Chapter 350: Jinshi Banquet
When Sun Bomin and Su arrived at Zhangzhou Prefecture, Sun Shan was having lunch.
Sun Shan greeted them joyfully: "Dad, Mom, when did you get here? You must have had a hard time on the journey."
Su took Sun Shan's skinny hand, looked at it carefully, and said distressedly: "My son has become thinner, thinner. Studying must have been very hard for him."
Sun Bomin immediately covered Su's mouth and angrily said, "How dare you talk in front of the school gate? What if someone hears you?"
Even if you are very tired from studying, you cannot talk about it here in the school. If you really want to talk about it, just go home and talk slowly.
If a teacher passing by heard him complaining about the tiredness of studying, it would be difficult for Shanzi.
Su also knew that it was not good to complain about being tired from studying in the provincial school, so she quickly accepted Sun Boming's covering her mouth and said that she would speak according to the environment in the future and would not talk nonsense.
Under normal circumstances, even if Su did something wrong, he would instinctively refute it. However, regarding Shanzi's matter, Su knew the severity of the matter. If he was wrong, he would definitely correct it.
Sun Shan knew that Sun Bomin and Su would come in the next two days, so he asked for leave from the teacher early.
It is quite easy to ask for leave from the provincial school as long as you have a valid reason.
Sun Shan led Gui Ge'er, who was carrying the luggage, and followed Sun Boming and Su back to the Hong family. In two days, there would be an escort team from Zhangzhou Prefecture to Guangzhou Prefecture, and Sun Shan had made the reservation early.
After returning to the Hong family, Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang chatted enthusiastically with Sun Boming and Su. It was mainly Hong Dalang who talked while the others sat and listened.
Sun Shan looked at Hong Dalang, whose mouth kept shaking up and down, and then thought of the serious Hong Xiucai. What a "big-headed son and small-headed father". The father and son were completely different in terms of body shape and temperament.
Hong Dalang said enviously: "Brother Sun, you are lucky. You have a son who is a scholar and a nephew who is a Jinshi. Alas, I am miserable. My son is useless..."
Turning his head and glancing at Hong Chengcai and Hong Erdi, Hong Dalang felt deeply powerless.
It was the same feeling of powerlessness that Hong Xiucai felt when he looked at him.
Sun Bomin said quickly: "Brother Hong, the two Chengcai brothers are great, they are good at doing business. And you are already a grandfather, I envy you.
I don’t know why my son Shanzi got married and had children.
How can scholars and jinshi be more important than grandsons?
Brother Hong, I am an experienced person. Fame and fortune are just fleeting. The most important thing is to have descendants.
A family has hope only when there are people. You already have a grandson, I envy you so much.”
After Sun Boming said this, Hong Dalang smiled happily.
Hong Xiucai and Hong Dalang were happy to have a new member in the family. Sun Bomin was right, only when there are people can there be hope.
Hong Dalang and Hong Erlang kept talking to Sun Boming about everything, and outsiders would think they were childhood sweethearts.
Mrs. Hong Da and Mrs. Hong Er entertained Su. It was Su's second time to Zhangzhou Prefecture, so she became bolder and was able to chat with Mrs. Hong Da and Mrs. Hong Er.
Of course, the three of them mainly talked about Hong Chengcai's children.
When women chat with each other, they will definitely find something to talk about when they talk about children.
After chatting for a while and having dinner, we went back to our rooms to sleep.
Two days later, Sun Shan, Gui Ge'er, Sun Bomin and Su Shi arrived in Guangzhou Prefecture in the escort team's vehicle.
Su sighed and said, "There are more mountains and steeper roads from Zhangzhou Prefecture to Guangzhou Prefecture."
Then he said to Sun Bomin, "Master, it's a good thing we came to pick up Shanzi. I would have been worried if he had stayed in Guangzhou alone."
Sun Bomin nodded in agreement: "Of course, this road looks dangerous. The officials in Zhangzhou Prefecture are not good enough. They don't even repair the roads. Our county magistrate is different. He repairs the roads every year, so our roads are much smoother."
Sun Bomin turned to Sun Shan and said, "Shanzi, you must stay in Zhangzhou Prefecture and don't wander around. This road is too dangerous. You are just a little kid, don't walk around without being told, okay?"
Sun Bomin didn't need Sun Shan to answer, and said to Gui Ge'er: "Gui Ge'er, you have to keep an eye on Shanzi, okay? If he wants to go out, stop him."
Gui Ge'er didn't know where to go and was considered to be going out without permission. He scratched his head and asked, "Uncle Min, where do we go and is considered to be going out without permission? Does going out shopping count?"
Gui Ge'er felt that he was so stupid and didn't know what he should do and what he shouldn't do. Fortunately, Shan Ge didn't despise him.
Sun Bomin patiently explained: "Climbing mountains, going on a long journey alone, these are called wandering, you know? Gui Ge'er, please help me stop them, especially climbing mountains and swimming, these are dangerous."
Su added, "Master, I think riding a horse is also very dangerous. Why don't you let Shanzi stop riding? It won't be too late to learn when he grows up. He is so young now. He is much smaller than the horse. He doesn't have the strength to control it."
Su still remembers the first time she visited the prefectural academy, she saw horses in the academy for students to learn. Su thought that riding a horse was also very dangerous. Shanzi was still young, so he should not learn.
Sun Bomin thought what Su said made a lot of sense, and said to Gui Ge'er, "Gui Ge'er, did you hear me? You have to stop people from riding horses, and you can't let Shanzi ride."
Gui Ge'er scratched his head and glanced at Sun Shan.
Sun Shan looked at Gui Ge'er expressionlessly.
Gui Ge'er wanted to do what Uncle Min said, but he didn't want to offend Sun Shan.
Then he remembered that Ma was in the provincial school, and only students were allowed to approach, so they, the book boys, were not qualified to go in and see.
If Shan Ge really wanted to ride a horse, he wouldn't be able to see it.
Since I can't see it, it means I haven't disobeyed Uncle Min's order.
Gui Ge'er breathed a long sigh of relief. That was great. He didn't have to make a difficult choice.
After a journey of four days and three nights, Sun Shan and his group finally arrived in Guangzhou Prefecture.
Sun Shan looked at the city gate in a daze. He hadn't been to Guangzhou for several years. He felt that Guangzhou had changed a lot. It was becoming more and more prosperous, with a constant stream of pedestrians coming and going. It was very lively.
Seeing that there were more people in Guangzhou Prefecture than in Zhangzhou Prefecture, Gui Ge'er was a little scared. He hid behind Sun Shan timidly and whispered, "Brother Shan, there are so many people. I'm afraid I'll get lost."
The reason for getting lost was not because I was afraid of encountering a kidnapper, but because I was afraid of not being able to find the way back to Sunjia Village.
Gui Ge'er touched the purse in his pocket. It contained his savings of two taels of silver. If he got lost, it should be enough for the journey back to Sunjia Village.
Sun Shan said soothingly, "Gui, don't be afraid. Just follow us and don't look around, and you won't get lost."
Sun Boming and Su asked the escort agency for a car. It would take an hour to walk from the city gate to Hejia Village, so they had to hire a car.
Last time, Su came to attend the Juren banquet, and this time she attended the Jinshi banquet. She behaved much calmer than Gui Ge'er.
Su took Gui'er's hand and said, "Gui'er, follow me. Don't wander around."
Sun Bomin took Sun Shan's hand and said, "Gui'er, follow me. I'll hold Shanzi. This way you won't get lost."
Gui Ge'er nodded happily: "Yes, auntie, I'll follow you, so I won't get lost."
Sun Shan looked at the hand held by Sun Bomin, and it seemed as if he was back to the first time he came to Guangzhou Prefecture, when Sun Bomin held him in the same way.
It seems like everything has changed, and yet it seems like nothing has changed at all.
Sun Shan smiled calmly.