Zhao Xiu returned home, washed his face, changed his homely clothes, and went to see his grandmother Zhang, and made a report on what he saw and heard in Fang's house today.

After listening to the general content of the dowry gift sent by Meishan Bofu, Zhang's face couldn't help but show a little disdain: "This must be the handiwork of his old lady." If it was Mrs. Meishanbo, at least the clothes would not be so vulgar, and the wine and snacks would also be gentle. Only that old lady would give such a thing disgusting to people, and she thought that she was rich and rich, and she gave her in-laws face. ”

Zhao Xiu knew that the Zhang family and Mrs. Meishan Bofu had always had some contradictions, so he didn't say much, but smiled: "I see that the guests here are also discussing in private, although they are all a little disgusted with things and customs, but everyone admits that Meishan Bofu attaches great importance to this marriage, so he will specially send such a rich dowry." ”

Zhang shook his head disapprenorovingly: "It's just that you are rich and noble, are you really so generous when you are in his family?" They are all knights who were knighted at the founding of the country, no matter what they think in their hearts, they have always been friends for decades. To tell you the truth, we all know each other's properties in our hearts. Secretly, it doesn't matter, it takes a powerful person to buy it, if there is only a false shelf, even if you quietly buy any industry, you can only make a small fuss, if it is profitable, it will inevitably be targeted, if you want to keep it, it is impossible not to mention your own name, everyone will naturally know, you can't hide it. Meishan Bofu has not been in the court for twenty or thirty years, and now he has an eldest son in his family, who is on an errand in front of the emperor. It's just a little decent, and the rest is just a false shelf. With his family, no matter how rich his family is, it is limited. But if his family still has to maintain the dignity outside, the cost will be large. The old lady's dowry in his family is only afraid that there is not much left, but now this Mrs. Meishan is from the family, and the dowry is rich, but how many years can it last? The eldest and youngest grandmother of his family is the daughter of Jiangmen, and when she got married, she was escorted by Mrs. Cao. It is extremely rich. But her mother's family is powerful, and she is also a shrewd person, so she will never come up with money to make a face for the concubine who has not passed through the door. This dowry looks rich. In fact, I don't know how the Qiu family worked hard to put it together. ”

Zhao Xiu was very surprised: "As for it?" What did the Qiu family want to give Fang Huizhu such a rich dowry? If Fang Huizhu is really extremely rare, the Qiu family took great pains to set this daughter-in-law, and they were afraid that their in-laws would look down on them, so they specially prepared a dowry. It makes sense. Fang Huizhu because of the previous ruin. Her reputation has been damaged, and it is already her luck that the Bofu is willing to hire her as a daughter-in-law. The Qiu family hired her according to the general specifications, why is it so solemn? After all...... It's just a hiring. ”

Zhang smiled: "How can it be said that it is solemn? If it was really serious, it would not have rushed the marriage so much. Moreover, this dowry is not without greasy. ”

Zhao Xiu hurriedly asked, "How do you say this?" ”

"I don't know anything else, so let's just say that the gold-inlaid miscellaneous treasure that the Qiu family sent to the Fang family is good. Although this thing looks vulgar, it is really valuable, and it is not something that can be seen ordinarily. You say, where did that come from? Zhang glanced at his granddaughter with a smile.

Zhao Xiu guessed: "It sounds like grandmother seems to know the origin of that wishful thinking." Could it be a gift from the emperor or a gift from a big man? No...... It's impossible to take out this kind of thing and give it away, it's probably something that was married in by a grandmother from the Qiu family, right? ”

Zhang smiled: "It's Mrs. Meishanbo's dowry!" And there is only one handle. When she married her eldest daughter-in-law a few years ago. None of us are in Beijing, and we don't know the details. However, when Mrs. Cao chatted with me, she mentioned that Mrs. Meishan Bo valued her daughter-in-law very much, and when she was hired, she took out a gold-inlaid treasure for her own marriage, which was appreciated by everyone that day, and her in-laws were very dignified. Since it has been hired at the beginning, where did it come from? It was when the young grandmother of the Qiu family entered the door that she brought Ruyi back to the Qiu family and honored her mother-in-law again. And her mother-in-law has now hired a second daughter-in-law with the same Ruyi. Where does this look like a solemn matter? It's just that it looks good. That is, the two in-laws have one article and one martial arts, and the relatives and friends have no contact with each other, so few people recognize each other. But when the eldest girl of the Fang family entered the door, she put Ruyi into the dowry and brought it back to the Qiu family, so naturally everyone could see it. What will the young grandmother of the Qiu family think when the time comes? What will her family think? If Mrs. Meishan Bo was really a reasonable mother-in-law, she would not use this wishful thinking to hire her second daughter-in-law, so that they would have a gap in their hearts. ”

Zhao Xiu's eyes widened when he heard this: "Is this okay?" Strictly speaking, this Ruyi is already a thing of the young grandmother of Meishan Bofu, right? Even if she gave it to her mother-in-law, but her mother-in-law did ...... like this," she shook her head, "If it were me, I would definitely feel uncomfortable." I don't know what the Qiu family thinks, do they just want to look good on face, and don't think about living in the future? This is like a luxurious wedding in modern society, but the young couple saves money and suffers after marriage.

Zhang sneered: "Although the Qiu family loves decency, they are not vain to this extent. You see, with the temperament of the old lady of his family, if he can give the Fang family such a big face today, there must be something waiting for him. She also had a guess, "No matter how generous the dowry is, it doesn't matter, it's just to coax others and temporarily store things in the Fang family for two or three months." When the eldest girl of the Fang family marries into the Qiu family, these things will follow her back to the Qiu family. Where can his family suffer? Maybe because of the rich dowry under his family, the Fang family is afraid that their daughter will be underestimated by their in-laws, so they will double down on them. Won't the Qiu family get the benefit when the time comes? The inside has all the face. ”

Zhao Xiu suddenly realized, and couldn't help laughing: "The Qiu family's abacus is also too fine. Aren't they worried that the Fang family is not ordinary with his eldest daughter-in-law's maiden family, and they will deduct part of the dowry? There is no rule in the first place, saying that the bride price must follow the bride into the in-law's house. She paused, and suddenly realized: "I see! I said that the second girl of the Qiu family came to our house as a guest last time, although she was mediocre in poetry and books, but it was not vulgar to look at the dress, why was the Qiu family's daughter-in-law so vulgar? They did it on purpose! Those Eastern and Western families don't look down on it at all. It's useless to stay, and it hurts your eyes to see it, so it's better to marry your daughter together. You can also save some money for your own family. Even if the thing is vulgar, it is very in line with the preferences of the in-laws, and it can be given away if you don't use it for yourself. The Qiu family didn't need to pay a dowry, so they earned a rich dowry from the Fang family in vain, and outsiders only said that his family was rich and generous. She laughed and laughed, and couldn't help but repeat: "This abacus is too fine!" ”

Zhang pulled the corners of his mouth: "What about the abacus?" The old lady of his family only said that she was shrewd. Do you really think others can't see it? The food is so ugly, no wonder others look down on his family. In fact, although Meishan Bofu has not been prominent over the years, he has a good son. It can be regarded as a neutral level, and it is much stronger than those who have lost in Xungui. But you look coldly, how many high-ranking families are willing to marry his family? Although his eldest and youngest grandmother is a general's daughter, her father's official position is only three grades. Although there is local power and power. But compared with these generals in the capital, it is still a step behind, if it weren't for the Qiu family's son, he would not marry his beloved daughter. As far as the Qiu family is concerned, the small family is angry and self-righteous, and they have to support their face outside, if the Qiu family wants to marry a big family in Beijing, others will not take care of it. That is, scholars like the Fang family. I don't know the details of his family, so I think this is a good family. Pity the big girl of the Fang family. At home, I am used to seeing the etiquette of serious scholars, but when I arrived at the Qiu family, I saw the so-called rules of the Qiu family, and I don't know how much I have to suffer! ”

Zhao Xiu thought to herself, no matter how pitiful Fang Huizhu is, this marriage is also her own willing, even if she has to suffer in the future, she can only bear it, who told her to dislike Shang Qiong?

Zhao Xiu thought of the Shang family, and the Zhang family asked the people of the Shang family: "Has Mrs. Shang Taifu been to the Fang family today?" ”

The Shang and Fang families are cousins and in-laws, the Fang family has a happy event, and the mother of the Shang family should have come to congratulate. It's just that today's protagonist is Fang Huizhu, she has a feud with the Shang family, and Mrs. Shang may not be willing to sit at the table, so the Zhang family asks this.

Zhao Xiu replied: "Mrs. Shang is here, and she also brought a concubine of the Shang family, who is a relative. Although Fang Huizhu offended his family, Shang Qiong is now engaged to the five girls of the Fang family, and the relationship between the two families has been restored. This kind of face, the Shang family will still give it. But she remembered that the Shang family had been sitting outside today, and she hadn't seen Fang Huizhu inside, and she only congratulated Mrs. Fang, and the banquet was quite quiet, not talking much, and it seemed that she still had some knots in Fang Huizhu's heart. Mrs. Fang was very kind to them, greeting them from time to time.

Zhang asked again: "The fifth girl of the Fang family you befriended today, but you have been sitting there and don't care about anything?" ”

"Not really." Zhao Xiu replied honestly, "Today, she is responsible for entertaining guests." She greeted the ladies who came to congratulate her, and occasionally she had to help Mrs. Fang greet the wives and grandmothers sitting outside, and she didn't even bother to drink tea when she was busy. It was only later that when the guests were almost all there, she had time to sit down and talk to me a few words. In this way, her sister still refuses to give a good face. ”

"That's it." Zhang said with a smile, "Mrs. Shang must have come to see Miss Fang, so Mrs. Fang specially asked her little daughter to greet guests." I used to hear you talk about this girl, and she didn't look like she was a long-sleeved dancer. There are so many female dependents in the Fang family, if you really want to greet guests, where can you find no one? I had to ask her to be a little girl. I think this is to let Mrs. Shang take a look, in addition to being good at poetry and books, she is not ignorant of general affairs. ”

Zhao Xiu suddenly said: "It turns out that there is still this meaning, these wives and ladies are too thoughtful." "No wonder Fang Renzhu used to be almost always a shopkeeper, even if he really did the east, he would always do things quietly behind his back, letting others be in the limelight, but today he was uncharacteristically circling the field, it turned out to be a table for the future mother-in-law?

However, Zhao Xiu can also understand Mrs. Fang's thoughts, Fang Renzhu married into the Shang family, and she will be the eldest daughter-in-law in the future, although Mrs. Shang is not the head of the sect, but the responsibility of the eldest daughter-in-law is always heavier. Fang Renzhu is the youngest daughter, and she has not been cultivated as a daughter-in-law or a clan wife since she was a child, even if she doesn't have a good impression in front of her future mother-in-law, it doesn't hurt to let her be more familiar with some general affairs.

Zhao Xiu smiled and said to Zhang: "I guess that when their mother and daughter go to Jining, Mrs. Fang will definitely teach Miss Fang Wu the housekeeping skills by hand. After a few years, when they returned to the capital, Miss Fang Wu was already a good housekeeper. ”

Zhang smiled and touched his granddaughter's face: "Actually, a little girl as old as her is almost the same as learning housekeeping at this age." Our family is because I am not in good health, so you started to take over the housework at a young age, and you have been wronged all these years, right? ”

Zhao Xiu smiled: "What's wrong with this? I am in charge of the house, and it is convenient for me to do whatever I want, and it is impossible for the people below to neglect me. I'm comfortable, and I don't feel hard at all. ”

The grandfather and grandson were talking, and Zhao Wei came over. Zhang was a little surprised: "Didn't you go to the library to see the progress of the project?" He also said that he was busy until before dinner, why did he come back at this time? ”

Zhao Wei hurriedly took the tea sent by Dongshuang and drank most of the cup before replying with a smile: "I met someone in the West Pavilion today, went out for a meal with him, and came back early." Grandmother and sister, guess who I met? ”

Zhao Xiu scolded with a smile: "What are you selling? Who will you meet outside, and how will my grandmother and I know at home? ”

Zhao Wei was embarrassed, so he had to answer truthfully: "It's Shang Qiong." ”

Zhang and Zhao Xiu were puzzled: "Didn't Shang Qiong go to Xishan to repair books?" When did you return to the capital? (To be continued......)