After leaving the Manlu Palace, Master Shen walked in the imperial city.
The cold wind of the first month hit him, completely waking him up.
Marrying into the royal family was something that Emperor Hongde had told him before. At that time, Shen Yi neither agreed nor refused.
However, with his attitude, His Majesty the Emperor already knew what he was thinking. After all, facing the Emperor, not agreeing was actually a rejection.
Now, the relationship between the emperor and him is just right, and the court still has a lot of use for him, so the emperor is embarrassed to bring up this matter again in front of him, and he is embarrassed to force the decree to grant the marriage.
That's why Concubine Hui came to see him.
The cause and effect are not difficult to understand.
But Shen Yi didn't like this way of forming an alliance.
Firstly, he didn't want to settle the fate of his eldest daughter so easily, and secondly, he didn't want to let himself, his whole family, or even the entire Ganquan Academy fall into a harem fight.
Once you fall into it, you will invest endless resources. If you bet on the wrong thing and lose, you may be able to do anything.
Originally, this kind of rejection could have been gentler, for example, telling the emperor and his wife that he needed to go home and discuss it with his wife.
However, Shen Yi still chose this blunt refusal very willfully.
Although it might offend people, Shen Yi didn't care.
Now, he is of great use to the court and even more useful to the emperor. The emperor is a smart man and cannot be confused about the importance.
One day, Shen Yi really gets things done, and by then his size will be beyond the reach of a concubine in the harem.
Therefore, Shen Yi could directly reject the Concubine Hui.
After leaving the palace on foot and returning home in a carriage, it was already evening.
Master Shen returned to the back house. His eldest son, Shen Yuan, was standing next to the crib, looking curiously at his sleeping sister.
Seeing Shen Yi coming back, Shen Yuan ran all the way to Shen Yi's feet and hugged his old father's thigh. Master Shen understood and reached out to pick him up.
After looking at his sleeping daughter for a while, Shen Yi turned to Lu Ruoxi and smiled: "Have you thought of a name yet?"
Lu Ruoxi shook her head slightly and said with a smile: "How dare you choose a name for your baby when you are like this? Everyone in the family said that they will wait until you come back to choose a name."
"Uncle just came to take a look and didn't give me a name."
Shen Yi touched his chin and thought for a while, then said: "My wife's nickname is Qingque, and Qingque is also called Sanghu. The poems and clouds are close to Sanghu, and there are orioles in their feathers."
"This child's nickname is Sangsang."
Mr. Shen nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "As for the name, there is no rush in this matter. I will think about it slowly, and then I will give her a name when I think of it well."
Lu Ruoxi's face turned a little red and she said softly: "How can a mother and daughter have the same name?"
Shen Yi thought for a while and said, "Is that called Sangzi?"
"Sangzi Shen..."
Mr. Shen shook his head and objected: "It sounds like a Taoist priest, no, no, no."
"Let's call her Sangsang."
Lu Ruoxi looked at her infant daughter and smiled: "My father probably also likes this name. He just said here that Sangsang was exactly the same as me when I was a child."
Master Shen held his eldest son in his arms, looked at his little daughter in the crib, and said with a smile: "Yuan'er, your sister has a name. From now on, she will be called Sang Sang."
Shen Yuan hugged his old father's neck, suddenly turned to look at Shen Yi, and asked, "Dad, what is my nickname?"
Shen Yi looked embarrassed, coughed, and said nothing.
Because I was lazy, I didn't give him a nickname after I picked him a name.
Lu Ruoxi on the side covered her mouth and said with a smile: "Yes, let me ask your father, what is your nickname?"
Master Shen touched his eldest son's head and coughed: "Yuan'er, be good, our boys don't have nicknames..."
………………
The twentieth day of the first lunar month.
Shen Yi is about to leave Jiankang.
I was supposed to leave after the Shangyuan Festival, but after the Shangyuan Festival, it snowed again in Jiankang. In addition, I really couldn’t bear to leave my little daughter, so I postponed it until the 20th of the first lunar month before deciding to leave Jiankang on the morning of the 21st. Kang, returned to Huai'an to take up his post.
That night, in the study room of the Shen family, Mr. Shen was writing a letter to Liu Mingyuan who was already on the way. After writing most of the letter, there was a knock on the door.
"Zi Heng, do you have some free time?"
It was Master Lu's voice.
Shen Yi quickly put down his brush, stood up, walked to the door of the room, opened the door for his old father-in-law, bowed slightly, and saluted: "Teacher."
Master Lu walked into the study with Shen Yi's support. He glanced at the unfinished letters on the table and said, "Zi Heng is busy?"
Shen Yi smiled and said, "It's almost finished, and there are still a few closing sentences."
"It's okay. Master, sit down quickly."
Master Lu found a chair and sat down. He motioned for Shen Yi to sit down as well. After Shen Yi sat down, he said: "Zi Heng is already an important minister at this time and has to read a lot of documents every day. Why don't you look for it?" Is there someone like a master's staff who is following you around to write letters for you?"
Shen Yi shook his head slightly and said: "Returning to my mentor, the disciple's imperial mission in Huai'an has a book office, and some simple documents are also left to them to write. However, the disciple is a little worried about some important things, so he will read and write them by himself. .”
"Well."
Master Lu nodded and sighed slightly: "It's a pity that I am too old for my master. If I were ten years younger, I would go to Huai'an with you, work as your master's clerk, and ghostwrite some documents and letters for you."
The headmaster of Ganquan Academy sighed: "In this way, I can be considered as doing my best for the country."
Shen Yi said with a smile: "My mentor rescued his disciples from Jiangdu Prison and taught them all the way. Without my mentor, how could I have a disciple today?"
"In the past half year, my disciple personally killed more than ten people from the Qi army."
Mr. Shen said with a smile: "Half of these ten people can be attributed to you, my mentor."
Master Lu shook his head silently: "This is just a way for you to put money on my teacher's face. When I was a teacher, I only taught you some political strategies. At most, they were of some use in exams. Your ability to do practical things is all your own." .”
He sighed: "If a teacher had the ability to teach a person like Zi Heng, he would not stay in Jiangdu and become a teacher."
Hearing him mention old things, Mr. Shen also felt a little emotional. While pouring tea for Mr. Lu, he said: "To be honest, I don't have the ability to lead troops in war. I know people well and do them well. If I didn't Thanks to the guidance of my mentor, my disciple may not even be successful in the examination, so why is he here today?"
He placed the hot tea in front of Master Lu and said, "Teacher, drink tea."
Master Lu took the tea, took a sip, and looked at Shen Yi worriedly.
He put down the tea cup and sighed silently: "Last year, I received a letter from Brother Changping. I learned that Zi Heng defeated the Qi people in Huai'an. As a teacher, I felt happy and worried."
"The good news is that after twenty years, someone finally dares to take the lead and wield a sword against the Qi people."
"The worry is..."
Shen Yi lowered his head to add tea to the old man and said with a smile: "What's worrying is that I am your son-in-law and the father of your grandson."
Master Lu nodded silently.
"I am always worried that you will be like General Yuan..."
He sighed faintly: "What's more, after more than sixty years, although I feel resentful in my heart, I have actually gotten used to it. One day, Da Chen will officially start the Northern Expedition."
"I'm actually a little worried."
"You will go back to Huai'an tomorrow to take up your post. I can't sleep tonight, so I came to see you."
Shen Yi smiled and said, "What my mentor is worried about is that I will be like General Yuan back then. Because of the defeat in the Northern Expedition, I will be angered by the imperial court and bring disaster to the three clans."
Mr. Shen looked at his old father-in-law and said slowly: "But mentor, if everyone is afraid of this, then no one will ever do this."
"Disciple, I want to give it a try."
"But don't worry, mentor. Even if the disciple doesn't succeed, he will never be like Yuan Du."
Shen Yi's eyes were calm: "The disciple will pave the way for him."
Master Lu reached out and patted Shen Yi on the shoulder and said, "My son has great ambitions, and I am deeply gratified to be a father."
Shen Yi lowered his head slightly: "My father-in-law is just waiting for the good news about my son-in-law."
Mr. Lu picked up the tea cup and wanted to take a sip, but he had no intention of drinking and put it back down. He looked up at Shen Yi and asked, "Zi Heng, is there anything I can do to help?"
Shen Yi thought for a while and then said: "Teacher, my imperial mission is short of a few capable scholars. If you go back to Jiangdu this year, see if there are any suitable candidates. If so, recommend them to Huai'an."
"The treatment is generous."
"This is easy."
Master Lu nodded, a smile finally appeared on his face.
"I know a lot of failed candidates who have real talent and learning. When I return to Jiangdu, I will go find them myself."
Master Shen bowed his hands respectfully.
"Thank you, mentor!"
