Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 10: Fate of Marriage?

Zhoujin Hall.

Jiang Zhao blew on the tea and drank it all in one gulp.

On the desk were more than a dozen memorials, some marked with red ink and others with annotations.

In recent years, Han Jiayan passed the examination to become a probationary official and entered the Hanlin Academy as a compiler. He also passed the triennial examination and was officially appointed as a seventh-rank Hanlin compiler.

Therefore, Jiang Zhao alone served his mentor day and night, silently observing the political situation.

After Han Zhang explained something that puzzled him, he would often ponder it repeatedly and gain a comprehensive understanding from just one example.

Occasionally, Han Zhang would also involve him in handling certain political affairs to give him practical experience.

Jiang Zhao often benefited greatly from this, and while balancing his studies, he even passed the imperial examination and became a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations).

Until last year, Han Zhang fell ill and believed that Jiang Zhao was suitable to be a local official, so he simply accepted the position of prefect of Xiangzhou and entrusted him with all the affairs of Xiangzhou, while he secretly oversaw the process.

The position of Prefect of Xiangzhou was merely a fifth-rank official post, but Han Zhang deliberately took it upon himself to give Jiang Zhao a chance to practice and independently try to manage the affairs of a prefecture.

As it turned out, the observation of the government's policies was very effective. Jiang Zhao handled official business in an orderly manner. Moreover, Xiangzhou was Han Zhang's hometown, and there were many former officials and confidants there. With no one getting in the way, it was even easier for Jiang Zhao to handle things.

This routine of governance has continued for nearly a year.

Anyone who has ever been to Xiangzhou knows that Prefect Han doesn't really care about anything; the one who truly manages things is his prized disciple, Jiang Zhao, also known as Jiang Zichuan.

After a while, Jiang Zhaochang breathed a long sigh of relief as he finished his day's official duties.

The pageboy Hesheng seized the opportunity and quickly stepped forward to hand over a letter: "Young master, a letter from the mistress."

"Mother?"

Jiang Zhao was not surprised. He rubbed his Qingming acupoint and got up, taking the letter with him.

In recent years, he has received a letter almost every one or two months.

Ultimately, how could parents not worry about a twelve-year-old child who has been away from home for five years? They would often ask after him and express their deep longing.

Jiang Zhao unfolded the letter and read it as he walked.

When I read the phrase "a woman from the Sheng family," I was taken aback.

“A woman from the Sheng family,” Jiang Zhao murmured.

Sheng Hualan!
Although the letter did not mention the woman's name, Jiang Zhao knew perfectly well that it was Sheng Hualan!
Two years ago, the Vice Prefect of Yangzhou retired due to illness, and a man surnamed Sheng took over the position.

Coincidentally, around that time his mother, Hai, wrote a letter hoping to find him a suitable marriage partner and make preparations as soon as possible.

Jiang Zhao did not refuse, but wrote a letter to discuss his desired criteria for marriage.

She must be gentle and graceful, beautiful, and eloquent, and her family must not be involved in any clear political factions.

If the above conditions are met, the higher the wife's social background, the better.

That letter was for Sheng Hualan.

It's no wonder that people can't help but focus their attention on the Sheng family's children.

Among the Sheng family's children, the two who caught Jiang Zhao's attention the most were undoubtedly Sheng Changbai and Sheng Hualan.

Sheng Changbai needs no introduction; he is exceptionally intelligent, possesses the qualities of a gentleman, and has the bearing of a prime minister.

Sheng Hualan, on the other hand, is intelligent, virtuous, and gentle, making her easy to care for and a suitable wife.

In the drama "The Story of Minglan," there are only four women who are suitable to be wives:
Firstly, Zhang Guifen, the only daughter of the Duke of England, was a woman of heroic spirit, virtuous and gentle nature.

Secondly, Shen Hezhen, the eldest daughter of Grand Secretary Shen, comes from the Shen family of southern Shanxi, a prestigious and renowned family, and is an absolute top-tier lady.

Thirdly, Hai Chaoyun, the eldest daughter of the Hai family, was born into the Hai family of Jiangning. Although she was relatively less beautiful, she was gentle, virtuous, knowledgeable, and capable of handling important occasions.

Fourthly, Sheng Hualan, the eldest daughter of the Sheng family, is elegant, dignified, and well-educated.

To be fair, as the renowned Jiang Lang of Huaizuo and Han Zhang's only disciple, he was qualified to marry any of these women. Even Zhang Guifen, the only daughter of the Duke of Yingguo, and Lady Shen, the granddaughter of Grand Secretary Shen, were barely worthy of his attention.

When it comes to marriage, one's background is naturally very important, but if the difference in background is not particularly large, then talent and reputation will inevitably become important bargaining chips.

Jiang Zhao, on the other hand, has no shortage of talent and reputation.

However, being eligible to marry is one thing, and being willing to marry is another.

Unfortunately, of these four beauties, only one was suitable for him.

The Duke of England was the head of military nobles. If a scholar married Zhang Guifen, it would be no different from marrying a princess. He would be destined to ruin his career and find it difficult to rise above others.

Shen Hezhen was from a prestigious family, but unfortunately, he could not marry her.

The civil service of the Great Zhou Dynasty was divided into numerous factions. The cabinet consisted of six chairmen, almost all of whom were from the same faction and had been established since the reign of Emperor Taizong.

Officials throughout history have also understood the principle that where there are people, there are factions, which cannot be completely eliminated or contained.

By balancing the factions among those who entered the cabinet, the emperor ensured that these individuals represented the interests of different people. When civil officials fought amongst themselves, the emperor's power prevailed.

One of the six chairmen in the current cabinet is Shin Hwa-jin's grandfather, who wielded considerable influence.

If a marriage involves members of different factions, and neither party is of high status, then there is no need to worry about anything.

Unfortunately, Jiang Zhao was destined to be at the core of the Korean faction, and Shen Hezhen's grandfather was the leader of the faction, so the two were destined to have no chance of marriage.

Trying to please everyone is destined to have a bad ending. The factional strife between Niu and Li ruined a generation of great poets. How could Jiang Zhao dare to repeat the same mistake?
Li Shangyin's tragic fate has already provided the best answer.

The Hai family boasted five members who passed the imperial examinations, making them a family of scholars and officials of high rank for generations. However, their rule was that husbands were not allowed to take concubines, and they could only do so if their husbands were forty years old and childless.

From Jiang Zhao's perspective, the Hai clan rules were not entirely unacceptable.

Unfortunately, he could not marry Hai Chaoyun.

Hai Xirui is Hai Chaoyun's aunt; they are very close relatives, not even beyond the fifth degree of mourning.

Sheng Hualan, you're good!
The Sheng family is connected to the Wang family, but Grand Tutor Wang is a separate lineage.

Grand Tutor Wang's rise to power was due to Han Zhang's feat of "dismissing four prime ministers with a single memorial to the throne."

The cabinet had only six chairs, and at that time, four people were suddenly missing. The emperor hurriedly selected capable ministers to enter the cabinet, regardless of whether the person came from one of the six long-standing factions.

Grand Tutor Wang thus rose to power.

Unfortunately, Grand Tutor Wang failed to seize the opportunity. Even during his lifetime, the Wang faction's influence was not significant, and its presence remained relatively low.

To this day, Grand Tutor Wang has been dead for more than a decade, his former students and officials are no longer competent, and the Wang faction has long since disappeared.

Even his son-in-law, Sheng Hong, despite relying on some of the political influence of Grand Tutor Wang, did not consider himself a member of the Wang family.

The Sheng family is almost entirely without factions, so you can marry into it!

Therefore, Jiang Zhao specially wrote a letter to his mother, hoping that by setting restrictions on his marriage requirements, his mother would choose Sheng Hualan as his wife.

After all, having finally arrived at the story of "The Story of Minglan," it would be a pity not to marry Sheng Hualan.

Of course, if it really doesn't work out, then it doesn't matter.

A wife who is good-natured, beautiful, and has excellent manners is definitely not bad. It doesn't matter who you marry.
Now, nearly two years later, a letter regarding the marriage arrived, and Jiang Zhao knew that the matter was almost certain to be settled.

Within a few breaths, Jiang Zhao had a plan in mind.

He looked at the page and asked, "Where is the teacher?"

"I reckon they're playing chess in the back room," Hesheng replied.

Jiang Zhao nodded slightly and walked towards the back hall.

(End of this chapter)