After sending someone to take Liu Xin to the guest house to rest, Gao Jingshi had just stepped downstairs when a servant came up and bowed to him respectfully, "Master, the old lady has invited you."
Gao pragmatic said "hmm", without saying much, went directly towards Xiyuan where his mother was.
Although Longwen Yayuan is known as a separate courtyard, its overall area is actually larger than that of the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City. However, the formal building area is much smaller, maybe only one-fifth of the Forbidden City. The main residence of the Gao pragmatic family is probably only Dongliu. The size of the palace.
Most of the remaining places are farmsteads and houses. Of course, the farms are his fields, and the people living in the houses are of course either servants or tenants. The reason why it can still be called a separate courtyard is because this area, which is close to the size of the Summer Palace, is enclosed by a courtyard wall built like a city wall by his mother Zhang.
In Zhang's words, if the refugees outside are looting, there is at least a place to hide. But in fact, Gao pragmatically knew that was only one of the reasons. What Zhang really wanted to express was that "our family has prospered." Wealth and honor do not return home, just like walking at night in brocade clothes, this is probably the mentality.
Historically, the house built by Zhang Juzheng in his hometown was more grand than the royal palace, and now Gao Pragmatic's house in his hometown can probably be called that. The only difference is that Gao Pragmatic spends his own money, and he has strict requirements on architectural form and will never allow anything to be exceeded.
However, it is actually a bit wrong to say that this place is a separate courtyard now, because the six-bedroom house of the Gao family has been completely moved out of the ancestral residence of Gao Laozhuang. In fact, this place is already the main house of the six-bedroom house.
Of course, it is a highly pragmatic "number one".
Gao pragmatic passed through many porches and courtyards, and finally arrived at his mother's residence, and met his mother again in the main hall.
Zhang asked, "My mother had prepared the accounts of several properties in Henan when she learned you were leaving Beijing. Do you want to see them?"
Gao pragmatically waved his hand, "There's nothing interesting to see."
There is indeed nothing to see. The industry in Henan is extremely stable. Except for the last time when the cement factory was cheated by the owner Gao Pragmatic's "arrears for ports", it has basically been developing steadily. There will never be an explosion, but it can still grow slightly every year. Gao Pragmatic feels that this situation is in line with the performance of the general environment, so it doesn't matter whether he sees it or not.
Madam Zhang didn’t really want to talk about it, she just made a conversation, and then said, “You married Shangyue and Listening to Qin to Gao Jue and Gao Xiaozhuang respectively. Now do you have any useful maids around you? Do you want to do it for your mother again? I’ll pick two for you.”
"Don't bother me. My son is running around all over the world now. He doesn't know how long he can stay in one place. It's not convenient to bring a maid with him."
Mrs. Zhang said, "Don't you want the girl in the same room?"
Gao Pragmatic was startled, "Uh, no need."
Mrs. Zhang frowned and said, "Last time you said you would wait until you were a Jinshi before you would consider getting married. You can think about it now, right?"
"How about we wait until we get back from Guangxi?" Gao pragmatically said, "It will only take a year."
Mrs. Zhang suddenly turned serious and said, "Will you push it back to another year after one year?"
"Mom, I'm only eighteen years old." Gao Pingshi smiled bitterly and said, "Are you in such a hurry?"
Mrs. Zhang snorted, "Even if you're not in a hurry, you can still look for me first. I'll ask you, are there any families with senior officials above the imperial minister who have a suitable daughter?"
Gao pragmatically said in frustration, "I don't know."
"Why are you so in no hurry? While your third uncle's prestige is still there, Mr. Guo Ge is your teacher, and with your uncle's reputation, you should hurry up and find a good one at this time. We have to wait until they all retire. Are you going to find it?"
Gao pragmatic shook his head and said, "Mom, you don't understand the current situation in the capital. Anyway, let's put it this way. If we only consider family background, future and even wealth, any daughter of your son will be worthy of him."
"Hey, you don't blush." Mrs. Zhang snorted.
Gao Pragmatic ignored it and said calmly, "But this matter is not that simple. My Gao family is of the line of practical learning, and I can't get along with the current group of Xinxue disciples who talk a lot but don't do anything, so I removed a large part of it." The ones you can choose, and then some officials who are relatively neutral or don’t hold a position.”
"Okay, okay, okay, just say you can only choose from the homes of your third uncle's friends or disciples, but there are quite a few of them, so we can't get to know them first now."
Gao Pragmatic searched for a long time to find a reason, and suddenly said, "It's not easy to get along with someone of this seniority."
"That's nonsense," Mrs. Zhang said angrily, "Several of your third uncle's disciples have served as Japanese lecturers and have taught you. If this generation is going to be in chaos, it will be in chaos a long time ago. There is only one step left."
Gao Pingshi didn't expect my mother to react so quickly. He was speechless and didn't know how to answer.
Seeing this, Mrs. Zhang softened her tone slightly and said, "Although you have suffered some grievances recently, in any case, you are already a provincial patrol officer. On such a big trip, you don't even have anyone around you to take care of your daily life." , I don’t have to force you to be a decent mother, but you must have this intention yourself and don’t let your mother worry about you.”
At this time, Gao Pragmatic could only bow his head and admit his mistake according to the tradition of the times, "My son is unfilial and makes his mother worried."
Mrs. Zhang sighed and asked, "What kind of person is that Liu Xian?"
Gao Pingshi said, "In the past twenty years of the Ming Dynasty, there have been four famous generals, the so-called Yu Long, Qi Hu, North Horse and South Liu. This Liu refers to him."
Zhang nodded slightly, "He sounds like a capable person."
Gao Pingshi rolled his eyes in his heart, thinking to himself that in the eyes of this old lady, only Cai Cai is capable, and one of the four famous generals is only "somewhat capable."
Unexpectedly, Mr. Zhang had not finished speaking. He paused and continued, "But even if he can fight some wars, he has already become an official after all."
Gao pragmatic shook his head and said, "He has a son named Liu Wei. Judging from his son, he will definitely be one of the four famous generals of the new generation in the next twenty or even thirty or forty years."
"Really?" Mrs. Zhang paid more attention this time and asked, "Is it her father's or her brother's idea for Miss Liu to go with you?"
When Gao Jingshi and Liu Xin came in before, Gao Jingshi had explained the reason why Liu Xin was going with him. Now that his mother asked again, he had to explain it again.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Zhang shook her head and said, "Son, although you are capable, you are still very young when it comes to guessing what other parents think."
Gao Pragmatic was startled and said hesitantly, "You wouldn't say that Mr. Liu did this because he wanted to marry his daughter to me?"
"Even if it's not a sure thing, I'm afraid it's still close to ten." Mrs. Zhang said, "Letting your daughter travel thousands of miles with a young man, do you think this is something that a father can rest assured of? Even if Liu Xian has not made up his mind to let his daughter go, I can’t marry you, but I definitely hope that the two of you will develop a secret love for each other while walking together.”
Gao Pinggong said sincerely that it was over. Liu Xian was obviously fooled by Liu Xin this time. She was probably just annoyed by her father's nagging. She was looking for an opportunity to travel at public expense. How could she, a modern-thinking girl, be fifteen years old? I'm just thinking about getting married. Isn't this the age when I'm about to graduate from junior high school? But, damn, I was taken advantage of too.
