Chapter 89 reveals the truth. While it was surprising, Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan were...
Despite their surprise, Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan were both quite cautious about this matter.
In this world, men have the upper hand, and married daughters often suffer grievances. Although divorce is not uncommon, it is not the mainstream. Often, men remarry quickly, while women find it difficult to marry a suitable husband. If they are lucky, their families love and are willing to accept them, allowing them to return home. If they are unlucky, their families dislike them, forcing them to choose to become nuns or quickly become someone else's concubine.
Jiang Zhenniang, thinking about her less-than-ideal marriage, remained silent for a moment, then turned to look at her daughter.
Su Zhihan carefully recalled the scene when Pearl's family came that day. Pearl's family was dressed quite well, looking like a wealthy family. In addition, Pearl was very beautiful, so it was normal for Master Zhang to have feelings for her.
Su Zhihan suddenly thought of a question and frowned slightly. She had been visiting more government officials lately and had gradually noticed the rampant extravagance in their homes. In addition to the increasingly lavish banquets, officials' residences were filled with concubines and maids.
Men who only marry one wife exist, but are extremely rare.
Most people had one or two concubines, most of whom were well-off women with considerable wealth.
Su Zhihan thought that if Zhang Guanren was only interested in Pearl's appearance and family background, and had already developed the idea of taking a concubine before even taking office, then the matter would be dropped.
After thinking for a moment, she asked cautiously, "Now that you are an official, does Mr. Zhang intend to marry the elder or the younger?"
Yao Lang laughed and said, "Of course he wants to marry the eldest. If he wanted to take a concubine, I wouldn't have the face to say that on his behalf."
Now, even Jiang Zhenniang became interested.
Although Mr. Zhang is of average appearance and his family is wealthy peasants, which can only be considered as middle class, he has passed the autumn imperial examination and the selection examination, and now has a proper official position.
Leaving aside others, take Mr. Sun, who had previously caused a domestic violence incident, for example. He was able to marry a government official's wife while holding a low-ranking official position.
Someone of Zhang's age and ability, as long as he spreads the word that he wants to find a wife, there will surely be middle-class or even high-class matchmakers who will find him a wife from a sixth or seventh-rank official's family to be his principal wife. It would be easy and simple.
“This…” Su Zhihan hesitated.
"Madam Su, is there something you're having trouble telling us?"
Seeing that Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan were unable to give an answer for a long time, Yao Lang wondered, "Could it be that the lady's family has already arranged a marriage? It's not a big deal. I'll talk to Master Zhang later and tell him to give up on this idea."
"No, no, Pearl is not engaged." Jiang Zhenniang waved her hands repeatedly, quickly stopping Yao Lang's guess.
What exactly is the reason?
"Could it be that the two ladies are worried about Master Zhang's character? I think Master Zhang's character is quite good. In the few years since he came to the capital to study, he has never been late with his rent, he never acts recklessly when he's drunk, and every year my wife sends him cured meat for the New Year, and he always brings bamboo shoots from his home to our house the following year..."
These are all minor matters, but judging from these minor matters, at least there is nothing seriously wrong with Mr. Zhang's character.
"That's right..."
"Actually," Su Zhihan's eyes flickered, stopping Jiang Zhenniang before she could speak.
Su Zhihan did not reveal the origin of the pearl, but said that she needed to inform the pearl's parents so that she could know their thoughts. She also told Yao Lang that if Master Zhang really had this intention, it would be best to choose a day and a quiet place to talk things over in detail.
When Yao Lang relayed the matter to Master Zhang, Jiang Zhenniang was also puzzled: "Han'er, why didn't you let me tell you?"
"What if someone is interested in the pearl's background or origin... and later tries to use the pearl to contact the Marquis's mansion?"
"So what? This is normal."
"Besides, although Chang Ge'er's concubine has a good future, she is not his legal wife after all. In addition, Pearl is not as attentive to Chang Ge'er as before, so it is hard to say what his future will be like."
"Even becoming a concubine isn't necessarily a good thing. Pearl is a house-born child. If her future wife is as formidable as the old lady was in her youth, who knows what will happen later?"
"I think Master Zhang is quite good. The head maid in the Marquis's mansion is more than qualified to be his wife!"
"Mother..." Su Zhihan couldn't argue with Jiang Zhenniang, but a thought kept racing through her mind. She had wanted to tell Jiang Zhenniang something for a long time, but she had kept putting it off until now.
Su Zhihan first dismissed everyone in the room before closing the door, taking Jiang Zhenniang's hand, and whispering something to her.
Jiang Zhenniang was initially puzzled, but after hearing the rest, she was dumbfounded and tried to lower her voice to say, "You said you... dreamed that the Marquis's mansion was raided?"
Su Zhihan nodded.
Jiang Zhenniang chuckled, not believing it at all: "My darling, how can you be so adorable? Even dreams are the opposite of reality, how could the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion possibly fall!"
After a pause, Jiang Zhenniang thought of something else and said with a wry smile, "You don't actually want to leave the manor because of this, do you?"
Su Zhihan: …………
Jiang Zhenniang clutched her stomach, nearly laughing herself silly. She never imagined that her daughter had put in so much effort just for a dream.
"How could that be!"
“…Even dynasties can be overthrown, let alone a marquis’s mansion,” Su Zhihan said sullenly.
"...My goodness, don't talk nonsense." Jiang Zhenniang was so shocked by Su Zhihan's words that her hair stood on end. She quickly stepped forward and covered her mouth: "Okay, okay, okay, I believe you, alright?"
Su Zhihan knew Jiang Zhenniang was just trying to comfort her and didn't believe her at all. Feeling frustrated and speechless, she continued, "People can be attracted to someone today because of the Marquis's power and appearance, but what will happen when their looks fade and the Marquis's family falls?"
Jiang Zhenniang's smile froze instantly, and her eyelids twitched at the mere thought of it.
"I've heard that when the current emperor ascended the throne, several noble families in the capital fell into ruin. Have you ever heard of their daughters and maids?"
Jiang Zhenniang remained silent. Although she felt that the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion was secure, she would go along with her daughter's wishes since she had said so.
Besides, if both parties are willing, this matter will eventually be brought up.
At the same time, Yao Lang relayed the mother and daughter's words to Master Zhang. Master Zhang, who hadn't slept for several days, was overjoyed upon hearing this and nodded repeatedly: "I know... I know... I'll write home right away."
The next day, after learning that Master Zhang had written to her parents, Jiang Zhenniang also went to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence to tell Zhenzhu's parents about it.
"Really? The other party is an official?"
“Absolutely true!” Jiang Zhenniang nodded emphatically. “He is an official who was selected in this year’s autumn examination and passed the selection assessment. He will be going to serve as an official outside the city at the beginning of the year.”
"His family was of modest means, just a wealthy farmer from the outskirts of the capital. However, he had a clean record. He had never been in arrears with rent in the alley behind my house for several years, and he didn't have any gambling or prostitution habits."
Jiang Zhenniang was quite optimistic about the marriage and hurriedly told Pearl's parents everything she had learned from Yao Lang and Lu Shi: "He was delighted when he saw Pearl that day, and he has already written to invite his parents to come to the city. I was thinking that we should all go for tea together then."
These days, tea drinking has a name: matchmaking tea. It usually involves both sets of parents present, bringing their children together for a meeting. If the man is interested in the woman, he will place a gold hairpin, earrings, or other items in the teacup. If the woman accepts them, it means she is willing to continue the relationship; if she is not interested, she will return the teacup to the man.
Pearl's parents were both surprised and delighted, and their emotions were also somewhat complicated. They were both born into the household and naturally felt that both daughters should stay in the manor. Pearl was beautiful and intelligent, and had been in Chang Ge'er's courtyard since she was a child, so her future was practically guaranteed.
Unexpectedly, the plank cracked halfway through.
Ever since that incident, her daughter Pearl has been depressed and withdrawn, hiding in her room and refusing to go out, let alone go back to Changge's courtyard to do chores.
Pearl's parents looked on with worry, but there was nothing they could do. They were destined to be servants, and it wasn't up to them to simply refuse to go. All they could do was comfort their daughter and teach her to let go of her worries as soon as possible.
But now, Pearl's parents suddenly realized they had other options. However, the choice to leave the Marquis's mansion filled them with some trepidation. They thought long and hard but couldn't decide, so they finally decided to go home and discuss it before making a decision.
Just then, Zhang Guanren had just sent a letter, and even if the other party's family wanted to come to the capital, it would still be quite some time before they arrived.
After thinking it over, Pearl's parents decided to convey their reply to Jiang Zhenniang in three days and then returned home with a heavy heart.
Three days later, Pearl arrived in a small sedan chair. She was a woman of strong will, even more so than her own parents. Upon hearing about this matter, she had an idea and specially invited Jiang Zhenniang and Su Zhihan to the room to talk. The first thing she asked was, "Does this Master Zhang know that I work in the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion?"
Su Zhihan smiled and said, "My mother and I have never said anything about it, but since the people in the alley know that my mother and I come from a wealthy family, it's understandable that they would make these guesses."
"Then... I'll trouble Sister Su to tell him about my background." Pearl smiled bitterly and said slowly, "If he doesn't know, so be it. If he does know, then tell him that after he marries me, he can't use my name to do business with the household."
Outsiders who wanted to marry a maid in a wealthy household mostly hoped to use this opportunity to establish a connection with the household and build a relationship.
Because of Chang Ge'er's matter, Pearl had the idea of leaving the Marquis's mansion, but she did not want the person who married her to do so for the sake of the Marquis's mansion.
Su Zhihan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Jiang Zhenniang opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say or how to say it, which in turn fulfilled Su Zhihan's wish.
With Pearl's consent, Jiang Zhenniang found Yao Lang and explained the situation to him in detail, instructing him to tell Master Zhang.
"That Pearl Girl is actually from the Marquis's mansion?"
"No wonder he is such a... god-like figure." Zhang Guanren was both surprised and delighted, but at the same time, he also felt a little timid.
The maids in a noble household are practically like mistresses; many men outside seek their marriage, but almost none succeed. It's not that the noble household is preventing them; it's mostly that the maids inside simply don't want to go out and get married.
Could that Pearl Girl really be interested in me?
Mr. Zhang was so distraught that he lost all his initial confidence.
Seeing his expression, Yao Lang quickly said, "Don't be too happy yet. That lady said she doesn't want to marry someone who wants to get close to the Marquis's mansion through her. If you have such thoughts, you should give up now."
"I'm not that kind of person!"
"..." Yao Lang glanced at him sideways. They were all men; everyone understood each other.
If it weren't for his future prospects, would Master Zhang have hosted that banquet? Just as he privately told Madam Su, if he could curry favor with someone else, Master Zhang would have done so long ago.
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