her heart was even more cordial and grateful.

Mrs. Lu sat in the upper seat and chatted with Mrs. Ye for a while, and the female guests from that room arrived in twos and threes.They are all acquaintances, and there are many family contacts, so there is no need for Mrs. Ye to introduce them, so they gather together to chat and chat.Mrs. Qiao's reception was so enthusiastic. Although the female family members were not used to it, they also knew that Mrs. Ye could not be picked up, so they didn't care about it, and just nodded lightly.

Ye Shi socialized for a while, seeing that she had nothing to do, she quietly came to Lu Shi to gossip: "Old sister, have you heard?"

Lu Shi smiled and said in a low voice: "This is not a big deal, what have I heard?"

Mrs. Ye winked, she felt that she was getting close to you, so she had to tell you some gossip to share with you, so she said with a smile: "Old sister, these days I listen to the gossip of my mother-in-law at home. It's you, I don't dare to tell other people, it's your family's gossip, our sisters are not outsiders, so I will tell you."

Lu Shi smiled: "Let's say it, but I don't want to reward you."

After all, they were happy, and Mrs. Ye continued excitedly: "Didn't your sister-in-law come out of the temple a few days ago?"

Lu Shi nodded: "She, yes, I know, but my master forbids the family to associate with her."

Mrs. Ye nodded: "It's right not to communicate! If it were me, I would have already slapped her. I have heard them say that she has done a lot of harm to your family before."

Lu said with a smile: "She is a widow who is unemployed and came to her home crying. There is nothing we can do about it. Hey, I originally wanted to be free, but I didn't realize it... Everyone has this kind of thing, and it's not just my family."

Ye's face was full of excitement, and she quietly said without anyone noticing, "My sewing woman has the best news. I often chat with her. Yesterday she said that your four..." She continued with gestures of four Said: "That is the one who was sent back to her mother's house on the second day, and ran to her eldest son's house and locked her son's warehouse. Your nephew and daughter-in-law were forced to almost jump into the well that day!"

Lu sneered and said: "People are filial, it's not normal for my mother to add two locks..."

While they were chatting lively, someone from over there invited Mrs. Ye to the front room, saying that it's time.Helpless, Mrs. Ye stood up and invited all the female guests to the hall to have a table.There are a lot of female customers today, and there are more than a hundred people who are eligible to sit.

Mrs. Lu stood up, and was asked to sit in the front compartment while thinking about something on her mind. It didn't take long before there was a loud commotion here.The Duke of Wei and his wife were sitting in the middle. His elder son and his daughter-in-law came together in costumes to kowtow and pay respects to the birthday. This family has a large population in the past few years. Six months, still wrapped in a diaper in the arms of the nanny and breastfeeding.

After the juniors finished worshiping, some of their relatives also came to worship and serve wine. Duke Wei was so pleased with himself that he actually ate a few glasses.After the ceremony, the time was just right, and this was the first soup.Lu Shi had something to worry about, so she looked for it through the screen for a while, and seeing her uncle Gu Zhao and the master sitting on the head seat muttering something, she lowered her head and gave some instructions to the red medicine beside her. Nodding knowingly, he quietly went out when no one was paying attention.

Gu Maojia also came early this day, but he didn't come here today to pay homage to his birthday, but to meet his uncle and find a way quickly.A few days ago, according to the usual practice in previous years, he went to the palace to beg for his mother's birthday, begging for the grace of the Lord today, and let her come out to serve her as a filial piety.

In his heart, this is just a show of fame, but as for what he thinks in his heart, that is unknown.Gu Maojia never expected that before he went to cry a few words that day, the higher-ups quickly issued a decree of grace, allowing him to take Gao Shi out of the temple, but Gu's family also said that day that they would not associate with Gao Shi and not allow him Gao Shi set foot on the threshold of Gu's family, so he allowed Gu Maojia to take Gao Shi to his maternal ancestor's house to guard and observe the festival.

Now it's all right, it's all right, Gu Maojia walked out of the palace in a daze holding the imperial decree, and when he got home, before he said a few words, his wife Wen Shi didn't want to live anymore, so she just asked for a letter of divorce, otherwise it would be good to become a monk of.Gu Maojia stabilized his mind, said a few words of comfort, and hurriedly packed up, regardless of other things. He wanted to discuss with his uncle first, but he didn't want to see his grandfather arriving at his door in a donkey cart as soon as he went out.

When the person arrived, he didn't enter the door, but stood at the door and pointed at him and said: "It's just right, I will put my words here! My Gao family doesn't want to deal with your Gu family. Now they say that you have received the order, and my family will also accept it." I don't dare to resist the order, but I don't want to associate with you.

There happened to be a family temple in the right side of the gate of my mansion, where your aunt was hanged to death that day, if your mother came out, you should go there to cultivate yourself!You... really needless! "

Master Gao left angrily, Gu Maojia was completely stupefied, what could be done, until now, he remembered that there was still a younger brother who could negotiate, and he couldn't be unlucky like this, so he couldn't care about anything, hurry up They drove to Uncle Qi's house with a car to find brother to discuss.Unexpectedly, when he rushed there, the other side said that the young master had left Beijing three days ago with the order, and he might not be able to come back after two or three years.

Gu Maojia returned home in a daze, he had a decree on him, so he couldn't stay overnight, so he had to order someone to clean the room at the family temple, and then took the decree and set a car to pick up his mother.When he was about to leave the house, he begged in every possible way, and Wen only felt that life was already like this, that she had no interest in life and wanted to die.Gu Maojia didn't dare to force her, and after being overwhelmed for a while, she could only comfort her in every possible way, and then went out of Beijing by herself.

That day he finally rushed to Gao's Qingxiu temple, but Gao's side had heard the news early, so he cried like he was saved. It's been almost five years, and she lived alone in this shady place, almost mad , Now that the son comes to pick him up, he has strength all over his body.Seeing Gu Maojia hugging him, he burst into tears. After crying, seeing his son wearing a seven-beam crown and wearing a red robe, he felt that all the hardships have come, and he was proud and relieved and asked: "Where is your brother? He got it last year." General, I have also received a reward here and given a sacrifice, I am busy for a month and suffer for him every day, why are you here alone now?"

Gu Maojia replied: "The second child has left Beijing with an order, and he is not allowed to enter Beijing without an order."

Mrs. Gao is not stupid at all, she sat there and thought for a while, thinking of her daughter getting married and her youngest son being divorced, now she can only rely on Maojia alone, so she gave a generous chapter. will do.

She took Gu Maojia to her warehouse, took the key from her waist, opened the boxes one by one and asked him to look through her belongings.Locking the box as it was, he smiled lovingly and said: "My son, you must be filial to your mother. From now on, I will give you all these things, and I will not give them to them."

Gu Maojia is a man who loves fame, but he doesn't like these yellow and white things, so he said: "How dare the son use his mother's body, the mother should keep it for self-defense."

After Gao Shi heard this, she immediately knew in her heart that her son might still have that soft temper, and he could bear any crime for the sake of saving face, so he had a plan.

Gu Maojia looked at the boxes that had piled up two rooms full. When he moved them, the copper coins were already rusted. Now that he looked at the cage, all the copper coins were polished and shiny, he felt a little hopeless.

Thinking back to the days when my mother deducted my daughter-in-law's dowry and the family struggled poorly, I was really regretful and troubled.But now when he sees his mother, her hair is all white in just five years, he also feels uncomfortable.So, without further ado, he asked his mother to get in the car and wanted to pick her up.

When Mrs. Gao saw her son's invitation, she didn't move the place. She first marked her pile of boxes with a pen one by one, and put a small seal on the boxes in front of her son. He got into the car triumphantly, and along the way, Gu Maojia often wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with his mother.

It's a pity that Gao's mind is crooked now, after being imprisoned for a few years, he feels even more that money is the only thing that can be relied on in the world, otherwise how could his children be distracted, and now he doesn't come to pick her up.

She was looking for things frequently along the way, and she couldn't walk for three or five miles, so she had to go down and inspect her boxes, and check them one by one before she could get into the car with peace of mind. As for the rest of the things, she didn't pay attention to them at all.

When the mother and son came to Shangjing, as soon as they entered the city, Mrs. Gao asked her son, son, now you are also a Marquis, and you have made money, and your mother will not lose that harsh reputation.You know your mother best, and I do everything for your own good, so I don't want your income.

When Gu Maojia heard it, he almost burst into tears. Before he could thank you, Gao said again: "However, my flowers need your filial piety, and it's not too much. You can take half of the income. I don't dislike anything less. , I can live by eating bran and swallowing vegetables at once... She was nagging, but found that the direction she was going was not the way to the house, so she asked a few words, and when she heard that she was taking her back to her mother's family temple, she immediately made a fuss. up.

How dare Mrs. Gao go back to her natal family, her natal family has enmity with her now, those lives are still there.So she didn't dare to go back no matter what, so this dignified old lady lay down in the car and rolled, crying... Gu Maojia hadn't heard such a voice for many years, and now she heard it again, and felt that the world was helpless , but there is nothing to look forward to.

That day, the mother and son made a big fuss on Shangjing Street, Gu Maojia begged and begged again and again.But Gao knew in her heart that if she didn't make a fuss, she might not be able to hold her son.So she rushed out of the car and sat on the street crying, only saying that his son is rich now, but he left his mother and insisted on sending her to the temple.How could the people on the street hear this, so they stood on the street and criticized.

Gu Maojia had no choice but to tell Gao that as long as his mother agreed, he would be filial.Mrs. Gao heard that she just refused, and needed Gu Maojia to make a written statement. Gu Maojia had no choice but to write a piece of paper on the street, saying that all future salary and income would be kept by her mother. Only then did Mrs. Gao wipe away her tears, and got into the car aggrieved .

The mother and son came to Gao's family temple all the time, everything was prepared there, even though the house was not big, there were three rooms in one room, not to mention that Gu Maojia had already arranged for people to prepare the place properly.The bunk on the kang was covered with fine silk and satin, and the servants and maids in the family were also neat and tidy.

When Gao entered the door, she watched the people put her suitcase away and locked the triple lock before returning to her bedroom with peace of mind. As soon as she entered the door, she recited Gao's family rules, pretending to be respectful and virtuous, and wanted to pay her respects. The spirit card, but she didn't want her father, Mr. Gao, to put three locks on all the other rooms in the family temple.It seems that the Gao family loves to lock things, but this is also true.

Mrs. Gao didn't dare to trouble her natal family, so she went back to the house angrily, put away the good bedding and furniture, and finally sent the little servants away, and asked her son to convert the wages to herself, leaving only one servant My old lady is called Mrs. Chen.That's all.

Gu Maojia managed to arrange for Mrs. Gao, and when he returned home, Mrs. Wen ignored him. He could only go to the study to rest alone. Just after he lay down, Mrs. Chen came to the door. The old lady heard people crying at night and did not dare I was so frightened that I am now standing at the gate of my family temple and dare not enter the house.

Gu Maojia had no choice but to catch a car and rush to the family temple in the middle of the night, pick up his crying mother and come back to settle down for the night, and make plans tomorrow.

After all this tossing, Gu Maojia will sleep for a while in the morning, and catch up with the morning court again. After all the tossing, before returning home to rest for a while, the backyard erupted.Gao took a large bunch of locks and added another lock to all the storerooms at home.Wen's naturally refused, and Gao was furious, so he punished her to kneel in the courtyard, saying that she was not filial.

During the quarrel between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Mrs. Gao said harsh words, "I will be the old lady in this house as long as I live."If you keep talking too much, I will tell Maojia to give you a break...

Wen Shi is not afraid now, she is going all out for the sake of her children, when she heard the old lady say this, she jumped into the well without saying a word, this time Gao Shi was frightened, she saw everyone going to fish for Wen Shi, she was honest When I really went out, I was no longer afraid of ghosts, and I was no longer afraid of crying, and I even paid for someone to hire a sedan chair to carry me home.

When Gu Maojia came home, he was really panicked. After he sent the doctor away, he sent the servants out and sat cross-legged in the courtyard alone, crying beautifully.