Bai Yu'an was a little disappointed with his father, who had always been so stubborn.
She asked her father softly: "Even if the third sister gets married, is she still her father's daughter?"
Bai Tongchun snorted with a sullen face: "She is a family member now, and she should put family care first in everything."
"Although she is my daughter, it is impossible for me to interfere in the Gu family's family affairs."
"And you are from the Bai family, so it's not your turn to intervene."
As he spoke, Bai Tongchun looked at Bai Yu'an coldly, and without waiting for her to speak again, he asked in a deep voice: "Let's not talk about your third sister's matter. Last night, I forgot to ask you what happened to Princess Jianing." What’s going on?!”
Bai Yu'an was stunned and looked at his father: "How does father know this?"
Bai Tongchun said with a cold face: "I only found out about this matter last month when I received a letter from my old friend in Beijing. I wanted to write to you and ask you, but I thought the matter was over. If I asked you, you wouldn't be sure in the letter. to be honest."
"Now I want to ask you, why don't you want to marry Princess Jianing?"
"I heard that you got slapped and almost demoted because of this, but are you serious?"
Bai Yu'an didn't look at his father, but whispered: "My son doesn't like Princess Jianing."
Bai Tongchun was so angry that he patted the armrest of the chair: "That's the princess!"
Bai Yu'an glanced at his father with a guilty look, but his eyes were determined: "So what if the princess is domineering and arrogant. My son would rather not marry such a princess."
Bai Tongchun pointed at Bai Yu'an, his fingers trembling slightly: "She is domineering, can you bear it?"
"You have a great future in the Imperial Academy. You married a princess. Isn't it just a matter of reaching out to join the Sixth Ministry and the cabinet?"
"Your father has been stuck in a small place like Shuyang his whole life. If you have a future and go out, why don't you grab it?"
Bai Yu'an looked at his father's trembling fingertips and the angry expression, and thought of his mother saying that his father was not in good health recently, and did not want to make his father angry, so he whispered: "I know my father is thinking about me, but my son is still young and has a bright future." There will be."
As he spoke, Bai Yu'an walked to his father's side, helped his father's back, and said softly: "Father, now that I am old, I know that I have the final say in everything."
"Fathers should believe in their sons."
"Didn't my father teach me that reputation is more important than life? Doesn't relying on a woman to get promoted affect reputation?"
The low and slow voice made Bai Tongchun look sideways at Bai Yu'an, and reached out to hold Bai Yu'an's wrist, trembling slightly.
Yuan still remembers the words he taught him since childhood.
The family's reputation is more important than life.
He sighed, tightened his hands, and said in a low voice: "Yu'an, I have been strict with you since you were a child, and I know that you have never let me worry."
"But your experience is not enough. You have only been in officialdom for two years. What can you learn?"
"If I don't make friends with anyone in my pure life, I can only stay here for the rest of my life."
"Father just doesn't want you to follow my old path."
Bai Yu'an was silent, paused and then said: "If my father doesn't make friends, he must not be used to saying those flattering words and doing those flattering things."
"The same goes for my son. From now on, my son's decisions will be considered. My father doesn't have to worry about me anymore."
Bai Tongchun sighed again: "The officialdom in the capital is not as good as these small places."
"Your father has only one wish. No matter what happens to you in the capital, you must remember that you are not alone. You are my only son. I will rely on you to support my family in the future. Do you understand?"
At this moment, Bai Yu'an felt like there was a lump in his throat and was speechless.
She looked at her father and asked in a low voice: "If one day I don't live up to my father's expectations, do something that disgraces the family's reputation, and make people around me laugh, will my father want me to die?"
Bai Tongchun smiled and looked at Bai Yu'an: "I know your temper. You wouldn't do such a thing."
Bai Yu'an was stunned and looked into his father's old eyes: "What if?"
Bai Tongchun glared at Bai Yu'an: "If the matter is too big, it would be best for you to die, otherwise you won't have the dignity to live."
"But my father is also at fault. If I didn't teach you well, I wouldn't be alive."
Bai Yu'an laughed and went to rub his father's shoulders: "It seems that I can't make any mistakes."
Bai Tongchun blew his beard and smiled: "You'd better be."
"Otherwise my old bones won't be able to bear it."
Seeing that Bai Yu'an had finally coaxed his father to peace, he took the opportunity to say, "Father and mother are getting older, and I will be returning to the capital soon. It doesn't matter if Third Sister lives at home, can I still take care of you?"
Bai Tongchun leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes. He smiled after listening to Bai Yuan's words: "You kid finally rubbed my shoulders just once, just to speak for your third sister?"
Bai Yu'an shook his head: "Of course not. I will definitely not be able to stay with my father and mother for a long time in the future, but those servants cannot take care of me as much as my third sister."
Bai Tongchun sighed: "I know what you mean, and I also understand your filial piety."
"It's just that if your third sister goes back to live with her parents' family, do you know how many people are talking about her behind her back? Who would dare to marry again? Have you ever seen any daughter living in her parents' family all her life?"
"As the magistrate of Shuyang County, I even divorced my daughter from my husband's family, and I can't handle my own family affairs well. How can I deal with other people's affairs? Aren't I just smearing my own face?"
"I will be leaving office in a few years, and I want to spend my remaining years well."
"Although your father was not promoted during his tenure, he has been conscientious and has not made any major mistakes. It is considered a success."
Bai Yu'an looked at his father's expression and said softly: "I know that my father cares about reputation, but what others say is other people's business, as long as you have a clear conscience."
"Besides, my father knows the whole story. Didn't the third brother-in-law do something wrong?"
Bai Tongchun glanced at Bai Yu'an: "I told Gu Baoyuan before, and he also promised me that he would never gamble again. I think he is still somewhat sincere. I will give him some time to see if he can change his mind. ."
Bai Yu'an asked: "What if the third brother-in-law still doesn't change?"
Bai Tongchun said: "Let's talk about it then."
Seeing that her father seemed to be loose, Bai Yu'an smiled, let go, walked to his father and said, "Mom asked me to go to her place for dinner, so I'll leave first."
Bai Tongchun stroked his beard and smiled: "You kid, I'll let you go for now. When you're done, come over and play chess with me."
"I haven't played chess with you for a long time."
Bai Yu'an smiled and responded before retreating.
As soon as Bai Yuan went out, the smile on his face disappeared. He looked at the dark sky outside and then looked up again.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the moonlight. The moon is shining tonight.
The fragrance of flowers floats in the dark, the warmth of spring has returned, the breeze blows through the clothes, and my mind is unexpectedly clear.
Bai Yuan walked forward with his hands behind his back, his figure was silent, and the lantern stretched his shadow far away.
A Tao followed Bai Yu'an silently, looking at Bai Yu'an's thin back, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.
