There was once a poem that said: "Fireworks fall in Yangzhou in March." Although it is already November, the city of Yangzhou in late autumn still does not look depressed. A few house finches stand on the bridge in twos and twos, and the scholars and ladies visiting the lake are laughing in pairs. The cool breeze blows gently, and the ginkgo trees on the shore have turned from green to yellow. The beauty of the gradient is set against the peach blossoms on the human face, which is poetic and picturesque. It’s no wonder that Du Mu lamented, “The green mountains are faintly covered by the water, but the grass in the south of the Yangtze River has not withered after autumn”!
Today's Dongdu Liushou Mansion, the whole manor has been busy going back and forth since morning. Some young and inexperienced maidservants couldn't help but curiously asked the steward a few questions, then blushed with embarrassment, and then trotted to the back hall to serve. The new uncle came to visit, bringing rare joy and vitality to this originally sluggish left-behind mansion.
I just received news from the city gatekeeper that Zhou Zong had put on a brand new purple round-neck robe. He wore a gold-inlaid jade necklace given to him by his ancestor Li Min specially around his waist. His carefully trimmed long beard swayed in the breeze. Swinging gently, others could tell that the old man was of high status at a glance. At this time, he had led his attendants and stood outside the door to greet him.
"Prime Minister, Li Yuhou must be here!" The steward next to Zhou Zong is nearly fifty years old. He has been following Zhou Zong since he was appointed by the late emperor as a servant. Now he is one of Zhou Zong's few confidants.
Everyone looked up and saw that the long line of carriages and horses not far away had slowly crossed the arch bridge and were heading towards the Liushou Mansion. The leaders were three young men riding tall horses. The man in the middle was guarded. He had a face like a crown of jade and was wearing a purple robe. He was the most conspicuous. He was Li Yuan, the youth capital of the Tang Dynasty who was currently in the limelight. Naturally, the two brothers beside him were Liu Jiangsheng and Luo Erhu.
"Father-in-law!" Li Yuan saw Zhou Zong coming out to greet him in person. He hurriedly clapped his horse and came forward. After walking about thirty steps, he dismounted and paid homage: "Father-in-law comes out of the house to greet you. How can this be done? My son-in-law pays homage to my father-in-law!"
Zhou Zong's old face seemed to have been squeezed into deep folds by the smile: "Why not? It will be good if the good son-in-law returns safely!"
The following groups of carriages and horses also arrived one after another, but the queue was a bit long, which attracted curious pedestrians to stop and watch. Seeing this, Zhou Zong frowned slightly and said to Li Yuan in a low voice: "It is not easy for the virtuous son-in-law's imperial army to enter the city, lest they be criticized..."
Li Yuan naturally knew that Zhou Zong had good intentions. Although he had asked for leave from the emperor for this trip, and the accompanying battalion of imperial guards also had permission from the military commanders, but according to military regulations, he could only be allowed to leave when passing through the state capital. When staying at the post station, unless there are special circumstances, you must not enter the city without permission. Otherwise, if the imperial censor writes a memorial, he may be charged with rebellion and rebellion.
"Father-in-law, don't worry. Since my son-in-law has taken charge of the army, he must abide by the court's orders. These brothers are helping me escort the bride price! After a while, my son-in-law ordered them to station outside the city." Li Yuan smiled leisurely. .
Seeing that Zhou Zong was still frowning, Li Yuan added: "My son-in-law also asked for permission from the Yangzhou envoy for this matter. I guess the matter was rushed, and Yang Duen had not reported it to his father-in-law. This time it was my son-in-law." It’s too abrupt!”
Zhou Zong immediately smiled and shook his head helplessly: "You are good at doing things!" As a guard in Dongdu, he naturally knew what his subordinates were thinking. How could they dare to stop Li Yuan, Zhou's uncle's men, for fear of grabbing the city? Door!
With the support of Liu Jiangsheng and Luo Erhu, Ms. Liu also staggered out of the carriage. Then Zhou Zong showed complete enthusiasm, talking to her relatives one by one. At the same time, she also had no shortage of praise for her son Li Yuan, and made several affectionate remarks. After getting acquainted with each other, the steward of the Zhou Mansion immediately ordered a group of servants to open the doors of the house. Jie Gu and Konghou, who were invited to the warm-up party, also rolled up their elbows and cooperated hard. Crowds of people entered the house in a bustling manner. It was so lively!
"A-Sister, this house is really grand! Is Li Yuhou's father-in-law richer than the governor of Chuzhou?" Wang Jingguo, the younger brother of the Wang family who followed Li Yuan and his entourage into the mansion, got off the carriage. The mouth opened wide due to shock has not been closed. At this time, Wang Jingyao, who was holding the same timid face next to him, kept sighing.
But Wang Jingyao's thoughts were not here. Along the way, ever since she entered the prosperous east capital of Tang Dynasty, she was like those girls who never left home. She was nervous and looked around curiously. Until she stepped into this huge left-behind mansion and saw with her own eyes the pavilions with intricately carved walls and cornices, and passed by the gardens with goose-neck stone paths and rockeries, she felt inexplicably calmer, even a little calmer than before. The fantasies that I shouldn’t have also disappeared.
Is this the family that wants to marry Brother Yuan? She really has a bright future, and only such a good woman can be worthy of Brother Yuan... Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile to herself, and whispered: "Wang Jingyao, now that I have met such a good man, You should be self-aware..."
"Sister, what are you thinking about? Walk quickly, Brother Liu asked us to go in and pass!"
Seeing Wang Jingguo in front of him in new clothes, with his rosy face regaining the vigor that a young man should have, Wang Jingyao quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and responded with a smile: "Yes!"
...
It was already after the luncheon by the time the steward registered all the betrothal gifts brought by Li Yuan into the mansion and reported them to Zhou Zong. Zhou Zong listened quietly to the steward's whisper, his eyes flashing uncontrollably.
After a moment, he smiled kindly at Li Yuan who was chatting with Mrs. Liu: "Wedding matters require three books and six etiquette. Although my Zhou Mansion is not as good as the emperor's relatives, it can still be regarded as a high-class residence. This is a good son-in-law." The first time I visited the Eastern Capital, I sent the betrothal letter along with it, so eagerly that I was caught off guard."
"Father-in-law, in my son-in-law's heart, Ehuang is like the Nine Heavens Mysterious Girl. No one can compare with me! Marriage matters must be done according to ancient rituals! But my mother said that even if my son-in-law is lucky enough to be granted an official position, he must always remember my family. I come from a humble background and belong to a rural family. My father-in-law promised me his love for my daughter, but he also wronged Emperor E. Therefore, I gave the betrothal gift first to express my son-in-law's sincerity."
Zhou Zong looked at Li Yuan's sincere expression, shook his head and said with a smile: "Xian son-in-law, you are now someone who is valued by His Majesty. You must not be too self-disgraced. Don't you think heroes are born in the wilderness? If I hadn't been promoted by the late emperor back then, , still a small official in Huainan."
"That's all! Now that the betrothal gift has been given, let's follow the order in the two letters. Once we have informed the ancestral temple and set a date for the wedding, I will return to the capital and let you know."
"Thank you, father-in-law." Li Yuan was also very happy. Since he had planned to get married, he was excited but also remembered more than one night how complicated the marriage etiquette and customs of this era were. However, no matter how impatient he was, he had to follow the rules honestly, otherwise he would not only offend the Zhou family, but also the Zhou family. I'm sorry to Emperor Zhou E. Fortunately, Zhou Zong was enlightened and did not resist Li Yuan's decision to give the betrothal gift first, which saved him some energy.
Taking advantage of Zhou Zong's happiness, Li Yuan began to become nervous. He had a serious discussion with Liu last night and decided to truthfully report an important matter to Zhou Zong today.
Li Yuan took a deep breath, stood up and walked to Zhou Zong in front of everyone, bowed solemnly and said: "Father-in-law, my son-in-law has something that I need to discuss with my father-in-law. If there is anything wrong, please ask my father-in-law." Don’t get angry!”
Zhou Zong was stunned for a while, and then thought to himself, Li Yuan said it so seriously, could it be possible that he would get into the same trouble as last time? But out of the thought that he already regarded Li Yuan as the same family, Zhou Zong still kept smiling: "A good son-in-law, but you can say it, I am all ears."
Li Yuan raised his eyes and glanced at Mr. Liu, who was also restless, and then said in a serious tone: "Father-in-law, I want to take a concubine."
The laughter and laughter in the hall suddenly stopped. Except for the Liu family who had known the truth earlier, Liu Jiangsheng, Luo Erhu and Xu Kuangheng all looked at Li Yuan in astonishment. The steward of the Zhou Mansion and all the maidservants clenched their knuckles, even showing expressions of disdain.
"Bang!" After a moment of silence, Zhou Zong seemed unable to hold back, and swept down the tea cup beside him. Then he gasped urgently, and his gray beard trembled violently: "You, you are not married yet. Wife, how dare you take a concubine! It is in vain that the Zhou family values you, Li Yuan, to be humiliated like this! You are destroying your own future!"
Li Yuan always lowered his head and allowed Zhou Zong to scold him. He knew the consequences before he said these words.
Although taking concubines was a common thing in ancient times, it was not something you could do just because you wanted to! They all marry wives first and then take concubines. Moreover, concubines were usually taken into the family only after the wife had nothing to do within a year. If you take a concubine before marrying a wife, word spread will definitely affect the reputation of the family and may affect your future career. The more senior officials are, the more they pay attention to rules.
After all, Zhou Zong was the founding minister of the country. After controlling the power of salt and iron in the Southern Tang Dynasty for decades, his family was one of the richest. With such a prominent family, Emperor Zhou E had never been a member of the family, let alone had no children. How could he allow Li Yuan rashly takes a concubine?
Li Yuan is naturally not stupid. If he really wanted to take a concubine, he would certainly not choose to marry before marrying a wife, otherwise he would be seeking death.
It's just that as the future mistress of the family, Emperor Zhou E must obtain her consent for concubines in the future, otherwise the family will definitely be uneasy. Li Yuan didn't understand her temperament, so after discussing with Mr. Liu last night, he decided to test Zhou Zong first. After all, he was the head of the Zhou family. Although it was indeed a bit presumptuous, Li Yuan still did it, whether out of respect or conscience.
"Father-in-law, you have misunderstood my son-in-law! Don't be so angry! My son-in-law knows how to behave. He is not a lustful person who is always around, and he will not bring shame to the family. Therefore, he will never take a concubine before Emperor E comes in. Even so. If you want to take a concubine, you will naturally need permission from Emperor E."
When Zhou Zong heard this, he seemed to be breathing a little calmer, and then asked coldly: "Since you know what's appropriate, what do you mean by just now?"
Li Yuan held his breath and said sincerely: "Father-in-law, can you listen to me elaborate? The concubine that my son-in-law wants to take also entered the house today, and her name is Wang Jingyao. My son-in-law has known her since he was a child in Wangjiazhuang... ..."
Then Li Yuan told Zhou Zong without reservation how he met Wang Jingyao when he was a child, and the stories that happened after that, including all his previous experiences in Chuzhou. The story is a bit twisty and lengthy, but everyone is not heartless. When they heard the end, they all had some sympathy for the fate of the woman in Li Yuan's mouth, and they also understood a little bit about the reason why Li Yuan took concubines.
"...That's it. Humans are not grass and trees, how can they be ruthless? Wang Jingyao and her brother are now homeless. Since the son-in-law has known her for a long time and reunited today, how can he abandon her? But the son-in-law My son-in-law is already engaged, and I can't live up to the wishes of my father-in-law and Emperor E. Therefore, after discussing with my mother, I rashly testify today that everything is my son-in-law's fault. If my father-in-law has any grievances, just come to me!"
The air was filled with anxiety for a long time, and Zhou Zong was struggling in his heart. He was an extremely conservative person, and often criticized some ministers in the court for taking concubines at will, and he even despised this behavior. Therefore, when Li Yuan first revealed his request to take concubines, his favorable impression of Li Yuan suddenly dropped, and he even regretted it. Your own choice.
But what Li Yuan said next was sincere and reasonable, and even he felt deep sympathy for Wang Jingyao. Looking at Mr. Liu who was standing aside and silent, he knew that what Li Yuan said was true. Then Li Yuan is not the ungrateful and lecherous maniac he imagined, but has become a man of his word and love.
At this point, Zhou Zong smiled awkwardly, then leaned back weakly, sighed for a long time, and finally said: "Alas! A good son-in-law can be honest and aboveboard! That's all! That's all! Since you are in love, you can't abandon it. Li Yuan's taking a concubine is a matter for your own family, and I can't make the decision. But you need to remember that Emperor E must not take a concubine before she comes. If you want to take a concubine, you need to ask her. Don't It ruined the reputation of our family! We missed a great future!"
"Thank you, father-in-law! My father-in-law is enlightened, which is really a blessing to our family! Father-in-law, please rest assured that my son-in-law will never let down Emperor E in this life!" Li Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he knew that Zhou Zong was still very divided in his heart, he No matter what, since I have truthfully explained everything in advance, I think when I mention this matter to Emperor Zhou E in the future, at least her reaction will not be so violent.
Zhou Zong closed his eyes tightly. Under the seemingly calm surface, there was a turbulent turmoil in his heart, and he couldn't stop complaining!
If I had known this, why would I bother to invite so many colleagues and old relatives, and even move out of His Highness King Yan, to help you solve the trouble in Chuzhou? !
Who would have expected that a salt-smuggling case would turn out to be a marriage! To put it this way, I actually made it happen with my own hands! Ehuang, daddy can't help you...
