Chapter 61 Debut

  Wang looked at Sheng Siyan's round face, which still had a childish air about it, but said such old-fashioned words that he couldn't help but laugh. He tapped her forehead with his hand and scolded: "How can you not take a concubine when you are forty years old and childless? The three unfilial acts, the greatest of which is to have no descendants. Do you understand? Even if you are willing, your future husband will be willing, but his ancestors will not allow it. You'd better not bother with this idle thought."

  Sheng Siyan grasped Wang's hand and said urgently, "Mother, I'm telling the truth! If... if in the future I don't give birth to a son, he... he... wants to take a concubine, I'll divorce him!"

  "What's going on?" Wang asked in surprise, "What are you talking about? Are you saying we're separating? Stop spouting nonsense! I think you must have gone to the Emerald Bamboo Pavilion and gotten possessed. Do you want me to call for a shaman to exorcise the evil spirit?"

  Sheng Siyan hung her head in despair, knowing that she couldn't make herself clear to Wang Shi on this matter. She could only let out a long sigh and tightly hug Wang Shi, as if grasping the last straw for survival.

  Wang comforted her: "Don't worry, you won't be childless. As long as you can give birth to a son, your husband won't take a concubine."

  In the end, it's still better to have sons.

  Sheng Siyan had never hated her "son" so much...

  Isn't your daughter okay? Isn't she human?

  The daughter is still her mother's little cotton-padded jacket!

  Sons all marry wives and forget their mothers!

  Sheng Siyan secretly disapproved in her heart, but she didn't bring it up again either.

  After Sheng Qiye returned, he also went to Cuizhuxuan and sat for a while. He lit incense sticks for Tu Shi and called the people in the mansion, saying that they would hold a funeral service for seven days before burying her in the ancestral tomb of the Sheng family, which was specifically used for concubines who had given birth to children.

  Old Mr. Wu arrived at the Shengguo Gongfu on the day when the Sheng family was holding a funeral for Mrs. Tu.

  Sheng Qiye, Wangshi and Sheng Siyan all only sent them to the door, the rest of the way was let Tu Shi's three children send.

  Sheng Qiye, Wangshi and Sheng Siyan are superior to Tu Shi, it's already good enough to send them to the door.

  After Mr. Tu's funeral, Sheng Qiye ordered the servants to put away all the mourning objects.

  A concubine, mourning for seven days is enough.

  Sheng Siyan didn't understand until now what Wang meant by "A concubine is just a plaything."

  No matter from etiquette or human nature, being a concubine is really too lowly a position.

  Not only is the status low, but there is no guarantee at all, and the only thing that can be relied on is the man's favoritism.

  But men who are truly devoted to their concubines are rarely seen. Those who are truly devoted and can last a lifetime are even more rare, only existing in fiction, never having been seen in real life.

  The legitimate wife is no longer favored, and men also dare not really treat them badly, and the glory of life and death can be guaranteed.

  Old Wu went to the Sheng Guo Gong Fu and sat for a while, had a conversation with Sheng Qi, then said: "I originally thought you would wait until after the 57th day to hold the funeral, didn't expect it to be held in just seven days. Then we won't wait that long either. The date of the dust-washing banquet is set for ten days later, what do you think?"

  Sheng Qiye hastily got up and bowed deeply, saying: "Thank you, Uncle Shi, for your help. Without you and the other two uncles' assistance, my Sheng family would have truly cut off our direct line of descent."

  The four dukes of the four big families have known each other since childhood. They are also very close, originally being friends from a young age. Mr. Wu, Mr. Zheng and Mr. Zhou were even more intimate with the late Mr. Sheng, having grown up playing together.

  Wu Lao Yezi changed his image of being extremely frugal and said to Sheng Qi Ye with a serious tone: "Noble nephew, no need for excessive courtesy. We are also in the same boat. The Sheng family was one of the founding contributors just like our three families, yet they were destroyed just like that. Wouldn't it be chilling? You should know that the ancestors of this Great Xia Dynasty had once sworn a blood oath with the ancestors of our four families to coexist and perish together. If the Sheng family truly becomes extinct, they would have violated their ancestral teachings and blood oath, which would lead to severe consequences!"

  This is also why Empress Dowager allowed Sheng Qiye to return to Beijing and inherit his title.

  At first, Sheng Qi wanted to return to Beijing to seek justice for the Sheng family. The first person he looked for was Zhou Laoyezi from the Shenjiang Fu.

  Zhou old master called Wu old master and Zheng old master together to discuss countermeasures.

  However, at that time, the Empress Dowager was extremely tough, and General Zhou had just taken office. Standing on the side of the Empress Dowager, these three old men could not contend with them, so they could only advise Sheng Qi to leave immediately and return when a way to treat Emperor Xiaoming was found.

  Sheng Qi later lived in Beijing for a period of time until the matter with Wang Shi was opposed by Wang Shi's parents, and then left Beijing.

  It's been fifteen years now.

  Sheng Qi hastily said: "Our Sheng family is now left with only me, I still hope that in the future Uncle will take care of me more."

  Old Wu nodded, took out an envelope from his sleeve and said: "This is the dividend your father earned when he invested with me. Inside is the interest for all these years. You take it. From now on, I will send someone to deliver the dividends every year."

  Sheng Qi took over the envelope, opened it and looked at it, and was immediately stunned.

  "Ten million taels of silver?! - Impossible! My father..." Sheng Qi couldn't believe that his father could have deposited so much silver with Wu Guogong.

  "You don't believe me, but you should at least trust Silver!" Old Wu stood up, deliberately bulging his eyes and putting on a very angry face. "I'm such a stingy person, would I let you swindle even a single penny from me?!"

  "I didn't mean it!" Sheng Qi hastily cupped his hands and said, "It's just that this amount is too large, I..."

  "Alright, you can't use it, give it to your wife instead. She's better at managing the household than you are. You're also very fortunate, all the good fortune accumulated by the Wu family over the years has fallen on you, so be careful and don't make any more mistakes." Old Master Wu said with deep meaning.

  "I understand, I understand." Sheng Qi hurriedly bowed his head in response.

  Old Wu reminded him as he was about to leave: "Ten days later is the banquet, you must come! Don't forget to bring your wife and daughters. What's your daughter's name again? I heard it from Chang Ge's wife, saying she's very impressive. That year she took first place in the exam, that's when I found out she was your daughter."

  Sheng Qiye knew that at that time, one of the Rong Cui Girls' Schools funded by Zheng Dainai was located in Wangjia Village where the Wang family and Sheng Siyan lived.

  Sheng Siyan came in first, but the result made Zheng Dainai suspect that she was related to the Sheng family's direct line, so Wu Changge asked Wu Laoyezi to help investigate Wangshi and Sheng Siyan's background.

  Old Master Wu investigated and found out that it was related to Sheng Qi, so he quietly helped Sheng Qi cover it up, even deceiving his own son and daughter-in-law, telling them it was nothing and not to think too much about it. Later, he also secretly helped Wang Shi, instructing the Wu family's store to buy her medicinal herbs at a high price whenever she sold them.

  Because of this matter, Sheng Qi was very grateful to Old Man Wu. He escorted Old Man Wu out and said with a smile: "Uncle Wu has been helping my wife and daughter for many years, I'm extremely grateful."

  Mr. Wu looked somewhat embarrassed, and after glancing around hastily, he lowered his voice to say to Sheng Qi: "You must swear not to tell anyone about this."

  "Why is this?" Sheng Qi was surprised, "You are a good person who helps others, why do you want to hide it?"

  Old Mr. Wu thought to himself, "If others were to find out, my foolish son would make trouble for me again because of his wife. Don't I want peace in the family? Isn't it said that one should not be deaf and dumb when being a patriarch?"

  "In short, it's better to have one less thing than one more. This matter is just between you and me, let's keep it that way. My family doesn't know about it, if they find out, it'll be a big deal. My old man is getting on in years, he just wants to spend his remaining days in peace, so don't give me any more trouble." Old Mr. Wu spoke very tactfully.

  Sheng Qi thought for a moment. Suddenly enlightened, he hastily said: "I understand, I definitely won't tell anyone else, it will rot in my belly."

  Old Master Wu smiled and nodded, leaving the Shengguo Gong Mansion and returning to his own Wuguo Gong Mansion.

  Soon, Wu Guogong's mansion held a grand banquet for Sheng Guogong's return, which became the most lively event in Daxia City on a deep autumn night.

  The invitation written by Zheng Da Niangniang is extremely rare and highly sought after by wealthy families, with many people willing to pay a high price for it.

  Wang thought that this was Sheng Siyan's first appearance in the capital city, so he asked someone to find the most skilled seamstress in the capital and had her make a set of clothes for visiting guests. He also spent a lot of money buying jewelry and accessories for Sheng Siyan.

  Sheng Siyan still didn't know that her parents had just received a windfall, and she was very uninterested in those exquisite silks and expensive jewelry.

  "Mother, this pair of red gold earrings is very nice, no need for that inlaid gold thread and diamond Phoenix step shake." Sheng Siyan wisely chose the cheaper accessories.

  Wang saw, and again it was a hot post. Again heartache, embracing Sheng Siyan said: "Siyan, don't worry, Dad and Mom still have money to buy you some jewelry. These things are not expensive, just pack them all up."

  Sheng Siyan stared at Wang's eyes without blinking, about to buy 50,000 taels of silver jewelry, and couldn't help but say: "Mother, do you really need something so expensive?"

  50,000 taels!

  It can fill up half of a house if exchanged for silver ingots.

  Everything is on her head and body, isn't it enough to crush her?!

  Sheng Siyan refused to accept, and hastily said: "Mother, really don't buy these things for me. Just buying a few is enough, you're not going to turn me into a potted plant, are you!"

  Wang was amused by her and smiled, saying: "What's the point of making a potted landscape? You're really good at talking nonsense!" However, seeing Sheng Siyan's expression, even if she bought it, she wouldn't wear it. In the end, Wang compromised and only bought a half-moon hairpin for 5,000 taels of silver.

  That hairpin is made of eighteen strands of fine gold thread twisted into an eight-character pattern, with a gold thread diamond inlaid on the top. In the middle is a large gold thread diamond the size of a small finger, surrounded by a circle of tiny gold thread diamonds as small as grains of rice, forming a semicircular shape like stars surrounding the moon. The design is very interesting and elegant, with a subtle sense of luxury. The shopkeeper also said that this was the only hairpin of its kind in the entire Da Xia Empire, so he didn't think it would "clash" with anyone else's.

  Sheng Siyan really liked this silver hairpin and agreed to buy it.

  Wang also picked out a pair of earrings for her, along with a crimson gold phoenix-patterned necklace.

  These two are the ornaments that every little girl in the Great Xia Dynasty has when she is ten years old, and wearing them does not show off her beauty, which suits Sheng Siyan's intentions.

  Besides, these two together only cost a hundred taels of silver, which Sheng Siyan felt was still affordable, so she didn't stop Wang Shi.

  Returning to the Sheng Guo Gong Fu, Sheng Siyan bid farewell to Wang Shi and brought back the jewelry she bought today to her own Wu Mei Xuan.

  But she saw her elder sister Sheng Ningfang already sitting in her room waiting for her.

  "Why didn't you serve tea to Second Miss?" Sheng Siyan ordered the senior maid, Mugun, to take the things to the inner room and put them down, while asking Haitang, the maid who stayed at home to keep watch.

  Haitang smiled and said: "The second young lady said that she had drunk so much that her belly was about to burst, only then did she let the servant girl stop serving tea."

  "Oh, okay then. Don't be slow, Second Miss." Sheng Siyan said with a smile, picking up her teacup and taking a sip.

  Sheng Ning Fang bit her lower lip and asked: "Big sister, where did you go? Why didn't you take me with you?"

  Sheng Siyan raised an eyebrow and said: "Go out and buy some things with your mother. Do you need anything? Make a list, I'll have someone help you buy it."

  Sheng Ning Fang's eyes sparkled as she tentatively asked: "Big sister, can't I go out and buy it myself?"

  "You're still recovering, it's not good for you to go out." Sheng Siyan said lightly. She had been walking outside all day and was a bit tired. Shopping also required physical strength. Her physical strength was really too poor. Sheng Siyan patted her waist with her hand.

  "Eldest sister, I heard that Wu Jia, the god of wealth, is hosting a banquet for our father and has invited our whole family to attend. But I don't even have clothes or jewelry to wear out." Sheng Ningfang finally spoke her mind.

  Sheng Siyan was surprised and said: "You're still in mourning, how can you go out and socialize?" Which family wears new clothes and jewelry while observing a funeral?

  "But Auntie Zheng sent both me and my two younger brothers a wedding invitation." Sheng Ningfang said with confidence.

  This is the first update, 3,500 words. There will be a second update in the afternoon. It seems like everyone's pink tickets have been used up? What about the recommended tickets?

  ……

  ps：

  Thank see_an alliance master for the xianpianyuan yesterday. Thank enigmayanxi alliance master for the he's bi yesterday. Thank jinzi mengxiangduo for the taohuashan yesterday. Thank everyone for the ping'anfu yesterday.

  Also, regarding the phrase "not having offspring is the greatest unfiliality", I know that recently there have been other interpretations online saying that this phrase does not mean that not having offspring is the greatest unfiliality, but rather that marrying without informing one's parents is the greatest unfiliality. I think this interpretation is quite unreliable. Because since ancient times, the interpretation of Mencius' phrase has been consistent with the orthodox Confucian classics, such as the "Thirteen Classics" and the laws, which were also required reading for the imperial examinations. So many ancient sages and scholars have all agreed that "not having offspring is the greatest unfiliality", without anyone proposing this modern, absurd interpretation. I think that the understanding of ancient texts by ancient scholars is more profound than that of modern people, so I still choose to adopt the traditional interpretation of "the three unfilialities, with not having offspring being the greatest". That new online interpretation can be laughed at and ignored, no need to take it seriously.