Chapter 58: Proposing Marriage

The Wei family father and son have a five-day holiday during the Spring Festival.

After five days at home, Wei Zhaoxian and Wei Jianlang took Wei Jianming back to the military camp.

I don’t know if it’s really such a coincidence or if the other party has colluded with Mrs. Wei.

Wei Zhaoxian had just left when a matchmaker came to the door the next day.

When Housekeeper Ning first learned that the matchmaker had come, he thought that he was here to propose marriage to Wei Jianming or Wei Ruyan.

He thought that there was probably nothing in Chong'an City that Mrs. Wei would be interested in.

Fortunately, Wei Zhaoxian was really worried about Mrs. Wei, so after Butler Ning arrived, Wei Zhaoxian instructed Butler Ning to keep a close eye on all matters in the mansion.

If anything is wrong, let him know immediately.

Therefore, although Butler Ning felt that this marriage proposal was related to Wei Jianming and Wei Ruyan, he still sent people to investigate.

Who would have thought upon inquiring that the matchmaker was actually here to propose marriage to Shen Shilang!

The family proposing marriage was just a county magistrate, and the woman proposing marriage was not the county magistrate's daughter, but his niece, whose family was just a merchant family.

Butler Ning was so angry that he laughed after hearing this.

Although Shen Shilang has not yet participated in the imperial examination, since he has won the first place in the examination, it is almost certain that he will pass the imperial examination as long as nothing unexpected happens.

You may even get a very high ranking, maybe even top three, so you have a bright future.

How dare a small merchant come to propose marriage!

Even if the county magistrate proposed marriage to his own daughter, he would not be qualified.

Butler Ning guessed that it must be related to Madam Wei.

Given Mrs. Wei's hatred for Shen Shilang, she would probably be more willing to let Shen Shilang marry a peasant girl.

It was just that he couldn't convince Wei Zhaoxian, so he went to the county magistrate's house.

But the county magistrate had no daughter, so he pushed his niece out.

Letting a merchant's daughter marry a top scholar is a good plan! "Hurry up and tell Master Shen!" Butler Ning ordered the servant who came back from getting the news, "I will go to the main hall and stop this matter."

Mrs. Wei waited for Wei Zhao to leave first and did this because she was afraid that she would replace the engagement letter today.

If he just sent a servant to Madam Wei, he might not be able to stop her, so he had to go in person.

"yes."

The servant hurriedly ran to Shen Shilang's courtyard.

Shen Shilang is reviewing his lessons.

He has recently taken a liking to painting a portrait of Su Jinshi.

When he got tired of reading, he would grind ink and draw a picture for Su Jinshi, and then continue reading.

Su Jinshi suddenly had an exclusive painter, who was a national master.

"Master Shen!" The servant came in hurriedly, panting and shouting, "Master Shen, please go to the main courtyard! The magistrate of Chongyang County has sent a matchmaker to propose marriage, wanting to marry his niece to you. Now the matchmaker is in the main courtyard and is having a good chat with the lady. Please go and take a look."

Shen Shilang frowned, put down his pen and walked out, asking as he walked, "When did the matchmaker come?"

"We just arrived a short time ago, and Steward Ning originally thought that the other party was coming for the Second Young Master or the Third Young Master." The servant hurriedly explained, "But just in case, I asked the servant to inquire about it. Who knew that the other party was coming for you, Young Master."

"Butler Ning is worried that the lady will take advantage of the general's absence to book it for you early, so he has already gone to the main courtyard to stop her and told me to come and find you quickly." The servant hurriedly explained the situation.

"Thank you." Shen Shilang also quickened his pace.

Su Jinshi angrily cursed: "Is Madam Wei ever going to stop? When will she stop?!"

Su Jinshi switched to the function of only transmitting sound to Shen Shilang, so the servant beside him could not hear what Su Jinshi said.

"How is the family of the county magistrate's niece?" Su Jinshi asked, "I always feel that Madam Wei is not so kind as to find a good family for you."

Shen Shilang felt the same way and asked.

The servant said, "The county magistrate has only one son and no daughter, so he asked his niece to come. His niece is the daughter of a merchant, and I heard that her family is quite wealthy."

"Mrs. Wei is really stingy." Su Jinshi said angrily, "She is afraid that if she orders a bad one for you, Wei Zhaoxian will be unhappy, but if she orders a good one, she will be unhappy about it, so she orders you a one that is related to the county magistrate, but she happens to be a merchant herself."

Among the four classes of people, scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, merchants have always been at the bottom.

Su Jinshi naturally had no intention of looking down on the merchants.

It’s just that Shen Shilang is a young man with a bright future. If he really likes her, it would be fine if she happens to be a merchant’s daughter.

But Shen Shilang had clearly never even seen the other party's face. Moreover, Shen Shilang still wanted revenge. He had gone through so many hardships and was walking on thin ice. How could he fail here?

"So when Steward Ning heard this, he was afraid that Madam Wei would act quickly, so he exchanged the engagement letter directly today and rushed to stop it." The servant said, "Steward Ning even ordered someone to find the general."

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

Shen Shilang nodded.

The two of them quickly came to the main courtyard.

After entering the courtyard and approaching the main hall, she heard the voice of Butler Ning, "Madam, no! The general will never agree to this!"

"Whether the general agrees or not is up to me to decide. It is not your turn to interrupt." Mrs. Wei said angrily.

She didn't expect that Butler Ning would humiliate her like this in front of outsiders.

When the matchmaker leaves the gate of Wei Mansion today, I'm afraid that everyone in Chong'an City will know about it, and she will no longer be the master of the Wei family.

"I don't dare to make the decision, so I have sent someone to report to the general." Butler Ning said in a deep voice, not giving in at all.

Mrs. Wei was shocked and angry. She didn't expect Butler Ning to act so quickly.

She stood up and pointed outside the door, "Get out! Don't embarrass yourself here!"

Butler Ning would not retreat at all. Even if he didn't say a word, he had to stay here and watch over the matter. He couldn't let Madam Wei make the final decision.

Shen Shilang opened the door directly, "Mrs. Wei."

The matchmaker pretended not to have seen the tense scene just now, and praised with a smile, "As expected of Mr. Shen, he is truly a rare talent."

"You came here because you must have heard that the county magistrate sent a matchmaker to propose marriage." Madam Wei still maintained her airs and said in a high-sounding manner, "I have done my best to be worthy of you. The county magistrate's niece is a good match for you."

"Yes!" the matchmaker said quickly, "I have seen that girl before. She is very pretty and knows poetry. She has had a teacher to teach her since she was young, and she has a lot to talk about with Shen Jieyuan."

"Mr. Shen, I won't hide it from you. Although the girl is the daughter of a merchant, her uncle is the county magistrate!" The matchmaker continued, "You have her uncle to support you in public, and you also have your wife's family to support you financially. This is a good marriage that kills two birds with one stone and is rare."

Butler Ning sneered silently. What help could a county magistrate provide? If he really wanted help, didn't he have General Wei?

It's the turn of a county magistrate? If he really married Shen Shilang, then the county magistrate's family would be marrying up!

Through her marriage to Shen Shilang, she also got close to Wei Zhaoxian.

Given Wei Zhaoxian's emphasis on Shen Shilang, how could Wei Zhaoxian ignore it when Shen Shilang became an official in the court?

If we marry into the county magistrate's family, we don't know who will help whom!

(End of this chapter)