Chapter 8
Zhu Mingji agreed very readily, but whenever Princess Xiang and her husband compared Zhang Xihua with Zhu Mingji, Zhu Mingji would dislike Zhang Xihua in every way.
From childhood, Zhu Mingji had heard his father, the king, and his mother say the most: "Look at the second son of the Zhang family. He is obedient and sensible, extremely talented, and an expert in riding and shooting..."
Zhu Mingji was very dissatisfied with this. No matter whether it was a major or minor exam in the family school, he tried his best to compete with Zhang Xihua for the first place, but he always came in second.
He was unwilling to give up, so he studied hard and neglected sleep and food. As a result, he became the most talented and knowledgeable among the princes' sons, and was repeatedly commended by his cousin Emperor Hongde.
When Princess Xiang and her husband saw their son become successful, they felt very grateful to Zhang Xihua, a child from another family.
The relationship between Prince Xiang's Mansion and Marquis Yongjia's Mansion also became increasingly close.
In addition, Zhang Shunning in the palace was promoted several times because she gave birth to the royal heir and was deeply favored by the emperor. Until the first day of January in the sixteenth year of Hongde, Zhang Shunning was promoted to the rank of noble concubine for giving birth to Princess Anqing. The Yongjia Marquisate was at its peak among the noble families.
Fourteen-year-old Zhang Xihua had just passed the provincial examination last year. Because she won the first place, people who wanted to praise her would call her "Zhang Jieyuan".
Last year, there was another big happy event in the Yongjia Marquis's Mansion, that is, the third daughter Zhang Shining was married to the newly crowned Prince Jing Zhu Mingqing as his principal wife.
Now the only thing that has not been decided is the marriage of the fourth daughter Zhang Yining, who was born to the second concubine Liu.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Bingren came to the mansion to propose marriage to Zhang Yining.
In Yangrongzhai, Madam Jiang, Madam Li, Zhang Mingzhu, Little Jiang, as well as Zhang Songning and Zhang Shining who had returned to their parents' home to pay New Year's greetings, accompanied Old Lady Zhang in the main hall to talk.
Cui Susu, Xu Baoyin and Zhang Yining, three unmarried young ladies, were playing the game of picking flower lots in the green gauze cabinet at the back.
The maid lifted the door curtain and let the ice man in.
The Ice Man often acted as a matchmaker for wealthy families, so he greeted Old Lady Zhang and other noble ladies very calmly, and said a few auspicious words, which made Old Lady Zhang very happy.
The Iceman showed a copy of the list of young talents he had prepared to everyone in the main hall.
Princess Zhang Shining read a few pages and then said to the ice man, "None of these common men are worthy of my fourth sister. Madam Hu, you should pick some better ones and then act as a matchmaker for my fourth sister."
Zhang Songning sat next to Zhang Shining. She leaned over and whispered to Zhang Shining, "I know you and Fourth Sister have always been close, but you should also think about this. I was able to marry into the Xu family because my mother-in-law and my eldest aunt are sisters. I was lucky enough to marry an ambitious and capable husband. You were able to become the Princess of Jing because of the Imperial Concubine in the palace, and you are the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, so you have such an opportunity. Fourth Sister doesn't have such a good fortune as you."
Zhang Shining didn't think so. "So what if Fourth Sister is a concubine's daughter? Her looks, talent, and character are even more outstanding than the two concubines in my palace. I will go to the palace someday and ask the Imperial Concubine to find a good marriage for Fourth Sister. At least let her become a countess."
The two sisters were talking animatedly.
Just then, Zhang Xihua came in and everyone's eyes fell on him.
Old Lady Zhang smiled lovingly and said, "Erlang, quickly take off your outer clothes and don't let the cold get to you."
"I will first pay my respects to my aunt, my uncle, my cousin and my sisters, and then go change my clothes." Zhang Xihua first went to the seats of Madam Li and Xiao Jiang and paid her respects to them.
Madam Li said "OK" and asked, "Didn't my Sanlang go home with you, Erlang?"
Zhang Xihua: "My third brother is still at the Prince Xiang's mansion, attending an opera. The play "The Unicorn Bag" was performed by the famous actor Zhang Junling."
Mrs. Li: "Sanlang is really playful. When he went out this morning, I specifically told him that there were guests at home and asked him to come home with you, Erlang." She smiled embarrassedly at Xiao Jiang, Zhang Songning and Zhang Shining.
Zhang Xihua: "My aunt and sisters are not guests at all. They are family, so we often see them. I came back to change clothes because the heating in Prince Xiang's mansion was burning so hot that I broke out in a sweat."
Mrs. Li looked at Zhang Xihua with gratitude.
"Ji Lang is such a good boy."
Xiao Jiang's eyes were always following Zhang Xihua. She knew that her daughter Baoyin had liked this outstanding cousin since she was a child. Even though her husband was promoted to Minister of Works last year, she was not in a hurry to move her family to the capital. Anyway, the Zhang family also planned to move to the capital in the next two years. When the Zhang family moved, the two families would move together, so as not to delay Baoyin's marriage.
Zhang Mingzhu saw that Xiao Jiang was looking at Zhang Xihua with such passionate eyes, and her face showed a little disappointment. She knew that her daughter Susu had feelings for Erlang. If she couldn't get Erlang as her son-in-law, she was afraid that Susu would not be able to find anyone better than Erlang. But she didn't know whether Erlang liked Susu or not.
While the two were in a state of confusion, Zhang Xihua had already bowed to Zhang Songning and Zhang Shining.
Zhang Shining looked at the purses hanging around Zhang Xihua's waist. Four of them were particularly eye-catching: one was a Sichuan brocade peacock heart-shaped purse with silver edges, one was a dragon and phoenix satin gourd-shaped purse with the words "peace and prosperity every year", one was a bell-shaped purse with gold embroidered beads and ice plum pattern, and one was a purse with flower and bird patterns.
"These four purses are so exquisite and beautiful. Where did you get them, Erlang?" Zhang Shining pointed at the purses.
Zhang Xihua said, "This gourd-shaped purse was given by my sister Baoyin, this flower and bird pattern purse was given by my sister Susu, this heart-shaped purse is exchanged with Brother Mingji, and this bell-shaped purse is exchanged with Brother Fuzhou."
"Mingji is fine, but why are you getting involved with Chen Fuzhou? He's such a beautiful ice girl, wouldn't you feel the coldness standing next to him?" Zhang Shining teased Zhang Xihua.
"Brother Fuzhou and I talk a lot. Every time I see him, there is never a dull moment." Zhang Xihua said.
Zhang Shining wanted to continue talking to Zhang Xihua, but Mrs. Jiang urged Zhang Xihua to change clothes quickly.
Zhang Xihua entered the green gauze cabinet at the back and bowed to Zhang Yining, Cui Susu and Xu Baoyin.
Cui Susu and Xu Baoyin both blushed.
Zhang Xihua went behind the screen to change clothes. The two maids, Qingque and Feiyue, helped Zhang Xihua change into home clothes. The three of them, master and servant, talked and laughed.
Cui Susu and Xu Baoyin, who were sitting at the tea table, were both a little absent-minded. They pricked up their ears to listen to what Zhang Xihua, Qingque and Feiyue were saying.
Zhang Yining also saw what the two of them were thinking about Zhang Xihua, and just smiled secretly.
After Zhang Xihua finished changing her clothes and came out from behind the screen, Zhang Yining grabbed Zhang Xihua's sleeve as she passed by her.
"Erlang, sit down and have some tea to warm yourself up. The main hall is not as comfortable as here."
"The tea here is delicious, but it's not good for me to sit here with my two cousins here."
Zhang Xihua has strictly followed the rules of gender differences since he was seven years old. Although he is a girl, he lives in this world as a man.
The purse that Cui Susu and Xu Baoyin gave her was also a gift from Old Lady Zhang and Madam Jiang that she must wear and could not refuse.
Zhang Yining originally wanted to fulfill Cui Susu and Xu Baoyin's wish to meet Zhang Xihua, but after hearing what Zhang Xihua said, he had to give up, loosened Zhang Xihua's sleeve and let him go.
Zhang Yining: "Erlang is always so serious. Aside from the maids in his courtyard who might joke with him, he ignores the other ladies. Not long ago, the Fifth Lady of Censor Deng's family waited for Erlang at the gate of the family academy. Erlang politely declined the hand-painted fan that Fifth Lady Deng gave him. Unfortunately, the prince of Prince Xiang's palace saw this and made Fifth Lady Deng cry."
Cui Susu curled her lips and said, "That prince is really strange. He and Erlang have never gotten along. They've argued and fought countless times over the years, but he won't allow Erlang to get along with anyone else."
Xu Baoyin seemed to be lost in thought. She had once told her aunt, Madam Jiang, that she liked Erlang. Madam Jiang also loved her niece very much. She was afraid of delaying her, so she told her the secret that Erlang was a girl. She also swore to Madam Jiang that she would keep the secret.
Furthermore, she still loved Erlang. As long as Erlang remained a woman, marrying him would be the perfect opportunity for her. Marrying a man like Erlang meant she wouldn't have to bear children or worry about his infidelity. As long as she fulfilled her responsibilities as a wife, Erlang would always be able to give her the dignity of being the mistress of the house.
"Let's stop gossiping about the matter between that prince and Erlang. Erlang won't like it."
Zhang Yining always felt that Xu Baoyin and Erlang were a good match. Xu Baoyin understood Erlang's likes and dislikes, and always considered Erlang's best interests.
The three of them were listening to the noise in the main hall outside.
It turned out that it was Zhu Mingji, the prince of Prince Xiang's mansion, who came to visit.
The maid lifted the door curtain, revealing Zhu Mingji's clear and handsome face.
He had beautiful eyebrows and a high nose bridge. At this moment, the corners of his lips were slightly raised. After coming in, he took off his golden cloak and wore a scarlet robe embroidered with gold pythons, which made his jade-like skin look even brighter than the snow outside.
Logically speaking, everyone in the main hall except Zhang Shining should salute Zhu Mingji.
But Zhu Mingji not only exempted everyone from the formalities, but also paid his respects to elders such as Old Lady Zhang.
"It's snowing so hard, Mingji, why are you here?" Seeing that everyone was silent, Zhang Shining broke the silence first.
Zhu Mingji glanced at the guilty Zhang Xihua and said, "Sister-in-law, you don't know how wicked Erlang is. He left me, your long-time friend, behind and ignored me. He planned to sneak back home to change clothes and go to meet Mr. Chen."
It turned out that he came to complain again.
Old Mrs. Zhang and the others understood what was going on, and Mrs. Jiang hurriedly asked Zhang Xihua what was going on.
Zhang Xihua glanced at Zhu Mingji coldly and said to Madam Jiang, "Brother Fuzhou has to spend the New Year alone in Taiping Mansion due to his busy work. I promised him that I would go to his house for a simple meal today."
Chen Fuzhou is the younger brother of Queen Shen, and Queen Shen often takes care of Shunning in the palace. Although Chen Fuzhou is only a seventeen-year-old boy, he has become a fourth-rank commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and he gets along well with Xihua.
After thinking for a moment, Madam Jiang said to Zhang Xihua, "Please have someone invite Mr. Shen to our house for dinner." Not wanting to offend Zhu Mingji, she also said to him, "Would the prince also do me the honor?"
Zhu Mingji nodded in agreement.
He wanted to see if Chen Fuzhou would dare to do something as shameless and outrageous as stealing a kiss from Erlang, just like he did last time in the Zhang family library, right under his nose.
Erlang was also a fool. He had no idea that Chen Fuzhou was a despicable person. He was targeted by others and was eager to be used as meat on the chopping board.
The more Zhu Mingji thought about it, the more he hated it. He especially hated playboys like Chen Fuzhou who had a homosexual bent.
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