Chapter 551 Lu Fengxian endures humiliation and heavy burden
Pengcheng, Wuxian County.
Since he determined to unite the front with Wang Zheng, Lu Bu naturally paid close attention to every move of this "quick son-in-law riding a dragon" in Shouchun.
Therefore, Wang Zheng had just issued an official document in Jiujiang, and not long after the news reached Xiapi, Lu Bufang, who was far away in Wuxian County, Pengcheng, had received the secret report at the same time.
The person in charge of the intelligence system here was Lu Bu's mastermind Chen Gong. When he learned that Wang Zheng wanted to marry his second wife, Chen Gong was dumbfounded. When he learned that the one who wanted to be equal to Lu Qiling was actually a maid, he was even more unbelievable.
.
I thought about it for a long time in my pavilion. It wasn't until Lu Bu sent his own soldiers to urge him that I finally came back to my senses and hurried towards the county government.
While galloping on his horse, Chen Gong fell into deep thought, just like Zhang Zhao not long ago.
At that time, the latter was worried about how to forgive the aggrieved General Tiger Girl, but now Chen Gong was thinking about how to persuade Xiaohu's father, who had lost his face.
Of course, there are fundamental differences between the two on this matter.
Because he didn't understand Lu Qiling's true personality, Zhang Zhao was overly worried, but Chen Gong knew Lu Bu well, so his concerns were real.
The former Chief Registrar Lu Bu might not have paid much attention to family background, but now the Marquis of Wen, Lu Bu, is very considerate!
Therefore, although Lu Qiling did not feel dissatisfied or angry about Wang Zheng's desire to accept an equal wife, Lu Bu would definitely be extremely dissatisfied.
If the persuasion fails, there will still be variables in the marriage.
Entering the back hall, Chen Gong looked around with a smile and found that not only Lu Bu and his wife, but also two generals, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, were also present. His black and white eyes could not help but twinkling.
"It's a lively day today, are you all here?" Chen Gong sat down and handed the secret guard to his bodyguard, while secretly smiling bitterly.
It's a bit troublesome. Now it's not just one person who needs to be persuaded.
Lu Bu had just received the letter with great interest. Soon after he opened it, his expression suddenly changed. After reading it, he was silent for a long time without saying a word.
After a while, he handed the secret report to his wife Yan beside him, and then his burning eyes fell directly on Chen Gong:
"Gongtai, have you read the contents of the letter?"
Chen Gong nodded, "I've seen it."
"Then tell me what you think."
Lu Bu's eyes flashed sharply and he said in a deep voice, "What does Shuzi mean by bullying me like this?"
broken!
Chen Gong's heart skipped a beat when he heard Lu Bu call him that. Just when he was about to explain, he heard Yan, who was reading the letter on the side, exclaiming in surprise, "This son actually wants to marry two wives?"
"Besides our daughter, is there another one who is actually a slave?"
Surprise was followed by uncontrollable anger, and Mrs. Yan gritted her silver teeth and yelled: "Husband, Wang Yukou has gone too far to bully others. We must never let this matter go!"
"After reading it, please forward the letter to Wen Yuan and Xiaofu (Gao Shun, also known as Xiaofu)."
Lu Bu turned his head and glanced sideways, his gaze faintly swept over Yan's family. His seemingly calm tone was filled with a dignity that could not be violated: "How is it appropriate for you to yell like this in front of your Majesty?"
As he spoke, he looked at Chen Gong again, raised his chin slightly, and signaled to continue.
Chen Gong hesitated for a moment, and then said: "This matter is unreasonable. From my point of view, there may be a mystery hidden in it."
"How to say?"
"Equality of wives has never happened since ancient times. Sir, please think about it, what is Wang Zheng's status now?"
Chen Gongdao: "There are nine counties under the cover, with hundreds of thousands of tigers under his command, and he is the Marquis of Liyang Ting, who was granted the title by the emperor. With such a noble status, taking two wives is already risking the disgrace of the world, not to mention that one of the wives is so humble.
identity?"
"Even if Wang Zheng was young and ignorant and didn't know how important this matter was, wouldn't his ministers also know about it? Let's not talk about others for now. Zhang Zibu is a well-known Confucian scholar in the country. For such an unethical thing, An Neng
Turn a blind eye and refuse to give advice?"
Hmm, that makes sense
The anger in Lu Bu's heart gradually dissipated.
On the one hand, Chen Gong's eloquent talk was reasonable and measured, and it indeed pointed out the biggest flaw in Guo Jia's plan.
On the other hand, given Lu Bu's current situation, from a real point of view, he is actually unwilling to give up Wang Zheng, his "good son-in-law".
Not to mention that Wu County, where he is currently located, is within Wang Zheng's sphere of influence. Even if he is unwilling to be humiliated and walks away, where can he go?
To the east is Xuzhou. Needless to say, to the west is Yuzhou, to the north is Qingzhou, to the northwest is Yanzhou, and to the southwest is Yangzhou. To sum up, even if he left Wuxian, the forces he came into contact with were still only
Choose one among Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and Wang Zheng.
And the first two.
Lu Bu was completely offended before!
Thinking of this, Lu Bu sighed secretly and asked: "Then according to Sir's wishes, how should I deal with this matter? You can't just sit back and watch Ling'er be wronged like this, right?"
This seemed like a complaint, but there was no real fool present, and most people understood what it meant.
Yan's face was stunned immediately, while Chen Gong was secretly happy. Although Zhang Liao looked calm, he also fell into deep thought. Only Gao Shun could not bear it any longer.
"What does the general mean by this?"
Gao Shun had watched Lu Qiling grow up, so he said that caring was a sign of chaos. He immediately changed his color, slapped the table and yelled: "Are you still thinking of betrothing your niece to this bastard?"
"It's okay for his prince to marry two wives. We have seen this kind of thing in our hometown, but this is absolutely impossible for a first-class maid!"
Wang Zheng's achievements in recent years have been outstanding. As a military commander, Gao Shun actually admires him very much, but he admires him. After all, there is a difference between closeness and distance. Marrying an equal wife makes Gao Shun feel that Lu Qiling has been wronged, but it is definitely not possible to be on an equal footing with a maid.
of!
"Then what do you think?" Lu Bu was not angry because of Gao Shun's gaffe. He just asked, "Tell me what you think?"
"What else can I say?"
Gao Shun snorted coldly: "Didn't Mr. Gongtai just say that the matter of equal wives has never existed in the Central Plains since ancient times? What's more, the royal family already has a title. Since they are two wives, they have two direct descendants and share the family line.
, it is expected that the court will not allow such a thing, in this case, let him veto the matter himself, isn't he not married yet anyway?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Liao on the side shook his head, "I'm afraid Wang Zheng will not agree to this matter."
"Why don't you agree?"
Gao Shun rolled his eyes strangely when he heard this: "Linger is so beautiful, so smart, so virtuous, and she is the general's legitimate daughter. For such a good woman, Wang Yukou should know how to choose if he is not blind."
"We don't need to express our objections. As long as we delay the marriage, I must be able to see the intention. A man should make a decision and reject that maid immediately!"
There is nothing wrong with Lu Qiling's appearance and intelligence, but she shouldn't be considered virtuous, right?
Zhang Liao secretly complained and said seriously: "Brother Gao's thinking is too simple. This city is very deep. How can you not guess how the general will react after this matter is publicized?"
Gao Shun was startled, "You mean that?"
"Since you have guessed it, no matter what the mystery is, at least it has explained something."
Looking around at the crowd, Zhang Liao said word by word: "No matter how the general and we view this matter, and how they will react, it is actually difficult to change the outcome."
The implication is that Wang Zheng will not have any possibility of changing his decision.
This is the truth, but the truth is often unpalatable.
Just like Chen Gong also came to a similar conclusion but did not dare to say it outright, Lu Bu may not have noticed this and was also unwilling to face it directly.
Seeing that Lu Bu didn't say a word and his expression suddenly became gloomy, Chen Gong knew something was wrong. The result of breaking the window paper might actually make the arrogant Lu Bu make a wrong decision!
He hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please don't act out of your own whim. Now that the king's government is in a state of affairs, if we really fall out with him, where will we go even though the world is so big?"
"What do you mean, sir?"
Gao Shun on the side was very dissatisfied: "It means that now that we don't have many troops, we have to ask for anything from that man, kneeling down to greet him and looking up at him, right?"
"Even Ling'er's happiness and the general's face can't be saved?"
Chen Gong did not answer Gao Shun directly. Instead, he turned to Zhang Liao and asked seriously: "Wen Yuan, what do you think?"
"Sir, you are worrying too much. Even if you regret your marriage, Wang Zheng will not be an enemy of the general at this time." Zhang Liao said solemnly: "However, it is not suitable to stay in Wu County or even Xuzhou for a long time. We need to plan our retreat as soon as possible."
"Hey, it seems that Wen Yuan has also noticed that Wang Zheng is not an enemy of the monarch at this time, just because he has used troops too frequently in recent years, and even if he has the intention, he is unable to do so. But once he calms down, how can he be willing to give up?"
Chen Gong said solemnly: "It would have been fine if the general had not allowed Zhang Zhao to be a matchmaker at the beginning, but now he has agreed and regretted it, what will be the consequences? You may wish to think deeply."
"It's just that if we take the initiative to avoid this child's sharp edge, where can we retreat?"
"Yanzhou, Yuzhou, or Yangzhou?"
"this"
Zhang Liao opened his mouth, but did not spit out another word for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh helplessly.
Yes, where else can they retreat?
The hall suddenly became so silent that you could hear a needle drop, and the sound of breathing seemed to be suspended. Everyone looked at each other with different expressions, and finally turned their attention to one person at the same time.
After all, whether this matter is public or private, in the final analysis, he can only make the final decision.
After a long while, the tall figure in the main seat finally spoke.
Lu Bu looked around the crowd with his tiger eyes, and said in a deep voice: "I have thought about it for a long time and found out that the ordinary wife is a maid, so it may not be all bad."
Everyone was startled, and Mrs. Yan took the lead and asked, "Why do you say this, husband?"
"To be a lowly servant, one must be of low origin. Both parents are dead, so naturally there is no one to rely on. Even if she has the position of an equal wife, it is only an honor for one person. Not to mention us, the officials of Xuzhou, how can we be willing to let her
The heir becomes the direct line of the royal government, and the real heir? From this point of view, it is not a bad thing that this common wife has a lower status. "
"See you tomorrow, Lord!"
Chen Gong perked up after hearing this, and even looked at Lu Bu with admiration. After all, even he didn't expect this.
Yes, if Wang Zheng really finds a noble girl from a noble family to be his equal wife, Lu Bu's face will certainly look better, but the hidden dangers in the future will actually be greater!
Gao Shun was still dissatisfied: "General, if this matter spreads, the world will definitely criticize it."
"The world? Criticism?"
"Where's the criticism?"
Lu Bu sneered, stood up proudly, and said leisurely: "Rumors in the world are mostly spread in the streets and alleys, but no matter how good the reputation is, they are actually maintained at the high level of the temple, the Zhumendayuan!"
"It's just that there is some barking at the moment, just to prevent the general from joining forces with Wang Zheng, and thieves like Yuan Cao are just adding fuel to the flames. Once some time passes, and it really comes true, it will disappear."
At the critical moment, Lu Bu still showed the courage of a prince and thought clearly about the key points.
Since regretting the marriage will do more harm than good, you can only accept it with your nose pinched.
So since you have accepted it, why bother pinching your nose?
It’s better to let go completely and stop caring!
"General, I see you clearly." Zhang Liao sighed at the side, "It's just that this kind of thing really makes me a little aggrieved."
"Even the grievance is only temporary!"
Lu Bu shook his head: "This son now has the image to aspire to the throne. It is not impossible for him to ascend to the throne one day. Wang Zheng can certainly suppress the criticism of the ministers today and is determined to marry two wives regardless of the general's face. But he is in court."
Woolen cloth?"
"Hey, is it possible to establish two queens and let the subjects worship two mothers?"
"I'll be patient for the time being, but if this day comes, I will risk everything and will not retreat even a step, fighting for every inch of territory!"
Everyone was startled at first, and then nodded in agreement.
The husband had already made a decision. Yan was silent for a moment and could only agree:
"I hope Wang Yukou can really achieve something in the future, and I also hope he can treat our daughter well. If he can do this, the injustice we have suffered today will be nothing."
Chen Gong was completely relieved at this time. Speaking of which, this matter was solved so easily. In the final analysis, there were two most critical reasons.
First, Wang Zheng's situation is becoming more and more optimistic.
Second, Lu Bu is at the lowest point in his life.
"It is our great fortune that the Lord can make such a clear decision." He thought for a while and then reminded: "However, if this matter reaches the ears of the young lady, there may still be twists and turns. Do you want to send someone to give some advice?
"
Lu Bu's expression changed when he heard this. How could he not know his daughter's temperament?
She doesn't really approve of Wang Zheng, so she might find some excuse to get angry. If she makes too much noise, it won't end well.
"Speaking of which, Ling'er has been living in Xiapi for several months, and I miss her very much."
After thinking for a moment, Lu Bu said to Zhang Liao: "Wen Yuan, why don't you go to Xiapi again? On the one hand, you can comfort her a little bit. On the other hand, since Wang Zheng has set a date for the invitation and a personal greeting, we should also do it here.
Prepare the gift book and make some preparations in advance."
According to the provisions of "Shihun Rites", weddings in ancient times generally consisted of six steps, namely, accepting gifts, asking for names, accepting gifts, accepting invitations, asking for dates and welcoming relatives. These are called the "six rites".
Nacai is the process in which the man's family invites a matchmaker to go to the woman's house to propose marriage. After the woman's family agrees to propose marriage, the man's family prepares gifts and goes to the woman's house to propose marriage. Asking for a name means that the man's family invites a matchmaker to ask for the woman's name and date of birth.
day process.
Naji means that after the man retrieves the girl's name and horoscope, he asks for good luck in his ancestral temple. After getting the auspicious omen, the man will prepare a gift and notify the woman's family, and then decide on the marriage process; Naji is also called Naqi, which is also called Naji.
This is the process in which the groom’s family gives the betrothal gift to the bride’s family.
These four items had been arranged by Zhang Zhao in the early stage of the royal administration. Now that the official document is issued, it is actually regarded as "asking for an appointment" and setting a "personal welcome".
In the formal marriage etiquette of the Han Dynasty, in addition to the six rites, there are three letters, namely the letter of appointment, the letter of ceremony and the letter of welcome.
The letter of appointment and the letter of welcome are both done by the man, but the letter of gift is done by both parties, listing their respective betrothal gifts and dowry details.