1 Marriage Discussion (Part 2)
Meimei's mind was spinning, wondering if Xu Junxuan had misunderstood that she looked down on him as a bastard? But she really didn't mean that, and didn't know what to say for a moment, so she simply passed the buck: "Do you know what I mean? What do you mean?"
Xu Junxuan raised his head and said calmly, "I am the son of a marquis, but not the legitimate son! How can a noble lady not look carefully when choosing a husband? Compared with the gorgeously dressed wife of the Marquis of Changle, that woman is simple and thin, but she has a good temperament and dignified and elegant behavior. It is obvious that she has been well-educated. I think she should be from an ordinary family. You can ask her!"
Meimei looked at him and said, "Sixth brother, you are being too picky, aren't you? Putting aside whether you are a son of a noble family, a legitimate son, or a concubine's son, you are outstanding in appearance, elegant in demeanor, and have such talent. You are a sixth-rank official in the court, and you have a bright future. How about marrying a noble lady? If it weren't for you who said that you would never achieve fame and never mentioned marriage, matchmakers would have already come to the Xu family's doorstep, and I don't know how many noble ladies from famous families came to ask for marriage!"
Bai Jingyu smiled: "Second Master said: Our Sixth Brother is aloof and doesn't look down on those arrogant ladies!"
Xu Junxuan lowered his head again after being told by his two sisters-in-law: "I have my own criteria for choosing a wife. A girl from a humble family may not be bad..."
Meimei smiled and said, "That's right, a proud lady may not be in your eyes! I also come from a 'low-class family', and I may not be gentle and virtuous, but I think I am kind. Your second sister-in-law is a lady from a high-class family, so she is just like that!"
Bai Jingyu took a sip of water and almost choked: "What about me? You, you tell me!"
The uncle and his wife sat down and discussed it seriously with a smile. Meimei promised Xu Junxuan that she would go to find the wife of Marquis Changle for him to ask about the girl who met his standards for a wife and whom he had remembered in his heart at a glance in the "late winter and early spring".
As expected, a banquet was held at Jinhua Hall in the evening. The old lady said that she had not had a reunion dinner with her children and grandchildren for a long time, so she summoned her sons and daughters-in-law, grandsons and granddaughters, etc. Because there were more relatives from outside, they followed the rules. Men and women sat at separate tables, separated by screens. After dinner, only the second master, the second wife, Meimei and Bai Jingyu stayed to chat. The rest were sent back, and the sixth son Xu Junxuan was specially instructed:
"Send the two cousins back to Xianglanxie on the way!"
Xu Xiaojuan was silly for a moment and laughed, "Sixth brother can just go back with the three sisters. The two cousins are going with their granddaughter and grandson-in-law!"
The old lady glanced at her calmly and said, "You stay here too. Let your grandson-in-law take the child back first!"
Xu Xiaojuan and the second wife supported the old lady on both sides and sat down in the second hall again. After the maid served tea, everyone left at the signal of Mother Ji.
After taking a sip of tea, the old lady brought up Xu Junxuan's marriage. When the second master heard that his mother still insisted on marrying the Luo sisters to his sixth nephew, he said:
"Should we ask Lao Liu? After all, he is a newly-minted nobleman, and marrying a country girl..."
"What do you mean from the countryside? That's your mother's hometown, Jiangning, a prosperous and wealthy place! You've been there many times. Why are you talking nonsense and offending your uncle's cousins? Be careful that they turn against you and refuse to acknowledge you as their nephew!"
The old lady glared at her son and said, "The sixth son is a bastard. Although he has won the imperial examination and has achieved fame, if he wants to marry a noble lady from a famous family in the capital, he will have to go through a lot of trouble. Moreover, you may not know what kind of personality the girl he marries will have. If she is also domineering and unruly, what's the use of her? The Luo sisters are well-behaved and gentle, and the most rare thing is that they are filial. The two sisters traveled thousands of miles to accompany their mother to send their deceased father's bones to the ancestral tomb. How many women can do that? Although their father is gone, he was talented and participated in the imperial examinations and became an official. The official family background is there. The two sisters are legitimate daughters, with outstanding looks and character. They are very good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, and needlework. They are worthy of the sixth son. I think they get along well and are very congenial!"
Xu Xiaojuan smiled and said, "The old ancestor has a good eye. I also think that the second cousin of the Luo family is a perfect match for the sixth brother. The two of them often sit and play chess for half a day. If they were not compatible, how could they get along so well!"
The old lady nodded with a smile: "The best one is my elder sister. My elder sister Zhaoying has a gentle and quiet temperament, a kind heart, and is skillful... Well, if they are willing, they can be married to the sixth brother together, one wife and one concubine, which is the most suitable!"
The second wife questioned: "Sisters serving the same husband? Is this okay?"
"Why not? There are many cases like this. They are close relatives. They are sisters, so there won't be any serious quarrels."
Meimei glanced at Bai Jingyu, and Bai Jingyu asked, "Grandfather, can my aunt and cousin from the Luo family agree to this?"
The old lady said, "Your cousin will agree to it! Just pick a date, match their birthdays, write a document and get married in the fall or winter!"
The second master took a sip of tea and said, "Isn't it a bit hasty? We can discuss it after Junying comes back!"
"Marry him if you've decided. What's the rush? Lao Liu is already 22 years old. It's time for him to get married and start a family! Junying is busy all day long. How can he take care of this? Just come back and tell him!"
"All the men in our Xu family usually get married at this age, but my son sees that the sixth son is arrogant, so he might want to marry someone from a higher-class family. My son's colleagues have come to ask about it, saying that they are willing to marry the daughter to him. They asked the sixth son, but he just refused!"
The old lady glanced at Meimei coldly and snorted, "Only marriages arranged by the elders can be truly long-lasting and blessed. To arrange a marriage on one's own is like playing a joke. Which one is good? Parents' orders and matchmaker's words, the marriage of Xu's children and grandchildren has always been decided by the elders. He has no right to say anything. He just needs to set the rules of marriage! The sixth son has been filial and gentle since he was a child. He has never disobeyed the elders!"
Meimei remained silent. She was not allowed to speak in such an occasion, and it was difficult for her to say anything. The marriage of other people's children and grandchildren was a major event, and the elders had their own opinions. Even the sixth child's biological mother had no right to be present and say a word. She was just a sister-in-law, and she was asked to listen in so that she could be mentally prepared and contribute to the wedding planning.
They said they were discussing the marriage, but the old lady was arbitrary and self-willed, talking to herself, and only allowing a few people to listen. They could occasionally interject a few words, but it was impossible to oppose her.
Xu Junxuan listened to the old lady's words, and took his three sisters and maids to send the two cousins of the Luo family back to Xianglanxie. There were many people and the lanterns were bright. Xu Junxuan was always far away from Luo Xiangying. Through the three young ladies of the Xu family, Luo Xiangying looked at him from time to time, but Xu Junxuan seemed to be unaware and walked silently, only stopping in front of the gate of Xianglanxie. Luo Xiangying wanted to go forward, but her sister Luo Zhaoying stood in front of her and bowed to Xu Junxuan. She had to follow suit and bowed. She heard Luo Zhaoying say to Xu Junxuan softly: "Thank you for seeing me off! Can you and the three cousins go in for a cup of tea?"
Xu Junxuan replied: "No, cousin, please go in. My sisters and I will go back first!"
When I looked up, I could only see his handsome back, surrounded by a group of women. He walked farther and farther away in the lights, disappeared behind the flowers and trees, turned around the rockery, and finally I could no longer see anything.
The two sisters returned to the upper room together. Mrs. Luo Zhuang welcomed her two daughters into the room. She had excused herself for not having dinner at Jinhua Hall tonight, and quickly asked the maid to prepare fragrant water for the girls to bathe. She saw the younger daughter's fragrant shadow sitting on the couch, staring at the older daughter's reflection, and said:
"What's wrong? Why can't you just say it calmly? Why are you so cross-eyed?"
Luo Zhaoying took her sister's cold eyes indifferently. She reached out to take the small wicker basket on the table which contained various needleworks, picked up the half-finished embroidery she had done, picked up the needle and thread, and began to embroider carefully.
Luo Xiangying walked over and snatched the embroidery from her sister's hand and threw it to the ground. Luo Zhaoying was stunned for a moment, then stood up and slapped her sister in the face with a cold look: "If it weren't for you, would someone like me be still single? If you dare to do that again, I'll skin you alive!"
Luo Xiangying covered her left face: "It was unintentional last time, but this time I really like Liu Ye, and my sister doesn't love him..."
"Sixth Master has outstanding character and a bright future. Why shouldn't I love him?"
Luo Zhaoying picked up the embroidery frame from the ground and patted it gently: "I am the eldest daughter, so it is natural that you want to marry me. Forget that idea!"
"But you clearly feel..."
"Shut up! I married well, so I have to take you and mother to enjoy happiness. I will choose another good marriage for you in the future!"
"I don't want it! I want Sixth Master!"
There was a snapping sound, and another palm was swung out. The maid who was about to bring water in from the corridor hesitated for a moment, then quickly turned around and walked away. After turning the corner of the corridor, she disappeared in a moment.
Luo Zhuang's face changed. She looked outside the door, walked over and closed it, turned around and pulled Xiang Ying away, and whispered, "My aunt, little ancestor! This is someone else's home, why are you arguing? Walls have ears, do you want others to hear it?"
He poked his little daughter's forehead with his finger and said, "What kind of trouble is this? You are almost sixteen, learn from your sister and take care of the family affairs. Mr. Mo is always a worry to me!"
Luo Xiangying was not convinced: "How did I make you worry? It's you who like to make trouble. I live well in Tong County, Jiangning. I have my own girlfriends to play with, and my sister has a senior brother who she grew up with. But you insist on going back to our father's hometown. Isn't our mother's hometown our hometown? You grew up there until you were seventeen years old!"
Luo Zhaoying glanced at her and said, "What do you know? You are so short-sighted!"
"I don't understand? Am I short-sighted? It turns out that you would rather betray your senior brother and marry into the Zhou family as the principal wife, but Master Zhou was only willing to marry you as a concubine. You were dissatisfied and left cruelly!"
Luo Zhaoying felt a needle prick his hand, took a breath, raised his eyes, and said with a frighteningly cold look: "You dare to say another word!"
Luo Zhuangshi tried to pull Luo Xiangying, but Luo Xiangying didn't dodge and raised her face: "What do you want? Still want to fight? I just respect you as the eldest sister. If we get serious, you are not as strong as me!"
Luo Zhaoying stared at her sister's charming yet arrogant peach blossom eyes for a long time, then suddenly fell on the couch and burst into tears:
"Daddy, please let me go with you. I don't want to live anymore!"
Luo Zhuang let go of her younger daughter and quickly ran to hug her older daughter to comfort her. She pointed at Luo Xiangying and scolded, "You ungrateful little girl! Your sister has been protecting you since you were a child, but you always make her sad. If anything happens to her, where will you go to find your own sister?"
Luo Xiangying snorted and said disdainfully, "She protects me? I protect her! But we are only a year apart in age, and she is just lucky to be the elder sister! Mother is biased. She knew that I liked Sixth Master, and the old lady asked you, why didn't she talk about me? Why did she talk about my elder sister? Sixth Master and I have similar interests, and we always have things to talk about when we are together. Have you seen Sixth Master and my elder sister say a few words?"
Luo Zhuang said angrily: "You kid! When talking about marriage, you have to start from the oldest to the youngest. You know this. It was always like this in Jiangning before, and you never said anything..."
"Don't mention Jiang Ning again!"
Luo Zhaoying wiped her tears with a handkerchief and sobbed, "The third master of the Li family in the east of Jiangcheng was about to come to propose marriage, but she went to play a game of chess with someone else, and the third master Li changed his mind..."
"You guys are not destined to be together, but you blame me!"
Luo Xiangying turned away, with an expression that said, "I'm a woman dressed as a man, and he doesn't know I'm your sister. He came to ask for marriage, so what can I do? Now it hasn't worked out, has it? He doesn't want you, and my mother won't let me marry him!"
Luo Zhuang pointed at her and said, "You wicked bitch! I don't allow you? But it's you who refuses to marry me because you think I can only play chess and nothing else! He has a huge fortune, numerous estates, and will never have to worry about food and drink for the rest of his life. What else does he need to know?"
Luo Xiangying's eyes flickered, and she suddenly turned around and sat on the other side of Luo Zhuangshi, leaning against her and saying:
"Mother! Third Master Li is really not well... I asked someone, he is in poor health and takes medicine every day. Besides, he is just a bastard. My grandmother, my mother and my bastard are waiting for me to serve them. I don't know how much of the family property I can get in the future. My daughter liked Sixth Master as soon as she saw him. He is also a bastard, but he is a nobleman. Not only is he handsome, but he is also capable of striving for success and fame. He can be promoted in the future. He has a bright future!"
Luo Zhuang slapped her and said, "You're the only one who understands! This is for your sister... Stay out of it!"
Luo Xiangying said coquettishly: "Mother!"
Luo Zhaoying took the embroidery and walked away: "Mother, I'm going back to my room to do some work. This is what the old lady wants, and it must be finished by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow - call me when the hot water is ready!"
"Hey, hey! Mother knows, you can go now!"
Luo Zhuang agreed, and after watching her eldest daughter enter the room, she turned around and closed the door, and pushed her youngest daughter away: "Get up! I'll go see what the maids are doing. Why haven't they brought hot water in such a long time? The maids are nowhere to be seen either. They've all rebelled..."
"It was you, mother, who asked them to leave!" Luo Xiangying pouted and held her tightly, "Mother, tell me what to do about this matter. My sister is sullen and unsuitable for the Sixth Master. I am the perfect match!"
Luo Zhuang made a tut-tut sound and raised her hand to hit him: "How shameless! You are so thick-skinned. Look at your sister. Has she ever argued with him?"
"She is the eldest daughter, she doesn't need to fight! I am the youngest, I have suffered in silence, if I don't fight, I will have nothing, mother!"
Luo Zhuang's heart softened and she put her hand down: "I'll find you another one in the future. There are many people like Sixth Master in the capital!"
"Mother, how old do you think your daughter is? I don't want any more. I only want Sixth Master. If not, I will die!"
"You!" Luo Zhuang glared at her little daughter, "You unfilial thing!"
Luo Xiangying looked at Luo Zhuang stubbornly, and Luo Zhuang sighed, "But the old lady told me about your sister. She loves your sister who is so gentle, soft and obedient... If you insist on doing this, there is a way. If you are willing to be a concubine, I will go and talk to the old lady, and you can marry in with your sister and serve the Sixth Master together?"
Luo Xiangying was stunned: "A concubine? No! Sister, can't you arrange another marriage? It was me, I fell in love with Sixth Master first - to be honest with you, Sixth Master and I have secretly made a lifelong commitment. Sixth Master accepted my token of love, and he likes me too!"
Luo Zhuang was stunned and slapped him: "You evil bastard! How could you do such a thing again? How many times are you going to harm your sister?"
In the ear room, Luo Zhaoying tightly grasped the stabbed finger, and his teeth bit his lips to leave a bloody mark. Is this his sister? They are simply enemies! (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)