Chapter 1261 After promotion

 Getting promoted to an official position is a great joy.

 It would be an even greater joy if father and son were promoted together.

It's just that in the eyes of outsiders, it should be a day of joy and celebration for everyone in the Feng family, but the backyard of the family house is full of chaos.

The right lady wanted to beat Hua Xiaowu personally on the grounds that Hua Xiaowu had no respect for superiors and inferiors.

The flower wand means that I am the wife of the Zhendong General’s Mansion, not the concubine of the Grand Sima Mansion.

 Besides, I am a barbarian girl from Nanzhong. I don’t understand etiquette!

I don’t dare to fight back, why can’t I run away?

So the two women chased each other and the other fled.

 “Don’t run!”

“Then don’t chase me! I won’t run away until you hit me!”

When the servants saw this, they all gave way.

Just over two years old, Guan Sheng, whose nickname was A Zhi, had just been promoted to the title of Marquis of Yongshou Neiting of the Han Dynasty. He stretched out his little finger, pointed at the two chasing people, and shouted anxiously:

 “Amu, Amu…”

Seven-year-old Feng Kai proudly put his hands on his hips and said to Guan Sheng:

“I know, don’t scream. You are a prince after all, so you can’t be so helpless.”

 Azhi: “Ah ah ah… Grandma!”

Feng Kai curled his lips, feeling that it was hard to explain to a little kid who had just been weaned.

 Then he turned his head, looked at Ashun, and said with a smile:

“Third brother, I have been granted the title of Marquis, I have a title!”

Ah Shun nodded, indicating that he understood.

 Amo looked at the other two brothers who were the same age as him:

“Look, the second brother and the third brother don’t have one, but I have the title!”

Anan and Abu nodded along with the third brother, indicating that they understood.

“So, I am the most powerful among you, do you know that?”

An'an nodded, and Abu was about to nod, but he glanced at the expressionless third brother and stopped moving.

 “What’s so great about you?”

Ah Shun asked, "Is it that he surpasses the second brother in his homework, or that he surpasses the eldest sister in martial arts?"

The proud A Mo’s face suddenly stiffened, then turned red, and he choked:

"No matter how good your studies are and how high your martial arts are, what's the use? Doesn't it mean that you don't have a title?"

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden gust of wind in his ears.

"Snapped!"

 A clod of earth hit A Mo directly on the head.

"who?!"

A Mo, who was gaining momentum, turned his head angrily, trying to see clearly who was attacking him.

"it's me."

A Mo, who was originally full of anger, immediately lost half his temper when he saw the person coming:

 “Yuan, it turns out she is the eldest sister.”

 Shuangshuang and Ah Chong came over at some point.

 “What, not convinced?”

 The twelve-year-old girl is taller than all the Feng brothers present.

 Even Ah Chong is a little shorter than her.

 Inherited her mother’s excellent genes, she is tall and has picturesque features.

Especially those eyes, with the corners slightly raised upward, charming yet powerful, and very personal.

 “Convinced, convinced, how could it be...”

A Mo touched his head, he dared not say anything if he was angry, he pretended to be dumbfounded.

Ah Chong made a "chi" sound, half-smiling but not smiling, with a strange look on his face, which seemed to imply provocation:

“Marquis Shunyang? That’s it?”

Huh?

 That's right, I'm already a prince, why should I still be afraid of her?

Being reminded by his second brother, A Mo seemed to have reacted. His courage immediately became stronger and he puffed up his chest:

"You, do you know who I am now? Dare you hit me?"

They both took two steps forward, approached each other, and sneered: "Oh? May I ask what status Feng Junhou is now?"

 “I, I now...”

 Hey, what did you call me?

Amo was stunned.

You have called me Junhou, but you still don’t know who I am?

"Snapped!"

 “You hit me again!”

“I’ll hit you if you want. What can you do to me?”

Ah Chong silently said:

“There’s nothing special about being good at martial arts, right?”

"Snapped!"

 “You’re still fighting!”

 Both of them glanced sideways at Ah Chong.

Ah Chong continued to say quietly:

 “It’s not that big of a deal to do good homework, right?”

"Snapped!"

 “Sister, I was wrong.”

 Both looked at Ah Chong again.

“Because of your merits, I was lucky enough to be granted a title, but I have no children left and I am not harmonious with my brothers. Alas!”

 Ah Chong sighed longly and shook his head.

"Snapped!"

 “Don’t fight again, sister, I really know I was wrong!”

 The situation was stronger than the people. A Mo was a man who knew the current affairs and kept begging for mercy.

This time Ah Chong did not need to look at him to urge him, and continued to speak:

“Your Excellency, you are famous for your knowledge, your military exploits to scare thieves, and your kindness and kindness to everyone. This is why our Feng Mansion is as prosperous as it is today.”

"And you? You are just taking advantage of the great master's influence, yet you dare to speak arrogantly, do not respect martial arts, do not value learning, and do not show disdain for your brothers."

Ah Chong sighed, feeling quite sad:

“If my lord and my mother find out that you are so arrogant, I don’t know how they will punish you. I don’t know. They may think that you are not worthy of this title.”

Amo was already crying bitterly and repenting again and again.

I don’t know if I was beaten or persuaded.

“Eldest sister, don’t hit me again, and second brother, don’t say it anymore, I was wrong, I was really wrong!”

Mrs. Right, who was beating Hua Xiaowu over there, saw her son being beaten and finally let Alang's mistress go.

 “What are you doing?”

Hearing his mother’s voice, A Mo, who was begging for mercy, suddenly became excited and quickly got up:

 “Mom, it’s okay, we are having fun!”

 Are you kidding?

 You made a scene so much that you were pushed to the ground and beaten?

Facing Aunt Zhang’s suspicious and scrutinizing gaze, the young lady of the Feng family looked as usual, showing no fear at all.

On the other hand, Erlang Feng's eyes were wandering, looking at the surrounding scenery, as if what just happened had nothing to do with him.

Only the embarrassed A Mo nodded repeatedly and explained to his mother in a hurry:

 “Mom, it’s true, we are really joking.”

If his words and deeds just now were revealed, he would probably be whipped even more by his mother.

  No, it should be two meals, maybe three.

 One meal for the adults and one meal for each of the two grandmothers.

terrible!

 At this time, it is absolutely impossible to file a complaint.

 Seeing her son being beaten and having to cover it up, looking like he had no future, the right lady was really angry.

 Looking at the twin sisters again, there was nothing they could do.

 As they grow older, Shuangshuang and Ah Chong have reached the time to be sensible.

 In such a large Feng family, especially when all the Feng brothers are present, everything must be handled according to the rules.

 The parties involved said it was just a joke, and even Feng Da Sima Lai could only treat it as a joke between children.

　　It is said that Ah Chong inherited his father's intelligence, but Madam You knew that the young lady in front of her was the real little devil in Feng's house.

 Not only inherited his mother's talent, but also inherited some of his father's temperament.

 Don’t seem to like to talk a lot, but your tactics are very shady.

 More importantly, the heart is darker.

 Once she starts hitting people, there will basically be a reason that people can’t find fault with.

 Obviously, A Mo must have been caught by someone, and he couldn't tell the truth.

 “You are not allowed to bully your own brother.”

Since she is angry with him for not fighting, Mrs. Right is too lazy to mourn her misfortune.

The cry of her daughter could be heard faintly not far away. After saying this, Mrs. Right rushed to see her little daughter.

 In the early years, Feng Da Sima and General Zhendong often went on expeditions. It can be said that at least half of the credit for bringing up Shuangshuang and Ah Chong was due to Mrs. Right.

 Mrs. You knows this pair of sisters fairly well.

Although the sisters and brothers were often so angry that their chests hurt, they could still be regarded as their own children.

Not to mention the past two years, the two sisters have indeed gradually gained the consciousness of being elder sisters and elder brothers.

Since the eldest sister and elder brother have legitimate reasons to teach my brother a lesson, they cannot stop him by force...

 It can be stopped for a while, but it cannot be stopped for a lifetime.

 Being a legitimate mother, there are some things that may seem trivial, but are actually sensitive.

I had the idea of ​​competing for a title before, but now...

 Let him be!

In any case, from Nanzhong to Jiuyuan, from Pingcheng to Dunhuang, all over the Han Dynasty, east, west, north and south, wherever there was a flourishing Hanhui, there were industries in which the Feng family participated.

 Unless the family is exterminated, otherwise, these properties alone, even if ten or eight more children do nothing, just sit around and divide the family property, will be enough to feed three or five generations.

If coupled with the power of Feng Da Sima, General Zhendong, and Shunde Jun and his wife, the Feng Mansion can be said to be full of fire and oil, and flowers are blooming.

If you don’t believe it, just look at the flow of cars and horses in front of Feng Mansion. Its bustling scene is even more lively than the two cities in the East and West.

 Lead the army to retreat from the enemy, turn the tide, return victoriously, be promoted to a higher rank, and be congratulated by hundreds of officials.

 Feng Da Sima has been unable to rest for a moment in the past few days and is extremely tired.

 “The house will be closed from tomorrow, and no one will see guests except relatives and friends.”

Until night fell, Feng Da Sima, who was looking exhausted, slumped down in a chair, closed his eyes, and gave instructions.

"Alang has just been promoted to the position of Grand Sima, but he refuses to see his colleagues in the court. Will he be criticized?"

Da Sima has a high position and power, but he does not have enough status. It would be nice if he can just hand over a door ticket, but he cannot enter the Feng Mansion at all.

However, people always come up with solutions.

 If you can't get an audience with Da Sima, then take the wife's route.

 Many people sent their own spies to try their best to meet the ladies of Feng's house under various names.

　　It’s just that the status of the left and right ladies is equally high. Even if you have some status, if you want to be received, you have to look at the mood of the two ladies.

Even so, Mrs. Zuo still felt a little annoyed.

 But when she heard her Alang's instructions, she couldn't help but feel a little worried, so she gave a reminder.

It is Mrs. You who agrees with Feng Dashima’s opinion:

"What's there to worry about? In these days, everyone who should come has come, and most of the people who should be seen have been met."

"For the rest, it doesn't matter if you don't see them. For those who want to be received again, it doesn't matter how much they see."

 After hearing what the right lady said, the left lady said no more.

 She glanced at Alang, then at the two concubines standing by, and signaled to Li Mu:

 “You will serve Da Sima tonight.”

 Li Mu responded quickly.

Amei is now considered a famous arithmetic master and a gentleman of the Royal Academy. His name alone can scare away a large number of purdah ladies who cannot even memorize multiplication tables.

Coupled with the fact that he has been obsessed with staying in the laboratory for these years and rarely interacts with people, even if he wants to get to know people outside, there is no way.

Only Li Mu has the right identity and background. He also manages the Feng Mansion's property and often has to deal with outsiders.

These days, there has been an endless stream of ladies from various families who have come to look for her, and their busyness is comparable to that of Feng Da Sima.

 Compared to Da Sima's fatigue, Li Mu was in high spirits and looked very good.

This ambitious woman believed that her boldest decision back then was the most correct choice in her life.

Mrs. Zuo asked her to serve Da Sima tonight. Of course, it didn't just mean sleeping with him. She also asked her to tell Da Sima about the situation of the past few days at the bedside.

The right lady had to stay with her little daughter who was under one year old at night. Seeing that nothing happened, she was about to leave first, when suddenly another servant came to report:

　　"Reporting to the Chief Sima and his wife, there is someone outside the house who wants to see you."

Mrs. Zuo’s eyes were sharp:

 “Didn’t you say that the house is closed and no guests will be seen?”

Mrs. Right quickly reminded:

 “Sister, it’s tomorrow, and the house will be closed only tomorrow.”

“Either the person coming to visit at this time is not polite, or...” Madam Right turned to the servant halfway through her sentence, “Who is this person?”

"The guest didn't say anything, he just gave us the door post from his house."

 “Hand it over.”

This is the door post sent out by the Feng Mansion. If the visitor can produce this, it is strange that he has to reveal his identity and let the servants come to report.

 “Invite him to the side hall, and I’ll go see him.”

Feng Dashima, who seemed to be sleeping with his eyes closed just now, opened his eyes at some point and spoke.

 “Here.”

Mrs. Zuo looked a little unhappy:

"I didn't come here during the day, but I came here at night, and I'm still covering up. Either people can't see the light, or things can't be seen. Alang, you'd better be careful."

Feng Duhu smiled:

“Where there is day, there must be night, and where there is light there must be darkness. There are always some things in the world that are not suitable to be talked about in the hustle and bustle of the day, but are only suitable to be talked about in the dead of night when people are quiet. If you are worried, please follow us together.”

"Your status is different now, so I have to follow you."

Mrs. Right, who was originally going to see her youngest daughter, thought for a moment and hid behind the screen in the side hall.

When the servants came in with the guests, Mrs. Zuo, who was standing behind the screen, subconsciously closed her eyes and at the same time grasped her right hand, as if to prepare for a move.

 Because the person who came was completely covered in black robes, and even his head was covered with a hood.

Not to mention in the dark night, even in a side hall with candles lit, the firelight could not illuminate the true face of the person hiding in his hood.

Only when he lifted up the hood on his head, Feng Da Sima's expression changed, and he blurted out unexpectedly:

 “Mr. Pei, why is it you?”

The visitor was none other than Pei Qian, the Marquis of Pingyang County and the General of Zhenbei.

Pei Qian slowly took off his black robe and said:

“Da Sima was so surprised. Could it be that he was waiting for someone else, so I came at the wrong time?”

 Feng Da Sima came to his senses, asked Pei Qian to take a seat, and said with a smile:

 “No, I’m just surprised that Mr. Pei is dressed like this.”

Pei Qian said calmly:

 “Just to deceive others.”

Upon hearing this, Feng Yong quickly raised his face and asked:

“Does Mr. Pei have something secret that he wants to tell Yong?”

Pei Qian smiled and said nothing.

 Feng Yong suddenly woke up when he saw the other party's expression.

Pei Qian was an important official of the Wei State who took the initiative to surrender to the Han Dynasty. Every move he made was cautious.

Now he suddenly came to visit late at night, and he was dressed like this, so what he said must be quite big.

 “You all stand back and don’t let anyone get closer!”

With the screen back to the left and right, Feng Dashima asked again:

 “May I ask why Mr. Pei is here?”

Pei Qian then spoke:

 “Does Great Sima know the two hexagrams ‘F’ and ‘Tai’ in the Book of Changes?”

 Feng Dasima nodded.

　　I still know whether it will work out in peace or not.

Sure enough, Pei Qian said:

"These two hexagrams can be combined into one sentence, which is called "Wuji Tailai". Then Great Sima Ke knows, what is the opposite of "Wuji Tailai"?

 Feng Da Sima's eyes were sharp, he picked up the soup bowl and took a sip to cover it up, and then said slowly: "It was prosperous but then declined?"

"Of course! Now the name of Da Sima is spreading in all directions. When the barbarians in the south hear it, they are all frightened; when the people in Lianghu hear it, they are like worshiping gods; when the bandits in the east hear it, they are as afraid as tigers."

"The young talents of the Han Dynasty gathered at the Xinghan Meeting and called Da Sima their elder brother; many students studied in the martial arts hall of the college and called Da Sima their mountain chief; the generals in the army were willing to obey orders, and the ministers in the court regarded Da Sima as their chief. For hope.”

“A father and his son were promoted to officials and titles on the same day, and the emperor’s favor could not be greater. Is this a great success?”

 Feng Da Sima took another sip of hot soup and said:

“Pei Gong has something to say, but please say it directly.”

Pei Qian knew that Feng Dashima was a man of extraordinary intelligence. When he said this, he believed that the other party had already guessed what he wanted to say.

At that moment, he stopped covering up and continued:

“My husband is in a very popular position and is looked upon by both the government and the public. He also combines military and political affairs. However, it is rare in history that he is not tabooed.”

 Feng Da Sima’s eyes have become sharp:

"The harmony between the emperor and his ministers who came to us from our court is also rare in history. The story of the late emperor's support for the orphan in Yong'an Palace is not unprecedented or unprecedented, but it is certainly rare in the history of Qing Dynasty."

“Your Majesty is kind-hearted today and has no tendency to take risks. The relationship between the monarch and his ministers is based on benevolence and righteousness. This is a blessing for us as a great man.”

 Speaking of this, Feng Yong’s tone became stern:

 “But the emperor is kind, and this is by no means a reason for his ministers to act boldly!”

 Feng Da Sima has been in power for a long time and has led the army in battles for many years. Just sitting there gives him a sense of power.

The voice and expression were very serious at this time. If it were an ordinary person, I am afraid that he would have been uneasy.

 But who is Pei Qian?

He was already a minister of the state of Wei before he defected to the Han Dynasty.

 As a minister, he took the initiative to seek refuge with the Han Dynasty. His temperament was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Facing Feng Da Sima’s intimidating force, his expression remained unchanged:

"Your Majesty is certainly kind, but I dare to ask Grand Sima, how does your Majesty compare to the previous emperor?"

Feng Yong stared at Pei Qian closely and said in a deep voice, "It's better to do it."

 The talent is inferior, the wisdom is inferior, and the ambition is inferior. The only thing that can be praised is the ability to accommodate others.

 Perhaps, maybe 70% or 80% as good as the late emperor? Eighty or nine points?

“Since Your Majesty is not as good as the late Emperor, can the Great Sima dare to say that the friendship between Your Majesty and the Great Sima can be compared with the kindness between the late Emperor and the Prime Minister?”

Feng Da Sima was silent for a while and then said:

"The kindness and righteousness of the late emperor and the prime minister are rare in ancient and modern times. How can I be so virtuous and capable that I dare to make such a delusion?"

Pei Qian was keenly aware of the change in Feng Da Sima's tone and said quickly:

"The power of the Great Sima today is almost as powerful as that of the Prime Minister. As the Great Sima said, the emperor has never been prone to taking risks. This is a blessing for our ministers."

"But it may not be a good thing for Da Sima. If not, why would there be anything like Wei Yan?"

 Feng Yong remained silent for a longer and longer time.

 (End of this chapter)