Volume 3: Dragon and Snake Movement Chapter 273 When is the Wedding Date?
Because Zhang Shou specifically instructed that when Zhu Ying brought Zhang Shou back to Qing'an Hall, she should not mention why Zhang Shou went to find Zhu Er. Both the Taifu and Jiu Niang felt that it was reassuring to leave Zhu Er to Zhang Shou's care, so they did not ask a single question. So, Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing, who had originally planned to ask a few questions, thought about it and gave up the idea.
Since everyone said that Zhu Er had changed, he might as well just leave it alone... Both he and Zhu Tingfang had tried to manage him, but no one emerged as a filial son or a virtuous brother under the stick, and fists and feet didn't work either. Anyway, they didn't manage Zhu Er well, so he might as well leave it to Zhang Shou.
Therefore, when he saw Zhang Shou bowing again, he nodded and said directly: "Zhang Shou, I have invited your mother to come over. Now the two families have signed the marriage certificate. I have asked someone to file it at the Shuntian government office. In this way, there will be no more rumors from outside. As for the wedding date, although everyone has agreed on a few days, I still want to ask you and Yingying."
Even though she was generous and straightforward, Zhu Ying's cheeks flushed when she heard that the wedding date was to be set. However, her joy overwhelmed her shyness. She glanced at Zhang Shou and said with a smile, "I 'll listen to you, Shou!"
Zhang Shou couldn't help but smile bitterly when he saw Zhu Jing and Zhu Tingfang's eyes were all focused on him. Zhu Ying's words sounded very ordinary, but to the Zhu family, would they think that she was planning to follow her husband wherever he went before she got married? So, he pondered for a moment and said the decision that had been brewing in his mind for a long time.
"Yingying's elder and second brothers are both unmarried, and as a younger sister, it is not appropriate for her to get married before her brothers. I am grateful to the Madam and Auntie Nine for trusting me and allowing her and I to go in and out together, and never hiding anything from others. I am very grateful for this, but if possible, I hope to hold the wedding at the end of the year."
Zhang Shou paused, noticing that Zhu Ying beside him was obviously a little surprised, and even a little disappointed. He turned around, looked at her sincerely and earnestly, and said word by word: "Yingying, your father and your eldest brother were away on the battlefield before, and now that they are back, they find that there is someone beside you. They don't know me well enough, I think they should know me better."
"This way, when you marry me in the future, they should be more assured."
Seeing Zhu Ying startled for a moment, then hesitantly glanced at Zhu Jing and Zhu Tingfang, with her expression clearly relaxed, he continued calmly: "Besides, I am not without selfish motives. Yingying, I remember telling you that I hope you will wait for me for a while, because I don't want you to be poor and tired after marrying me."
"Although the emperor rewarded or gave me a former Luwang villa for the new spinning machine, I can't shamelessly ask the emperor for help or ask the Zhu family for money to maintain such a villa in the future. I have already given the 5,000 strings of cash I got from the eldest prince to Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu and others to work in Xingtai. And the remaining cotton fields cannot be easily moved."
"The money I have is not enough for the wedding. That's why I hope you will wait."
"I hope that what they are doing in Xingtai can make some progress. Because their progress also means my achievements. Moreover, several other things that I have asked people to study before should also be able to have some results before the end of the year. And if all this goes well, it will not only be an achievement, but also a political achievement, but it can be turned into real money."
"Yingying, don't laugh at me for being mercenary. Poor couples have many worries. They need firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea. I know how it feels to be penniless, so I don't want you to experience it once."
Hearing this, Zhu Ying's face suddenly cleared up and she was bright and sunny again. Without even asking the elders for their opinions, she said firmly: "A Shou, I promise you! We will get married at the end of the year... But we can't get married in the twelfth month, and November is too cold, so let's do it in early October. I can wait for you until early October!"
Wu, who had been sweating with anxiety just now, suddenly felt relieved. She said without thinking, "Okay, the beginning of October. October 6th is a very auspicious day... I wonder what the Madam, the Duke and the Madam think?"
When Zhang Shou said that he wanted to get married at the end of the year, Zhu Jing and Zhu Tingfang were both surprised. After hearing his reasons, they fell silent and agreed with what Zhang Shou said. However, when they heard Zhang Shou's more sincere words, the last bit of worry in their hearts disappeared.
A man who can consider his future life without considering his fiancée's possibly very generous dowry before getting married, and who hopes to give his fiancée a better life by his own efforts, is undoubtedly quite trustworthy.
The lady stopped Jiuniang from trying to dissuade her. When Zhu Ying took the initiative to say that the wedding date should be postponed to October and Wu hurriedly said an auspicious date, she smiled and said, "Okay, I've already looked at the auspicious dates this year. Let's choose this day! Ah Shou, don't push yourself too hard. Don't rush things."
Zhang Shou bowed and said, "Yes, I understand, Madam, don't worry."
When Zhang Shou and Wu said goodbye and left together, Zhu Jing saw Zhu Ying seeing them off as a matter of course. He watched the three people who would definitely be one family leave and couldn't help but whispered, "Hearing is believing, seeing is believing. I used to think Yingying judged people by appearance, but now I know after seeing her, this girl is not an ordinary person."
The lady laughed and said, "Of course. Even if Yingying was confused for a moment, are your wife and I blind?"
Even though he never disobeyed his grandmother, Zhu Tingfang couldn't help but whisper, "But grandma, you've never met Zhang Shou before, so how can you let Yingying go to the countryside to meet him?"
"You carefully selected the families in Rongshui Village, and I sent so many people to follow Yingying. Why should I worry? At that time, the Zhu family was already at the center of controversy. I felt more at ease when Yingying went to the countryside to avoid the limelight. As for you saying that I had never seen Zhang Shou before... How could I not have seen him? I had already been to that village once before sending Yingying down."
As the lady spoke, she clenched the Buddhist beads in her hand and narrowed her eyes slightly: "I saw him chatting and laughing with the farmers in the fields. He was happy and joyful when talking about the harvest. When I heard the farmers talking to him, they all admired and respected him. I knew that he was a good child. At least, he is a hundred times better than many of the braggarts in the capital!"
She paused and then said with a smile, "How can a child who is destined to be born on the same day, month and year as Yingying be an ordinary person? He was born into this world under the influence of favorable circumstances, so it is natural that he is handsome."
Jiu Niang nodded slightly and said with great emotion: "A Shou, this child, lived up to the life his mother gave him."
Zhu Ying accompanied Zhang Shou and Wu all the way to the back door, and when it was time to say goodbye, she was still somewhat reluctant to leave.
Seeing that the servants at the back door had already avoided them, and there were no strangers waiting on the street, Zhang Shou could not help but pull her hand, then walked forward and hugged her gently. After letting go of her hand and stepping back two steps, he smiled and said, "Although it will take more than half a year for you to marry me, we are in the capital together and can see each other all the time."
Wu didn't expect Zhang Shou to be so bold in front of her, and she was shocked. But when she saw that Zhu Ying was not embarrassed at all, but her face became more charming, and she even hummed softly, she couldn't help but smile. She felt that she was hindering the two people's whispers by standing here, so she simply walked briskly to her home, but she was thinking about something else in her mind.
When the marriage contract was just signed, she and Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing agreed to rewrite Zhang Shou's background in the marriage contract - who his father was, who his mother was, and she was only an adoptive mother. Moreover, Zhu Jing had hinted to her that once Zhang Shou's official rank gradually increased, he could build a family temple at home to worship his ancestors.
In this way, the late Mr. Zhang and his wife would not only enjoy incense during festivals, and she would not feel that she had shamelessly taken away their wonderful life.
After talking to Zhu Ying for a long time, Zhang Shou urged her to go back, and then he turned around and went home.
After arriving home, when he heard Wu talk about the details of the marriage certificate and Zhu Jing's warnings and reminders, he did not continue the topic, but said directly: "Mother, I will listen to you on these matters. As for the next step, I'm afraid you will have to work hard. Let 's choose a suitable day in the next few days and move."
Zhu Tingfang and Zhu Jing returned one after another, and the Duke Zhao's mansion was naturally full of joy. Even the servants walked and did things with a bit of joy. Because of the instructions of the lady, the Zhu family and the Zhang family had already signed a marriage certificate, and the original verbal marriage contract was completely finalized. The marriage certificate was also sent to the Shuntian government office, and the news spread in an instant.
For a while, they were used to Zhang Shou's frequent visits and were talking about it. The maids and servants congratulated Zhu Ying whenever they saw her. However, Zhu Ying was not like those shy girls. She smiled and gave out money generously, so much so that a saying became popular in the mansion.
"Congratulations, Miss. Congratulations, Miss!"
When Zhu Ying returned to her room after dinner, Zhan Jin and Liu Yin came forward to congratulate her again with a smile, but Zhu Ying slapped their fair hands in anger and said, "I've already given you the reward money, and you're still making trouble!"
Liu Yin immediately stuck out his tongue, and then whispered, "Miss, I thought the wedding would be held in the next two months, but I didn't expect it to be delayed until October. I don't know what the master and that Miss Wu are thinking."
The Madam had instructed that Zhang Shou's words in Qing'an Hall should not be spoken without permission, so no one else knew about it. But at this moment, Zhu Ying was reminded of Zhang Shou's words and recalled Zhang Shou's powerful words. Unconsciously, two blushes appeared on her face, and she said happily, "Ah Shou is also thinking about me! I knew he was a good person!"
Zhan Jin and Liu Yin couldn't help but look at each other, laughing in their hearts. No wonder even when the master came back, he immediately signed the engagement without saying anything. Judging from the look of their eldest daughter, it was clear that her heart was completely tied to Master Shou, how could there be any change?
Compared to Zhu Ying, who was in high spirits when the event happened, when Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing returned to his Yongning Residence from Qing'an Hall, his steps became slower and slower. Not only him, but also Jiu Niang beside him was the same. The stiff and unspeakable atmosphere between the male and female host naturally infected the servants here, and for a while, there was complete silence all around.
When Jiu Niang was in Zhaoming Temple, she did not bring any maids with her. She did . The nuns in the temple knew that she was a special person, so they asked the young nuns to help her with chores. When she returned to the Duke of Zhao's mansion, the servants in Yongning Residence were no longer the same as before. They were all cautious and gradually understood her character.
Knowing that she was different from Zhu Ying, she was usually calm and not picky, but she would not show mercy to some mistakes. Naturally, everyone was more nervous when facing her than when facing Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing. After all, Zhu Jing was a rough person and didn't care much about the little things around him. At this moment, watching the two of them enter the main room one after another, no one dared to follow them in, but they didn't dare to leave either.
No one knows what huge conflict this couple had sixteen years ago that caused them to ignore their young daughter Zhu Ying. One of them practices in the temple, while the other does not take his wife home, but he also does not divorce her or take concubines. They just waste their time like this. If one of them does something wrong now, what if he becomes a scapegoat?
Just when they were in a dilemma about whether to stay or leave, they heard Zhu Jing's voice from inside: "Go clean up the bathroom first and prepare some hot water. I'm going to take a shower soon. Don't come near this room without my permission!"
With this order, everyone immediately responded in a hurry, and then scattered like birds and beasts. In the room, Jiu Niang noticed the commotion outside, raised the corner of her mouth, and said with a sneer: "It seems that everyone is afraid that the meritorious Duke Zhao will see his former divorced wife coming back and get angry."
Zhu Jing gave a somewhat stiff smile: "Jiu Niang, isn't the past all in the past?..."
"I came back for Yingying and Zhang Shou, and because I wanted to apologize to my mother for all the hard work she has put in over the years, and to the two innocent children, Dalang and Erlang. It's not for you."
Jiu Niang was still cold, even though she saw Zhu Jing's face darken, she did not intend to take back her words, just standing there, staring at him sharply. It was unknown how long it had been before she heard him sigh.
"I know what you are angry about. The midwife was indeed drunk to death and she didn't know anything. Widow Zhang also died of dystocia. Mrs. Wu was shocked and frightened and fainted and didn't remember anything. Concubine Yu..."
Zhu Jing paused, smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying, "After Concubine Yu became pregnant, she went through a lot of chaos in the palace, and after a fight, the child landed safely, but she fainted from weakness. When I arrived, I did have some mean-spirited thoughts, but, you know, I was also preparing for a rainy day, to prevent any disaster..."
Jiu Niang stared at her husband and then laughed. That's right, it wasn't Hua Qi who arrived first, but her good husband who was concerned about his wife and children and turned back after seeing the mark she left. She still remembers Zhu Jing's first reaction of shock and anger when he found the miserable and chaotic scene.
