Wu Mansion.
Two distinguished guests came today.
One is Wen Jifu, the sixth son who was sentenced to Wen Yanbo of Henan Prefecture, and the other is the fifteenth mother who returned to the family.
Wu Anchi happened to be receiving them at home. After Wen Jifu and Fifteen Niang took their seats, the servants served tea.
Wen Jifu said with a smile: "This time I brought many pots of peonies from Luoyang by carriage and horse. I know that the people in the house usually like to enjoy peonies, so I hurried along slowly for fear of missing the flowering period."
Wu Anchi said with a smile: "It is said that the best peonies in the world are in Luoyang. You Luoyang people don't call them peonies, just call them flowers. It is said that the only real flower in the world is peonies. My brother-in-law is really thoughtful."
The fifteenth mother asked first: "Why don't you see your mother and two sisters-in-law?"
Wu Anzhi said: "Brother-in-law and sister just came from Luoyang. I don't know anything. The results of the palace examination are released today. My mother, your two sisters-in-law, and Shi Qi all went to the palace to watch the ceremony."
Wen Jifu smiled and said, "It's just a coincidence for us."
Wen Jifu and Fifteen Niang looked at each other.
The fifteenth mother said: "The letter from home said that Zhang's husband came second in the provincial examination, but is it true?"
Wu Anchi smiled slightly.
The fifteenth mother said displeased: "Brother, why are you still trying to get along with me?"
Wu Anchi smiled and said, "I don't dare to do that. Is my sister here to ask about her mother's well-being, or is she asking about Shi Qi's husband-in-law?"
The fifteenth mother said angrily: "Okay, my brother has grown up now and has learned to curse people in a roundabout way."
Wu Anchi said hurriedly: "I don't dare. Mr. Zhang's husband is indeed second in the provincial examination, but it's hard to say in the palace examination."
The fifteenth mother's eyes lit up and she said: "Since the provincial examination is the second best, the palace examination has great promise of the third tripod."
Wen Jifu said: "Nowadays, Jinshi is becoming more and more important. If you get the three-cauldron armor, it will be difficult for you not to become a high official."
Wu Anchi smiled bitterly and said: "How can there be such good luck? I just hope that I can not fall into the top three."
The fifteenth mother said: "I am so unambitious. This is what the husband of the Zhang family said. His vision is too narrow."
Wen Jifu said: "The Zhang family's husband may be modest, but it may not be that he has a shallow vision and no ambition. Besides, even his father read his articles and repeatedly praised Zhang Sanlang's future."
Wu Anzhi couldn't help but be moved, even Wen Yanbo praised Zhang Yue so much.
Just then Wu Anshi walked in, Wu Anzhi, Wen Jifu, and Fifteen Niang all stood up and saluted.
Wu Anshi smiled and said: "Looking at the so many peonies outside the flower house, I knew that my sister and brother-in-law had returned to Beijing from Luoyang."
As soon as the fifteenth mother met, she asked: "Brother, how is the seventeenth marriage? Has Mr. Zhang Sanlang come to propose marriage?"
Wu Anshi smiled slightly. The fifteenth mother and the seventeenth mother didn't like each other when they were at home. Now that they are getting married, they are concerned about their sister's marriage.
Wu Anshi sat down and drank a bowl of tea calmly. Seeing that his impatient sister was almost cold, he said slowly: "Well, that's about it."
"Why almost?"
Wu Anshi said: "The Zhang family has asked Mrs. Zhuang to come to the house to talk about matchmaking. Now the discussion is almost complete. We are waiting for the Jinshi to make a decision."
The fifteenth mother breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this, and then said: "Has everything been agreed upon? How much is the dowry? How much is the betrothal gift? Has everything been agreed upon?"
Wu Anshi sighed: "How much do you have for your dowry when you get married? How much do you have for Seventeen? Even though you are a concubine, there is no reason to favor one over the other. As for the betrothal gift, how much money can a poor family member bring? My mother said that they should give as much as they have. We don’t care.”
Upon hearing this, Fifteen Niang's face changed slightly, and Wen Jifu preempted Fifteen Niang's words by saying, "The children of the Han family are good. There are many talented people in the Han family. Besides, when Shi Qi is married, there is no need to worry about the clan comments in the township."
But I saw Wu Anshi saying: "My Wu family does not choose a son-in-law based on his family background, and he will never hold himself back, but..."
"It's just what... Could it be that Zhang Sanrou-kun is hooking up with some fireworks girl outside?"
As soon as the fifteenth mother said this, Wu Anshi, Wen and Fu looked a little unnatural on their faces.
However, Wu Anshi and Wen Jifu only have one theory. They think that they are not womanizers, but with his status and personality charm, they can't stand the temptation of others.
As for those who come from the Han family, there is a serious moral slope.
"Only the state officials are allowed to set fires, but the common people are not allowed to light lamps" is also a common practice among wealthy people.
Wen Jifu said: "I think Mr. Zhang Sanlang has strict rules and will never do this."
Fifteenth Mother asked with a hint of meaning: "Is this really true?"
Wen Jifu smiled and didn't respond.
Wu Anshi said: "Sister, there are no people in this world who don't eat the fireworks of the world. They just happen to be not hungry. But that's not what I said. It's that Mr. Zhang's temperament is too stubborn. I tried it in the article before. When it comes to politics, when it comes to the equal taxation law for square fields, and when it comes to the outlines of the court, I almost got defeated by my old Taishan."
Wen Jifu and the fifteenth mother were all surprised: "This is actually happening."
"It's still a lie. Chunfu told me this. No wonder it wasn't on the provincial examination list before."
Wen Jifu said: "Fan Gong is too upright, and he doesn't even give up this little face."
Wu Anshi thought to herself that this was of course an official trick. The emperor liked lonely ministers. The more Fan Zhen acted like this, the more he left an impression on the emperor that he was not a party member.
Wu Anshi said: "If you don't see my brother-in-law, what will happen to Hebei now because of Fangtian's uniform dressing method? People are still surrounding the three ministers' yamen. Now Ouyang Gong is riding a tiger and can't get off. If Lao Taishan agrees here, wouldn't he be in a pit too?" ?”
The fifteenth mother asked: "What is the square field equalization tax law?"
Wen Jifu explained a few words, and then said: "Dad said that the Fangtian Equalization Tax Law is a good law, but it is too risky, and it is not a safe move. It needs to be implemented slowly. Mr. Ouyang... is too impatient."
The fifteenth mother was about to speak but stopped after hearing the words. Many things in the world have gone bad because of Xu Tu? However, Wen Jifu was her husband and it was difficult for her to refute him face to face.
Wu Anshi said: "This is not the first time that Mr. Ouyang has done this. Mr. Ouyang was a student of Prime Minister Yan, and Mr. Yan praised him as the second best of Han Yu. One year, the imperial court was in a hurry to deploy troops to Xixia. Mr. Ouyang paid a visit to Prime Minister Yan, but saw that a banquet was being held at his residence. Ouyang Gong wrote a poem and said satirically, "The master shares a common bond with the country, and is not only happy to have a prosperous harvest. He must pity the iron armor that is so cold to the bone that there are more than 400,000 soldiers stationed on the border."
"Xiang Yan was furious when he heard the poem. In the past Han Yu, who was also able to speak, went to Prime Minister Pei Du's house, but he said: 'The garden is poor and prosperous, but when the bells and drums are clear,' he never did this."
"Mr. Ouyang has been in court for many years, but he doesn't know how to restrain his words and deeds carefully, and disaster will come from his words. I think Mr. Zhang Sanlang is quite like Mr. Ouyang."
From then on, Yan Shu and Ouyang Xiu became enemies. After Yan Shu passed away, Ouyang Xiu wrote in his elegiac couplet to him that he had lived in wealth and leisure for fifty years, but he had always been wise and safe.
It's just that you haven't done anything since you became an official, and you have always been wise to protect yourself.
Wu Anshi talked a lot, not satisfied with this or that of Zhang Yue.
After a while, Wu Anshi got up and changed her clothes, while Wu Anchi went to see if the person who inquired about the results of the palace examination had returned.
The fifteenth mother asked Wen Jifu, "Why didn't you say anything just now?"
Wen Jifu said: "After all, this is an internal matter of the Wu family. Even though I am the son-in-law, I can't speak out."
"That Zhang Jialangjun..."
Wen Jifu said with a smile: "You care and you become confused. Think about it, if my brother-in-law hadn't really taken Sanlang as his sister-in-law, how could he have chosen this one or that one? He is talking like this now because Sanlang is not easy to handle." "
The fifteenth mother said: "I heard that this person is a bit arrogant."
Wen Jifu laughed and said, "Talented people are so arrogant that they can't be manipulated at will. I think such people are worthy of close friendship. Besides, a seventeen-year-old Jinshi as my sister-in-law can take care of the Wu family for at least thirty years. My brother-in-law You really got a bargain but still behaved well."
The fifteenth mother smiled and said: "My brother is just talking casually in front of his own people. He doesn't treat you as an outsider."
Wen Jifu said: "If I had such a brother-in-law, I would never say such things about him, even in front of my own family."
The fifteenth mother said: "I will know if you send peonies hundreds of miles from Luoyang."
Wen Jifu couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "If we give Sanlang gold and silver, he may not accept it, but it's different when a sister gives it to a sister. As long as this thread is held, nothing can change away from the sect."
The fifteenth mother asked doubtfully: "When will our Wen family rely on a Jinshi?"
Wen Jifu smiled and said: "It's not that I rely on it, but that my father respects me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have put in so much effort. My father once said that in this life, money, power, and fame are all three things. It's not difficult to get one of them. It's not difficult to get the other two." You will have to endure a lot of hardships. If you get the three of them, your destiny is not good enough, and you will suffer the consequences."
"Dad, as the prime minister, naturally had all three. Now he has retreated to Luoyang to avoid disaster. The only way to maintain wealth is to support young talents in the court. Of course, I also do it for myself, dad and eight Son, how can I stand out if I don’t make more capable friends?”
At this time, Wu Anshi changed her clothes and returned to the hall and asked with a smile: "What were you talking about just now?"
Wen Jifu said with a smile: "My wife and I were discussing what to give to the husband of the Zhang family after he becomes a Jinshi."
Wu Anshi smiled and said: "My family doesn't practice so many false etiquette."
At this time, Dan saw Wu Anchi running into the lobby in a hurry. As soon as he saw him, he shouted: "Brother, sister, brother-in-law! Hurry, it's terrible!"
"What's wrong? Are you being praised so quickly? How many of them are there?" Wu Anshi pretended to be careless and picked up a tea bowl to drink tea.
"I heard that he is the first in the first class!" Wu Anzhi said with a look of disbelief.
…………
Wu Anshi took a sip of tea and couldn't help but spit out: "It's too hot, what did you say?"
When Wen Jifu came, the fifteenth mother was stunned on the spot.
The fifteenth mother suddenly remembered that one day when the sisters of the Wu family were all unmarried, the eldest sister and the second sister were married into the prime minister's family. A fortune teller came to her door. Her mother happened to be at home that day, and she asked the fortune teller to meet them. The sisters were speechless.
The mother asked the fortune teller how he was doing?
The fortune-teller said: "Everyone who marries an official is rich and prosperous, so there is no need to talk too much."
Several sisters were very happy.
The fortune teller looked at Shi Qi again and said, "It's even more expensive than words can say."
The words were too many to say, and the fifteenth mother felt that the fortune teller was a bit unreliable. Later, several sisters married into the prime minister's family, so she forgot about it.
Could it be that these sisters all married from the prime minister's family, and the seventeenth one married to the prime minister in the future?
Wen Jifu was also shocked at first, but now he smiled and said: "The first place in the first class is the number one scholar, and he will definitely wear a goldfish bag in the future."
When the fifteenth mother heard this, her face turned pale and she was so depressed that she could not speak.
Wen Jifu guessed it right away by looking at Fifteen Niang's face.
Wu Anshi said: "It's such a huge happy event. Why don't the Zhang family send someone to deliver a message?"
Wen Jifu said: "I must have just received the news."
Wu Anshi said: "Second brother, you go to the palace to pick up your mother in person. Seventeen, and then send a servant to ride a fast horse to Huaidong and tell dad that my sister-in-law has won the first prize."
Wu Anchi agreed and asked: "Brother, where are you going?"
"I'll change my clothes first. Look, my robe is all wet."
Wu Anshi said she was changing clothes, so of course she hurried to Zhang's house, firstly to congratulate her, and secondly to urge the wedding.
