Chapter 399 (Final Chapter)
The plan was to find a son-in-law from among those listed in the imperial examination, but Linlin didn't even look at the list. He was planning to go and propose marriage, but Xie Wanniang took the initiative to reveal that Linlin was already engaged. The families in the capital who wanted to marry their daughters into the princess's mansion were dumbfounded.
Out of curiosity about Linlin's fiancé, officials and their families who had not originally planned to attend the princess's celebratory banquet also sent their gifts with great curiosity.
Neither the princess's residence nor the bride's family intended to hide anything, so soon those who were curious about Linlin's betrothed got a definite answer from Xie Wanniang.
In front of Xie Wanniang and the others, everyone said that Linlin and the woman were a perfect match, but behind their backs, they said a completely different story.
"I thought Princess Hui'an would choose some outstanding fiancée for her son, but I never expected her to pick that girl from the family of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy."
For most people, the residence of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy would certainly be a very good marriage partner. However, given the immense power and influence of Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang, the fact that their only son was marrying the granddaughter of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy was quite unexpected.
Not to mention that the granddaughter of the Imperial Academy Chancellor had always been quiet in the capital, with no reputation for talent or virtue, and her appearance was just average, nothing special.
With neither a distinguished family background nor a reputation for talent, virtue, or beauty, how did this girl manage to catch Princess Huian's eye?
The group was completely baffled, but none of them dared to ask Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang.
Naturally, they would never know that this girl was not actually chosen by Xie Wanniang, but by her son himself.
Linlin loved reading, and so did the girl. The two often bumped into each other in bookstores throughout the capital, and the girl even asked her grandfather to help her borrow books from the Imperial Academy's library.
Her grandfather, who is the current Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, happens to have a good relationship with Xie Wanniang's uncle.
When old friends get together, they inevitably show off their own children, and naturally, this girl and Linlin are both within the scope of their parents' boasting.
As his maternal great-uncle's nominal grandson and actual disciple, Linlin would occasionally overhear the Imperial Academy Chancellor praising his granddaughter's virtuous and intelligent nature when he was by her side.
At first, he was only a little curious about this girl who was said to be well-read and more intelligent and studious than her brothers. For a long time, the two maintained a nodding acquaintance with each other.
It wasn't until one day when the girl accompanied her mother to offer incense that the family's carriage broke down on the way, and Linlin, who was returning home from the village, happened to run into them. Only then did the two have any interaction beyond exchanging greetings.
The girl's mother, perhaps having long desired Linlin to be her son-in-law, used the guise of gratitude to formally establish relations with the princess's residence.
When Linlin went to study at the Imperial Academy, she asked her husband and father-in-law to take extra care of Linlin.
The Imperial Academy Chancellor, out of consideration for his old friend and Linlin's academic talent, had always taken good care of the child. His family was also aware of this. Now that his daughter-in-law had relayed a message to him through his son, the old man immediately began to have doubts.
Thinking of his granddaughter, who was clearly very intelligent but loved to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention, the old man felt that he probably understood what his daughter-in-law was up to.
He sighed. If Linlin weren't Princess Huian's only son, he might have considered the child as a potential grandson-in-law, but now...
The old man had no hope, but unexpectedly, Linlin had taken a liking to his granddaughter.
What surprised him even more was that Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan actually let the child decide his own marriage.
Judging from the standards they used to choose a son-in-law for An'an, the old man thought they would also find a daughter-in-law from a duke's mansion, a prince's mansion, or a princess's mansion, someone who would be outstanding in every way.
At the very least, the old man felt that they should turn their attention to the powerful officials in the imperial court.
Because he had no hope, the old man deliberately avoided letting Linlin meet his granddaughter, which caused his daughter-in-law to complain behind his back that he was too old-fashioned.
Fortunately, her daughter lived up to expectations. Because she was intelligent and knowledgeable, even with limited contact, Linlin couldn't help but develop an admiration and affection for her.
As for Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang, they never intended to improve their social status or increase their power through their children. Otherwise, they would not have married An'an to the second young master of the Chang family, who was essentially a hostage.
Yes, An'an and the Second Young Master Chang are married. The young couple now live in the Anguo Duke's Mansion, which is two streets away from Princess Huian's Mansion.
Of course, they were staying in one of the ordinary courtyards of the Duke's mansion, which was where the Second Young Master Chang was qualified to live, not the main courtyard or the residence of the heir apparent.
On this matter, An'an and the Second Young Master Chang were of the same opinion, while Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan simply did not get involved.
However, Xie Wanniang did provide her daughter with a three-courtyard house in Rong'anfang as a dowry, just in case.
She bought that house in the third year after moving to the Princess's residence, just two streets away from the house she bought when she first arrived in the capital, which was also located in Rong'anfang.
She planned to leave that house to Linlin, since once she passed away, her husband and children would no longer be entitled to live in the princess's mansion.
Instead of scrambling to find another place to live later, it's better to prepare the house in advance. After all, with her current financial situation, she doesn't need the money from selling the house to make ends meet.
Linlin's wedding was arranged very quickly. Before he officially started his duties, his wife was married into Princess Huian's mansion in a lively ceremony.
The young girl, who had just turned eighteen, had a look of joy and anticipation, as well as shyness and nervousness. Her appearance immediately reminded Xie Wanniang of An'an, who had married into the Chang family not long ago.
She did not follow the example of some wealthy women who set rules for their daughters-in-law, and she quickly delegated the power to manage the household.
As for herself, she is finally free from being tied to one place, and she plans to spend a few years traveling around while she is still able to walk.
First, observe the magnificent natural wonders; second, appreciate the local customs and traditions; and third, consider the extent to which her years of hard work have indirectly contributed to societal change.
She excitedly packed her bags, intending to leave her family behind and go have some fun on her own, but unexpectedly, Jiang Yuan, who should have been the one most tied up with the emperor, managed to persuade him to grant her leave request.
He successfully ran away from home, but an unexpected person ended up accompanying him...
Xie Wanniang, who had already packed her bags, was speechless at how clingy this guy was after receiving the news. Her second thought was, "Well, it's good that someone is taking care of the trivial matters on the road, so I can relax a bit."
The couple left without a second thought, and Jiang Yuan took his long vacation without a second thought. The officials and nobles in the court were speechless at the couple's unusual capriciousness.
Whether out of a sense of responsibility or a desire for power, none of them could do what this couple did: abandon their official duties and family to leisurely travel.
But the emperor liked his subjects who did not cling to power.
New talents emerge in every generation. If the older generation is unwilling to step down, where will the fresh blood, who are just beginning to emerge and have more ideals and drive, get the chance to rise to the top?
Both to reward Jiang Yuan for being sensible and to subtly suggest that some old fogies in the court should learn from Jiang Yuan, the emperor showed special regard and appreciation for Linlin after Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang left.
At this time, the Crown Prince of Wei had been officially appointed, but the other princes had not completely given up hope.
Many ministers who wanted to claim credit for the emperor's rise to power quickly took sides, but Linlin consistently proved to be slippery and unreliable.
Not to mention those princes whose positions were not legitimate, he didn't even take the initiative to show any loyalty to the crown prince.
Linlin, who completely inherited his parents' pure and honest ways, always outwardly displays a humble and simple demeanor, believing that "he has achieved what he has today only through hard work."
After he became a second-class scholar, those who deliberately brought up the fact that he failed to become a prince's study companion when he was young because of his mediocre performance, and wanted to use this as an opportunity to impeach him and his parents for disrespecting the royal family and deliberately deceiving the emperor, had only just begun their stirring up trouble when Linlin, with his good temper but exceptionally straightforwardness, refuted them until they were speechless.
In his words:
"According to what you adults say, does every child who is bright and clever when they are young have to be exactly the same bright and clever when they grow up? Does every child who is mediocre when they are young have to be exactly the same mediocre when they grow up? Then what is the point of sayings like 'The Tragedy of Zhong Yong' and 'Great talents mature late'?"
"I am just a late bloomer, not a fool. My parents and great-uncle have carefully nurtured me for more than ten years. Even if I am not very smart, with more time and effort, I can always make up for the shortcomings caused by my late bloomer."
He even kindly advised the other party, "If any of you gentlemen have children or grandchildren who did not meet your expectations in their childhood, please do not rush to give up on them. My parents said that children need to be taught patiently and gradually. As long as they are not really mentally challenged, they will naturally become successful with continued teaching."
As he spoke, he pointed to himself, "For example, my sister and I are the best examples."
The group that was originally united in impeaching him and his parents: ...
Although the young man appeared sincere and spoke in a gentle tone, they could still detect a hint of sarcasm in his words.
He's talkative and quick-witted. Although he's still young, everyone can already tell that given time, this kid will be even more difficult to deal with than his father.
Those who were hostile to their family were very troubled by this, but Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang were even more relieved to shift the burden onto their son.
The couple had so much fun that they forgot all about home. After the long holiday, Jiang Yuan did not return to work as everyone expected. Instead, he readily relinquished his military power and asked the emperor for a sinecure.
He retired, but his son rose steadily and surely in the court, progressing rapidly and solidly.
After observing them secretly for a while, Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang finally felt at ease and completely let go, instead enjoying their long-awaited time together as a couple.
Of course, they didn't just travel around sightseeing. They continued to do things that could make the country more prosperous and the people live happier and more stable lives until their deaths.
However, what they sought was not fame, fortune, or power. Whenever they did something beneficial to the country and its people, they either invoked the emperor's name or remained quietly behind the scenes, never revealing their identities.
However, the more they acted this way, the more the royal family wanted to set them up as benchmarks and role models.
The couple's deeds spread widely in the Great Wei Dynasty, and their children and grandchildren received numerous awards for their repeated merits.
Even after their deaths, the third emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty, who had already ascended the throne, ordered historians to write books about them so that their great achievements could be passed down to future generations.
Many men and women in the community grew up listening to their stories, and at a young age, a seed of positivity was planted in their hearts, a desire to benefit the country and its people, and at the same time change their own and their families' destinies.
—The End—
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