When Guan Ge's baby was one month old, Cheng Gao told Zhou Chujin that Cheng Xu and the eldest daughter of the Min family had their wedding date set for September, and that Madam Yuan might come to the capital in April to prepare for Cheng Xu's marriage.
Zhou Chujin asked, "Has Madam Yuan come to the capital? We haven't heard any movement here."
"I don't know if she has come to the capital." Mrs. Liao was now worried about her own family's affairs and had little interest in other people's affairs. She said indifferently, "I heard from your grandmother that the Cheng family originally planned to let Jiashan get married in the capital so that they could also entertain your uncle's colleagues. It was said that the eldest branch of the Cheng family had not held a wedding for nearly 20 years, and Jiashan had passed the imperial examination, so this time they had to make a big fuss. They also set the date for September, but I don't know why it was suddenly changed to February next year."
In other words, this news came from Mrs. Yuan and Mrs. Liao’s maiden family, the Fang family.
It shouldn’t be fake!
Zhou Chujin asked curiously: "Do you know why the Cheng family postponed the wedding?"
Hasn’t Mrs. Yuan been hoping that Cheng Xu could marry the eldest daughter of the Min family as soon as possible
"I don't know." Mrs. Liao didn't have a good impression of Mrs. Yuan. She was talking to her son and daughter-in-law in private, so she said bluntly, "She has always been a strong-willed person. Mrs. Guo is also a proud person. Her own son still hasn't married yet, so how can she be in the mood to care about her grandson? This must be Mrs. Yuan's idea, and she always succeeds when she makes an idea." At this point, she looked puzzled and said, "But she did go a little too far this time." Mrs. Liao thought of her own family affairs and said, "Who cares! If Jiashan comes to Beijing to get married, we will go to watch the ceremony; if they get married in Jinling, it doesn't matter who goes, but I won't go anyway."
No matter where Cheng Xu got married, Zhou Chujin didn't want to go.
Cheng Xu did such a thing but he was still able to marry his beautiful wife without any worries. Shao Jin's marriage is still unknown... She was feeling a little depressed. It was getting late, and her mother-in-law had come from a long way, by boat and car, and must be very tired. After saying a few words, the couple got up and said goodbye.
Mrs. Liao really loved her grandson Guan Ge, and discussed with Zhou Chujin and his wife to let Guan Ge sleep with her tonight.
As a grandmother, she loves her grandson, so Zhou Chujin and his wife naturally agreed happily.
Zhou Chujin helped the wet nurse settle the child in Mrs. Liao's room before returning to the east wing where he lived.
Liao Shaotang had already bathed and was sitting cross-legged on the big kang near the window, reading a book and daydreaming. When Zhou Chujin approached, she realized that her husband had held the book upside down.
She did not disturb him and came out of the shower quietly. Her husband was still holding the book in the same posture, without even turning the pages, like a clay sculpture.
Zhou Chujin smiled and urged him: "Go and have a rest! We can think about it tomorrow. Didn't you only take one day off? There must be no mistakes in the Hanlin Academy."
Proofreading and transcribing is a very tedious task, but there must not be any mistakes.
Liao Shaotang smiled and nodded, then went to bed with Zhou Chujin.
But even after getting into bed, he just stared at the ceiling with his eyes open.
Zhou Chujin sighed secretly, thinking that he would have to visit someone in Yuqian Hutong tomorrow, and forced himself to sleep.
The next day, he was awakened by Liao Shaotang.
He had a scruffy beard and whispered, "Chu Jin, I have something I want to discuss with you."
His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't slept all night.
Zhou Chujin was startled, and quickly sat up, saying seriously: "You talk! I'm listening!"
Liao Shaotang hesitated for a long time before he said, "When we got married, didn't mother give us a small farm? I want to return this small farm to mother so that she can have some money for herself... She can also have dignity in front of us, her children..."
Zhou Chujin was fully awake this time.
If returning this small farm to her mother-in-law could bring her "dignity", why wouldn't she do it
It's not like she doesn't have her own dowry, and she doesn't rely on the little money from the Liao family to live.
But she knew Liao Shaotang's character. He would never use their property to please his mother-in-law for no reason. Something big must have happened, and it was related to what his mother-in-law had said to him yesterday.
Zhou Chujin agreed immediately and said with a smile, "That was originally my mother-in-law's dowry. We have brothers and sisters at home. I was worried that my brothers and sisters would be unhappy about us getting my mother-in-law's dowry - that they would cause unrest in the family because of money, but that's not the case. I feel relieved when you say that."
Liao Shaotang was extremely grateful, and took Zhou Chujin's hand and said, "No wonder the old people always say that having a virtuous wife is like having a treasure. I'm not hiding some things from you, but I don't know how to tell you... My father secretly sold all of my mother's dowry. My mother wanted to find some good things to give to Guan Ge for his 100th day gift, and then she found out... But she didn't dare to make it public, for fear of ruining my father's reputation and making it difficult for my brothers and sisters to get married. Now my mother doesn't have any good things in her hands, and my eldest sister is of marriageable age... Although my mother didn't say anything, since she knew that Cheng Jiashan was going to get married soon, I'm afraid she went back to her parents' home to find her uncles... My mother has had a very hard life!"
Zhou Chujin decided to do a good deed and said, "How about taking the gold ornaments that came with my dowry to a silver shop and melting them down again, and then making some new ones for my eldest sister to take back with her when she gets married?"
"No, no." Zhou Shaotang hugged Zhou Chujin, "I am already very grateful that you promised to return the farm to my mother. How can I touch your dowry? No need! I, I will definitely work hard in the future and earn a farm back."
Money can’t buy the unity of husband and wife.
Zhou Chujin made up her mind that if her elder sister-in-law got married, she would at least give her a few sets of headgear and have her mother-in-law send them out to please her mother-in-law and elder sister-in-law.
After breakfast, the couple went to pay their respects to Mrs. Liao.
Mrs. Liao also seemed to have not slept all night. Only when she saw Brother Guan did she smile slightly from the bottom of her heart.
Liao Shaotang winked at Zhou Chujin.
Zhou Chujin knew that he was going to talk to Mrs. Liao about the farm, so he found an excuse and retreated with Guan Ge in his arms.
When Zhou Chujin returned to the hall, Mrs. Liao and Liao Shaotang's eyes were red. Mrs. Liao even pulled Zhou Chujin's hand and said, "I am sorry for you and your wife."
"Mother, you are being polite. This is your husband's filial respect for you." Zhou Chujin grew up in Jiuru Lane and knew how to please the elders. Her words moved Mrs. Liao deeply. She said to Liao Shaotang privately, "I used to be a little worried about Chujin because she is the eldest daughter who lost her mother. Now it seems that I was judging others by my own standards. You should be nicer to such a virtuous daughter-in-law in the future."
Liao Shaotang kept nodding with smiles in his eyes. From then on, his relationship with Zhou Chujin was always like when they first got married.
This is a later story.
After Zhou Chujin and Mrs. Liao saw Liao Shaotang off, they dressed up again, carried Guan Ge'er, and took a sedan chair to Yuqian Hutong.
Li and Zhou Shaojin greeted them at the hanging flower gate.
Mrs. Liao looked around and said with a smile, "Yushu Hutong is very close to Yuqian Hutong. Madam and daughter-in-law should visit more often."
Li exchanged some pleasantries and the group walked into the house.
Mrs. Liao was secretly surprised.
Zhou Chujin's house was bought with her own money, and she knew exactly how much she spent. Shuangyu Hutong and Yuqian Hutong were the best places, close to the six ministries and the Imperial Academy. She had originally wanted to buy a house here, but eventually gave up because it was too expensive.
I didn’t expect Zhou Zhen had the ability to buy a house for Zhou Shaojin in such a prosperous place.
Because this was a very proud thing, she began to praise the Zhou family.
Li had money in her hands, and she never valued money, so she smiled and said, "This is not what our master bought for the second young lady. This is what Old Lady Guo gave to Shao Jin. After the eldest aunt got married, the second young lady moved to Hanbi Mountain House to live with Old Lady Guo."
I see!
She started talking about Cheng Jiashan's marriage.
Zhou Chujin had not originally intended to tell Zhou Shaojin, but her mother-in-law accidentally said it out.
She immediately looked towards Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin looked calm.
Zhou Chujin felt relieved, but still couldn't help but comfort his sister: "Don't worry. Uncle Chi has always felt sorry for you. You might as well find an excuse to stay at home. Uncle Chi will definitely help you plead for him."
"I'm not worried about that!" Zhou Shaojin said with a smile, "Even if I go with my wife to watch the ceremony, I'll just be dealing with those women in the inner courtyard. Will Madam Yuan have time to trouble me that day? Will Cheng Xu still be able to embarrass me? Besides, I've already made up my mind not to go... I'm sure my father and my wife won't force me."
That's true.
Anyway, Mrs. Guo was not there.
Maybe no one even noticed that Zhou Shaojin didn't go.
Zhou Chujin couldn't help but sigh and said, "Speaking of which, I feel that Madam Guo is also quite pitiful. Cheng Xu is the eldest son and grandson, but he didn't get married in his hometown but came to the capital to get married. The eldest house in Jiuru Lane was cold and quiet... She gave birth to three sons, and when she got old, Madam Guo lived alone in Jinling City..."
Zhou Shaojin also felt the same way.
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Gu’s family near Chaoyangmen.
After receiving the urgent letter from her companion, Cheng Zheng was furious. She closed the door and said to her wet nurse, "What happened to my mother? Whose magic potion did she drink to make her want Jiashan to come to the capital to get married? What about my grandmother? What do the ancestors of the second house think? Jiashan has not yet gained power, but he looks down on everyone. If Jiashan enters the cabinet and becomes the prime minister, won't his eyes only look up to the sky? Who can ask for help from them? In this case, why should the people in the clan respect Jiashan? Without the help of the clan members, even if Jiashan has three heads and six arms, I am afraid it will be difficult for him to open up a way. Otherwise, why let me marry into the Gu family and my second sister marry back into the Yuan family? Who is giving advice to my mother?"
The nurse also looked a little serious, and said, "Grandma, why don't you write a letter back to persuade Madam? Madam listens to you the most."
"The date has been set, what's the point of me writing back?" Cheng Zheng smiled bitterly and said, "I'm afraid my mother has been waiting for this day for a long time. I can't just abandon my husband and children for my mother's family's affairs? I can only help my mother's family if I get the respect of my husband's family. I have never forgotten what my grandmother repeatedly told me when I got married!"
The nurse said, "How about asking the master's staff to help run a trip? We can't just watch the Madam and the Old Madam go further and further away..."
Cheng Zheng was still a little hesitant.
The second letter of dowry was delivered.
Less than an hour had passed since the first letter arrived...
Cheng Zheng looked at her wet nurse in fear and opened the letter tremblingly.
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Hey guys, here's yesterday's update.
Today's update is still scheduled at twelve o'clock in the evening.
I've been very busy these days and I probably won't be able to rest even on the weekends, so it will be more secure to update later!
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)