"Well... maybe it's because we, Xingqi, are so beautiful that we want to marry her back as our daughter-in-law?"
"Sister-in-law!"
Shen Xingqi's little face turned pink again.
Cheng Xi couldn't help but stretched out his sinful hand and pinched it, "Do you know Mr. Du from Huaishan Academy?"
"I met that gentleman when I was a child. He was the father of Mrs. Du Er and Mrs. Xie."
"Well, Mr. Du and Mr. Jiang have been friends for many years. He has taught countless students, and your brother is one of them. Now his son-in-law has just become the prefect of Lin'an Prefecture."
Shen Xingqi was pulling her out of the seventh-floor attic at this time. She blinked when she heard this, "Sister-in-law, you mean that Mr. Xie's promotion has something to do with Mr. Du?"
"What do you think?"
"Master Xie has always had a good reputation. He was once the prefect of Lin'an Prefecture, and his outstanding political achievements were only one step away from the prefect. However, our Lin'an Prefecture has always been prosperous, and there must be many officials who want to come here."
Shen Xingqi is a smart girl who knows everything. She smiled when she saw Cheng Xi and continued her analysis:
"Mr. Du's eldest son is an official in the capital. He married a noble girl in the capital. He must be well-known in the capital. Most of Mr. Du's disciples are in Lin'an Mansion. The younger son is also a master of the academy. In this way, Mr. Xie It’s most appropriate to become the prefect.”
Cheng Xi looked at her in surprise. Unexpectedly, she just said a word and the little girl smoothed things over.
】
"It is undeniable that Mr. Xie has political achievements and is very good, but this can only make his name appear on the candidate list of Lin'an Prefect."
"So the Du family's connections in Beijing and Lin'an play a decisive role?"
"That's right. Since ancient times, official circles have paid attention to personal connections, whether for promotion or communication. The major families don't have as much knowledge as Master Du. Most of them use marriage and kinship to get closer to each other, thus weaving a dense network."
Shen Xingqi stopped and stood under the peach tree, thinking, "Did those ladies just want to marry me to win over my brother?"
"In the entire Lin'an Mansion, my husband is indeed the student with the greatest potential. If nothing happens, he will definitely have a place in the officialdom in the future."
Cheng Xi continued to guide, "The first-level candidates in the palace examination will directly enter the Hanlin Academy, and from the sixth- and seventh-level official positions, the second-level candidates may enter other yamen in the capital. Most of the rest of the Jinshi and the same Jinshi are sent to work as ninth-level county magistrates."
"But the ladies sitting in the Peach Blossom Pavilion are all of good status. The magistrate, general magistrate and several generals are all higher than the seventh rank. Even if my brother stays in the Hanlin Academy for a few years, he will not be able to do it for a short period of time."
"Yes, even if the daughter is married high and the daughter-in-law is married low, the marriage between the two families cannot be too different."
"So they are for the bastard in the family?"
A direct son cannot marry, but a bastard can. Which big family doesn't have a few troublesome bastards these days?
Shen Xingqi turned and looked at the Peach Blossom Pavilion not far away. Most of the ladies brought young ladies who had not left the pavilion. They were gathering in small groups and chatting happily. And the ladies who were holding the hands of other people's little girls showed joy and looked at them. The little girl's face was either generous and decent or her face was blushing. How did it look like her just now?
meaning--
"Sister-in-law, I don't want to get married!"
It's so scary.
The little girl was frightened. She originally thought that what she was attending today was a flower-viewing banquet where she recited poems and composed poems, but she never expected that it was actually a blind date banquet!
Cheng Xi was amused by her evasive reaction, and laughed while holding on to a tree.
Shen Xingqi held her arm and acted coquettishly, "I don't want to marry, I'm still young."
"You're not young anymore. In a few months, she'll be hair-length."
"Sister-in-law~"
"Okay, I won't tease you anymore."
Cheng Xi had seen enough of her jokes, "I'm just telling you this to make you think twice. I'm not willing to marry such a beautiful little cutie."
"She is indeed a beautiful little cutie. Is this Miss Shen?"
A lady walked gracefully under the peach blossom tree, accompanied only by a smartly dressed girl, who didn't look like a maid.
Shen Xingqi put down her hands around Cheng Xi, took a half step back and turned into a lady for a second.
Cheng Xi was embarrassed when she saw this. She scattered a few petals of her dress and saluted the visitor with a smile.
"It turns out to be Mrs. Qin, and I am Cheng Xi. This is indeed my sister."
"Xingqi has met Mrs. Qin."
"I've heard Zheng'er talk about Mrs. Shen and Miss Shen a long time ago. That guy was away from home all day long. Didn't he cause you any trouble?"
"How could it be? Mr. Qin is both talented and beautiful, and he is also my husband's confidant. Every time he comes to visit, he and I exchange experiences."
Mrs. Qin thought of her son and sighed with a headache, "It's really hard for you to find someone with both talent and appearance to describe him."
"..." My mother's complaint was the most fatal.
"Young master Qin Qiu Wei must be very talented and learned when he wins the title of Jingjing. He also inherited some of your looks, madam. He is unparalleled in beauty. Naturally, he can bear the title of having both talent and appearance."
Mrs. Qin became even more sad, "So, if he is talented and handsome, why doesn't he rely on the gentle and elegant jade tree, the wind and the majestic atmosphere?"
"..." With all due respect, as long as he doesn't speak, he can still figure it out.
The smile on Cheng Xi's face almost froze.
She doesn't even want to see her own mother, so what can she do as an outsider?
"If I don't talk about him anymore, I'll get upset just thinking about him."
Mrs. Qin introduced the girl who had been silent beside her, "This is Song Yan, Xiaowei's sister. She currently lives in the Qin Mansion. Today the weather is just right, so she came with me to enjoy the flowers."
"It turns out to be Miss Song."
"Mrs. Shen, Miss Shen."
The other party smiled sweetly at the two of them, with a bit of playfulness, "I heard from my brother that Shenjia Village is a good place. Can I go visit Mrs. Shen to play?"
"Of course, Miss Song is welcome at any time."
Song Yan's facial features were indeed somewhat similar to Song Zhi's. Cheng Xi looked at her clothes again and guessed that she was a martial arts practitioner.
——Song Zhi is from the capital, and Song Yan was originally in the capital. Why did she come here?
When Mrs. Qin heard the two men mentioning Shenjia Village, she looked serious, "I have to thank you and your husband for helping me when there was a flood in the house that day. After the city gate was cleared, I originally wanted to come to thank you immediately, but I was delayed by some chores." .”
"Madam, you are serious. The Qin family's merchant ship has recently transported more than ten ships of food to Lin'an Prefecture for disaster relief. It has made a great contribution, and both your husband and I admire it."
"How can it be the same? No matter how big it is, you can't overcome the grace of saving your life. You and Zheng'er are equals, can I call you Xi'er?"
"sure."
"Is there anything going on at home in Xi'er in the next three days? I heard that Shenjia Village is located at the foot of Shennong Mountain and is very picturesque. My master and I are welcome to join in the fun?"
"I'm looking forward to Mr. Qin and his wife. I will definitely sweep the couch to welcome them."
"Since I already call you Xi'er, just call me aunt."
"Aunt Qin."
Shen Xingqi, who was beside her, also called her aunt under Mrs. Qin's expectant gaze, and Mrs. Qin smiled even brighter.
