The empress is pregnant, and the emperor's incense continues

He looked at the sky and said with a little regret: "I'm afraid it won't work today. Let's do it tomorrow. If it's convenient for you, I'll take you to pay respects at my maternal ancestors' grave."

Xu Tongfu made a delighted expression and exclaimed, "You are really the grandson of Master Zhuang, and the son of my junior fellow apprentice Chen Yanqing?"

Chen Qianmo wiped his wet cheeks, straightened his back, raised his chin and said, "Of course, I won't lie about this matter. Uncle is staying in a certain place now. If you don't mind, come home with me today. It just so happens that you and my father haven't seen each other for many years, so you can have a few drinks."

These words were said beautifully, and Xu Tongfu's eyes flashed, but soon dimmed, and he said sincerely: "Nephew, it's not that I don't want to go to your father, but your father is now in a high position and has great power. Standing in his position, it is not good to make friends with foreign officials. It is better for me not to visit you for the time being."

Chen Qianmo lowered his head, he understood the hidden meaning of Xu Tongfu's words.

Chen Yanqing is a cold and aloof person. Over the years, his official positions have become higher and higher, but the people he interacts with are getting fewer and fewer. He hardly keeps in touch with his family, let alone his fellow students.

He understood that Xu Tongfu said this because he was worried that Chen Yanqing would not welcome the so-called senior brother to visit him.

But Xu Tongfu was not only Chen Yanqing's senior brother, but also his maternal grandfather's disciple and his savior. He could never repay this kindness enough.

He suggested: "Since you are Master Zhuang's student, if you are willing, I will arrange for you to stay at the Zhuang Mansion temporarily. The Zhuang Mansion has been taken care of over the years, so it is still a good place to stay. It will also be a good opportunity for you to reminisce about the past."

At this point, Xu Tongfu couldn't even hide his excitement. He patted Chen Qianmo's shoulder, his eyes reddened. "Something happened at home back then, so I left the capital early to work in another place. I didn't expect that this separation would be forever. The Grand Tutor actually left like this. If I could still live in the old mansion now, I would have no regrets in my life."

After this period of getting along, Chen Qianmo moved into the Zhuang Mansion with Xu Tongfu and his family.

Everything seemed fine, but Chen Qianmo felt that Xu Shibo's wife, who was always wearing a veil and looked at him with a rather affectionate look, made him very uncomfortable.

He returned to Chen's house and told Uncle Fu, "Uncle Fu, I was saved today by a man who claimed to be my grandfather's disciple. Now his family is living in Zhuang's house. You should take a gift to thank him and find out if he is my grandfather's former disciple and what his relationship with him was in the past."

Uncle Fu nodded repeatedly, knowing that everything was going well and the young lady had already moved into the Zhuang Mansion. He quickly picked out the gifts and sent them to the Zhuang Mansion overnight.

Meng Wen Yao had been sending people to follow Chen Qianmo's actions, so she naturally knew that Chen Qianmo had a savior. This benefactor was not only Chen Yanqing's senior brother, but also lived in the Zhuang Mansion.

In the evening, when she was having dinner with Chen Yanqing, she asked unintentionally, "Husband, I heard that when you were studying, your fellow apprentices all lived together in the house of the Grand Tutor?"

Chen Yanqing said "hmm" and asked, "Why do you ask this?"

"Oh, nothing. I just saw that children nowadays study in schools and rarely go directly to their master's house. Could it be that the special teaching method of the master has made my husband famous as the top scholar when he was young?"

Chen Yanqing smiled and rubbed Meng Wenyao's head, explaining: "The Grand Master has only one daughter, and the family is lonely, so he lets the disciples live in the house. This is not a novel teaching method."

"Oh," Meng Wenyao said while eating, "You brothers eat and live together, so you should have a very good relationship. Why do I see that my husband doesn't have any contact with them?"

"What do you think?" Chen Yanqing asked back.

People all say that Chen Yanqing is aloof and disdains to contact his former fellow apprentices and brothers, and he doesn't even visit his own family very often. But Meng Wenyao thinks that Chen Yanqing doesn't seem to be such an unkind person.

She asked tentatively, "But your husband married the master's only daughter, and they were all jealous and resentful, so you all broke off the friendship?"

"Hahaha!"

It was the first time that Chen Yanqing heard such remarks, and he laughed so hard that he fell backwards. It was also the first time that Meng Wenyao saw Chen Yanqing laughing so hard. Knowing that Chen Yanqing was happy, she kept asking, "Is that right, husband?"

After laughing for a long time, Chen Yanqing finally explained: "Although my senior sister studied with my fellow apprentices, she was dressed as a man, and we usually treated her as a tomboy. No one had any romantic feelings for her. As for what you said about my fellow apprentices being jealous of me because of a private relationship, that didn't happen."

"Then why don't you have much contact with others?" Meng Wen Yao asked curiously.

Speaking of this, Chen Yanqing put down his bowl and chopsticks and said seriously: "Officials serve the country and the people, not for their own family's profit. The Grand Tutor taught us again and again that we should be loyal and lonely officials, and not be burdened by human relationships, so that we can better serve the country and the people. So over the years, I have been practicing the Grand Tutor's teachings and have not interacted with my fellow apprentices much. I am also worried that they will ask me to help them, and I can't refuse."

"So that's the case."

Chen Yanqing, who has such high demands on himself, wonders what expression he will have when he finds out in the future that Chen Qianmo has started to make friends with some court officials in private and even lets them live in the manor.

On the other hand, Uncle Fu, who was delivering things to the Zhuang Mansion overnight, naturally informed Chen Qianmo at night.

He said in surprise, "Master, I went to the Zhuang Mansion to see him. He is indeed the disciple of the Grand Tutor. Not only that, this Master Xu was the most proud disciple of the Grand Tutor back then."

"No wonder he came from afar to pay homage to his grandfather." Chen Qianmo muttered softly.

"However, although my grandfather's disciples and father didn't have much contact, I know a few of them, and they are all high-ranking officials in the court. How come this disciple of my grandfather who is most proud of is only a county magistrate?"

Regarding this, Uncle Fu said seriously: "Young Master, you don't know that the most important thing the Grand Tutor taught his students was to teach them to serve the country and the people. This Lord Xu has been implementing the Grand Tutor's teachings over the years, insisting on protecting the people at the forefront of his official duties, not caring whether he can get a high position and a generous salary. This is the essence of the Grand Tutor's teachings."

Chen Qianmo thought about it and it seemed to be true. Which official didn't want to be promoted? And who would serve as a county magistrate in several places for more than ten years?

Moreover, he is the favorite student of the former Grand Tutor, and his fellow apprentices are all high-ranking officials of the second and third ranks in the court. If he is determined to move up in career, he will definitely not remain a county magistrate.

Therefore, Chen Qianmo was more impressed with Xu Tongfu's character, and he wanted to run to Zhuang Mansion immediately to have a good chat with Xu Tongfu.

But after the excitement wore off, he became worried again: "Uncle Fu, this is my father's senior fellow apprentice after all. Although my father doesn't interact much with his fellow apprentices, he might not be happy with what I'm doing, but should I also tell him?"