It's not that Zhang Mingxuan's ideas are too utilitarian; it's just that his current status only allows him to marry a girl of equal status. He is ambitious and will inevitably need a capable wife to help him in the future.
At least nowadays, no girl who is his equal in social standing meets these requirements. Rather than blaming each other later, it's better to find a wife who understands him and get married later.
Soon it was time for Wu Yiming's wedding day. She was marrying from the Fucha family. Regardless of her true identity, she was now considered a married daughter of the Fucha family, so those who were close to the Fucha family usually came to offer their congratulations.
The scene became incredibly lively.
After going through a series of tedious and complicated procedures, Wu Yiming finally sat on the bed in the new house.
Wu Yiming wasn't a sentimental person. Now that she was married, especially in ancient times, she naturally wanted to manage her life well.
She didn't have any intention of not wanting to consummate the marriage. Liu Jiangqing was twenty-five years old, and she didn't want to delay him.
From what she knew, Liu Jiangqing was a good person. His education might have instilled some patriarchal ideas in him, but given the prevailing circumstances, he was already quite good.
At least she has good character and a harmonious family, so for the time being, Mrs. Liu seems to be a good mother-in-law.
On the second day after the wedding, Wu Yiming served tea and paid her respects to her parents-in-law. Madam Liu did not make things difficult for the new daughter-in-law. Her mother-in-law was a kind person and naturally did not want any unrest in the family. Since her son was happy, the matter was settled. Besides, Madam Liu also had her own plans.
Her son planned to pursue a career in government, and his wife, aside from anything else, had already made a name for herself with the Empress. Everyone knew that the Emperor favored the Empress, so by doing so, her son would also have some influence over the Emperor.
As the head of the household, she naturally knew that there were some capable people in the mansion, but no one spoke up for them in front of the master. The good jobs were only given to those few whom the master remembered.
The emperor probably thought so too. The imperial examinations selected talents who had passed many tests and become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations). Even if their abilities varied, they were all capable. Naturally, those who were known to the emperor and those who were not were treated differently.
With that in mind, Madam Liu naturally hoped that the young couple would live happily ever after.
Wu Yiming had no idea what her new mother-in-law was thinking. As long as she wasn't made things difficult for her, she was very satisfied.
Liu Jiangqing got married and took leave from the academy, so Zhang Mingxuan has to go to class alone every day. Living alone, he inevitably makes some mistakes. For example, he was so engrossed in reading last night that he went to bed late and got up late this morning.
Seeing that he might be late, he hurried to the study hall.
Because he was afraid of being late, he took a quiet, secluded path that was usually deserted. If he hadn't spent so much time at the academy, he probably wouldn't have known about this path.
Because it was a narrow path, it was hidden among various bushes and twisted and turned. Just as Zhang Mingxuan was about to turn, he suddenly heard someone speaking in front of him, and it was a woman's voice.
To avoid being too forward with the lady, he decided to turn back the way he came. So what if he was late? The lady would probably forgive his occasional lapse in judgment.
Just as she was about to turn away, she heard one of the voices say, "Miss, please don't be so gloomy. To be frank, Young Master Liu is already married. Why are you still hung up on him just because of a brief encounter? With your looks and temperament, you are sure to meet a good family."
Although Zhang Mingxuan didn't see what the speaker looked like, he could guess who the person outside was.
She is the beloved daughter of the academy's dean.
Apart from the dean's daughter, it was almost impossible for any woman to appear in an all-male academy.
I've heard people say how much the dean dotes on his daughter, and I've also heard that the dean's daughter occasionally comes to the academy, but no one has ever actually met her.
After listening to the maid's words, Jin Xiaoxiao explained, "I'm not upset. Young Master Liu is a good person. I only met him once, so I can't say I'm still hung up on him. It's just that I'm of marriageable age now. I originally thought that Young Master Liu's appearance and character were the most suitable, but now I have to think about it again."
"It's good that you think that way, Miss."
Jin Xiaoxiao and Liu Jiangqing's brief encounter was quite by chance. Liu Jiangqing accompanied his mother to a temple, where his mother met the abbot's wife. Madam Jin had brought her daughter with her. Madam Liu had seen Jin Xiaoxiao before and, considering her son's age, decided to arrange a marriage between them.
Madam Jin knew Liu Jiangqing inside and out and had some thoughts about him. Jin Xiaoxiao listened from the side. She was a perceptive person, and although the two elders spoke cryptically, she understood some of their thoughts.
Young girls are in the throes of first love. Jin Xiaoxiao was only sixteen, the perfect age for such feelings. She had heard a lot about Liu Jiangqing's reputation, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was both talented and beautiful.
Jin Xiaoxiao then hatched a plan. Taking advantage of the two elders' inattention, she found out Liu Jiangqing's whereabouts and secretly met with him. In short, Jin Xiaoxiao was satisfied.
However, Liu Jiangqing's youthful heart moved too quickly. Before the two ladies could even make peace, Liu Jiangqing and Wu Yiming had already tied the knot with lightning speed.
It would be a lie for Jin Xiaoxiao to say she wasn't sad, but she wasn't exactly heartbroken either. She usually acted like a proper young lady from a respectable family, and her mother's upbringing of her followed the expectations of a matriarch.
It wouldn't be this bad for a man.
The gloom is mostly due to worries about future marriage. A woman's marriage is a choice that determines her fate for the rest of her life. If she is not careful, the rest of her life will be no different from being stuck in a bitter medicine jar.
"By the way, Miss, Madam has been looking for suitors for you recently. I wonder if any of you ladies are interested in any of them?"
Jin Xiaoxiao: "What do you mean by whether it suits my taste or not? Marriage is a major life event, it's all about the parents' wishes and the matchmaker's words, how can I have any control over it?"
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