The Yu family, the Sheng family and the Xiangyang Marquis Mansion had not received the invitation. At this moment, the four partners were playing cards and drinking warm wine in a very comfortable manner.
Seeing Xu Wen's victory, Madam Meng was in high spirits and started a conversation, "It's after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and the weather isn't that cold anymore. My son is going hunting outside the city with his friends in a few days."
Lin Jiaoniang took over and asked, "Is your boy fully recovered now? Dong Lie must be strong."
After playing a card, Madam Meng replied, "I'm fine. I did horse stance for an hour this morning and I wasn't even out of breath."
The wife of the Marquis of Xiangyang and Xu Wen exchanged a glance and agreed, "That's right. As for this person, once he's well, everything will be fine."
As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a faint urge to vomit. I picked up the red date tea on the table and was about to take a sip, but suddenly I retched.
Everyone stopped playing cards. Xu Wen stood up first and went to pat the Marquis's back. As she did so, she said, "Go, bring a cup of warm water."
Then he asked Madam Hou: "How are you? Did you eat something bad at noon?"
The Marquis's wife waved her hands, retched for a while, then took the warm water offered to her, rinsed her mouth, and wiped her mouth before replying, "It shouldn't be a stomach upset. I have to go back home first. Sisters, please don't blame me."
Seeing the Marquis' wife like this, everyone didn't dare to try to keep her, and Lin Jiaoniang also said goodbye. After seeing the two off, Madam Meng and Xu Wen, who stayed, went to the flower hall to eat.
Xu Wen knew why Madam Meng came, but Yuyang was reluctant to let their daughter marry far away, so she couldn't force her. After the two of them finished their meal, Madam Meng mustered up the courage to say, "Madam Sheng, we've known each other for so many years, and you know how I am. Now I'm just trying to make another effort, so don't reject me yet. Listen to what I say and see if it makes sense. Then give me your answer."
Sitting opposite Mrs. Meng, Xu Wen nodded gently and said, "I'd like to hear more."
Madam Meng leaned forward and said, "Madam Sheng is also an official's wife. I believe she understands that marrying into an official's family doesn't allow her to decide where to live. Look, the Xiangyang Marquis's Mansion will be moved to Dengzhou after the New Year. It's impossible for an official to live in one place all year round. Oh, there are exceptions, but they are rare."
After a pause, Madam Meng continued, "Based on the current marriage relationships within the Sheng family's main branch, Sister Yun will at least marry into an official family. Even if she marries a nobleman from a humble family in the same area, she will have to move around with her husband's family in the future. I don't think the eldest lady of the main branch would want to marry her daughter off to a local merchant; at the very least, she'd want a scholar."
Xu Wen thought about it and it made sense. Sheng Huairen had said he would soon be traveling with the diplomatic mission to Northern Xinjiang. The officials were unpredictable. The eldest wife of the first house wouldn't be marrying Yun'er to a Youyang merchant.
Seeing Xu Wen nod, Madam Meng continued, "Our Shanxi Meng family is a family of scholars. If you want to marry a scholar, you might as well marry into our family. Firstly, we know each other well, and to put it bluntly, we already know who is the better of us. Secondly, I like Yun'er very much, and once she's married, I will definitely treat her like my own daughter. Besides, count the families we know. How many of them have the rule that a man can only take a concubine if he's forty and childless."
It seemed that Madam Meng was anxious. She was usually gentle and soft-spoken, but now she was speaking harshly. Xu Wen knew all this. If it was her own daughter, why would she hesitate?
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