Chapter 23 True and False

When Xiao Jinwen walked into Liu's room, the maid inside had already set up the stools and poured a pot of hot tea.

After Xiao Jinwen paid his respects to his mother, he sat down and served tea.

The maid pursed her lips and smiled, then stepped aside and waited carefully.

Liu was also looking at her son in front of her with a smile. Although Jinwen had not yet reached adulthood, he was already taller than the third master.

Her son has always been gentle and polite, and rarely causes her any trouble.

Liu was born and raised in a noble family. Although the Liu family is now defeated, the pride of the family remains in their bones.

In the Chengguo Mansion, the third master is the second legitimate son, and he has two older brothers who are more important than him.

Her husband's status was lower than that of the Duke since birth, and Liu herself was not as good as the Marquis of Qingyuan in terms of her family background.

Fortunately, she gave birth to two sons. Although she was not as lucky as the first wife, she was luckier than Chen.

So since her son grew up, she has been trying her best to find a suitable wife for him.

Liu was thinking about the families that could be potential marriage partners and didn't say anything for the time being.

"Son, I see that you look happy. But is there anything happy you want to share with me?" Xiao Jinwen picked up the tea and took a sip. After putting it on the low table next to him, he asked with a smile.

Liu winked at the maid who was serving her, and the maid quickly went to the inner room and came back soon with a booklet in her hands.

"Come here!" Liu reached out to take the booklet and waved to her son.

Xiao Jinwen walked over in confusion and saw a portrait of a woman on the opened title page, with the girl's name, age and background written on it.

He finally came to his senses and turned his face away uncomfortably.

The sons of the Xiao family are all very well-behaved in private. Except for Xiao Jinrong, the others don't have a concubine yet.

Liu looked at her son and didn't force him.

"Mother called you here for this matter. If you feel it is inconvenient here, you can take it back." These words made Xiao Jinwen even more uncomfortable.

Liu was also teasing her son and telling him that someone in the mansion was going to help him find a marriage.

Xiao Jinwen stayed at Liu's place for a short while before leaving, and he was a little dazed when he came out.

He had just casually glanced at the booklet in his mother's hand. The young ladies were of all shapes and sizes, each with her own beauty, and they were all standard ladies from wealthy families and scholarly families.

In my mother's words, my grandmother didn't want them to marry into an equally prominent family. The Chengguo Mansion was already extremely famous, and it was time for them to keep a low profile.

If you can't marry into a high-class family, then find someone from a scholarly family with a clean family background.

Xiao Jinwen closed his eyes and tried to recall a certain lady from a noble family in the booklet, but found that he had no impression of her.

I just raised my head and my eyes fell on a certain place, but I inexplicably remembered the beautiful figure that appeared.

Xiao Jinwen smiled and didn't care too much.

In the evening, when Master Xiao Er returned home, Chen Shi naturally told him what the old lady in the mansion had said, "Mother asked the younger brothers to get married first, so there's no need to wait for the Crown Prince. Master, do you have any instructions for Jinrong's marriage?"

Chen said with a smile as she filled the second master's glass with wine.

The second master across from him paused while eating his food. "Oh? Did mother really say that?"

Chen glared at him and said, "When have I ever lied to you, Master? I'm telling you the truth. I'm not lying to you."

Master Xiao Er smiled, ate his food, and took a sip of wine. "What did mother tell you?"

Chen looked at her husband and said, "You don't have to be so attached to the rich and powerful."

Master Xiao Er smiled and nodded, "In that case, you can help him find a wife first! The woman must be good-looking and have a good temperament, dignified and virtuous, and literate."

When Chen heard her husband's request, she couldn't help feeling sour.

After all, he is his only child. How could it be easy to find such a child?

But when she applied these conditions to Xu Shuyao, she found that it was exactly the same.

Chen couldn't help but lower her eyes and smile.

When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with a gentle smile, "I see, it's the best choice."

Master Xiao Er reached out from the opposite side and patted the back of her hand, saying with a hint of emotion: "Thank you for your hard work!"

Over the years, Chen, as a stepmother, has been very good to Xiao Jinrong. Not only has she never lacked food, clothing, and other daily necessities for him, she has also never interfered with the servants in his yard, nor has she acted like a mother.

Even the two daughters below called him "Second Brother" affectionately.

Master Xiao Er had eyes and could see that if Chen had taught them anything, the children would not like their second brother so naturally.

After the second master finished his meal and washed up and went to bed, the couple naturally showed their affection to each other.

After that, both Chen and Liu were very busy. Liu soon got engaged to Zhou Shuhe, the daughter of Zhou Yanfu, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.

Although Zhou Yanfu was only a fifth-rank official, he was a scholar in the Hanlin Academy and was in charge of documents. He needed to consult the emperor from time to time, and was an official with great influence in the court and the country.

Moreover, the Zhou family has long had a reputation for being noble and elegant, and among the younger generation, successful Jinshi and Juren are emerging like mushrooms after rain.

Take last year's imperial examination for example, when Zhou Shuhe's elder brother was named the second runner-up by the emperor in court.

Although he is only a small editor now, he will surely make progress in time.

This was the best marriage Liu could arrange at the old lady's request, so she quickly reported it to Songhe Hall, and Old Madam Xiao did not say anything.

At the same time, Chen in Jinhua Hall was also not idle. She also took out a list of several girls of marriageable age and showed it to the second master. She analyzed them one by one and expressed her own opinions. She seemed to be doing her job conscientiously.

Master Xiao Er was very satisfied with her intentions for his son. "You decide! I trust your judgment."

Chen smiled and said, "Well, I will call Jinrong over tomorrow and ask for his opinion."

Master Xiao Er said it was not necessary, but his face showed relief.

The next day, Xiao Jinrong was indeed recruited into Jinhua Hall by his stepmother. When he saw that Chen was actually planning to find him a good marriage, a moment of surprise flashed across his face.

Could it be that he had wrongly blamed his stepmother?

Wasn't she planning to give him the orphan girl living in Jiyunzhai?

Xiao Jinrong frowned slightly and turned his gaze to the ladies listed by Chen.

The birth dates and birthplaces of the young ladies were clearly marked. They were neither concubines nor from impoverished families.

He looked at his stepmother again. There was a gentle smile in her eyes, like a bottomless pool of water, and it was difficult to see the depth of it, just like her.

Xiao Jinrong immediately lowered his head and said respectfully, "I'm sorry for tiring you, mother. I think the young ladies are all good. You just need to make the decision."

Chen smiled with satisfaction and said, "Don't worry, I will take the list to your father for his consideration. I will also ask your grandmother's opinion. I won't let you down."

What he said was so apt that it was hard to find fault with it.