Chapter 128 The Marriage (1)
The Crown Princess brought Aze a lot of things, including dozens of sets of clothes, shoes, and socks of all kinds, thick and thin, inner and outer, as well as his usual toys, such as tangrams, rattles, cloth tiger puppets, windmills, shuttlecocks, beanbags, marbles, and so on, dozens of kinds in total, with a wide variety of styles and bright colors.
There was even a large box specifically for holding more than a dozen kites, featuring a variety of bird, beast, insect, fish, and flower designs, leaving Li Xiaoxiao speechless.
These were all made for the Crown Prince, so naturally they were the best things the palace could offer.
Liu Zhi and Xing Ge helped pack Aze's luggage into the cabinets in the east wing. The cabinets were crammed full, almost overflowing. There was no room for the toys, so they had to carry the boxes into the room and put them inside instead of displaying them.
Rui Rui couldn't resist the sight of all the brightly colored toys and grabbed Aze's hand, wanting to play with him.
Aze quietly asked him, "What do you want? I'll give it to you, but you have to promise me one thing, okay?"
Rui Rui stared intently at a bright yellow rattle drum with a vermilion handle and emerald green beads. He nodded in agreement and picked up the rattle drum.
Aze is past the age of playing with rattles, and many of the toys in this box are the same thing in different colors. He can give one to Rui Rui and still have more, so he is willing to share everything with Rui Rui.
When Aze saw that he had taken his rattle drum, he whispered, "Then you'll sleep with me tonight, okay?"
Rui Rui stared intently at the rattle drum: "Okay."
Aze breathed a sigh of relief. He heard from Li Xiaoxiao that a vengeful ghost had been caught in his father's bedroom. Although the Taoist priest had taken it away, he was still very scared. He had also slept there. Could it have brought his yin energy to Biyang County?
What should he do if it really follows him?
It's not even night yet, and he's already a little afraid to sleep.
If I bribe Rui Rui with a toy to sleep with me, he shouldn't be afraid anymore, right?
The adults naturally didn't notice the children's little schemes. When Magistrate Meng heard that his son had returned, he immediately rushed back from outside the city.
Hearing that Headmaster Gu had met Li Xiaoxiao in the capital with a group of students, and considering Headmaster Gu's character, he immediately felt that this was unusual. He then summoned Meng Guanqi to the outer courtyard study under the pretext of testing his knowledge.
Meng Guanqi hadn't seen her father for over two years, and upon seeing him again, her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears.
The fair-skinned, beardless, and gentle scholar I remembered has completely disappeared from Biyang County in recent years. The current Magistrate Meng has a slightly darker complexion and a few sun spots on his face, but he is in excellent spirits and his eyes show more composure, confidence, determination, and wisdom.
Meng Guanqi was surprised to find that his father's face had developed a sharp and resolute appearance that he had never dared to show when he was with the Meng family in the capital. He felt both heartbroken and happy.
During his years in Biyang County, my father endured many hardships, but also gained unexpected rewards.
He lifted his robe and knelt down: "Son greets Father." Like Liu, he respectfully kowtowed three times to Magistrate Meng.
Magistrate Meng helped him up, examined him carefully, and nodded with satisfaction: "My son has grown up, that's wonderful."
Meng Guanqi laughed and said, "I thought that now that my son is an adult, Father can finally enjoy his retirement. Who knew that we would have another little one? Father must have had quite a few headaches these past two years."
Magistrate Meng had a headache just thinking about that little tyrant: "Compared to you, Rui Rui is truly pitiful. Before raising him, I never knew there were such difficult children in the world."
Meng Guanqi laughed: "Father hasn't started his education yet. Once he turns three and starts reading, he'll understand the principles and naturally won't do anything unreasonable anymore."
Magistrate Meng sighed, "It's difficult. A child's nature is determined at birth. He is energetic and strong, but whenever I try to read him some introductory books, he falls asleep faster than anyone else. Although it is said that you can tell a person's future from the age of three, I already know that he will probably have no chance of taking the imperial examinations before he is even three years old..."
Meng Guanqi said, "Let's wait a few more years and see. If he really can't do well in his studies but has good physical strength, then taking the path of martial arts is not out of the question."
Magistrate Meng said, "Even if he is to follow the martial arts path, he cannot be illiterate. If he continues to be so naughty and disobedient when he is a little older, I will have no choice but to discipline him according to family rules."
Meng Guanqi was speechless.
He was a delicate and thin boy from a young age, and he was often sick. He was the only son in the family, and his mother would cry and wail even if he fell down. She had never heard of the concept of family discipline.
He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Although my younger brother is a bit domineering, I see that Xiaoxiao gets along very well with him. He listens to what she says, so he's not completely unwilling to listen to advice."
Magistrate Meng sighed, "The one with the most energy in the family is none other than her, and only she has the ability to exhaust Rui Rui's energy..."
After the two shared a few more amusing anecdotes about Rui Rui, Magistrate Meng finally got to the point: "Why would Headmaster Gu suddenly take you all to the capital? Did something happen?"
It should be noted that Gu Henian had been out of office for nearly ten years. As far as he knew, Emperor Jian'an had invited him to return to office twice, but he had declined both times. He usually stayed at Wanshan Academy to teach and educate students and rarely went out.
What exactly happened that made him willing to bring his students to the capital?
Since things had come to this point, there was no need to hide it from her father any longer. Meng Guanqi then began by recounting how Headmaster Gu received the secret letter from Emperor Jian'an, all the way to how Li Xiaoxiao went to the capital just to expose the secret of the Poison Stone, and how the Crown Prince exposed the Sixth Prince's conspiracy, and how the Emperor and Empress favored the Sixth Prince. She explained everything in detail.
This led to the conversation reaching the point where the sun was setting in the west, and Magistrate Meng could no longer describe his feelings as merely shock.
He murmured, "No wonder Xiaoxiao insisted on going to the capital in person. It turns out that she accidentally revealed the Sixth Prince's secret of plotting to kill the Crown Prince... The Sixth Prince committed such a heinous crime, yet the Emperor and Empress completely disregarded the Crown Prince's feelings and forced him to give up the pursuit of justice. Qi'er, if you weren't already deeply mired in this quagmire, I would never have agreed to let you go to the capital."
The waters in the capital are truly murky, especially since they are directly facing the pinnacle of power in the Great Wu. One wrong move and they could be utterly destroyed and meet a tragic end.
But it was too late for them to back down now. Meng Guanqi and Li Xiaoxiao had already officially shown their faces to the Crown Prince. The Sixth Prince was only temporarily confined, but the Emperor and Empress would never keep him locked up for life. Otherwise, if judged according to the law, he would also face lifelong imprisonment. The Emperor and Empress chose to suppress the matter because they were not prepared to keep him locked up forever.
Once he gets out, how could he easily let go of the Meng family, who caused his plans to fail?
Magistrate Meng pondered for a long time, then tapped the table: "I didn't want to put so much pressure on you, but given the current situation, you absolutely must pass this year's imperial examination. A mere scholar is no match for him."
Meng Guanqi cupped his hands in agreement and said, "Before I left the capital, I advised Mr. Gu to come out of seclusion and assist the Crown Prince. I think Mr. Gu's attitude seems to have softened a bit. If the Crown Prince's performance as the chief examiner of the imperial examinations meets his expectations, he might really come out to assist him."
Magistrate Meng was quite surprised, but then smiled and said with relief, "Gu Henian's temper has remained unchanged for more than ten years. He chose to retire because he couldn't stand the current climate of the dynasty. If he is really willing to come out and assist the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince will have gained a great help."
Meng Guanqi said, "Whether the Emperor's exchange of governing power for military power can bewitch the Crown Prince's mind and make him follow the path arranged by the Emperor step by step is probably Mr. Gu's test of the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince still has his temper, he will not give up tracking down the forces behind the Sixth Prince. If the Crown Prince gives up... then even if the Crown Prince visits the thatched cottage ten times in the future, Mr. Gu will not even glance at him."
Magistrate Meng looked at him in surprise, his eyes full of admiration: "In the ability to observe people's hearts, you are far superior to your father. This is indeed something Gu Henian would do, and it is in line with his character."
When Meng Guanqi met Magistrate Meng's gaze, he suddenly knelt down again as if he had made up his mind: "Father."
Magistrate Meng was taken aback and quickly went to help him up: "What's wrong with you?"
Meng Guanqi mustered his courage: "I have a request for Father, and I ask that you grant it."
Magistrate Meng asked in surprise, "Why don't you just talk things out? When have I ever refused you? Why do you have to kneel down?" Could it be something extremely difficult that he knew he would refuse, so he knelt down?
Magistrate Meng was secretly amazed; this was unlike his son's usual behavior.
Meng Guanqi's ears suddenly turned red, and a blush spread across his face. He was very nervous, but he still spoke firmly: "Regarding the Crown Prince's poison stone, Xiaoxiao had no choice but to stab the Sixth Prince to force him to hand over the antidote in order to save my life. She has already offended him severely, and he will definitely seek revenge on us after he gets out. Xiaoxiao could have avoided this disaster, but she did it without hesitation to save me. I love Xiaoxiao and I are in love with each other and have decided to spend our lives together. I beg Father to allow me to marry Xiaoxiao."
The hardest words to say had been spoken, and his quick wit returned. He knelt forward and said, "Father, Xiaoxiao has saved our family from dire straits time and time again, and even saved my life several times. She is naturally free-spirited and dislikes being tied down. She is not interested in power or wealth. If it weren't for me, she could have stayed far away from all this trouble and lived her own peaceful life. But because of my carelessness, she was forced to get involved. Our fates are now intertwined, and we cannot be separated. I beg you, Father, to grant me and Xiaoxiao our marriage!"
He prostrated himself deeply.
Magistrate Meng was completely stunned. This matter was both unexpected and reasonable. He had noticed the flirtatious glances between the two a few years ago. In his and Liu's hearts, Li Xiaoxiao was already family. They were just one step away from making their relationship official.
However, both he and Liu thought that Meng Guanqi would take Li Xiaoxiao as a concubine, and never really thought that their son would marry her.
After all, the difference in their social status was too great. Even if he and Liu didn't mind, Meng Guanqi's future official career might become a handle for others to attack and ridicule him.
Magistrate Meng sighed, "I had long suspected that you two had feelings for each other, but I only thought you would take her into your household, never imagining that you would marry her..."
Meng Guanqi replied, "Father has spent more time with Xiaoxiao than I have. Do you think that with her personality and abilities, she would be interested in becoming someone else's concubine?"
Magistrate Meng shook his head, then suddenly realized what was going on, his expression changing slightly: "So, three years ago, you made up your mind not to arrange a marriage, just so you could marry her?"
Meng Guanqi's face flushed red: "I have admired Xiaoxiao for a long time and have long been determined to marry no one but her in this life. I beg Father to grant my wish."
Magistrate Meng said, “You are smarter than me. Have you ever thought about the vast difference in your social status? You come from a prestigious family, while her background cannot withstand scrutiny. Her experience of being born in the countryside, becoming a vagrant, and then selling herself into slavery could very well become a sharp blade that could be used against you at any time. When you are successful, no one may dare to mention it, but when you are down on your luck, you are likely to be ridiculed. Are you prepared for this?”
Meng Guanqi said firmly, "If it weren't for her, there would be no Meng Guanqi in this world. If I don't have her in my heart, what does it matter if she is a royal princess? If I truly love her, what does it matter if she comes from the countryside? Reputation and rumors are just what outsiders say. Xiaoxiao and I are not the kind of people who care about these things. As long as we live our own lives well, we don't care what others say."
When Magistrate Meng saw that his son spoke sincerely and frankly, he couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile. He thought to himself that his son had indeed grown up and was now capable of handling things on his own.
He probably started planning how to marry Li Xiaoxiao openly and legitimately as early as three years ago, when he realized his own feelings. He had no intention of attending the Imperial Academy, but coincidentally, Minister Meng and the Crown Prince wrote to each other one after the other. He cleverly devised a plan, misrepresenting the Crown Prince's recommendation, and politely declined the Crown Prince's recommendation on the grounds that Minister Meng did not agree to the formation of factions among clansmen. He neither angered the Crown Prince nor did he lose the power to decide his marriage with Minister Meng. Minister Meng probably would never know that the Crown Prince had once invited Meng Guanqi to study at the Imperial Academy, let alone that he would be schemed against by a fifteen-year-old illegitimate grandson.
After taking control of his marriage, he immediately told himself and Liu that he would not arrange a marriage before passing the imperial examination, thus blocking their path to finding him a wife. Now, with the imperial examination approaching, he has made it clear that he and Li Xiaoxiao are in love and that he wants to marry her.
If they agree, he will be overjoyed and have his wish fulfilled. If they disagree... they dare not disagree. What if he becomes disheartened and loses interest in taking the exam?
Is it just a matter of stalling? He has such keen insight into people's hearts; can this really be solved by simply stalling?
Magistrate Meng then realized that he might also be part of his scheme, and now that the time had come, he was coming to lay his cards on the table.
Magistrate Meng looked at him, shook his head with a wry smile, but why did he feel an overwhelming sense of pride?
Besides, isn't Li Xiaoxiao good enough? Magistrate Meng couldn't say that. Apart from her less-than-ideal background, no one in the entire household, or even the whole of Biyang County, would say she was bad.
She was so vibrant, seemingly with inexhaustible energy, and naturally optimistic, as if she never took the world's troubles to heart.
She clearly has immense talent, yet she is not greedy for power or wealth, only yearning for a free and unrestrained life. Who wouldn't like someone like that?
Forget it, does his family really need Li Xiaoxiao? Does he really want to marry a woman from a prestigious family he doesn't like just for the sake of a good reputation, and then watch them live a seemingly harmonious but actually loveless life together? How is that any different from the marriage alliances of the legitimate sons of the Meng family in the capital?
Thinking of himself and Liu, Magistrate Meng softened. He helped Meng Guanqi up and said gently, "Since you chose this path, then don't regret it."
Meng Guanqi was both surprised and delighted to know that her father had agreed, and her eyes reddened: "Father!"
He knew it would be very difficult to get his father to agree to the marriage, and that his parents would also be subject to the controversy he might face in the future.
Magistrate Meng patted him on the shoulder: "I'll talk to your mother. Don't worry, leave this matter to us. You should focus on the imperial examination. There are less than five months left... You must do your best to pass the exam and become a Jinshi."
Meng Guanqi was moved: "Yes, I will certainly not disappoint my father."
That evening, a banquet was held at home to welcome Meng Guanqi and Li Xiaoxiao back. Magistrate Meng and Madam Liu both drank a few extra cups of wine and went back to their rooms to wash up before sobering up.
When Magistrate Meng came out of the washroom, he glanced curiously at the small bed outside and asked, "Hey, where did Rui Rui go?"
Liu said with a smile, "Aze insisted on letting him sleep with him. Rui Rui took one of his rattles and was very interested in the toy he brought. We couldn't stop her, so she went to sleep with him."
It's good that the child isn't here; the couple can finally lie down and have a proper discussion about this matter.
Since arriving in Biyang County, the custom of having maids and servants keep watch at night has been completely abolished. Previously, it was because there was a shortage of manpower and resources, but later, as the family's situation improved, they had become accustomed to having no one on night watch, so they simply abolished the custom and did whatever was comfortable for them.
So only Magistrate Meng and Lady Liu remained in the room.
Madam Liu was exceptionally busy today, and was overjoyed to see her eldest son return. She was already exhausted and was just about to close her eyes to sleep when she heard Magistrate Meng casually say from the side, "I have found a marriage for Qi-ge'er and would like to discuss the details with you, Madam."
Liu's half-closed eyes snapped open, all sleepiness vanished, and she jumped up in a flash: "What did you say? What marriage?"
Magistrate Meng also sat up: "The marriage of Qi-ge'er."
Madam Liu grew anxious. Why did he only come to tell her after he had already chosen everything? He was always either teaching the children, busy with official duties, or going to the countryside. Where did he find a family to arrange the marriage? Could it be that he asked Lord Min to help him find one?
She frowned and said, "Was it Lord Min who introduced them? Didn't you say you'd wait until Qi-ge'er passed the imperial examination before arranging a marriage? By then, he'd have an official title, and there would be more families he could choose from. Which family's daughter did he introduce to you? What's her character like?"
Magistrate Meng smiled and said, "It has nothing to do with Brother Min; I was the one who chose it."
Liu was even more curious. He had never left Biyang County. Could it be that he had his eye on a family in Biyang County? But he didn't even want to marry Meng Liniang to these wealthy families, so why would he choose a wife for Meng Guanqi from among them?
She couldn't help but nudge him: "Stop being so mysterious, which family are you from? You're not the Zheng family's daughter, are you? Or the Li family's?"
Magistrate Meng said, "Neither."
Liu asked, "Who exactly is it?"
Magistrate Meng said softly, "From our family."
Mrs. Liu was taken aback: "Our family's? Our family's—"
Her expression changed: "You mean, Xiaoxiao?"
Magistrate Meng nodded.
Liu gasped, almost jumping up: "She, how could she, how could she do this? She's a servant!"
Magistrate Meng frowned: "Is that how you see her? Do you treat her like a servant in our household?"
Madam Liu quickly said, "No, no, no, I know she's a law-abiding citizen. I mean she used to be a servant in our household. Qi-ge'er will become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). How can he marry someone who used to be a servant?"
Even if Liu was not very bright, as a concubine's daughter-in-law, she had experienced being looked down upon by others because of her low social status. But she was still the daughter of an official. Although she was a concubine's daughter, her father was at least an official in the Ministry of Agriculture.
But Li Xiaoxiao was a true country girl who became a refugee due to a flood and was sold into slavery in their family for over a year. Although she was later released from her free status and became an employee, the fact that she had been a slave was known throughout Biyang County and could not be hidden any longer.
Meng Guanqi is going to be an official in the future, and his colleagues will all be sons of officials. His wife used to be a servant. Hasn't Magistrate Meng considered what kind of criticism this will bring him?
For once, Madam Liu's mind was clear. She said sternly, "Master, are you drunk? I don't object to giving Xiaoxiao to Qi-ge'er. Xiaoxiao is a good child, and I like her as a person. But if you want to marry her, I'm afraid I can't agree."
Magistrate Meng hadn't expected Liu's opposition to be so firm. He sighed, "You mean to make Xiaoxiao a concubine? But think about it, given Xiaoxiao's personality, would she really want to be a concubine?"
Liu was speechless. Li Xiaoxiao was the kind of person who would find an excuse to go out and play after being locked up at home for three days straight. How could she be locked up in a deep mansion as a concubine for the rest of her life?
She'd be a fool to agree.
Magistrate Meng said, "Even if she were to agree, what wife could tolerate such a capable concubine? Is Li Xiaoxiao the kind of person who can put up with being treated like this?"
No, she settles her scores on the spot. After living together for so long, doesn't Liu know her well enough?
Her head started to throb, what should she do?
Magistrate Meng seemed troubled as well: "Since you don't agree, and she's not the kind of person who'd be willing to be a concubine, then she can no longer work for our household. We need to find a way to get rid of her..."
"Leave?!" Liu was shocked and instinctively retorted, "How can you say such a thing? She has no parents and is all alone. Where do you want her to go? Besides, Aze is someone she rescued. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are waiting for her to send him back safely. And Rui Rui, Rui Rui can't live without her either!"
Magistrate Meng said, "Didn't you say she wasn't good enough? Since she can't be engaged to Qi-ge'er, it's not right to keep them together forever, is it?"
Liu vehemently denied it: "Who said she was bad? When did I ever say she was bad? Don't wrong me, I, I just..."
How could she not know how wonderful Li Xiaoxiao was? With her around, she felt as if there was a pillar of stability in the house, and she felt incredibly at ease.
She's been away in the capital for the past two months, and her two younger children are constantly fighting and arguing. She's completely overwhelmed and can't manage it at all. She's been hoping for her return every day, and when she hasn't come back by the agreed time, she worries every single day that she might have encountered some kind of thug and won't be able to come back...
However, if the price for keeping her at home was marrying Qi Ge'er, she couldn't get over that hurdle. She and Magistrate Meng were officials outside the city, so they probably wouldn't hear any gossip. But if Qi Ge'er passed the imperial examination and stayed in the capital as an official, not to mention other families, even his own family would curse and laugh at them to death. How could she bear to let Qi Ge'er face such a situation?
Isn't there any better way to keep her with them?
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