(one)
"Mrs. Gu, I'm not going to tell lies. Master and I are only one woman, and I'm too worried about her marriage. Apart from character and morality, there is only one thing - you can't take a concubine."
The window sash with the patterned cloud pattern is inlaid with colored glaze from the West, and the sun shines straight in, making the three-width flower hall bright and open.
The flower hall is large and spacious, the ground floor is covered with red carpet, the furnishings are all red sandalwood furniture, the cushions on the chairs and the couch are all made of sapphire blue swastika satin. A veiled luxury.
Beside the flower window, there is a lady on each armchair, with Zhang Tongwei red sandalwood flower table in between.
One person is wearing an indigo blue satin embroidered crane and ganoderma lucidum pattern, and below it is a purple horse-faced skirt. He is about fifty years old, his skin is fair and delicate, and his face is kind and friendly. At first glance, he has a mild personality.
As for the other, the age is a bit difficult to tell.
She was wearing a lotus-blue embroidered double-breasted gown with eight dark green Hunan skirts. With a cloud bun, almond eyes, nose and red lips, although the skin is not very white, but properly maintained, the skin texture is delicate and smooth, it can be said to be thirty, or twenty.
But seeing that she is on an equal footing with the lady on the right, she is expected to be not too young, even if she is younger, her status is probably not low.
Mrs. Gu was a little surprised when she heard the other party's words, but she was not surprised.
In Xue Ge's hometown's daughter-in-waiting boudoir, people with school-age children in the Jingzhong family are all rushing. This Mrs. Xue usually seldom walks outside, but it is not that she has no friends.
Some people who are interested in climbing relatives, all inquire secretly and secretly, knowing that the old couple Xue Ge treats their only daughter like a treasure, and it is estimated that the requirements will not be low.
And the Gu family and the Ke family are on good terms. The third girl of the Ke family is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xue family, so naturally they can know some private things that others don't know.
Mrs. Gu met Mrs. Xue through Mrs. Ke, and she knew it for a long time. With the current situation of the Xue family, I am afraid that the background of the son-in-law is second, and the moral character and even the family style are the most important.
She did not know that she heard Mrs. Ke say that her daughter married a good family, and the Xue family had no rules for taking concubines. So far, the son-in-law has only a daughter, and there is not even a bed-making girl.
Combining these, it seems that it is not difficult to guess what the Xue family values, so Mrs. Gu is not too surprised.
She was even mentally prepared.
"Mrs. Xue is relieved about this. The dog is only reading the books of sages and sages. His father is very strict. He himself is also clean and self-righteous.
Speaking of this, Mrs. Gu seemed a little embarrassed, and said embarrassedly: "If the dog knew that my mother said that to him, I would be unhappy again. It's just that my family's family style is here, and Mrs. Xue must have heard of it. , it is the good of the two surnames to get married, so naturally it has to be discussed."
Does this mean that you acquiesce to what Zhao'er said
However, the relationship between the official and the official's family is subtle. Even if Zhao'er is very satisfied, there will be no rush to marry his daughter. He just said something else, and the stubble was diverted.
However, they both understand each other, and this meeting is also due to the Ke family's thread, and they all know what they are here for, so Mrs. Gu knows that the matter is almost half done when she sees the attitude of the other party.
After Mrs. Gu left, Zhao'er sat alone and thought for a moment before she smiled.
Gu Qian, the third son of the Gu family, has an excellent reputation among some big families in Beijing.
Gu's reputation is also good.
Like the Xue family, the Gu family is not a local, and their ancestral home is Shandong. Gu Heng, the eldest master of the Gu family, has been an official in various places until he became the governor of Shandong, and then he successfully entered Beijing as the right servant of the Ministry of Rites.
The Gu family is considered a noble family, and it is a big family in Shandong itself. His family has produced many officials in the past, and there are even high-ranking officials above the third rank.
In terms of background, it is much deeper than the Xue family.
It's a pity that Xue Tingxiang is very powerful in the DPRK. Now who doesn't know that in the cabinet, although Xue Tingxiang ranks at the back, he is the main one in the presidency of the cabinet affairs. In particular, the first assistant and the second assistant have a deep friendship with him, and the second assistant is still his teacher. The two are not too young, and they are not people who do not rely on their positions. When the two retire, Xue Tingxiang will definitely be the first assistant candidate. .
There will be no other candidates, this is something that everyone in the court knows well.
Therefore, if the Gu family wants to go further, it is best to have a friendship with the Xue family.
Moreover, Madam Gu, the girl of the Xue family, has also met. She is knowledgeable and sensible, and she is innocent. If she is a grandmother, she must be a lot worse, but if she is a second daughter-in-law, she is the best candidate.
This is how the big family chooses a daughter-in-law. In addition to the family background, the character and even the character of other daughters-in-law in the family must be considered.
After all, as a concubine, living under the same roof in the daytime, and having different personalities, I am afraid of conflicts.
Mrs. Gu went home and told her husband. After Mr. Gu weighed one or two, she nodded and agreed.
As for the other end, Zhao'er also told Xue Tingxiang that although he knew that the Gu family's marriage was excellent, Xue Tingxiang was still a little dissatisfied.
"If you say one is dissatisfied, if you say two are still dissatisfied, then you can choose your own son-in-law, don't let me choose." Zhao'er said angrily.
Compared with her husband, she has never cared more about her daughter, just because she cares, she is extra cautious about her daughter's marriage.
She almost measured and measured before she came to Xue Tingxiang, but unfortunately, being a father is not much better than her, and even because of his fatherhood, there is an extra kind of 'men in the world are not worthy of me' daughter' mentality.
"Look at you being angry, I just said it casually." Zhao'er was angry, but Xue Tingxiang softened.
Zhao'er also knows that her temper is inexplicable, but for some reason, she has always been particularly impetuous these days. After calming down and thinking about it, it is nothing more than that when it comes to the marriage of her children, she is very worried about gains and losses.
I am always afraid that I will choose the wrong family for my daughter, and my daughter will marry and endure hardship. After all, women are different from men. Men can have three wives and four concubines. If their wives are unsatisfactory, there are also concubines.
And a woman is like this once in her life, and there is no way to regret it if she is wrong.
"Gu Qian is only eighteen years old, and already has the status of a leader. He is considered outstanding among the younger generation. Although he can't compare with me, compared with the boss, it's not bad."
This remark made Zhao'er laugh again, and slapped him with a smile: "Shameless."
"How can I be so shameless? You see, I have teeth, but I'm not old enough to lose my teeth." Xue Tingxuan deliberately brought his face close, and showed his white teeth to Zhao'er.
His strange appearance made Zhao'er laugh straight, and angered him: "The older you get, the more unserious you are!"
"I'm old? When all the senior officials of the third rank and above in the court have white beards, I am very young." Xue Tingxiang is only forty this year, and is the youngest cabinet minister in Dachang since the founding of the dynasty.
If you say old, it really doesn't count.
"Then you mean that the third son of the Gu family is feasible?"
Xue Tingxiang thought about it and said, "I can't pick any problem, but I have to see it."
"Then I'll arrange it?"
"No need, I'll come."
Xue Tingxiang was busy with government affairs and was always quick to do things. The next day he instructed Hu San to make arrangements.
After several attempts, this son has no problem with his morals, but he is a little more tender in life. Xue Tingxiang put aside his identity as a father and looked again, but it was a rare candidate for a good son-in-law. What's more, this child is only eighteen and has not yet been determined, and it takes time to accumulate all these things.
Without further thought, he nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Zhao'er finally calmed down, so he was busy handling it.
On this day, she called Ning Ning and told her about it.
Xue Xinning is well aware of her mother's recent busyness. At this point, there is a feeling that it has finally come.
Zhao'er rubbed the top of her daughter's hair and sighed a little: "I didn't expect that we Ningning are about to get married. After two days, the mother will arrange for you to meet. If you agree, this marriage will not be considered. It's settled. Although both father and mother think it's good, in the end it's up to you to think it's good."
Ning Ning fell into her mother's arms, feeling mixed for a while, but nodded on her face.
"Now that you're older, you haven't been like a child in the past two years, but mother is not used to it. You said that people's hearts are also complicated, you are like a child, and mother is worried about what you will do in the future. Now you are obedient, mother I hope that you can still be like before, so that your mother and father can stay with you for another two years."
"Mother..."
"Okay, okay, let's not talk about it, so that my mother will not feel uncomfortable, and you are not beautiful. Go back and prepare well, and mother will take you to Longquan Temple for incense in two days."
After staying in the main courtyard for a while, Ning Ning returned to Ningxi courtyard.
The maid Zhishu came up to greet her, and seeing the girl's face was a little bad, she couldn't help but glance at it.
"Girl, what's the matter?"
Ning Ning came back to his senses and smiled: "It's nothing, my mother said to take me to incense in two days, you go and prepare clothes and jewelry for me."
The four maidservants looked at each other, and soon understood the meaning. They were busy talking to Ning Ning with a smile, and then went to clean up.
Only Zhishu glanced at Ning Ning with a little worry.
Ning Ning sat in front of the dressing table and looked at herself through the glass mirror from the west.
The girl in the mirror is at the best time, with black hair like ink, skin like fat, eyebrows like light smoke, eyes with spring water waves, the bridge of the nose is upturned, the cheeks have a shallow pear vortex, even if she doesn't smile laugh.
She reached out and touched her eyebrows, but the girl in the mirror frowned slightly, as if she had something on her mind.
A few girls brought a piece of clothes to show Ning Ning for a while, and a piece of jewelry to talk to her for a while, and Ning Ning added a sentence from time to time, looking a little uninterested.
"Since the girl said yes, then it's all right. Don't mess around with you. You should be busy with whatever you want." Zhishu's words were a bit of a pun, and the girls looked at each other again, and then Go on laughing.
The house fell silent.
Zhishu came behind Ningning, looked at the girl in the mirror, and hesitated: "Girl, are you alright?"
"What can I do?" Ning Ning said with a smile.
"Can… "
"Okay, I'm fine, you can also go down to work." Ning Ning suddenly stood up and said.