Mo Shujun's word “but” made everyone nervous.

She said unhurriedly, “But Baozhao is from our family anyway. If he is a low-rank official at the start, others would laugh at us.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe wanted to say that it was to toughen himself, but he didn't speak.

Mo Shujun continued forcefully, “Although it is to toughen himself when he is at the bottom, the starting point could decide something.

Back then, your father took you to the military camp. He let you work as a batman for two years, but he promoted you soon. Am I right?”

s.h.i.+ Lei promoted s.h.i.+ Junhe so soon at that time because he was partial to his son, but more importantly, s.h.i.+ Junhe had the ability indeed.

s.h.i.+ Junhe couldn't explain that, so he had to say, “We can only judge after Baozhao gets some training for two years. Moreover, His Majesty made six ministries in order to let the officials do their own jobs. I can't interfere in the business of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs.”

Mo Shujun seemed to have expected s.h.i.+ Junhe's words and smiled. “I know you have your own difficulties, and I don't insist that you contact the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, but… The s.h.i.+ Army is our family's business, right? When Chi joined the army, it was because of your words.”

She beat around the bush and got Wenren Chi involved just to tell s.h.i.+ Junhe to let s.h.i.+ Baozhao join the s.h.i.+ Army.

After all… The successor of the s.h.i.+ Family would get nothing if he had never been to the military camp.

s.h.i.+ Junhe looked at Mo Shujun and then at Wenren Chi who lowered his head silently. He said helplessly, “Mother, Baozhao has never been to the military camp. I am afraid…”

“What are you afraid of? Chi didn't know anything when he started working in the military camp. You take Baozhao with you and teach him more, so he will know everything.” Mo Shujun disagreed and waved her hand.

She mentioned Wenren Chi from time to time and raised her brows, seeming to say, “If you don't agree, you are partial.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe had no choice but to sigh. “It's not that I don't hope that Baozhao would have a bright future, but the military camp isn't suitable for him. I am sorry, Mother.”

Mo Shujun's face darkened. “Why could Chi join the army but Baozhao can't? Isn't Baozhao your brother's child? He is a member of our s.h.i.+ Family.”

She even talked about the bloodline. Wenren Chi got stiffened but concealed his emotions, keeping silent.

It was a deadlock for a while.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue said in a sweet voice, “Father made this arrangement not because he is partial.”

She exposed her grandma's allusion, and Mo Shujun didn't hide it anymore but said coldly, “He isn't partial? So why? Is Baozhao inferior to Chi?”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue responded reasonably, “Of course not. When Chi started working in the military camp, he could use the gun skillfully and Grandpa taught him in person, so Grandpa and Father agreed to let him join the army. Baozhao studied the humanities from childhood, and it's reasonable to give him a job as a civil official.”

s.h.i.+ Junhe's eyes lit up. “Qingxue is right. It's not that I don't want Baozhao to work in the military camp, but he is not fit for the job, and he can't endure the hards.h.i.+p.”

“I heard that the new soldiers of the s.h.i.+ Army would train for nearly 16 hours every day from morning to night, no matter it rains or what, and if they fall behind with one project, they have to catch up even if they don't eat anything. Is it true, Chi?”

Qingxue pretended to look at Wenren Chi curiously. Although the man didn't want to get involved in the s.h.i.+ Family's debate, he couldn't bear to ignore s.h.i.+ Qingxue's question, especially when she did it for his good. He had to answer frankly, “Yes. When I first joined the army, I stayed hungry and didn't eat anything for one day because of one mistake. In the s.h.i.+ Army, we have to keep practicing as long as we are alive. Only the high-intensity training could make the s.h.i.+ Army undefeated forever.”

Mo Shujun was annoyed by their echoing each other, but she could say nothing, especially when s.h.i.+ Qingxue talked about s.h.i.+ Lei again. She would never deny her husband's deed, so she had to keep quiet.

But she was not reconciled. The sons of other families had high positions and got high salaries, but her grandson had to be a low-rank official with grievance.

“They are right, but the s.h.i.+ Army was created by your father, and somebody would be in charge of it at last. Now none of the younger generation in our family works in the military camp. Would you give the result of your father's effort to somebody else?”

She didn't explain who “somebody else” was, but all people present knew the answer.

Wenren Chi knew that he was just an outsider in this family from childhood. No matter how nice First Master's Family was to him, he didn't have the family name of s.h.i.+, even if Qingxue called him “big brother”, which made him over the moon. And…

He clenched his fists hidden under the table and tried to calm down. After a while, he finally said peacefully, “Father, I have something to do in the camp. I am leaving now.”

“Eh…”

When s.h.i.+ Junhe started to speak, Wenren Chi stood up and walked outside.

s.h.i.+ Baoning, who stayed quiet all the time, looked embarra.s.sed. She glanced at Mo Shujun and then at s.h.i.+ Junhe. Then under his approving eyes, she also got up and walked out.

Mo Shujun saw that and felt angrier, saying with sarcasm, “It's said that the daughter is a member of another family after marriage. This girl helps an outsider even before she gets married. Dong, you have raised a good daughter!”

Dong Hui was to blame for no reason and couldn't speak a word.

She didn't say anything unnecessary at night, but in the end she was reproached mercilessly in public and lost face.

She could endure it, so she said nothing.

But s.h.i.+ Qingxue couldn't endure it and her smile disappeared. She said harshly, “I heard from Grandpa that in the past, he and the late emperor once argued about the military affairs, but Grandma supported Grandpa and then he won in the battlefield at last. He kept it in mind for long and told us several times.”

Every member of the s.h.i.+ Family had heard of this story. s.h.i.+ Lei had truly told many times, and even Mo Shujun had told a few times in order to show that the couple deeply loved each other. But s.h.i.+ Qingxue mentioned it now and it had totally different meanings.

Mo Shujun's face changed, with different expressions, but s.h.i.+ Qingxue acted as if she was telling stories and didn't even talk to her. If she retorted her, Mo Shujun would confess without being forced, so she felt more than depressed.

The princess royal was used to being respected for many years. Even if she was wrong, she wouldn't admit her mistake or swallow insult and humiliation silently.

She glared at s.h.i.+ Qingxue, who was unmoved. And then she goggled at s.h.i.+ Junhe, who also lowered his head and ignored her.

This time, the old madam almost exploded. “Fine, fine. I am annoying now. I am off, okay?”

Then she waved her sleeve and went back to the Shou'an Hall.

Seeing that, Zhou Ruyu hurriedly led two daughters to comfort her, and the people from Second Master's Family also followed her in a hurry.

Soon, most of the people left the dining hall.

“Brother, you can make Mother so angry. You are really capable.” s.h.i.+ Juncai watched the play from the beginning to the end and laughed freely. He didn't care about his son's future, nor did he fear that his mother would get sick out of anger.

s.h.i.+ Junhe didn't reply but glared at s.h.i.+ Juncai, with a long face. “It's said that another man came to ask you to repay a debt the other day and almost destroyed the accountant's office of our family. What was going on?”

s.h.i.+ Juncai looked resentful but didn't dare to ignore s.h.i.+ Junhe. “Nothing serious. Every official would have dinner and social intercourse with others to keep a good relations.h.i.+p, but pay day hasn't come round this month, so I am in debt.”

“Can you owe ten thousands of taels of silver for social intercourse? The comer was a servant of the Yixiang Pavilion and he said you paid the most beautiful girl every month. Is that to have social intercourse?”

Usually, s.h.i.+ Junhe wouldn't rebuke his brother regardless of his dignity, but s.h.i.+ Juncai had gone too far. If Junhe continued to indulge him, there might be some trouble.

“You know that some officials in high positions like those girls. They want somebody to keep company. I have to ask them for help, so I can't disagree, right?” s.h.i.+ Junhe said boldly.

But s.h.i.+ Junhe wouldn't allow it. He snorted. “The officials should be just, upright and law-abiding. It's breaking the law to stand treat or send gifts occasionally. How could you dare to invite them to somewhere like the brothel?”

s.h.i.+ Juncai disdained the outdated rules but didn't have the nerve to offend his elder brother. He had to nod. Anyway, he had paid the debt, and it would be as usual in the future.

“You…” s.h.i.+ Junhe could do nothing to his brother's rascal att.i.tude but sigh. He waved his hand to tell him to go.

The family dinner ended in discord.

When Wenren Chi walked out of the mansion gate, s.h.i.+ Baoning chased him in haste. “Chi, wait for me. Wait.”

Wenren Chi pretended not to hear and drove away.

When s.h.i.+ Baoning reached the gate, he had disappeared.

In the next few days, Wenren Chi, who used to come to greet the elder generations of the s.h.i.+ Family on time in the morning and evening every day, didn't come but sent a letter to explain that he was “busy with work” on the first day.

Dong Hui didn't know Wenren Chi's evil thought but was clear that Mo Shujun's words had broken his heart. Seeing that s.h.i.+ Baoning was unhappy all day, Dong Hui could do nothing but comfort her softly, “How about you go to the Wenren Family's mansion? Now you are engaged, and you are brother and sister. n.o.body would comment on you.”

With tears in her eyes, s.h.i.+ Baoning said with grievance, “Chi must have heard me calling him that day, but he left without looking back. If I go to his mansion, wouldn't he look down upon me?”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue responded in surprise, “It was Grandma who said something improper and hurt Chi's feelings. It's natural for you to comfort him. Why would he look down upon you? If my man was wronged, I would at least stay with him and offer comfort even if I can't seek justice for him.”

“But…” s.h.i.+ Baoning was aware of that, but she was always reserved, and it was hard for her to lower her level to please somebody.

“Fine, if you don't go, I am going.” s.h.i.+ Qingxue wanted to see Wenren Chi since long ago, but she was too busy in the past few days. It was the right time now.

But s.h.i.+ Junhe ordered with a straight face, “What are you going to do? You can't go.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue blinked in confusion. “Why? I have something to tell Chi.”