Back in the grand and bright hall, Meng Jizu and Meng Hongdao had calmed down a lot, but they still held Meng Zhao's hand and kept talking, mainly asking him how his life had been over the years.
The rest of the Meng family sat quietly aside, either drinking tea or whispering in low voices without interrupting. They obviously knew that the protagonist of today's occasion was Meng Zhao, and it could only be Meng Zhao.
Meng Zhao had also written letters to his family in the past, but they were too far apart and intermittently. The Meng family was still very concerned and worried about his life in Yujing, for fear that he would be bullied and wronged.
Meng behaved very calmly and had no complaints about his past life. Instead, he mostly agreed and said,
"Uncle and third uncle don't have to worry about my nephew. Da Ci'en Temple is a royal temple. Although life is boring, it is not hard. On the contrary, I have made many friends and been tempered.
And now that I have an official position, it’s not like I’ve gained nothing, I can always be useful to the family.”
Meng Jizu nodded repeatedly with joy in his eyes,
"That's the reason. Zhao'er's status as a Tiangang Guard was given by the Great Emperor, and corresponded to the position of the Tiangang Star in the upper world. It is extraordinary. No matter what he does in the future, with this status, he will save a lot of trouble and avoid being tied up.
.”
After chatting for a while, a servant came to inform us that the luncheon was ready and invited everyone to come and have a meal.
This is a family dinner, so the standard is naturally not particularly formal or extravagant.
But eating around a table seems very cozy.
The two eldest brothers of the Meng family, who like to cause trouble, behaved very docilely this time and did not dare to cause trouble.
A meal seems to be a happy and harmonious family.
After the meal, the others were sent away, and Meng Jizu took Meng Zhao to the ancestral hall alone.
This ancestral temple is located in the north of the central area of Meng Mansion. It is a four-entry ancestral hall. The interior includes the ancestral gate, the ritual gate, the Xiangtang, the back hall, and the corridor. It is surrounded by heavy guards.
Judging from the appearance alone, the building is solemn, majestic, and has a sense of historical heaviness.
The wood is exquisite, including the finest snow cedar and black spirit wood. The bricks and stones are also the famous requiem stone in the south. Every brick, every tile, every plant and every tree shows the style of a wealthy family.
After all, it is the place where the souls of our ancestors rest and rest, so there is no room for carelessness.
Entering the space of the ancestral hall, the light instantly dimmed, and the air was filled with a dry and faint smell of incense candles.
There are red paper couplets affixed to the pillars on both sides of the gate. The upper couplet is about ancestors' merits and virtues, and the second couplet is about sons, filial piety, virtuousness, and longevity.
On the desk in the center, there are memorial tablets enshrined, corresponding to a portrait, most of which were written by famous artists at that time. The top one is the origin of the current Meng family, and the first generation of Nan'an Bo, Meng Shentong.
And the last person in the ranking is none other than Meng Zhao's father, Meng Zheng'an.
Meng Jizu had already changed into neat and solemn clothes. After arriving at the Xiangtang Hall, he faced Meng Zhao and said,
"Zhao'er, kneel down."
Meng Zhao heard this and said nothing. He knelt on the ground with his head lowered and his eyebrows solemn.
His knees and calves rested on a soft bright yellow mat, and in his ears he heard Meng Jizu praying to the ancestors of the Meng family.
The whole word sounds cliché, but when translated, it probably refers to Meng Zhao, a descendant of the Meng family. He lost his father and mother when he was young, and because of the emperor's order, he left home for ten years and wandered in a foreign country, with no one to rely on. It can be said that he had a miserable life.
Returning to the family this time, I hope that the heroic spirits of all the ancestors will bless Meng Zhao for safety and prosperity in the future, and to achieve great success.
What I gave him was the most sincere and beautiful expectations and blessings. At the same time, I also allowed the heroic spirits of our ancestors to witness his return.
After saying this, Meng Jizu asked Meng Zhao to stand up, and with the help of a fat old man, the two of them began to burn incense.
In this step, Meng Zhao was extremely serious and solemn and did not dare to neglect at all.
He is not the real Meng Zhao, but a visitor from another world.
Facing these ancestors of the Meng family, no matter whether there are heroic spirits or not, they still treat them with solemnity.
He said silently in his heart,
"My ancestors of the Meng family, I came from another world and was originally a nameless beggar. By chance, I inherited the name of Meng Zhao.
Today, under the witness of all the ancestors, I will offer incense and sacrifice to you as the son of the Meng family, so that the inheritance of the Meng family will continue.
In the future, Meng Zhao’s name will be spread all over the world..."
This can be regarded as using this special place and scene to completely determine my future path and break away from my previous life.
He is now the real Meng Zhao, no longer someone else.
He also believed that if one day he could lead the Meng family to a status as high as the Nine Surnames, or even better, even if these ancestors knew his true identity, they would not care.
After doing all this, Meng Jizu's expression softened. He looked at the last tablet and said in a sigh,
"Zhao'er, do you know what I was thinking when my family received an order from the emperor to let you go to Da Ci'en Temple to chant sutras and pray for ten years?"
Meng Zhao shook his head, nodded again, and said carefully,
"My nephew, I don't know, but he is probably very distressed."
Meng Jizu smiled slightly, a soft color appeared on his tough face, and nodded,
"Yes, of course I feel sorry for you when you were only a little older and had to suffer such a thing.
In addition to feeling distressed, I felt more guilty and angry at my own incompetence, but I could only endure it.
Here, uncle apologizes to you and says sorry to you.
I failed your father and failed to take good care of you."
After talking about it later, his expression was full of sadness. To be able to say these words in this environment and this scene, Meng Zhao believed that Meng Jizu really thought so and had nothing to hide.
Meng Zhao felt slightly moved in his heart and comforted him,
"Uncle, don't worry. As the saying goes, life and death are determined by destiny, wealth and honor are in heaven. Some things cannot be decided by ourselves. Besides, from my nephew's point of view, this is also a kind of tempering for oneself, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
If it hadn't been for these ten years, my nephew might have become a playboy and a playboy in Nan'an County, and then it would be my uncle and third uncle who would have a headache."
There may be some moisture in this statement.
From the current point of view, this generation of the Meng family is very outstanding. Meng Xi, Meng Wen, and Meng Chuan, who we just met, may have shortcomings and deficiencies, and have the habits of young masters from aristocratic families, but they are not in any way capable.
It can be seen that the Meng family is definitely very good at education.
Not to mention anything else, if Meng Zhao himself had not been initiated to teach martial arts and received the divine object of the Sky Mirror, ten years of his most precious time in martial arts would have been wasted, and his future achievements would have been limited and delayed.
lifetime.
Of course Meng Jizu knew that this was Meng Zhao's relief. He felt even more relieved and reached out to pat Meng Zhao on the shoulder.
"Good boy, you are very sensible. I believe your father will be very happy to see you like this."