When Gu Chang thought of these, he inevitably thought of Yu Tang.
He was indeed very surprised when Yin Hao proposed marriage to him.
He never thought of marrying a daughter from a wealthy family.
Firstly, his external image has always been that of a man who is indifferent to fame and fortune and does not seek wealth; secondly, he was afraid of being implicated by his wife's family, so he was forced to take sides when the second prince and the third prince were competing for the throne.
But Yin Hao's words touched him.
Yin Hao asked him, "Do you think the Gu family can support you to become a third-rank official?"
The Gu family can't do it.
Although his half-uncle was only a scholar, he was very experienced in the ways of the world. Such a person would be a talent in any family, but he was forced by his father to split up the family.
He hesitated.
Miss Yu’s smiling face flashed through my mind again.
It's so beautiful that people can't help but smile too.
But with such talent and beauty, if a family with strict rules were to take her as a concubine, they would not dare to do so.
If one is too outstanding, it is easy for his wives and concubines to fight with each other, which will bring disaster to his children and grandchildren.
Those who dared to take her as a concubine were either princes or nobles, or those who did not care about the struggles in the inner court.
Gu Chang gave in.
After all, it was because the Yin family was too powerful.
Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for him to marry into the Yin family, so he has never thought of marrying the daughter of a wealthy family, right?
Gu Chang asked himself, smiling bitterly and shaking his head.
Perhaps this is for the best.
He married the daughter of Yin, and Pei Yan took Miss Yu as his concubine.
Perhaps only someone like Pei Yan can do whatever he wants so willfully.
After he retired and stayed at home, he also had the time and energy to balance the relationship between his wives and concubines.
Gu Chang took a big sip of tea.
Maybe this is a good thing.
Pei Yan didn't have the time to care about the trivial matters outside.
And he can also concentrate on striving for a higher position in his official career.
Since you have decided to get married, you should manage your marriage well. No matter what fantasies you had in the past, you should treat them as passing clouds, forget them completely, and focus on treating your wife well.
Husband and wife are also partners.
If you don't pay attention, you will still capsize.
If this boat capsizes, our children will be affected.
Without inheritance, what is the meaning of his struggles and efforts throughout his life?
What Gu Chang longed for was not only to leave his name in history, but also to leave a good reputation in his family tree.
Gu Chang opened the window, looked at the rising sun outside, took a long breath, and felt that no matter how bad his future life would be, it would not be worse than now.
He called Gao Sheng loudly, "Let's go back!"
The marriage with the Yin family had to be arranged by his father. He had better write a letter and send it to the capital as fast as he could, explaining to Sun Gao tactfully that this was his parents' order...
As for Pei Yan, who Gu Chang said he no longer envied but was often compared to, he sat there in a clear and refreshed mood while eating breakfast and listening to the fourth steward's report: "I have already asked someone to send the things Miss Yu bought back to Lin'an, and we will also help to deal with the bill. Because of your suggestion, Mrs. Yang San changed her route to visit Mrs. Qin. As a result, their return to Beijing will be delayed by two or three days." At this point, he hesitated for a while before saying: "Lord Li's carriage has already reached Jinhua and will arrive in Hangzhou soon. Will you wait for Mrs. Yang San and others to return to Beijing before returning to Lin'an? Or will you return to Lin'an after meeting Lord Li?"
Qin Wei, the outgoing governor of Zhejiang, and the second wife's brother were colleagues in the Imperial College. Because of this affinity, the Pei family also had a close relationship with him, and he was quite considerate of the Pei family when he was in office. Li Guang, who was about to take up the new post, had been an official in Yungui and had been promoted from a county magistrate. The reason why he was able to become the governor of Zhejiang this time was also a coincidence. He found a loophole in the struggle between several parties, and the Pei family did not have a direct relationship with him. In this case, if Pei Yan could stay here and show his support when Li Guang took office, and Qin Wei was the middleman, I believe Li Guang would be very happy and would not easily offend the Pei family.
Who knew that Pei Yan snorted disdainfully and said, "Don't worry about him. He has accumulated merits by suppressing bandits. He is not on the same path as our family."
The fourth steward was shocked.
There are many chieftains in Yunnan and Guizhou, so the so-called suppression of bandits mostly targets people in the mountain strongholds.
He couldn't help but worry: "If that's the case, then shouldn't we..."
Pei Yan felt that the fourth steward had a wrong mentality, and said to him sternly: "Although there is a saying of 'destroying the governor', there is also a saying that 'the government office is permanent but the officials are transient'."
If Li Guang wanted to play Yun Gui's game, the scholars in Jiangnan might not buy it.
The fourth steward knew that Pei Yan was very knowledgeable, otherwise the old lady would not have entrusted the Pei family to Pei Yan before her death. He said nothing more, but smiled with complete trust: "Then I will go to prepare a boat for you. Then I will take Miss Yu back with me." He also explained to Pei Yan, "Miss Yu is a guest in our family. Since we have invited her here, we should send her back safely."
Pei Yan immediately felt that this fourth steward was also a talented person and could definitely be the chief steward.
Much better than Hu Xingke.
Pei Yan glanced at the fourth steward.
There are only three general manager positions in the Pei family.
If they wanted to promote the four stewards to be the chief steward, they had to pick one of them. No matter how you look at it, the one who got picked was Hu Xing.
Or, add another manager?
It is easy to add a general manager, but what we are afraid of is that future clan leaders will follow suit and casually add general managers and keep some idle people.
It would be better to get rid of Hu Xing.
Let others see that the Pei family is a place where those who are capable get more rewards the more they work.
However, Hu Xing brought Doctor Yang Yu to see Mrs. Yu, and also served as an errand boy in front of Mrs. An, doing his job diligently and carelessly.
Otherwise, let Hu Xing serve Lao An exclusively?
Hu Xing can continue to receive the monthly salary of the general manager.
This way, Hu Xing's dignity was preserved and one more person was promoted.
The more Pei Yan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
But I still need to think carefully about how to explain this to Mr. An.
Pei Yan made up his mind and looked happy. He wondered whether he should go to see Yu Tang and take the opportunity to discuss returning to Lin'an with her.
But before he could stand up, Yin Hao came over.
He had already discussed with Gu Chang that they would cut the Gordian knot. Tomorrow, the patriarch of the Gu family would come in person to propose marriage to Gu Chang, and he wanted Pei Yan to help him entertain the guest from the Gu family.
Pei Yan didn't want to get involved in Gu Chaoyang's affairs.
He stared at me and said, "Are you mistaken? I haven't even settled my own marriage yet, and you want me to be your companion? I won't do it!"
Yin Hao was so angry that he almost died. He said, "Who else can be suitable besides you? After all, you are also Gu Chaoyang's elder. If someone comes to your house to propose marriage, you should come out and entertain them, right?"
At this point, Pei Yan's eyes widened even more. He asked, "Why did you two come to my house to propose marriage and hold a banquet at my house? Is it because there are not enough good restaurants in Hangzhou? Or is it because one of you is short of money? When you and Gu Chaoyang talked about this, didn't you both feel something was wrong?"
Yin Hao said: "Didn't I come to Hangzhou quietly?"
Pei Yan sneered: "You are just trying to cover your ears and steal the bell. You still think that everyone really doesn't know you are here! Don't deceive yourself. What time did you book for tomorrow? I will go and book a restaurant for you. I will pay for the banquet. Just think of it as an engagement gift from me, the elder, to Gu Chaoyang."
Yin Hao looked at him and didn't think he was joking, so he asked in confusion, "Gu Chaoyang didn't offend you, did he? Why do you sound like you are hostile to him when you talk about him?"
Pei Yan was indeed upset when he saw Gu Chang, but he couldn't show it in front of Yin Hao at this time. Otherwise, Yin Hao would ask him, "Since Gu Chaoyang is not good, why do you recommend him to be the son-in-law of our Yin family?" In the end, the marriage between the two families fell through, which would be troublesome.
He said, "I don't want others to drag me into the Sun Gao incident. You are officials in the court and will be promoted step by step in the future, but I can only guard my ancestral property in Lin'an City and be a village gentry. You can afford to offend some people, but I can't. Don't drag me into it."
Yin Hao suddenly realized and patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, as long as you still call me 'Second Brother Yin', I will not let others bully your Pei family. It's just Li Guang, right? I guarantee that he won't dare to touch a single blade of grass in your family."
Of course Pei Yan was not really afraid of Li Guang.
As long as his second brother recovers, the Pei family will have someone to talk to in the court. He is just looking for an excuse not to help Gu Chang, even for trivial matters. Therefore, no matter how touching Yin Hao's words were, they could not move him.
He ignored Yin Hao and called the fourth steward directly, asking him to go to the best restaurant in Hangzhou City to order the best banquet, and said, "When you get the job done, remember to tell the Gu family."
When the fourth steward heard this, a trace of worry flashed across his eyes, then he nodded in a low voice and retreated.
It was too late for Yin Hao to stop it.
Pei Yan patted Yin Hao on the shoulder, with an air of an elder teaching a younger one, and said earnestly: "If you don't believe me, go ask Madam Yang San. See whether I am right or you are right."
After hearing this, Yin Hao immediately wilted.
He has been spoiled since he was a child, and his aunt and sisters help him with everything. Although he is the head of the Yin family, he is not good at handling these relationships.
Pei Yan didn't let him go, and continued: "If you still don't believe it, just go and ask Master Tao. He won't lie to you, right?"
Yin Hao no longer wanted to ask anyone, he just resigned himself to his fate and said, "Okay. I'll go tell my aunt. If they invite a matchmaker over, my aunt will definitely have to come forward."
Pei Yan said: "As long as it's not in my house."
Yin Hao shook his head helplessly and went to Mrs. Yang San's place.
After learning about this, Mrs. Yang San smiled and said, "I was still thinking about your meeting with the Gu family tomorrow. I always felt that something was wrong. Pei Xiaoguang made such a fuss, and it really makes sense - our two families are talking about marriage, and we should worship our ancestors and let them know. After all, this is the Pei family's mansion. How can we worship our own ancestors in the Pei family's mansion? I think Pei Xiaoguang did the right thing. Not only can we not receive people from the Gu family here, it's best not to celebrate at the Pei family. I think we might as well buy a house. When Ah Zhi gets married, it can be used as her dowry, and we can have a place to stay when we come to Hangzhou City in the future."
Yin Hao's eyes lit up, he clapped his hands and said "OK", and immediately asked someone to invite the fourth steward to help buy a house: "It doesn't matter how big or small it is, the location should be good and convenient for travel. It's best if it's close to you so that you can take care of it in the future."
The fourth steward didn't think much about it. He reported to Pei Yan and sent someone to call a familiar broker to help the Yin family run the business.