Six years later (the eighteenth year of Taiyuan), Jiankang.
On Zhuque Street, a convoy left Taicheng and was slowly marching south. Thirty-six honor guards held high flags and were responsible for opening the way. Thirty-six drummers and buglers sounded every ten steps to avoid pedestrians. There were also several Baijingqi is wearing strong armor and holding sharp blades, guarding the left and right. The whole team is like a giant dragon, showing its teeth and claws, majestic!
In the middle of the team, there is a Yuanrong chariot with four horses. It is not inlaid with treasures, gold or silver. It is decorated very simply, but it has an aura of nobility that makes people dare not look directly at it. The person in charge of driving is the new guard. The company is engaged in—Xu Wen.
Everyone knows that Xu Wen was born in the Xu family of the East China Sea. He was a confidant of Da Sima and was his personal guard. Being able to let him take charge of driving the car himself, and being escorted by fine knights and knights, the people sitting in the carriage could guess with their toes that it must be the Great Sima Xu Xiao!
"Da Sima returns home!"
In the backyard of Da Sima's mansion, Xu Zongwen was wearing a white singlet, leaning against a crabapple tree, humming nursery rhymes and gently pushing the cradle, with two little babies sleeping inside.
The two little babies were pretty and cute. They were lying in the cradle, breathing evenly. Their two little hands were still holding each other, and they did not separate even though they were fast asleep.
"Ouch!--Ouch! Ouch!"
On the lawn not far away, Xu Zongwen's eldest son Xu Shiyin and his brothers and sisters were playing, sometimes rolling back and forth, sometimes imitating tiger roars... cheerful games, and several maids in red were watching over them diligently!
After the wedding with Murong Ling in Luoyang, Xu Zongwen took Murong Ling back to Jiankang. At Da Sima's residence, Xu Zongwen once again married Wang Ning, the granddaughter of Wang Xun, the minister of law, in accordance with the marriage contract between Langya Wang family and Donghai Xu family.
Previously, Xu Zongwen had his first wife, the Huan family, so Murong Ling and Wang Ning were made equal wives by him. In order to make up for Wang Ning and Wang Ning, he asked the court to grant him the title of County Lord, and the Jin court approved the canonization of Wang Ning as the County Lord of Xiangnan.
In this blink of an eye, six years passed by in a blink of an eye. While the world situation changed drastically, the people of Da Sima Mansion also became more prosperous.
In addition to Xu Shiyin, the eldest son of Huan Xianrong in the first month of the twelfth year of Taiyuan, Huan Xianrong gave birth to his second son Xu Kehuan to Xu Zongwen in the fifteenth year of Taiyuan. Wang Ning also gave birth to Xu Zongwen's third son, Xu Zhaoye.
In addition to the three sons, Xu Zongwen's wives also gave birth to two witty and lovely daughters - Huan Xianrong gave birth to his daughter Xu Fengzhi in the twelfth year of Taiyuan, and Murong Ling gave birth to his second daughter Xu Hening in the fourteenth year of Taiyuan. In order to pamper her, she has to personally take care of her daily life and food every day.
"Good girl, come to Daddy." A boy and girl were playing on the grass in the distance. Xu Zongwen opened his arms and called to the girl.
"Daddy!" Xu Zongwen's second daughter, Xu Hening, had a bright smile and was innocent and romantic. When she heard her father calling, she immediately ran and threw herself into Xu Zongwen's arms.
Xu Zongwen stroked his daughter's fine hair and said with joy, "He Ning, are you tired from playing for so long?"
Xu Hening tilted his head and pouted: "Dad, He Ning is not tired. My father is the Great Sima General. He is powerful and invincible in the world. I am my father's daughter and I am also invincible! He Ning is not tired at all. !”
"Hahaha..." Xu Zongwen burst into laughter when he heard his daughter's childish words. He picked up his daughter and kissed her again and again: "My good daughter!"
The eldest daughter Xu Fengzhi was taken back to Nankang County Palace in Jiankang by her maternal grandfather Huan Yi two days ago. Xu Zongwen knew that his father-in-law was returning to Beijing to become an official. Originally, Huan Yi had been guarding Jiangzhou for many years, and the two families were together more often and less separated. He asked his wife Huan Xianrong to go with him.
"As expected of my Xu Xiao's daughter! Invincible and ambitious!" Xu Hening and his mother, Princess Murong Ling of Qinghe, were carved out of the same mold. Although he said he was not tired, Xu Zongwen still asked his maid to take his daughter down to rest for a while. .
"Aye." Seeing his sister receiving favor from his father, the boy who had been standing aside for a long time stepped forward to greet his father without being arrogant.
Xu Zongwen's smile didn't stop, and he waved: "Boss, come here."
The eldest son Xu Shiyin is seven years old. After being trained by Xu Zongwen himself, he has grown up to be mature, well-mannered, and not surprised by favors or humiliations, nor confused about joys and sorrows. He looks like a little adult!
After all, he was the eldest son, and he was the eldest son chosen by Xu Zongwen himself after he was promoted to Ning Gong, so Xu Shiyin was particularly concerned about his training!
To this end, he invited the great Confucian scholar Che Yin, as well as the two great counselors of the shogunate, Guo Sang, Guo Zijin, Xi Jian, Xi Shouyue, and himself, a total of four people to teach him!
"Boss, what did you teach today?" Xu Zongwen was neither far nor near, but with a fatherly look on his face, he began to carefully examine the principal's lessons as usual.
"Back to Aye, Mr. Guo taught "University" today."
"Oh? Have you met then?" Xu Zongwen raised the corners of his mouth and looked at the eldest son who looked like a little adult.
Xu Shiyin nodded and began to recite without hesitation: "The way of a university is to be clear and virtuous, to be close to the people, and to stop at the best. Knowing to stop can then lead to concentration; to become calm, one can be still; after being quiet, one can be at peace; after being at peace, one can be thoughtful; After thinking about it, you can get..."
“In ancient times, if you want to bring clear virtue to the world, you must first govern your country; if you want to govern your country, you must first regulate your family; if you want to regulate your family, you must first cultivate your body; if you want to cultivate your body, you must first rectify your mind; if you want to be righteous, you must first rectify your mind. To be sincere in your heart, you must first be sincere in your intentions; if you want to be sincere in your intentions, you must first gain knowledge; to gain knowledge is to study things..."
"From the emperor to the common people, all of them have been based on self-cultivation. The original chaos and the end of the governance are bad. What is thick is thin, and what is thin is thick, but it is not there!"
Looking at the eldest son Xu Zongwen who was reciting "The Great Learning" eloquently, he was beginning to feel proud while nodding his head in appreciation.
At only seven years old, he has already shown such aptitude, and his future life will be formidable!
With this son as the heir apparent, I can be considered a successor!
"Do you know what it means?" Xu Zongwen recovered his thoughts and continued to test the school's son.
Seemingly used to his father's spot checks, Xu Shiyin did not panic at all. He organized his words and began to speak: "The way of a university is to promote upright moral character, to make people abandon the old and pursue the new, and to make people achieve the most perfect goal." Only when you know the state you should reach can you have firm ambitions; only with firm ambitions can you be calm and not impatient; only by being calm and not impatient can you have peace of mind; only by having peace of mind can you think carefully; only by thinking carefully can you gain something..."
"Pass."
"Thank you Aye!"
Xu Zongwen waved, and Xu Shiyin immediately took a few steps forward. He took his eldest son and pointed at the second and third children in the cradle: "Do you know who they are?"
"It's younger brother."
"Yes. You are Aye's eldest son and their eldest brother. When Aye is gone, your younger brothers, sisters, and your mother-in-law will all be counting on you!"
"So Aye made you enlightened at the age of three and hired three teachers for you. Do you know what Aye's intention is?"
When you are in a high position, you always have to think about what's behind you. Otherwise, the legacy you have worked hard for for several years will be divided up by others immediately. By then, not only his old confidants but even his closest relatives will be unable to preserve it.
Therefore, Xu Zongwen never forgets to warn himself and his eldest son that accidents may happen to him at any time, whether in the court or on the border thousands of miles away. Once he is gone, his eldest son Xu Shiyin will be his only heir!
Except for Xu Wen who was escorting him day and night, no one knew that a secret order had been left in the secret room of the Great Sima Mansion's study - in Gu's absence, all the generals should be led by Xu Shiyin, the crown prince of Gu, and Shen Yu, the governor of Yongliang. He led the Northern Expeditionary Army, with Pei Qing, the governor of Sizhou, as the secretary and chief regent of the government, Xi Jian, the chief governor, as the secretary of the Central Committee, Guo Shang, the military counselor who offered sacrifices to wine, as the governor of Yangzhou, and Xue Zan, the military counselor, as Danyang Yin.
The decree was made in the spring of the twelfth year of Taiyuan when Xu Zongwen returned to Jiankang, which was the year when his eldest son Xu Shiyin was born.
"Aye must not say such things! My son is still young and lacks knowledge, so I need to remind him from time to time. I am young and powerful, so don't belittle yourself!" Xu Shiyin immediately knelt at Xu Zongwen's knees, cupped his hands and bowed again!
Seeing that the child was so solemn, Xu Zongwen stopped holding on. Although he was not taboo about matters of life and death, it was indeed inappropriate to say these words in front of the child in advance.
"Forget it! You haven't been crowned yet, so it's really inappropriate for your father to talk about this matter. The ground is cold, get up quickly." Xu Zongwen personally helped his son up and patted away the dust on the robe in front of his son.
Xu Zongwen said: "In a few days, the main hall will be completed. In time, your cousins will also come back from Luoyang. The second and third children are still young. With your cousins and others to accompany you, you will not be lonely. ”
Xu Zongwen's eldest sister, the Xu family, married into the Shen family of Wu County. Her husband was Shen Shuren, who is now Huangmen's minister. Their son, Shen Yanbo, was sent to Luoyang to train around Xu Zongwen since he was a child. He is already eleven or twelve years old this year. .
Xu Zongwen built the main hall in Da Sima Mansion and ordered Shen Yanbo to return to Beijing. Along with Shen Yanbo, four of Xu Zongwen's adopted sons, Zhu Chaoshi, Zhu Lingshi, Shen Tianzi and Shen Linzi, went south.
As for the four sons Wang Zhenyi, Hu Fan, Sun Chu, and Kuai En, the oldest among the four, Wang Zhenyi, is already over eighteen years old, and the youngest Kuai En is also over fifteen years old. They are really not suitable to be Xu Shiyin's companion. read.
Naturally, in addition to the Zhu and Shen brothers, Xu Zongwen also summoned the legitimate sons of various gentry clans to enter the Grand Sima Mansion to accompany Xu Shiyin and train his eldest son's team.
I believe that ten years from now, among the children who live with Xu Shiyin day and night, there will definitely be a few talented men and women who can become his right-hand man!
