Chapter 42: Shocked by the Ancestral Teachings
It has been a few days since Mengxi entered the mansion. As the Second Master was ill, she had to take care of his daily life, so she had been very busy. But now that she had taken Hongyu in, things were different. After lunch, Xiao Jun went directly to the west room and was served by Hongyu. She had a rare chance to take some free time, so she took Zhiqiu to visit the Xiao family compound.
Walking on the small road paved with blue bricks, looking at the flowers, trees and flowing water everywhere, the entire Xiao Mansion covers an area of about 100 hectares and is surrounded by a four-meter-high wall. Inside, there are pavilions, terraces, boats, pavilions and towers. Compared with the Qiao Family Courtyard that she visited in Shanxi in her previous life, the Qiao Family Courtyard can only be regarded as a small family. The Qiao Family Courtyard gave her the feeling of being too ingenious, while the Xiao Family Courtyard is natural. It can be said that although it was made by man, it seems to be created by nature.
Mengxi and Zhiqiu climbed up the bluestone steps in front of them, and looked up to see a small pavilion on the top of the mountain. Thinking that they could get a better view of the Xiao family compound from a high place, they helped Zhiqiu up. When they arrived at the pavilion, they were already tired and hot. They saw a platform made of white marble with four small stools, which were very cool, so they sat down leaning against the railing and overlooking the entire Xiao family compound. Mengxi felt relaxed and refreshed, and wanted to rest here for a while, so she asked Zhiqiu to get some tea nearby, and sat alone in the pavilion to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Looking at the majestic halls and pavilions, the lush forests and rocks in front of him, Mengxi couldn't help but sigh at the luxury and wealth of the Xiao Mansion. Thinking that he was just a ghost, he sighed: The imperial gardens and the Summer Palace that he visited in his previous life were just like this. Although he was a guest here, it was worth his life to have such a beautiful scenery. I just don't know if there is a way back. Looking at such a beautiful scene, he couldn't dissolve into it. He sighed in his heart and said casually:
I always regret that this body is not mine
When to forget about camping
The night is late and the wind is calm.
The boat has gone
The rest of my life
"Good poem, good poem. My second sister-in-law not only cooks delicious dishes, but also has outstanding literary talent. My second brother is so lucky."
Mengxi turned around and saw that it was the Third Master Xiao Yun, who was waving a fan and slowly walking into the pavilion. Mengxi stood up quickly and bowed to Xiao Yun:
"Uncle San is in a good mood, why didn't you go to the cram school today?"
"My eldest brother is leaving soon, so my grandmother asked my husband and I to take some time off so that we can stay at home with him for the next few days."
"Master is leaving, where are you going?"
"Second sister-in-law, you don't know that my eldest brother was transferred to be the magistrate of Wuchuan County in Pingxi last year. He was a fifth-rank official and was in office for three years. This time, because my second brother was sick... and he was getting married, he asked for leave to return home. The prefect over there has sent letters urging him to leave twice, so this time my eldest brother has to leave. Yesterday, he made an appointment with grandma to leave on the 16th of this month."
Xiao Yun wanted to say that her eldest brother had asked for leave to come back because her second brother was critically ill, but she remembered that it would not be nice to say it in front of her second sister-in-law who came to get married, so she quickly changed her words.
"Brother is away this time and won't be back until the end of the year. Will Grandma come with him?"
"My grandmother originally wanted my eldest sister-in-law to stay at home and take care of my father and mother, but she thought that my eldest brother had been away for three years and was afraid that the aunts wouldn't be able to take good care of him, so she allowed my eldest sister-in-law to take care of him and let both aunts stay here."
"Oh, I also heard from Hongzhu that the second master is now also serving as an official in a remote place. I wonder what kind of official he is?"
"The second master had been in Pingyang City all along. He was sent to Yangzhou as the prefect last year. He is a third-rank official. He had been gone for less than a year. He was busy with his second brother's wedding and did not return. He only sent his cousin back, saying that he was blocked on the road. For some unknown reason , he has not returned to Pingyang City until now and missed the second brother's wedding."
"My eldest uncle is now serving as an official in a remote place, and my third uncle will also take part in the provincial examination next year. Why is it that only my second uncle does not seek fame and fortune?"
Mengxi vaguely remembered that Xiao Jun didn't seem to have any official title either, so she asked in confusion.
Xiao Yun looked at her second sister-in-law for a long time as if she were an alien:
"My second brother never mentioned it to my second sister-in-law. Does she really not know?"
"What did you mention?"
"Our Xiao family 's ancestral precept states that the head of the Xiao family is not allowed to serve as an official in the imperial court."
"Oh, this is the first time I've heard of this. Why is there such an ancestral precept?"
"I also heard it from grandma. When the Great Qi was first established, the ancestor Shanggong Shengxian awarded the four families of Xiao, Situ, Li, and Ouyang, who had assisted him in ascending the throne and made great contributions, as aristocratic families. The heads of the aristocratic families were passed down from generation to generation, and each controlled the salt, silk, transportation, grain and other monopoly industries related to the national economy and people's livelihood of the Great Qi, and enjoyed economic privileges. However, the ancestor was afraid that the aristocratic families would become too powerful and unite to control the Great Qi economically, and then compete with their descendants for the throne in the future. So he agreed with the four family heads that the economic lifeline of the Great Qi would be controlled by the four aristocratic families respectively, but the aristocratic families had to swear not to form factions, and the heads of the aristocratic families were not allowed to serve as officials in the court and were not allowed to engage in politics throughout their lives. Only when foreign enemies invaded could the aristocratic families stand up and assist the emperor to fight against foreign enemies and protect the Great Qi.
Therefore, the ancestors of the four great families at that time all established ancestral precepts, that the heads of the families of each generation were not allowed to serve as officials in the court. There was also an unwritten rule in Da Qi that the highest rank of officials of relatives and members of the aristocratic families who served in the court could not exceed the third rank. Therefore, even though the second master had outstanding political achievements, he was only a third rank official. I heard that he got this opportunity to be sent out last year without the knowledge of the old lady. The current head of the family, the eldest master, and the next head of the family, the second brother, have no official rank and have been managing our Xiao family's industry."
After hearing this, Mengxi thought of the poison in the second master, and thought to himself: Seeing that the third master is lazy and plays every day, and doesn't like to read books, I heard that the third master failed the provincial examination twice in a row. Is it because he feels that he has no hope of becoming an official that he wants to compete for the position of the head of the family? Although his mother is favored, the second master is the eldest son and grandson after all. How can the eldest master easily let the third master take over as the next head of the family? But if the second master dies, it will be different. The eldest master has only three sons. Now that the eldest master has become an official, he is directly kicked out. Only the third master is qualified. Once the second master dies, he will firmly sit on the position of the head of the family. Looking at the third master's eyes like a pool of deep water, he feels that he is unfathomable. But how dare he have such a different mind? This road is not easy to walk. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh.
Xiao Jun looked at his second sister-in-law in front of him. She was such a beautiful woman, with extraordinary cooking skills and literary talent. Why didn't his second brother cherish her? On the first day of the wedding, he went to the concubine's room, and on the fourth day, he took a concubine. Hearing Mengxi sigh, he felt pity for her and asked casually:
"What is Second Sister-in-law sighing about?"
Mengxi was startled and said casually:
"What a strange ancestral precept. I just can't figure it out."
"Second sister-in-law, you don't know that my Xiao family has even stranger ancestral precepts. I asked grandma, but she wouldn't tell me why."
"Does the Xiao family have any more bizarre ancestral precepts?"
"Of course, another ancestral precept of the Xiao family is that the Xiao family head's legitimate wife must be a legitimate daughter."
