The days are like a quiet spring in a mountain stream, calm and peaceful.
Fu Xiaoguan wrote back to Dong Shulan, saying that he would definitely go to Jinling, but the time was not right yet.
Dong Shulan also wrote a letter to Fu Xiaoguan, saying that A Dream of Red Mansions was very well written and asked when the next chapters could be read. He also asked if it could be done faster because the palace was urging him to do so.
Dong Shulan also mentioned an idea, which was to publish a book. The two of them would work together to carry out this matter. Of course, Fu Xiaoguan would write the book, and Dong Shulan would find a bookstore to print and sell it. According to Dong Shulan's analysis, this book would definitely be a big hit, especially among those ladies from wealthy families.
Fu Xiaoguan agreed with this and proposed a 50-50 split, but was rejected by Dong Shulan, who changed it to a 30-70 split, with Dong Shulan taking 30% and Fu Xiaoguan taking 70%.
From beginning to end, Dong Shulan did not tell Fu Xiaoguan that the Ninth Princess had been to the Fu Mansion and had a long conversation with her.
Fu Xiaoguan also forgot about the Ninth Princess coming to the river. He practiced boxing, ran, and wrote A Dream of Red Mansions every day. He was busy but fulfilled. In this way, July came in a blink of an eye.
News came from the West Mountain Villa that the rice in the rice fields was about to begin to bloom, the limestone in the cave in the back mountain had been officially mined, and the foundation of the newly purchased land had been prepared, waiting for the young master's next arrangements.
Fu Xiaoguan wrote his last letter to Dong Shulan at the Fu Mansion in Linjiang. He explained that he was about to depart for the West Hills Villa, where he would stay for an extended period. He urged that any future letters be sent to the West Hills Villa. Accompanying the letter were the latest two chapters of A Dream of Red Mansions.
Because this trip to the West Mountain Villa will last a long time, Chunxiu needs to prepare more things. Of course, this is not something Fu Xiaoguan needs to consider. He is sitting in the pavilion at this moment, recalling things about rice hybridization.
Although he grew up in the countryside in his previous life, he knew how to plant rice and harvest grain, but breeding was such an advanced thing that he only occasionally saw it in newspapers or books after he grew up.
It's not very detailed or clear, but I remember it was called three-line hybrid rice. The first thing to do was to find the original male sterile plants, which was the most troublesome and critical.
As for the next step, Fu Xiaoguan didn't know either. Anyway, if he could find this thing, he would try to pollinate it. This would not be done overnight. He would go to the next village and find some experienced farmers. They would probably be more professional than himself.
Putting this matter aside, he was about to go out to say goodbye to Old Qin, but he saw Fu Daguan walking in with a happy face. Following behind Fu Daguan was a middle-aged woman with bright clothes and a bright face.
"Son, I have something to discuss with you. Come, sit down first."
Fu Daguan pointed at the woman and said, "This is Aunt Qian. Aunt Qian, please take a seat. This is my good-for-nothing son, Fu Xiaoguan."
Fu Xiaoguan sat down with a confused look on his face and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Ahem, this is the case. My son, you are not young anymore. Your father wants to find a marriage for you, so he has entrusted Aunt Qian with the task. Aunt Qian, please tell me."
The woman carefully examined Fu Xiaoguan for a while, waved the red silk in her hand, and said with a smile: "Master Fu is indeed a handsome man with a wealth of knowledge. Master Fu has given birth to a good son."
After a pause, she continued, "The Fu family is extremely wealthy, and Master Fu is now famous in Linjiang. I wouldn't dare offer this ordinary woman to Master Fu, but recently I've spotted a young lady from a wealthy family. She's fourteen years old, not quite married yet, but she's grown up. The key is that this family is a good match for yours. I've met the young lady and the old lady before, and they're well-educated, gentle, and virtuous. They're a perfect match for Master Fu, and they'll surely live in harmony and have many children and grandchildren in the future."
Fu Xiaoguan's forehead was filled with black lines. What was going on with his father?
I'm only sixteen, and she's only fourteen—in her previous life, she'd only be in junior high school! And this is a harmonious marriage with children and grandchildren?
He looked at the woman in astonishment, then laughed.
Seeing this smile, Fu Daguan knew that his son was happy, and the matter was probably done.
Aunt Qian thought so too, so her face was as bright as a flower. She patted Fu Xiaoguan's hand on the table and whispered mysteriously, "Mr. Fu, that's the youngest daughter of the Zhang family, the grain merchant Zhang Ji, who married the Imperial Merchants. This young lady is the daughter of the main wife, the apple of the eye of the Zhang family's patriarch's eye."
She withdrew her hand, turned to Fu Daguan and said, "Look, isn't this a perfect match? Your family is the richest in Linjiang, and the Zhang family is also a wealthy family in Linjiang. Her brother is Zhang Wenhan, the leader of the four great talents of Linjiang. Now he has gone to Shangjing to participate in the Autumn Examination and is aiming to be the top scorer. This young lady grew up in such a family. After she marries into your Fu family, it will be a simple matter for her to manage your huge family business in an orderly manner."
"What's her name?" Fu Xiaoguan asked curiously.
"Zhang Pei'er, although this young lady hasn't reached marriage age yet, many people have come to the Zhang Mansion to propose marriage. Master Fu, you'd better hurry up and don't let others get there first."
"Have you asked her if she's willing?"
"She is willing..." Aunt Qian blurted out, then smiled awkwardly, "I think she is. After all, Master Fu has changed his image and is considered by many students to be the most talented scholar in Linjiang. Plus, the two kinds of wine he made, isn't that exactly what a woman like this would admire?"
The truth of the matter is that Zhang Pei'er has a crush on Fu Xiaoguan. In fact, many unmarried young ladies from wealthy families in Linjiang now have a crush on Fu Xiaoguan.
The song "Even without the wings of a phoenix, the hearts are connected with each other" has captured the hearts of many girls.
If it was the notorious Fu Xiaoguan in the past, they would certainly avoid him, but now he has turned over a new leaf, writing poetry and lyrics, showing an amazing talent for business, and never flirting with other women. He even doesn't leave the house for many days - there are people watching outside the Fu Mansion, and such an outstanding man must be snatched away.
If Fu Xiaoguan went out, he would inevitably encounter several chance encounters, but Fu Xiaoguan chose to stay at home, which disappointed many girls who were sitting in the sedan chair and waiting silently.
Zhang Pei'er was no exception. She mentioned it to her father. Zhang Zhice thought about it all night and did not object.
The Zhang family and the Fu family run different businesses, so there is no conflict, and there is no contradiction between the two families. Zhang Zhice and Fu Daguan occasionally get together for a drink for some reason.
Now the kid from the Fu family seems to have really grown up. Although Mrs. Qi from the Fu family is pregnant, Fu Xiaoguan's position as the head of the family will not be shaken from now on. If his daughter can really marry into the Fu family, it will be a happy marriage.
So Zhang Zhice first looked for Aunt Qian, and Fu Daguan also met Aunt Qian by chance.
Fu Xiaoguan sat up straight and said with a smile, "What if I don't want to?"
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