Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Two Chapters Combined
Before the Chinese New Year, Zhang Pingjun invited her parents-in-law to spend the New Year with her and said that they had decorated the house very nicely. Jinniang said to Luo Yu'e, "You two living on either side will be more popular. If you really follow someone wholeheartedly, they will think that no matter how they treat you, you still cling to them and they don't value you."
Luo Yu'e felt very upset after hearing this. She felt that her daughter really cared too much about them.
Think ahead of them in everything.
I used to think that it would be nice to have a house and live with my son and daughter-in-law, because that’s how everyone has lived for thousands of years. But the couple now have their own land, and if they are not comfortable living anywhere else, they can just move back to their own farm. On weekdays, when I go back to the countryside, I can bring some local specialties back to Bianjing, and I always feel like I can hold my head high.
After seeing his parents off, Ning Ge'er was welcomed back. After Ning Ge'er turned thirteen, he grew taller as if he had eaten a rocket.
"Mom, it's still warm at home." Ning Ge'er said with a smile.
Originally, Ning Ge'er planned to stay in the Imperial College for a few days and then return home, and Jinniang agreed. However, after staying there for a few days, he felt that he should not be treated specially, so he stayed in the Imperial College.
Jinniang smiled and said, "Look, come and sit down. Let's have a cup of hot almond drink."
Ning Ge'er just felt dry in his mouth. The almond drink was not greasy but had a sweet aftertaste, so he drank it all in one gulp. He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and smiled, "You don't know that our dormitory head is going out to buy firewood. I often hear you tell me about the expenses at home, and I know which ones are expensive and which ones are cheap just by listening to you."
Many of the dormitory heads and house masters of the Imperial College had to go out to buy food and charcoal for the students in their dormitories, which was considered a first-class training.
However, Jinniang asked, "You are young, will your dormitory leader let you go out with us?"
"Don't you know that when it comes to the end of the year exams, everyone wants to do better. Who has the patience to do all this? Haven't I been drafted into the army? But it's good for my son to get out and get some fresh air." Ning Ge'er remembered that there were many students in the Imperial College who slept with prostitutes. Those people were too indecent. They were not scholars and only liked these things.
It would be fine if some people originally came from a well-off family, but some come from a poor family and waste their family's money to do bad things.
The mother and son were talking about interesting things when Ding'er came over and Yun'er also came over with a hot water bottle. Everyone was talking and laughing, and the gathering was full of joy.
Sister Yun felt very happy and satisfied, but when she came out of the house, she felt a little lonely. She would have to get married a few days after the New Year. The Wei family would definitely not be like her own, even though the Wei family was the most familiar place to her outside her own home.
Since she was old enough to understand, she studied at the Wei family, and later she had frequent contacts with the Wei family during festivals.
But the atmosphere in the Wei family is actually completely different from that in the Jiang family. The Wei family places more emphasis on rules, and there are strict rules between parents and children, and they pay great attention to hierarchy.
Would she feel as comfortable when she went to someone else's house as she did at her own?
Just like Madam Song, she was once a favored daughter of heaven thanks to the Song family. She was the only one who made others unhappy, and there was never anything that made others unhappy.
However, once the Song family fell, their former political enemies would make a fuss about every little thing, and the children of the Song family could only live as rich and idle people. Those who continued to act as before would not only harm others but also themselves.
Even though Madam Song is now at the bottom of the list, a proud person like Jiang Song has become much more mellow.
After the Little New Year, New Year’s Eve soon arrives.
The door gods and couplets on the doors were all brand new, and the old peach charms were taken down and replaced with new ones.
Jiang Xian was reading in the study. He used to study for fame and fortune, but now he studies to please himself. Hu Tou came in with a tray on which were a plate of spring pancakes as thin as cicada wings and a plate of cold bean sprouts.
He has a strong appetite, but he is also very restrained. If he eats oily and meaty food one day, he will eat lighter food for three consecutive days.
Seeing Hu Tou put down the food, he asked, "What did my wife eat?"
"My wife had vegetable and meat porridge, with a few side dishes and a fried tongs." said Hu Tou.
They carry the food from the big kitchen so it is clear and visible.
Jiang Xian nodded: "Then you can also help me get some vegetable and meat porridge."
Hu Tou went out immediately, and thought to himself that the master now likes to learn from his wife more and more. He does whatever his wife asks him to do. It's really something.
After lunch, he went to the main room and saw his wife drawing flowers, as quiet as water.
"Madam, you've just taken a break for half a year and you want to do needlework again?" Jiang Xian asked with a smile.
Jinniang said, "You don't know that the fashion nowadays is different from the past. You see, in the past, the collar was the best looking with a full embroidery, but now the collar is embroidered with gold and some small flowers are embroidered on the teeth, which looks delicate."
Delicate yet luxurious is the latest trend.
Although Jiang Xian loves delicious food and fine clothes, he now wears official robes every day. When he returns home, he just wants to be comfortable and simple. Hearing Jinniang's description, he hurriedly said, "Madam, please make one for me."
"I wouldn't have said it if I had known. You love it this way. Whenever I say something delicious, you say, 'Madam, I like it too, please buy it for me.' Whenever I say a piece of clothing is pretty, you ask me to make it for you." Jinniang said unhappily.
Jiang Xian laughed and hugged his wife: "Who made me have the best wife in the world?"
Jinniang glared at him but couldn't do anything about him.
They didn't go to the old house on New Year's Eve this year. Only their family celebrated the New Year together, but Jinniang didn't feel lonely at all. Instead, she was very happy. This was their real home.
But when she looked at her daughter, her heart ached slightly: "Jun Jie'er, this year is the last year you will spend at home. In the future--"
Sister Yun was also a little dejected and unhappy.
But she heard her mother say: "In the future, I will find a son-in-law to bring home for the New Year."
Sister Yun laughed.
Jiang Xian said, "My lady, don't talk nonsense. If the Wei family hears this, Qi Lang will probably not be allowed to come to our house."
Jinniang raised her eyebrows: "It all depends on our daughter's ability."
The Wei family was very happy on New Year's Eve. Mrs. Fan and Mrs. Wang were serving food to their mother-in-law. Mrs. Wei said, "Please sit down."
Mrs. Fan smiled and said, "Madam, next year's New Year, we will have a new member in our family, and you will have one more person to serve you. However, if we talk about happiness, the happiest person is probably my seventh brother."
It was rare for Mrs. Wei to tease her son: "I haven't eaten beef or mutton these days. They say it's an irritant and I'm afraid that if I eat too much, I'll get acne on my face."
"Our seventh brother was already a handsome man, and now he's taken good care of himself. I'm afraid our future sister-in-law won't be able to compare to him." Although Mrs. Fan is older, she is more lively in character.
Wang just smiled and said nothing.
Wei Qillang naturally paid great attention to his appearance. Although he didn't put on makeup to make himself look so formal, his hair and clothes were always neat and tidy, and his face was always clean. He had about ten bottles of facial cleanser.
Today is New Year's Eve, and he dresses himself up even better.
It's not that he was like this from the beginning, but when he went to live in the Jiang family a few years ago, he noticed that Jiang Xian was like this. His clothes were always neatly ironed, his headwear and clothes matched perfectly, and even when they moved out together, he realized that men also need to take care of themselves.
No wonder that over the years, wherever Jiang Xian goes, people praise him as a god.
Not long after the Chinese New Year, Yun Jie'er got married. If I were fine on a normal day, but my face was ruined when I got married, I would be doomed. Counting on his fingers, within two months, he also had a wife.
Compared with Wei Qilang's joy and Yun Jie'er's sorrow of parting, Miss Sun deeply felt that being a daughter-in-law was not easy. It was not that Madam Meng treated her harshly, but the rule had always been like this. A daughter-in-law was inferior to her mother-in-law. It was a good thing not to argue when she was wronged. If she kept arguing, even if she was right, she would be wrong.
On such a happy day, the men are happy and the women are busy.
Even Lin, the daughter of a noble family, was cautious and attentive in front of Madam Meng. What could she complain about?
On the second day of the Chinese New Year, she brought Meng Sanlang back to her parents' home. When Zhou Si's wife saw her daughter, she cried with joy: "Good child, you are finally back. Your father and I have been looking forward to you for a long time."
"Mom, these are top-quality bird's nests and red ginseng, one pack each. You can eat bird's nests for nourishment on a daily basis. If you want to stew chicken soup, you can use red ginseng. Both are excellent." Miss Sun said.
Because Miss Sun was preparing these things for her dowry, the family hadn't eaten them for a long time.
Although Zhou Si's wife was born into a middle-class official family like the Zhou family, Sun Shichen failed to pass the imperial examination in the first few years after her marriage. She relied entirely on the Sun family for support, and spent several hundred strings of cash on renting a house every year. After he finally passed the imperial examination, the collection, arrangements, and travel expenses also cost a lot of money. Although there was occasional surplus during the years as an official, the family expenses were high and after buying the house, he was almost stretched to the limit.
Next, my daughter had to prepare her dowry, which would cost her 500 strings of silver in cash, not to mention clothes, jewelry, furniture, and utensils. It would be a life-threatening expense.
However, these things are still considered too little by the Meng family. Miss Sun will not tell these things to her mother, so as to prevent her mother from blaming herself. In any case, her mother has already given her the best.
On the third day of the New Year, Jinniang's family had opera and wine. They had arranged for singing, juggling, and storytelling performers long before the New Year. All they had to do was ask the kitchen to kill the chickens and cook the sheep. Now the chickens were all from their own farm, and the sheep were bought from Hexi. The wine would be from Xianlou as usual. There was no other way, as Xianlou knew how to do business, and they would send a jar of new wine over on weekdays.
Unlike other stores that specialize in the business of killing familiar customers.
Neighbors like Mrs. Meng came to help early in the morning. She actually didn't get along well with many people, but she got along well with Jinniang.
Jinniang also had the help of her mother and sister-in-law. Wei Qilang also came early, and they all had lunch together.
"Sister, I specially sent some tangerine peel duck. This is an old recipe of my family. Everyone who has eaten it says it is good." Zhang Pingjun said with a smile.
Most women tend to develop a mentality after getting married, that is, they feel that they are from the aunt's family and their status is inevitably higher. But for Jinniang, she is her own support. To put it bluntly, she used to think that having a younger brother would improve the family's status, but later, when other people's sons became better at studying, this problem was no longer a problem.
When Zhang Pingjun took Luo Yu'e home that day, her aunt actually scolded her: "It was your brother-in-law who helped Yang Ge'er to be transferred to Bianjing. You don't need to thank us here, but you still have to take care of the families of the superiors in the Ministry of Works. Otherwise, they won't blame you, but us instead."
On the surface, he was talking about people from the Ministry of Works, but in fact he was talking about Jiang Xian.
You don't have to thank me, but you must thank Jiang Xian.
In this way, Zhang Pingjun and Wei Yang prepared Jiang Xian's favorite tea, a set of top-quality study treasures, and some silk specially for Jinniang. Jinniang also kept her word. She didn't want her own things, but only Jiang Xian's.
Her previous impression of her aunt was that the two families only interacted as social contacts. She thought she had a gentle face and was very capable. But as she got to know her better, she found that she was a person who had her way and did not seem to care about other people's opinions. She was the boss at home.
When I came to my senses, everyone was socializing with Mrs. Meng, and Miss Sun was naturally among them. Her usually critical mother-in-law was quite fawning on Mrs. Jiang and was talking about fish.
"You can also eat shad. My village head will send it over in a month or two. Then you can come and eat it. People in the south cook fish deliciously." Jinniang smiled and remembered that she had already told Fan Zhuangtou and others to arrive earlier this year.
Although Dou Yuan and Ruyan would not come, Jinniang also wrote letters personally.
Madam Meng smiled and said, "Then I am grateful to you for your help."
"As the saying goes, a distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor. Isn't this as it should be?" Jinniang also laughed.
The group was talking in the main hall, and soon Madam Fan, Madam Wei and Madam Shen came over. They were all top eunuchs in the capital. Jinniang is related to Madam Wei, the Shen family is an old relative, Madam Fan is a relative of the in-laws, and Jiang Xian and Bachelor Fan are very close.
She always behaved like a junior and never interfered in other people's affairs. She was flattered that others could come over, but she didn't take advantage of them like others did. It's good for everyone to maintain friendly relations. If you go any further, it will be easy to interfere in other people's affairs, which will easily cause unnecessary trouble.
Sister Yun came out today to meet everyone and then went back in. Everyone was understanding as she was a new bride after all and it was not easy for her to come out and meet people.
At such a prominent time, of course, Xu refused to come, and only asked her daughter-in-law, Xiao Wu, to come. She also kept complaining to Mother Ge: "As an uncle, you don't even bother to help your nephew. If it weren't for my husband, would he have been transferred to the capital? He has no gratitude at all."
Mother Ge was also somewhat dissatisfied. Master Jiang Liu and his wife had been living with the eldest son's family for many years, and were served by the eldest son's family members. Her younger brother-in-law and his wife lived a very comfortable life. Now the uncle has been promoted to the prefect of Kaifeng, a third-rank official, but he turns a blind eye to his nephew.
But no one is willing to listen to Xu's complaints anymore. Even the Jiang family members would not take them seriously. Because everyone knew that Jiang Xian's 300 acres of land had always been controlled by the eldest son's family, and as soon as Mrs. Jiang Liu passed away, Jiang Xian and his wife moved out.
Of course, only when you are successful and famous, there will be great scholars to debate for you.
Madam Song also came to the New Year's party on the third day of the Lunar New Year. She didn't dare not come. There was no grudge between the two families. If she suddenly didn't come, people would think she had some opinion about them.
But even if she came, she couldn't even sit in the inner room and had to eat in the corridor.
It’s not that Jinniang treated her badly, it’s because of her status. The wife of a fifth-rank official like Madam Meng can only sit at the third table.
At the banquet, some nosy ladies and Miss Song talked about the Jiang family's relatives: "This Jiang Fuyin is young, and he is a third-rank official, which is really amazing. But it was because he married the daughter of the Wei family in Hebei that he was able to rise to a high position in his official career."
Madam Song sneered in her heart, what Hebei Wei family? These people have no idea about Wei Jinniang's background.
But most of the people who know the details are businessmen, and they are not worthy of being in a respectable place. The Zhou family also knew about it, but Zhou San was now her sister-in-law, so of course the family wouldn't sabotage her. Besides, Zhou San was a very well-behaved person, but Zhou San was a weird one.
After the banquet, Jinniang ordered people to clean up the table and dishes overnight so that everyone would not have to do these things the next day and could just rest.
Sister Yun doesn't have to show up in public, but she has to be busy behind people's backs. She has to put away the gold and silver utensils, and wash and put away the precious porcelain. They must not be broken, as they will be needed next time, and if one piece is missing the set will be incomplete.
Jinniang also reminded her daughter, "Don't worry too much. It's getting late. Take a rest first. I'll just keep an eye on things here."
Luo Yu'e always said this to her in the past, and now she says the same thing to her own daughter. She would rather be a little tired herself and hope that her children can rest more. It’s not that they aren’t tired, but they just say these words naturally.
Sister Yun shook her head and said, "Mom, I used to do these things with you. You should rest more."
"Then let's go together, mother and daughter." Jinniang smiled.
Sister Yun also smiled and said yes.
Time flies, and the Lantern Festival is soon here. Every year, stampedes and kidnappings are common in Kaifeng Prefecture because of the crowds rushing to watch the lantern festival. Jiang Xian is also on high alert.
Since Yun Jie'er couldn't go out, Jin Niang stayed at home with her and sent Chen Xiaolang out to buy some lanterns and hang them under the corridor so that everyone could enjoy the lanterns at home.
Ding Ge'er was the youngest among the children, so Ning Ge'er found a riddle book and gave his younger brother a few riddles to test him. If Ding Ge'er guessed correctly, he would ask Chen Tong to take down a lamp and give it to his younger brother. Sister Yun was afraid that her younger brothers would catch a cold, so after they played for a while, she called them in for tea.
Before I knew it, Sister Yun has become a big sister.
Jinniang watched from the side and wiped away tears secretly. She had a tendency to be tear incontinent, but even though she cried, she remained strong. She knew that parents who love their children would plan for them in the long run. Wei Qilang was one in a million in terms of appearance, family background, character and talent. Why wouldn't she let her daughter leave?
Only by leaving the old nest can people fly to higher skies.
In mid-February, the Jiang family began to set up the wedding tent, with matchmakers and all the married people busy shuttling among them. Even those uninvited people who played drums and gongs came to the door.
This time, Jinniang invited people from the four departments and six bureaus to come. Now that Jiang Xian is the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, there are suddenly many more relatives and friends of the same age. I'm afraid Juxiang can't handle it. The family also invited Luo Yu'e and Zhang Pingjun to help, but unexpectedly an unexpected person came, and it turned out to be Dou Yuan.
It turned out that the second son of the Dou family was granted an official position, although it was a hereditary position, but they were also required to move from Daming Prefecture to the capital.
Jinniang and Dou Yuan were very good friends in Daming Mansion. She was even more active than Zhang Pingjun. She held Jinniang's hand and said affectionately, "I was very happy for you when I received your letter. We also watched Wei Qilang grow up since he was a child. There is nothing wrong with him."
"Look at you, you've become more and more beautiful in the past few years." Jinniang was also very friendly with her, and quickly introduced her to Luo Yu'e and Zhang Pingjun.
Zhang Pingjun was vaguely jealous, because it was obvious that Jinniang and Dou Yuan had a very good relationship.
Mrs. Zhang was a blessed woman who shuttled between the two sides. She knew what her daughter was thinking. But after her daughter got married, she had to travel a lot and gave birth to two children in succession, so she felt sorry for her daughter.
"You usually spend more money on things like paying for your superiors and putting on a smile than this, but why are you so frugal with your own family? You are an official's wife now, and your son-in-law's salary is always in your hands. Your parents-in-law don't have to worry about it. Why don't you take the initiative?"
Zhang Pingjun turned his back and said, "I took the initiative, but my aunt still treats me the same way."
Madam Zhang smiled and said, "You still have a girlish temper. Didn't you see things clearly before you got married? Why are you so stubborn now? As long as they are normal people, they will be sincere to each other. As the saying goes, water drips through a stone. If you are not willing to put in more effort, how can others trust you?"
If she were an ordinary woman, she would naturally be close to her brothers and sisters-in-law from her natal family. But she happened to meet someone with a strong personality like Mrs. Jiang. She is definitely not someone who is easy to talk to.
After listening to her mother's words, Zhang Pingjun treated Jinniang much better and was not like before.
Jinniang also felt it, and she was given the responsibility of handling matters at home. Zhang Pingjun handled the matter very well, running around, which made Yunjieer think: "Mother, I feel like my aunt has become a different person."
"What's so strange about this? We don't have to care about other people's faces, and they will naturally care about our faces. When you are in a high position, there will be good people around you."
Sister Yun seemed to understand something.
Half a month later, on the day of delivering the dowry, several people signed up to be the housekeeper, and Jinniang agreed to let them go together, including Zhang Pingjun, Dou Yuan and Xiao Wu.
Yunjie'er had a total of 120 loads of dowry, which included gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, as well as twelve boxes of clothes, including two boxes of fur coats, two boxes of padded jackets, three boxes of spring clothes, four boxes of summer clothes, and one box of nightgown.
Mrs. Meng looked at the dowry and exclaimed, "It's actually a full set of Huanghuali furniture. The Jiang family is really wealthy."
Miss Sun only knew that Jun Jie'er had a lot of dowry, but she never thought it was this much. It was one hundred and twenty loads, a dowry worth ten thousand taels. Even if these dowries were sent to the Wei family, Mrs. Wei would still be proud to see them.
Amid the jokes from everyone, Wei Qillang's smile almost reached his ears.
The Jiang family's home was unusually quiet. This was the last meal that Yun Jie'er had at home when she was a girl. The sound of chopsticks scratching on porcelain was harsh.
"Jun Jie'er, come and eat the stuffed eggplant. Your father cooked it himself." Jin Niang pursed her lips, trying not to let the tears fall.
Jiang Xian quickly took out a handkerchief and gave it to Jinniang, and then said to Yunjieer, "Live a good life, and your mother and I will feel at ease in the future."
Sister Yun had already burst into tears.
Ning Ge'er said something shocking: "Father, mother, sister, I see that Wei Canzheng is already in his forties. Even if he becomes the Minister of the Secretariat in the future, his political views are different from those of the Shen family. The court is now controlled by the Shen party, mainly because the emperor supports their political views. In a few years, I'm afraid the Wei family may not be able to stay in the court for long. Father, on the other hand, has good relations with both the old and new parties. Moreover, in a few years, I will be able to pass the imperial examination and become an official. In the future, I can let my brother-in-law study in our house, and then we can be together again."
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