school days in ancient times

On the way back to the capital, Ye Jing closed his eyes all the way to rest his mind. Ye Mian knew that his brother was thinking about something in his heart, so he didn't bother him. He just poured him a cup of warm tea when his brother opened his eyes slightly while the road was bumpy.

Ye Jing took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, but didn't close her eyes again, sat up straight, looked at him and asked, "You have something to say to me?"

Ye Mian nodded.

"Say it, I'm just in a bad mood right now, so don't say that kind of talk to me," Ye Jing threatened lightly.

Ye Mian rubbed his nose, looked at his brother seriously and said, "Brother, I want to lift the ban and go back to Guozixue to study."

Ye Jing frowned, but she didn't say no immediately, she just raised her chin slightly, signaling him to continue talking.

"I just discussed it with Zhuang Jue. I will go back to Guozixue to study, and he will go to the palace to study in Taixue. Brother and father don't have to worry that we will get entangled all day long," Ye Mian whispered.

Ye Jing raised her eyebrows, "Why, have you figured it out?"

Ye Mian shook his head, "Brother, I have no intention of breaking up with him." Ye Mian's voice was small, but very firm.

Ye Jing looked at him, but didn't speak.

Ye Mian thought for a while and said: "I know that I have done such a deviant thing, it is very provocative, and the whole Ye Mansion will be criticized by others because of me, so I deserve to be punished by my father and brother. .”

Ye Jing frowned, "What exactly do you want to say?"

Ye Mian sniffed, lowered his head and said, "Father told me when he had an attack that day, if I didn't break up with Zhuang Jue, he would let me get out of Ye Mansion, and I would never have a son like me again."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Ye Jing reprimanded in a low voice, "Shouldn't you take your father's angry words seriously?"

"Of course I know what Dad said was out of anger," Ye Mian whispered, "Even if it wasn't because of anger, I wouldn't leave. I'm selfish and greedy. I want Zhuang Jue, and I also want my father, mother, and brother. But I also want to do my best to make the Ye family suffer less criticism, so I am not in a hurry to be with Zhuang Jue, I just want to finish studying Guozixue in the past two years, and I can swear to my father and brother that I will be better than before. Work harder and harder, after three years Chun Wei will come back with a fame, I dare not boast that I can honor my Ye family's lintel like my elder brother, but I dare not shame the Ye family."

Ye Mian raised his eyes to look at Ye Jing, and said: "When I become an official in the future, I will go out in a separate house, and I will meet with Zhuang Jue again at that time. I will bear all the right and wrong questions outside."

Ye Jing looked at him and shook his head, and sighed heavily, "Do you know why I told them today that I don't mind you communicating with a man, but that man is not allowed to be Zhuang Jue?"

Ye Mian shook his head.

Ye Jing looked at him and said: "Compared to him, you are too pure, and you are not far from those rabbits raised in our yard."

Ye Mian stared, with a slight disbelief on his face.

How could Ye Jing fail to see that, and snorted lightly: "You are more than clever, but you are too inexperienced, but I can't blame you for this. You can only blame me and my father. At first, I only wanted to make you rich and idle in the future, and never I have taught you this before, but Zhuang Jue is completely different from you. This person has been carefully taught by the eldest princess and famous teachers since he was enlightened. Strategies and methods are more powerful than most of them."

Ye Mian scratched his head, "I know this well, even if I flatter him, I can't keep up with him."

Ye Jing sighed softly, "So what you said just now is not right. As long as you and Zhuang Jue cross the bright roads in the two mansions, Ye's mansion will be inseparable from the Princess Mansion. The interests of this have nothing to do with the future plans of all parties. It's very complicated, even if I can't get to the bottom of it now, how can it be as simple as you think, after you become an official, you open a mansion and then join Zhuang Jue, Ye Mansion has nothing to do with it."

Ye Mian stared blankly at his brother, and Ye Jing chuckled lightly: "But these are not important. From the point of view of political affairs alone, the combination of the Ye Mansion and the Princess Mansion must have more advantages than disadvantages, but it will be my father and I in the future It’s going to be harder.”

"It's just," Ye Jing touched his head and sighed softly, "Compared with him, your mind is too simple, how can I rest assured..."

Ye Mian bit her lips and said nothing, Ye Jing looked at him and snorted lightly, "Okay, you can think of working hard on your studies first, and you didn't play tricks to force me to accept you now, it's considered that I didn't hurt you in vain I have been with you for so many years."

Before returning to Yaohuixuan, Ye Jing called him and said: "I will take care of the matter of lifting your ban in the past two days, and then I will find a chance to discuss it with my father. You should not bring it up with your father yourself."

Ye Mian hurriedly nodded like a chicken pecking rice, and he was slightly relieved. He is still young, and he is not like Zhuang Jue. He has power in his hands and a strategy in his heart. He still knows how much he has Therefore, he would never dare to cry and make trouble like the eldest princess back then, let alone make his family feel sad because of this matter.

The days are still long, just walk slowly, the people around him, including Zhuang Jue, love him very much, and he must do his best to make them all well.

It's good to see hope, the gloom that choked Ye Mian's heart during these days finally dissipated, and when he returned to Yao Huixuan, he also had a smile on his face, unlike the previous few days when he slept with locks. frowning.

When the servants saw him go out with the eldest young master, their expressions relaxed a lot, so they were naturally very happy, and hurried to the kitchen to order two more dishes that he liked to serve him.

Ye Mian had just changed into homely clothes and washed his hands with bean flour to prepare for dinner, so Qiu led his people into Yaohuixuan.

Ye Mian was taken aback, "Mother, why are you here?"

Qiu Shi sat down opposite him, and cast a glance at him, "You think I want to see you, you worry-free!"

Ye Mian hurriedly stood up and sat next to Qiu Shi, holding Qiu Shi's arm, and whispered: "Mother, don't be angry with me, you haven't come to see me for so many days, my son misses you,... ...."

There was still a lingering anger on Qiu's face, and he said bitterly, "I'm here to see what you are doing, can't you get angry?"

Ye Mian bowed his head and said nothing, Ren Qiu scolded him.

Mrs. Qiu looked at the table full of food and vegetables, helplessly pushed him on the chair beside him, and said angrily: "Hurry up and eat, the food will get cold in a while, and you will have a stomachache, and you will have to ask me to pay you for the soup and medicine." .”

The two nuns who followed Qiu also quickly took out the few dishes they brought from the food box, put them on the table one by one, and said with a smile: "The four young masters love to use them on weekdays. Mrs. Pigeon Bamboo Shoot Soup has been boiled on the stove for several hours, and the meat is crispy, so the fourth young master should use more."

Ye Mian smiled and thanked Qiu Shi, "Thank you mother, you still love me the most."

Qiu Shi rolled his eyes at him, "Be less angry with me, I love you more!" After speaking, Qiu Shi complained again: "Your father wants to raise you by himself, and he doesn't care about you when he is angry with you! You The food and vegetables withdrawn from the yard every day have not even touched a few mouthfuls, and he has not moved at all!"

The nanny standing on the side smiled and said, "Master is a man, so naturally he is not as careful as Madam, he just didn't look at him carelessly."

Qiu Shi snorted lightly, and looked at Ye Mian's face again, seeing that the scars on the corners of his lips hadn't completely faded, and his cheeks had also lost a lot of weight. The tender white fish meat was finely picked for him.

Ye Mian was already in a good mood tonight, and Qiu, who had been angry with him, came to eat with him again, and the mother and son were talking and laughing after a while, it was true that Qiu was angry with him, but he couldn't see him suffering, Is it okay to lose so much weight in just a few days?

After the two of them finished their meal, Qiu Shi did not leave in a hurry, and enjoyed the cool air with him in the pavilion in the yard. The servants lighted them mosquito-repelling herbs and two cups of light tea for digestion, and then silently The ground retreated, leaving the two of them, mother and son, to talk.

Qiu Shi took a sip of tea and said warmly to him: "Tomorrow, my mother will hold a banquet in the mansion. When the time comes, I will have someone come to call you, and you will greet the wives."

Ye Mian was taken aback, "Aren't I still under ground?"

Qiu said with a smile, "No problem, I've discussed with your father, he's right, you just have to come."

Ye Mian rolled his eyes and asked cautiously, "Mother, did you ask me to go?"

Qiu Shiben didn't intend to hide it from him, so he patted his hand and said, "You still remember that sixth girl from the Yun family who came to our house twice."

Ye Mian's heart skipped a beat, with a bad premonition, he frowned and asked, "Yun Rong?"

"Yes!" Qiu sighed with a smile, "I have had a good relationship with her mother for half a year. A few days ago, her mother was willing to tell me that once you picked up a paper kite for her, she would be happy." I always remember you," Qiu said here and clicked his tongue, "I thought this girl had a bit of a temper before, but now that I think about it, she is better than a pure and straight temper, and she is very good-looking. I match you, I told your father today, he is also happy, and tomorrow you will come out and say hello to Mrs. Yun."

Ye Mian was short of breath, and hurriedly said, "Mother! How can this be done? Others don't know, but don't you and father know? Zhuang Jue and I already have a relationship, so how can we harm another girl?"

"Nonsense!" Qiu Shi lowered his face and scolded, "When did we allow you to be with that Zhuang Jue? How can a child's nonsense be brought up with such a serious matter!"

"We don't allow you to see that person again in the future!" Qiu said angrily, "This won't hurt his good lady!"

Ye Mian shook her head like a rattle, "Mother, I can't go, don't force me."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Tell your father to listen and see if he can beat you!" Mrs. Qiu thumped him on the arm. Great-grandfather was the Duke of the founding county, grandfather was the general of the auxiliary country, and the whole family has made great achievements, even if the king of Rongnan County wants to trouble you in the future, he must weigh himself."

Ye Mian shook his head and said seriously: "Mother, where is my father now? I'll go and tell him that if he hits me, I'll admit it, but I can't do it."

Seeing Ye Mian's stubbornness, Mrs. Qiu scolded him angrily, but Ye Mian just shook her head in refusal. Mrs. Qiu was shaking with anger, "I can't speak against you anymore, okay! I'll go find your father and brother to deal with you, Don't feel bad for nothing!"

After Qiu finished speaking, he turned around and left Yaohuixuan without looking back. Ye Miankong sat in the pavilion for a while, covering his face with his hands and letting out a weak breath.

He never expected that he didn't want to force his family, but his parents couldn't wait to force him to let go...

After a while, Ye Mian asked Baoxue to call Feng Jin over, and whispered to him, Feng Jin went to Bihua Pavilion solemnly after heeding the order.

Ye Mian was pacing in the pavilion, but Feng Jin came back almost half an hour later, and secretly said to him: "When the servant left, the madam was crying with the eldest young master, and when the madam left, the slave would speak Let's talk."

Ye Mian nodded absent-mindedly, and after a long time, there was no news from his brother. Ye Mian was waiting until his heart was fried, when he saw his sister-in-law leading the servants into Yaohuixuan.

Ye Mian hurried up to greet her, "Sister-in-law."

Jiang Nanchu's face was a bit stern, seeing Ye Mian, he stopped being polite to him, and just waved to him, saying, "Come with me, after my mother finished talking with your elder brother, he hurried to the other side. I'll take you there."

Ye Mian hurriedly followed and left Yaohuixuan with his sister-in-law, but went to Ye Shilang's study in the outer courtyard.

Jiang Nanchu left all the servants outside the courtyard to watch, and walked to the study with Ye Mian. Before reaching the door, Ye Mian heard Ye Shilang's roar through the closed window.

"You are confused! Why are you so confused when you are a big brother! My Ye family is unlucky!" Ye Shilang wailed angrily.

Ye Mian panicked and wanted to run inside, but Jiang Nanchu grabbed his sleeve and said in a low voice, "You go in now, your brother is wasting all his energy!"

Ye Mian froze, looked there, he couldn't hear what his brother was saying at all, stood there and took a few breaths, bit his lips to calm himself down for a while, then discussed with his sister-in-law, "Sister-in-law , I'm not impulsive, but let's go and listen closely, and I'm really worried about Dad's very angry appearance."

Jiang Nanchu glanced at him, nodded, and the two walked to the window of the study.

Ye Mian looked inside through the thin window screen, and saw his brother bent his knees and knelt down towards Ye Shilang who was standing with his hands behind his back.

"Father, more than four years ago, I was ranked second in the imperial examination, and I went to the Qionglin banquet given by the saint with the new scholars. The wedding banquet lasted until the middle of the night, but you have been standing outside waiting for me , pick me up personally and want to congratulate me again, we father and son were very happy that night and drank a lot of wine, you joked with me that when your mother got engaged to you, you were just a little girl of the sixth rank Guan'er, what you wanted most at the time was to earn her a royal wife, and you have been working hard for it since then, and since then, the grades of mother's imperial documents have become higher and higher."

Ye Shilang turned his sideways face slowly, looking at Ye Jing who was kneeling on the ground.

Ye Jing continued: "You said that the time when you were the happiest was not the moment when you got the official seal, but when you saw your mother holding a new imperial book and couldn't stop reading it with joy. You asked me that night , What do I want? My son didn’t marry a wife and have children at that time, nor was he granted an official position. After thinking about it, he said, if my mother is protected by you, then I want to protect my younger brother for a lifetime. You laughed very much at that time Happy, praised me for having the demeanor of an elder brother, and told me that our father and I have made a decision like this, each of us should work hard, and only keep them safe and follow their wishes."

Ye Mian was biting his lips outside, his eyes were sore,

Ye Jing paused for a while, then said again, "Now, my son has been appreciated by a sage, and every day he opens his eyes, he sees the court, the case, Ye Mansion, and Bihua Pavilion. I take care of a lot, but with the burden of internal and external responsibilities on my body, I am more powerless, and I have neglected a lot, how can I still remember the promise I made with you back then."

Ye Shilang sighed heavily, but did not speak.

Ye Jing continued: "In the past two days, my son has thought a lot, and I feel very ashamed in my heart. Back then, Xu said that he would protect him to live his life freely, but if he couldn't even let his favorite spouse make him happy, then what's the matter?" Arbitrary'? To stop him like this is just for fear of such troubles and for his own convenience, let him cut off his friendship with others and live a hasty life."

Ye Jing raised her head, "Since my son has figured it out, he will not allow his elder brother to do this again, and ask his father to do the same. Jing'er will work harder in the future and protect Ye's family well."

After Ye Jing finished speaking, she bent down and kowtowed.

Ye Mian wiped her eyes, gently brushed away Jiang's hand that was pulling his sleeve, opened the door and knelt down.