Ink Burns

Chapter 104: Lord Yao of the Censorate

The previous emperor's dynasty set up a special department to repair dams, dredge rivers, and rebuild docks in both northern and southern Zhili, and reused the Grand Canal, which had already taken shape in the previous dynasty but was gradually abandoned in the war. After the river was repaired, tens of millions of taels of silver were spent to open up mountains and pave roads, building a wide and flat official road with post stations nearby. Water troughs for horses to drink and tourist stalls for pedestrians to rest could be seen everywhere.

It only takes more than ten days to travel from the capital to the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers by water; if you use a fast horse, it can reach the destination in seven or eight days at the fastest.

Nanzhili is a place where you can enjoy all the conveniences.

Among the conveniences are the "hard work" of hundreds and thousands of scholars and officials from the south of the Yangtze River, who work together to make things convenient for others and for themselves.

Officials serving in other places may not be able to return home for twenty or thirty years.

Officials in the Jiangnan area would choose to return home to celebrate the New Year, as long as the place where they were working was not very remote.

The wide streets and back alleys of Songjiang Prefecture have been bustling for more than ten days. Since the firecrackers on New Year's Eve, people have been coming and going, and the sounds of visiting relatives and friends are endless.

The Liu Mansion on the main street is still in mourning. The white banners and plain white lanterns under the eaves seem a little out of place amid the fiery red festive atmosphere.

The cheers in the main hall were completely different from the solemnity and gravity of the filial piety period.

"There are two girls and a boy in the family. The older one is called Shanyue and the younger one is called Bozhu. The boy is very young and very naughty. I dare not bring him out for fear of dirtying his face. He will have to be strictly disciplined at home for a few more years." Mrs. Liu San, Mrs. Qiu, sat in the main hall with a reserved smile.

Standing behind him were Shan Yue and her daughter Liu Boyu.

Qiu originally thought that the man that "Qingfeng" would marry this time would most likely be an old man in his seventies or eighties.

I never thought that this nominal "mother-in-law" was so young and dignified.

Even the fat old woman serving behind him wore a jade hairpin with a magnolia flower pattern and gold thread edging.

The master and servant both looked wealthy and kind. The Wu dialect in their voices had faded a lot, and they spoke fluent Mandarin, with a slight "er" sound at the end.

Liu Huan has always been impatient to talk much with these uncles from her hometown. She only said, "They are the wealthy and powerful families in the capital. You should be careful when dealing with them and don't lose your manners." However, she didn't say how wealthy the family was or how big the family was!
Now that I have inquired carefully, I have learned that this is one of the most aristocratic families in Zhenjiang Prefecture, oh no, Nanzhili!
My father is one of the three highest officials in the country, and my son holds the title of a third-rank official!
Third grade!
This girl is so young!

Qiu was talking and laughing, not realizing that Madam Zhu did not respond to her words. She just continued, "You look really light-headed. Your son is a third-rank official at such a young age. He must have a profound family background and inherited knowledge!"

Qingtou means young in Songjiang dialect.

Madam Zhu lowered her eyes and wiped the corners of her mouth with a silk handkerchief: "It all depends on his own efforts."

He stopped talking.

She didn't like dealing with the Qiu family.

In the capital, he was used to talking to women from noble families, and now talking to this white-clad lady was like a koi carp jumping into a pile of crucian carp, with the earthy smell hitting him in the face.

It’s just “Qingfeng”!
Why does it sound like Madam Qiu wants to discuss becoming her in-laws?

The unfavorable conditions over the past few days have made Zhu a little anxious.

Instead of being patient with a fool, it is better to open the window and speak frankly.

Madam Zhu went straight to the point and accelerated the process: "I have prepared our Dalang's birth certificate and name book, and have also asked the master to calculate it. Let's speed up the three books and six ceremonies. Once spring is over, we will have the ceremony to marry him. Madam Qiu, what do you think?"

Qiu had many more things to say, but they were all stuck in her throat. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Then, what about the betrothal gift?"

Madam Zhu's irritability intensified. "Twenty-four loads of betrothal gifts will be delivered to your house on the day of the betrothal. There will be a reward after the ceremony."

Twenty-four is a bit too few.

Qiu wanted to bargain: "Two years ago, my family married a 'Qingfeng' to a censor of the Imperial Censorate. Although he was a seventh-rank official, he gave a betrothal gift of thirty-six pallets."

"It's all fine, twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight are all fine!" Madam Zhu raised her hand, her slender fingers twirling her hair, which was not even a bit messy: "It's right to marry me as soon as possible--"

Liu Huan's wife stayed at her natal home temporarily because her two sons were studying at the Imperial Academy in Beijing, and did not return to her hometown to observe mourning. If not for this, she would not have had such a difficult time negotiating with this foolish woman!
Money, is money important?

When you reach a higher level, money is just a stepping stone for others to see you!
Madam Zhu felt disgusted and stopped talking to Qiu. Instead, she took Shanyue's hand and glanced at her: "Take good care of your hands and hair in the next month or two. A person's family background is not determined by wearing gold and silver, but by three things: teeth, hands and hair."

Liu Boyu secretly stretched out her hand and looked at her fingers and nails.

Madam Zhu patted Shanyue's hand and said earnestly: "Don't paint for the time being. The knuckles of your right middle finger are too big and look ugly. Trim the ends of your hair a little. Although your body and hair are given by your parents, you are an orphan and have no family to burden you. Don't be shy and try to tinker with yourself!"

Shanyue timidly retracted his hand, his eyes flickering like a frightened rabbit.

Seeing Shanyue being obedient, Madam Zhu felt better: "You should pound some dried mulberries, black sesame seeds, black beans and donkey-hide gelatin every day and mix them together to eat. It will not only improve your complexion but also make your hair shiny."

Qiu pursed her lips, looking a little uncomfortable.

I hope Madam Zhu understands.

He Wuma took out a colorful satin bag from her bosom and placed it on the table.

"Here is a hundred taels. Buy yourself some nice clothes and jewelry, and use it to pay for your health care for the next month or two. You don't need to keep an account. If there is any surplus, keep it for pocket money. If there is any extra, put it in the Liu family's account. When you become our eldest grandmother, the Xue family will pay you back double."

Mrs. Zhu spoke in a calm voice.

Shan Yue's eyes suddenly turned red with gratitude and the corners of his lips trembled slightly.

Qiu's eyes fell on the colorful satin bag on the table.

Liu Boyu's eyes flickered and fixed on Shanyue's face.

"Put this engagement letter in the Liu family ancestral hall as a formality. I picked a date, March 21st, when the grass is green and the birds are singing, it's an auspicious day."

Madam Zhu glanced at the plain white lanterns hanging low under the eaves and asked Qiu: "Is she leaving from here?"

Qiu took her eyes off the bag and quickly replied, "No, no, no, Brother Hezhou just passed away. It's not easy to clash with weddings and funerals. Shanyue is my niece from another generation. She only needs to observe a 100-day mourning period. She still has to go through her own family when she gets married!"

joke!

The little girl has to go home with them, so that the dozens of loads of betrothal gifts and the one hundred taels of silver ingots can fall into their pockets!
Madam Zhu nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble Madam Qiu. Her household registration card has been prepared. Now the governor of Songjiang Prefecture has been replaced. If there is any inconvenience, please tell me and I will help her."

Qiu said yes repeatedly: "Don't worry, don't worry. Although Brother Hezhou has passed away, the Liu family is still the local boss of Songjiang Prefecture. Cats have their own ways and mice have their own ways. It is still convenient for our Liu family to make a household registration card."

Madam Zhu nodded, and then she narrowed her eyes as she recalled what Qiu had just said: "You said that you married a 'green phoenix' and a supervisory censor before?"

Shan Yue obediently stepped aside.

Qiu replied, "Yes, yes, she also found a woman named 'Qingfeng' who changed her career. She used the name of my niece and gave her a dowry of 800 taels! She married a man who just passed the second exam and is a seventh-rank supervisory censor. His surname seems to be Yao! Tsk, it is said that the monthly salary is only three taels of silver. I don't know why she asked 'Qingfeng' to marry such a person - she will never see a way out in her life!"

Madam Zhu raised the corner of her lips vaguely, "I will leave for the capital tomorrow. Madam Qiu can write a letter and ask my niece to come to the Xue family in advance to get acquainted with the family. We will all be relatives in the future. You help me and I help you, just like the scholars in the south of the Yangtze River. Only by helping and pushing each other can we go far."

Why would you spend money and marry a seventh-rank censor?

Because it’s difficult to enter the Censorate.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, the Censorate became more strict in selecting people.

Candidates who have big families behind them, don’t even think about getting in!
Even if a teacher has a great reputation and many students are successful in the imperial examination, his students will not be considered for selection into the Censorate even if they pass the imperial examination.

It was said in the past that only those from the cabinet could enter the Hanlin Academy.

Now that the new emperor is in power, he vigorously supports the supervisory functions of the censors, and all those selected are newly-appointed scholars who come from poor backgrounds, have no relatives to help them, have simple and clean backgrounds, and are still young. The censor Yao must be the husband that "Qingfeng" has been searching for for a long time.

(End of this chapter)