Wang Gang suddenly asked Sheng Hong to practice martial arts, which shocked the whole family.
The Sheng family is a scholarly family. The old man of the Sheng family was born in Tanhualang. Sheng Hong is also a second-ranked Jinshi. He is currently the general magistrate of Yangzhou. He is a civil servant no matter how he counts.
It can be said that the foundation of the Sheng family lies in poetry and calligraphy. No one has ever thought about practicing martial arts and becoming a general.
What's more, after the founding of the Song Dynasty, it has always emphasized literature and suppressed military affairs. The social status of literati was extremely high, but military generals were not.
Wang Gang ignored such a promising career as a scholar and instead went to practice martial arts. In the eyes of many people, he was not doing his job properly.
After Sheng Hong was surprised for a while, he did not refuse immediately. Instead, he asked Wang Gang: "Feng'er, why do you want to practice martial arts? Is it because studying literature is boring and you can't stand the pain?"
Wang Gang, neither humble nor arrogant, said: "I want to learn martial arts, but I won't give up on books. In the future, I want to be a general and prime minister who can run the army on horseback and the people on horseback."
Sheng Hong was amused by Wang Gang's words.
"You kid still wants to be a general and a prime minister. Neither your father nor I have that big ambition. In the future, it will be enough to be a third-rank emeritus." Sheng Hong said with a smile.
Madam Wang, who was sitting next to her while eating, sneered: "A child born from a concubine still wants to be the prime minister."
Hearing Mrs. Wang's sarcasm, Wang Gang didn't think anything of it, but Sheng Hong's expression changed.
"I am also a child of a concubine." Sheng Hong glanced at his wife coldly.
Mrs. Wang was startled, and then she realized that she had said something wrong, and hurriedly said, "My lord, I didn't mean that."
Sheng Hong snorted coldly, ignored his wife, turned to look at Wang Gang and said, "I'm very happy that you have such ambition as a father, but I still hope that you will be down-to-earth and get a merit degree first."
Wang Gang said: "Father, I didn't say I won't take part in the imperial examination. I just want to be both civilized and military. I can practice martial arts and study essays at the same time."
Sheng Hong shook his head and said: "You are still young and have limited energy. If you are distracted from practicing martial arts, you will definitely delay your homework. Besides, my Sheng family is passed down by literature and is not a family of military generals. No one can teach you martial arts.
Besides, martial arts is just a small way and can't defeat a hundred enemies, but the art of war is the main road to defeat ten thousand enemies."
Wang Gang rolled his eyes and finally revealed his purpose.
"Father, I heard that my grandmother was the eldest daughter of Yongyi Marquis. She should know many people who are highly skilled in martial arts and familiar with the art of war, right?"
That's right, Wang Gang wants to practice martial arts because he wants to have a relationship with Mrs. Sheng.
Since Wang Gang has decided to stay in the Sheng Mansion for a few years, he naturally wants to make plans for himself. He does not want to get involved in a fight with the women in the back house.
"I don't dare to give in to the old lady's idea." Sheng Hong said with a smile: "I can help you ask, but I can't guarantee whether the old lady agrees or not."
Wang Gang felt happy and said respectfully: "Thank you very much, father."
Sheng Hong pinched his beard and smiled: "It's rare that you are willing to make progress, whether it is studying literature or practicing martial arts, it is a good thing.
But I’m going to say something ugly first, if you don’t have the perseverance and can’t be both civil and military in the future, just study hard for me.”
Wang Gang bowed to Sheng Hong again before exiting the room, with no intention of dining with Sheng Hong and Mrs. Wang.
In fact, it was impossible for him to dine together.
The rules of the Sheng Mansion are very strict. Only the direct children can eat at the table with their parents. The other children usually have to go back to their own courtyards to eat with their mothers.
Only during holidays and family banquets, everyone will sit at the same table to eat.
By the time Wang Gang returned to Lin Sushuang, what happened in the front hall had already reached her ears.
"Feng'er, why do you want to practice martial arts so much?" Lin Sushuang served Wang Gang a bowl of porridge and said:
"Your father despises those powerful warriors the most. Don't make him unhappy."
"My child thinks that practicing martial arts can strengthen his body and get close to the old lady. There is no harm in doing anything." Wang Gang told the truth.
Lin Sushuang said disapprovingly: "The old lady in the backyard looks down on me, so she will definitely not allow you to practice martial arts."
Wang Gang took a sip of the porridge and felt quite unimpressed.
When Lin Sushuang saw that her son was not talking, she said to herself: "When I first came to Sheng Mansion, the old lady was very nice to me, but since I married your father, she has never given me a good look."
Wang Gang was drinking porridge, but he didn't dare to talk.
Because he knew the reason why Mrs. Sheng looked down on Lin Sushuang, but as a son of a human being, he could not say that his mother was not good in front of the servants.
Back then, Lin Sushuang was also an official lady, and her parents had an old relationship with Mrs. Sheng.
It's a pity that Lin Sushuang's father committed a crime, which affected the whole family. The man was sent to the army and the woman was sold into a lowly household.
Lin Sushuang was young at the time, so Mr. Lin tried his best to save her life and sent her to Mrs. Sheng to raise her.
For the sake of her old friend, Mrs. Sheng also raised Lin Sushuang as her own daughter, and even planned to buy her a generous dowry and find a reliable husband's family in the future.
It happened that Lin Sushuang herself, who was used to enjoying the luxurious life in the Sheng Mansion and did not want to marry outside, took the initiative to seduce Sheng Hong, who was young at the time, and they made a private marriage for life.
After Mrs. Sheng learned about this, she immediately changed her attitude towards Lin Sushuang, feeling that she had betrayed her trust.
In addition, later Lin Sushuang used her cleverness to compete with Mrs. Wang for favor, and she completely became the person that Mrs. Sheng hated the most. It was strange that she could give Lin Sushuang a good look.
Lin Sushuang may also be aware of the problem, but she thinks that as long as she holds Sheng Hong's heart firmly, Mrs. Sheng is irrelevant, so she has no intention of easing the relationship.
Wang Gang put down his bowl and chopsticks, feeling that he still needed to mention his mother.
"Mom, actually our Sheng family has two pillars, do you know?"
Lin Sushuang said: "The pillar of support is naturally your father, but what about the other one? Is it the old lady?"
Wang Gang shook his head and said: "Mom, you are only half right. The old lady is indeed the backbone, but dad is not."
Lin Sushuang was stunned, she didn't expect her son to give such an answer.
"Feng'er is young and has little experience. Your father is a second-ranked Jinshi, and now he is a general magistrate of Yangzhou. His future is limitless. Why is he not the pillar of my Sheng family?"
Wang Gang shook his head and said: "Although dad has a bright future, after all, he is only a sixth-grade general judge, which is not enough to support the Sheng family.
The real pillars of my Sheng family are actually the old lady and Mrs. Wang."
"What? Madam Wang!" Lin Sushuang shouted excitedly, attracting the attention of Sheng Molan who was eating.
"Mom, what's your name?" Sheng Molan asked innocently.
Lin Sushuang was a little unhappy and said with a straight face: "Eat your food well."
Seeing that her mother was really angry, Sheng Molan hurriedly lowered her head to eat.
"Feng'er, whoever talks nonsense in front of you, see if I don't pull out his tongue." Lin Sushuang thought that what Wang Gang said was taught to him by someone.
After all, how could a young child say this?
Wang Gang shook his head and said, "Mom, please put aside your personal grudges first and listen to me carefully."
Lin Sushuang said angrily: "What do you, a child, know?"
Wang Gang smiled and said: "In ancient times, Gan Luo paid homage to the prime minister at the age of eight. Who said children can't be knowledgeable? Mom, don't underestimate me."
Lin Sushuang has also read books, so she naturally knows who Gan Luo is.
"You kid, how dare you compare yourself to Gan Luo!" Lin Sushuang sneered.
Wang Gang raised his head and said: "If Gan Luo and I were born in the same era, it is not certain who is stronger and who is weaker."
"Okay, I want to see what you have to say." Lin Sushuang said with a smile.
Wang Gang cleared his throat and said, "I said that the old lady and Mrs. Wang are the pillars of the Sheng family, so I have my reasons.
Let’s talk about the old lady first. She is the daughter of the Marquis family. She has been raised in the palace since she was a child. She has a lot of connections behind her. As long as she is in the Sheng family for a day, no one will dare to look down on our Sheng family."
Lin Sushuang did not refute Wang Gang's words because what he said was true.
Before Sheng Hong failed to become a Jinshi, the Sheng family was on the decline. Mrs. Sheng gave up remarrying and stayed in the Sheng family to support the family business.
Sheng Hong belonged to the second house of the Sheng family, and naturally there was a big house above it. It was all thanks to the old lady that the second house's property was not swallowed up by the big house.
Even Lin Sushuang himself had to drag the old lady's blessings to get rid of his humble status and the fate of being a slave.
"You are right, but what about Mrs. Wang? What reasons do you have?" Lin Sushuang said, still a little unconvinced.
Wang Gang sighed and said: "In addition to his own talent, my father's ability to be the general magistrate of Yangzhou is actually thanks to Madam Wang's mother's family's planning behind her back.
Mrs. Wang has always said that my father is worthy of enjoying the Ancestral Temple, which is really an incredible achievement and can bless three generations."
Lin Sushuang was unconvinced and said: "He has many Wang family members, but he has not seen many outstanding ones. How could your father rely on his Wang family to get to power?"
Wang Gang shook his head and said: "The Wang family cannot come forward not because of their ability, but because they are suppressed by the top!"
Lin Sushuang was startled, realizing who Wang Gang was talking about, and shuddered all over her body.
"Feng'er, don't talk nonsense about saints." Lin Sushuang covered Wang Gang's small mouth, and then ordered all the servants to retreat, even the most confidant grandma was no exception.
