Located in the west of the city, there is a humble courtyard.

This house has been long-lasting for more than 30 years.

The Li family is one of the most ordinary people. The three generations up are all from the imperial city, living in this courtyard.

The old house is square, not very big, with two-in and two-out rules, with blue tiles and white walls.

The outer yard is also a front yard. The place is not as big as the inner yard. Except for the gate, there are four downside-down rooms, with the main hall in the middle. They are all places where men come in and out to meet friends and entertain guests. People with prosperous families usually live in full.

However, at the moment, the Li family has few heirs and a sparse population, and his family has no servants, so the residence is naturally more than enough.

After the Chuhua Gate is the inner house, where the female family members live, there are five large rooms in the main house, one of which is used as a main room, or a place where you have nothing to do with needlework or wait for female guests, and the remaining four are for rest There is a small penthouse on the left and right of the bedroom.

Passing the connecting corridor, there are east and west compartments, each with three rooms, the east compartment is occupied by people, and the west compartment is still empty.

The Li family lived in one place for three generations from top to bottom. The population was small, and it might even seem to be withered by others.

Mrs. Li went there a few years ago, and now Mrs. Li is the oldest in the Sun family.

Sun gave birth to four children in this life, but there was only one male, and the remaining three were all girls.

Fortunately, the Sun's luck is very good. He enters the door to open his arms, and the first one to give birth in October is a son.Because I was so fond of Qilin'er, I was not tortured by my mother-in-law. Although I gave birth to three daughters in succession in the following years, I only had a few verbal complaints.

When the parents-in-law and mother-in-law have passed away, this family is in charge of the Sun family.

The only son was named Li Baode, and when he was seventeen he married his wife Bai.

The next three daughters also got married every other year.

It was also said that the Bai family married into the Li family, and the first child to be born was also a son. This is naturally a happy event. The Bai family originally thought how many more sons would be added. Unexpectedly, this matter seems to be fixed. A few years have passed. Only two daughters were born later.

Although somewhat disappointed, the Li family has a precedent for generations of single pass, and it can be imagined as time goes by.

It is just for outsiders to watch, that the incense of this Li family is not strong, the heirs are thin, and there is little blessing.

Nowadays, many people love to choose people who are prosperous when they get married.

Sun was in his early fifties, with a few silver threads between his temples. At this age, there are two things that the old lady is most satisfied with. One is that she is a native of Beijing, and the other is her grandchildren. The kid who can read.

The only grandson of the Li family, named Li Chengze, is now twenty years old, and he has reached the age to marry him early. The Sun family has been paying attention since he was sixteen. He has come and gone secretly. There are dozens of them, but it has not been decided until now.

But it turned out that Li Chengze was sent to study since he was a child. I don't know when he started to think highly of himself. Now there is a taste of being aloof and despising. He looks up to the sky and looks down on ordinary people.

He had his own thoughts in his heart, that was the woman who was extremely impatient with Sun's Bai Clan to show him. To put it bluntly, they were all vulgar people and unworthy of being a wife.

Because he is the only child in the family, he is spoiled in childhood, and Li Cheng is used to being self-centered and a person with great ideas.The two are the only scholars in the family, so they have a great status at home.

As he grows older, he will discuss all major and minor matters in the family. After years, he will have a great power of speech.

He didn't look down on ordinary girls, and didn't want to get married. The Sun and Bai were anxious, and they didn't dare to decide the marriage of their grandson and son without authorization.

So this drag was dragged to the age of twenty.

In the winter of last year, the Bai clan once again tentatively mentioned Li Chengze’s marriage. It was said that the Sun clan liked a girl. She was the best girl. The family opened a restaurant in Dongque. There were six brothers in the family. Ding Xingwang, the girl looked blessed and well-giving.

The Li family has a single seedling, so it is especially fancy to the children, and loves those with many brothers, and feels that the girls of such people are not bad, and do not worry about not having a son.

As always, Li Cheng frowned when he heard it, his face didn't look good.

I feel contemptuous in my heart, thinking that my grandmother is really short-sighted, he is a scholar, how can those small craftsmen's homes be worthy of him.

However, although I was dissatisfied in my heart, because I have always maintained my identity and dignity as a scholar, I am not going to make harsh words to my family.

He just pretended to explain: "Grandma, grandson will have a try next year in the beginning of spring. Wouldn't it be better if he was admitted as a talented talent and mentioned his status and talked about marriage?"

Li Cheng didn't care about his internal knowledge. There were a few kilograms, but he showed it from the outside, and his knowledge of homework was very good.

Over the years, everyone in the Li family naturally thinks that their son and grandson are excellent people, and they will definitely be able to pass the child birth test next year.

Now that the grandchildren are older, seeing that most people of the same age marry wives and give birth to children, and the family is still in a hurry, Mrs. Li, who has long wanted to hold his grandson, can’t get angry.

Li Cheng didn't cooperate, and used many excuses to prevaricate his family. In fact, he didn't need to coax him too much, but Xiao himself put on an unhappy face, and said that he would take the exam first, and finally draw a big pie, saying that he would have fame What kind of official lady can’t be hired? By that time, his Li family will truly change the door, and it will no longer be a home for the common people of Xiaomenxiaohu.

Li Cheng has no other skills. It's a complete set of praises about these non-money-free Haikou speeches. He was dizzy at hearing an inexperienced old lady with straight eyes, believing that his grandson was a hundred years old. The rare Wenquxing.

Sun patted his chest straight, and he said yes, what is she called blindfolded, how can she give her grandson a daughter of a small family casually, isn't this breaking the future of the grandson!

Mrs. Li was persuaded by her grandson, and now she thinks about the girls who looked at each other again, she is dissatisfied everywhere.

I raised my eyes to look at my grandson again, his face smiled, and he changed his mouth completely, "Grandma's heart and liver, it's grandma's inattentive thoughts, and almost delayed you! Don't worry, I will let your mother push you when this matter is turned back. Yes, you can just study with peace of mind, and wait until you get a celebrity!"

Li Cheng was satisfied, and said something to make the old lady happy, and then left under the excuse of Wen Shu.

The old lady looked like 10,000 benevolents in front of her grandson. As soon as Li Cheng left, her daughter-in-law Bai was left in the house, and she was angry at Bai's.

"Shallow-eyed stupid woman! Cheng Ri Jie'er talked about me in my ear, so I almost delayed Ze'er, you are ignorant, because my good grandson has a steelyard in his heart, or you will be harmed. , You are still a mother!"

Sui Sui babbled several sentences, with a black face, completely forgetting that he was the one who wanted to marry Li Chengze the most.

Bai's temper is weak, so how dare he defy her mother-in-law, listen to the training obediently, and admit her mistake again, this matter is over.

The only grandson of the Li family is naturally not at home during the day, and is going to go to a private school.

Mr. Lin is well-known in the west of the city. He is an old man. At the age of knowing the destiny, his children and grandchildren in the family have grown up, so he rested his mind to take exams again, and only opened a restaurant at home to accept some students.

Nowadays, there are many scholars who open private schools at home. There are several in Shanchengxi, but most of them are elderly talents. They have failed many times in the scientific examinations. They know that they can't go further in the field of fame, so they simply give up. Find another way out.

Besides, the master of the censorship is not cheap. It is ten taels a year, which does not include the respect and filial piety.

I don’t mention the money that will be used to close the account in the future. I only talk about the pen, ink, paper and inkstone, as well as the expenses for eating and making friends out, etc. For ordinary people, it is not that for a student. Such an easy thing.

Take the Li family as a local. He lives in a house that is not bad in the eyes of ordinary people. It is very comfortable. In addition, his family still has 200 mu of paddy fields and 100 mu of woodland in the countryside. The family property saved over several generations now mainly depends on this. The land is rented out every year, and some rent is collected, enough for the family to chew.

Compared with ordinary poor families, the Li family is quite wealthy, but because the family raises a scholar and lives in Beijing, it is indispensable for the friendship throughout the year and costs everywhere, so it is barely enough.

Just look at the fact that the Li family doesn't even invite a lady-in-law who is washing and sweeping.

The Li family is not a farmer, and life is considered rich. He has never expected a scholar in his family, let alone an official.

Not to mention it, just say that the old lady who passed away a few years ago and the now-headed male owner Li Baode had only two years of schooling at a young age. Literacy is not a problem, and more are gone. They didn’t show up when they first entered school. What's the difference.

When he arrived at Li Chengze, he entered the academy at the age of eight, and it was not Lin Juren who had worshipped at the beginning, but a scholar, Shu Xiu worth two cents of silver.

After three years of learning, the Li family felt it was okay, and Li Baode also planned to take his son back and teach him how to manage the fields.

However, this Li Cheng refused to comply. He had many eyes. Although he was not very old, he was already taught by the sour scholar with a lot of thoughts. He blindly believed that studying and becoming an official was the best. Gradually developed a pair of snobs.

The Li family has never seen a person who can read in a few lifetimes, and he didn't even think about it. Sending to study is only for children and grandchildren to avoid blindness, and to manage the family business left by their ancestors.

The behavior of Li Cheng crying and requesting to continue school surprised everyone, and then the child said that he wanted to study and test his fame. That was what surprised his grandfather and grandmother.

There was only one seed in the family, and he took the initiative to ask to study, but it was a good thing. At that time, the grandfather Li hardly hesitated and agreed to let his grandson continue to study. One year later, he gave it back to Li Cheng for a better one. Mr. Lin is now Lin Juren.

When Li Cheng was young, he would coax the adults in the family. He had problems in his eyes and had a good temper. He had planned what he wanted and what he wanted. Therefore, he was cautious and unwilling to compromise in his marriage. .

After persuading his grandmother, after meeting several friends, Li Cheng also calmed down and read the book a few times. People like him are the most face-saving, and they are used to bragging outside, but they don’t really have the ink in their chest. No, after all, I have been studying for many years, and I am proud to be an official by pointing to the imperial examinations!

After studying for a few months, a year has passed, and the beginning of spring has come.

Li Cheng was about to end, and he didn't need to worry about the preparations before the exam. Sun's and Bai's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law should be properly arranged, for fear that he would be disturbed by these trivial matters.

Li Chengze was sent to the examination room steadily.

After a few days of testing, after all the dust settled, naturally several families were happy and some were worried.

But I didn't think that Li Cheng was really lucky. As soon as the red list announced the results, his name was also among them!

Successfully passed the county examination, the government examination, and the hospital examination, and really became a scholar!

Although the ranking is low, this is already a great joy for the Li family!

Bless the ancestors!

For a time, Li's family was very lively and crowded, and the neighbors came to the door to rejoice. After a few days, the three married aunts of the Li family returned to their parents' homes one after another.

There was a big happy event in the family's family, and their faces were bright, and they were more confident in front of their husband's family.

There is only one. The aunt of the Li family saw her nephew fancy a talent, and she was so happy that she could not help but give birth to some careful thoughts. For nothing else, she has two daughters who did not show up in the pavilion, the eldest girl 16 and the second girl 15 It was the same year at the same age as Huaguduo. Originally, the aunt and wife were already negotiating with her daughter, and she had a candidate in her heart, but she had to decide.

This time she suddenly received news that her nephew had been selected as a scholar, and she had other thoughts.

The aunt’s wife used to hear from my old lady that my nephew can read books, but at that time she didn’t listen to her heart very much, and she even didn’t take it seriously. Where is the test of fame and fame is so easy, and I don’t know how many people come from a child. The child is still in vain at the age of the elder, and a lot of money was wasted in vain, not to mention, it is even more difficult for his parents, wives and children to suffer for a lifetime.

Besides, Li's family has never been a scholar in a few lifetimes, and there is no such saying from the root. She is afraid that the old lady is bragging or being coaxed by the kid.The cost of going to school is a bottomless pit, so don't run out of the Li family's wealth in the end.

There are a lot of thoughts in my heart, but the aunt's wife is not a fool, and she wouldn't really say these things to ask for suspicion, and offend the old lady and the Bai family.

But now the situation has changed drastically, and her nephew has really won a talent!As a result, the aunt and wife's mind became alive in an instant, her nephew never said to kiss, and her two daughters did not marry. Wouldn't it be beautiful if you could tell your mother to have a kiss?

If the nephew can go further in the future, even if he is an old man, he will be lucky!

The more I thought about it, the more excited, the aunt's wife cleaned up immediately, took her two daughters, hired an ox cart and returned to her family's home.

The Li family was overjoyed, chose a good day, set up two tables of wine, and invited relatives, friends and neighbors to have a drink. After the excitement, it gradually calmed down.

On this day, during the afternoon’s spare time, the aunt’s wife accompanied Granny Li to talk in the room, and took the opportunity to raise the matter.

After hearing this, Mrs. Li did not say anything, half-dangling her eyelids, opened her mouth after a while, and said, "This is not a thing. It's not that my mother didn't agree on purpose. It's just that your nephew has a charter in his heart. He is a scholar, not sure. My classmate outside may want to protect the media with him, but we can’t do it indiscriminately, lest we spoil our own plans.”

Granny Li was so angry and straightforward that she was naturally not afraid of losing her daughter's face.

And what kind of family is the eldest daughter's family? How can you be worthy of your grandson if you run a greased paper shop?

The aunt's face turned ugly for a moment, but fortunately, she adjusted back quickly, but she didn't feel happy in her heart. She felt that her family looked down on people, and her nephew was only admitted as a talent, and her eyes grew to the top of her head.

The first aunt said something to Mrs. Li. The second wife pretended not to know. In fact, she had guessed a general idea in her heart. She was very ridiculing. She felt that his eldest sister was still ignorant as always.

Not only the aunt and his wife, but after Li Chengze got the talent, the matchmaker came to the door for several waves, and in the end they were all turned down by Sun.

Bai's standing aside did not speak, but he felt a little pity in his heart.

After another half month of this, the Sun clan was a little bit unable to sit still, and was about to call his grandson over and ask him what charter he had in his heart, and which girl he met, so that he could propose marriage.

However, before he could ask, Li Chengze went home first and said a news that shocked the whole family.

"Grandma, father, mother, our family is going to get married with Mingdehou Mansion!"