Chapter 261 Grandparents and Grandchildren Night Chat Yuyang County Magistrate Chen He
"Climb on? I can't afford to climb on."

Pinlan had a rare opportunity to vent her pent-up resentment towards the Sun family, so she relaxed a little:
"I might be too old to walk by then, and I'll have to rely on my brother-in-law to go to Beijing to take the exam. That would be so embarrassing."

Rulan also joined in the fun and said happily:
"That's great. When my brother-in-law passes the imperial examination, he only needs to send a letter home. Then my family will definitely make room for him to stay in when he takes the exam. Anyway, there are many empty rooms in my family's Bianjing mansion."

"How dare you two yellow-haired girls make up stories about the scholar like this? I'm going to sue the government!"

"The scholar is the master? Then my brother and brother-in-law are so high up in the sky, aren't they?"

Rulan said with disdain:

"You can just go to the county government office and call the people over. I want to see which side the county magistrate stands on."

Rulan stood behind Hualan, gently pressing her sister's shoulders and speaking in an especially firm tone.

She had finally realized that the mother-in-law of the Sun family and the brother-in-law whom she had never met were not good people. She was afraid that before she and others entered the house and at the table with the elders before, the mother-in-law of the Sun family had said a lot of unpleasant things, otherwise her grandmother and sister would have stopped her from being so presumptuous.

Seeing Rulan mention the county magistrate, Sun's mother immediately became tough again and continued to talk:
"You are a new girl in Youyang, but you don't know that the county magistrate insisted on inviting my brother Zhi to a dinner. It was not enough to just have a dinner, and then he forced him to write a calligraphy to be used as a plaque."

After Sun's mother praised her son for a while, she looked at him with a disdainful look:

"That's it. Do you know the relationship between my brother Zhi and the county magistrate? You're still calling for help. Do you really think I'm afraid of you?"

Seeing that Sun's mother looked so confident, Rulan was frightened.

Pinlan couldn't stand it any longer, so she walked over from behind Li, approached Rulan, and said:
"It was clearly my brother-in-law who got drunk that time. Not only did he talk nonsense, he also insisted on writing to the county magistrate, which embarrassed the county magistrate and forced my father to apologize. How dare you bring this up?"

Still not feeling relieved, he spat again:
"Pooh!"

"Okay!" Li looked at Pinlan with a frown and asked her to calm down.

Rulan was born into an official family and was protected by her elder brothers and sisters, so naturally she did not have to worry about what she said. However, her family was a merchant family, so she had to be careful with what she said.

Mother Sun knew that her plan to find a marriage for her nephew tonight would definitely fail. She also thought about how she had been contradicted many times by Shulan's sister, and how she couldn't win an argument with these two wild girls. She was so angry that she had no place to vent.

After thinking about it, he could only vent his anger on his submissive daughter-in-law.

"boom!"

Mother Sun slammed the table hard:
"I've been talking for quite a while, and you just sat there and listened quietly. You didn't even serve tea to your mother-in-law to quench her thirst. You are so tactless. What's the use of you?"

Shulan was already accustomed to her mother-in-law Sun's scolding behavior, so she did not argue and immediately served the cold teacup.

It quenched my thirst a little.

Mother Sun seemed to feel that she had just lost face in front of everyone, so after putting down the teacup, she began to find fault with Shulan in front of everyone, trying to show off her own power.

night.

In the backyard of Sheng Mansion.

"The Mid-Autumn Festival was ruined by people like this."

With Sun's mother here to spoil the fun, everyone left early tonight. After the family returned to the courtyard, Rulan began to complain:

"I don't know what my great-grandmother and great-aunt were thinking when they married Sister Shulan to such a family. When I heard that Sister Shulan was marrying down, I thought that this family would pamper her and let her live a comfortable life. Who would have thought that she would be tortured like this?"

Hualan stretched out her slender index finger and flicked Rulan's forehead, scolding:

"Don't talk about your elders behind their backs like this."

Rulan cried out "Ouch!", covering her painful forehead and said aggrievedly:
"I'm just curious! Since she's marrying down, how come she lives a better life than you, sister..."

Seeing Hualan's unfriendly expression, Rulan quickly changed the subject:
"Anyway, I just wonder why the lives are so different."

Hualan parted her lips slightly. She didn't think it through. After all, she was just a bride.

I am living in a daze myself, so how can I be detached and see clearly what is happening to others?

He could only look at Old Lady Sheng standing beside him.

At this time, Old Lady Sheng was sitting on the Luohan chair, gently blowing the medicine that Fang Mama had just brought over. Minglan was sitting on an embroidered cushion beside her, also looking curious.

Seeing her three granddaughters looking at her inquiringly, Mrs. Sheng calmly drank the warm medicine in one gulp, then took the candied fruit handed to her by Minglan and put it in her mouth to slow down.

This is how he said:
“Actually, this is nothing strange.

On one hand, the Sun family, a poor family with no foundation, suddenly became rich.

On the one hand, your sister Shulan's family is trying to please you.

It’s not surprising to get such a result now.”

Seeing that her three granddaughters were still looking at her in confusion, Old Lady Sheng continued to explain:

"Back then, the man from the Sun family passed the imperial examination at the age of twelve. The elders of the first house wanted to marry your sister Shulan to Mr. Sun in order to form an alliance. This was naturally correct."

"But their mistake was that they underestimated human nature, thinking that it was natural to repay a favor. They also overestimated human self-esteem, thinking that by providing Sun Xiucai with favorable conditions and escaping his difficult life, they would be able to make him concentrate on passing the imperial examination.

Don’t you know that facing this overwhelming wealth, the Sun family members were stunned and dazed at once? "

Seeing her granddaughters looking thoughtful, Old Lady Sheng sighed and said:

"I advised them not to give too many things as a dowry at first. At most, I should give them a few shops and servants who are suitable for their daughters, so that they can live a worry-free life after marriage. But they didn't listen."

"But who can see through this kind of thing if they haven't experienced it?"

Mrs. Sheng immediately looked helpless and said:
"The family is rich, and every family that marries off their daughter will send a huge dowry to the man's family, not to mention the merchant family like the first wife and the young talent Sun Xiucai back then."

"After all, it all depends on Mr. Sun."

Judging from the current results, it is obvious that Mr. Sun is not the one in a million all-rounder.

"Uh-huh!"

The three pretty faces on the side all nodded in approval at the same time.

"If that's the case, it's better to separate as soon as possible."

Rulan recalled how her mother Sun looked in the side hall just now, and felt that if she were Sister Shulan's replacement, she would definitely not be able to bear it.

"It's not as easy as you say."

Hualan gave her sister another flick of the wrist:
"You think it's easy. Even if the elders of the first house agree, how can we be sure that the Sun family will release the person?"

"Besides, even if Shulan is released, it will affect her reputation."

"A girl's reputation, whether she is married or not, is closely related to the reputation of her sisters. If one prospers, all prosper, and if one suffers, all suffer. Not to mention that there is still an unmarried sister, Pinlan, in the first house."

As she spoke, Hua Lan looked towards Old Lady Sheng and said:
"If Shulan returns to the Sheng Mansion, Pinlan's marriage will be difficult to arrange. I'm afraid my great-grandmother and great-aunt also have such concerns."

Old Madam Sheng nodded and said:

"That's the root of the problem. Your great grandmother talked to me about the Sun family a while ago. She has always wanted Shulan to divorce. Although your great aunt is distressed, she is thinking about Pinlan at home, so she has been hesitant to make a decision."

Rulan added bluntly:
"Maybe he's still dreaming of passing the imperial examination."

"Snapped!"

Rulan's forehead once again welcomed the warm greetings from her elder sister.

Hualan gave Rulan a hard blow this time, which was much louder than before. She frowned and said:

"This is considered as presumptuous discussion!"

Rulan's beautiful eyes were full of water. She felt that her sister was retaliating against her:

"When we get back to Bianjing, I'm going to tell my mother about you!"

"go Go!"

Hualan looked relaxed.

If Rulan went to her mother to complain, it would become the plot of "Who are you in this hall and why are you suing me?"

Not afraid at all.

"It's good for you to watch this."

Suddenly, Mrs. Sheng looked at Minglan and Rulan and said meaningfully:
"If marrying down is so difficult, marrying up in the future will be even more precarious. Even if you make it through all the thorns, in the end, your days will be mostly a grind, and there will be no turning back." After these words were spoken, Rulan and Minglan both fell into deep thought.

Minglan's face looked heavy.

Rulan lowered her brows and thought for a while, then made a bitter face and said pitifully:

"Grandma, my granddaughter can neither marry down nor marry up. Will my only options in the future be the families of my father's colleagues?"

Rulan knew that she was not as good as her sister Hualan, nor did she have such good luck.

Therefore, in her heart, she had originally thought that if she had to get married in the future, she would marry into a good, poor family, so that she could live an easy and happy life.

But now, with the experience of her sister Shulan and the teachings of her grandmother in mind, she began to feel uneasy.

"Ah You?"

Mrs. Sheng actually said this to Minglan. Rulan has a lot of titles behind her, and as time goes by, I'm afraid the titles will gradually be refined and upgraded.

This doesn't apply to her, it's just a bonus at most.

If she hadn't known that Rulan had the same temperament as her mother Wang Ruofu, Mrs. Sheng would have thought she was showing off.

Therefore, after hearing Rulan's complaints, Mrs. Sheng didn't know what to say for a moment.

Could it be that, granddaughter, you are fine, you have a strong background, and you can get married easily?
"What do you choose?"

Fortunately, Hualan came to the rescue at this time. She carried Rulan out with one hand, saying:

"When have you ever thought about your marriage? Come back to the room with me and sleep."

Be good, sister, this is not your area.

As for your future marriage, please wait for my mother and I to help you plan it.

The voices of Hualan and Rulan were getting farther and farther away.

"Hey, sister, what are you saying? I am just expressing my feelings based on what I saw."

"Don't be so emotional. You should take the time to wash up and go to bed."

"..."

inside the house.

Old Madam Sheng did not take this opportunity to continue chatting with Minglan. Instead, she looked at Minglan and said in a gentle tone:

"Tomorrow, you should go back to bed early. Your brother Changwu's wedding is coming up in a few days, so you should get enough rest."

"It's...Grandma."

……

Two days later.

Kang Yuner entered Yuyang accompanied by her biological brother.

It was the time when Changwu and Kang Yuner were getting married.

In the hall of Sheng Mansion.

Chang Wu, dressed in a bright red groom's uniform, and Kang Yun Er, dressed in a green wedding dress and covering her face with a round fan, served tea to Sheng Wei and Li, who were sitting in the main seats in the hall.

Although Kang Yuner covered her face, Hua Lan knew clearly what Kang Yuner looked like. She had soft eyes and gentle features, and she had a gentle and intellectual air.

Seeing her sister Hualan staring at the newlyweds greeting each other in the hall, as if in a daze, Rulan could not help but move closer to them, with a sly look in her eyes, and joked:

"Sister, are you remembering your past self?"

"I've worn that wedding dress before, so it's nothing special. I'm just thinking about how you'll look in it in the future."

Hearing this, Hualan's eyelashes curled up and she glared at Rulan:
"And I'm not looking at me, I'm looking at you."

"Me? What does it have to do with me?" Rulan blinked her big eyes with a silly look on her face.

"Weren't you thinking about your marriage the night before last?"

Hua Lan turned her head and blinked a few times at her sister, smiling mischievously:
"I was thinking that when I return to Bianjing, I will discuss your marriage with my mother."

"I...I?"

Rulan was stunned for a moment.

Ever since her plan to marry down was shattered by Sister Shulan's example the night before, Rulan secretly made up her mind not to talk about marriage until she could think of a better way than marrying down.

Therefore, she now wishes she could hide her head under the quilt and under the veil so that no one can see her face. She never thought that she would reach the age of 15 next year and would not be able to talk about marriage.

How can you urge marriage in advance?
No, absolutely not!
"I'm still young, why are you in such a hurry?"

After saying that, he didn't even dare to look at his sister's eyes which were so close to him, and immediately pulled Minglan away in panic.

Minglan was stuffing cakes into her mouth when Rulan suddenly grabbed her hand. She didn't react for a moment:
"Fifth...Fifth sister? Why are you running? Is someone chasing you?"

Today, the eldest son of the Sheng family held his wedding, and the girl he married was from the Kang family, a family of nobles in Bianjing City. Although the Kang family has declined, that was only limited to powerful families. Compared with ordinary officials, that was a family that was out of reach.

Therefore, although the eldest branch of the Sheng family was a merchant family and their children did not have any Jinshi title, Youyang County Magistrate Chen He still gave face to Sheng Hong and the Kang family and attended the Changwu wedding.

Chen He.

Just like his name, he is amiable and makes money quietly. Just like his predecessors as Youyang County magistrates, he always maintains a good relationship with the Sheng family.

But today Chen He's mind is not entirely on the wedding.

Sitting at the main table, while the people around him were flattering him, Chen He would look around from time to time, hoping to see someone from Bian Jing.

The arrival of Mrs. Sheng and her entourage made quite a big fuss, and since Chen He had passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, he was certainly not a fool. He immediately guessed that it was probably the daughter of the second branch of the Sheng family who had come.

As the magistrate of Youyang County, Chen He not only maintained a good relationship with the local tyrant family Sheng, but also got to know their background clearly.

"The Yang family master definitely didn't come. After all, he had just been selected as a Hanlin Academy Scholar, so how could he spare the time?"

Whenever Chen He thought of the Sheng family's reputation, he would feel envious from time to time.

Why couldn’t I give birth to such a good daughter?

Even if I'm not the second wife of the Sheng family, I can be the first wife of the Sheng family and get some of the benefits!
As the glasses were clinking, some of the wine spilled onto Chen He's beard.

Reaching out and touching it, what comes into view is mottled gray and white.

The pride of the scholar who had just entered the officialdom had long been worn away by the years, otherwise he would not be sitting at the Sheng family's table today.

Chen He knew clearly that if he did not curry favor with the powerful and noble, and relied on himself alone, he would probably never be able to find the gate of Bianjing or step into the court hall in his lifetime.

Then think about your useless sons who can't even get the title of Juren...

Chen He was unwilling to see his family prosper only during his generation and eventually become a country bumpkin.

Since you can sit at the merchant's table, why can't you sacrifice your face and curry favor with the nobles?
And the wife of Marquis Pingyang happened to arrive in Youyang at this time.

Chen He must consider whether this is his only chance in his life.

Of course, based on the actions of the Sheng family, Chen He understood that the wife of the Marquis of Pingyang did not want to publicize the fact that she had arrived in Youyang.

As to whether he looked down on a low-ranking official and a country girl, or was worried that she would overshadow the official, Chen He didn't know.

But one thing is clear, that is, the wife of Marquis Pingyang does not want to be disturbed.

Therefore, Chen He did not dare to take the initiative to visit him.

After all, he came here to seek a way out, not to cause trouble.

If everything went according to normal, Chen He felt that he would not find any opportunity to curry favor.

but……

As his thoughts turned, Chen He turned his head to look at the ugly woman who was greeting the guests warmly at the guest table, and the scholar who was inviting people to drink not far away...

(End of this chapter)