Jiang Shuwan stared intently at Lu Shaogan, her gaze deep, her mind racing with various calculations.
The Great Jing Dynasty had a military examination system.
This year is the year of the martial arts examination.
However, the weather was uncooperative; during the martial arts competition in February this year, it snowed heavily every day.
The Empress Dowager in the palace also fell ill, and His Majesty the Emperor was busy attending to her.
In addition, due to snow disasters in various places, His Majesty is busy with state affairs and cannot spare the time to attend to matters.
The time for the military examination was postponed, and then March was the spring planting season.
The martial arts competition has not yet begun.
The reasons were varied and seemed understandable, but Jiang Shuwan found them quite amusing.
The military examination, an examination designed to select talent for the country, was repeatedly delayed.
This shows how little importance was placed on the military examinations.
Wenju's time was so great that even a falling knife from the sky couldn't change it.
That's ridiculous.
However, such things have happened far too often throughout history. Whenever the world is at peace and there is no war, the court, from top to bottom, begins to look down on military officers.
They did not place much importance on the military examinations.
At present, the martial arts examination has not yet been held, and Lu Shaogan is just an ordinary martial arts candidate.
His family were fourth-rank military officers, so to be favored by the second-rank Sun family was quite an honor.
The Sun and Lu families had actually discussed this privately several times. This spring banquet was intended to give Sun Wanwan a chance to meet Lu Shaogan.
If she approves, once Lu Shao achieves a good ranking in the martial arts examination, they can directly exchange betrothal cards and get engaged.
In her previous life, Sun Wanwan blushed and acquiesced.
Jiang Shuwan stopped paying attention to the matter. She had also investigated the Lu family's traditions and the young and promising Lu Shaogan.
There were no such messy things as favoring one's wife over one's concubines.
Madam Lu was also born into a family of military generals. She was open-minded by nature and did not have the vicious schemes of Madam Wen.
Lu Shaogan's room was also clean.
Although the Lu family held lower official positions, both parties agreed that Lu Shaogan had to be among the top ten in the martial arts examination before marriage could be discussed.
Such a young talent is worthy of Sun Wanwan.
But who knew that Lu Shaogan not only made it into the top ten, but also won third place in the martial arts competition. The Sun family actually went back on their word and married Sun Wanwan off to someone else.
Madam Sun is not the kind of person to go back on her word; there must be someone stirring up trouble.
Having been given a second chance at life, she needs to keep a close eye on things.
"Wanwan, your aunt recently got a bear paw, and it's delicious stewed with honey. Why don't you come back with me and try it?"
Mrs. Sun and Mrs. Lu had finished their conversation, and it was getting late, so Mrs. Sun and Sun Wanwan decided to go home.
On short notice, he invited Jiang Shuwan to have dinner together.
Bear babies are protected animals, and in her previous life, Jiang Shuwan refused outright, but this time she agreed immediately.
"Great, Auntie! I recently got two pounds of good meat. Let's have some extra dishes together."
They soon arrived at the Sun residence. Just as the servants from the Marquis's mansion brought over the pork that Jiang Shuwan had requested, they heard a strange, sarcastic voice coming from behind them.
"I wondered who had married into a high-class family and still ate pork without feeling inferior. It turns out to be Miss Jiang."
"Aunt Chen is here too? This pork was sent from my estate. It's just an extra dish for you, Aunt. It's fine if you don't eat it."
Jiang Shuwan immediately replied in a yin-yang manner.
Madam Sun's original surname was Chen.
Aunt Chen and Madam Sun were sisters from the same mother. Aunt Chen married a civil official, who is now only a minor official of the sixth rank.
General Sun lived up to expectations and was promoted to the rank of second-grade military officer, and also gained control of a large army on the border.
Although many civil officials of the same rank now feel that they are superior to military officials, second-rank military officials still make sixth-rank civil officials look like dirt.
Aunt Chen was jealous, and her words always had a sour tone.
Perhaps it was because Jiang Shuwan had a good relationship with Madam Sun and had married into the Marquis's family at a high level, that the sourness was directed at Jiang Shuwan today.
Jiang Shuwan didn't indulge her either, and she also mocked her.
It's the first time anyone has ever been human.
Do you think I'd let you have your way?
"you!"
Aunt Chen was surprised that a junior like Jiang Shuwan dared to disrespect her. She glared at her and was about to lash out when her daughter, Chen Susu, tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Mother, please consider the Buddha's feelings."
Aunt Chen immediately thought of the Marquis's residence, swallowed her anger, and went to talk to Madam Sun.
"I'm still your own sister, and you, on the other hand, invite outsiders to eat bear paws, but not me."
Seeing the bear paws brought out by the servants, Aunt Chen swallowed her saliva frantically.
"Sister, you're joking. Wanwan and Wanwan have always been close friends, how could they be outsiders?"
Madam Sun smiled awkwardly.
As she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Shuwan, afraid that Jiang Shuwan would be angry with Aunt Chen.
Jiang Shuwan didn't say anything, and instead started fiddling with the ten pounds of pork belly that the servants had just brought over.
During this era, aristocratic families primarily consumed mutton and beef.
Pork has a strong, unpleasant smell and is considered a cheap food.
The fragrant and fatty pork that appears on our dining tables in later generations was actually imported from Great White pigs from England.
The local pigs are not only thin and small, but also have a fishy smell, so they are rarely eaten by noble families.
The pork that Jiang Shuwan received this time came from her own estate.
She gutted the pig's testicles just like she gutted the sheep's, and surprisingly, just like with the same method, the gutted pig had much of its gamey smell removed.
The meat is tender and fatty, quite different from the pork available today.
"Qingxing, bring a stove. My aunt and I will stew some Dongpo pork."
Dongpo pork should be made with three layers of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and the pork belly she took was just right.
Stewing it in a clay pot results in meat that is perfectly marbled with fat and lean meat, rich but not greasy, and sweet and tender.
It's so delicious you could swallow your tongue.
There were only two pigs in total. She had sent some to Madam Pei and Father Jiang before, so she didn't have much left. It was fine since Aunt Chen didn't eat them.
Jiang Shuwan was focused on cooking and didn't pay any attention to Aunt Chen.
Aunt Chen was Madam Sun's younger sister, but she didn't live as well as Madam Sun, so Madam Sun often gave in to her.
Out of respect for Madam Sun, Jiang Shuwan decided not to hold it against Aunt Chen.
"Sister, I heard you went to the Spring Banquet today?"
Madam Sun nodded, then asked in confusion, "You went too, but I didn't see you?"
"I'm not going. What's so interesting about a bunch of military officers' sons playing polo?" Aunt Chen said, waving her handkerchief and sitting down on the embroidered stool with a look of disgust. "Sister, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but you've been in the capital for so many years, why are you still associating with military officers' wives?"
“I’ve told you so many times, why can’t you listen? Our Great Jing Dynasty has been at peace for decades, which is why civil officials have a future. You should spend more time with civil officials.”
Aunt Chen's words only made Madam Sun smile awkwardly. Both of them came from military families, and after Aunt Chen married a civil official, she looked down on military officials in every way.
Sometimes, the things he said made Mrs. Sun feel uncomfortable.
However, Madam Sun also understood that military officers had indeed not enjoyed the same prestige as civil officials in recent years.
"Sister, you didn't arrange a marriage for Wanwan with a son of a military officer, did you?"
Aunt Chen looked at him with disdain through her small eyes.
"What are you saying in front of the child?" Madam Sun glared at Aunt Chen's daughter, Chen Susu.
Chen Susu is of marriageable age, and it was inappropriate to say these things in front of her.
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