A big happy event has happened in Xuzhou Prefecture recently. The Zhang family in Dongcheng is getting married. The Zhang family is not an ordinary family but a big merchant in Xuzhou City. They sell firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea. They are known as the largest salt merchants and cloth merchants in Xuzhou Prefecture.
In this era, it is not easy to be a salt merchant. You must have a salt guide (similar to the business license of later generations) and salt silver is not something ordinary people can get. You must have someone from the government, so the Zhang family has an official backing.
However, although the Zhang family had a huge fortune, they only had one daughter. No matter how hard Zhang Laishui, three wives and four concubines tried, nothing came of it, so he accepted his fate and regarded his only daughter, Zhang Biyun, as the apple of his eye, and let the matchmaker step on her. It was also like a rattle that shook his head. Firstly, there were few people he could like, secondly, he wanted to keep his daughter by his side for a few more years, and thirdly, he had always wanted to find a son-in-law.
But who knew that one day Mrs. Xing would come to ask for a kiss.
Who is this Mrs. Xing?
The wife of Xuzhou Commander-in-Chief Gao Jie.
Who is Gao Jie?
One of the great warlords of the dynasty, even though there was no vassal king in Xuzhou, he was the king!
But for such a domineering master, he was a henpecked person. You can imagine how powerful Mrs.
Zhang Laishui did not dare to refuse Mrs. I also took a fancy to it.
So the marriage was settled, and the wedding was postponed until recently. As a wealthy family, it is inevitable that gossips would ask here and there about the man's background. This inquiry surprised him. He is from the capital, and there are When talking about Beijing, some say about Nanjing. Some people say that he served under Gao Jie, while others said that he served in the Beijing camp. He is a young and promising general, but this is not the most important thing. The important thing is that he is said to be from the Chang family in Nanjing.
The Chang family in Nanjing is naturally not an ordinary family with the surname Chang. Yes, he is the current Huaiyuan Marquis after King Chang Yuchun of Kaiping.
As for whether it is a direct lineage or a side branch, it is not clear and it does not matter. This life experience and background are definitely worthy of the Zhang family. After all, no matter how big and wealthy the Zhang family is, they are just businessmen. The status of businessmen these days is not high. Marrying into the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion is definitely a high achievement.
She was an only child from a rich family, and she married into a wealthy family, so Zhang Laishui had to make a big deal. After the news spread, the whole Xuzhou city was talking about the marriage. Baba was waiting for the wedding to start, so he had to go and say hello. Ask for some favors.
In the past few days, two distinguished guests came to the General Military Mansion. Gao Jie was so happy that he couldn't close his mouth for several days. The first one who came was a Taoist priest, whom many people didn't know, but Gao Jie treated him with great courtesy. Treat each other because he is Li Muxian, the confidant of Chang Yu, the eunuch of Dongchang.
Li Muxian left Beijing several days before Chang Yu. Naturally, he came to Xuzhou to organize Chang Yu's wedding, such as choosing an auspicious day and a good time, and various procedures. As Li Banxian, who knows everything, there is no one better than him as a wedding butler. A more suitable candidate.
Almost immediately, another distinguished guest came to the door. This was a real distinguished guest, and it even caused a sensation in Xuzhou City, because he was the Queen of Zhongshan, the current Marquis of Huaiyuan, Chang Yanling!
Chang Yu has recognized the clan and has been recognized by the elders in the clan. According to seniority, Chang Yanling is called uncle. However, as a eunuch, whether he can be included in the family tree caused controversy within the clan, Chang Yanling decided to put it aside for a while. Discuss later.
Ever since Chang Yu recognized his ancestor, Chang Yanling has been sighing for countless nights, especially during the time when Chang Yu was marching to the south. After hundreds of years, the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion finally had a figure, but it was a pity that He is a eunuch, how wonderful it would be if he were not a eunuch!
However, no matter how regretful and regretful he was, he could not change Chang Yu's status as an eunuch.
Until a while ago, a Dongchang fanzi sent a secret letter from Chang Yu, telling him that he was getting married and that he would get married as the queen of Huaiyuan. To put it bluntly, he had two identities in this world. Two lives, one is an invincible power eunuch of the dynasty, and the other is a descendant of Huaiyuan Hou, a young general who served in the army in Nanjing, and his pseudonym is Chang Yaozong. The meaning of this name is obvious at first glance. In fact, Chang Yu I originally wanted to call him Chang Jizu, but then I thought that Chang Yuchun's grandson should be called Chang Jizu. He couldn't have the same name as his ancestor.
Chang Yanling could understand Chang Yu's longing for a normal life for ordinary people, so he agreed without hesitation, and then went to Xuzhou to host the wedding as the head of the groom's family. To put it bluntly, he was here to grow his face. Although Huaiyuan The Marquis is almost a marginalized person in the circle of nobles, but in the eyes of ordinary people and wealthy families, he is still out of reach.
Chang Yu is now the most outstanding figure in the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion, and Chang Yanling has an indescribable feeling for him. He is proud that the Chang family has produced such an extraordinary talent, but he is embarrassed and difficult to talk about it because of his status as a eunuch. Contradictory and regretful, but also very admired and convinced. It can be said that he is extremely complicated in his heart.
Chang Yanling's sudden visit surprised Gao Jie. If receiving Li Muxian was of a high standard, then receiving Chang Yanling was like treating him like a biological father. He was called a Marquis every time and it was like a kiss!
The government and the public knew very little about the fact that the chief eunuch was after the King of Zhongshan. Except for the emperor, only a few nobles had heard about it. Someone had gone to the Chang family to ask and the answers they got were all specious, neither admitting nor denying.
Because admitting or not admitting is a double-edged sword, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Not denying or not admitting is the best choice, leaving room for them to figure out and understand for themselves.
But Gao Jie knew that, not to mention that Chang Yanling was still a veteran nobleman. Naturally, he, a newcomer who had just entered the industry, had to be more courteous. When they met, he congratulated Chang Yanling on his promotion and wealth.
Chang Yanling waved his hands and laughed. He could be promoted, but he couldn't make money casually and he would be investigated by the court.
Chang Yanling followed Chang Yu in the southern expedition. Although he did not make any outstanding military exploits, he was promoted after returning to Nanjing. The commander of the Nanjing Jinyi Guards was originally a vacancy. The real power was in the hands of a branch of Wei Guogong Xu's family, but this time It had been taken over by the Chang family.
As mentioned before, the imperial court had a treatment for nobles called "Enyin Jilu", which meant placing idle children of noble nobles in some idle yamen. There were many yamen in Nanjing with idle positions, and many children of noble families were in these positions. Among them, only the Jinyiwei yamen still has some real power, and thus it has become a popular one. It has been in the hands of several noble families, and most of them ended up in the Xu family.
Historically, Chang Yanling also served as the commander of the Jinyiwei, but during Chang Yu's time, the commander of the Nanjing Jinyiwei was vacant. After the Southern Expedition, the court directly filled the gap for Chang Yanling.
Some people say that this is a normal rotation, others say that this is the promotion of Huaiyuan Hou for his achievements in suppressing bandits in the south, and some people say that this is the emperor's purpose to check and balance Wei Guogong's power in Nanjing.
There are different opinions, but no one can tell clearly the facts and truth, but no matter what, the most powerful yamen in Nanjing is in the hands of the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion.
One person, two worlds.
Not many people know that Chang Yu is getting married, but Chang Yaozong's wedding has been known to everyone in Xuzhou City. The reason is very simple. The woman is from the largest salt merchant in Xuzhou City, and the man is said to be from the King of Kaiping. He is a side branch and has a close relationship with Gao Jie, the commander-in-chief of Xuzhou. The marriage of a wealthy family is naturally talked about.
I just watched the excitement and listened to the excitement, and only heard rumors and specious stories. In fact, many details here were deliberately ignored or changed. The Zhang family did not declare that their son-in-law and Gao Jie were brothers, because Gao Jie paid special attention to them. , saying that he has a big reputation is attracting attention. If this relationship is revealed, it will be harmful to Chang Yu's future. In fact, he is worried that interested people will hear it and easily associate it with Chang Yu. After all, Chang Yu and Gao Jie's affair, the court and the Some people in the upper echelons of the military knew.
Chang Yu's rationale for changing his name to Chang Yaozong was to avoid tabooing the current eunuch.
If the Zhang family has any doubtful identity?
Not at all. It can be said that they were fooled from the beginning, or they were brainwashed because the matchmaker was Mrs. Xing! They wouldn't even think of going anywhere else. Secondly, even Chang Yanling came to host the wedding. It was definitely a member of the Chang family. There was nothing to doubt.
As for why Chang Yanling came all the way to Xuzhou to host the wedding, their explanation to the Zhang family was that Chang Yu had lost his relatives since he was a child. Although he was a branch of the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion, he had been growing up under the care of the family head, so Chang Yanling was the head of the family. It’s family again!
But can't the head of the family just wait in Nanjing? How could he come with the groom to welcome the bride? This is a bit unreasonable.
No, it’s quite understandable!
Because Chang Yu didn’t go to Nanjing to get married, but in Xuzhou city!
The reason is very simple and unassailable. He is a side branch and both of his parents died when he was young. He has the right and freedom to settle down anywhere, so he bought a big house in Xuzhou and settled here. But it is definitely not an intrusion. The Zhang family also Deliberately let out that the man bought the house with his own money. The reason for such a deliberate explanation was entirely for the sake of the Huaiyuan Hou Mansion. After all, how could the people from the Huaiyuan Hou Mansion barge in on the door, although Chang Yu didn't care.
In fact, even if the Zhang family didn't explain, the people who were watching the excitement would not think that someone from the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion would barge in on the door. What a joke, that tree is a descendant of King Kaiping, we can't afford to shame that person.
It's just that many people don't know that the big house adjacent to the General Military Mansion was really bought by Zhang Laishui, but it wasn't bought by Chang Yu, but by Gao Jie's money. In other words, it was his property. But the happiest person about this incident was Zhang Laishui. He originally wanted to find a son-in-law who came to his house. Although Chang Yu didn't come to his house, what did this have to do with his coming to his house.
Hey, even though we don’t have a son, look at how upbeat our daughter is. What a blessing. Having found such a good son-in-law, in the future... Hehe, in Xuzhou Mansion, hehe...
