Chen Jingke did not ask anything about Wu Yuanshuang's affairs. He believed in the ability of people like Jing Hengyan to deal with people, so he returned to Zixiaoguan and started to get busy.

First, he went to Su Guogong's Mansion with gifts to visit Cheng Yaojin.

Qin Qiong was invited to be the matchmaker for Xiao Sizi's marriage. This time, she could only find Cheng Yaojin or Yuchi Gong.

Yu Chigong's character is not suitable for being a matchmaker, so Cheng Yaojin can only be used.

The two of them didn't talk about his marriage. Everything had been discussed. The matchmaker's visit was just a formality and there was nothing to talk about.

They were talking about other things.

Cheng Yaojin said: "Do you know why we returned to Beijing suddenly?"

At the beginning of the year, a large-scale population census and the construction of the academic and political system were carried out. In order to prevent anyone from causing rebellion, some important officials were sent to the local areas to take charge. Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong also went.

At the beginning of September, the emperor summoned them all back with an edict. The superficial reason was that the danger had been resolved, but in fact it was because the envoys who had gone to Fusang to investigate had returned.

They brought back a lot of news, two of the most useful:

Firstly, the imperial court controlled gunboats and was invincible at sea; secondly, there was indeed a large area of ​​unowned land that could be divided among the princes and kings.

These two items are the prerequisites for enfeoffment. Since they are true, it is natural that the real deal should be carried out.

Therefore, Cheng Yaojin and others were recalled to the capital.

Chen Jingke nodded and said, "I heard that the people who went to Fusang are back. How about it? Are you tempted?"

Cheng Yaojin said without hesitation: "If you say you don't feel like it, then you are lying. We have been working hard all our lives for something, isn't it just to make our wife a shadow?"

Chen Jingke smiled and said: "Then I would like to congratulate you. This time, not only can you be granted the title of wife, but you can even build an ancestral temple together."

Anyone can build an ancestral temple, but only the ancestral temples of princes and kings can be called ancestral temples.

Cheng Yaojin shook his head, and then said pointedly: "It's just that the overseas country is vast and no one knows which place is suitable for a feudal state. My wise nephew is well-informed and I wonder if he has any suggestions?"

Chen Jingke pondered for a while and said: "I don't know what you think...well, but there are some things that are not good if they are too early or too late. It is best not to do it early or late and not to fight for it."

Cheng Yaojin felt relieved and said with a smile: "It's not too early or too late. I didn't expect that my nephew, as a Taoist, is also well versed in the Confucian mean."

Chen Jingke said modestly: "Uncle, I have given you a compliment. I understand a little, just a little."

Cheng Yaojin added: "That cannon is too powerful. It is a blessing to the world that a saint can obtain this thing."

Chen Jingke said with deep approval: "That's true. Fortunately, this thing is in the hands of a saint, otherwise everyone would have trouble sleeping and eating."

Cheng Yaojin said worriedly: "I'm afraid that this thing will be taken away by others. Then we will be in trouble if other people's feudal states are as good as ours."

Chen Jingke said: "It is true. Artillery technology is actually not complicated. I believe that many people already know what is going on. It is only a matter of time before a suitable cannon is cast."

Cheng Yaojin said: "To be honest with my nephew, I have also had such thoughts. I just gave up because doing so would be disloyal to the court and His Majesty. I am afraid that some people may not think so."

Chen Jingke nodded and said: "If a cannon is too powerful, some people will inevitably have other ideas. Moreover, you can have this thing but not use it, but you can't live without it."

Cheng Yaojin touched his palm and said: "Wonderful, this is a very wonderful thing. But I don't want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings among the saints, and I don't know what to do."

Chen Jingke complained about the old fox in his heart, but as an ally he had to help, so he said: "I wonder what uncle thinks about the study of physics?"

Cheng Yaojin thought for a moment and said, "Is that the research class on research on objects that you have been doing recently?"

Chen Jingke said: "Yes, this class is specially designed to study the study of wu studies... It's just a pity that everyone doesn't pay attention to this study. My wu class is short of money and people."

Cheng Yaojin immediately said: "Okay, it is good to study knowledge. It is best for me to study knowledge."

"If you are short of people and money, tell your uncle that I will ask Erlang to send you one hundred taels of gold tomorrow. I just don't know what kind of manpower you need."

Chen Jingke said: "Young literate people should preferably be those who like arithmetic. Such people often have good talents in investigating objects."

Cheng Yaojin said: "Okay, I will immediately select a few such people from the clan and send them to you, but use them vigorously and don't be polite to me."

Chen Jingke said: "Then I will thank uncle first."

Cheng Yaojin glanced at him and suddenly said seriously: "I should thank you. There are some things... well, let's not talk about it. This time the saint will definitely get what he wants. I hope the enfeoffment can go smoothly."

Chen Jingke could roughly guess his concerns and said: "There are some things that I can't say clearly, but as long as the saint still has ambitions, enfeoffment is inevitable."

Cheng Yaojin didn't understand. What does it mean to do something imperative? It can't be done without sealing it? But he didn't ask any more questions, but said: "Then I'll be relieved."

After that, the two talked about other things, such as Xuanzang.

Cheng Yaojin asked: "I heard that Erlang said that you sent something to a monk named Xuanzang?"

"Yes." Chen Jingke gave an overview of Xuanzang's experience and said, "Buddhism has been suppressed for a long time because of Zixiao Temple. Once Xuanzang returns, there will definitely be a big explosion."

"I didn't want to cause unnecessary internal friction, so I gave Master Xuanzang a small gift. I hope he can consider the overall situation and not go against the trend."

Cheng Yaojin said very puzzledly: "Aren't you afraid that he will know your plan and make preparations in advance?"

Chen Jingke asked rhetorically: "Do you think Buddhism still has the ability to make trouble in the Tang Dynasty now?"

Cheng Yaojin analyzed: "Because of Zixiao Temple, Taoism has become the most prominent school in the world. After the establishment of the academic and political system, Confucianism will also usher in prosperity."

"If Taoism and Confucianism can join forces, Buddhism will indeed be powerless. I'm afraid that you two will fight first and Buddhism will take advantage."

Chen Jingke said confidently: "Such a situation will indeed occur, but precisely because of the academic and political system, Confucianism will not conflict with Taoism for at least twenty years."

"If I still can't resolve the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism in twenty years, I will accept it as someone else's profit."

Cheng Yaojin disagreed. Buddhism and Taoism have been fighting for hundreds of years with no result. You want to solve it in twenty years? It is too unrealistic.

But Chen Jingke himself hid too many secrets, and he was not sure whether the other party was arrogant or confident.

So he didn't say much, but said: "As long as you are prepared... the empress's fleet will set off in more than ten days, and Xuanzang should be able to receive what you gave him by the end of the year."

Chen Jingke didn't explain too much and followed his words: "After this trip, the world will usher in a new era."

Cheng Yaojin didn't understand what a new era was. Could it be that the expansion of sea trade was a new era? But he still didn't ask any more questions. That's how it was when chatting with Chen Jingke. There were too many things that he couldn't ask.

Fortunately, he had a good attitude, otherwise he would have been suffocated to death.

The two continued to chat about other things, and finally Chen Jingke mentioned the purpose of coming today: "I will trouble my uncle about the marriage proposal."

Cheng Yaojin smiled and said: "This is a good thing. Mrs. Wu and I have also met several times, so don't worry."

After settling the matter, seeing that it was getting late, Chen Jingke got up and left.

After returning, we will continue to prepare for the wedding.

Bedding, clothes, betrothal gifts, betrothal gifts, dowry, etc. for the wedding must be prepared.

As for the birth date and wedding time, they had actually already calculated it with someone. The two were naturally a match made in heaven, and the auspicious day was chosen on the sixth day of October.

But only a few people know about it at this time, and it will not be revealed until the process of the three media and six certificates. This is etiquette and rules.

All these external items are easy to prepare, but the difficult part is who to invite to the wedding.

Under normal circumstances, it is enough to send an invitation to everyone you know, whether the love comes or not.

The problem is that the queen has already said that their wedding cannot be a grand affair, and naturally there should not be too many guests. In this case, who should be invited and who should not be invited becomes a problem.

Chen Jingke's side is relatively simple. The three allies of the Qin family, Cheng family, and Yuchi family, plus Lu Cai, are gone.

Sun Simiao knew a lot of people, but he was a monk and did not need to observe so many common etiquette. He only needed to invite a few old friends from Beijing, and the total did not exceed ten.

The trouble is with the people over at Wu Shu.

The warrior Yu had been prime minister for so many years, so he still had many old friends, and the Yang family had even more relatives and friends.

Even though none of these people helped Wu Shu when she was in trouble, if she doesn't invite them now that she's getting married, it's just a lack of etiquette.

After sifting and sifting, I found that the number of people was increasing.

In the end, Wu Shu gritted his teeth and said, "Just invite your relatives over, and don't care about anything else."

Chen Jingke said worriedly: "I'm afraid they will say bad things about you behind your back."

Wu Shu said angrily: "From now on, I will be a member of the Sun family. If you have any objections, let them go to the master and see which one of them has the courage."

But then she explained: "They should all know about my situation. Even if I don't invite them, it's okay. I can just apologize afterwards and let it go."

"The biggest fear is that if you invite part of the party and don't invite the rest, you really can't explain why you didn't invite the party."

Chen Jingke nodded, that was indeed the truth: "But will there be too few guests attending the wedding?"

Because he was demoted, the warrior Yu had no relatives in the capital, and the only one who could come was Wu Yuanshuang.

The Yang family's side wasn't much better. The family didn't fare well, and several generations of heads died young.

As a result, they have a noble identity and status, but no corresponding power. They rely entirely on the connections left by their ancestors for support.

When a family loses the talents who can support the family, it also means that it is not far from decline.

This was one of the reasons why Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang dared to kick Yang out of the house because they had no support from their natal family.

Therefore, there are actually not many people here from the Yang family.

Wu Shu bit his lip and said, "It's quite a few. There are hundreds of people in the temple, all guests."

Chen Jingke felt a little distressed, thought for a while and said, "I'll write an invitation to Prime Minister Wei, Taoist Li and the others."

Wu Shu felt a lot better, but shook his head and said: "No, why bother them."

…

Once the guest list is confirmed, things will be much easier to handle.
To be continued...