Chapter 22 (Bestowed Marriage)
Ever since the day the Pei siblings left, Wen Tongwen, who had heard some rumors, waited and waited but no matchmaker came.
He was so disappointed that he thought things were going to fail that he spent several days in his study feeling depressed.
On the fifth day, Dong Daguan arrived with an imperial edict.
Dong Daguan, who was then the official in charge of the Inner East Gate, was a eunuch who had served the emperor since childhood and was a top favorite in the palace.
Wen Tongwen never dreamed he would have any connection with such a person.
So much so that when the servant came to report, he was having tea with the old lady when he lost his balance and fell flat on his face. When he stood up, his first thought was to suspect that some of his nephews or nieces had caused a major disaster.
However, things clearly went beyond his expectations—
"The fourth daughter of the Wen family, a distinguished and illustrious clan, was well-mannered and virtuous, and her speech and demeanor were exemplary. She came from a family of scholars and officials, and possessed the beauty of peace and integrity."
"I hereby bestow my hand in marriage upon Pei Lin of the Pei family of the Marquis of Dingbei. I hope that you two will be bound by a deep bond, become a harmonious couple, and from now on be of one heart and one mind."
The members of the Wen family said, "We, your subjects/your wives/your daughters, thank Your Majesty for your great kindness."
After respectfully seeing off Minister Dong, the matchmakers invited by the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion arrived at the Wen residence shortly afterward, accompanied by the second matriarch of the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion, Cheng Shuwen.
Just by looking at the matchmaker, who was wearing a veil and a purple jacket, and was full of energy, one could tell how much the Marquis's family valued this marriage.
All sorts of auspicious sayings filled the room, and in the center of the room was a long string of various rewards bestowed by the imperial court that had not yet been put away; the precious brocades and silks alone could fill an entire table.
The elderly Mrs. Wen, sitting at the head of the table, remained relatively calm, but Wen Tongwen, who sat at the foot of her table, couldn't hide his smile.
After the traditional customs of receiving the engagement letter, presenting the red envelope, returning the fish-shaped chopsticks, and inserting the hairpin were completed, and the date for the engagement ceremony was agreed upon, Cheng Shuwen and the matchmaker finally left.
The sky then darkened.
As soon as Wen Lingzheng returned to Tu Nan Courtyard, Xuanji brought water for her to wash her hands. Then an old woman came in carrying a wooden box and said, "This box was sent by Granny Ren from the old lady's side. She said it was just a preliminary part, so please take a look first, Miss."
"I understand. You can go now. Tell Granny Ren that I'll change my clothes and then go to thank Grandmother for the gift." Wen Lingzheng dried her hands, and Yaoguang took the box and placed it in front of the young lady.
The box, made of finely carved golden nanmu wood, was filled to the brim with contracts. Even Yuheng, standing to the side, couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!"
Wen Lingzheng glanced through the box briefly, then took the hairpin she had just received from Cheng Shuwen and put it in with the box. "Let's put it away for now!"
"Yes." Yao Guang responded, picked up the box, and left.
Yuheng crouched down and, seeing the young woman staring blankly at the candlelight, asked, "What are you thinking about, young lady?"
"I'm thinking about how to deal with this later."
"response?"
Wen Lingzheng chuckled and tapped Yuheng's forehead. "Do you really think Grandmother just sent Granny Ren to deliver something to me?"
Yuheng, puzzled, pouted and hugged the girl's arm. "What a joyous occasion it is that the young lady is engaged to the Marquis's family! It's not surprising that the old lady sent gifts over, is it?"
Yao Guang walked in, shook his head and sighed, "Now that the eldest aunt has arrived in Shengjing, I'm afraid she has no intention of returning to Luzhou."
Seeing Yuheng's confusion, Yaoguang explained, "This old lady of the family is not clear-headed. The young master wants to arrange a marriage, the young lady will be of marriageable age next year, and the son-in-law is soft-hearted. Then Luzhou will become a place of tigers and wolves."
"That's absolutely unacceptable!"
Looking at Wen Lingzheng, Yao Guang's eyes showed a hint of worry, "Now that the Marquis's mansion has come today, I'm afraid the eldest young lady is in a hurry! The young lady agreed to the fifth young lady's matter on the spot, which was a bit rash."
Gently patting Yuheng's hand, Wen Lingzheng said, "It's alright, we'll deal with whatever comes our way."
Inside the Shou Kang Hall, the candlelight was dim and the place was so quiet that the only sound was the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
Just as Grandma Wen had finished eating a couple of bites, the messenger came into the room and said, "Grandma, the eldest aunt has arrived."
Old Madam Wen was well aware of Wen Jinghao's intentions. She calmly took the handkerchief from Granny Ren, wiped her mouth, and asked, "When you went to Tu Nan Courtyard just now, did Fourth Sister say when she would be coming?"
"The Fourth Sister said she would come after changing her clothes."
Grandma Wen nodded and said to the old woman who had delivered the message, "Let her in!"
"As the saying goes, people are in high spirits when they have a happy occasion. I haven't even had a chance to congratulate my mother yet!" Wen Jinghao's voice came from under the corridor before she even entered the inner room.
Grandma Wen sat down on the daybed in the center, glanced at her beloved daughter, picked up her teacup and took a sip: "Enough of this idle talk, come and try this tea, it was your favorite when you were little."
"Yes." Wen Jinghao responded and sat down, taking the teacup from Granny Ren's hand. "Granny's tea still tastes the same as before."
"If the eldest aunt is pleased, that's good." Noticing Old Madam Wen's glance, Granny Ren led the surrounding maids out.
Grandma Wen put down her teacup, pretending not to see Wen Jinghao's hesitant words, and asked only, "Li Ge'er and Yi Jie'er have been in Shengjing for quite some time now, haven't they? Are they settling in well?"
Wen Jinghao stopped talking and replied with a smile, "Thanks to Mother, Li Ge'er has made great progress in his studies with Rui Ge'er and Zhuo Ge'er these days!"
"That's good." Grandma Wen smiled with relief. "If Li-ge'er becomes successful in the future, he will be able to support you and Yi-jie'er."
“Mother is absolutely right!” Wen Jinghao agreed, then sighed, “This child has always been diligent and hardworking; it’s just a pity he wasn’t born into one of those wealthy and influential families…”
Her hand paused, and Old Madam Wen scolded, "What are you saying! Your son-in-law is, after all, the Prefect of Luzhou. Aren't you making him lose face by saying such things?"
Wen Jinghao was interrupted and became angry. She looked at her mother and asked, "What's so good about an empty prefectural office?"
"My mother always favored my eldest brother and my third brother, and even my second brother was more valued than me! It's just because she looked down on me for being a girl!"
Despite feeling wronged, Mrs. Wen softened her voice, ultimately loving her daughter dearly.
"How could a dignified prefectural office be just an empty shell? Is it because your son-in-law treats you badly? Does he not give you the dignity befitting a mistress of the household? Or is it because you don't have enough money?"
The year Wen Jinghao chose her husband, Wen Tongwen had not yet passed the imperial examination. Under the management of Old Madam Wen, the family had managed to accumulate some wealth, while the Lin family already held official positions.
At that time, Mr. Lin was serving as the Assistant Magistrate of Quanzhou. He was an honest and upright official and was highly respected.
The son-in-law, Lin Zhaoping, was the only son in the Lin family, and even the old lady Wen forced the old master Wen to personally investigate his academic background.
Back then, in order to ensure that Wen Jinghao could have a splendid wedding, Old Madam Wen even gave up half of the family fortune she had earned in the first half of her life.
She couldn't understand where Wen Jinghao's words came from at all...
Wen Jinghao did not answer, but pretended to wipe away her tears, which made the old lady Wen even more anxious.
"Why is Mother suddenly so uncultured? How much salary can a sub-prefect earn in a year? Even if you include the allowance from the court for supplies and additional expenses, there's still the whole family to support!"
"We have to rent houses, help our officials with their careers, and manage the family's expenses. And to make matters worse, our officials are obsessed with saving face! That useless Wei family keeps coming over to freeload every now and then!"
Wen Jinghao sniffed, feeling even more aggrieved.
“Even if you add up the annual income from my dowry shop, it’s barely enough to get by! And my mother-in-law is still not satisfied! She’s always suspecting me of embezzling money.”
"That Wei family is useless, but they are still my uncle's maternal family!"
When Wen Lingzheng entered the room, Wen Jinghao was arguing fiercely with Old Madam Wen. Neither of them saw her, so she just listened in for a bit by the door.
Grandma Wen's face stiffened slightly. "Fourth Sister is here? Quickly, sit down next to your grandmother!"
"Fourth Sister will be a lady of the Marquis's mansion in the future! She will also have a generous dowry to rely on. How could she understand the hardships of us from humble families?" Wen Jinghao pouted, clearly unconvinced.
Wen Lingzheng didn't beat around the bush with her, and simply said, "The one who is too dominant is never the one who gets sympathy."
Wen Jinghao frowned. "What do you mean by this?"
"It doesn't matter whether a couple is from a high or low social class; if they want to get along harmoniously, they can't avoid putting in the effort to maintain the relationship."
Glancing at Wen Jinghao's expression, Wen Lingzheng unusually spoke up: "But in business, there's no such thing as one side always advancing while the other always retreating."
"Ever since you arrived in Shengjing, you've been criticizing the Wei family every day for being useless. But no matter how useless they are, they are still your uncle's maternal family! Won't your uncle get angry if you spread these rumors everywhere? Or will it make you look better?"
Seeing that Wen Jinghao wanted to refute, Wen Lingzheng asked again, "On one side is his wife who looks down on him, and on the other side is his elderly and frail mother and his understanding concubine. Which side do you think Uncle will pity more?"
Full of complaints with nowhere to vent, and then having her grievances exposed by a junior, Wen Jinghao couldn't save face and could only retort stubbornly, "What do you know, you're just a young girl who's only recently engaged?"
Blinded by family affection for a time, Grandma Wen finally realized that she had spoiled her daughter!
She glanced at Wen Lingzheng and joined in the banter, "Good girl, don't treat everyone else like fools!"
Before Wen Jinghao could speak, Wen Lingzheng continued, "My cousin is only two months older than me, and she should be of marriageable age by now. If Aunt doesn't want to go back to Luzhou, I have a solution."
Wen Jinghao stopped crying. Her eyes shone brightly on her face, which was reddened by the handkerchief.
"What method?"
"The spring examinations scheduled for February have been postponed to early April due to matters in the northern border. My eldest and second eldest brothers will be taking the exams, and my cousin will be too, right?"
"Thirty is old for a scholar who has passed the imperial examinations, fifty is young for a scholar who has passed the highest level of the imperial examinations; failing once is common." Wen Lingzheng casually picked up a piece of fruit from the plate, took a bite, and smiled. "Isn't the official school in Shengjing better than that in Luzhou?"
Grandma Wen laughed, "Fourth Sister is absolutely right! Doesn't your mother-in-law think you're embezzling? You should hand over the management of the household to her, just focus on managing your own dowry, and accompany Li-ge'er to study in Shengjing!"
"He's the son-in-law's own son after all, how could he possibly hinder his future? You don't need to worry about Li Ge'er's schooling, I'll have your eldest brother take care of it tomorrow! As for Yi Jie'er, it's fine to arrange a marriage for her in Shengjing!"
Wen Jing was overjoyed, but then she remembered her original purpose, and the corners of her mouth that had just turned up drooped again. "But, Mother..."
It is said that no one knows a daughter better than her mother. Just by looking at Wen Jinghao like this, Old Madam Wen could tell what she was thinking. "Your second brother has two sons, your eldest brother and your fifth brother, but he only has one daughter, your sixth sister..."
Wen Jing's heart skipped a beat, and she laughed awkwardly, "If Mother agrees, I'm sure Second Brother won't refuse."
“But if Grandmother agrees, the bond between mother and son will probably come to an end.”
Wen Lingzheng gave Wen Jinghao a cold look. "The expenses of the third branch of the family have always relied on the Zhonggong (a government agency). Although the first branch has my father, Aunt, don't forget that he, like Uncle, receives a salary..."
Slightly discouraged, Wen Jinghao still wanted to try, "Sixth Sister's looks are slightly inferior to Fifth Sister's, and my Li-ge'er passed the imperial examination at a young age, what could Second Brother possibly be dissatisfied with..."
Grandma Wen glanced at her.
“Your second brother and sister-in-law are different. He has always doted on Sixth Sister the most. He doesn't care about wealth or fame; he just wants to find his daughter a simple, honest family.”
"You don't even look at how you talk about the Wei family every single day..."
Speechless, Wen Jinghao was somewhat frustrated, but she still tentatively looked at Old Madam Wen, "What about Fifth Sister? Eldest Brother..."
Grandma Wen reminded her impatiently, "Haven't you seen it yet? Your eldest brother is the kind of person who won't do anything without a profit."
Wen Jinghao was completely deflated.
Wen Tongfu treated her well, but he was such a disappointment! If she could only choose the second or third daughter, she might as well choose a girl from another family…
“Aunt, there’s no need to rush.” With a slight smile, Wen Lingzheng said, “If Cousin has the ability to get Fifth Sister to agree, I’ll speak to my father.”
"You're really that kind?" Wen Jinghao looked Wen Lingzheng up and down, not believing it at all. "If there are conditions, you might as well just say so."
Sitting up slightly, Wen Lingzheng replied, "There is indeed a condition, but Aunt can tell Cousin what we discussed today first, and whether he agrees or not is up to him."
Seeing Wen Jinghao's slight hesitation, Wen Lingzheng couldn't help but chuckle, "He is my cousin after all, I would never harm him, so Aunt can rest assured."
Having received the promise, Wen Jinghao left, turning back every few steps. The once noisy inner room was now only occupied by Old Madam Wen and Wen Lingzheng, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Grandma Wen started the conversation, "Now that your marriage is settled, your second and third daughters should also be engaged. It can't be that all the younger sisters are married while the older sister is still unmarried."
“Grandmother is absolutely right.” Wen Lingzheng paused, then added, “I won’t have my coming-of-age ceremony until the end of the year anyway, and the earliest I can get married is next year, so there’s no rush.”
“That’s for sure,” Old Madam Wen agreed. “They are all daughters of the Wen family; there’s no reason for them to marry just anyone.”
Looking at the cold teacups on the low table, a shrewd glint flashed in Old Madam Wen's eyes. "You and Fifth Sister discussed this matter concerning Li Ge'er?"
“That’s right.” Wen Lingzheng didn’t hide anything.
Frowning slightly, Old Madam Wen asked, "Then do you know who has taken a liking to Fifth Sister?"
Wen Lingzheng raised her head but did not answer. Old Madam Wen sighed and said, "—Li Che, the second son of Prince Xiang."
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Author's Note: Starting from the 17th, updates will resume at 11:05 PM daily, with a high probability of 3,000 words per day, plus occasional bonus chapters. I will let you know in advance if I have any absences.
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