Volume 5: Overlord of the Sea Chapter 584: Making a prompt decision Xiahou Juan
"Hey, Zihuan, you said you looked quite smart when you were a kid, why are you so dumb now?"
"I introduced the daughter of the Lu family to you before, but in the end, neither of you liked the other. Your brother-in-law and I didn't say much, but... you should do your best!"
"I heard that there are quite a few young women working in your government office now. Don't you know any of them?"
"At first, your brother-in-law let you choose first, or I begged your brother-in-law to transfer you to a department with more girls, but in the end you still wanted me and your brother-in-law to introduce you?"
Xiahou Juan nags Cao Pi...
"Hehehe ...Stupid uncle, stupid uncle." Little Ningning is now standing aside, giggling.
Cao Pi glared at the brat, but Xiao Ningning was not afraid of him at all. At worst, he would ask his godfather to beat him up...
"Ningning! You can't say that. Girls should be polite and speak tactfully... What is the synonym of 'stupid'?" Xiahou Juan criticized without hesitation, and as an excellent mother, she was also good at guidance.
Little Ningning thought about it, then said, "Cute?"
Only after seeing Xiao Ningning change to a nicer word did Xiahou Juan give up.
Cao Pi: ...
"Okay, I'll introduce a young lady from the Yu family to your 'lovely uncle' later!" Xiahou Juan said deliberately.
Cao Pi then hurriedly said: "Wait...I..."
"Hmm? Zihuan, tell your sister the truth. Do you already have a girl you like?" Xiahou Juan saw something.
Cao Pi blushed and said, "Anyway, you don't have to bother me. I'm already twenty!"
When Xiahou Juan saw this scene, she felt something was not right...
"What's wrong with you being twenty? Your brother-in-law and I haven't stopped you from doing anything. Just tell me honestly which girl you like." Xiahou Juan frowned.
According to Cao Pi's status and the customs of the Chu State, he could tell Xiahou Juan no matter which girl he liked.
From Cao Cao's perspective, Cao Pi might not be very welcome, but from Xiahou Juan's perspective, Cao Pi was after all the brother-in-law of the King of Chu, and was from the Cao family - we cannot only look at the side of the enemy country. According to the thinking of the older generation, even if it is an enemy country, the royal family is the royal family, and even if it is one's own country, the common people are still the common people.
Even if Cao Pi liked the daughter of a grand councilor or a county marquis, he could just ask Xiahou Juan to plead for her. It would be more difficult if it was Jia Xu's daughter.
When Jia Xu was choosing a son-in-law, he had to choose an inconspicuous one. Otherwise, even if free love was popular in the State of Chu, wouldn't it be possible for an old fox like him to break up a young couple without making any noise?
As for those of lower status, there is even less need to be afraid. Xiahou Juan is not the kind of person who pays attention to these things. Even if... she is really a woman performing in a brothel, Xiahou Juan can endure and accept it.
What's more, the State of Chu is now gradually tightening its control over the brothel industry. There are no brothels in Jinling... now, and officials are strictly prohibited from entering and leaving brothels.
When Xiahou Juan thought of this, her heart tightened...
"Zihuan, are you falling in love with someone you shouldn't?" Xiahou Juan probed.
Seeing Cao Pi was silent, Xiahou Juan suddenly thought of his uncle, Cao Pi's biological father, and after hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Is she... already married?"
Sure enough, Cao Pi's face was slightly flustered, and then he said: "No! I don't like anyone!"
Xiahou Juan: ...
"Mrs. Chen, please carry Ningning down first... everyone else please go out and wait! By the way, the table is a little dirty, get me a duster... Well, I'll do it myself, you don't have to worry." Xiahou Juan said with a smile to the hired palace maids beside her.
"Sister...don't get excited!" Seeing that Xiahou Juan had already taken her weapon, Cao Pi quickly stood up.
"You, you, you... you make me so angry! Why don't you learn something from your uncle? How dare you covet someone else's wife? Are you going to bully men and women in the future? Let your brother-in-law know..." After Xiahou Juan and other outsiders left, he was so angry that he wanted to hit someone.
"Sister! You misunderstood... I, I... Although she has been married, she has no husband now... She has been dead for several years!" Cao Pi explained in a hurry.
Xiahou Juan calmed down a little: "A widower?"
Although it doesn't sound very nice, after all... no matter in Han or Chu, there were no restrictions or contempt for widowed women to remarry. Even if they divorced and remarried, it was not considered as something against etiquette. This is closer to modern times than in the Song and Ming dynasties, and it was even more so in the Chu State.
Especially since Cao Pi was hesitant just now, Xiahou Juan really thought that he fell in love with someone's married woman. With this foreshadowing, Xiahou Juan even thought - it turns out that you just like widows, that's great!
"Whose widow is this?" Xiahou Juan asked.
"No need..." Cao Pi still wanted to hide it, but Xiahou Juan patted his palms with the duster.
"Then I tell you, you don't have to tell your brother-in-law." Cao Pi said, shrinking his neck.
After Xiahou Juan agreed, Cao Pi told her that the one he had his eyes on was not someone else, but Lu Shang's wife, and Xu Rong's biological sister - Xu Wan!
It was when Xu Rong was serving as the Grand Historian that Lu Jun asked Lu Kang for permission to marry a grandson to his grandson Lu Shang. However, Lu Shang died within two years.
In history, it was Lu Shang's widow, Mrs. Xu, who later married Sun Quan, and was nominally Sun Quan's legal wife. The reason why the later "Queen Bu" was not officially crowned queen during her lifetime was because of the existence of Mrs. Xu.
However, now in the State of Chu, Sun Quan's identity is no longer a successor or a powerful leader, so there is naturally no need to make trouble or use marriage to win over any family.
This fate did not happen, but Cao Pi and Xu Wan got to know each other, and... they seemed to be in love with each other.
However, Xu Wan's identity was awkward after all, and both the Lu and Xu families were determined to continue to maintain their in-law relationship. Even long after Lu Shang's mourning period was over, they still kept Xu in the main house of the Lu family.
Although the State of Chu advocates free love, how can it be free when it involves giants like the Lu and Xu families?
If I could be free, it must be to respond to the call of the King of Chu, and I would give up a little freedom for show...
"Sister, where are you going?" Cao Pi looked at Xiahou Juan puzzledly as she walked out of the hall.
"Look for your brother-in-law and Rongrong."
“Ah? Didn’t you promise me...wait..." Cao Pi hurriedly chased out.
However, with the guards and waiters watching outside, Cao Pi couldn't be rude, so he just quickly followed Xiahou Juan and whispered, "Sister! You just promised me not to tell!"
I just agreed, but Xiahou Juan feels that it is better to do it sooner rather than later...
After all, she doesn't understand things that are too complicated, but from a dramatic perspective, in this kind of plot, usually things will change if you delay!
"Well, I regret it!" Xiahou Juan said with a bright smile.
Cao Pi: ...
