Wei Chen didn't want to rush to join the Sheng family, so he met Sheng Hong and his wife according to the birth ceremony. They were neither close nor alienated, and the etiquette was decent. No one could find anything wrong with them.
Sheng Hong and his wife had different reactions to this.
Wang Ruofu just nodded reservedly and said a few polite words, which could be said to be all the airs of an official.
She has always been proud of her family background, and from time to time she would say "my father deserves to enjoy the Imperial Ancestral Temple". Naturally, she would handle this kind of official communication in the same way. She had to outdo the other person before she felt comfortable in her heart.
Compared to his wife's arrogance, Sheng Hong is much more easy-going. His smile and friendly tone make people feel like spring breeze.
"My dear nephew, I heard that you call my cousin uncle, and you have a close relationship with my Bai'er, who is of the same generation. We have a deep relationship with each other, so why do we need to be so different from each other? In this case, how about you call me uncle? "
"This..." Wei Chen hesitated for a moment, and when he saw the encouraging eyes of Sheng Wei and Sheng Changbai, he finally stopped squeezing, bowed generously, and said loudly: "Uncle and aunt, please accept my nephew's greetings. .”
"Oh, this is right, my dear nephew!"
Sheng Hong put his hands on his hands and laughed, lovingly helped Wei Chen up and patted Wei Chen on the shoulder. His eyes looked like an elder looking at his junior.
Wang Ruofu was a little confused by her husband's enthusiasm for Wei Chen, but she still had some eyes and did not insult Sheng Hong in public. She followed Sheng Hong and accepted Wei Chen's gift with a smile on her face. He asked Wei Chen a few questions about the situation at home.
Wei Chen looked respectful and answered one by one.
Sheng Changbai on the side also helped explain a few words from time to time to impress his mother with his good friend.
In Wang Ruofu's impression, his son had a dull personality and always cherished words like gold. However, at this time, he praised Wei Chen so much that Wang Ruofu was surprised.
In addition, Wei Chen is good-looking, well-spoken, and has a very good greeting etiquette. Wang Ruofu really has a good impression of Wei Chen after meeting him for the first time, and he is not satisfied with the fact that he has an eldest nephew inexplicably. So conflicted.
After defeating Wang Ruofu, Sheng Hong was interested in making friends over there. During the short journey from the pier to the Sheng Mansion, the relationship between Wei Chen and the hostess of the second room of the Sheng family improved by leaps and bounds.
The carriage drove for more than a quarter of an hour and finally stopped in front of an imposing mansion in the north of Yangzhou City.
It stands to reason that officials such as prefects and general magistrates must live in the yameneiyamen, but rules are dead and people are alive. Most local officials above the sixth grade will find ways to buy their own private houses as long as they are not short of money. Mansion.
Although Sheng Hongguan was not a great official, he was considered to be a high-ranking official in Yangzhou Prefecture. With the financial support of his cousin Sheng Wei, he had plenty of money, so he naturally bought a large private residence.
Wei Chen got off the carriage and followed Sheng Changbai into the house from the main entrance. Behind him, the housekeeper and servants filed in to help move the suitcase cage.
After bypassing the screen wall and passing through a screen door, there is a long corridor with pink walls and black tiles on both sides. Looking forward, it feels like there is no end.
After a long tea break, we came to the hanging flower gate with drum-bearing stones standing on the left and right, and crossed the threshold that was almost knee-high. Only then did we see the true appearance of this grand mansion.
There are corridors on both sides of the gate, and to the north is a five-bay central flower hall, both with wing rooms, as well as east and west wings, inverted rooms, and a cross paved corridor in the middle of the courtyard.
There are sweet-scented osmanthus trees planted in the courtyard, Taihu stones standing there, and a small pond. However, it is already winter, the water in the pond is bitingly cold, and there is not a single fish in sight.
The eldest daughter of the Sheng family, Hualan, and her younger sister, Rulan, had been waiting in the flower hall for a long time. As soon as the servants came in to report the news, they went out together to greet them.
Wang Ruofu called his two biological daughters to meet Sheng Wei. The two Lans each sweetly called uncle, and Sheng Wei smiled and presented each of them with a heavy red gold Ruyi Lock. Wang Ruofu watched from the side with a bigger smile on his face.
Wei Chen was quite curious when he saw the daughters of the Sheng family for the first time, so he stood aside silently and watched carefully.
Sheng Hualan is slightly older than Changbai, with a good appearance and a gentle temperament, which makes people fall in love with her at first sight.
Sheng Rulan is about the same age as Wei Chen. She is petite and cute, but her temper is like her mother's, a little arrogant and willful.
As for Sheng Hong's other concubine children, they didn't come for some reason, and Wei Chen had no chance to meet them.
After the group exchanged greetings, Sheng Wei proposed to go to the old lady of Shou'antang to pay her respects.
Being filial to one's elders is a top priority, and Sheng Hong agreed. He immediately led Sheng Wei to Shou'an Hall, and Sheng Changbai also went with him.
As for Wei Chen, Wang Ruofu arranged to live in the west wing, and was led there by a woman in charge to settle down.
The mother-in-law took Wei Chen to a guest room in the west wing, opened the door, and said respectfully: "This is your room, sir. If you call me for anything, there will be people on both sides who will answer."
"Thank you."
After Wei Chen thanked him, the woman returned the greeting and then left on her own.
Wei Chen looked at the exquisite and elegant guest room in front of him, nodded with satisfaction, asked the bookboy behind him to help put away his luggage, then sat down and picked up a book to pass the time.
On the other side, outside the Shou'an Hall, Wang Ruofu's loud voice could be heard from a distance: "Mother, the officials have brought your eldest cousin to greet you, and Bai'er is back too!"
In the room, the old lady who had already received the letter was sitting cross-legged on the Arhat bed. When she heard Wang Ruofu yelling outside, she couldn't help but look at Fang's mother beside her and smiled helplessly.
When the group entered the main room, Sheng Wei couldn't wait to step forward and kneel down: "Second Aunt!"
"You came."
The old lady showed a rare smile on her face, indicating to Sheng Wei that there was no need to be formal, and asked Fang's mother beside her to seat him.
The old lady asked: "How is your mother's health lately?"
Sheng Wei smiled and replied: "I miss you, Auntie. My mother is in good health. She eats well and sleeps well, but she often misses her."
The old lady nodded: "She also had a hard life. She suffered a lot in the first half of her life. Fortunately, she gave birth to a few of you filial children, so she can be regarded as able to see the moonlight."
The old lady was obviously talking to Sheng Wei, but for some reason, Sheng Hong's face felt a little warm.
Fortunately, the old lady did not continue the conversation on this topic. After talking to Sheng Wei for a while, she turned her attention to Sheng Changbai behind Sheng Hong.
Sheng Changbai walked to the hall and bowed deeply: "My grandson pays homage to my grandmother."
The old lady looked at Sheng Changbai with a happy smile on her face: "I heard from your mother that you have been selected as a scholar?"
Sheng Changbai said modestly: "It's just a fluke."
The old lady spoke earnestly: "The poetry and calligraphy of the Sheng family has been passed down from generation to generation. Your father was a Jinshi scholar, and your grandfather was even selected as a top scholar. Now you are just a scholar, and you are still far behind your father and grandfather. You must not be arrogant because of this." , just continue to study diligently.”
Every word of the old lady was full of good advice. Sheng Changbai listened respectfully, nodded solemnly and said, "My grandson, please remember your grandmother's teachings."
Seeing that her grandson was so sensible and ambitious, the old lady nodded with satisfaction and asked with a smile: "You have been going to Youyang's hometown for the exam for half a year. Do you have anything interesting to tell your grandmother?"
Hearing the old lady's question, Sheng Changbai immediately started chatting and talked about what he had seen and heard during his time in Youyang. Naturally, he could not avoid his most proud friend, Wei Chen.
"Oh, I didn't expect that Youyang would have such a talented person?"
The old lady was quite surprised when she heard about Wei Chen's deeds as a junior and middle school student from Sheng Changbai. She was even more pleased that her grandson could make such a good friend.
The so-called good teachers and helpful friends are no less important than good teachers.
"Yes." Sheng Changbai's tone was quite emotional: "Brother Xingyun Xian is an astonishing talent. Even Mr. Qingteng, who is a scholar of heaven, made an exception and accepted him as a closed disciple. My grandson has been with Xingyun Xian for more than half a year. The friendship between brothers has also benefited a lot.”
"Mr. Ioto?"
The old lady was slightly startled when she heard the name, and then her tone suddenly became urgent. She stared at Sheng Changbai in front of her and asked, "But that Mr. Qingteng with the heavy surname Zhuang Mingjun?"
