0 Marriage
Luo Zhuang brought her two daughters to live in the clean and comfortable Xianglan Pavilion, which had a row of three bright upper rooms, an exquisite flower hall and side rooms. All the furniture, curtains and supplies were brand new. The two girls had lived together since they were young, and now they suddenly had such a big yard. They were so excited that they each occupied a bedroom. The eldest daughter, Luo Zhaoying, loved painting, and she liked the spacious and bright upper room, so she lived with her mother, each of them occupying an ear room. Luo Xiangying, however, liked the side room with heavy flower shadows under the window, so she moved into the side room. Luo Zhuang smiled from ear to ear, and she almost thought she had reached heaven in one step. Xu Hou Mansion was several times larger and more magnificent than Shi Xueshi Mansion. Everyone in this mansion exuded a noble air, and even the maids and servants were dressed differently and behaved differently. She remembered that when she passed by the gate of the mansion, she secretly peeked out from the curtain of the carriage. The two majestic auspicious beasts in front of the gate, the tall gatehouse, and the four motionless and neatly dressed family members standing on the steps, just the majestic aura frightened her. If it weren't for her cousin Yulan leading her, she really wouldn't dare to enter this door casually. Fortunately, the aunt of the family was kind and didn't despise the orphans and widows. Not only did she recognize her relatives who had no money and no power, but she also let them live in the mansion, fulfilling the wishes of the mother and daughters. Unexpectedly, the two arrogant daughters actually got what they wanted. Now they rely on the big tree of the eldest wife. Next, they will plan to beg the old lady to find two good marriages for them, and everything will be auspicious!
Luo Zhuang, like Old Madam Xu and Zhuang Yulan, came from a prominent family in Jiangning. However, she was not as quick-witted and far-sighted as the old madam and Zhuang Yulan, and not as smart and clever as her two daughters. Old Madam Xu was happy to keep the three of them, probably because she was moved by the cleverness and well-behaved sisters Luo Zhaoying and Luo Xiangying. The sisters' mouths were as sweet as honey, and each one was more eloquent than the other. Although they were girls from other families, they insisted on following Zhuang Yulan, calling the old madam "great aunt" affectionately, and surrounded the old madam all day long, chatting and laughing to relieve her boredom, serving her tea, water, fruits and snacks. Such attentiveness, care and warmth were something that Zhuang Yulan could not have done when she was alive, not to mention the three granddaughters of the Xu family. How could the madam not like her? Although the two sisters lost their father at the age of ten, they were daughters of officials after all. They learned to read and write since childhood and hired masters to teach them music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and various rules and women's needlework. They were also smart and had their own strengths. Luo Zhaoying was an outstanding painter, Xiangying was proficient in music and chess, and the two sisters had a pair of deft hands and excellent embroidery skills. When the old lady asked, she learned that they had learned embroidery skills at the Zhuang family. She smiled and nodded frequently, pointing at the three girls in the Xu Mansion and said:
"Girls from a farming family are good at embroidery and needlework. When you get along with your cousins, learn more and see if you can do the same as what your master taught you."
With the arrival of the Luo sisters in Hou Mansion, Jinhua Hall became much more lively and cheerful. Xu Xiaojuan was very happy. Her family lived in Yuehua Courtyard on the north side. At first, they felt it was peaceful and quiet, but gradually they felt it was too deserted. Now that the Luo sisters have moved into Xianglan Pavilion next door, she suddenly feels that this place has become more lively and she likes it very much. Every day, she comes to visit and chat with her cousins, or go to Jinhua Hall to pay her respects together. Sometimes she takes the sisters to the street to visit embroidery shops and jewelry stores. Spending time like this is another kind of pleasure.
As for the gentlemen from Hou Mansion and Xi Mansion, except for the Second Master who still often came to Jinhua Hall to have meals with the old lady, Xu Junlang and his brothers would come over in the morning and evening to greet each other and then leave. They seldom stayed for dinner. Even if the old lady asked them to stay, they mostly made excuses and would only stay if they had no other options. They would then leave quickly after eating.
Meimei usually wore a mask and went out of the house to inspect the business of Xiankelai and other places, and took Heng'er back to her parents' home from time to time. Madam Qin proposed to go to the Hou Mansion with Feng to visit the old lady and the sick Madam Zheng, intending to save face for her daughter and not let the old lady look down on her daughter again, but she was always stopped by Meimei. Madam Qin had no choice but to let her grandson and a pair of grandchildren be distracted. Thinking that her son-in-law was also away on business and not in the Hou Mansion, she stopped entangled with her daughter and let her daughter do whatever she wanted, and go to enjoy the joy of family life with her grandchildren. When Meimei left the Hou Mansion to take care of business or visit friends to relax, Lin Runan would always come out to accompany her. The King of Qi knew Lin Runan's whereabouts, and often followed her and put a stick between the two. The two of them became a threesome, and the guards and maids who followed them were already accustomed to it, and they just thought that these three people were normal.
No matter how happy she was outside, once she returned to the Hou Mansion, she would take care of the affairs of the inner court, visit Madam Zheng in Qiuhua Courtyard, and occasionally go to Jinhua Hall. The people she had to face would always make her depressed quickly. Only when she was playing games with Heng'er would she really laugh happily.
Xu Junying's fourth letter home only had four words: Wait for me to come home!
Meimei looked at it in disbelief. This guy is really good at copying others. Not only did he use her style completely, but he also wrote it in a shorter style. It was her habit to add three exclamation marks at the end, and he also used them.
By August, the summer heat had dissipated and the weather had become cooler. Meimei was discussing the making of mooncakes with the housekeeper who was in charge of fruits and snacks in Ziyun Hall. The old lady had called her a few days ago, saying that August 15th was approaching. The mooncakes in the Xu Mansion were famous for their rich and varied fillings, exquisiteness and deliciousness. Over the years, a large number of mooncakes were made during this solar term and distributed to the clan members and relatives and friends, and the roster should be there. This year was no exception. The process of making mooncakes was complicated, and all the tools such as the cake molds were still in the warehouse of the Hou Mansion. So the Hou Mansion would take the lead in doing this, and make the mooncakes there at the same time to save them the trouble.
As they were talking, Bai Jingyu came with two maids and said with a smile: "The old lady mentioned this matter the other day. I couldn't say anything. Today I have some free time, so I came over to tell my sister-in-law: Let's make mooncakes together. When the time comes, the West Mansion will send some people to bring their own fillings..."
Meimei laughed and said, "What's that? It makes people feel that we are petty!"
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, that's not what I meant. I just learned a few recipes for mooncake fillings. I'll make some for my family to enjoy as a new treat. Wouldn't that be nice?"
The two sisters-in-law discussed the matter with the housekeeper. Just as they finished, they heard the housekeeper announce that the Sixth Master had arrived. Meimei was surprised. What was Xu Junxuan doing in Ziyun Hall
Xu Junxuan had obviously just come out of the government office, still wearing his official uniform. He was led in by a maid and bowed to Meimei and Bai Jingyu. Bai Jingyu returned the greeting and smiled:
"Sixth brother, why are you coming back now? It's not even time for lunch yet!"
Xu Junxuan said: "There is nothing important going on in the government office today, so I took the opportunity to come back early!"
Meimei asked Xu Junxuan to sit down and glanced at Cuixi. Cuixi took the hot tea from a maid and handed it to Xu Junxuan. Then she bowed and led the maids downstairs. The old women in the corridor also retreated into the courtyard.
Meimei said, "I just finished my work today. What's up, Sixth Brother? Your Second Sister-in-law is here too. Can you tell me?"
Xu Junxuan took a sip of tea, put down the teacup and smiled bitterly: "Both sisters-in-law are here, so it's a good opportunity to come up with a plan with my brother!"
Meimei and Bai Jingyu couldn't help laughing while covering their faces with their silk fans after listening to Xu Junxuan's story. Xu Junxuan blushed and said:
"Sisters-in-law, please stop making fun of me and save me!"
Bai Jingyu smiled and said, "Isn't this just right? Luo's cousin is as beautiful as a flower, and is proficient in everything from music, chess, calligraphy, painting, etiquette, and women's red. Why does she stay in the mansion? All we need is a word from the old lady!"
Xu Junxuan blushed: "What do you mean by that, second sister-in-law? How do I know why cousin Luo stayed in the mansion? You can't say it has anything to do with me!"
Meimei asked, "Do you like Luo Zhaoying or Luo Xiangying?"
Xu Junxuan shook his head: "I just treat you as cousins, not as a fan!"
"Are you sure?"
Xu Junxuan nodded firmly: "Brother is speaking the truth!"
"Then why do you go to Jinhua Hall to eat and drink tea every day, talk about poetry and essays and appreciate paintings with other sisters, and spend half a day playing chess? What are you doing?"
Bai Jingyu looked at him, "Do you really not know or are you pretending not to know? Luo's cousin is sixteen or seventeen years old, at the age of marriage, but she is not in a hurry to find a husband. She has time to come to the capital to visit the old lady? And she lives in the Hou Mansion happily and peacefully? Can't you see the trick? Your brothers dare not go to Jinhua Hall, for fear that the old lady will point out a cousin to them. Regardless of whether they have the intention to take a concubine or not, I guess that with cousin Youlan in the past, the men of the Xu family are now afraid of the cousin of the Zhuang family!"
Meimei glared at her and said, "Why do you bother others if you don't admit that you are jealous?"
Bai Jingyu laughed uncontrollably, and Xu Junxuan cried out in injustice: "I really don't know... I feel that they are the same age as my second sister who is about to get married, but I really have no distractions! I don't know why my brothers don't keep dinner in Jinhua Hall. I go back to the mansion every day to pay my respects to the old lady. If I see my sisters there, I will stay too, because after dinner at night, I usually take my sisters back all the way. Those two cousins have indeed read a lot of poetry and books. The eldest cousin is especially talented. She wrote poems and paintings. The younger cousin brought them to me for comments. I, I have seen them, how can I not say a few words? The younger cousin invited me to play chess. She is a master of chess, better than men. I like this, and I can also play a few games with her. As the saying goes, when you meet a worthy opponent in chess, who will remember the time while playing? But I really didn't think about getting married!"
Meimei and Bai Jingyu looked at Xu Junxuan, whose face turned red and white, and laughed until they were satisfied, and then asked him: "Where is the handkerchief that Luo Xiangying gave you?"
Xu Junxuan said, "She didn't give it to me! I was sitting in my study copying essays in the evening, and I didn't know when she came. She said she came to visit my aunt and borrowed two books from me. I couldn't neglect my cousin, so I went to the bookshelf to find a poetry book for her. Who would have thought that she wrote two lines of poetry on the white paper on my desk and left a handkerchief. I didn't find it until I sent her away. I didn't know what to do - I didn't have any interest in her, so I asked my aunt to keep the handkerchief!"
"What verses did she write?"
Xu Junxuan blushed again. Meimei said, "We are your sisters-in-law, and Cousin Luo is not here, so just read it!"
"We may not have the hope of flying together, but we are still connected!"
Bai Jingyu sneered: "What a passionate woman! Why is Sixth Brother not tempted?"
Xu Junxuan said: "I just said that I only treat her as my cousin, and I have no other thoughts!"
Bai Jingyu looked at Meimei and said, "I guess the old lady also has this intention, but this cousin is a little impatient. It's not her turn to marry the sixth brother yet, but she dares to do it privately!"
Meimei smiled: "Maybe Luo Zhaoying didn't mean that. It's Luo Xiangying who likes the sixth sister. How can she not be anxious? If the old lady marries her sister, what will she do? Should she marry one to accompany the other, and marry both sisters together?"
Xu Junxuan was overwhelmed. He stood up and bowed deeply to the two of them: "Sisters-in-law, please help me! Both cousins are good, but I don't like them!"
Bai Jingyu joked, "What kind of person does Sixth Brother like? You don't even want Luo's cousin who is so pretty and charming. Don't you want to marry?"
"I… "
Xu Junxuan lowered his head: "Second sister-in-law, please forgive me! I have to marry a wife, but it depends on fate and my own wishes. How can I marry her just like that!"
Meimei nodded: "Okay! I'll help you solve this problem!"
Bai Jingyu said, "Sister-in-law, don't get involved in this matter, otherwise how can the old lady let you go? I came at the right time today, let me do it! I will go with you to get the handkerchief from Auntie, and see how I return it to her!"
Xu Junxuan said hurriedly, "I originally thought of asking my second sister to quietly return the handkerchief to her, but the second cousin of the Luo family is bold and straightforward, and I was afraid that she would come again. I went to find my eldest sister-in-law to return the handkerchief to her and then tell her... I told her that I have a crush on someone, so that she can give up this intention... There is no need to let too many people know about this!"
"Don't worry, I'll return the handkerchief to her if no one wants it!"
Bai Jingyu snorted, "Sixth brother is still concerned about her reputation, but I don't think she cares - I've been keeping an eye on them since they moved in! Sister is fine with taking photos, but this Luo Xiangying, with her pair of peach blossom eyes, only looks at the men, and thinks we are all blind!"
Meimei thought for a moment and said to Xu Junxuan, "Sixth brother, I think the old lady might really want to arrange a marriage for you. If you don't like her, then refusing her might upset her. If you have someone you like, we can send a matchmaker to ask about it first. If the girl's family agrees, we can arrange it verbally first, and then you will have a reason to refuse her."
Xu Junxuan said worriedly, "Luo Xiangying came to my study and left a poem and a handkerchief, so I got anxious. The more I thought about it this morning, the more I felt something was wrong. I also felt that the old lady seemed to really have that intention, so I hurried to find my eldest sister-in-law. I thought that my eldest brother should have a letter from home to my eldest sister-in-law, and I don't know when my eldest brother will come back. I think, I want to ask my eldest brother and sister-in-law to make the decision and find a match!"
Bai Jingyu was very surprised: "I didn't expect that Sixth Brother really has someone in mind? Which lady is it?"
Xu Junxuan lowered his head, "Second sister-in-law misunderstood, I didn't - one time my eldest brother took me out for a social event, and there were many cars parked in front of the Duke Dingguo's Mansion. I happened to see the wife of the Marquis of Changle leading a girl past. I just took a look and thought that the girl was very good-looking... That's all, I didn't think about anything else! Now if the old lady insists that I discuss marriage with the Luo family, I would like to ask that girl for help!"
Bai Jingyu was stunned. Meimei laughed: "You... you have the same problem as your brother, right? You want to marry someone after just one look! Do you know what kind of family they are? Are they willing to..."
Xu Junxuan blushed to his ears: "I know what sister-in-law means - but I see that girl's clothes are thin and simple in winter, she should not be a noble lady from a high-class family!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)