Chapter 280 Wedding
Zhang Xingjiu can only stay for about a month this time. Time is tight and the task is urgent, so many things cannot be too particular. However, the necessary procedures must be followed. He plans to go home and discuss with his parents first.
Ma Xiangbo was a third-rank official, and Zhang Fuqing would never refuse such an identity, so going back was basically just a matter of going through the formalities.
Jiang Yixu was Zhang Xingjiu's mentor and also a member of the church, so it was just right for him to be the matchmaker. Zhang Xingjiu also discussed the details of the wedding with him. They planned to hold two ceremonies, one in his hometown of Shaoxing using the old customs, and one in Shanghai using the new customs, so that both families would have an explanation.
After marriage, Ma Zongwen would go to study in Paris with him. With Zhang Xingjiu's reputation, it would be no problem to get her a place in the Sèvres Women's Normal School. Then the two would live and study together in Paris, and return to China together after getting their degrees.
He stayed in Shanghai for another day and discussed various procedures with Ma Xiangbo. He was open-minded and had no objection as long as Zhang Xingjiu and Ma Zongwen liked it. He just didn't like extravagance and hoped that the wedding could be a little simple.
On the same day, Zhang Xingjiu also sent a transatlantic telegram to Lippmann, asking him to help contact the Sevres Women's Normal School for admission. Lippmann readily agreed and promised to help him.
After finishing all these, Zhang Xingjiu hurried back to Shaoxing. When he got home and told his parents about his marriage, they were overjoyed. When they heard that she was the daughter of a third-rank official, they were even happier. But they were a little worried. Zhang Xingjiu was just a scholar now, and they were not a wealthy family. Wouldn't Zhang Xingjiu feel wronged if they married a daughter like this?
Zhang Xingjiu hurriedly comforted them, saying that the Ma family has always had a good family tradition and lived a very simple life, so their daughter must not be a willful person. It’s just that after getting married, she will accompany him to France, and she may not be able to take care of her parents-in-law at home.
Zhang Fuqing had no objection to this. It would be good for the child to have someone to accompany him when he went out to study. Besides, there was more than one child in their family, Zhang Xingjiu, and there was someone to take care of him and his wife.
He quickly found a master to pick a date, and then sent someone to Shanghai to inform the Ma family. He also invited a manager to help prepare for the wedding. Zhang Xingjiu was very busy as soon as he returned, and he finally found time to visit his teachers and friends and send them invitations.
The first person to visit is of course Mr. Shou Jingwu. Sanwei Bookstore is still the same as before. Mr. Shou is almost fifty years old, but he is still in good spirits. If history has not changed, he can live for more than 30 years.
Shou Pengfei was very envious when he heard that Zhang Xingjiu had already made such a great reputation in Europe, and the idea of becoming an official became even stronger. However, Mr. Shou still did not allow it, so it seemed that he had to sneak out on his own.
Shou Jingwu had some reservations about Ma Xiangbo's identity as a Christian, but he felt relieved when he heard that Ma Xiangbo was devoted to running a school. He thought that anyone who could spend all his family wealth to build a school must not be a bad person, and it would be a good thing to marry into such a family. So he readily agreed to attend the wedding and even prepared to write a nice calligraphy for Zhang Xingjiu.
There were still a few classmates who studied together back then who were still taking classes with Mr. Shou at Sanwei Bookstore. Zhang Xingjiu gave them the invitations as well, and they all happily agreed to come over to congratulate him.
After having lunch at Sanwei Bookstore at noon, Zhang Xingjiu headed towards Zhou's house not far away. After meeting, he found that Zhang had obviously lost weight, but his eyes had become sharper. Family affairs in the past few years had brought great changes to him.
"When my uncle passed away, I was still in France and was unable to come to pay my respects. I feel really bad about it." Zhang Xingjiu went over and lit a stick of incense in front of Zhou Fengyi's tablet. If it weren't for him, he would not have been able to go to Sanwei Book House to study. He was such a great benefactor.
"Atu, don't say such polite words. France is thousands of miles away. How can we come back at any time? Besides, Uncle Zhang also came and helped the family a lot. My mother and I are very grateful to him!" A Zhang said sincerely.
"Let's not talk about these things. You are getting married now, which is a great thing. If you need any help, just ask."
"Of course, the position of best man belongs to you, so don't refuse!" Zhang Xingjiu planned to ask Zhang to be the best man, which would be a good story when it gets out.
"Of course, I'll come to your house later." Zhang agreed readily, and the two of them started talking about the details of the wedding.
After the discussion, Zhang also talked about his recent situation. "Thanks to the help of my elders, I will soon go to the Jiangnan Naval Academy to study. If I have the opportunity, I also plan to study in Japan. If you go to the West, I will go to Japan. In the future, by comparing the two, maybe we can find a way to save the country."
After leaving A Zhang's house, Zhang Xingjiu went to Xu Xilin and Wang Ziyu's houses and invited them to attend the wedding. Not only did they agree, they also followed Zhang Xingjiu home and stayed directly at Zhang's house. From then on, they began to help him prepare for the wedding together with A Zhang.
After a few days, Ma Xiangbo came with his family. Zhang Xingjiu helped them find a good place to stay and they rested while waiting for the wedding to begin.
Finally, the day that had been chosen in advance arrived. Ma Zongwen wore a bright red wedding dress and rode in a sedan chair into the Zhang family's gate. After the ceremony, he was escorted to the bridal chamber. Zhang Xingjiu greeted the guests outside for a while before entering the house to meet her.
The second time the two met was in the bridal chamber. This sounds a bit absurd, but it is much better than what most people are experiencing nowadays. At least they met once and they loved each other, which is much happier than those blind marriages.
Ma Zongwen was happy but a little nervous. Zhang Xingjiu had a lot of experience in marriage and comforted her with just a few words. He also told her that she had received admission to the Sèvres Women's Normal School and that they could go to France to study together after the wedding.
The young couple stayed in Shaoxing for a few days and then went to Shanghai together. Zhang also went with them. When they arrived in Shanghai, he still had to serve as the best man, and Zhang Xingjiu also wanted to take this opportunity to broaden his horizons.
Ma Xiangbo was, after all, a third-rank official, and Ma Jianzhong had served as Li Hefei's aide, so many people wanted to attend the wedding, but most of them were politely declined by Ma Xiangbo's brothers, leaving only some close relatives and friends to attend.
Compared with the traditional wedding in Shaoxing, the new wedding process in Shanghai is simpler. Zhang was fascinated by it and felt that this was how a wedding should be.
After hearing this, Zhang Xingjiu sighed inwardly, thinking of A Zhang's unhappy marriage, so when he returned to Shaoxing again, he went to A Zhang's house again, and took the opportunity to visit A Zhang's mother to chat with her. The general meaning was that A Zhang had entered the Jiangnan Naval Academy, and his future prospects would definitely be bright, and he would also help him find a good family.
A Zhang's mother was very happy to hear this, and perhaps she would no longer force A Zhang to get married early.
After the conversation, Zhang sent him out of the house and said hesitantly, "There is something I don't know if I should tell you."
(End of this chapter)
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