Although the old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi was a woman who didn't concern herself with anything, she truly loved her children, Zheng Boyuan and Zheng Yuanyuan. She was also a woman of discernment, having experienced three generations of court politics. She naturally understood that offending a prince at this time could mean offending the future emperor. However, since the Marquis of Yongning was willing to offend a prince to arrange a marriage for his daughter, the old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi, after careful consideration, decided that following the Marquis of Yongning's lead was the best course of action. At worst, the century-old legacy would be lost; if her descendants were ambitious, they could eventually rebuild their fortune.
After returning to the Yongning Marquis's residence, the Marquis went to the old lady's courtyard and recounted his meeting with the Pingxi Marquis. The old lady listened, frowned, and said, "The Pingxi Marquis has been raised by women since childhood and has limited experience. What if he can't lend a hand?"
Lord Yongning smiled and said, "Mother, this matter is ultimately decided by their matriarch."
Upon hearing this, the old lady sighed in realization and said, "Oh dear, it really is true. Although the old lady of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion usually doesn't show her true colors, she is quite cunning and scheming. It's just a pity that she couldn't go against her mother-in-law's wishes and let her son be raised by his grandmother. In the end, she raised such a person who is neither good at literature nor martial arts."
Marquis Yongning said, "Back then, Marquis Pingxi really risked the lives of his own sons to guard Yanmen Pass. It's no wonder that his old lady defied the old Marquis's orders and kept Marquis Pingxi alive. Otherwise, the Marquis Pingxi's lineage might have ended."
The old lady said, "Now that the stage is set up, let's see how the performers will put on their show."
After dinner, the gatekeeper brought a letter to the old lady. After reading it, the old lady sent someone to invite the Marquis. The Marquis was in the study in the front yard. After the messenger came over, the old lady showed the letter to the Marquis. After reading it, the Marquis took the letter and laughed heartily, saying, "Mother, everything is ready now. We are just waiting for the Marquis of Pingxi's family to come to our house to discuss the marriage."
The old lady nodded and said, "In that case, I think the old lady of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion will be coming. We must treat her well then."
The most talked-about topic in the capital these past two days is the marriage between the Marquis of Pingxi and the Marquis of Yongning. The reason is simple: the ninth daughter of the Marquis of Yongning and the child of the Marquis of Pingxi who was adopted by his great-uncle were betrothed in their childhood. Now, the old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi has stepped forward to go through the six rites with the Marquis of Yongning, preparing to let the two children get married first.
Some families who knew the situation well felt that although the children of the Pingxi Marquis's family had already come of age, the daughters of the Yongning Marquis's family had not yet reached marriageable age, and it was unreasonable to wait even two more years.
The old lady of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion, whom some of her relatives hadn't seen for years, actually came to the Xu family's door in person this time, bringing the Pingxi Marquis with her to propose marriage for her grandson who had already been adopted by the second branch of the family.
The old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi said that she had been dreaming of her mother-in-law, who had passed away many years ago, for several days in a row. She said that although she had adopted a son for the second branch of the family, she could not rest in peace because she could not see the second branch's descendants get married.
The old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi asked the abbot of the Dafosi Temple in the suburbs of the capital for guidance. The abbot was already eighty years old and devoted to Buddhism. When he heard the old lady of the Zheng family asking for advice, he naturally advised her to let the child get married. The old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi had no choice but to take the Marquis of Pingxi to the Xu family and beg them to let the Xu family's ninth daughter, who had been engaged to her grandson for many years, marry into the family.
Outsiders naturally don't know the specifics of the negotiations, but all they know is that the Zheng and Xu families completed the six rites of marriage in a very fast pace, and then the wedding date was set.
The old lady of the Marquis of Pingxi naturally asked the abbot of Dafosi Temple to choose an auspicious day, which was set for the spring of the following year. It was already November, and the New Year was just over a month away. Due to the special circumstances, although the Zheng and Xu families had exchanged gifts in the capital, Zheng Boyuan was now a captain at Yanmen Pass and could not leave the military camp at will. Therefore, the marriage was to be held in Hexi.
With the wedding date set, both the Zheng and Xu families breathed a sigh of relief.
The Marquis of Pingxi's life was not easy. His wife, Lady Chen, had been resentful ever since the Zheng family started discussing marriage with the Xu family.
When Madam Chen learned of Zheng Boyuan's marriage to the ninth daughter of the Yongning Marquis's mansion, she was so angry that she almost ground her teeth to powder. She said to her trusted nanny, "We were neighbors with the Zhang family for a few years back then, but my sister's relationship with the Zhang family's daughter was not that close. Every time my sister went to meet the Zhang family's daughter, she would bring us, her half-sisters, with her. How come I didn't know that their relationship was good enough to arrange a marriage between their children?"
The trusted nanny said, "Madam, this is something that the Marquis and the Old Madam have agreed upon. Even if we wanted to stop it, we couldn't. Fortunately, the eldest son has already been adopted out, so his future fate is no longer our concern."
Madam Chen said, "It has little to do with us, but I just can't stand seeing him rise to prominence by taking advantage of the Xu family's influence. What kind of future can a child born to someone like my sister have? It's a pity that I didn't meet the Marquis first."
The old woman remained silent, but in her heart she thought that if her eldest daughter hadn't married into the Marquis's mansion and become the Marquis's wife, her daughter wouldn't have had such good fortune.
This old woman was a maid who accompanied Xiao Chenshi during her dowry. She knew very well how Xiao Chenshi rose to power. It was because Xiao Chenshi had the right timing, location, and people that she managed to win over the Marquis of Pingxi. Otherwise, with her maternal aunt and her brother, who was an illegitimate son of the Chen family, how could she have found such a family? Although she was a second wife, she was still the Marquis's wife.
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