On the way back, Zhou Chen saw Hua Lan frowning slightly, as if she was thinking about something.
"Madam, what's wrong with you? Your face is full of sadness when you come out of Sheng Mansion?"
Hua Lan shook his head and said: "It's nothing. Today my mother told me about Ru Lan's marriage again, and so does this child. I looked at her several times, but none of them were satisfied. My mother wanted to let her marry her."
A wealthy family, but she has no such idea, she just wants to find a lower family than the Sheng family, alas."
Zhou Chen could imagine his mother-in-law being anxious and angry, and he could also imagine Ru Lan's nonchalant attitude.
If Hua Lan is said to have inherited part of Wang Ruofu's character, then Ru Lan is almost as if she was carved out of the same mold as Wang Ruofu.
What's even more interesting is that Ru Lan always likes to go against her mother Wang Ruofu.
"I think the fifth sister's idea is quite good. With her temperament, it would not be a good thing for her to marry into a high-ranking family. If she marries someone who is not as good as the Sheng family, she will have the support of her father and brother in the future, and she will be able to live a comfortable life.
"
Hua Lan nodded and said: "I also have this intention, but the problem is, you know my mother, how can she care about someone from a small family? She has a high heart."
She can understand Ru Lan's thoughts, and she can also understand her mother's thoughts. Ru Lan does not seek to be superior to others, she only wants to live a comfortable life for herself, and her husband's family cannot bully her. Her mother's idea is that women should marry high, and she wants Ru Lan to marry high.
To a wealthy family.
The reason why her mother thinks so is because of her successful precedent.
But she knew how lucky she was to be able to marry Zhou Chen. Without the relationship between the old lady and her mother-in-law, she would not have been able to marry into the Zhongjing Hou Mansion. Without the love and care of her mother-in-law and officials, she would not have been able to marry him.
I will live so comfortably and freely without having to look at people’s colors.
Therefore, it cannot be said that it is completely impossible for her mother to want Ru Lan to be like her, but the possibility is really too low.
"Let's not talk about it anymore, sir, why didn't the imperial court arrange a Yuanri palace banquet this year?"
Zhou Chen said: "Because the official's health is getting worse, there are no more palace banquets. However, the Queen will still summon high-level ladies on the first day of the year, so you must be prepared on that day. Mother will not
Go, just go alone."
Hua Lan said confidently: "No need to worry about me, officials. You are so majestic in the front court, and I will definitely not embarrass you in the harem."
She is no longer the 'country girl' who just came to Beijing from Yangzhou in the past. She is now the eldest lady of the Zhongjing Marquis Mansion. Her own officials are so majestic. As a wife, she naturally has enough confidence to face the Queen and the Queen.
Those noble people.
"Of course I believe you."
Zhou Chen is not worried about Hua Lan. As Hua Lan said, she is different now from the past and has matured too much.
During this year's Spring Festival, Zhou Chen didn't have to go anywhere. He just stayed at home with his mother, wife and children. He also left official matters to his subordinates.
Because he had successfully suppressed the rebellion not long ago and was promoted to an official, many people came to visit him during the Chinese New Year, especially the rest of the Zhou family, who also came to congratulate him.
Now Zhou Chen is not just the Marquis of Zhongjing, his authority is no worse than that of a marquis. The most important thing is that he has not yet reached thirty this year, and there will be at least several decades in the future.
You cannot be like that Mr. Di who entered the Privy Council by virtue of his status as a military attaché.
Zhou Chen also had to deal with these normal courteous exchanges personally. He didn't like such false and polite behavior, but in officialdom, some things are unavoidable.
There are some people Zhou Chen is willing to deal with, but there are some people he is not willing to deal with, such as those who came to visit today.
"Mom, Aunt Kang."
Hua Lan's heart skipped a beat when she saw that her mother had brought Aunt Kang here again. Every time her mother brought Aunt Kang, she would always post some of them.
She had said it two or three times overtly and secretly, but she, as a mother, had turned a deaf ear to her. On this Chinese New Year day, she actually brought Aunt Kang here again.
No matter how reluctant she was, she could only greet him with a smile.
Although she was at home, Hua Lan was still very well-dressed, wearing a light green luxurious silk dress with her hair tied in a bun. Even though she was not wearing any bright and colorful jewelry, she still looked very noble.
Live the Qi and nourish the body.
The reason why Hua Lan has undergone such a big change is naturally due to the difference in status and environment. If she continues to stay in the Sheng Mansion or marries into a low-class family, even if she is a eldest daughter, she will never be able to raise such a child.
temperament and body.
But the Zhongjing Marquis Mansion is different. As the eldest daughter of the Marquis Mansion, the official is also a senior official with real power in the court. She mostly accepts compliments when she goes out. As time goes by, her wife and mentality will naturally change accordingly.
Wang Ruofu didn't feel anything. After all, she was her daughter. No matter what, she still felt close to her.
But Aunt Kang was different. She looked at Hua Lan with eyes full of envy and jealousy. She felt in her heart that if she could marry a promising marquis like Zhou Chen, she would definitely be more noble and outstanding than her niece.
"Hua'er, where are the Marquis and Stepbrother?" Wang Ruofu looked around and didn't find Zhou Chen and the children, so he asked.
Hua Lan replied: "The officials took them to the martial arts field to play."
"It's so cold. What should I do if I catch a cold while playing outside?"
"It's okay, Mom, the officer will take good care of you."
Although she is a woman, she has been married to Zhou Chen for many years. She is very aware of her ability as an official. She can take care of children better than her mother, and she also knows a lot of medical skills. The children in the family are all in good health. Basically
It’s all thanks to Zhou Chen.
After chatting for a while, Aunt Kang suddenly said with a smile: "I heard that after the great victory in suppressing the rebellion years ago, our eldest uncle has been promoted again. He is really young and promising, which is gratifying. Looking at all our relatives,
He is the best and most capable. Not only has he inherited the title, he is also very capable and has won the trust of officials. His future is really bright."
At this point, she suddenly changed the subject: "Well, it's not like the one in our family who wasted so many years and still only held a position with no future, and even his own son couldn't help him, alas."
Hua Lan listened to Aunt Kang's words with a smile on her face, but she always refused to answer and pretended to be stupid.
"Mom, I heard that this year's Lantern Festival Lantern Festival will be very lively. The official told me that he will take me to see it then. How about you take your younger brothers and sisters to see it too?"
Wang Ruofu's eyes lit up: "I also know about the Lantern Festival. Is it really lively this year? Are there many people? Forget it, I won't go. I'll let Bai'er and Ru'er go and see the excitement.
It’s doable.”
"That's okay too."
Seeing that Wang Ruofu and Hua Lan were chatting happily, Aunt Kang's face changed slightly. How could she not be smart enough to see that this niece deliberately changed the topic? It was precisely because of this that she deliberately brought
My sister Wang Ruofu came to the Hou Mansion together.
Aunt Kang would say a few words from time to time, but every time she wanted to get to the point, Hua Lan would calmly divert her attention. Only Wang Ruofu had no idea and was still chatting happily.
After a long time, her mother and Aunt Kang showed no intention of leaving, so Hua Lan could only arrange for someone to prepare more meals and invite her mother and Aunt Kang to stay for dinner.
Wang Ruofu, who was having a good time chatting, realized that this was the time. Of course, he would not refuse his daughter's invitation.
And Aunt Kang came with a purpose in mind, so naturally she would not refuse.
After Zhou Chen came back with the children, he was not surprised to see Wang Ruofu and Aunt Kang. Someone had already reported to him when they came.
"Mother-in-law, aunt."
"Oh, Lord Marquis is back, sit down quickly, sit down quickly."
Wang Ruofu smiled very brightly. Why did she want to bring her sister Aunt Kang to the Zhongjing Hou Mansion? Maybe she didn't know Aunt Kang's plan, but she had her own plan, and she deliberately wanted to show off in front of Aunt Kang.
Did you see that the Sheng Mansion that you looked down on at the beginning is now more prominent than the Kang Mansion, and my daughter? Did you see that the eldest lady of the Marquis Mansion, my eldest son-in-law, the Marquis of Zhongjing, is the first-class honorary figure of the imperial court?
expensive.
There is also my son, who is a Jinshi in the new science and a high-ranking civil servant in the Hanlin Academy.
In comparison, her elder sister is not as good as her in any way. She used to be her elder sister's foil, but now, if her elder sister wants to come to the Hou Mansion, doesn't she have to ask her to take her with her?
Proud, she was very proud, even if she asked Aunt Kang to cheer up the autumn breeze every time, she did it intentionally, it was just money, was it important to have face?
No.
I, Mrs. Wang, live with a face.
However, she is still a little naive. Although Aunt Kang is not particularly smart, she can be considered a smart person compared to her rather naive sister.
Of course she could see Wang Ruofu deliberately showing off in front of her, and she could also see Wang Ruofu's pretentious manner.
Although she was unhappy in her heart, she did not show it at all. Instead, she cooperated with Wang Ruofu.
To her, what is face? Is it important to have money? Is it important to have a future?
No.
As long as you can achieve your own goals, what does it matter if you lose a little face?
Zhou Chen's expression was as usual. Although he didn't like Aunt Kang, he wouldn't show it directly in front of so many people.
Although he couldn't figure out what Aunt Kang's purpose was for coming here today, there was no doubt that her purpose was impure. In short, she came to take advantage.
Sure enough, halfway through the meal, Aunt Kang started.
"Marquis Zhou, I heard someone said that in the fight against the rebellion years ago, besides you, there was another general who beheaded the thieves with his own hands. He was the famous prodigal in Bianjing City, Erlang Gu of the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion?
I heard that he used this skill to put on the Scarlet Robe in no time. You know, it took my brother-in-law more than ten or twenty years to put on the Scarlet Robe, but it only took him less than a year to achieve such an achievement.
, this is all due to you, and Ningyuan Houfu didn’t express it? "
Hearing this, Wang Ruofu's expression visibly stiffened, and he felt very uncomfortable.
She also defended her officials: "Then Gu Erlang once attended our Shengfu private school for a few days. His homework was not as good as Bai'er's, and other aspects were average. That is to say, Mr. Hou, you take him with you, otherwise he would not be what he is now."
Achievements."
Zhou Chen said with a calm expression: "Mother-in-law, that's because you haven't gotten to know him. In fact, he is still very brave. He was indeed the one who killed the leader of the thief. There is no doubt about it. The most I can do is support him, and he is more important.
Relying on my own ability, I cannot claim credit for it.”
Although Gu Tingye did have an element of luck this time, luck is also a part of strength.
Aunt Kang pretended to be disdainful: "He is just lucky. He is definitely incomparable to you, Mr. Hou. I heard that he is getting married to the granddaughter of Master Yu's family. The Ningyuan Hou Mansion has a good idea.
The eldest son of their family could not enter the officialdom, so he began to fully support the second son. He was just a prodigal, but he turned around and became an important minister of the court."
Speaking of this, she suddenly paused, and then said to Zhou Chen with a smile on her face: "Master Hou, I know that Gu Tingye was the one you arranged to enter the army, and then you gave him the opportunity to make meritorious deeds. Master Hou, my family
Jin'er, your cousin, has also reached the age of becoming an official. For the sake of relatives, can you arrange an errand for him?"
As soon as these words came out, the expressions of the other three people at the table changed, and Wang Ruofu became even more anxious.
"Sister, didn't you say that Jin'er's child wants to take the imperial examination and become a civil servant? Lord Marquis is a military attache, and even if he is arranged, he can only be assigned a position in the army. Jin'er's child is fair and fair, and is weak in literature and art. How can he do it?
Can you bear it?"
She is not smart, but that doesn't mean she has no IQ at all. She can't tell at this point. This is the real reason why Aunt Kang dragged her here.
Aunt Kang pretended to sigh pitifully: "I also want him to be a civil servant, but this child's homework is not as good as his cousin Changbai. He didn't pass the exam last time, and I'm not sure he will pass the exam next time.
I can't let him continue taking exams like this, so I want him to do some errands early."
"But my sister, you also know the situation of the one in our family. He really can't help at all. I have to think about Jin'er. The Marquis can even help a foreigner like Erlang of the Gu family. Jin'er is the Marquis.
My cousin, I think the Marquis will definitely help with this, right?"
After saying that, she stared at Zhou Chen with bright eyes, waiting for Zhou Chen's answer.
"this?"
Wang Ruofu looked embarrassed. She didn't know what to say. It was such a big matter that she didn't know him in advance. She was indeed a little unhappy. But seeing her sister's pitiful appearance, she couldn't bear it.
.
"Master Hou, how about..."
"aunt."
Hua Lan interrupted Wang Ruofu's words, and then said with a smile: "Aunt, what my mother just said is right. I have also seen cousin Jin. He is fair and fair, and looks talented, but after all, he is a weak scholar.
If we arrange for him to march into the army, I'm afraid his body and bones really won't be able to endure it."
Aunt Kang said matter-of-factly: "The army is not all about hard work. There are also paperwork and the like. Hua'er, Jin'er is your cousin. The Marquis can even help the second son of the Gu family. He can help a bunch of Jin'er."
Son, with the current authority and position of the Marquis, it must be an easy matter, right, Marquis?"
