Do you know that my grandfather was entitled to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple?

Chapter 11 Zhangshouzhou

"There are too many rules for noble ladies, I can't stand them," Wang You quickly shook his head.

"What do you know?"

Madam Feng glared and said, "Marriage has always been about the man marrying someone of higher status and the woman marrying someone of lower status. Although your grandfather is no longer here, my son is promising, and it is still possible for him to find you a wife from a noble family."

"Mother, I'm still young, isn't it too early to talk about these things?"

The idea of ​​men marrying into wealth and women marrying into wealth inherently carries a certain degree of utilitarianism.

For a man to marry into a prominent family is a great help to his future prospects.

Take Sheng Hong for example. With his smooth and cautious nature, he would never have reached his current position without the help of the Wang family's connections.

It's not that being tactful and cautious is bad; if you hold a high official position, this way of handling things is naturally acceptable.

However, this kind of personality is very unpopular when one has a low official position and no background.

As for the idea of ​​a woman marrying down, it's even easier to understand. From an emotional perspective, if a daughter marries down, her husband's family will have to treat her well, and she will live a comfortable life.

From a self-interest perspective, if you choose a son-in-law from a lower social class who is successful, then the son-in-law will have no choice but to rely on his own family.

However, Wang You did not want his marriage to be mixed with too much utilitarianism, and he did not care about social status.

Wang You didn't want to talk about this topic, so he changed the subject, saying, "Now that my cousin's coming-of-age ceremony is over, when are we going back?"

"Didn't you say you benefited greatly from reading the Sheng family's collection of books? Why are you in such a hurry to go back?"

Madam Feng said, "It's not easy for us to come all this way, and your aunt also asked me to stay a few more days."

"My child mainly reads the annotations and notes in the book, and has already finished reading them."

Wang You said, "I want to go back as soon as possible to prepare for the prodigy's trial."

The books themselves weren't particularly interesting; the Sheng family had them, and so did the Wang family. The main things to look at were the annotations and notes.

The so-called "notes" are actually just notes.

When ancient people had a sudden inspiration while reading, they would record their insights in the book.

A journal is much more comprehensive, recording not only insights and reflections from reading but also observations and experiences.

"Then let's stay one more day tomorrow, and go back the day after tomorrow."

When Madam Feng heard that her son was in a hurry to go back to prepare for the exam, she lost all interest in sightseeing in Yangzhou.

"By the way, your grandmother said she asked your uncle to give you some pointers. Did you learn anything from it?"

"Of course there have been gains. My uncle passed the imperial examination and served as an official for more than ten years. His guidance has benefited me greatly," Wang You said with a smile.

This wasn't just empty talk; although Sheng Hong's advice to him was only a few sentences, Wang You truly gained a lot from it.

Everyone knows that the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish.

However, the higher the price of fish, the greater the danger.

It's not that no one sees the danger; it's just that they're blinded by greed.

The officialdom is treacherous; only those who are tactful and cautious can last longer.

Wang You felt that if he could learn seven or eight parts of Sheng Hong's tact and diplomacy, coupled with his own understanding of the future, he would definitely be able to thrive in the officialdom.

"It's good that there's been any progress." Mrs. Feng smiled and nodded.

…………

That night, Wang You had an unusual bout of insomnia.

His mother's words today made him keep thinking about his future marriage.

In ancient times, marriages were arranged by parents and matchmakers.

Even if Wang You could convince his parents to let him choose for himself, he still wouldn't be able to find someone to date freely.

Moreover, once a girl reaches the age of fifteen and reaches marriageable age, preparations for marriage begin, and barring special circumstances, she will marry no later than sixteen or seventeen.

Are you suggesting I go and seduce teenage girls?

Just thinking about Wang You sends chills down my spine.

……

The next day, when Madam Feng saw that Wang You looked listless, she thought he was sick.

After asking him some questions and touching Wang You's forehead, he finally felt relieved.

After having breakfast, Madam Wang led Madam Feng and Wang You out for a stroll.

After visiting several famous places in Yangzhou, I went to Daming Temple to offer incense.

Instead of returning home at noon, we rented a painted boat on Baozhang Lake and had lunch while cruising the lake.

Baozhang Lake, also known as Slender West Lake, is called Baozhang Lake because it originally existed as the moat of Yangzhou, and was also known as Baozhang River.

Although it is still relatively undeveloped, the willows lining both banks create a beautiful scene, making it a scenic spot in Yangzhou.

After lunch, we took a boat trip on the lake and didn't return to the city until nearly evening.

Madam Feng had already stated that she would be setting off back to Shouzhou the next day, and after Madam Wang's attempts to persuade her to stay failed, she had no choice but to accept it.

That evening, the Sheng family hosted a family banquet to entertain Madam Feng and Wang You.

The next morning, Wang You and Madam Feng went to bid farewell to Old Madam Sheng. Sheng Hong and his wife, along with their children, escorted them to the dock.

Before boarding the boat, Madam Wang revealed her true feelings, her eyes slightly red, and pulled Feng Shi's hand, saying, "Sister-in-law, I haven't visited my mother for many years. When you go back, tell her that after I finish Hua'er's wedding, I will go to Shouzhou to see her."

"We live thousands of miles apart, so it's already inconvenient for us to visit each other. My mother-in-law knows my sister-in-law's personality, and when she came, she told me to tell her that as long as you are doing well, she is at ease and you don't need to worry," said Madam Feng.

"Mother."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang could no longer contain herself and covered her face, weeping.

Hua Lan quickly handed over a handkerchief to comfort her mother.

Even after Madam Feng and Wang You had sailed away, Hua Lan could still be faintly seen supporting Madam Wang as they stood on the dock, never leaving.

"Ugh."

Madam Feng sighed, "When Mu'er marries in the future, she must not marry someone far away."

"Mother, what are you thinking? My little sister is only three years old now, there are still more than ten years to go."

Wang You was speechless; what was all this about?

Feng was initially feeling somewhat sentimental, but after Wang You's words, she couldn't feel sentimental anymore. She glared at him and went into the cabin.

Wang You touched his nose and went back to his cabin to read.

According to the process of the prodigy examination, he should be able to enter the capital in two months.

It's always good to practice before the battle begins.

After returning to her cabin, Madam Feng drank a cup of tea and then ordered someone to invite Che San Niang over.

A short while later, Che San Niang, dressed simply and looking uneasy, entered the cabin.

Che San Niang was originally a straightforward person. Because of her job on the boat, she usually came into contact with men, which made her personality somewhat like a man's boldness.

However, even he couldn't help but feel a little nervous when facing a noblewoman like Madam Feng.

"Sit down," Madam Feng said with a smile.

"Madam Xie."

Che San Niang bowed and sat down.

"take it easy."

Madam Feng said kindly, "My son You'er wants to take your brother-in-law as a bodyguard. I heard that your husband's parents died early, so this matter should be discussed with him. But I am just a woman, and it is inconvenient for me to meet with men outside the family."

They say an elder sister-in-law is like a mother, so I thought it would be the same if I talked to you about it.

"It's the same if you tell me anything, Madam." Che San Niang nodded repeatedly.

"hehe."

Madam Feng smiled and said, "You'er said he wouldn't sign a contract of indenture, and I thought if he didn't want to sign, then he wouldn't. The most important thing about someone by your side is loyalty; a contract of indenture is secondary."

I've seen your brother-in-law from afar; he's strong and powerful, and he knows martial arts.

With him by my side, protecting my brother's safety, I can rest assured.

"I can't speak for other things, but as long as he does his job conscientiously, when he returns to your hometown of Tongzhou, he can buy some land and live a comfortable life."

"Thank you, Madam," Che San Niang said gratefully.

Che San Niang originally thought that Madam Feng had summoned her to discuss the indenture.

She had also heard the rules of wealthy families: they wouldn't use a contract of indenture for someone without one.

Unexpectedly, Madam Feng did not mention this matter at all.

Madam Feng smiled and said, "It won't be so easy for you to meet again in the future, so take these few days to enjoy your reunion."

……

When Che San Niang left the cabin, she was still a little dazed, but she gradually came to terms with it.

Feng had just mentioned that Shi Keng's parents died early and that their hometown was in Tongzhou, clearly indicating that she knew their background very well.

What you just said sounded more like a threat.