Chapter 460 Open Your Eyes and Speak [Thank You! Thank You Again! I Owe You 41k More]
At 8:00 am
West of Bianjing City
Wanshengmen Inner Street
Xiaoya Lane
"Didi Da~"
"Dong Dong Qiang~"
The cheerful suona and gongs and drums sounded,
leading a line of carriages and horses to the outside of the lane,
led by two young men riding horses with flowers in their hair.
At the gate of the Ni family, which was covered in red and colorful decorations,
Zhu Qinghu and Ni Qiqiu and his wife retracted their gazes and walked into the courtyard with everyone else.
Xie, who came on behalf of her mother-in-law and was dressed in bright festive clothes, stood beside Ni Qiqiu. After smiling and talking to the aunt of the Sun family who came to help, she tilted her head and said, "Sister-in-law, my mother-in-law and I always thought that we would start at the Zhu family."
Xu Zaijing's grandparents' home was on Xishuimen Street. Ni Qiqiu often taught the children of the Sun family to read. When Xu Zaijing's aunts were unwell, Ni Qiqiu would not care about her status as the viscount's wife and often helped to massage them, so the relationship was very good.
Ni Qiqiu smiled: "I thought so at first, but I couldn't resist the kindness of the Sheng family. Xiaodie also wanted to stay with the Sheng family, so I decided to stay with the Sheng family."
Mrs. Cheng of Zhu's family, who was also wearing new clothes and combing her hair in a bun, smiled and said: "It's a good story to marry a maid in the family. No matter who you are, you have to say that you treat the servant well."
Mrs. Xie nodded in agreement: "That's right!"
Xu Zaijing's eighth aunt smiled and said: "This lady of the Earl's family is different. The same meaning is said in a nice way!"
Xu Zaijing's second aunt said: "If you don't know how to praise people, just say less!"
As soon as this was said, the women around laughed.
Mrs. Cheng pursed her lips a little embarrassedly, smiled and looked at Ni Qiqiu.
This Mrs. Cheng of Zhu's family is Cheng Qiniang, the cousin of Chai Zhengzheng. Her husband is the eldest son of Zhu's family, Chengping, and works in the Ministry of Works.
The Cheng family had helped the Ni family before, so that the Ni siblings suffered less bullying.
Later, the Cheng family was able to marry the Zhu family because of the relatives of the four families of Ni, Zhu, Xu, and Lu (Lian Guogong Mansion).
Before, Ni Qiqiu intended to let his brother marry the Cheng family. Although the good thing did not come true, it did not affect the exchanges between the two families.
As they talked,
everyone entered the yard.
Today, the Ni family's house has changed a lot after renovation. It is far from the dilapidated appearance when Ni Qiqiu got married.
"Sister, which craftsman did you invite to repair the yard? Look at the craftsmanship is really good!"
The eldest lady of the Jin family looked around the yard and asked.
Ni Qiqiu smiled and looked at Cheng Qiniang who was also curious and said: "I wanted to invite the craftsman team of the Li family, but they were too busy, so I used another team pushed by the Li family. The young master leading the team is also related to the Fuchang Marquis family!"
"Oh~"
The eldest lady of the Jin family nodded.
The other ladies around didn't say anything, but their eyes exchanged a playful look.
For no other reason, the ancestors of the Rong family of Fuchang Marquis were bricklayers.
The ladies of the wealthy families of Bianjing Dukes and Marquises often used this matter to squeeze the arrogant Rong family, and the interesting anecdotes naturally spread to the market.
It was March,
It was neither cold nor hot.
After the ladies sat down in the main hall, the topic turned to the family affairs in Bianjing today.
Taking advantage of the conversation, Cheng Qinniang asked uncertainly: "By the way, when Lord Sheng of Jiying Lane was the magistrate of Yangzhou, was the magistrate surnamed Hong?" The ladies in the hall looked at each other, and Mrs. Xie shook her head to indicate that she was not sure. It was the lady of the Jin family who thought for a while and said, "It seems so!" "Don't be afraid of being laughed at by you. I have a cousin who is a concubine in the Kang family. When I was talking before, I heard about Lord Kang's brother-in-law. Lord Hong served with Lord Sheng." As soon as this topic was opened, the ladies in the hall chattered, and the topic naturally turned to the scandal of the Kang family in recent days. If this happened to an ordinary family, there would be people talking about it, let alone a family like the Kang family. "Did you hear about how much money the evil servants embezzled from the Kang family, Duan Ge'er's family?" Xu Zaijing's eighth aunt said. Xie hesitated for a moment, but seeing the gossipy eyes of the ladies, she said, "A family like the Kang family must have at least 7,000 or 8,000 guan!"
The ladies nodded in agreement when they heard this.
"I heard that the Kang family's Qi Da and Qi Er, along with their personal servants, haven't shown up for several days."
"Didn't they say they were sent to a farm outside the city?"
"Who knows? It's hard to say."
"Let's not talk about this topic these days," said the second aunt of the Sun family.
"Yes, yes, yes, let's not talk about it." The ladies agreed.
After the eldest lady of the Jin family responded, she looked at Cheng Qiniang and said, "What did you ask about the Hong family just now?"
Cheng Qiniang said, "My mother-in-law and the eldest lady of the Liu family went out of the city to worship the immortals before, saying that the third lady of the Hong family had decided on the Dongchang Marquis Mansion, but I heard from my mother's family that it was the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion."
"The main reason is that I heard that this Lord Hong is about to take up a post in the Ministry of Works, so I wanted to take this opportunity to ask."
Everyone in the hall understood, and then they all smiled at Cheng Qiniang: This girl is planning for her husband, and the eldest son of the Zhu family is a small official in the Ministry of Works.
The Xu family and the Gu family are in-laws,
so everyone looked at Xie.
Xie smiled and said, "I haven't received the wedding invitation from the Gu family yet. I will ask my mother-in-law when I go home today, and notify my sister when there is news."
Hearing this, Cheng Qiniang quickly stood up and bowed: "I'm sorry to bother you, madam."
Xie smiled and waved her hand.
Everyone also turned to other topics.
period,
The Ni family sent another group of people to the Sheng family to deliver makeup gifts.
It's approaching noon,
Jiying Lane
Shengjia
The yard was decorated with festive decorations inside and outside.
It's not as grand as Hua Lan's wedding,
But also beaming.
Shouantang,
The old lady looked at Sheng Hong kindly and said, "Hong'er, why are you so happy today?"
Sheng Hong sat on the chair with a smile on his face, bowed slightly and said: "Mother, my son is working in the government office. Many colleagues have praised him, saying that my son is kind-hearted and generous to others."
The old lady smiled and nodded: "Well! This can be regarded as a good official reputation."
Sheng Hong nodded firmly: "Speaking of which, it was Ming'er's mother who mentioned it that my son made this decision."
"Then it seems that I picked the right lady and old lady."
Sheng Hong smiled awkwardly.
At first, Sheng Hong wanted Lin Sushuang to be the housekeeper, but he couldn't resist the fact that both old ladies preferred Wei Xiaoniang.
At this time, Fang's mother said at the door with a smile: "Old lady, Master, the Ni family's second makeup reminder has arrived."
Sheng Hong stood up: "Mother, my son also went out to watch the excitement."
The old lady smiled and nodded: "Go ahead."
After saying that, the old lady looked sideways at the copybook copied by Sheng Changmai on the table beside her, and nodded approvingly: "My writing is much better than your sister's."
Today in Anzhai courtyard,
The festive atmosphere is much stronger than in the yard.
The female envoy Qiu Jiang tied a red silk around her waist and looked at Xiaodie in her wedding dress with envy.
Wei Shu stood aside with a smile, handed the comb in his hand to Qingcao, and said: "Miss Qingcao really got the true inheritance from Fang's mother. Her hair is done in a bun like this, it really looks better than the one just now."
In the room, several young female envoys nodded.
Qingcao looked at Xiaodie with a smile, and said with a shy smile: "Stop praising me, my embroidery skills. There is a huge gap between my embroidery skills and yours!"
Mother Liu's biological daughter Jiu'er is now thirteen or fourteen years old. She is wearing an ordinary tiara, turning sideways and saying to her daughter, Caihuan: "The embroidery on Sister Xiaodie's wedding dress is really beautiful."
Caihuan looked at the beautiful Hua Xiang and Yun Xiang who were standing opposite her, and whispered absently: "Maybe Wei Xiaoniang did the embroidery herself."
Jiu'er continued: "I don't know if we can compare with Sister Xiaodie when we get married."
Magpie, Rulan's personal maid on the side, whispered: "Then we must have a brother who sacrificed his life for the country. The brother's robe must be a lord, and he must have a personal maid who has saved the children of the Marquis."
"Go, go, spoil the fun!"
Jiuer said angrily.
At this time,
Xiao Tao ran over happily, looked at everyone in the room, and said with a smile: "The groom is here!"
At the entrance of Sheng’s family,
Xu Zaijing and his brother stood there after school at noon.
Originally, when Miss Xiaodie got married, Xu Zaijing and his brother did not need to stand here.
But the people who accompanied Ni Tengyue to the wedding were Ni Tengyue's classmates in the Li family school, and they were all officials' children.
Xu Zaijing couldn't resist his cousin Zhu Qinghu's request.
I can only block the door to show my joy.
As a result, Gu Tingye and Qi Heng, who like to join in the fun, also followed.
Plus the long cypress and long maple that were originally going to be at the door,
This is the Sheng Family Academy versus the Li Family Academy.
In the courtyard,
Sheng Hong looked at the commotion at the gate, and Dong Rong, who was on the same side, said: "With all these people from the Li family here, it seems they are all very optimistic about this Ni family brother!"
"My lord is right!"
Thinking of my three daughters at home,
Sheng Hong put his hands behind his back and said, "Let's go over and have a look."
Come to the door,
However, he saw that the officials and disciples around Ni Tengyue were completely suppressed by Xu Zaijing and his party.
Xu Zaijing and his party had all passed the imperial examination, and four of the six were legitimate sons of princes, and studied under great Confucian scholars like Zhuang Xuexue.
It is natural for the opponent to be pressed.
Fortunately, Xu Zaijing and others knew the seriousness and did not make it too difficult, so they allowed everyone to enter the courtyard.
Afterwards, everyone followed the groom into the front hall of the Sheng family.
Sheng family inner courtyard
Wei Ruixuan main hall,
Wang Ruofu sat on the chair with a smile on his face.
Wei Shuyi stood beside Wang Ruofu,
Aunt Wei stood in the hall with a happy face, supporting Xiaodie who was dressed in a wedding dress.
"Madam, the groom has arrived in the front hall." Caihuan announced at the door.
Wang Ruofu nodded: "Go."
With tears in Xiaodie's eyes, she looked at Wei Shuyi with a smile on her face, lifted up the hem of her wedding dress and knelt down before Aunt Wei had time to hold her back.
Seeing Wang Ruofu's surprised expression and Wei Shu's hesitant expression, Xiaodie said with tears in her eyes: "Madam, Madam, I'm leaving."
Wang Ruofu stood up, nodded and said: "Go! What a good boy!"
Watching Xiaodie leave the hall,
Wang Ruofu held Mrs. Liu's arm and said regretfully, "Oh, I should have given you more."
"The lady has a kind heart."
Mother Liu agreed.
Subsequently,
Aunt Wei helped Xiaodie, who was holding a fan, to the front hall.
In the commotion, Ni Tengyue carried him out of the Sheng family and onto the sedan chair.
After nodding to Aunt Wei who was looking at him at the gate, Xu Zaijing looked at the sedan chair going away and turned his head and said to Qingcao: "How much dowry does Xiaodie need?"
Qingcao thought for a while and then said: "Go back to the young master and say it's thirty-six lifts."
Xu Zaijing nodded and turned around to enter Sheng's house.
When the bride arrived at Xiaoya Lane, there was a lot of excitement of her own.
Because both parents of Ni Qiqiu's sister and brother died,
So when Xiaodie and Ni Tengyue served tea the next day, it was Ni Qiqiu who sat at the top of the table on behalf of his parents.
Next to Ni Qiqiu stood two other little ones from the Ni family.
After drinking the toast tea,
Ni Qiqiu looked at his brother and sister-in-law who were standing, and said with a smile: "From now on, the Ni family will rely on you two."
After some instructions,
Ni Qiqiu and Zhu Qinghu got up and prepared to leave Ni's house.
Zhu Qinghu and Ni Tengyue were walking and talking in front.
Ni Qiqiu was holding Xiaodie's arm from behind.
Xiaodie looked at Ni Qiqiu and said, "Sister, what's wrong?"
Ni Qiqiu hesitated and said: "Xiaodie, did Mrs. Wei buy all these dowries for you?"
Xiaodie smiled: "Some of them were prepared by the young lady, and some were sent by the eldest lady, Miss Hualan and the Hou Mansion."
Ni Qiqiu nodded: "No wonder it's so generous!"
As he spoke, Ni Qiqiu took out a banknote from his sleeve and put it into Xiaodie's hand: "This is what your brother-in-law and I want! From now on, you will be in charge of the Ni family."
"Sister, this."
Xiaodie looked at Ni Tengyue in front of her at a loss.
Ni Qiqiu looked at his younger brother and younger sister who were talking next to Zhu Qinghu and said, "They will still want you to worry about them in the future, so accept it!"
Xiaodie took the banknote: "Yeah!"
Watching the Zhu family’s carriage drive away,
Ni Tengyue said to Xiaodie who was still watching, "Madam, let's go back."
Ni Tengyue is a man,
Ni Qiqiu was busy with Zhu family's affairs.
No matter how you say it, the two little ones of the Ni family will be neglected.
Later, when Ni Qiqiu came to Xiaoya Lane again and saw that the Ni family's younger brother and younger sister's clothes and buns were "new", that was something to be said for another time.
Two days before the results are released,
The news that the main gate of the Sheng family in Jiying Lane was marrying a female envoy has been circulating in the capital.
I heard that some people want to write this matter into their travel notes.
Thinking of this made Sheng Hong smile from ear to ear all day long.
Sheng Hong already had a draft in his mind as to how that person wrote: "Visiting Hualang Sheng's family in Jiying Lane, Bianjing, how is the master so-and-so?"
On the day when the results are released,
early in the morning,
Xu Zaijing and his brother did not go to Sheng’s house.
Instead, he went directly to the South Courtyard of the Ministry of Rites according to Zhuang Xuexue's instructions.
The list will be released on a trial basis at the Great Weekly Meeting.
It is pasted on the large screen wall outside the south courtyard of the Ministry of Rites.
Although Xu Zaijing and his brother arrived early enough,
But when we arrived outside the south courtyard of the Ministry of Rites,
There were already many people gathered there.
Among the crowd were students who participated in the audition list.
There are well-dressed Bianjing rich householders outside,
There are also some servants and idle government servants wearing red robes.
If you pass the examination, you will have a bright future.
The young men and women saw the ranking and sent good news. Naturally, they were generously rewarded.
When the students saw their rankings, after the entrance examination, some members of the wealthy family came out to catch their son-in-law.
It is said that it is about catching a son-in-law, but it is mostly done through inducement. For students who have passed the examination, as long as they nod and sign the marriage contract, they will receive a gift of three hundred to one thousand guan, not counting the gifts from the girls behind. Dowry.
The morning light is faint,
Xu Zaijing and his brother were stationed at the side,
"I don't know what your surname is?"
A well-dressed steward came over, bowed and asked politely.
Zai Zhang smiled and asked: "Who?"
The steward glanced at Xu Zaijing.
Xu Zaijing cupped his hands and said: "I did not participate in this examination, I just came to take a look."
The steward's eyes were full of regret, and he bowed politely and handed over his hand again: "I'm sorry for bothering you, sir."
Wait for people to go far away,
Zai Zhang smiled and said: "Xiao Wu, this is the seventh time I've come to ask you."
Xu Zaijing shook his head helplessly and said: "When the teahouse on the side opens, let's go up and wait for Zhuang Xuexue."
After just a while, the steward came back and said, "Sir, my master asked you if you have a match? If you don't have a match, our family is willing to get married even if you don't pass the test! My master has lived in the Wang family for a long time, and his family is rich. Wan Guan."
Qingyun on the side said: "Why don't you look at my young master's horse before you speak?"
The steward raised his head,
The sun had just risen at this time,
Xu Zaijing sat down. The handsome brown dragon colt shone dark gold in the morning light.
The steward swallowed.
"Chi~"
Longju snorted.
Fortunately, someone shouted at this time: "It's hit, it's hit! Brother Jinyu, you're hit!"
One stone stirs up a thousand waves,
Everyone looked at the brother Jin Yu that the man was talking about.
The steward in front of Xu Zaijing quickly bowed and left with the servant.
Xu Zaijing sat high up and could see several well-dressed stewards like the one just now rushing towards that person.
I listened to the voices over there reporting their identities, family assets, gifts, and money.
After a while, the 'Brother Jinyu' walked out surrounded by servants of a certain family in the envious eyes of the people around him.
When passing by Xu Zaijing and his party,
In the morning light, the man happened to see Qingyun who was smiling and talking to Xu Zaijing.
After the "Brother Jinyu" said a few words to the steward on the side, he led the people over and bowed to Xu Zaijing and his party: "Thank you for your help earlier."
Xu Zaijing, Zai Zhang and Qingyun looked at each other in bewilderment, their eyes full of doubts, "You did it?"