Chapter 80 Fair?

Yihuan didn't know how Yinzhen comforted Honghui, but Honghui seemed to be much more relaxed in recent days. Not only did he spend more time talking to Yihuan every day, but he also took Liuliu to run around the yard.

Yihuan felt relieved at this, but she noticed that Honghui still looked unhappy.

Yihuan specially found a time away from Yinzhen to have a heart-to-heart talk with Honghui.

Honghui saluted Yihuan a little embarrassedly: "My son has made mother worried recently."

Yihuan handed him a pillow and signaled him to relax: "Mother thinks that you shouldn't push yourself too hard. It's impossible for a person to be number one in everything all his life. Just like compared to your uncle Jiu, you may not be able to earn as much pocket money as he does in a month. Everyone has their own expertise, and you are already very good."

Honghui nodded: "Son understands. In fact, it's not that he can't afford to lose, but he doesn't want to lose without knowing the reason."

"Mother, in a place like the Shangshufang where yellow belts gather, there will always be scholars who bow to power. Judging from this, the imperial examination held every three years to select talents has long become empty talk, and is just a formality for the rich and powerful." Honghui always said what he thought in front of Yihuan. He would tell his mother everything he dared not and could not tell his father, "My son is so upset about the exam, how about the scholars and students in the world?"

"Honghui, there are two concepts involved here." Yihua thought for a moment and said, "Relative fairness and absolute fairness."

"If what you're pursuing is absolute fairness, then mother can tell you right now that it's impossible." Yihuan said firmly, "For example, when you are born, your starting point is the end point of others' efforts for several lifetimes. How can you talk about fairness?"

"But it is relatively fair. Mother thinks this can be achieved." Yihuan said, "The imperial examination held every three years is to select talents from across the country. This actually gives the general public a chance to make the leap from a carp to a dragon. This opportunity is relatively fair. It's just that some lawless people have turned this relatively fair opportunity into an unfair one."

"You are still young, so put aside your doubts for now. When you have the ability in the future, change everything, Honghui." Yihua said, looking at Honghui with eyes full of expectation, "Mother hopes that you can remember the confusion today, and never become a person like Mr. Shangshufang in the future."

Honghui nodded vigorously: "Son understands."

Yinzhen was standing at the door, listening to the conversation between mother and son with some surprise. He did not expect that Honghui was not concerned about his own gains and losses, but about the fairness of students all over the world. It was extremely rare for him to think of these things from his own perspective at his age.

What surprised him even more was Fu Jin's enlightenment. Her thoughts were so broad and tolerant. No wonder Honghui was willing to communicate with Fu Jin when he had something to discuss.

He stopped and pondered in silence.

Nanny Chen and Yu Xiao were a little anxious. Who knew what the concubine and her son were whispering about? The master's face didn't look very good either. They wanted to speak up, but Su Peisheng was staring at them and they didn't dare to.

In the end, it was Abao who was smart. He came in with a cup of tea, but he stumbled and fell to the ground. The crisp sound of the teacup brought the conversation in the room to an abrupt end.

Yinzhen looked down at Abao, said nothing, and walked into the house.

Su Peisheng sneered: "Eunuch Bao is so brave, I was blind before."

Ah Bao immediately climbed up, not caring about the dust on his body, and immediately nodded and bowed: "Grandpa, save me, I really slipped just now. The concubine prepared the eldest prince's favorite milk tea, and I was only looking ahead and didn't look at my feet."

"I didn't say I would punish you, why are you acting like this?" Su Peisheng turned around and was about to leave, but after thinking for a moment he turned back and said, "The master doesn't want the concubine to know, and he has his reasons. Today I see that you are loyal to the master, so I'll let it go. If you do this again in the future, the concubine won't be able to protect you."

"Thank you for your advice, eunuch." A Bao said gratefully.

After seeing off Yinzhen and his son, Yihuan asked Nanny Chen to ask what happened. Nanny Chen said with a look of fear: "Fujin, the master is not angry, right?"

"I'm not such a stingy person." Yihuan smiled. "I gave Ah Bao a reward of twenty taels of silver, thanks to his alertness. But next time this happens, you can't act like this, otherwise I won't be able to protect you."

"Yes." Yihuan thought about it and realized that she hadn't said anything outrageous just now, so Yinzhen shouldn't have any thoughts about it.

******
Today, the Prince's Mansion welcomed a regular visitor, the Ninth Lady, who came with a basket of cherries.

"This is the product of the manor I came with as a dowry. It wasn't easy to send it here, so let our Liuliu have a taste." The Ninth Lady sat down and looked around for Liuliu, but there was no one in sight.

"You came at an unfortunate time. The child is tired from running around today and is catching up on some sleep."

The Ninth Lady expressed some regret, then leaned back on Yihua's chair in a familiar manner: "Fourth Sister-in-law, I have to stay here with you for a while."

"What happened? Did you have a fight with Uncle Jiu?" Yihuan asked when she saw that the Ninth Lady looked fine.

"Why would he and I quarrel? We hardly ever see each other." Lady Nine didn't care much. "It's the Fourteenth and his wife."

"How do you say that?"

"There is a small area between the Fourteenth Master's mansion and our mansion. Sister-in-law, is it a coincidence? It is the main courtyard. Although it is connected, it is fine because there are mountains, rivers and trees between them, so they do not disturb each other."

"It's just that the fourteenth and his wife have been quarreling every day these past few days. I was tired of listening to them, so I came to the fourth sister-in-law's place to hide away." The Ninth Lady frowned and said impatiently, "They break porcelain every day. I can tell from the noise that they are fighting again."

Yihuan was a little puzzled: "A few days ago, I saw that the two of them were getting along well, what happened?"

Seeing that there was no one around, the Ninth Lady whispered, "What else could it be for? It's just a man's business."

"It sounds to me like Wanyan clan drove away all the people who served Fourteenth Master before, and some were sent to that kind of place, and Fourteenth Master found out about it." Ninth Concubine said speechlessly, "Fourth sister-in-law, you also know Fourteenth Master's temper. When has he ever been submissive except in front of the Empress in the palace?"

"Even Fourth Brother, he dared to confront him."

"I didn't hear everything, but there seemed to be something else going on. Anyway, they quarreled every day." The Ninth Lady thought it was incredible. "Fourteenth brother's wife is just daydreaming. Could it be that she wants Fourteenth brother to live with her alone?"

"Let's not talk about others." Yihua changed the subject, "Do you and Uncle Jiu want to stay like this forever?"

The Ninth Lady ate the cherries she brought with her, not caring much: "He brings everything, whether fragrant or smelly, into the house. There are so many girls in the mansion whose names I can't even count with one hand. He has people to serve him. I can be my own Lady at ease. How wonderful it is."

Yihuan originally wanted to give some advice, saying that in this environment, people who don't like their husbands always have a hard time, but seeing how open-minded the Ninth Lady was, she couldn't open her mouth.

Everyone has his or her own way of living, and perhaps this is the path that suits Ninth Lady best.

"Liuliu is about to wake up. Yuxiao brought her here. If she goes back to sleep, she won't be able to sleep again that night."

The Ninth Lady's eyes lit up and she kept looking in the direction she came from. Only when she saw the wobbling little person did she smile happily and hugged her and spoke affectionately.

Speak of the devil, and he will appear. The two of them were teasing Liuliu.

Ah Bao suddenly came forward and replied, "Fujin, the Fourteenth Fujin wants to see you."

The two sisters-in-law looked at each other and saw confusion in each other's eyes.