The atmosphere in the hall was a bit awkward, but Xiahou Mei looked at Zhong Yuqing eagerly, expecting to get a satisfactory answer and her hard work would be in vain.
Xu Ruoqian has not spoken since he came in, except to pay tribute to his elders. He seems to be very thirsty. He has added a few cups of tea and has not put down the tea cup.
Not only Xia Houshu was dissatisfied with such a lack of opinion, but Zhong Yuqing was also dissatisfied.
"aunt……"
"Sister..."
The mother and daughter spoke almost at the same time, and then Zhong Yuqing glanced at her daughter, and Xia Houshu quickly closed her mouth knowingly.
Zhong Yuqing remembered her husband's reply the last time she told Xia Houyuan that her eldest aunt was interested in interfering with her daughter's marriage. She still looked at Xia Houmei with a smile and said: "The marriage of your children is a matter of life, so don't rush it. My eldest sister loves Ai Shu.
Son, my husband and I also like Ruo Qian. But what's the use of just us liking him? Has the eldest sister ever asked Ruo Qian what he meant?"
After saying that, Zhong Yuqing moved his eyes to Xu Ruoqian, who was still drinking tea, and said: "Ruoqian, don't just drink tea. If you like this tea, I will ask Qingfang to get new tea leaves for you to take back later."
Take it slow. Your mother has been talking about it for a long time, please tell me what you mean."
"I..." Xu Ruoqian seemed to be suddenly brought back to reality while wandering in a fugue. He was stunned for a moment, looked at his aunt, then at his mother, and finally glanced at Xia Houshu, who was frowning, and suddenly disappeared.
Courage, he hesitated for a long time before uttering a word.
A trace of displeasure with his son appeared on Xiahou Mei's face, and he secretly scolded this stupid son. He usually looked like a learned man, but at the critical moment, he lost his temper and couldn't even fart.
She quickly smoothed things over and said, "Look at this kid Ruoqian, he's almost grown up, and he's so shy about talking about his marriage!"
How can that be shy? It’s obvious that you don’t dare to say it!
Xia Houshu took it seriously and did not give the mother and son any chance to continue their quibbles. He looked straight at Xu Ruoqian and asked: "Cousin Ruoqian, in the past when I saw you reciting poems and poems with the literati, you were also very eloquent.
You are not inferior to those who are good at talking. We have known each other since we were children, and I have never seen you like this before. Can you tell the truth, did you really mean what my aunt just said? "
Xu Ruoqian looked embarrassed, looking at his cousin not knowing what to say.
He admired Xia Houshu's quick words and courage, but only as a cousin. However, his mother said that he must marry Xiahoushu to help him in his career in the future...
Xu Ruoqian held it in for a long time and finally said: "I...I respect sister Shu'er very much."
Respect? Respect is good! Xia Houshu also respects him for daring to speak the truth at this moment.
Zhong Yuqing's heart was as clear as a mirror, so she smiled and said to Xiahou Mei: "Ruo Qian is an honest child. I see that she really loves Shu'er as her own sister. It seems that the eldest sister has been worrying in vain."
Xiahou Mei secretly glared at his son, "Don't speak if you don't know how to speak!"
Xu Ruoqian immediately lowered his head, secretly worried that he seemed to have messed up.
Zhong Yuqing saw the expressions and movements between mother and son, and most of the smile on her face disappeared. Fang straightened her wrinkle-free sleeves and said solemnly: "The two children are indeed not young anymore. Since
They have no such intention, so we shouldn't force them. If there are any bad gossips in the future, it will delay them."
Xiahou Mei was not happy anymore, and wondered: "We said this in front of each other, what kind of gossip can be spread? Doesn't the princess want to use this to distract me?" As she said this, she looked at Xia Houshu,
"Your Shu'er has a good background and looks good, and my Ruoqian is not bad either!"
Zhong Yuqing said: "Sister, how worried are you? No one said anything bad about Ruoqian. It's just that my husband told me a few days ago that Shu'er is our only daughter and he has to make the decision about her marriage. He asked me not to do anything on my own.
I suggest that if eldest sister has any questions, she should discuss it with her husband."
Xia Houmei was not stupid, so he naturally heard the implication of Zhong Yuqing's words. His face instantly lost its composure, and he sneered with a cold face: "Does the princess think that our gate of Ronganhou Mansion is not worthy of your Duke's Mansion?"
The legitimate daughter, right? Think about it, at the beginning, I also followed the orders of my parents and married the legitimate son of the Rong'an Marquis Palace as the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Guo. How come I can't do it now that I'm here with Shu'er?"
Before Zhong Yuqing could answer, she added: "Yes, Shu'er is not only the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Guo's Palace, but also has the maternal family of Prince Gong's Palace behind her. It's Ruoqian who is my family's superior."
Everyone familiar with the matter knows that Xia Houmei's other son and two daughters married high-ranking nobles, and they were married to princes and nobles. Even the second daughter Xu Ruolan married the legitimate son of Prince Zhao. Although she will not be able to take the title in the future, she is a legitimate son.
The royal relatives of the Eight Classics.
Zhong Yuqing turned a deaf ear to Xia Houmei's previous ridicule, and only said: "We are originally a family, how can there be anything high or low between brothers and sisters? Sister, please don't worry too much, lest it ruin the friendship between them.
Besides, Prince Gong’s palace is just a prince with a different surname who was granted the title of Meng Yin. He is just a sinecure with no real power. How can he compare with your Ruolan family? She married a real royal family member. How honorable is Prince Zhao?
, even if the current emperor meets you, he will be respectfully called 'uncle emperor'."
Zhong Yuqing's words emphasized the brother-sister relationship between Xu Ruoqian and Xia Houshu, and specifically mentioned Xu Ruolan's high marriage, which was Xia Houmei's most proud thing.
Seeing that Xiahou Mei's expression softened a little, Zhong Yuqing hurriedly asked Qingfang who was waiting aside to pour tea for Xiahou Mei.
Xia Houmei was very pleased with this, and her anger subsided a little. She picked up the newly poured tea and took a sip. She raised her eyes and glanced at Xia Hou Shu, thinking about what she had just said, and for some reason, her heart suddenly became angry.
It went up again. She slammed the tea cup on the small table and said to Xu Ruoqian impatiently: "Qian'er, let's go. I don't believe it. With the reputation of Rong'an Houfu, I can't do it for you."
You can make a satisfactory marriage."
Xu Ruoqian, who had been so embarrassed that he couldn't raise his head, didn't hear clearly what was said before. When he heard his mother let him go and said she would find a satisfactory marriage for him, he immediately stood up and turned slightly towards him.
Zhong Yuqing bowed and followed her mother.
Zhong Yuqing knew that the anger in Xiahou Mei's heart would not go away for a while, so he sent the mother and son all the way out of Songya Hall, and then asked the servants to continue sending them out of the house.
Seeing that Xiahou Mei and her son had left his sight, Xiahou Shufang looked at Zhong Yuqing and asked: "Mother, when you declined your aunt just now, do you really think that your daughter is not old enough, or do you look down on the Rong'an Marquis Mansion?"
Zhong Yuqing glanced at her and said, "You are so smart, what do you think?"
Xia Houshu then tentatively said, "Maybe, both?"
Zhong Yuqing just smiled and said nothing.
Xia Houshu breathed a sigh of relief, quickly went up to hold his mother's hand, and said affectionately: "I thought that my mother would agree to this marriage because she had a good relationship with my aunt! It seems that my mother still prefers me."
Zhong Yuqing reached out and scratched the tip of her nose, and said softly: "This matter is the same. Your aunt is treating you well now because you are her biological niece and the daughter of me and your father. Naturally, she cares about you.
That's all well and good. But if you really marry into the Xu family and become her daughter-in-law, then she will no longer see you just as an aunt looks at her niece, but as a mother-in-law looks at her daughter-in-law. A niece can be innocent and willful.
If you act recklessly, your daughter-in-law cannot do anything wrong, otherwise it will be disrespectful and unfilial."
Xia Houshu didn't expect that his mother could see so clearly, and he was both grateful and admired in his heart.
"However, what you said to your aunt today may make her hold a grudge." Zhong Yuqing reminded. Xiahou Mei's anger just now was not unreasonable.
"But what Shu'er said today is right." Xia Houshu felt very unhappy.
"You are indeed right, but your aunt doesn't think so." Zhong Yuqing explained patiently as he walked back, "When your grandfather insisted on marrying your aunt to the Rong'an Marquis Mansion, it was not because of his will, but after thousands of challenges.
Wan Xuan, carefully considered, also wants to prevent your aunt from being involved in the dispute. However, after several generations, the Rong'an Marquis Mansion has long lost its reputation as it once was in your uncle's generation. It is just relying on the kindness of your ancestors to be able to bear the burden.
You deserve the word noble. Your aunt has always been arrogant. How could she understand your grandfather's thoughts? This caused trouble for many years. Later, your uncle was involved in the rebellion, and your aunt ran around but no one paid attention to her.
, as a last resort, she had no choice but to come to her parents' house. At that time, she understood that the climate of Rong'an Hou's Mansion was about to end, and only by relying on the big tree of Yue Guo Gong's Mansion could she gain a firm foothold in the capital. So over the years, your aunt has been doing everything for her children.
Her marriage was also planned under the banner of the Duke of Yue. Your father and I have always turned a blind eye. Unexpectedly, she has her mind set on you. It’s not so much that your aunt values you.
She values the power of the Duke of Yue."
Naturally, Xiahou Shu knew something about the affairs of the Marquis Rongan's house. People outside said that Mrs. Xiahou, the Marquis of Rongan, raised her children well, and her children were gentle, respectful, virtuous, and found a good match. However, they didn't know that Xiahou Mei paid for these flowers.
She put a lot of thought into it, but she didn't expect that she would finally decide on her family.
Thinking of this, Xia Houshu asked again: "Since mother understands aunt's intention, what about father? Does he know? Will he blame us for offending aunt?"
Zhong Yuqing smiled bitterly and said, "If your father hadn't taken the initiative to tell me these words, how could I have said them?"
Xiahou Shu looked surprised. It turned out that his father saw it so clearly. But because Xiahou Mei was his biological sister, he couldn't express his attitude and hurt her heart.
"Actually, your aunt doesn't have to be like this." Zhong Yuqing added, "There are many children among the younger generation of the Xu family who are well-behaved and knowledgeable. With a little education, they will definitely become great people. But your aunt can't see it and only thinks about it.
Taking advantage of the marriage of your children and taking shortcuts."
Xiahou Mei did take shortcuts by marrying his children, and was envied by many people. Because he tasted the sweetness, similar behavior became more and more intense.
Xia Houshu nodded hurriedly and said: "Mother is right. I also thought that in the Rong'an Marquis Mansion, except for Ruoyu and Ruoqian, two cousins born to my aunt, the other cousins behaved in a considerate, appropriate and polite manner.
Those who are disciplined are no worse than the talented and famous young men in the capital."
Zhong Yuqing sighed and said, "If your aunt had understood this sooner, I'm afraid the children in the Rong'an Marquis Mansion would have been promoted to nobility long ago."
Xia Houshu agreed with this, and suddenly remembered something, and continued to ask: "I heard before that my aunt wanted to marry the daughter of the second wife of the Xu family to the second brother. Is there anything wrong with that?"
It was okay not to mention it. As soon as this old matter was mentioned, Zhong Yuqing frowned and said displeasedly: "Earlier, your aunt did want to marry the fifth girl born to the second wife of the Xu family, but later your aunt and Mrs. Xu had a disagreement.
, then I gave up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what reason to refuse. Later, she thought about marrying her sixth daughter from a concubine to your second brother as a concubine, but your second brother hasn’t married yet, how can he take a concubine first?
What’s the reason? It’s a good thing your aunt doesn’t have a biological daughter of the same age as Yi’er, otherwise she would definitely make a fuss about marrying us.”
Xiahou Mei's two biological daughters, the eldest daughter Xu Ruoshui is 9 years older than Xia Houyi, and the second daughter Xu Ruolan is five years older than Xia Houyi.
Fortunately, Xia Houyi was born a few years later, otherwise he would really have been forced to get married.
Of course, what made Xiahou Shu even more fortunate was that his parents had no plans to get married to the Marquis of Rong'an again.