Chapter 20 Chapter Nineteen: Cold in October

one This winter has been extremely cold.Liu Ye can no longer study hard in the school, even in his own study, it is difficult to sit for a long time.But he still didn't want to waste the day, couldn't sit still, so he took the scroll and paced around the room while studying hard. The nanny looked very distressed.The world is in turmoil, and there is not much improvement. In the spring and March of next year, will the exam really be able to start?Don't use your efforts in vain!Taking advantage of the postponement of the imperial examination, it is better to get married and do a lifelong event.She used this to persuade Liu Ye, but of course Liu Ye didn't like to hear it.

Who would have thought that what the nanny said really came true. Fast forward to March 9th, the old man suddenly called Liu Ye away.It's not common for the old master to call him, but the sixth master didn't expect anything good either.I went in and knocked, and found that the old man was a little excited. Sixth, I called you here because there is bad news. Bad news, still so excited?The sixth master asked: What news? The old man touched a few pages of newspapers from his desk, and said: This is a new letter sent by shopkeeper Dai from Shanghai, and shopkeeper Sun sent someone to deliver it.A few days ago, your third brother wrote a letter from Xi'an, also mentioning this bad news.

Sixth Master asked again: What news? The old man still followed his own way of thinking and said: Your third brother and shopkeeper Qiu got the news from Mr. Duanfang, the Shanxi Fantai.Dai Laobang is in Shanghai, and he read the news from the newsprint "Shenbao".Comparing the two, they are almost the same, which shows that there is something real. Sixth Master wanted to ask one more question: what news?But swallowed it down, waited quietly, and listened to the old man's words. Sixth, you haven't heard of it, have you? No.I don't understand what the question is about, who knows if I have heard of it?

The foreigners occupied the capital, but it was reasonable.The imperial court wanted to redeem the capital, but they issued a redemption ticket with a total of twelve items, which is really scary!Foreigners are bullying our incompetent imperial court, and they are becoming more and more cruel. When the sixth master heard this, and knew that the old man was going to persuade him to abandon Confucianism and enter business, he couldn't help but said: The current danger is not only the danger of subjugation of the country, but also the danger of the destruction of the world!Gu Tinglin has a saying: Changing one's surname to one's name is called the country's subjugation; benevolence and righteousness are full of benevolence and righteousness, which is called the subjugation of the world.Those who protect the country are the king and his ministers, and those who eat meat seek it out;

The old man laughed and said: You have great ambitions to save the world.But those Western powers are not stupid!Of the twelve items listed in the redemption ticket, one item is specific to people like you. Cure me?I didn't mess with them again!The sixth master thought the old man was just making excuses, so let's laugh at him. If you listen to it, you will understand.The fourth clause in the redemption ticket: Citizens of all countries are killed and abused, and all civil and military examinations shall not be held within five years. God, five years of suspension?This is not bad news, it is simply a bolt from the blue!Sixth Master was stunned for a long time before asking: Is there really such a clause?

Don't you read these letters? The sixth master didn't look at it, but said absentmindedly: "Taigu is also considered to be in a situation where the exam is suspended?" Killing six American priests in the Gospel Church, can Taigu be spared lightly? The capital is also on the list of banned exams!The ban in the capital city, isn't it the ban on the Beijing Middle School Examination?Next year's provincial examination, which was originally postponed, could Wanshou Enke be banned? Sixth child, you are really learning Confucianism and roundaboutness!When foreigners bully you, of course they will choose your deadly place to attack.We have been bullied by others for many years, and they have become more and more interested in us.Opening a course to obtain a scholar has always been a lifeline for the Chinese court to govern the world.If I pinch you now, you have to hurry up and beg for mercy!In my opinion, this one is more vicious than the previous compensation and cession of land!

Is the imperial court willing to agree? The imperial court wants to negotiate a peace, but if they don't agree, can they give you a peace?I heard that Li Hongzhang was appointed to negotiate with other countries.Let me see, among these twelve items, the imperial court cares most about the first item: severely punish the culprit.Who is the culprit in this catastrophe?Isn't that the woman from the dynasty?Since the New Deal of 1898 was abolished, foreign powers hated this woman.This time, he made her a shame, and why didn't he increase the price and threaten her?She controls the government, of course she will not agree to severely punish herself.Just wait and see, the result of the negotiation is nothing more than: the foreigner promises not to pursue this woman, and this woman will definitely agree to the rest of the money!

Sixth Master stopped talking.What else?Suspension for five years!This is tantamount to blocking his future.This way, it counts as the old man's heart.But the world is about to perish, who can be satisfied with it! Sixth child, this is God not helping you!But tell me to look, stop the exam and stop it.The imperial court is so incompetent, and the officialdom is so ruined, so what if he wins the exam? The world is about to perish, so what if the exam is suspended? The old man laughed again: Sixth, if you are so ambitious, no matter what you do, you will be successful.If you don't want to abandon Confucianism, then wait a few years before talking about it.But you have turned seventeen this year, and you are about to fall into eighteen. There is no longer any delay in getting married.There have been quite a few marriage proposals, but I don't know what kind of woman you want to marry?

Sixth Master didn't expect his father to ask him such a question, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.What kind of woman to marry?He doesn't want to marry a woman now! I know that you have a strong heart and a high eye, and if you marry someone you don't like, you will be unhappy for the rest of your life, who can bear it?I'm also sorry for your late mother.So, you first talk about what kind of woman you want to marry, and then ask them to find you all over the world! I don't want to marry a woman just yet. How old are you and still not married?It's not up to you!What kind of woman to marry is up to you; if you refuse to marry, it's not up to you.

Sixth Master stopped talking. I can't tell for a while, go back and think about it.After you have thought it over, report an idea, so that I can tell them to search all over the world for you. When Liu Ye came out of the old house, the world in his eyes seemed to have changed.The township examination that I had been waiting for for a long time was suddenly in the foreseeable future, and the marriage that I didn't want to think about was approaching in front of my eyes!This fulfilled the nanny's wish, but how could she know his thoughts? Liu Ye didn't go back to see the nanny first, but went to the school instead.

Mr. He is sitting around the stove, reading a book.Seeing Master Liu come in, he raised his hand and threw the scroll on the desk.Standing up and looking, Liu Ye seemed to be not quite right, so he asked: Sixth Master, I think you are listless, what's wrong?It's too cold, the words are frozen, and the hard study is too tortured, so let's take a rest.The imperial court prefers Xi'an, and it is not known whether the exam will be held next year. The sixth master snorted coldly and said: It has nothing to do with me whether the exam is held or not! Master He has never heard Liu Ye say such a thing, so he hurriedly asked: "Liu Ye, what wronged you?" The world is about to perish, and I am not the only one who has been wronged! What are you talking about? Only then did Liu Ye tell the news of the five-year suspension of the exam. Master He was not surprised when he heard this. He just let out a long sigh and said, "Let me see, the imperial examinations may simply be abolished!"After all, foreigners are outsiders, thinking that the imperial examination can really select the best talents in the world, but how do they know that the selection is all mediocrity, slaves, and fools?Sixth Master, I told you a long time ago that people won't let you be selected for a talent like you!But I am such a stupid person, but I won it after a try.So, stop the exam and stop! But this is the court's system! The imperial court has lost the capital, so what dignity is there?Forget it, forget it, what's the use of you and I worrying about it?Tell me, the road to the imperial examination is cut off, and Liu Ye will have a way of living for you!This is called God helping you, why are you still listless? I'm at a dead end, where can I live! Sixth Master, if you take a few steps forward, you will have stepped into the threshold of youth and promise, where is the dead end?If you are really obsessed with imperial examinations and don't understand, that is a dead end!Take off the burden of preparing for the exam, Master Six, let me teach you some ways of doing business, and ensure that your business management talents are higher than those of the Third Master.Do you believe it or not? Master He, the world is about to perish, how can business survive alone? The world is not prosperous, and business affairs are naturally affected.But if business is not prosperous, the world will be even more difficult to prosper.Today, the Qing Dynasty is so bullied by Western powers, all because of the foreign powers and the weak.Where is the weakness of the Great Qing?Let me see, they are weak in light industry and light business!Scholars, farmers, businessmen, scholars, farmers, businessmen, businessmen, businessmen, and businessmen are in the last digit for thousands of years.Sixth Master, you said that the Western powers, traveling thousands of miles away, have repeatedly sent strong ships and guns to bully us, why? why?Because you are about to perish, vulnerable and easy to bully! No!In my cold eyes, the western powers come here in groups, not for anything else, just for one word: business! Master He, are you talking crazy again? Sixth Lord, keep your eyes open. Since the opening of the sea ban, what is it that has flooded into our country after the strong ships and guns of the Western powers?Is it Western orthodoxy?No, it's just foreign goods, foreign merchants, foreign firms, and foreign banks! Master He, you have lost one thing: foreign education.Isn't foreign religion the same as foreign orthodoxy? Foreign education is not enough to fear!The introduction of foreign religions was earlier than strong ships and sharp guns.But it is not acclimatized, and has not become a climate.Let me see, this year's catastrophe is caused by looking at foreign religions too high in the imperial court!Whether it is the empress dowager of the current dynasty, or the fatuous princes and ministers in the court, facing the aggressiveness of the big powers, they all have a big worry: lest the Western orthodoxy shake the Chinese orthodoxy!Therefore, we are not afraid of the turbulence of foreign goods. Once the foreign religion spreads, we think that the foreign orthodoxy is about to take root.Actually, how could that happen?There are many religious people in Zhili, Shandong, but how many of these people are relics for righteousness?Most of them are poor and have no food and clothing, and they join foreign religions just to get some real benefits! The world is full of benevolence and righteousness, but the orthodoxy has declined after all.It is the right time for foreign religions to take advantage of the void! Sixth Master, you are too high on foreign education!Look at the Christian Congregational Church in Taigu, which has been preaching for more than ten years, and only a hundred or so believers were captured. Compared with the surging foreign goods in Taigu, it is really insignificant! Taigu is the old nest of the West Gang, how can there be many foreign goods in the market?No matter how bad the Congregational Church was, it built a Gospel Church next to the famous tower in the city. How can the Gospel Hall compare with the same foreign goods in the surging Taigu? What foreign goods? Smoky soil. Sixth Master stopped talking. Although the sixth master is young and dedicated to sages and Confucianism, he has already heard about the prevalence of Taigu's opium and poison.In the streets and alleys of the city, there are no smoke houses!Liangzhouzhuang, which sells opium, is inconspicuous on the outside, but it is full of big business inside.There is also the world-famous Taigu lamp among smoking sets, Liu Ye really found it and saw it.The smoke-burning Taigu lantern is not only exquisite in workmanship and ostentatious in style, but more importantly, it has sufficient firepower, a big bald head, and the smoke bubbles burn yellow, loose and high.Therefore, in comparison with smoking and drugs, Congregational Christianity is really insignificant. The Kang family's family rules are strict, no matter whether master or servant, they are not allowed to be addicted to cigarettes.But Liu Ye had also heard rumors that Master He had already taken up this hobby.After winning the exam, Mr. He felt quite frustrated and often went crazy. When he was upset, he took a few puffs of cigarettes to relieve his worries, and he was inconvenient to be too picky.Today, Liu Ye was also very unhappy. When he talked about opium, he didn't hold back, so he asked: Master He, have you seen this kind of foreign goods? How could I have never seen it!Sixth Master, I won't hide it from you today, my master also often buys this kind of foreign goods. Often bought, what to do? Master Ben enjoys it, what else can he do! The sixth master didn't expect Master He to make such a confession, so he had to say perfunctorily: No wonder Master He doesn't hate foreigners very much, it turns out that he can't do without this foreign product! Sixth master, I don't hate foreigners, I don't hate foreigners!Opium and opium, this foreign product is amazing.In the past, China sold one item to the West, and they couldn't do without it once they used it. This item was tea.Therefore, we can continue to exchange tea for silver.Didn't your Kang family make their fortunes from tea goods?Opium is something that people can't live without, and it's much more valuable than tea!How much silver can I exchange for a box of tea?How much money can a box of opium be exchanged for?Simply incomparable.With this act alone, Westerners are better at business than us! Tea nourishes people and opium poisons them, so how can it be compared? If it weren't for the fact that foreign businessmen are more vicious than us, they don't care what is right or wrong! Master He, since you hate foreign goods and foreign merchants, you still smoke their foreign cigarettes? If you are fooled, you will be inseparable if you touch it.Sixth Master, if I can return to the business world, I will quit smoking immediately! Sixth Master sneered and said nothing. Liu Ye doesn't believe it, you can try it!Today, if we want to control the ocean, we must first develop business.Since Liu Ye retired from the imperial examination, why not open up another world and achieve a new business?If I have this ambition, I don't want to mislead my sons and daughters in your house, so I am willing to throw away this hat of raising people and become the treasurer of the leader for you! Master He is going crazy again.I have studied under him for many years, and it is always difficult for you to say something intimate to him.The sixth master felt deeply that his family was full of worries, and there was no one to confide in, so he said angrily: "Master He, I would rather become a monk than do business!" two When I came back, the nanny asked the old man what he called to talk about, and the sixth master only said: I didn't say anything, but I asked why I didn't go to the school.He really didn't want to mention marriage. Liu Ye didn't want to get married because he had a private thought in his heart: when he became an adult, he must leave this big and empty home.He was already tired of this home!Mother is just a kind of longing. Although father is near but far away, he will always be out of reach.The elder brothers each have their own world, but you are isolated from it.I followed a private school teacher all the year round, but he told you not to get close to him.Only the nanny is selfless towards him, but this little warmth can't fill this too big home.Work hard to study and become an official, and then live a life of traveling all over the world, that is exactly what he wants to strive for. Now, this road is suddenly broken. Mother, are you powerless to bless me, or are you impatient to bless me? However, Liu Ye didn't worry about it for a few days, and seemed to calm down.The imperial examination is only suspended, and it is advisable to marry a wife and start a family during this interval.A lifelong event cannot always be avoided.Once he has a family, maybe he can be more self-reliant?If he can be independent, he will travel the world! The sixth master obeyed the old man's wishes so quickly, it was not a helpless choice, it was because of the old man's words that moved him: what kind of woman do you want, ask them to find you all over the world! Looking for a woman you want? Liu Ye really hasn't really thought about what kind of woman he likes.Because the marriages in that era were all according to the orders of parents.He never expected that the old man would allow him to choose a woman.Looking at it coldly, the first few sister-in-laws don't seem to be particularly favorite of the brothers, but they all come from wealthy businessmen.They might just be the old man's choice, not the favorites of the brothers.When he was young, he couldn't understand these things.Last year, after Wu Niang was killed and Fifth Master went mad, he looked back and realized something.Of the previous brothers, who loves his own woman as deeply as Fifth Master?Wu Niang, that's the woman Wu Brother wants most! So, when Liu Ye heard the old man say that, he first thought of Wu Ge Wu Niang, and then he was moved.But how can he have a woman he likes? Since I was a child, in this family with too much space, all I can see for many years are only members of the same clan.Going out for some entertainment, how can I meet a woman! However, when Liu Ye was thinking this way, there was a woman who couldn't get rid of him.who is she?I'm afraid Liu Ye will never dare to say: she is the current old lady Du Yunqing. Liu Ye dared not admit that his favorite was a woman like his stepmother, but other than that, he really had no other woman he liked more. Influenced by his nurse, he has been hostile to this stepmother since he was a child.Moreover, she has been far away from him.During the year, I occasionally see it, but I just look at it from a distance.He really didn't pay much attention to what the old lady looked like.However, an inexplicable change has taken place in the past two years: Master Liu seems to have suddenly discovered that the old lady is so different!She is not as vulgar as others, and she is not as proud as others.She has a kind of detachment as if she was born in this world, ignoring the common affairs of the family, but she seems to hide too much sadness.This often makes Liu Ye feel emotional inexplicably in secret: Does she also have sadness?And why sad?In particular, she seems to have completely forgotten that she is an old lady in a high position, and her indulgence is surprising and likable.Her charm is really indescribable. But she is by no means a vicious woman as the nanny often said. Liu Ye firmly believed in his own eyesight, the old lady was not a vicious woman. There is one more thing Liu Ye hides deep in his heart that he can never say: the old lady is too beautiful.If he can get a wife like this, he will be like Fifth Brother, crazy for her, die for her. Liu Ye understood what kind of woman he liked, but how could he express his thoughts?If the old man finds out that the woman he likes is actually a stepmother, then don't kill him!He is selfless towards his nurse, and will never tolerate him having such thoughts. However, at the juncture when the old man restricted marriage, he still wanted to express his wish.He didn't want to marry his stepmother, but just wanted to marry a woman like his stepmother.Born as an official, proficient in literature and ink, with a foreign style, open-minded, not afraid of making friends, not having feet bound, fond of bathing, and of course beautiful enough.Such a woman is not necessarily the only old lady, right? The sixth master thought over and over again, and felt that this was the only woman he wanted, and he would never want anything else.But who can convey this wish to the old man?After much deliberation, there is only one person, and that is Mr. He. Mr. He's madness is madness, but he is careless after all, so he wouldn't suspect that such a woman is just like the old lady, right?A master is like a father, and it is very polite for Mr. He to come forward and say it.In case the old man becomes suspicious, he can be excused by the madness of the old man. So, Sixth Master went to beg Master He. That day, in the name of respecting the teacher, Liu Ye summoned a few small dishes, a seaweed hot pot and a pot of flower carvings, to the dining room, and ordered them to be placed in the school hall. Master He was surprised, so he asked: Master Liu, what day is it today? It's not any day, just a little respect for the teacher.Sixth Master said as calmly as possible. What respect!Sixth Master has no hope of seeking fame, and I don't want to stay in the academy anymore. Whatever happens in the future, there is no harm in respecting the teacher today.A teacher for a day is a teacher for a lifetime. Mr. He has taught me for many years, and students should never forget their teacher's kindness! Master Liu, what happened again? no? right?I see something is wrong with your words! Treat Master He respectfully, what's wrong? When did you say such nice words? If you were not careful before, please forgive me, Mr. He.The current situation has changed suddenly, and the students can't jump the dragon gate even if they want to. I really feel sorry for Mr. He's hard work for many years.That's why I want to show a little respect, but it's too shabby. Master Liu really has such thoughts? Then I was too disrespectful to the teacher before? It's my master who is too unprofessional and doesn't look like a teacher. How can he deserve such a compliment from Master Liu? Mr. He is not quite right today. Is it worth talking so much to treat you to a drink?Come on, let me offer a cup to Master He first! Well, I will accept Liu Ye's kindness! After taking a sip, Master He sighed happily: It's a beautiful thing to have a drink around the fire with Master Liu like this.It's a pity that there is no snow scene outside.If snowflakes are falling outside the window and you and I sit around the stove, it will be even more wonderful! The sky is so dry, where is the snow scene! Sixth Master tried his best to follow Master He's mind and say some gossip to make him happy.He even said that if he really wanted to suspend the exam for five years, he would have to follow Master He's advice and abandon Confucianism and enter business.It's just that he doesn't want to sit back and enjoy the benefits, and be a young master doing nothing.But it's not easy to start another company of your own, right? When Master He heard it, his interest was really high, and he said with emotion: "That's not easy!"Sixth Master, I will be your leader, so why not set up a new name?I've thought about it a long time ago, to open a new shop, the head office must be moved to the capital, not in Qi Taiping! The sixth master laughed, and only gave him a word, but he was going to choose the opening place of the new account! Master He, you forgot that the capital is still in the hands of foreigners! If the capital fails, when we go to Shanghai, we have to choose a big wharf that can look down on the world! It seems that if I say open the font size, it will be opened.This is a major event, the leader must get the old man's nod and the third master's approval. The old man knows that you have abandoned Confucianism and entered business, and you will be happier than anyone else if you set up such an ambition!Look at Qiao’s in Qi County, the ticket number opened later than your Kang’s, but if they don’t open, there are two consecutive numbers: Dadetong and Dadeheng.The two numbers echoed each other, joined hands to promote, and it became a big trend in just a few years! Seeing that Master He was talking more and more vigorously, the sixth master quickly stopped him and said, "Master He, what the old master is forcing me to do right now is not this matter!" What is that? get married.Seeing that the imperial examination was hopeless, the old lady forced me to get married. Hearing this, Master He became even more excited!He knew that the Kang family had an important family rule: Once the children of the Kang family got married and started a family, the old man, that is, the family in charge of Mrs. Kang, would be given a large sum of money in addition to the regular daily money on a monthly basis. , Let him be the bank and open his own firm.The profit of the firm belongs to each family, not to the old man.The more profits, the more private financial resources of each family.If you make less profit, you can only spend less.If you don't make a profit, just eat the old man's extra money.The purpose of establishing this family rule is to encourage children to start their own businesses and to prevent financial resources from being weakened due to division of family property.However, the first five masters of the Kang family did not have well-developed businesses, but the silk and satin shop under the name of the third master was a little stronger.The third master has great ambitions, and his mind is not on his own small print.But Mr. He has been in distress for many years, and he no longer thinks that this kind of private business is small.If the sixth master wants to ask him to lead the East, it is not impossible to make it into a large room. Therefore, Mr. He got even more energetic and said loudly: "Master Liu, it's time for you to get married too!"After getting married, you can set up another shop of your own!You want to call me Lingdong I don't want to get married yet. Marriage is a lifelong event, and no one can avoid it.Besides, that's a beautiful thing, not drudgery.I don't know whose beauties the old man ordered for the sixth master?Not satisfied? The marriage has not yet been decided.The old man also let go: what kind of woman do you want, you can tell them, and ask them to find you all over the world! The old man is so open-minded, sixth master, why worry about you! Master He, I buried myself in the academy, studying hard day and night, how would I know what kind of woman to marry? If you are as rich as a noble mansion, of course you have to talk about a well-matched family. I'm afraid it's the right match! The family is right, plus a two-phase pleasure. Mr. He can only talk about wars on paper, and he doesn't know where he is, so why both parties are happy! Master Six!Master He suddenly became more energetic, and his voice became higher.Things are changing rapidly in today's world, and it is not advisable to be too old-fashioned when marrying a wife.It is difficult to govern a country and restore it, but marriage is always easier, right?I'll give you a few reform conditions, what do you think? Marriage Restoration?What crazy things is Master He going to say again?The sixth master said, "I would like to listen to the teachings." The first thing is to not bind your feet.The second thing is to understand poetry and books.The third thing is to be open-minded and magnanimous, not to avoid new trends, and not afraid to make friends.One more thing, of course you have to have a high-class female appearance. The more Liu Ye listened, the more he acted as he thought!Master He actually guessed his mind? Why, don't you want to marry such a new-style beauty?Look at your old man, there was such a reformation more than ten years ago, but you want to keep the old? The new-style beauties mentioned by Master He are actually compared to the old lady?This surprised Liu Ye.However, he was no longer so ashamed. The stepmother must be admired by everyone, and he was not the only one who had evil thoughts.Even Master He recommended a new style of beauties like the old lady, which surprised him and made him even happier!He has a majestic cover: it's not that he wants a woman like his stepmother, it's that the teacher's order is not easy to disobey. Master He, how can I compare with the old man? The old lady started, didn't you just follow Weixin? Liu Ye deliberately evaded it before agreeing, but pretended to be casual and added a sentence: it would be even better to be born in a scholarly family and an official family.Master He actually agreed.Later, the sixth master pretended to be worried, fearing that the old man had already made plans, so he tactfully asked Mr. He to come to the old man and make a trick.Master He didn't know what Master Liu was thinking, but he also promised that he would persuade the old man. Sixth Master was secretly happy, so he drank a lot of wine with Master He. After drinking too much, Mr. He actually praised the old lady's beauty, so Mr. Liu panicked a little.However, Master He never said anything out of the ordinary. three Only one day later, Liu Ye was called by the old man. Before the ceremony was over, the old man asked a question: I heard from Mr. He that you want to marry a new woman, a new-style woman? The sixth master hurriedly said: Master He advocated this, saying that the world is changing with each passing day, and marriage and marriage should not be old-fashioned. I mean to ask you! Mr. He has taught me for many years, so it is not good to be too disobedient. I don't want to force you yet, tell him to force you?What do you mean by your own? I didn't have an opinion, so be it. that's it? That's it. Well, just as Master He said, tell them to search for you all over the world! The sixth master didn't know what Master He said, did he mention the scholarly family background and the beauty?But in front of the old man, it was really inconvenient for him to mention it again. After coming out of the old man, he rushed to ask Mr. He.Master He affirmed again and again that he had said everything without missing anything.Sixth Master was relieved. Finally, he conveyed his wish, but Liu Ye had a new worry: Is there really such a ready-made new-style beauty in the world, waiting for him to choose?What does the old man mean by the whole world?It is nothing more than Taigu, at most it is limited to Qi Taiping.Can Taigu, and even Qi Taiping, find such a new-style beauty?He had heard a long time ago that his stepmother grew up in the capital.The old man will not go to the capital to find beauties for him, let alone the capital has fallen. However, within half a month, news came that the woman Liu Ye wanted had already been found, and the birthdays of both parties were also handed over to a Hetu master to calculate. Found it so soon? Liu Ye really wants to know where he found it, does everything meet his wish? But where is he going to find out! In the marriage process of that era, although there was also a blind date procedure, it was not the man and the woman who participated in the blind date.Especially the big family, let alone show their true face casually.Wouldn't it be a great shame and humiliation to show your true face but you don't like it?Therefore, most of the people involved in the matchmaking are matchmakers in the middle.Master Liu doesn't even know who the matchmaker is, so where can he find out? At this time, he felt the importance of his mother even more.If the mother was there, she would definitely inquire for him, or she would know everything at any time.Now, everything is in father's hands, will the old man really think about everything for you?He is always worried.The nanny kept asking, but who took her seriously?She can hardly hear anything. It's not appropriate for Master He to inquire about such things for him. Sixth Master had no choice but to wait. Fortunately, within a few days, the old man summoned him again and explained everything: he had already chosen a marriage according to his wish.The woman is the Sun's family in the city, and it is also a big family in Taigu.The daughter of the Sun family is the second young lady in front of Fourth Master Sun.This woman is also a bit like Rumei who was in front of the third master. She has been chivalrous since she was a child, she refuses to bind her feet, she likes to go out, she learns to read with boys, and she doesn't hate foreign things and styles.In short, all conditions are in line with your mind.The horoscopes of the two of you are also very compatible, and you can help each other.This marriage is settled like this, right? Old six, I know your temper.Originally, I wanted to use a small trick to create an opportunity for you to see Miss Sun Er's beauty in the dark.It's just that the Sun family is a big family, if people know about it, they will laugh at us! The sixth master was a little disappointed when he first heard that it was the Sun family: it's still the right family.The Sun family in the city is also a rich man who established his family based on business, but he prefers to donate officials. I heard that there are also gifts such as pleasant gifts for wives.Is this considered an official family?The sixth master wanted to become an official with the right path, so he disdained the officials who spent money to donate.Hearing that this young lady of the Sun family looks like Rumei, she is even more displeased.Rumei is quite talented, but she is almost like a boy, without any charm of a beautiful woman!Rumei is not ugly, but she is not beautiful either.If he is really like Rumei, he doesn't want it! But it was inconvenient for him to tell his father directly.After reading all the horoscopes, the old man must have agreed to this marriage!What can he do? In a hurry, I had an idea. With my father making the decision, how can I be worried?It's just that if that girl is really as pungent as Rumei, I'm afraid too.What is her temperament?I would like to ask my lord mother to try to meet and grasp the truth for me. The Sixth Master had the courage to make such a request, but the old man laughed when he heard it: Sixth child, to tell you the truth, this Second Miss Sun was seen by the old lady! This surprised Liu Ye greatly!Has the stepmother already met him?The reason why he boldly proposed to ask his stepmother to meet Miss Sun's family was because he wanted to ask his stepmother to check in on him.He would definitely like a woman his stepmother could fall in love with.He used his stepmother as a heterosexual idol. But no matter what, he never thought that his stepmother had already seen that girl for him!Stepmother will also care about his marriage? This accident made him very happy. Now that my mother has been on a blind date, I feel more at ease.He said it as calmly as possible. Lao Liu, you have the old lady in your heart, she must be very happy!You go and see the old lady. The old man's words made him even more excited. This winter, the old man has already lived in the spacious seven-room main house in the old courtyard.He was the sixth master who was summoned in his own study in Dongtou.Therefore, when Liu Ye went to see the old lady, he just walked through the halls and went to the study in Xitou.However, Liu Ye was a little nervous today, even shy. Ever since he confirmed that he loved his stepmother in his heart, and expressed his desire to marry a woman like her stepmother, he hadn't seen her yet.You must be calm as usual! But when he was paying respects, he still couldn't calm down, he didn't dare to look her in the eye.Fortunately, the old lady was calm as usual, she just smiled casually after hearing what Du Mu conveyed to the old lady. Sixth Master, you have me in your heart, which makes me even more uneasy.I didn't pick this Second Miss Sun for you!I heard that the sixth master also wants to marry a enlightened woman who doesn't have feet bound. I just mentioned a few to the old master. They are all ladies who often go to the women's department of Huaqing Pool to take a bath, and there is Miss Sun Er among them.They said that they didn't bind their feet just to imitate me.I don't believe their words!Fortunately, all of them are still lively and enlightened.As for why I chose Miss Sun's family later on, I dare not be greedy for credit! Since it was recommended by my mother, I can always rest assured. Master Liu, don't dare to say that!You don't want to see me when you get married, but I can't bear it. It's up to the parents to decide. Master Liu, let me give you an idea!I went to the city to take a bath another day, and when I came out, I tried to go with Ms. Sun's family, walked out of the back door of Huaqing Pool, and asked her to talk for a while before boarding the car.As for you, sixth master, you can sit in a carriage in advance and park it nearby.When I talk to Miss Sun, you can hide in the car and watch through the window!Willing or not? Liu Ye didn't expect the old lady to give him such an idea, but this idea is very attractive: Isn't this naughty and troublesome?And it was playing tricks with the old lady! He showed a bit of shyness, and said: I would like to listen to the arrangement of my mother. Well.When I go to the city to take a bath another day, I will tell the sixth master. It's just, it's cold weather, working mother I'm not afraid of freezing, just don't freeze Master Liu! I am not afraid of freezing. Coming out of the old courtyard this time, Master Liu felt elated. The woman chosen for him was originally recommended by the old lady!She is lively, enlightened, has unbound feet, likes to bathe, and can read and write. She is like the old lady in everything, and everything is as he wishes.Whatever you think about, you will have something, isn't this Tian Zuo you!These days, what I think about the most is the old lady. The old lady is actually helping you choose a beautiful woman!The old lady didn't say whether this Second Miss Sun was beautiful or not, so she probably wasn't bad.For a girl with poor appearance, the old lady will recommend her? In short, the sixth master was already relieved of this marriage.But the old lady came up with such an unannounced visit idea, can he not agree?To see the woman's true face one day earlier, of course he is willing!If the old lady did this, she must have a plan in her chest, and she wanted to surprise him one day earlier. Therefore, Liu Ye couldn't help but tell the nanny all this when he came back, but he didn't say that Miss Sun's family is a natural foot.He didn't want to hear more nagging from the nanny. He still wanted to talk to Master He, but finally he held back. Only one day later, Du Mu, who was in front of the old lady, came to say: Tomorrow, the old lady will go to the city to take a bath, and Liu Ye will have to enter the city at 3:00 noon.It's so cold, don't go early to catch the cold. Liu Ye tried his best to calmly agree, because he was very excited. But as soon as Du Mu left, the nanny kept asking: What are you going to do in the city?Why do you want to go with the old lady? Of course, the sixth master couldn't tell the truth, so he had to make up nonsense to deal with it: the old lady is going to go to the East Temple to offer incense after taking a bath, and the old lady asked me to accompany her. Have you ever had such a thing before? In the past, wasn't I small? Master Liu didn't say any more, and went out to see the housekeeper, Lao Xia, and asked him to set up a car for him tomorrow. Arrived at three o'clock in the afternoon, and left at the beginning of noon, but it was half an hour before noon, and Liu Ye boarded the car and set off.The weather was fine, the sun was bright and there was no wind.But it was mid-winter after all, and the cold air had already penetrated the felt cover of the sedan chair, and it became colder and colder.Sixth Master didn't care too much about these things, he was only thinking about the coming moment. If that woman makes people fall in love at first sight, he will really go to the East Temple to offer incense once, to thank God for the good match. Maybe it was because of the cold weather, but the driver yelled loudly, and the animal spirit also ran happily, and entered the city just after noon.There are still three quarters of time, and it is not a problem to be frozen.Go to your own font to warm up, and it's too exciting to mobilize the crowd.Liu Ye decided to go to the East Temple first to offer incense and make a wish: If the girl really fulfills his wish, he will donate a large amount of incense money to the temple. The monastery is not warm either, just busy with offering incense and making a wish, it really took time.It's the right time to rush to the back gate of Huaqing Pool. Du Mu was already waiting there, and when he saw Liu Ye's car arriving, he came over and said through the curtain of the car: "The old lady will be out soon, please pay attention to Liu Ye." Said it was soon, but Liu Ye still felt that he had to wait for a while.終於盼出來了：老夫人與一個年少女子相攜著走了出來。這女子就是孫二小姐？顯然是天足，因為她走路與老夫人一樣，輕盈，快捷，自如。可穿得太厚實了，除了華貴，能看出什麼來？尤其是頭臉，幾乎被一條雪狐圍脖給遮嚴了。 六爺緊貼了轎側那個太小的窗口，努力去看，越看心裡似乎越平靜。老夫人為了叫他看得更清楚，引導孫小姐臉朝向他這邊，還逗她說笑。平心而論，孫小姐可不醜，說美貌，也不算勉強。說笑的樣子，也活潑。她也不像汝梅，有太重的假小子氣。可六爺總是覺得，她分明少了什麼，少了那種能打動人的要緊東西。 到底少了什麼，他也說不清。只是與繼母一比，就能分明感覺出來。浴後的繼母，那是更動人了！所以，他不敢多看繼母，一看，就叫人不安。可同樣是浴後的孫小姐，卻為何不動人？再仔細看，也激動不起來。 繼母和孫家女子都登車而去了。稍後，六爺的車馬也啟動了。可他坐在寒冷的車轎裡，悵然若失：已經沒有什麼可企盼的了！動心地盼了許久的，原來這樣平淡無奇。 現在，六爺有些明白了：繼母堅持叫他來親自相看，就怕他看不上吧？可是，這位孫小姐樣樣都符合他提出的條件，又怎麼向老太爺拒婚？她要生得醜些，他還有個理由，可她居然不醜。不醜，又不動人，叫人怎麼辦？ 老天爺，你總是不叫人如願！ Four 在回去的半路上，老夫人還停了車，問了問六爺：看上了沒有？ 這叫他怎麼說呢？只好說：也沒看得很清。 老夫人一笑，就不問了。看他無精打采的樣子，她能不明白？她回去見了老太爺，把他的失望說明了，局面會改變嗎？ 然而，沒過幾天，老太爺召他過去，興致很好，開口就說：跟孫家這門親事，就定了吧。人是按你的心思挑的，模樣你也親眼見了，定了吧。我已經跟他們說了，挑個吉日，先把定親的喜酒吃了。到臘月，就把媳婦娶過來。老六，你看成吧？ 這不是已經定了嗎？六爺一臉無奈，還能說什麼！ 老太爺似乎沒看見他的無奈，依然興致很好：聽說老夫人安排你見了見孫小姐？哈哈，沒被人家發現吧？ 藏在車轎裡，也沒看清什麼。 也行了，大冬天的，站當街，能站多久？我跟老夫人說了，哪如安排在戲園子裡？雖坐得遠些，也能看得從容。老夫人說，孫小姐還未出閣，哪能擠到戲園子看戲？倒也是，我真老糊塗了。婚事上，老夫人很為你操心。走時，過去謝一聲。 What else can I say?什麼都不能說了。 六爺退出來，進了老夫人這廂。老夫人一見他，就說：六爺，看你像霜打了的樣子，我就心裡不安。那天從城裡回來，我就跟老太爺說了：看來六爺不很中意。老太爺聽了，只是笑話我安排得太笨，費了大勁私訪一回，也沒看出個究竟。那天，你真沒看清？ 母親大人，看清了。 那你是不中意吧？ 就那樣吧，母親大人。 我看你是不如意。 就那樣吧。 還能怎樣呢？六爺知道，在這件事上老夫人做不了什麼主，一切都由父親決定。父親已經給了他很大的仁慈，事先叫他提條件，而且樣樣條件都答應。樣樣條件都符合，挑出來了，卻不是你想要的人！這能怨誰？ 你做了按圖索驥的傻事吧？ 繼母也是太獨特了，獨一無二。你比照了她，到哪再找出一個來？ 罷了，罷了，這就是你的命吧。世間唯一疼你的人，早早就棄你而去。一心想博取的功名，眼看臨近了，科考卻是先延後停。那就娶一個心愛的女人相守吧，卻又是這樣一個結局！你不認命，又能怎樣？ 六爺畢竟年輕，心灰意懶幾天後，忽然想起一個人來：那就是天成元京號的戴掌櫃。 那次，何老爺帶他去拜訪戴掌櫃，有幾句話叫他一直難忘：到了殘局，才更需要大才大智；臨危出智，本來也是西幫的看家功夫。他現在已到殘局時候了，真有大才大智能挽救他的敗勢嗎？ 所以，他特別想再見一見戴掌櫃。 跑去問何老爺，才知道戴掌櫃早到上海去了。剛要失望，忽然就跳出一個念頭來：他去上海找戴掌櫃，不正可以逃婚嗎？ 這是不是臨危出智？ 平白無故的，老太爺不會允許他去上海。他就說，決心棄儒習商了，跟了戴掌櫃這樣的高手，才能習得真本事；上海呢，已成國中第一商埠，想到滬上開開眼界。婚事，既已定親，也不必著急了，在這兵荒馬亂的時候完婚，怕不吉利。 這樣說，不知能否說動老太爺？ 六爺就將這個心思先給何老爺說了說，當然沒說是逃婚。 何老爺聽了很高興，說：六爺，你算是改邪歸正了！去趟上海，你也就知道什麼叫經商，什麼叫商界，什麼叫大碼頭。 老太爺會不會答應我？ 哪能不答應？老太爺看你終於棄儒歸商，只會高興，哪能攔你！ 可老太爺說了，臘月就叫我成婚。 那你就成了婚再走！離臘月也沒多遠了。 臘月一過，就到年下。戴掌櫃在上海能停留多久？ 京城收不回，戴掌櫃也沒地界去的。 滿街都說議和已成定局，十二款都答應了人家，就差畫押了。和局一成，朝廷還不收回京城？ 誰知 何老爺忽然打起哈欠來，而且是連連不斷。剛才還好好的，這是怎麼了？六爺正想問，忽然悟到：何老爺是煙癮犯了吧？於是，故意逗他： 何老爺是怎麼了，忽然犯起睏來？夜間沒睡，又讀什麼野史了？ 睡了，睡 哈欠分明打得更厲害。 六爺才笑了，說：何老爺，你既已不瞞我，就燒一鍋洋煙，抽幾口吧？ 太不雅六爺請便吧 今兒，我才不走，得見識見識。 六爺真穩坐不動。何老爺又忍了片刻，再忍不住，終於從櫃底摸出一個漆匣來。不用說，裡面裝著煙具煙土。 何老爺在炕桌上點燈、燒煙時，手直發抖，嘴角都流出口水來了。抖抖晃晃地燒了一鍋，貪婪地吸下肚後，才像洩了氣，不抖不晃了，緩緩地躺在炕上。片刻之後，簡直跟換了個人似的，一個精神煥發的何老爺坐了起來。 Master Six!何老爺叫得斬釘截鐵。I laughed.你看我哪還配在貴府家館為授業為師呀？你快跟老太爺說一聲，另請高明吧。我就伺候六爺你一人了，你當東家，我給你領東，咱們成就一番大業！ 六爺以前也常聽何老爺說這類瘋話，原來是跟他的煙癮有關？吸了洋煙，就敢說憋在心底的話了？六爺忽然就產生一種強烈的衝動：也吸口洋煙試試！他心底也憋了太多不如意。 六爺，你去上海，我跟你去！上海我去過，我跟了伺候你。 何老爺，你再燒一鍋煙，叫我嘗幾口，成吧？ What did you say? 我看你吸了洋煙，跟換了個人似的，也想吸幾口，嘗嘗。 何老爺立馬瞪了眼：六爺，你要成大事，可不敢沾這種嗜好！我是太沒出息了。六爺你要叫我做領東，我立馬戒煙！ 何老爺，我早聽你說過：太谷的領東大掌櫃，沒有一個不抽大煙的。孫大掌櫃也抽？ 要不他越抽越沒本事！林大掌櫃可不抽。 何老爺，你只要有領東的本事，我不怕抽大煙。 那六爺你也不能抽！你們家老太爺待我不薄，我能教你做這種事？ 我也不修儒業了，要那麼乾淨何用？再說，我也只是嘗嘗而已。 何老爺盯著他看了片刻，好像忽然想通了，就真燒了一鍋。跟著，將煙槍遞過來，教給他怎麼吸。 六爺照著吸了，老天爺，那真不是什麼好味道！但漸漸地就有異樣感覺升上來了，真是說不出的一種感覺。跟著，整個人也升起來了，身子變輕了往上升說不出的感覺！ 六爺，沒事吧？ fine!只是覺著身子變輕了。 六爺，我把你拉下水了！ 何老爺，不怨你，是我願意！科舉停了，老太爺定的那門親事，我也不中意，樣樣都不如意，我還那麼規矩，有何用？我倒想做聖人，誰叫你做？老太爺他要怪罪下來，我就遠離康莊，浪跡天涯去！ 六爺，你要這樣，就把我害了。你知道我拉你下水為了什麼？為了叫你鐵了心投身商界！有此嗜好，無傷商家大雅的。你要一味敗落，那我罪過就大了！ 何老爺，那我就鐵了心，棄儒習商！做商家，不正可浪跡天涯嗎？ 六爺說得對！ 兩人慷慨激昂地很說了一陣，心裡都覺異常痛快。尤其是六爺，全把憂傷與不快忘記了，只覺著自家雄心萬丈，與平時特別不一樣。 乘著感覺好，六爺回去了。見著奶媽，他也是很昂揚地說話。提起自己的親事，居然也誇讚起孫家來了，已沒有一點苦惱。 事後，何老爺驚恐萬狀地跑來見六爺，直說自己造了孽了，居然教學生抽大煙！六爺也有些醒悟了，表示再不深涉。就那樣吸了一兩口，也不至成癮難回頭吧。 不過，後來六爺終於還是忍不住，暗自上了幾趟城裡的煙館。哪想到，太谷最大的涼州莊謙和玉，很快就發現了這個不尋常的新主顧。康家在太谷是什麼人家？趕緊伺候好康六爺吧！於是派出精幹伙友，扮作儒生，到康莊拜訪六爺。如何拜訪呢，不過是奉贈一個精美的推光漆匣：不用問，裡面裝了全套煙具和少量煙土。 就這樣，在什麼企盼都失去以後，六爺有了這新的念想。這一日也斷不了的念想，叫他平靜下來了，不再想去上海，更不想浪跡天涯。 只是，六爺一直深瞞著，不叫別人知道，更不敢叫老太爺知道。 five 汝梅一看見自己的畫像，就要想起那個畫匠來。可這個拘謹的畫匠，已經無影無蹤了。她暗自託下人打聽過，這個畫洋畫的畫匠，已經不在太谷了，有的說去了平遙，也有的說去了西安。 總之，無影無蹤了。 畫像中的汝梅，燦爛明媚，連老太爺看了，都說把梅梅畫成小美人了。可畫匠本人居然那樣木，什麼都看不出來？汝梅常常凝視著畫像，不能確定自己到底是不是美人。 畫像那兩天，她真是用盡心機討好畫匠。可那個木頭人，始終是那樣拘謹，客氣。他或許是見的美人太多了？她問過：你是專給女人畫像？他說：還是給做官的老爺們畫像多。他可能沒說實話。 汝梅親眼看見，畫匠在給她畫像時，常常會瞇起眼睛來，去凝視老夫人的那幅大畫像。這種時候，她說話，他也聽不見了。 老夫人是個美人。到現在了，還那麼能迷住男人？你一定是沒有老夫人美貌吧？其實，汝梅一直就不想做女人！ 情竇初開的汝梅，無論心頭怎樣翻江倒海，也沒法改變什麼。畫像那幾天，很快就過去了。除了留下一張燦爛明媚的洋式畫像，繼續散發著不大好聞的松節油氣味，什麼都無影無蹤了。她想再看一看老夫人的畫像，看究竟美在何處，管家老夏也不肯答應了，總是說去做畫框，還沒送回來。 就在這幾分惱人、幾分無奈中，汝梅又想出遊去。可大冬天的，又能去哪？父親去了西安，又是遙無歸期。父親這次去西安，是以時局不靖，兵荒馬亂為由，不肯帶她同行。反正他總是有理由，反正他永遠也不會帶她出門的。 而今年冬天，連一片雪花也沒見過。 下了雪，或許還好些？總可以外出賞雪。 這種無聊，使汝梅忽然又想起了那次異常的鳳山之遊。那次，她一定是犯了什麼忌。犯了什麼忌呢，竟惹了那麼多麻煩？莫名的好奇又湧上來了。 大冬天的，上鳳山是不可能了。汝梅忽然有了探尋的目標：那些已故的老夫人的畫像。那次，她發覺有幾分眼熟的畫像，到底是哪一位老夫人？是不是六爺的生母？ 只是這樣一想，汝梅就覺有幾分害怕。可此時的她，似乎又想去觸動這種害怕，以排解莫名的煩惱。 在一個寂靜的午後，汝梅果真悄然溜進了前院那間廳堂。這間過節時莊嚴無比的地界，現在是既寒冷，又有幾分陰森。她努力挺著膽，去找她的目標：掛在一側的那四幅已故老夫人的畫像。現在看去，老式筆墨畫出的人像，畢竟難現真容。可這四幅遺像要都用洋筆法畫出，一個個似活人般逼視著你，那更要嚇死人了。 尋見了那一幅：嘴角斜上方點了一顆很好看的痣，但定神細看，已沒有多少眼熟的感覺。鳳山見過的那個老尼，記憶也模糊了，只是那顆美人痣還分明記得。痣生的地方，也很相符。 汝梅看了看這位生痣的老夫人的牌位，寫明是孟氏。她沒敢再抬頭看遺像，惶惶跑了出來。 孟氏。六爺的生母姓什麼呢？六爺的生母真要是孟氏，那鳳山的老尼打聽六爺就有文章了汝梅不敢細想了，但又被更強烈吸引住。 她不動聲色問母親，母親居然想了半天也沒想起來：真還記不得了！以前也是老夫人老夫人地叫，老夫人娘家姓什麼，真還一時記不起來了。梅梅，你問這做甚？ 也不做甚，我跟她們打賭呢！ 拿這打賭？never heard of that. 女人嫁到婆家，就沒名沒姓了。貴為老夫人尚如此，別人更不用說！ 梅梅，你又瘋說什麼！去問問六爺，他該記得外爺家的姓吧？ It's hard to say.我就記不得外爺姓什麼了 你又作孽吧！ 汝梅跑出來了。除了失望，她還替這位早逝的老夫人難受：母親記不得她的尊姓，大概也沒多少人記得了。去問六爺！正是不想直接問六爺，才問你們的。 汝梅又問了幾位上年紀的老嬤，也沒問出來。她們都是前頭這位老夫人去世後，才進康家的。 真是得直接問六爺？問六爺奶媽，就成。汝梅忽然想起，在六爺的屋裡，彷彿就供有先母的牌位吧？ 好了，去拜見一趟六爺，不就什麼都明白了！ 汝梅去見六爺時，他不在，只奶媽在。奶媽對汝梅倒是很慇勤，讓到正屋裡，問長問短的。汝梅卻早已心不在焉：一進正屋，她就看見了那尊牌位：先妣孟氏 真是孟氏？ 汝梅不知自己當時說了什麼，又怎樣離開的。 真是孟氏！ 無聊的汝梅，起初也只是想往深裡打探一下，能打探出什麼，打聽出來又該如何，實在也沒多想。現在，一個離奇又可怕的疑相叫她打探出來了，除了驚駭，真不知該如何是好！ 鳳山那個老尼，長著一顆美人痣，她問起了六爺，滿臉的憔悴和憂傷。這位同樣長著美人痣的孟氏，她是六爺的生母，可她故去已經十多年了！她們是兩個人，還是一個人？ 活人和故人，怎麼能是一個人？ 那老尼會是孟氏的姐妹嗎？有這樣一位出家的姨母，六爺他能不知道？ 汝梅想不下去了，可又不能不想。跟誰商量一下就好了，可這事能跟誰商量！誰一沾邊，就得倒霉吧。秋天，就是因為她見了那位老尼，叫好幾個下人受了連累。老太爺也很久拒不見她。 一定捅著什麼要緊的隱秘了。 汝梅真是越想越害怕，也越想越興奮。她當然不肯住手罷休的，至少也得把這一切告訴一個人：那就是六爺。 六爺要願意同她一道，秘密去趟鳳山，那就更好了。 這一次，汝梅是在學館把六爺攔住了。當時，六爺正在何老爺的屋裡