Chapter Three, Cheng Family.

As for the pretentious embellishment and deception, when viewed from the opposite perspective, it precisely illustrates Cheng Jun's usual moralistic style in his articles. However, in the eyes of Lao Paotang, this is nothing but insincere and fake.

Then, after passing by Daqing Tower, he did not go to the Shahu Textile Shop, but went directly to Cheng's Bookstore across the street.

The relationship between the Su and Cheng families can be considered normal up to this point.

The shopkeeper lowered his head and looked submissive: "Young sir, please follow me."

Su You couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The three major printing and publishing bases of the Great Song Dynasty are Hangzhou, Jianyang, and Meishan. Among them, Meishan is particularly renowned for the private printing of the Cheng family, which is truly well-deserved.

Therefore, this "Su Family Genealogy Pavilion Record" is connected with the later article "Discerning Adultery" by Lao Paotang, in the former, having a good carriage and good horse is a sin, and in the latter, eating poorly and dressing untidily is also a sin.

Anyway, the incident involving Ba Niang is a tragedy. Su You feels obligated to intervene.

There are also records mentioning that after Baniang fell ill, they took away her child, refused to provide medical treatment, and even denied her food. Baniang died in such a mysterious and unjust manner.

The facade of Cheng's Bookstore is tall and wide, with a shop facing the street that has a large gate measuring nine zhang and three kai, and a total of thirteen rooms lined up in a row! Cheng Ban Street!

Furthermore, can a family that can educate a lady like Mrs. Cheng, who is truly a well-bred lady, and cultivate many scholars, really fall into such a disgraceful state as described by Mr. Su Lao Pao within just two short years of marrying Ba Niang?

The shopkeeper seems to have a clear understanding of the Jiang family, but Longli is where the Su family ancestral temple and farmland are located. Carefully, I couldn't help but ask, "Are they relatives by marriage? May I ask... um... what is the name of the young master?"

In noble families, the daughter is married to a lower status family while the son marries into a higher status family, resulting in a generally harmonious household. High-born women bring with them substantial dowries and family backgrounds when marrying into lower status families, which usually elevates their status within their husband's household.

Believe in scholars or believe in the internet? Su You finally decided to believe in oneself.

Madam Cheng's awkward situation can be imagined. The mother and daughter are united, while the husband and brother are at odds. The early death of her beloved daughter dealt a heavy blow to Madam Cheng.

Cheng family achieved it precisely, thus adding wings to the tiger. Their wealth, status, and power were unparalleled in Meishan at that time.

The first shot of Lao Paotang's brother directly hit his own father-in-law and uncle.

Even a lowly maid behaves better than this, yet Jiangqing from the Ba Niang River and Su Xun act like this. How is it that the Cheng family has nothing to say?

Therefore, the marriage between Su Bajie and Cheng Zhengfu had a hint of "marrying beneath one's status".

Following the custom of "marrying into a closer kinship", Su Xun's daughter Ba Niang married Cheng Zhengfu, the son of Cheng Jun, last year.

Family Marriage, unlike the royal family, which has reached its peak, marrying a wife at a lower status is a tradition, and it also has its own benefits.

So Su Xun was deeply distressed, filled with indignation, and the Su and Cheng families subsequently developed a deep-seated enmity, cutting off all communication with each other.

The shopkeeper is a middle-aged man. Seeing Su You, who is young and small, standing quietly there with two boxes of books in his hand, which bear the mark of their own bookstore, he quickly greeted him with courtesy and asked, "Young sir, is there anything wrong with the books from our bookstore?"

There is no detailed description of how to abuse, but it is said that Cheng Jun is lustful and addicted to gambling. His aunt, Mrs. Song, and the family members often bully this young wife. Her husband, Cheng Zheng, turns a blind eye and deaf ear to this, showing no concern.

The richest man in Meishan Town, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle with beautiful concubines, isn't this normal? Is it his fault that the common people living in the alleys envy and resent him?

Combined with the passionate character of Lao Paotang's elder brother, most scholars, such as Lin Yutang and Wang Wenzheng, believe that this incident is more like a group of prestigious families competing for the imperial examination. The combination of their own wife's generosity and the illustrious family background creates immense pressure, which eventually leads to emotional outbursts and serves as a means of venting.

But Kesu Zhe is not such a person. In the Song Dynasty, Su Shi's character was rare. It was quite difficult to gain Su Shi's approval.

Okay, Su Shi's nephew is a careless person, and he is very forgiving towards those who have harmed him, such as Shen Kuo, Wang Anshi, and Zhang Dun, and can be overlooked.

During the Song Dynasty, there was a case where Chen Zhizhong, a father and son who were both prime ministers, were involved. Due to the mistreatment of a young maid by Chen Zhizhong's favored concubine, the maid died. As a result, Chen Zhizhong was dismissed from his position and the concubine, Ah Zhang, was sentenced to death.

Putting down the books, I crossed my arms and smiled, saying, "Greetings to Your Excellency from the town of Anzhen, Ke Long Li Su You."

Wang Anshi feels aversion and disgust towards him, but does not consider him as a rival of the same caliber, which is largely due to this.

Water Character Brand! This is on the same level as the patriarch of the family! So, the respected elder in the child's mouth is not the patriarch of the family, but the eldest elder in the family - Grand Master Cheng Wenying, the Chief Minister of the Dali Court.

The officials' power and wealth are sufficient to influence local policies. Note that it is sufficient. Even the influential elder brother of the Lao Pao Tang has never claimed that others have done such things. It is only considered a fault when the GDP created by the richest person exceeds that of the prefecture and county.

However, when translated, it is as inexplicable as the rest of Lao Paotang's articles.

Cheng Jun is the older brother of Lady Cheng. In the third year after Su Xun's second brother, Su Huan, passed the imperial examination, Cheng Jun also passed the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Tian Sheng era. It is possible that Cheng Jun's success was due to Cheng Wen's skillful maneuvering. Cheng Jun then served as an official near Mount Mei in Qingshen County.

The result was naturally heavy with worries, and accumulated fatigue led to illness. Five years later, before waiting for both of his sons to become successful candidates in the imperial examination and return home in glory, he passed away.

How can one know what's in someone's heart, whether it's true or false, and how to distinguish?

According to the records, Ba Niang was abused to death by her uncle Cheng Jun, aunt Song Shi, and husband Cheng Zhengfu. She died at the young age of eighteen.

For example, she said, "Brothers, when you study, don't just memorize without understanding. Don't just study for the sake of a hollow title of 'scholar.' You should understand the principles, have the courage to bear the responsibility, and become someone who benefits the country and the nation in the future."

However, Su You discovered that the research conducted by later scholars on this matter and the rhetoric found online are actually two extremes.

Su You smiled and replied, "Oil used to mix honey."

Using these items as bullets to strafe political enemies, making Su You feel that the big talker always likes to take the crooked machine gun route.

The article also mentioned phrases such as "living together with elders and juniors and playing without courtesy". But just think about Su Zhe himself, when he went to Kaifeng for the imperial examination, he traveled with his two sons and two daughters-in-law on the same boat from Meishan to Kaifeng, which lasted for more than two months. What can be said about this?

Upon closer examination of the records about Ba Niang, scholars have found that they all ultimately come from the words of Su Xun alone.

Why? Several reasons.

The third point of doubt is the attitude of Da Su and Xiao Su towards the Cheng family.

This Dali Temple Cheng was bestowed upon Cheng Wenying because of the official positions held by his two sons. In Su You's heart, it was actually not a big deal, but in Meishan, it was indeed something worth boasting about.

By the second year of Zhihe, the Su clan members commemorated their ancestors by revising the clan genealogy. They constructed the Su clan genealogy pavilion to the southwest of the ancestral grave site and erected stone tablets.

After Su Xun's death, Su Shi and Su Che quickly reconciled with the Cheng family. Strangely enough, they even had a good relationship with Ba Niang's husband, Cheng Zhengfu.

The majority of scholars hold the view that the belief that Baniang was abused and died in the Cheng family is Su Xun's own speculation.

This is impressive. Officials serving in their hometowns, especially in Sichuan, are strictly prohibited by the imperial court.

Cheng Jun, has a total of five sons, among whom four sons have successively gone out to become officials, and some even hold high positions and power. He is truly the "great thief in the state" in the mouth of the old cannon cousin, although this possibility is not very high.

On the contrary, the marriage between Ke Baniang and Ba is not as good as it seems, and it is somewhat reckless.

So how could the Cheng family bear this? As a result, the relationship between the two families was completely severed for over forty years.

And what he has loved doing most in his life is almost all about this, lacking detailed investigation and research, with all arguments coming from ancient texts, the foundation is unable to withstand destruction, and it is easy to be caught and counterattacked by others.

When Su Xun went out for travel, it was Mrs. Cheng who taught several children to read, and her educational methods were quite systematic.

Is it possible that someone who can directly criticize the emperor in the imperial examination, impeach everyone from the prime minister to the followers, would still reluctantly defend the Cheng family?

He deliberately wrote an article "The Record of the Su Family Genealogy Pavilion", in which he mentioned "someone" and listed the six major crimes of "someone". He warned the clan members to take it as a warning and not to repeat the same mistakes.

If it is really Cheng Zhengfu who killed Baniang, can Er Su still do this? I'm afraid even the Shilin public opinion cannot escape.

In the text, it is written: "His carriage and horses are magnificent, his maidservants beautiful enough to captivate the common people in the alleys; his wealth and power are enough to shake the government offices; his deceitful pretense and embellishments, his words are enough to deceive the gentlemen. He is the great thief in the state."

Upon entering, the air is filled with the fragrance of ink. Rows of waist-high counters are neatly arranged, each one displaying books with blue covers.

Being filial to parents, managing the household with skill, and having effective ways of educating children are all essential qualities. It is inevitable to win the love and favor of the elderly in the Su family.

For example, she also said, "Don't worry about me. If you can become a righteous person like Fan Pang, can't I become Fan Pang's mother and be the kind of person who understands her son's sacrifice?"

This wise woman gave birth to six children, but only her youngest daughter Ba Niang and the brothers Su Shi and Su Che grew up to adulthood.

The books are divided into classics, history, philosophy, and various categories. There is also a super large counter, displaying current affairs and policy documents for candidates to ponder over.

Sense of responsibility should be demonstrated before a tragedy occurs, rather than after it occurs and expands.

Cheng Zhengfu himself is not weak. Later, he was promoted to the position of supervising criminal cases on Guangnan East Road. Su Shi, who was exiled and settled in Huizhou that year, was under his jurisdiction, and he received a lot of care from this cousin.

What exactly happened, let's investigate first before saying anything.

Su You smiled. When ordinary businesses encounter this situation, they either distance themselves from their own products, daring to ask such questions, or they have a sound business philosophy, or they have great confidence in their own products.

Counting the powerful figures who could call the shots in Meishan City at that time, it was none other than Cheng Jun, the elder brother-in-law of Su Xun, who had the ability to manipulate the situation.