Eleventh Lady was indeed in a difficult situation at this time.

"...The fortune teller said that he would be at least three years younger. So there is no rush. Now everyone is talking about this half jokingly and half seriously, and I still don't know what to do." She looked at Mrs. Tang Si apologetically, "At least I have to wait until this busy period is over before I can sit down and have a good discussion with the Marquis."

"Of course." Mrs. Tang Si looked unconcerned and said with an undiminished smile, "Sixth Young Master has just got a future, and he has a lot of things to do. I just thought of it on the spur of the moment and mentioned it casually." As she spoke, she covered her mouth and laughed, "Don't tell me, now that I think about it, I feel that Sixth Young Master and our eldest lady are a good match - Sixth Young Master is sixteen years old, and our eldest lady is twelve years old; Sixth Young Master is the second son of the Marquis, and our eldest lady is the eldest granddaughter of our prince, not to mention that our eldest lady is virtuous, eloquent, and beautiful, and she has been raised by an aunt from the palace since she was a child..." Mrs. Tang Si said as she observed Eleventh Lady's expression. Seeing that Eleventh Lady remained indifferent, she couldn't help feeling nervous.

Could the rumors be true?

Both the Zhou family and the Sun family want to strengthen their relationship with the Xu family?

Or it might be because the wives and aunts that the Tang family had married in recent years were all from powerful families. Although they looked prosperous, they did not gain much benefit. Especially when Shaohua got married, they were afraid of offending Marquis Jianning by marrying their eldest daughter. But after the death of the empress dowager, not only did the Yang family disappear, but Shaohua's future was also ruined. The meritorious families in Yanjing were afraid of offending the late emperor, so everyone avoided them secretly, so that the Tang family and the nobles in Yanjing had drifted further and further apart over the years.

The Xu family is just the opposite.

First, the emperor appointed Xu Sijin, who had never led troops, fought in a war, and was not even twenty years old, to follow Ouyang Ming to hunt down Duoyan. When he heard that Ouyang Ming was defeated and Xu Sijin had chased the enemy into the grassland without any news, he immediately ordered Gong Dongning to lead the army to find him. He also transferred the central army and the rear army of the Five Military Commandery to Xuantong to increase troops, despite the opposition of Chen Ge Lao and Lu Shangshu and others... Although Duoyan was finally captured by Xu Sijin, the emperor conferred the title of Xining Marquis on Gong Dongning and the title of Wujin Earl on Xu Sijin before the prisoners were presented at the Meridian Gate... Everyone was joking privately that if it wasn't for the reward to Xu Sijin, Gong Dongning might not have gotten the title of Xining Marquis so quickly.

Then Xu Lingyi took advantage of the great victory in the northwest to propose "measuring the granted land and redefining the amount of granted land according to the rank of the official", which was approved by the emperor. This solved the problem of land collection and doubled Xu Lingyi's prestige among the officials, even higher than when he pacified the northwest.

The emperor has only been on the throne for a short time. Given time, the Xu family will be unrivaled!

Thinking of this, Mrs. Tang Si became more determined to marry into the Xu family.

In terms of closeness, the Xu family is naturally closer to the Zhou family and the Sun family. Xu Sijin is the only biological son of Eleventh Lady, and he has a noble title and meritorious service. Such empty words, let alone Eleventh Lady, would not easily agree to it.

This matter needs further consideration.

It would be best to find someone who is on good terms with Eleventh Lady to mediate, and then make some changes to the eldest lady's dowry. Whether it's favors or brocade, there will always be one thing that can impress her!

Having made up her mind, Mrs. Tang Si felt she couldn't sit still for a moment longer.

What she can think of, others can naturally think of as well. If someone else gets there first, it will be too late to regret!

"You've been busy these days!" Mrs. Tang Si stood up with a smile, "I'll go back first. When Brother Jing comes back, I'll come back for a drink!"

The Tang family gave Eleventh Lady a very snobbish feeling, and she did not want to marry into the Tang family. Naturally, she was more than happy to see Fourth Madam Tang leave. She smiled and said a few polite words, and personally sent Fourth Madam Tang to the Chuihua Gate.

Outside the hanging flower gate was parked a plain black lacquered carriage with a flat roof and a silver embroidered ribbon with a dragon pattern, which was only used by first-rank officials. Surrounded by maids and old women, the Fifth Lady, the Princess of Danyang County, was affectionately holding the hand of a fair-skinned woman who was wearing a lake-colored vase-embroidered jacket and talking to her.

Mrs. Tang Si narrowed her eyes slightly.

Speak of Cao Cao and he will appear.

I didn't expect to run into Lady Mu, the wife of Marquis Dingnan's son, at the door!

Before the Fifth Madam and Mrs. Mu could react, Mrs. Tang Fourth had already stepped forward and greeted them with a smile: "I didn't expect to meet the wife of the Marquis Dingnan's son here. You are a rare guest!"

Mu was an introvert, the Sun family was small, and her husband was an adopted son, so she seldom went out.

Hearing what Mrs. Tang said, her face turned red and she hurried forward to greet Mrs. Tang.

The Fifth Lady, however, was on the side of her sister-in-law. While greeting Mrs. Tang Si, she smiled and said, "My sister-in-law comes here quite often, but Mrs. Tang Si comes less often, so we probably don't see her anymore!"

Mrs. Tang Si laughed.

A few people stood there and exchanged greetings for a while. Then Mrs. Tang got on the carriage, and Mrs. Fifth, Mrs. Mu, and Mrs. Eleven entered the hanging flower gate.

When the curtain was lowered, Mrs. Tang Si saw that the Fifth Madam had moved aside, intentionally letting Mrs. Mu and Eleventh Lady stand side by side. Mrs. Mu took the opportunity to take Eleventh Lady's arm and said something that made Eleventh Lady laugh.

She couldn't help but frown.

Go back and discuss it with Mrs. Tang in a low voice.

Madam Tang thought for a long time before saying, "The dowry is easy to talk about. As long as the Xu family agrees, we can add 20% to the dowry of the eldest daughter of the Xu family. As for the matchmaker... let's ask the wife of the Zhongqin Earl to be the matchmaker. For so many years, Eleventh Lady has never been absent from her during festivals."

Mrs. Tang was still a little hesitant: "Madam Gan is a widow after all. Is it appropriate for her to go? I see that Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Huang are on good terms, and Mrs. Huang was the matchmaker for the Xu family's children's marriages..."

"What do you know?" Madam Tang interrupted Madam Tang Si's words, "It is precisely because the marriages of the Xu family's children were arranged by Third Madam Huang, that those who want to marry into the Xu family will probably ask Third Madam Huang to sound out the situation. Instead of rushing in and letting Third Madam Huang think about it in her mind first, it is better to go to Madam Gan - it's just to help pass on the message. If the Xu family has this intention, they will naturally ask for another matchmaker!" She added, "You can go to the Gan family this afternoon. I have seen the eldest daughter of the Sun family. She is very beautiful."

Mrs. Tang Si nodded quickly and said "yes", changed her clothes and went to Uncle Zhongqin's house.

Mrs. Gan knew the purpose of Mrs. Tang Si's visit, and she blocked her way first: "You and I are thinking the same thing. My niece from my mother's side is eleven years old this year, and she hasn't found a husband yet. My sister-in-law heard that the Sixth Young Master was still unmarried, so she came here in person yesterday to discuss this matter, and planned to ask my mother-in-law to ask Mrs. Xu Si's opinion!"

"That's great!" Mrs. Tang Si did not show any weakness, "It saves the lady from having to make two trips for one thing."

Mrs. Gan couldn't help feeling annoyed, but she couldn't refuse, so she reluctantly accompanied Mrs. Tang Si to meet Mrs. Gan.

Madam Gan tried to refuse in every possible way: "Since you have come all the way to invite me, it means you think highly of me. If it were something else, I would certainly accept the invitation, but not this one - after all, I am a widow." No matter what Madam Ren Tang said, she just shook her head.

Mrs. Tang Si had no choice but to leave in disappointment.

Madam Gan's personal maid couldn't help but wonder: "Do you think the eldest daughter of the Tang family and the sixth young master of the Xu family are not a good match?"

Even though she is a widow, she is just bringing a message, not acting as a matchmaker. Why should she refuse so righteously and offend others for nothing?

"Every family has its own story." Madam Gan said solemnly, "I haven't been out for many years, so I don't know what the outside world is like. Eleventh Lady is a person who values ​​friendship, so why should I cause her all this trouble?" At this point, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a happy smile, "Counting the days, Jing'er will be back in five days, right?"

"Yes!" the old woman laughed, "It is said that the army will arrive in Beijing on the 29th and will be stationed near the Western Hills camp. On the 30th, the Ministry of Rites will offer sacrifices to the suburban palace and the ancestral temple, and the ceremony of presenting captives will be held at 7:00 on the first day of July."

"I wonder if Jing'er has lost weight?" The lady muttered as she opened the boxwood cabinet with rounded corners beside the kang, took out the clothes she had made for Jing'er and counted them again. Then she said, "Send me over tomorrow morning."

The old woman agreed with a smile on her face and went to the lotus garden early the next morning.

"You've made so many clothes for Jing'er." Eleventh Lady smiled and asked the maid to thank Madam Gan on her behalf, and said, "When Jing'er comes back, I'll take him to kowtow to Madam Gan."

The old woman kept saying "I dare not".

Eleventh Lady gave the old woman ten taels of silver as a reward and served her tea.

Amber smiled and put the clothes into a camphorwood box with a shepherd boy playing a flute carved on it. "I think the Sixth Young Master won't have to make clothes for three years!"

"More than three years!" Eleventh Lady walked over to help tidy up the clothes, "I think I won't have to make clothes for five years!"

"Look at what the lady said!" Amber said with a smile, "You are too strict with the Sixth Young Master - for example, you insist on changing this shirt until the collar turns yellow. If it were someone else, they would have changed it every season."

"Is this what you call strict?" Eleventh Lady laughed, "There are so many people in this world who can't afford to wear this Songjiang Sanshu cloth! He's already luxurious enough!"

Amber was about to speak with a smile when a servant in green clothes said in a muffled voice through the gauze screen: "Madam, the Sixth Young Master's peacock has flown away!"

Eleventh Lady was shocked: "How could a peacock fly away!" As she spoke, she looked in the direction of the sound.

I saw that the servant was thin but very tall. Although he came to report something, he held his head high and his posture was very upright, without the slightest bit of cowardice or humility of a subordinate.

This is the inner courtyard, why did they send a tall servant who doesn't look like a child to report the matter? Moreover, this servant looked arrogant, and it was clear that he was a man with his own ideas. It would be fine if he met someone like her who didn't care about manners, but if he met the Tai Madam, the Second Madam, or the Fifth Madam, if he didn't give a good answer, he would probably be beaten.

She frowned secretly and walked out.

"Who do you work for..." Before she could finish her sentence, Eleventh Lady was already standing there in a daze.

Amber also felt that there was something wrong with this servant. When she heard Eleventh Lady's words suddenly stop, she felt something was wrong. She hurried out while saying sternly, "Madam is asking you a question? Why are you..." When she raised her eyes, she saw a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes that were shining like obsidian.

"Six, Sixth Young Master..." Amber was speechless.

Xu Sijin chuckled.

Eleventh Lady quickly stepped forward and hugged her son: "Jin'er, Jin'er, why is it you?" Tears fell uncontrollably.

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Chapter 742 "Presenting Prisoners" (Part 2) was posted a bit hastily, and then it was overhauled. If sisters feel that Chapter 743 is a bit inconsistent with the text, please read Chapter 742 again.

O(∩_∩)O~