In the afternoon sunshine, Lin Boyong and Lin Bonian walked slowly one after another under the corridor on the west side of Sanjin's back house. This was Lin Bonian's residence before he left home. At this moment, all the scenery here,
All brought back memories of Lin Bonian.
"Bo Nian, do you still remember that small fish pond? We were naughty and used to bathe and catch fish in it. We caught several koi carps that my mother kept and brought them ashore and sunk them to death alive."
"Hahaha, of course I remember. Mom took off her embroidered shoes and chased us through several yards. It was all Changqing's fault. He was blocking the front, and finally we were blocked in the West Pavilion. You and I both got a beating.
Just give it a try." Lin Bonian chuckled.
"Yeah, you can't blame him, there's nothing he can do about it. It was a good spanking. I remember your butt was red from the spanking. When you were a child, you were stubborn and refused to beg for mercy. If you are too girly, you will be beaten.
You." Lin Boyong smiled.
"I remember that my elder brother told my mother that they should be beaten together. The elder brother would be beaten as many times as the second brother would be beaten. My father happened to come over. After hearing this, he was very impressed and was spared the scolding.
I still remember what he said. He said: For our Lin family to stand on the ground, we must work together as brothers. We will endure beatings together and enjoy happiness together. Alas! I didn’t understand it at the time. The older I get, the more profound my feelings become.
Ah. Come to think of it, that was more than forty years ago. Time flies by. Brother, you and I have become like this." Lin Bonian sighed.
Lin Boyong stroked his beard and nodded: "Yes, more than forty years have passed by in a blink of an eye. Now we can no longer give our mother a beating, and we can no longer listen to our father's teachings."
"My son wants to be raised but my relatives are not here. It is true as the saying goes. But eldest brother, don't sigh. If my parents were alive and knew the current situation of my Lin family, they would definitely be extremely happy. At that time, my Lin family was not ranked high in Hangzhou.
It was just a family of merchants. But now, in terms of business, the Lin family is already one of the top merchants in Hangzhou, and I am already the deputy envoy of the Third Division. It can be said that both roads are smooth, and this is all because the eldest brother manages the family well.
, because the strategy is appropriate.”
Lin Boyong chuckled and said: "Bo Nian, you are the only one who knows the hardships we have endured over the years. The Lin family's current situation is the result of the joint efforts of my two brothers. What the eldest brother wants in his heart is to live up to the ancestors of the Lin family, so he dare not have any
Not at all relaxed.”
Lin Bonian cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your hard work, brother."
Lin Boyong smiled and waved his hand and said: "It's not easy for you either. You are an official in the capital, and you seem to have unlimited glory, but in fact you know the hardships. In the capital, people who have no ability and no backers cannot stay. I, the Lin family, have no backers.
, it all depends on your ability. Both you and I, brothers, were walking on thin ice and were cautious to get to where we are today."
Lin Bonian sighed: "My eldest brother knows my difficulties. It is really difficult in Beijing. In the early years, if it weren't for my eldest brother's strong support and letters of comfort and encouragement from time to time, I don't know how I could survive today. Fortunately, we survived, and the results
not bad."
Lin Boyong smiled and nodded, looking quite contented with the flowers outside the corridor. Suddenly, Lin Boyong let out a long sigh.
"Brother, what's wrong? Why are you sighing?"
"Bo Nian, we, the older generation, have done our best. Seeing that we are all getting older, the affairs of the Lin family will depend on the next generation in the future. However... can they do their best and think about the Lin family wholeheartedly like you and me?
?Are you able to light up the lintel?"
Lin Bonian muttered: "Brother, nephew Lin Ke, can't they reassure you?"
Lin Boyong frowned and said: "Among the younger generation, Ke'er is quite capable. Over the past ten years, Ke'er has contributed a lot to the business. He has contributed a lot to the current situation."
"Then what are you worried about, eldest brother? As far as I'm concerned, Lin Ke will not deviate much when he takes charge of the Lin family in the future." Lin Bonian said.
"Hey, Bonian, although Lin Ke has some abilities, they are limited to merchant affairs. Will my Lin family be merchants all my life? My Lin family will return to the court. Is there anything to boast about as a merchant family? Family fortune
No matter how big you are, you are still a piece of fat meat that can be slaughtered by others. You must know that hundreds of years ago, our Lin family was a family of scholar-bureaucrats, a wealthy family with status and status. How could we be willing to do things like businessmen just to survive?"
Lin Bonian nodded and said, "That's what the elder brother taught me."
Lin Boyong patted the wooden fence, looked at the lush flowers and trees, and said in a deep voice: "I am not lecturing you, but reminding you that if our Lin family wants to truly revive, it must return to the court. This requires a large number of disciples.
To become an official rather than to work for business. This is why I, as the head of the family, have devoted myself to urging my children to study in the past few decades. However, although I have achieved some results over the past few decades, I have not achieved the results. I am a descendant of the Lin family.
There are only a few people who join the officialdom. If you hadn't kept up the facade, you would have become the laughing stock of the world."
Lin Bonian frowned and nodded slightly.
Lin Boyong continued: "Lin Keshang has some incompetence in running a family. Lin Run, Lin Song, and the others are not my father. Talking about them behind their backs is really disappointing. If you can't do anything in literature or martial arts, they are useless. Among the two families,
You only have two sons, and all three are daughters. Lin Chang and Lin Sheng don’t like to study. Among the three houses, Lin Quan is even more incompetent, and I kicked him out of Hangzhou. As for Lin Jue..."
Lin Boyong was silent for a moment.
Lin Bonian smiled and said: "Brother, this Lin Jue seems to have some skills. I didn't expect that a talent would emerge from the third room. If he is cultivated, he may become a great weapon in the future. Although he is a concubine, he is also the third brother's.
We don’t have to stick to this about flesh and blood, what do you think, brother?”
Lin Boyong sighed softly and said: "Bo Nian, you just came back, you don't know what happened at home. Lin Jue really exceeded my expectations. Since last summer, his performance has surprised me. Not to mention him
He is very courageous and has done many shocking things in succession. Since you mentioned him, I have to tell you how I feel about him. Lin Jue may be a talented person, but... there seems to be some gap between him and us.
I'm afraid you and I can't restrain him. You've seen his behavior today, don't you feel anything?"
Lin Bonian nodded slowly and said: "To be honest with you, I also feel something is wrong. I am also about to ask you, what has Lin Jue done in the past year or so? What caused the estrangement between him and us?
Brother, there are some things I have to say clearly. Since eldest brother only wants to prosper the Lin family and return to the court, some knots must be put aside. If Lin Jue is available, he must support him as much as I support him and try to bridge the differences.
Break down the barriers. That’s what dad meant when he said we are united as one."
Lin Boyong nodded slowly and said: "Bo Nian, you are right. Come, let's go and talk in the house where you once lived. Everything there is arranged as it was before you came to Beijing. I have never touched it. When I miss you,
I'll come and sit down. I'll tell you all the things he has done this year. You have developed a sharp eye in the capital. You can analyze what he thinks."
Lin Bonian nodded in agreement, and the two brothers walked slowly along the wooden corridor until they entered a courtyard. That was Lin Bonian's residence back then. If Lin Boyong said, all the furnishings here are as before.
The tables and stools were all as they were before, and they were spotlessly cleaned. Even the books I had read before on the bookshelves were neatly stacked without a trace of dust. It seemed like there were always people taking care of them.
Lin Bonian was moved by the scene and felt a lot of emotion. He was very moved by Lin Boyong's brotherly love for him. Although this eldest brother looked stern, he was really kind to him. He had spent so much money in the capital for so many years.
More than a hundred thousand taels, I felt embarrassed every time I opened my mouth, but Lin Boyong never said a word. Every year on the solar term, he would send someone to give him some silver taels as a gift. He also wrote a letter telling himself that he didn’t need to think too much.
What should be used will only work. And everything in front of me is more touching than those things. Although I know that the eldest brother is like this, it is actually for the sake of the Lin family, but there are few people who can do this.
When the tea was brewed, the two brothers sat in their old residence and drank tea. Lin Boyong also slowly started from the incident that happened at the court training last year and told Lin Bonian everything that Lin Jue had done in the past year.
.
…
The night in Lin's house has not been so lively for a long time. The owner of the house is a person who doesn't like extravagance and excitement, so the atmosphere in Lin's house is generally quiet and dull. But today, the second master returns to Hangzhou as an imperial envoy.
When the head of the household is happy, the atmosphere in the home will naturally be different.
The family dinner for Lin Bonian was held lively in the front hall. Not only the people from the three bedrooms of the main family were present, but this time even the uncles and nephews from the outer house were also called together, and more than a dozen people were laid out.
The banquet was held and the scene was extremely grand.
It is rare for people outside the Lin family to get such an honor. Most of them are like servants and beggars in the Lin family. In order to get the monthly money, they can only swallow their anger. Previously, they were summoned for court training once a month.
Terrified. But starting from this year, the Lin family's court training has stopped unknowingly. Everyone understands that this is the credit of the third-bedroom son named Lin Jue. Some people have a premonition of signs of change.
In the past few months, many of the younger brothers came to see Lin Jue intentionally or unintentionally.
Today, Lin Bonian, the second master of the Lin family, returns home in honor, and everyone naturally wants to join in the fun. In any case, he is a member of the Lin family, and the honor and disgrace of the Lin family is related to everyone's life. And Lin Bonian is the most popular person in the Lin family.
The one who is mentioned most frequently is the role model and idol for all the children of the Lin family who are interested in becoming an official. Of course, they must come to see him and listen to this important figure who holds a high position in the imperial court talk about the capital, the emperor, officialdom, and
Talk about the things they long for but are out of reach.
The lanterns were hung high and the atmosphere was warm. The banquet started and people drank and drank.
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Lin Boyong, surrounded by Lin Boyong, Lin Ke and others, walked from the hall with a red wine glass to the courtyard with high colored lights, and met with everyone in his family to toast.
As soon as Bonian appeared, he was like a superstar, and he was greeted with admiring looks.
"A gift to the second master."
"The second master is in good health, which is a great blessing for our Lin family."
"Second Master, autumn is coming soon. Second Master will tell the nephews and grandsons of the school how to take the exam."
"Second Master, how big is the capital? Is it fun?"
"Second Master, do you still remember me? I am Lin Tang. When we were young, we played together every day."
"..."
Everyone in the Lin family was chattering in confusion, and their bodies were emboldened by the wine. In addition, they did have a good impression of the second master of the Lin family. Compared with the head of the family, this second master was kind and kind.
Moderate.
"What are you doing? What are you doing? With so many mouths open to talk, how can I teach my second uncle how to answer?" Lin Song shouted loudly.
The voices fell silent for a moment, and everyone suddenly realized that the master of the house and the eldest sons still had the final say. Showing too much enthusiasm for the second master might make the master and the others unhappy, which was not a good thing.
Lin Bonian waved his hand and said: "Lin Song, how can you scold them? These are uncles and children of the Lin family. You should be more polite when you speak."
Lin Song hurriedly said: "Second uncle is right."
Lin Bonian walked down the steps in front of the hall with a smile, came to the banquet, and held hands together. He called the people he knew by seniority, smiled and greeted, made commonplace remarks, and recalled the events of the past. The scene was extremely warm for a time.
