Chapter 18: The Crowd in Dali Temple Urging Marriage
——The person who came was Xie Hui.
Earlier today, a long-standing case had new clues, but the informant was not convenient to show up, so Xie Hui took people to a teahouse to meet the informant. When Shen Yuan and the others arrived at the stall, Xie Hui happened to see everything clearly from the window.
Even though this was their second meeting, and Shen Yuan was still wearing a servant's clothes the first time, Xie Hui still recognized her at a glance. When he heard her say, "Manager Wang has three wives who have died," Xie Hui gently knocked on the window frame twice.
"It's a bit interesting." There are countless shopkeeper Wangs in the capital, so how did she know that the man was old and had lost three wives?
Er Niang looked at Xie Hui. She didn't know the purpose of this gentleman, and was afraid that she would say something wrong and hurt the kind-hearted girl just now, so she just lowered her head and replied: "Nothing was said. The girl was kind and kindly reminded me to be cautious about marriage."
Xie Hui's original intention was to know what she said, but he didn't want to make things difficult for the people, so he didn't ask any more questions. He whispered thank you and signaled the guard to put down a small ingot of silver.
Er Niang was shocked by the silver. It looked like two taels of silver. She didn't know if she could earn two taels of silver after setting up the stall for a month. Before she could return it, she heard the cold-faced guard say, "My master said that he delayed you from closing the stall. This silver is an apology."
After Bai Ze finished speaking, he quickly followed Xie Hui who had already left.
"Master, who is that girl? What case is she related to? How about I go and investigate?"
"No need, she has nothing to do with the case." Shen Yuan was not a criminal. Xie Hui was a little curious about her, but he couldn't just let anyone investigate her casually, so he just kept the matter in his heart.
Shen Yuan had no idea that he was being targeted. After finishing his meal at Ruyi Residence, the four of them went back to their respective homes.
In the afternoon, Shen Yuan saw that her brother and sister-in-law had not returned yet, so she guessed that they would stay at her sister-in-law's parents' home for one night. This was indeed the case. Shen Yuan and her father had dinner together today.
"Dad, look at the bracelet I bought today! Does it look nice?" Shen Yuan raised her hand and presented her newly bought bracelet to her father.
"That's good. Tell the housekeeper when you've spent all the money." Shen Yun was very pleased that his daughter had been very well-behaved these past few days.
"Dad, don't you even ask how much this bracelet costs?"
"Why are you worrying about these things at such a young age? Just buy whatever you like. Dad can afford to support you."
Although the Shen family is not a wealthy family, they definitely can afford to support a daughter-in-law.
Of course, Shen Yun's salary at the Dali Temple was not enough in the capital. However, Shen Yun had been doing business in the capital for many years and had also set up some businesses, mostly various shops.
In addition, the Shen family was born in Jinling, a wealthy place. The family owned many fields and shops. Every six months, Shen Yun's family would send him money.
"Manman, you are not a child anymore. You should learn housekeeping from your sister-in-law. Half of the shop and your mother's dowry will be yours in the future. You will have to learn it sooner or later."
Last year, the old lady of the Shen family, Shen Yuan's grandmother, sent a nanny from her hometown, saying that she was sent to teach her granddaughter how to manage household affairs and behave herself.
The nanny by the side of a lady is very important, as she will have to accompany the lady when she gets married. Old Madam Shen was naturally concerned about her little granddaughter who lived far away in the capital, and was afraid that her son, as a grown man, would not be able to take care of these things, so she asked someone to send her over.
But the nanny was said to be an aunt released from the palace, and she was very strict with the rules. Shen Yuan had been accustomed to being lazy for many years, so it was not easy for her to learn the rules.
But the father and son of the Shen family were more protective than each other. They couldn't use violence, couldn't say harsh words, and couldn't let their daughter/sister get tired. Many families wanted to invite the nanny, but the Shen family wouldn't allow this or that. In a fit of anger, the nanny just resigned.
Afterwards, Shen Yun found a nanny with a good temper for his daughter. Not only did she learn the rules very well, but she could always fool people when she went out.
As for the housekeeper, now inside and outside the house, except for the affairs in Shen Yun's own courtyard which are managed by the old housekeeper Shen Lin, all other matters are handed over to He Ying, who married into the Shen family at the end of last year.
Shen Yun didn't ask his daughter to learn very well, just to learn a little from her sister-in-law so that she wouldn't be fooled by the servants in the future.
When Shen Yuan heard her father talking about learning housekeeping from her sister-in-law, she had no objection. She knew that she couldn't be the naive little daughter of the Shen family all her life. Even if her father, brother and sister-in-law had no objection and were willing to support her for the rest of her life, she couldn't do that. If she didn't get married, people outside would poke holes in the Shen family's spine.
Since getting married is inevitable, she might as well just accept it. She believes her father will find a good family for her anyway.
"Dad, I understand. When my sister-in-law comes back, I will go and learn from her."
"Okay, okay, my son Manman has really grown up and become sensible." Shen Yun was very happy. He even asked someone to bring him a pot of wine for the first time and drank a few glasses by himself.
Shen Yuan suddenly realized that her father had a hard time, too. Over the years...
"Dad..." Shen Yuan wanted to say that his mother had been gone for so many years, and if he wanted to continue the relationship, she would not have any objection.
But after thinking about it, she still didn't say it. She knew that her father had lived to this day because of his love for her mother, so she shouldn't say that.
"What's wrong?"
"Dad, you have to be well." Shen Yuan walked over and hugged her dad like she did when she was a little girl.
After growing up, the father and daughter never did such an intimate thing again. Shen Yun was stunned for a moment, and also reached out and touched his daughter's hair, "Dad must be well, Dad still has to get promoted."
…
"Master, have you been drinking? Do you want me to prepare some sobering soup for you?" As soon as Shen Yun entered the yard, the housekeeper smelled the alcohol on him and was a little surprised, because Shen Yun rarely drank at home.
Shen Yun waved his hands, "No need, I just drank two or three cups."
Instead of going into the house, he sat down on a stone bench in the yard.
"It's been so many years..."
These words sounded like he was talking to himself, but also like he was speaking to someone.
The next two months in the capital were destined to be turbulent. There would be the Cuju competition in April and the dragon boat race in May. Both common people and dignitaries were looking forward to these two grand events.
In the dining room of the Dali Temple, many officials were also discussing this matter. In addition to one temple minister and two vice ministers, the Dali Temple also had temple assistants, temple directors, and a few chief clerks. Except for the constables, everyone was a civil servant. The little riding and archery skills they had learned in their early years were almost forgotten after becoming officials.
Naturally, it was not the turn of these adults to participate in the Cuju and dragon boat races. Therefore, in total, Xie Hui was the only civil servant in the Dali Temple who participated in the competition.
"Master Xie is going to participate in the Cuju competition again this year. You must have the doorstep rebuilt when you return home, otherwise the matchmakers will break it down."
After Xie Hui came to the Dali Temple, he did not take his status seriously, so after a while, everyone treated him as an ordinary colleague and occasionally joked with him.
When the Temple Minister heard this, he said, "Master Lin, what are you talking about? Master Xie is so handsome and has such a great family background that ordinary people would not dare to step foot on the threshold of the Xie family."
Everyone in the court could see how much the emperor doted on his nephew Xie Hui. How could the emperor not interfere in the matter of his future wife?
Suddenly, an adult said, "If I remember correctly, Master Xie is the same age as Master Shen's eldest son, right? Master Shen might have a grandson soon, so Master Xie should hold on tight!"
Xie Hui laughed, thinking that all the elders in this world were the same, always talking about getting married and having children. My parents were like this, my uncle was like this, and all the officials in the Dali Temple were like this.
He was just about to say that he was not in a hurry when he heard Shen Yun say, "You can't rush marriage. You have to find someone you like and live happily together in the future. It doesn't matter if you get married later."