Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Although Luoyang is not as prosperous as Bianjing...
However, after walking around the city, Ji Yanlang found that Luoyang was more prosperous than before. Although it was not as prosperous as Bianliang, it was already bustling with traffic and people.
He went home and told Fang Ying what he had seen and heard. Fang Ying nodded and said, "After all, the capital has truly been moved. All the government offices have moved here one after another. Even this year's Spring Examination is scheduled to be held in Luoyang. With so many candidates coming, how could it not be lively?"
Speaking of this, Ji Yanlang thought of the young master of the Wang family. "My second cousin has been studying in his hometown for several years, but he never passed the imperial examination. The young master of the Wang family is only sixteen years old, but he has already passed the examination to become a Jinshi. Could he be some kind of Wenquxing incarnation?"
Fang Ying laughed, "When did you start believing this? He comes from a family with a long history of learning, and has been studying since childhood. My second cousin is already married, and he's only now thinking about studying for exams. How can you compare?"
Ji Yanlang was of course just joking. He first found out that this young man named Wang Qi was staying at his uncle's house in Luoyang, so he didn't bother him. He waited until Wang Qi failed the second exam in March before he paid him a visit.
He would not mention the marriage, but only said that his father-in-law had written to him, saying that the two families were on good terms and asked him to take care of things. However, he had returned to Sichuan due to family matters, and only learned about this when he returned to Luoyang a while ago. However, the spring examination was approaching at that time, and he was afraid of disturbing Wang Qi's preparations, so he waited until today.
Wang Qi and his uncle both knew that the two families were planning to marry, and that Commander Ji in front of them might very well be his future brother-in-law, so they naturally wouldn't complain about him being late, nor would they annoy him and greet the Duke and his wife.
The two sides exchanged a few polite words. Ji Yanlang asked Wang Qi if he had gone out for sightseeing since coming to Luoyang. Wang Qi had to prepare for the exam, so of course he had not been there yet. He also heard that his uncle's family had just arrived in Luoyang, so he offered to take Wang Qi and his cousins out for an outing to enjoy the spring.
"Don't worry, he is a gentle and handsome young man." Ji Yanlang said to Fang Ying when he saw her when he returned home.
Fang Ying asked with a smile, "How handsome is he?" She found it difficult to answer the question herself, so she continued, "How does he compare to Fourth Brother-in-law?"
Ji Yanlang said, "He's more handsome than Silang, but Wang Qi is short and a little thin. After all, he's young and hasn't grown up yet."
The two of them went into the inner room and sat down. He continued, "I've arranged to take him and his uncle's cousins to visit Luoyang the day after tomorrow. Once we get to know each other better, I'll invite him to visit my home."
When the couple reported this matter to Mrs. Li, she asked them to bring the person home to see him. However, Ji Yanlang was worried that Wang Qi was young, had no parents by his side, and had just failed the imperial examination, so he would feel uncomfortable coming directly to the Ji Mansion.
Fang Ying agreed with Ji Yanlang's approach - when visiting the mansion, one can only see the appearance and conversation, but not the temperament. It is different when going out for a walk.
Ji Yanlang took a few young men on a day trip to Luoyang, and when he returned, he had a lot to say: "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to communicate with them since they were young students, but I didn't expect Wang Qi to have such a wide range of knowledge and also like to read the Art of War."
It is also said that although Wang Qi could not hide his disappointment after failing the exam, he knew his shortcomings, so he did not blame others.
"From what I hear, Wang Qi's poetry and prose are exceptional, but his essays and policy are limited by his experience and knowledge, so they are inevitably shallow and empty. If he broadens his horizons and studies hard for two years, he will surely pass the exam."
There are four examinations in the Jinshi examination, namely poetry, essays, policies, and calligraphy. One can only take the next one after passing the previous one. Wang Qi failed the second essay examination. Fang Ying didn't believe that he could pass the Jinshi examination after studying for another two years.
But she didn't think the matter was important. She just asked, "If that's the case, you can't help being a little arrogant, right?"
Ji Yanlang knew what she was worried about and replied with a smile: "Of course I am a little arrogant, but I am not annoying."
"Look, is he satisfied with this marriage?" Fang Ying asked again.
"It's hard to tell whether he's satisfied or not, but he must be willing. His uncle and cousins have all been very warm to me. I said today that I'd invite him to my house in a couple of days, and he agreed."
Fang Ying said, "Given your official position and our family background, how could they not be warm and welcoming?"
Ji Yanlang smiled and said, "Yes, even if he looks at our family, Wang Qi has nothing to be dissatisfied with, don't worry."
Fang Ying, however, felt that these were two different things. With his rare talent and outstanding poetry, his family naturally had high expectations of him. Although this marriage was arranged by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and he had the Ji family as a second-level relative, it was only a superficial honor.
The Fang family had too shallow a foundation. Not only was she worried that Wang Qi would be dissatisfied, she was even more afraid that Wang Qi's mother would see her stepmother, Pan, and notice something wrong, and would start looking down on Fang Quan - she would be marrying into someone else's family in the future and living under the control of her mother-in-law.
But even to Ji Yanlang, Fang Ying couldn't tell him the truth, so she could only hold it in and wait until they were engaged before she would think of a way to instruct Fang Quan.
Three days later, Ji Yanlang invited Wang Qi to his house. While he was there to pay his respects to Li, Fang Ying stood behind the screen and looked at him carefully - he was indeed handsome and fair-skinned. Although he was still a little childish, he was not stage-frightened and responded appropriately.
After Ji Yanlang and his men left and Fang Ying walked out, Li smiled and said, "She's a good match."
Afterwards, Fang Ying told Chu Yin what she had said and what she had seen. Chu Yin, who had already become a court lady, smiled and said, "Your Majesty knows that you are concerned about Second Mother's marriage. You have been keeping an eye on young men of the right age for the past two years. It turns out that the man from the Wang family is the most suitable."
"Why didn't you mention it before?" Fang Ying asked in surprise.
Chu Yin smiled and said, "Your Majesty has only met the Lady Wang, not the young master himself. No matter how good the outsiders say he is, I'm still worried that his reputation may not live up to his reputation. You have to see him in person to make it count."
Fang Ying nodded and asked Chu Yin what she thought of Madam Wang - in fact, the last time Chu Yin came to deliver the message, she had already said that Madam Wang seemed to be an amiable person.
She also knew that no matter what kind of person he was in his daily life, he would be cautious in front of the Crown Princess, but at this moment there was really no place to ask, so she had to ask again.
As expected, Chu Yin said that she had only met her twice and could not tell anything, but the Crown Princess reassured her, "The Queen said that instead of wasting time trying to find out what kind of person she is, it would be better to let her family know who is backing Second Mother."
Is Zhou Congshan going to personally support Fang Quan?
Fang Ying was surprised. Before she could reply, Chu Yin continued, "The Queen Mother ordered me to go to the Wang family to bestow palace lanterns on the Lantern Festival. I have already told Madam Wang what I taught Second Lady in your house."
During the Lantern Festival, Zhou Congshan was still in confinement after giving birth. Fang Ying was both moved and distressed: "Sister should have given her some advice. She should be resting properly, so why is she still worrying about these trivial matters?"
"My lady, don't you work hard for the Feng family? What's more, with us here, you don't have to worry about anything."
Chu Yin can now leave the palace much more conveniently than before. She has also been to the Feng family and knows very well that Fang Ying's care for the Feng family is not just about giving money and things. Feng Rong has become more radiant because of teaching the young ladies in the Ji Mansion. Whenever Wang mentioned this, she was very grateful to Fang Ying.
She returned to the palace and told the Crown Princess about it. The Crown Princess said that Madam Fang was always like this. Helping others was like growing flowers. She didn't just give them some water and fertilizer, but she paid careful attention and tried her best to help them find the most suitable place for growth.
The conversation naturally turned to Feng Rong. After Fang Ying praised Feng Rong for raising the children so well, she suddenly had an idea: "When the little princess grows up, it would be great if she could invite Aunt Feng into the palace."
"Of course I can, but I'm afraid Madam Feng won't agree." Chu Yin said.
That's true. The Feng family has long been tired of the palace fighting, so Feng Rong should not want to enter the palace. Fang Ying smiled and said, "I am confused. Is the little princess worried about not being able to find a teacher for her studies?"
He also casually asked if the little grandson could read.
Chu Yin said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wanted the little grandson to start learning calligraphy, but since arriving in Luoyang, the Emperor has loved the little grandson very much and often keeps him by his side. The Crown Princess also said that the little grandson is not yet three years old, so it would be better to wait two years.
The prince stayed in Tokyo for two years, and it was inevitable that there was some estrangement between him and the emperor. In addition, he had just taken up the post of the governor of Henan and was busy with official duties. He could not visit the emperor often to "perform his filial duties" like his two brothers. It was rare that the little prince won the emperor's favor, so why was there a rush for him to learn to read?
After seeing Chu Yin off, Fang Ying told Ji Yanlang about this matter when he returned. Ji Yanlang laughed and said, "Those two are annoying if they get close to me. How can a grandson of the emperor, who is a generation away, be loved by others?"
Fang Ying also felt that the Eastern Palace's position was stable and that Prince Wei's brothers were nothing to worry about.
The two of them wrote back to Fang Chengxun, and were just waiting to see who of him or Judge Wang was transferred to the Feng Mansion first, so that they could arrange the marriage.
After finishing the Fang family's affairs, Ji Yanshou also wrote to say that he had set off from Bian Jing. This time he wanted to transport all the belongings in the Bian Jing government. The journey was not fast, and it was not until late March that they finally arrived in Luoyang.
"We're finally reunited." Yue Qing'e held Fang Ying's hand and sighed, "You don't know that I haven't even had anyone to talk to all day this past year."
"It's good that you're here. We can talk together every day from now on." Fang Ying also missed Yue Qing'e very much. As she spoke, she looked at her, "It seems that my second sister-in-law has lost weight."
"It's because of the bumpy ride. She hasn't lost much weight. I think my third sister-in-law has lost a lot of weight." Yue Qing'e couldn't help but sigh when An was mentioned. "Your second uncle said that she was better now. When she went back to Shuzhong to handle the funeral, she was even thinner than now."
Fang Ying nodded. "I've only recovered recently. I was sick when I first came back. Mother took me and my fifth sister-in-law to take turns to comfort him every day. We have to look forward to the future. The children are still young."
"Yes, Sanlang is really a sinner. He just left without saying anything, abandoning my third sister-in-law and five children." Yue Qing'e couldn't help shaking her head. "I heard that my third sister-in-law sent everyone in those two rooms out?"
She was asking about the two concubines who had given birth. Fang Ying nodded slightly and said, "Before returning to Shuzhong, I asked my mother to make the decision. I gave them the indentures and dowries, and let their families take them back to marry off."
"That's how it should be. You are both so young, as beautiful as flowers." Even if it was An, Yue Qing'e said there was no need for her to remain faithful to a man like Sanlang.
Fang Ying understood her unspoken intention and whispered, "Mother feels bad too, but now is not the time to talk about this."
Ji Yanchang had been dead for less than three months, and An was still in mourning. As Li's stepmother, she was even less able to say much.
"Yeah, let's not talk about this anymore."
Yue Qing'e changed the subject: "By the way, your second uncle told me when he returned to Tokyo that he would thank you very much."
Fang Ying was surprised: "Thank me for what?"
"Thank you for your invitation, good sir." Yue Qing'e smiled. "When Yun'er came from Tokyo, she was very reluctant. She said that as long as she was not allowed to study, she would do anything. In just one year, not only has she been studying so hard that she has forgotten to eat and sleep, she has also learned to write long and short sentences on her own."
"Yun'er is a studious child." Fang Ying also laughed, "I heard from Mr. Feng that Yun'er is quite talented in writing long and short sentences."
Yue Qing'e smiled even more happily, saying, "Mr. Feng just encouraged her." She then asked Feng Rong what her hobbies were. "You've taught all three children so well. We must prepare a thank-you gift."
Fang Ying said that Feng Rong lived a simple life and did not like gold and jade, so no other gift was as good as the Four Treasures of the Study.
Yue Qing'e wrote it down, went back and asked someone to prepare it, and asked Fang Ying to help look at it. Then they went to see Feng Rong together, thanked him in person, and then gave him the gift.
"Mr. Feng is still so young, do you really not plan to get married again?" After giving the gift, Yue Qing'e remembered to ask Fang Ying on the way back to the room.
Fang Ying nodded. "I suffered a lot in my ex-husband's family. I finally got away and returned to my parents' family. Naturally, I don't want to remarry. Besides, I'm still young. If I want to remarry, I can only find a widower in his forties."
"Isn't he currently under the care of the Crown Princess? It shouldn't be like this."
Fang Ying said, "Those who are seeking marriage with me are probably not from good families."
Yue Qing'e thought about it and sighed softly: "That's right."
The two walked in silence for a few steps before she remembered something. She turned around to look at the maid following behind her and whispered to Fang Ying, "I just remembered, what's going on with Lichun and Xingniang in your room? Aren't they worthy of being together?"
"I promised Lichun a long time ago that I would keep her as my servant as long as she didn't want to get married. Two years ago, Xiliu and Xiuzhu were released, and I wanted to find a husband for Xingniang as well. But when she heard that Lichun had vowed not to marry, she knelt down and begged me, refusing to get married."
"You just agreed?"
Fang Ying sighed, "She's also had a miserable life. Sister-in-law, you know that, right? She wasn't originally a servant in our family. She was a maid hired from outside when Liu Lang and I were getting married and we were busy preparing our dowry."
Xingniang had many sisters in her family. She had followed her mother to work for other families to support the family since she was young. Her father was lazy and thought that the money for doing odd jobs was too little, so he sold her sisters as slaves when they were a little older. As for her, because someone was needed to take care of her youngest brother, she stayed until she was fifteen or sixteen years old.
It's time for her to get married at this age, but her father doesn't want to pay a dowry and wants a betrothal gift, so naturally no one is willing to marry her.
"Her mother was also helping with needlework at my house at the time. When she heard I was going to marry into a wealthy family and was short of a maid for my dowry, she begged me to buy Xingniang. Otherwise, her father would sell her to a merchant going south, and I would never see her again in this life."
Yue Qing'e had heard a lot of such stories, but it was rare for someone to refuse to marry because of this. She couldn't help but say, "I think she just feels that Lichun is not worthy of you, and she doesn't want to leave. She is afraid that if she returns to you in the future, she will not be able to use you."
Fang Ying said, "Let her do what she wants. If she changes her mind later, it's not too late to look for someone else."
"Aren't you afraid she might have other ulterior motives and refuse to leave? Even if she doesn't, others will inevitably talk about it."
Fang Ying was stunned for a moment before she understood what she was talking about. She shook her head and said, "It's hard to say to others, but they definitely don't have that idea. Besides, I've handed over the affairs of Hong'er's room to Xingniang."
Hong'er lived in the east wing. After Xingniang handed over the affairs in Fangying's room, she never went to the main room unless she had something to report to Fangying.
Yue Qing'e just wanted to remind Fang Ying, so she nodded and said, "It's good that you know what's going on."
"Did Second Sister-in-law hear someone talking about something?" Fang Ying felt that her previous words did not seem to be aimless.
"No, there are just some who are eager to get into your and Fifth Brother's wife's room." Yue Qing'e patted her sister-in-law's hand, "They just saw that Fifth Brother and Sixth Brother didn't take concubines."
She wasn't the type to be so jealous of others' happiness after she herself had suffered. She scoffed coldly, "Don't you think about it? You and your fifth brother's wife already have a child, and you're living in harmony. Why would you take a concubine?"
"From the time mother left for Zhenzhou to the time she moved into the new mansion here, the people in charge of the mansion have been changing from top to bottom. Those who left are naturally unwilling to leave and want to find a way to come back." Fang Ying saw it clearly and knew that she had also stood up, so she didn't take it to heart.
However, now that the servants were finally gathered together, it was indeed time to tidy up and establish some rules. The two of them discussed it and reported it to Li together. Li told them to do their job freely and also released two of her maids who were of age.
The palace was still in mourning, so it was a good time to have some quiet time to take care of the domestic affairs. By the time these things were sorted out, it was already midsummer.
In July, Fang Chengxun was appointed as the magistrate of Xiangzhou. The Wang family waited for him to hand over the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture, and then sent a matchmaker to propose marriage. They held the engagement ceremony before Fang Chengxun took office.
"Xiangzhou controls a vital strategic point and has always been a battleground for military strategists. It's only 600 miles from the capital, so it's a great place to go."
After receiving the letter from Fang Chengxun, Ji Yanlang explained it to Fang Ying.
Fang Ying didn't care much about this. She didn't need to worry about her father's official affairs. What she cared about was that the letter said that they would get married after Fang Quan came of age next year.
"I hope Judge Wang can be transferred to the capital so that I can be taken care of in the future."
"Given Judge Wang's position and experience, it's actually not difficult. It just depends on whether there is an opportunity."
Just one month after Ji Yanlang finished speaking, he received the good news that Wang Han, the judge of Kaifeng Prefecture, had been promoted to the position of Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple. He went home and told Fang Ying, then smiled and said, "Are you relieved now?"
Fang Ying nodded: "It would be great if everything could go as planned."
Perhaps it was because she was too greedy, but within a few days, bad news came that was not what she wanted - the Dangxiang people had gathered their tribes to rebel and were now approaching the outskirts of Yinzhou City.
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Author's note: After countless times when I thought there were only two chapters left to finish the story but never did, finally! There's only one chapter left to finish the story!
I hope this chapter won't take too long to write [laughing and crying]
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